Comparing the predictive utility of trait affect and average daily affect for the prospective prediction of health outcomes

In preregistered secondary data analyses, we compared the predictive utility of trait affect and average daily affect for predicting three health outcomes across nine years (N = 1,376). Trait positive and negative affect were assessed using a 25-item dispositional questionnaire. Average daily affect was assessed as the mean of eight daily diary reports of the same items. Trait affect and average daily affect both had medium associations with self-reported general health and chronic health conditions. Moreover, both types of affect predicted mortality when adjusting for baseline health and demographics. Effect sizes were comparable for trait compared to daily affect. These findings demonstrate convergent predictive validity of trait and daily affect measures.     

Relationships Among Emerging Adult Psychological Problems,Maltreatment, and Parental Psychopathology: Moderation by Parent–Child Relationship Quality

Current research supports clear relationships between parental psychopathology, parental maltreatment, and emerging adult child psychopathology. Less research has examined how the role of the parent–child relationship influences these existing associations. The current study tested two models that examined the moderating effect of parent–child relationship quality on parental psychopathology and emerging adult mental health as well as the effect on parental maltreatment and emerging adult mental health. It was expected that high parent–child relationship quality would buffer against the negative effects of parental psychopathology and maltreatment while enhancing the effects of functional parenting characteristics. Participants included 1,452 emerging adults, predominantly Caucasian (73.3%) college students who completed surveys on their mental health, recent experienced maltreatment, and their parents’ mental health problems. Results suggested lowest rates of mental health problems for emerging adults were associated with higher parent–child relationship quality and lower parental psychological problems, whereas negative outcomes were associated with higher parental psychopathology, regardless of parent–child relationship quality. Additionally, physical maltreatment was associated with lower rates of mental health concerns in the context of higher mother-daughter relationship quality. Results emphasize the continuing impact of the parent–child relationship, particularly the mother-daughter relationship, on emerging adults’ mental health. Moreover, the current study demonstrates the continuing influence of parents on their emerging adult children.     

隔代教育对孙辈和祖辈的影响：双刃剑效应

隔代教育是指祖辈对孙辈的抚养和教育, 随着经济社会的发展, “隔代教育”已成为“亲代教育”的一种重要补充形式。隔代教育对祖孙两辈人的身心健康均存在“双刃剑”效应。生物进化论、社会交换理论和家庭系统理论为理解隔代教育对孙辈的影响提供了理论支持, 角色紧张和角色强化理论可以加深隔代教育对祖辈影响的认识。未来研究应明确隔代教育的定义和类型, 控制边界因素进行更为深入的综合性研究, 并进一步推进隔代教育的本土化研究。     

Who uses community mental health centres? A study of one health district

A caseload analysis was undertaken to investigate those clients seen by five community mental health centre teams within one healthcare district. The 985 clients are described in terms of demographic and clinical features and questions relating to service provision are discussed.     

Group Intervention for Adolescent Anxiety and Depression: Outcomes of a Randomized Trial with Adolescents in Kenya

Youth mental health interventions in low-resource communities may benefit from including empirically supported elements, using stigma-free content, and using trained lay-providers. We developed and evaluated such an intervention, targeting adolescent depression and anxiety in Kenya, where mental health care is limited by social stigma and a paucity of providers. Kenyan adolescents (N = 51, ages 14–17, 60.78% female) from a school in an urban slum in Nairobi with self-reported moderate-to-severe symptoms of depression or anxiety were randomized to the 4-week “Shamiri” (“thrive”) group intervention or a study skills control intervention of equal duration. The Shamiri intervention included growth mindset, gratitude, and value affirmation exercises. The content was delivered by recent high school graduates (ages 17–21, 60% male) trained as lay-providers. Participants met in school once-a-week in groups of 9–12 youths (average group size 10). Compared to the study-skills control, Shamiri produced greater reductions in adolescent depression symptoms (p = .038; d = .32) and anxiety symptoms (p = .039; d = .54) from baseline to 4-week follow-up, and greater improvements in academic performance (p = .034; d = .32) from the school-term before versus after the intervention. There were no effects on overall social support or perceived control, but the Shamiri group showed larger increases in perceived social support from friends (p = .028, d = .71). This appears to be the first report that a brief, lay-provider delivered, community-based intervention may reduce internalizing symptoms and improve academic outcomes in high-symptom adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa. Larger replications with extended follow-ups will help gauge the strength and durability of these effects.     

PROMPTING ONE LOW-FAT,HIGH-FIBER SELECTION IN A FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT

Evidence increasingly links a high-fat, low-fiber diet to coronary heart disease and certain site cancers, indicating a need for large-scale dietary change. Studies showing the effectiveness of particular procedures in specific settings are important at this point. The present study, using an A-B-A-B design and sales data from computerized cash registers, replicated and extended previous work by showing that inexpensive prompts (i.e., signs and fliers) in a national fast-food restaurant could increase the sales of salads, a low-fat, high-fiber menu selection. Suggestions also are made pertinent to more widespread use of the procedures.     

Reciprocal peer management: Improving staff instruction in a vocational training program

To test the feasibility and utility of involving peers as sources of feedback, 6 subjects, instructors in a vocational program for adults with mental retardation, participated in a staff training and management program. Subjects' teaching interactions were assessed during baseline, in-service training (on effective teaching), return-to-baseline, peer management, and follow-up phases. Peer management was introduced in multiple baseline fashion across pairs of subjects. Members of each pair were trained to monitor peer teaching, to record and graph data, to provide feedback, and to set goals with the peer. Each pair then performed these procedures on the job for several weeks, during which time 4 of the 6 subjects increased their use of effective teaching methods (over baseline). However, inconsistencies in the magnitude and durability of these increases require that the study be viewed as inconclusive, although it has heuristic value as a promising model for involving co-workers in staff management programs.