Predicting Adolescents’ Self-Objectification from Sexualized Video Game and Instagram Use: A Longitudinal Study

A growing body of research has demonstrated negative effects of sexualization in the media on adolescents’ body image, but longitudinal studies and research including interactive and social media are scarce. The current study explored the longitudinal associations of adolescents’ use of sexualized video games (SVG) and sexualized Instagram images (SII) with body image concerns. Specifically, our study examined relations between adolescents’ SVG and SII use and appearance comparisons, thin- and muscular-ideal internalization, valuing appearance over competence, and body surveillance. A sample of 660 German adolescents (327 female, 333 male; M_age?=?15.09 years) participated in two waves with an interval of 6 months. A structural equation model showed that SVG and SII use at Time 1 predicted body surveillance indirectly via valuing appearance over competence at Time 2. Furthermore, SVG and SII use indirectly predicted both thin- and muscular-ideal internalization through appearance comparisons at Time 1. In turn, thin-ideal internalization at Time 1 predicted body surveillance indirectly via valuing appearance over competence at Time 2. The results indicate that sexualization in video games and on Instagram can play an important role in increasing body image concerns among adolescents. We discuss the findings with respect to objectification theory and the predictive value of including appearance comparisons in models explaining the relation between sexualized media and self-objectification.

     

Personality Changes in the Old–Old: A Longitudinal Study

Although many studies have examined the issue of personality stability in early and middle adulthood, few have explored the limits of personality stability in the very old, who are often confronted with major changes in their health and life circumstances which can severely impact adaptive behavior. We conducted a longitudinal study of 74 elderly women with a mean age of 80. They were assessed on the personality traits of Neuroticism, Extroversion, and Openness. Although multiple regression analyses revealed moderate stability on all 3 traits, their stability was found to be influenced by negative changes in life circumstances. For example, decreased social support and increased unmet needs were associated with more Neuroticism. Less Extroversion was associated with poorer health and greater psychosocial needs. The trait of Openness was very stable and was the least affected by life events. These contradictory findings are reconciled by considering personality development within an interaction framework.     

Adolescents’ Temperament and Character: A Longitudinal Study on Happiness

Personality is considered a major determinant of adults and adolescents Subjective Well-Being (SWB); mainly due to its relation to emotional reactivity, emotional intensity, and to the duration of emotional reactions. However, personality as presented above involves almost only differences in automatic emotional reactions and habits (i.e., temperament). Nevertheless, temperament together with learning experiences from different life events is responsible for what people make of themselves intentionally (i.e., character). The present study examines the relation between temperament and character to SWB at two points in time over a year in an adolescent sample (N?=?109). Adolescents reported personality (The Temperament and Character Inventory; TCI) and SWB at the beginning of the school year (T1). Subjective Well-Being was then again measured at the end of the school year (T2). Temperament (Harm Avoidance and Novelty Seeking) and character (Self-Directedness) predicted SWB at T1. However, only Self-Directedness predicted SWB at T2 and also small but significant changes in SWB at the end of the school year. The inclusion of character in SWB research is discussed.     

Changes in Late Adolescents and Young Adults’ Attachment,Separation, and Mental Health During Wilderness Therapy

The study explored changes in young adults’ mental health, attachment, and separation from parents during a seven-week wilderness therapy program. Utilizing a longitudinal one-group design, the study examined outcomes of 157 young adults in one wilderness therapy program. From pre to post treatment, participants reported significant improvement in mental health symptoms and interpersonal relationships, as well as increases in the belief that others can be depended upon. Participants reported less resentment and anger towards mothers from pre to post treatment, but an increase in their needs for approval from fathers. The study details a link between young adults’ attachment, independence from parents, and improvement in mental health, suggesting that treatment which targets these links may provide more effective intervention.     

Parental Dysphoria and Children’s Adjustment: Marital Conflict Styles,Children’s Emotional Security,and Parenting as Mediators of Risk

Dimensions of martial conflict, children's emotional security regarding interparental conflict, and parenting style were examined as mediators between parental dysphoria and child adjustment. A community sample of 262 children, ages 8–16, participated with their parents. Behavioral observations were made of parents’ interactions during marital conflict resolution tasks, which children later observed to assess their emotional security. Questionnaires assessed parents’ dysphoria, parenting, and children's adjustment. Structural equation modeling indicated that parental dysphoria was linked with child adjustment through specific and distinct mediating family processes, including marital conflict and parenting. Children's emotional security in the context of particular marital conflict styles also mediated relations between parental dysphoria and child adjustment problems, with similar pathways found for mothers and fathers. These pathways remained significant even after significant parenting contributions were considered.     

