Social problem‐solving skills as a mediator between executive function and long‐term social outcome following paediatric traumatic brain injury

There is debate regarding the relationship between executive function and social outcome following paediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI), due to inconsistent findings in the literature. It has been suggested that these contradictory results may reflect the absence of an established mechanism to explain this relationship. Yeates and colleagues (2004) proposed a possible model in which the maturity of social problem‐solving skills mediates the relationship between executive function and social outcome. The current study aimed to explore this model and determine whether social problem solving mediates the relationship between executive function and social outcome in a TBI population. The sample consisted of 36 adolescents and young adults who sustained a TBI between 8 and 12 years of age. They ranged between 16 and 22 years of age and were 7–10 years post‐injury. Findings indicated that a higher level of executive dysfunction was associated with less sophisticated social problem‐solving skills and poorer social outcome. Further, the maturity of social problem‐solving skills was found to mediate the relationship between executive function and social outcome in this group.     

Social problem solving in adolescents with suicidal behavior: a systematic review

There is an increasing focus on deficiencies in problem solving as a vulnerability factor for suicidal behavior in general and hence a target for treatment in suicide attempters. In view of the uncertainty of evidence for this in adolescents we conducted a systematic review of the international research literature examining the possible relationship between deficiencies in social problem-solving skills and suicidal behavior in this population. This was based on searching two electronic databases: Medline 1966 to September 2003 and PsychInfo 1887 to September 2003. Twenty-two studies of social problem-solving skills in adolescents with suicidal behavior were found. Most of these studies, which compared adolescent patients with suicide attempts versus either nonsuicidal psychiatric or normal controls, found evidence for problem-solving deficits in the attempters; however, few of the differences remain after controlling for depression and/or hopelessness. Because most of the studies are cross-sectional, it is difficult to differentiate between the possibilities that deficiencies in problem-solving skills lead to depression when adolescents are faced by adversity and hence to suicidal behavior, or whether depression is the main factor which undermines problem-solving skills. Future research, preferably with longitudinal research designs, is required to determine the nature of the association between problem-solving skills and suicidal behavior in adolescents. This has important implications for therapeutic interventions.     

Gender differences in the social problem-solving performance of adolescents

Compared to other cognitive measures, social problem solving has received little attention in research on gender differences. In the present study, the Means-Ends Problem-Solving Procedure and the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ) were administered to 207 adolescents to examine social problem-solving skills as a function of subject gender, PAQ type, and gender of protagonist. Hypotheses were that superior problem solving would occur (a) for androgynous and masculine PAQ types and (b) when subject gender and/or PAQ type corresponded with protagonist gender. Results failed to corroborate these patterns, but indicated a clear overall advantage for females over males. A follow-up multiple-regression analysis showed this effect to be stable after controlling for English level. In a supplementary analysis, PAQ breakdowns were compared for the present sample and for one tested in a different region seven years earlier. Overall, the research findings imply that fewer adolescents today are likely to identify with traditional feminine roles, and that sex-related personality traits have, in general, a relatively limited impact on social problem-solving skills.     

Behavioral Correlates of Self-Appraised Problem-Solving Ability: Problem-Solving Skills and Health-Compromising Behaviors

According to the revised social problem-solving model, problem solving skills should be associated with cognitive and behavioral attempts to solve or prevent personal problems. We reasoned that the Approach-Avoidance scale on the Problem-Solving Inventory (PSI; Heppner, 1988) measures problem-solving skills as defined in the model, and predicted that scores on this factor would be predictive of health-compromising behaviors among 96 undergraduate students. An aspect of the problem-orientation component would be predictive of global health perceptions. Ineffective problem-solving skills were associated with greater alcohol intake over a 2-week period, and with more sedentary leisure behavior on retrospective and prospective measures. Perceived control over emotions was predictive of health perceptions, as hypothesized. However, elements of problem solving were unrelated to tobacco use, illicit drug use, and exercise behaviors.     

