Adolescents' reactions to the evacuation of the Sinai settlements: a longitudinal study

This study investigated psychological reactions of adolescents to a severe stress situation--the evacuation of the Sinai settlements. The research focused on emotional reactions of anxiety and anger to this stress situation. Two central problems were investigated: The intensity of the emotional responses of anxiety and anger of the adolescents to the stress situation, before and after the evacuation, and the impact of three intervening variables on these emotional reactions--cognitive perception of the political situation, family functioning, and personality characteristics. Data for this study were collected in a regional high school in Israel from 418 pupils in 9th through 12th grades. Seventy-eight of the pupils lived in the Yamit area. Measurements were obtained at three points in time: 6 weeks and 1 week before the evacuation and 2 months after it. The results supported the predicted trend that adolescents in the Yamit group before the evacuation would score higher on state anxiety and state anger than would those in the comparison group. Two months after the evacuation there was a significant drop in those scores. The trait measures remained stable in both groups and no significant differences were found between the two groups on these scores. Concerning the impact of the three intervening variables on the intensity of the state emotional responses, the results did not support any of the hypotheses.     

Adolescents' Reactions to the Evacuation of the Sinai Settlements: A Longitudinal Study

This study investigated psychological reactions of adolescents to a severe stress situation—the evacuation of the Sinai settlements. The research focused on emotional reactions of anxiety and anger to this stress situation. Two central problems were investigated: (a) The intensity of the emotional responses of anxiety and anger of the adolescents to the stress situation, before and after the evacuation, and (b) the impact of three intervening variables on these emotional reactions—cognitive perception of the political situation, family functioning, and personality characteristics. Data for this study were collected in a regional high school in Israel from 418 pupils in 9th through 12th grades. Seventy-eight of the pupils lived in the Yamit area. Measurements were obtained at three points in time: 6 weeks and 1 week before the evacuation and 2 months after it. The results supported the predicted trend that adolescents in the Yamit group before the evacuation would score higher on state anxiety and state anger than would those in the comparison group. Two months after the evacuation there was a significant drop in those scores. The trait measures remained stable in both groups and no significant differences were found between the two groups on these scores. Concerning the impact of the three intervening variables on the intensity of the state emotional responses, the results did not support any of the hypotheses.     

Childhood Sexual Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence in a Clinical Sample of Men: The Mediating Roles of Adult Attachment and Anger Management

This study examined the association between men’s experience of childhood sexual abuse and later perpetration of intimate partner violence, considering the roles of attachment insecurity and poor anger regulation. The sample was 302 Canadian men undergoing counseling for relationship difficulties or aggression. They completed questionnaires assessing childhood sexual abuse, the two dimensions of attachment insecurity (anxiety and avoidance), anger regulation processes, physical and psychological aggression, and social desirability bias. Path analyses showed that men who experienced childhood sexual abuse scored higher on attachment anxiety, which in turn was associated with aggressive behaviors directly and through four anger-related variables (trait anger, anger-in, anger-out, and low anger control). Attachment-related avoidance predicted psychological aggression, but not physical aggression, through men’s trait anger and anger-in.     

Psychological correlates of early onset of ischemic heart disease in a sample drawn from a Pakistani population

Even in the presence of substantial empirical evidence which proves that psychological risk factors play a significant role in onset of ischemic heart disease (IHD), in Pakistan researchers have not paid much attention to exploring these factors. This research was mainly undertaken to investigate whether psychological factors such as stress, anxiety, depression, anger, and hostility in their intense states are prevalent within the indigenous patients with IHD. It was hypothesized that: High levels of perceived stress will significantly increase risk for IHD versus lower levels of perceived stress; high levels of anxiety will significantly increase the risk for IHD versus lower levels of anxiety; high levels of depression will increase the chances of IHD versus lower levels. Likewise, it was proposed that elevated trait anger will significantly increase risk for IHD versus lower levels of trait anger and that higher levels of hostility significantly increase risk for IHD versus lower levels. A case–control research design was employed to conduct this study. To investigate the association of the abovementioned factors with IHD and to find whether these factors differ between cases and controls, we solicited a sample of 190 patients with confirmed diagnosis of IHD and 380 age‐ and gender‐matched community controls, who were free of IHD, aged 35 to 55 years. Standardized tools to measure psychological factors were translated and semistandardized into the national language and their psychometric properties were predetermined before use in this study. To infer the proposed hypotheses, multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was carried out. Results highlight significant association between stress, depression, anxiety, anger, and IHD. Implications for the implementation of routine screening for psychological factors, particularly stress, depression and anger, are proposed.     