Preschoolers’ Emotional Understanding and Psychosocial Adjustment in Korea: The Moderating Effect of Maternal Attitude towards Emotional Expressiveness

The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of maternal attitude towards children’s emotional expressiveness in Korean preschoolers’ emotional understanding and psychosocial adjustment. Preschoolers (N?=?70) participated in an emotional understanding task comprised of identifying cartoon character’s emotional reaction to particular emotion-eliciting situations. Maternal attitude towards children’s emotional expressiveness, as well as teachers’ rating of children’s behavior problems and social competence were measured. Children’s emotional understanding was negatively correlated with teacher-reported behavior problems and positively associated with social competence. In line with recent research on the socialization of emotional expressiveness, controlling maternal attitude towards children’s positive emotional expressiveness was negatively correlated with teacher-reported behavior problems. Conversely, mothers’ accepting attitude towards children’s negative emotional expressiveness was also negatively correlated with behavior problems. Finally, maternal attitude toward children’s positive emotional expressiveness moderated the relationship between emotional understanding ability and behavior problems and social competence. Such findings suggest that maternal attitude, particularly attitude regarding specific type of emotional expressiveness, is one of the key factors that may predict preschooler’s psychosocial outcomes.     

Foster Care Children’s Kinship Involvement and Behavioral Risks: A Longitudinal Study

Researchers have found that individual strengths (e.g., coping, optimism) are protective against behavioral risk (e.g., delinquency, suicide) among traumatized youth in foster care. However, less is known about kinship involvement (i.e., extended family support) as a social strength that can also attenuate the effects of childhood trauma, thereby reducing behavioral risk. Addressing the lack of research on kinship involvement, the present longitudinal study investigated individual strengths (IS) and kinship involvement (KI) as moderators between trauma experiences (TE) and risk behaviors (RB) among 336 youth, ages 6 to 13, who entered the Illinois child welfare system between 2011 and 2014. Controlling for Time 1 (T1) RB, T1 IS, age, gender, and ethnicity, we utilized a three-level Hierarchical Generalized Linear Model to analyze TE?×?KI and TE?×?IS at T2. The study found that KI was negatively associated with RB (β16?=??.08, Event Rate Ratio [ERR]?=?0.92, p?=?<.01), suggesting that youth with more KI had relatively lower RB trajectories. Further, the TE?×?IS interaction was significant in the model (β21?=??.05, ERR?=?0.95, p?<?.01); TE was positively associated with RB at lower levels of IS but not higher levels of IS. These results highlight the importance of assessing children’s kinship networks and individual strengths early in foster care.     

Parental Loss During Childhood and Outcomes on Adolescents’ Psychological Profiles: A Longitudinal Study

The loss of a parent during childhood is a traumatic experience that can bring about several difficulties in adaptation and psychopathological problems over time during the child’s development. The present study assesses the psychological functioning of a sample of non-referred pre-adolescents and adolescents and considers the impact of the loss of a significant caregiver on their current psychological profiles. Three groups of subjects were considered, as follows: Group A experienced loss between birth and 3 years of age; Group B experienced loss between 3 and 10 years of age; and Group C experienced no loss. The results show that there is a significant decrease in psychopathological risk and improvement in subjects’ scores in the transition from pre-adolescence to mid-late adolescence. Adolescents who have suffered the loss of a caregiver within the first three years of life, however, continue to report higher scores than the other two groups, denoting no improvement in their psychological welfare.     

Children and Violence: The Role of Children’s Regulation in the Marital Aggression–Child Adjustment Link

Exposure to marital psychological and physical abuse has been established as a risk factor for children’s socio-emotional, behavioral, and cognitive problems. Understanding the processes by which children develop symptoms of psychopathology and deficits in cognitive functioning in the context of marital aggression is imperative for developing efficient and effective treatment programs for children and families, and has far-reaching mental health implications. The present paper outlines our research program, Child Regulation and Exposure to Marital Aggression, which focuses on children’s emotional and physiological reactivity and regulation as pathways in the marital aggression–child development link. Findings from our research program, which highlight the importance of children’s regulatory processes for understanding children’s adjustment in contexts of intimate partner violence, are presented, and future directions in this line of inquiry are outlined.     