Predicting Creative Problem-Solving in Math From a Dynamic System Model of Creative Problem Solving Ability

Six attributes of creative problem-solving ability were investigated as predictors of creative problem solving ability in math. A total of 409 Taiwanese fifth and sixth graders were administered the recently developed Creative Problem Solving Attributes Inventory and other corresponding established instruments that measure similar attributes. The Creative Problem Solving Attributes Inventory yielded valid and reliable data on creative problem solving attributes. Results also demonstrated that divergent thinking and domain specific knowledge and skills directly predicted math problem-solving ability, whereas divergent thinking, convergent thinking, motivation, general knowledge and skills, and environment indirectly predicted math problem solving ability. Implications for nurturing creative problem solving ability and limitations of the study are discussed.     

青少年孤独感与抑郁症状:反应风格的中介作用以及性别的调节作用

基于反应风格理论,本研究探索反应风格在青少年孤独感与抑郁症状之间的中介效应。使用孤独感量表、儿童反应风格量表以及儿童抑郁量表对 795 名 青少年进行调查。结果发现：（1）青少年孤独感能显著预测抑郁症状。（2）青少年孤独感能通过反刍、问题解决间接预测抑郁症状。（3）反应风格整体（比率分数）中介青少年孤独感与抑郁症状之间的关系。本研究结果显示,反应风格能够解释青少年孤独感与抑郁症状之间的内在机制。     

青少年孤独感与抑郁症状:反应风格的中介作用以及性别的调节作用

基于反应风格理论,本研究探索反应风格在青少年孤独感与抑郁症状之间的中介效应。使用孤独感量表、儿童反应风格量表以及儿童抑郁量表对 795 名 青少年进行调查。结果发现：（1）青少年孤独感能显著预测抑郁症状。（2）青少年孤独感能通过反刍、问题解决间接预测抑郁症状。（3）反应风格整体（比率分数）中介青少年孤独感与抑郁症状之间的关系。本研究结果显示,反应风格能够解释青少年孤独感与抑郁症状之间的内在机制。     

Personality correlates of self-appraised problem solving abilities

We examined the relations between the components of self-appraised problem solving abilities and personality constructs measured by a popular instrument. Results indicated that the Approach-Avoidance and Problem-Solving Confidence factors of the Problem Solving Inventory (PSI; Heppner, 1988) were significantly associated with the judging, perceiving, and feeling scales of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (Myers & McCaulley, 1985) among 112 undergraduates. Our results elucidate the relations between problem-solving appraisal, emotional predispositions, Willfulness, and preferences for structure. Implications for theoretical models of social problem solving and counselling interventions are discussed.     

Emotional Intelligence,Social Problem‐Solving Skills,and Psychological Distress: A Study of Chinese Undergraduate Students1

This study examines how emotional intelligence (EI), personality, and social problem‐solving skills were linked to depression and life dissatisfaction in 144 Chinese undergraduate students in Hong Kong. Factor analyses of questionnaire responses yielded 3 separate dimensions of depression (affective, somative, and cognitive). Structural equation modeling showed that EI (self‐emotions appraisal and use of emotion) was linked to somatic and cognitive symptoms of depression, after controlling for personality. Also, social problem solving was linked to psychological distress, and moderated its links with personality and EI. These results underscore the differences among the links between the components of EI and of psychological health, and support the possibility of promoting people's psychological health through EI and social problem‐solving interventions.     

Psychometric properties of the Social Problem Solving Inventory (SPSI) with normal and emotionally disturbed adolescents

The factor structure of the Social Problem Solving Inventory (SPSI; D'Zurilla & Nezu, 1990) was evaluated with a sample of 708 normal adolescents. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the empirically derived five-factor model reported by D'Zurilla and Maydeu-Olivares (1994) using an adult sample, but not the theoretically derived seven-factor structure of the original SPSI. The psychometric properties of the original and revised inventories are reported for normal adolescents and psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents (n=63). Internal consistency and reliability estimates were adequate. Support for the validity of the revised SPSI was demonstrated by examining the relationship between social skills, depression, and social problem solving; in addition, differences between normal and inpatient adolescent samples were examined. The findings are discussed in terms of the utility of the inventories with adolescents.     