回避与趋近性负性人格特质对应激心血管反应模式的不同影响

本研究考察了回避与趋近性负性特质对不同强度心理社会应激刺激重复暴露的心血管反应、应激后心血管反应恢复、重复应激心血管反应的影响,并探讨了应激认知评价在其中的作用。167名大学生被试被随机分配到中/高强度应激条件中,连续采集其在基线期、首次应激期、恢复期、重复应激期四个阶段的心血管反应数据。结果发现:(1)无论应激强度如何,回避性负性特质预测首次和重复应激中较低(钝化)的心血管反应和应激后较差的恢复,而趋近性负性特质预测较大的心血管反应和应激后较差的恢复。(2)重复应激个人资源感知在回避性负性特质与重复应激心率反应之间起中介作用。因此,回避性负性特质与持续较低(钝化)的应激心血管反应和应激后较差的恢复相联系,而趋近性负性特质与较大的应激心血管反应和应激后较差的恢复相联系,即两类负性特质均表现出不适应的固化的应激心血管反应模式,这可能构成了两类不同负性特质增加罹患心血管疾病风险的生理机制。     

Growing up in a Violent Society: Longitudinal Predictors of Violence in Colombian Adolescents

Although violence and homicide are more prevalent in Colombia, South America than the US, the role of psychosocial factors in the violent behavior of Colombian adolescents remains unclear. The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the interrelation of domains of personality, familial, peer, and ecological variables associated with violence in a community sample of adolescents from various self-reported ethnic groups in Colombia. The sample consisted of 1,151 male adolescents selected from three Colombian cities. The participants were surveyed using structured interviews at two points in time over a 2-year interval. Data were collected concerning adolescent personal attributes, family characteristics, peer, and ecological factors, including drug availability and the prevalence of violence in the community. The dependent variable was the self-reported frequency of the adolescent’s violent behavior. The results supported a model in which violent behavior was correlated independently over time with a number of risk factors from several domains. Evidence for the hypothesized mediated effects of the familial monitoring and bonding domain, the peer domain, the ecological domain, and prior victimization related to personal attributes and contemporaneous violence and the adolescent’s violent behavior 2 years later was also found. The findings suggest the use of specific intervention procedures with adolescents to prevent their subsequent violent behavior.     

Emotional correlates of body weight: The moderating effects of gender and family income

Abstract This study explored emotional correlates of relative body weight in a sample of 187 male and 269 female college students. The contribution of relative body weight, gender, family income and their interactions to variables related to anxiety and anger were evaluated by multiple regression procedures. Relative body weight was positively related to trait anxiety, especially among those with lower family incomes. Increased body weight was also related to trait anger and an anger-out expression style, but only among men. These results suggest that gender and family income moderate the contribution of relative body weight to anxiety and anger, both central aspects of a 'disease-prone personality'     

Pregnant adolescents attending prenatal parent education classes: self-concept, anxiety and depression levels

Past research has indicated that pregnant adolescents who attend parent education programs (PEP) are more likely to have better outcomes after delivery than those who leave school. This study compared pregnant adolescents who attended a PEP (PA), those who did not attend a PEP (PC), and nonpregnant adolescents (NP) for differences in personality characteristics--self-concept, anxiety, and depression--which might account for postdelivery outcomes. On pre- and posttests administered four to six weeks apart, the PA did not indicate any changes over time and the groups did not differ significantly in self-concept and state and trait anxiety levels. Although the PA group showed a significantly higher level of depression on the pretest than did the NP group, they did not differ significantly at posttesting. According to demographic variables, the number of persons in household was significantly higher for the NP group than for the PA and PC groups. These results, not always consistent with past research on teenagers' personality characteristics, suggest: that the groups did not differ in terms of these personality characteristics, and that for these subjects (88% black), the tendency toward higher depression and anxiety levels in adolescence may not be significantly different from that experienced during pregnancy. The drawbacks of research in this area and for this project are discussed.     