Reciprocal Influences Between Parents’ Perceptions of Mother-Child and Father-Child Relationships: A Short-Term Longitudinal Study in Chinese Preschoolers

The authors examined whether the finding of a correspondence between specific behavioral patterns of attachment in infancy and childhood and specific representational patterns in childhood could be replicated using children's responses to a story depicting an imagined parent-child separation experience. The participants were 33 German mothers and their children (16 girls, 17 boys). Attachment quality was assessed via standard and exploratory attachment observations at ages 12 months, 18 months, and 6 years. Chi-square analyses indicated that there was a good level of concordance between the behavioral and representation attachment patterns in infancy and childhood.     

Middle School Transition from the Strengths Perspective: Young Adolescents’ Character Strengths, Subjective Well-Being, and School Adjustment

The study examined the longitudinal associations of adolescents’ character strengths with subjective well-being and school adjustment during the pivotal period of the transition to middle school. The study followed 417 students and 13 teachers from four public middle schools in the center of Israel during seventh and eighth grade. Students completed questionnaires about their character strengths, life satisfaction, and positive and negative affects. Students’ school adjustment was measured through grade point average and questionnaires given to the students’ teachers. Findings provided extensive support for the associations among character strengths, subjective well-being (SWB), and middle school adjustment. Intellectual and temperance strengths were central in the prediction of students’ school performance and achievements. Interpersonal strengths were significantly related to social functioning at school. Temperance and transcendence strengths were robust positive predictors of students’ SWB. The findings extend existing knowledge about character and its relation to optimal functioning and well-being among young adolescents, and have important practical implications for applying strengths-building practices at middle schools.     

Tyler in the Labyrinth: A Young Child’s Journey from Chaos to Coherence

This paper describes the treatment of a young boy who was abused and neglected in infancy. It examines the challenges of working in the intimate territory of early trauma when a child is too fragmented to play. The therapist supported affect regulation to help the child experience a coherent sense of himself. As the boy became more integrated and related, the opening of transitional space became possible, and with it, the emergence of creativity. His growing capacity to play and his discovery of the rich utility of stories are discussed. A children’s book of Greek myths, in particular, the story of the Minotaur and the Labyrinth, held special meaning for him, and for the therapist too. As the child became increasingly related and symbolic, he eventually began to tell his own extraordinary story.     

Betrayed? That’s Me: Implicit and Explicit Betrayed Self-Concept in Young Adults Abused as Children

Attenuated awareness of betrayal, or “betrayal blindness,” is a proposed survival mechanism in relationships where awareness of betrayal will mobilize confront-or-withdraw responses that jeopardize a needed relationship. Empirical tests of betrayal blindness and its effects are hampered by the methodological conundrum of how to measure an absence of awareness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity of a novel empirical method to measure implicit betrayed self-concept, the first step in a long-term research aim to operationalize “betrayal blindness.” Informed by betrayal trauma theory, we hypothesized that a history of betrayal within close childhood relationships (but not recent close relationships or “not-close” relationships) would predict implicit betrayed-self associations in young adulthood. An adaptation of the Implicit Association Test (IAT) and measured implicit and explicit betrayed-self associations and self-reported history of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse in 529 university undergraduates was designed. Internal consistency reliability of the betrayed self IAT was low but adequate. Hierarchical regression modeling revealed that history of abuse within close childhood relationships (but not recent close relationships or “not-close” relationships) predicted betrayed-self IAT scores. The effect size was small, β = .12, p < .05, 95% CI [.01, .07], R² = .12. In addition, history of betrayal by someone close (but not someone “not close”) at any age predicted increased explicit evaluations of the self as betrayed versus respected, a small effect size, R² = .16. Findings indicate that implicit betrayed self-concept can be measured empirically.     

Elementary School Students’ Subjective Well-Being Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study

First empirical results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has a negative impact on adolescents’ and adults’ subjective well-being. In the present study we focus on the subjective well-being of elementary school children before and after the first pandemic-related school lockdown and examine if possible declines in subjective well-being are especially pronounced for some groups, considering socio-economic status, migration background, and gender as moderators. We tested N?=?425 elementary school students (mean age: M?=?8.19; SD?=?1.04) longitudinally with four measurement points (three before the school lockdown and one after) regarding their general life satisfaction, mood, and domain satisfaction regarding peers, family, and school. Piecewise growth curve models revealed a significant decline in positive mood and in satisfaction with the family. Decline in life satisfaction and satisfaction with peers nearly missed significance. The investigated moderators had no impact on the changes in subjective well-being. We conclude that the pandemic had detrimental effects on young children’s subjective well-being.