日常生活事件对中学生社会适应的影响：社会问题解决能力的中介作用

采用问卷法,对2157名中学生日常生活事件的特点,及其与社会适应、社会问题解决能力的关系进行研究。结果发现：（1）学业压力与人际冲突是中学生所遇到的最主要的日常生活事件,低年级经历的事件显著少于高年级,女生经历的事件显著少于男生;（2）中学生日常生活事件显著负向预测积极适应,显著正向预测消极适应;（3）社会问题解决能力在日常生活事件和社会适应之间起到部分中介作用,其中问题趋近、问题回避的作用尤其突出。     

中学生的情绪智力、社会问题解决技能对其师生关系的影响

为了考察中学生师生关系现状,并探讨中学生的情绪智力、社会问题解决技能与师生关系之间的内在联系,本研究采用《中学生情绪智力量表》、《中学生社会问题解决技能量表》和《中学生师生关系量表》对2172名中学生进行调查。结果发现：（1）中学生的师生关系的总体状况良好,且存在显著的年级和性别差异：初一、高一年级的师生关系好于初二、高二年级。在亲密性和支持性方面,不存在显著的性别差异,在冲突性方面,男生显著高于女生,在满意感方面,女生显著高于男生。（2）情绪智力的不同维度对中学生师生关系的预测作用各不一样。情绪感知对师生关系的亲密性具有显著的负向预测作用,对师生关系的冲突性具有显著的正向预测作用。情绪运用、理解和管理都能够显著预测师生关系,其中情绪运用对师生关系的亲密性、支持性和满意度的预测作用最为突出,情绪管理对师生冲突的负向预测作用最强。（3）社会问题解决技能在中学生情绪智力与师生关系之间起部分中介作用。     

The Relationships Among Grief Experience,Problem-Solving Appraisal,and Depression: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Research has consistently shown a relationship between problem-solving appraisal and depressive symptoms. This study expands that research by including grief symptomatology as a variable. A college student sample completed the Problem-Solving inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Revised Grief Experience Inventory. Consistent with hypotheses, those individuals who had experienced the death of a close loved one within the previous 5 years reported significantly higher levels of grief and depression than those who had not experienced such a loss. However, the group that had experienced the death of a close loved one did not report significantly worse problem-solving scores than the group that did not. This study also examined the relationships among problem-solving appraisal, depressive symptoms, and grief symptoms within the subsample that had experienced the loss of a close loved one within the previous 5 years. Consistent with predictions, grief symptoms were associated with depressive symptoms and self-appraised ineffective problem solving. The results of this study extend the research on grief and mourning. Also, the results expand our understanding of the grief process by providing preliminary evidence for the role of problem solving in this process     

Justification of violence beliefs and social problem-solving as mediators between maltreatment and behavior problems in adolescents

This study examined whether justification of violence beliefs and social problem solving mediated between maltreatment experiences and aggressive and delinquent behavior in adolescents. Data were collected on 191 maltreated and 546 nonmaltreated adolescents (ages 14 to 17 years), who completed measures of justification of violence beliefs, social problem-solving dimensions (problem orientation, and impulsivity/carelessness style), and psychological problems. Findings indicated that maltreated adolescents' higher levels of delinquent and aggressive behavior were partially accounted for by justification of violence beliefs, and that their higher levels of depressive symptoms were partially mediated by a more negative orientation to social problem-solving. Comparisons between boys and girls indicated that the model linking maltreatment, cognitive variables, and psychological problems was invariant.     

Stress,social support,and problem-solving appraisal/skills: Prediction of suicide severity within a college sample

This study assessed whether stress, social support, and interpersonal problem-solving appraisal/skills were predictive of level of suicidality within a chronic suicidal college sample. Stepwise regression analyses were used to assess whether stress, social support, and problem-solving were independently predictive of severity of suicide ideation. In addition, hierarchical regression analyses were used to test the mediational nature of social support and problem-solving in the stress-suicidality relationship. Problem-solving confidence was found to be a significant predictor of severity of suicide ideation. In addition, both perceived problem-solving skills and social support mediated the relationship between stress and level of suicide ideation. However, only one of the two perceived problem-solving skills interactions was in the expected direction. This study provided support for the importance of problem-solving confidence and the interaction of stress and social support in the prediction of suicide severity. Unlike previous studies, this study did not find problem-solving skills/deficits to mediate the stress-suicidality relationship.This research was supported by NIMH Grant 1-18MH48133.     