Dating Violence Victimization,Dispositional Aggression,and Nonsuicidal Self‐Injury among Psychiatrically Hospitalized Male and Female Adolescents

The objective of the current study was to characterize the association between dating violence victimization and dispositional aggression in predicting nonsuicidal self‐injury (NSSI) among psychiatrically hospitalized male and female adolescents. One hundred fifty‐five adolescents (ages 13–17) and their parents completed the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School‐Age Children clinical interview to assess NSSI and child abuse; adolescents completed self‐report measures of aggression and dating violence victimization (verbal, physical, and sexual). Dating violence victimization and NSSI were found to be highly prevalent among both males and females in this psychiatric inpatient sample. Two moderational models were supported, wherein dating violence was associated with NSSI in the context of elevated trait anger in males and indirect aggression in females. Findings suggest that helping victims of dating violence acquire skills to address certain forms of dispositional aggression may attenuate NSSI.     

Anger style, psychopathology, and regional brain activity

Depression and anxiety often involve high levels of trait anger and disturbances in anger expression. Reported anger experience and outward anger expression have recently been associated with left-biased asymmetry of frontal cortical activity, assumed to reflect approach motivation. However, different styles of anger expression could presumably involve different brain mechanisms and/or interact with psychopathology to produce various patterns of brain asymmetry. The present study explored these issues by comparing resting regional electroencephalographic activity in participants high in trait anger who differed in anger expression style (high anger-in, high anger-out, both) and participants low in trait anger, with depression and anxiety systematically assessed. Trait anger, not anger-in or anger-out, predicted left-biased asymmetry at medial frontal EEG sites. The anger-in group reported higher levels of anxious apprehension than did the anger-out group. Furthermore, anxious apprehension moderated the relationship between trait anger, anger-in, and asymmetry in favor of the left hemisphere. Results suggest that motivational direction is not always the driving force behind the relationship of anger and left frontal asymmetry. Findings also support a distinction between anxious apprehension and anxious arousal.     

Sex differences in anger expression,depressed mood,and aggression in children and adolescents

The current study examined anger expression styles and their relationship to levels of depressed mood and aggressive behavior in male and female children and adolescents. Measures of anger, anger expression, and depressed mood were collected from both children and their parents. Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that anger expression significantly predicted sadness but not aggression for females, after accounting for age and anger level. Among males, anger expression was important in predicting aggression but not sadness, whereas age and anger level best predicted sadness. These results suggest that age, anger level, and anger expression may be risk factors for depression and aggression among children and adolescents. Sex appears to be an important factor in anger expression styles and related depression and aggressive behavior.     

Personality Correlates of Midlife Cardiometabolic Risk: The Explanatory Role of Higher‐Order Factors of the Five‐Factor Model

Varying associations are reported between Five‐Factor Model (FFM) personality traits and cardiovascular disease risk. Here, we further examine dispositional correlates of cardiometabolic risk within a hierarchical model of personality that proposes higher‐order traits of Stability (shared variance of Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, inverse Neuroticism) and Plasticity (Extraversion, Openness), and we test hypothesized mediation via biological and behavioral factors. In an observational study of 856 community volunteers aged 30–54 years (46% male, 86% Caucasian), latent variable FFM traits (using multiple‐informant reports) and aggregated cardiometabolic risk (indicators: insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, blood pressure, adiposity) were estimated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The cardiometabolic factor was regressed on each personality factor or higher‐order trait. Cross‐sectional indirect effects via systemic inflammation, cardiac autonomic control, and physical activity were tested. CFA models confirmed the Stability “meta‐trait,” but not Plasticity. Lower Stability was associated with heightened cardiometabolic risk. This association was accounted for by inflammation, autonomic function, and physical activity. Among FFM traits, only Openness was associated with risk over and above Stability, and, unlike Stability, this relationship was unexplained by the intervening variables. A Stability meta‐trait covaries with midlife cardiometabolic risk, and this association is accounted for by three candidate biological and behavioral factors.     