     

Predicting sports performance from well-being: A mapping of professional athletes’, amateur athletes’ and non-athletes’ positions

IntroductionPrediction of performance and well-being are two essential keys in sports performance.ObjectiveThe study aimed to map different positions regarding the way in which individuals integrated mentally five elements of eudaimonic well-being (relatedness, autonomy, competence, mental vitality and physical vitality) for predicting the degree of performance at the beginning of a match.MethodTwenty-four non-athletes, 44 amateur athletes and 26 professional athletes indicated their prediction of performance in 32 scenarios constructed from the combination of these elements of well-being. Cluster analysis, ANOVAs, and chi-square test have been done.ResultsTwo positions on prediction of performance were found. The first cluster was called “Sometimes Performance Prediction” and the second cluster was named “Seldom Performance Prediction”. The five elements had a positive effect on the prediction of performance. The composition of both clusters was linked to the level of involvement in sport.ConclusionOffering athletes a “well-being environment” may lead to predict the sports performance.     

Maternal Empathy and Changes in Mothers’ Permissiveness as Predictors of Toddlers’ Early Social Competence with Peers: A Parenting Intervention Study

The goal of the current study was to examine how changes in parenting due to a parenting intervention designed to decrease permissive parenting affected the quality of children’s peer interactions. Forty-nine mothers of toddlers aged 2–3 years participated in a 12-week intervention in which half got hands-on training and practice using positive guidance in a toddler classroom setting, while the other half learned positive guidance solely via a seminar format. To observe children’s peer interactions, toddlers were divided into 8 groups of 5–7 children mixed across condition. Observers coded mothers’ empathy, permissiveness, and positive guidance parenting strategies. Children’s peer interactions were coded for antisocial behaviors, verbal aggression, physical aggression, prosocial behaviors, positive social bids, and empathy. Prior analysis of this intervention indicated that mothers in both conditions showed reductions in permissiveness over the course of the intervention. Results from the present study indicated that reductions in permissiveness predicted decreases in toddlers’ verbal aggression. Maternal empathy was a moderator such that mothers low in empathy who got hands-on training in positive guidance had children who demonstrated the greatest reductions in antisocial behaviors.     

Predicting dental attendance from dental hygienists’ autonomy support and patients’ autonomous motivation: A randomised clinical trial

Objective: To test the hypothesis that a Self-Determination Theory (SDT) intervention designed to promote oral health care competence in an autonomy-supportive way would predict change in caries competence relative to standard care. Further, to test the SDT process path-model hypotheses with: (1) the intervention and individual differences in relative autonomous locus of causality (RALOC) predicting increases in caries competence, which in turn would positively predict dental attendance; (2) RALOC negatively predicting dental anxiety, which would negatively predict dental attendance; (3) RALOC and caries disease referred to the dentist after an autonomy-supportive clinical exam directly positively predicting dental attendance; and (4) the intervention moderating the link between RALOC and dental attendance.

Design: A randomised two-group experiment was conducted at a dental clinic with 138 patients (M_age = 23.31 yr., SD = 3.5), with pre- and post-measures in a period of 5.5 months.

Results: The experimental model was supported. The SDT path model fit the data well and supported the hypotheses explaining 63% of the variance in dental attendance.

Conclusions: Patients personality (RALOC) and hygienists promoting oral health care competence in an autonomy-supportive way, performance of autonomy-supportive clinical exams and reductions of anxiety for dental treatment have important practical implications for patients’ dental attendance.     

Effects of Parental Acceptance-Rejection on Children’s Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors: A Longitudinal,Multicultural Study

Journal of Child and Family Studies - Grounded in Interpersonal Acceptance-Rejection Theory, this study assessed children’s (N?=?1315) perceptions of maternal and paternal...     

A Longitudinal Study of Nurses’ Work-Life Balance: a Case of a Regional Teaching Hospital in Taiwan

Work-life balance is essential for nurses who are in direct contact with patients in healthcare organizations. This study employs the measurement of nurses’ behaviors rather than the measurement of their perceptions to identify critical demographic variables influencing the work-life balance. A work-life balance dimension measured by a four-point frequency scale from the Chinese version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire is used to assess nurses’ behaviors in practice from a longitudinal viewpoint based on a regional teaching hospital in Taiwan. The results show that experience in organization, respondents reporting events in the past 12 months, and experience in position are three critical factors to impact nurses’ work-life balance. Moreover, “work all day without break,” “change the individual or family plan because of the work,” and “work overtime” are the most critical questions in the work-life balance that can be the targets for hospital management to enhance the balance of nurses’ work-life conditions in the hospital.