Goals and Everyday Problem Solving: Examining the Link between Age-Related Goals and Problem-Solving Strategy Use

ABSTRACT

Qualitative interviews on family and financial problems from 332 adolescents, young, middle-aged, and older adults, demonstrated that developmentally relevant goals predicted problem-solving strategy use over and above problem domain. Four focal goals concerned autonomy, generativity, maintaining good relationships with others, and changing another person. We examined both self- and other-focused problem-solving strategies. Autonomy goals were associated with self-focused instrumental problem solving and generative goals were related to other-focused instrumental problem solving in family and financial problems. Goals of changing another person were related to other-focused instrumental problem solving in the family domain only. The match between goals and strategies, an indicator of problem-solving adaptiveness, showed that young individuals displayed the greatest match between autonomy goals and self-focused problem solving, whereas older adults showed a greater match between generative goals and other-focused problem solving. Findings speak to the importance of considering goals in investigations of age-related differences in everyday problem solving.     

Goals and everyday problem solving: examining the link between age-related goals and problem-solving strategy use

Qualitative interviews on family and financial problems from 332 adolescents, young, middle-aged, and older adults, demonstrated that developmentally relevant goals predicted problem-solving strategy use over and above problem domain. Four focal goals concerned autonomy, generativity, maintaining good relationships with others, and changing another person. We examined both self- and other-focused problem-solving strategies. Autonomy goals were associated with self-focused instrumental problem solving and generative goals were related to other-focused instrumental problem solving in family and financial problems. Goals of changing another person were related to other-focused instrumental problem solving in the family domain only. The match between goals and strategies, an indicator of problem-solving adaptiveness, showed that young individuals displayed the greatest match between autonomy goals and self-focused problem solving, whereas older adults showed a greater match between generative goals and other-focused problem solving. Findings speak to the importance of considering goals in investigations of age-related differences in everyday problem solving.     

Interpersonal problem-solving ability and sociometric status in elementary school children

The relationships among a measure of problem-solving ability, school grade level, and interpersonal functioning as assessed by sociometric measures were investigated. Previous research has shown these relationships to be significant but the reliability and validity of the problem-solving measures used have been seriously questioned. This study attempted to replicate previous findings while using a reliable and valid measure of interpersonal problem solving. Two sociometric measures were administered to 463 second-, fourth-, and sixth-graders from which 179 pupils were sociometrically identified as populars, rejecteds, neglecteds, and controversials. These subjects were subsequently administered the Purdue Elementary Problem Solving Inventory. Dunn's multiple comparison procedure was used to analyze the existing relationships among grade levels and among sociometric categories. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in interpersonal problem-solving ability among grade levels but no significant differences were found among sociometric categories. The implications of the findings for social skills training are discussed.     

Clinical utility of the Cross-Cultural (Chinese) Personality Assessment Inventory (CPAI-2) in the assessment of substance use disorders among Chinese men

This study examined the clinical utility of the Cross-Cultural (Chinese) Personality Inventory (CPAI-2) in differentiating the personality characteristics of Chinese men with substance use disorders from other psychiatric patients and normal control participants. The CPAI-2 profile of 121 Chinese men with substance use disorders was contrasted with that of a matched psychiatric comparison group (n = 172) and a normal comparison group (n = 187). Multivariate analyses of variance and logistic regression results supported the utility of the CPAI-2 clinical scales, especially Pathological Dependence, Antisocial Behavior, and Depression, for assessing substance use disorders. The Pathological Dependence scale (cutoff T score of 64) achieved good sensitivity and specificity. Apart from the universal personality traits related to neuroticism, conscientiousness, and agreeableness found in Western studies, the indigenously derived CPAI-2 personality scales, including Family Orientation and Harmony, highlighted deficits in social adjustment and interpersonal relationship as important cultural features in the personality characteristics of these participants. The study provided a cross-cultural extension to research on the relationship between personality and substance use disorders and could assist clinicians in considering culturally relevant treatment approaches.     

Religion,Self Control,and Substance Use

Previous research has examined a number of mechanisms through which religion might have an indirect influence on substance use. One potential intervening mechanism that has received little empirical attention is self control. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) we (1) examine the association between religion and self control, (2) determine if self control mediates the effect of religiosity on substance use, and (3) determine if the effect of self control on substance use varies depending on adolescents’ religiosity. The results suggest that religious youth exhibit higher levels of self control. Also, self control partially mediates the effect of adolescents’ religiosity on marijuana use and drinking. The only evidence we find for an interaction between self control and religiosity suggests self control has a moderately greater effect on alcohol use among those of low, rather than medium or high, religiosity.