Individual, Peer, and Family Factors Influencing Urban African American Adolescents’ Responses to Problem Dating Situations

A clear understanding of factors influencing adolescents’ responses to problem dating situations is needed to guide efforts to promote healthy dating relationships and address issues such as emotional distress, conflict, and violence in dating contexts. This study used qualitative methods guided by a socio-ecological model to identify factors at the individual-level and those within adolescents’ peer and family relationships that influenced their use of specific strategies (active, avoidant, support-seeking, or aggressive) in response to problem dating situations. Interviews were conducted with 38 African American middle and high school students in an urban public school system. Participants identified nine themes that would make it easier for them to engage in their best response strategies to deal with problem dating situations. These included four individual-level factors (e.g., individual characteristics and adolescents’ confidence in their ability to address dating problems), three peer factors (e.g., supportive advice from peers), and two family factors (e.g., support, advice, and messages about dating relationships from family members). Nine themes were identified that would make it harder for adolescents to engage in these responses including three individual-level factors (e.g., difficulty in regulating anger, anxiety, and sadness in dealing with dating problems), four peer factors (e.g., peer instigated conflict among dating partners), and two family factors (e.g., family involvement in adolescents’ dating relationships). The results inform prevention efforts that focus on promoting healthy dating relationships during adolescence.     

Intimate Partner Violence,Anger, and Abandonment Schema in Nonclinical Japanese Undergraduate Students

Intimate partner violence (IPV) among adolescents is on the rise. Although anger and the abandonment schema have been found to be risk factors for IPV perpetration, little is known about their interaction with different types of IPV (e.g., violent and restraint control behavior) based on a cognitive-behavioral perspective. In addition to examining these interactions, the present study also measured only the emotional aspect of anger, while previous studies measured anger as a multi-component construct. A total of 97 nonclinical Japanese undergraduate students participated in this study. Results indicated that people with a high degree of abandonment schema tended to use violent control behavior. On the other hand, restraint control behavior was likely to be used if people had a high degree of abandonment schema and anger. The results suggested that targeting anger and the abandonment schema may be important for treating and preventing IPV. The utility of a cognitive-behavioral perspective for the treatment and prevention of IPV perpetration is discussed.     

Frequency, determinants, and consequences of different drivers’ emotions: An on-the-road study using self-reports, (observed) behaviour, and physiology

In the present study, the frequency, determinants and consequences of three relevant emotions in traffic were investigated. Based on appraisal theory, it was predicted that the combination of three appraisal components (goal congruence, blame and threat) affects the occurrence of anger, anxiety and happiness. Participants (n = 44) filled in a questionnaire containing background and personality variables, and performed a test drive in an instrumented car. During the drive, speed and heart rate were registered and the traffic environment was recorded on video. Participants verbally reported scores for emotions and perceived risk. The most frequently occurring emotion was anxiety, followed by anger and happiness. Emotions while driving were related to emotional traits. Emotions while driving were also related to traffic events: anger and anxiety were both associated with goal incongruent events, and happiness with goal congruent events. Anger was mostly associated with other-blame and anxiety with situation-blame. Anger was mostly associated with events affecting impeded progress, and anxiety with events affecting safety. Anxiety, but not anger or happiness, was associated with increased perceived risk and with increased heart rate. Participants who reported anger drove faster and exceeded the speed limit more often on a 100 km/road section than participants who did not report anger. These and other results are discussed in terms of appraisal theory and state-trait differences in emotion.     

Relationships between anger, symptoms, and cognitive factors in OCD checkers

The purpose of this study was to examine whether individuals diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with primary checking compulsions report higher levels of trait anger and anger expression compared with a student control group, and whether trait anger and anger expression are correlated with specific beliefs and interpretations that are common among individuals who compulsively check. A group of individuals with OCD reporting significant checking compulsions (n=33) and a group of undergraduate students (n=143) completed a questionnaire package that included measures of trait anger and anger expression, as well as measures of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and beliefs. The compulsive checking group reported greater trait anger, though not greater anger expression, than the student control group. Furthermore, beliefs concerning perfectionism and intolerance of uncertainty were positively correlated with anger expression and trait anger among compulsive checkers but not among the student control group. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of cognitive-behavioural treatments for and models of compulsive checking in OCD.     

Suicidal and violent behavior: The role of anger,emotion dysregulation,and impulsivity

Suicidality and violence are serious public health problems. A rich literature supports the relationship between suicidality and violence, including common associations with trait anger. However, less is known about how trait anger may facilitate these behaviors. Two potential mechanisms in this relationship are emotion dysregulation and impulsivity, both of which are linked to increased anger, suicidality, and violence. We investigated anger as a common underlying factor for both suicidal and violent behavior, and emotion dysregulation and impulsivity (i.e., negative and positive urgency) as potential mediators in this relationship. Results demonstrate that trait anger was associated with both suicidal and violent behavior. Further, emotion dysregulation mediated the anger and suicidal behavior relationship whereas both negative and positive urgency mediated the anger and violent behavior relationship. Although trait anger may be a common underlying factor for both suicidal and violent behavior, the nature of these relationships seems to vary significantly.     

刷微博，让焦虑的人更焦虑——特质焦虑对青少年注意情绪刺激的影响

采用自由观看眼动追踪范式,考察特质焦虑青少年在观看情绪面孔图片过程中的眼动轨迹。结果发现,高特质焦虑组对愤怒和恐惧面孔的首次注视到达时间（TFF）较快,首次注视持续时间（TFD）较短;低特质焦虑组对愤怒和恐惧面孔的TFF虽然稍早于平静面孔,但差异不显著。在刺激呈现1000ms之后,高特质焦虑组对愤怒和恐惧面孔的注视次数（FC）较多,平均注视持续时间（AFD）较短。低特质焦虑组对愤怒和恐惧面孔的FC较少,AFD较长;这就表明,高特质焦虑青少年在认知加工早期对威胁性刺激注意定向加速,没有注意解除困难,呈现“浅尝辄止”现象。而在认知加工晚期,他们则对威胁性刺激存在“反刍”现象。     

Violent video games exposure and aggression: The role of moral disengagement,anger, hostility,and disinhibition

Based on the General Aggression Model (GAM), the current study investigated the interactive effect of personal factors (e.g., sensation-seeking) and situational factors (e.g., violent video games exposure [VVGE]) on the trait aggressive behavior, and the mediating role of individual difference trait (e.g., moral disengagement, anger, and hostility). We recruited 547 undergraduates (48.45% male) from five Chinese universities. The results showed that VVGE was positively associated with moral disengagement, disinhibition, and the four aggressive traits (physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger, and hostility), which were positively associated with each other. Moral disengagement was positively associated with both the disinhibition and the four aggressive traits. Disinhibition was positively associated with the four aggressive traits as well. When controlled for gender, moral disengagement, anger, and hostility wholly mediated the relationship between VVGE and aggression, but the moderation effect of disinhibition was not significant. These findings support the framework of GAM and indicate that moral disengagement, anger, and hostility may be the factors that increase the risk of a higher level of aggression following repeated exposure to violent video games.     

Psychosocial correlates of dating violence victimization among Latino youth

To examine the association between physical dating violence victimization and risk and protective factors, an anonymous, cross-sectional, self-reported survey was administered to Latino youth (n=446) residing in suburban Washington, DC. Multivariate logistic regression models were constructed, and adjusted OR and 95% CI were examined. Approximately 9% of Latino adolescents reported physical dating violence victimization. Overall, youth who reported carrying a gun, involvement in physical fights and suicidal thoughts were at greater odds of reporting dating violence. Among females, fighting was the sole risk behavior associated with dating violence. Girls who reported a stronger sense of self were less likely to report dating violence. Among males, gun carrying, but not physical fighting, and having considered suicide were associated with dating violence. Spending time each week with a mentor was also positively associated with male dating violence victimization. Dating violence appeared to cluster with other risk behavior engagement. Important gender differences in associated risk and protective behaviors were identified and should be incorporated into primary and secondary prevention activities.