Adolescent Sexting and Risky Sexual Behaviours in Zimbabwe: A Cross-Sectional Study

This study measured the relationship between sexting and risky sexual practices among school-going adolescents (N = 502, 53.8% female). Correlates of sexting to consistent condom use, age at sexual debut, transactional sex, intergenerational sex and multiple sexual partners were calculated. Prevalence of sexting was 13%, with boys twice more likely to have sent a sext compared to girls. Significant associations existed between sexting and sexual intercourse (95% CI 2.57–7.82), multiple lifetime sexual partners (95% CI 2.48–10.746) and intergenerational sex (95% CI 1.06–4.9). Condom use was significantly higher among girls (p < 0.001). Interventions targeting adolescents are likely to have higher impact if they address harmful effects of sexting.     

Development and Refinement of a Targeted Sexual Risk Reduction Intervention for Women With a History of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with sexual risk behavior in adulthood. Traditional sexual risk reduction interventions do not meet the unique needs of women who have been sexually abused. In the current paper, we describe the four-stage process we followed to develop and refine a targeted sexual risk reduction intervention for this population. First, initial quantitative work revealed that the intervention should address how maladaptive thoughts related to traumatic sexualization, trust, powerlessness, and guilt/shame (traumagenic dynamics constructs) influence current sexual behavior. Second, qualitative interviews with 10 women who reported a history of CSA (M age = 34 years; 90% African American) as well as current sexual risk behavior provided support for targeting maladaptive thoughts associated with these traumagenic dynamics constructs. Third, based on the qualitative and quantitative results, we developed a 5-session, group-delivered intervention to address the maladaptive thoughts that occurred as a result of CSA, as well as the cognitive-behavioral determinants of sexual risk behavior. This intervention drew heavily on cognitive behavioral techniques to address cognitions associated with CSA and the links between these cognitions and current sexual risk behavior. Techniques from trauma-based therapies, as well as motivational techniques, were also incorporated into the intervention. Finally, we refined the intervention with 24 women (M age = 33 years; 79% African American), and assessed feasibility and acceptability. These women reported high levels of satisfaction with the intervention. The resultant intervention is currently being evaluated in a small, randomized controlled trial.     

Implicit attitudes and the improvement of exercise capacity during pulmonary rehabilitation

The aim of this study was to examine the role of explicit and implicit attitudes in the improvement of exercise capacity during a 5-week pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). A total of 105 patients performed walking tests at baseline and at the end of PR. Change between performances was computed at the end of PR, and Minimal-Clinically-Important-Difference (MCID) were used to categorize patients as responders (i.e. change above MCID, N = 54) or non-responders (i.e. change below MCID, N = 51). At baseline, implicit attitudes were measured through a physical activity versus sedentary behavior Implicit Association Test; explicit attitudes toward physical activity and sedentary behavior were measured by questionnaires. Only implicit attitudes significantly differed between the two groups (p = .015), responders displaying implicit attitudes significantly more in favor of physical activity (M = .91, SD = .54) than non-responders (M = .60, SD = .71) at baseline. Measuring implicit attitudes in PR could help to accurately estimate patients’ motivation, and design more individualized rehabilitation programs.     

Gratitude’s role in adolescent antisocial and prosocial behavior: A 4-year longitudinal investigation

ABSTRACT

Is gratitude developmentally related to improvements in social behavior? This study examined 566 adolescents (51.6% female, M age = 11.95 years at baseline, 68.0% White, 11.0% African-American, 9.9% Asian-American, 1.9% Hispanic, 8.8% ‘Other’) from middle school to high school for 4 years. Controlling for social desirability, age, SES, and gender, gratitude growth predicted decreases in antisocial behavior over 4 years, and life satisfaction growth marginally mediated this relation. Further, gratitude growth predicted increases in prosocial behavior over 4 years, but life satisfaction did not mediate this relation. Reverse models were also examined. Antisocial behavior growth predicted gratitude change, which was mediated by life satisfaction growth. Prosocial behavior growth predicted gratitude change, but was not mediated by life satisfaction growth. Finally, gratitude growth predicted family support, trust, and intentional self-regulation at the 4 year timepoint, and it predicted empathy with marginal significance. Implications for theory and educational applications are discussed.     

“Tell Me Lies,Tell Me Sweet Little Lies:” Sexting Deception Among Adults

Sexting deception was explored in a sample of 272 U.S. adults (average age = 32.22 years) recruited through Amazon’s MTurk. Overall, 79% had sexted with romantic partners, and 43% had sexted with those they knew only online. Additionally, 50–63% had lied about what they were wearing, doing, or their sexual intentions, more frequently lying to those they knew only online. Many had also engaged in fantasy or role play with romantic partners (66%), and those known only online (36%); however, most did not state to their partner that they were engaged in fantasy. Meanwhile, 60% of participants expected that they would do the specific sexual activities mentioned in chats with romantic partners or engage in sexual activity the next time they saw that romantic partner, but fewer expected that they would do the sexual activities mentioned with those known only online (20%) or engage in sexual activity in their first meeting with an online sex chat partner (15%). Those who expected sexual activity after sexting with online partners were more likely to be men, single, extraverted, and less conscientious; whereas those who expected sexual activity after sexting with offline romantic partners were more likely to be younger adults, in committed relationships, with higher levels of conscientiousness.     

Nonchildhood Sexual Abuse in Mexican American and Mexican College Students

This study aimed to assess and compare sexual abuse (SA) rates in female and male Mexican American college students (N = 514) and 2 samples of Mexican college students (N = 161 and N = 227). Participants responded to the Sexual Experiences Survey Victim Form (SES-SFV). SA prevalence and frequency rates were compared between sample groups for 3 categories of SA: nonchildhood SA (SA-NC, experienced since age 14), SA experienced in the previous 12 months (SA-12M), and lifetime self-labeled SA (SA-LL, any experience identified as abuse or rape by participants). Higher rates of self-reported SA were consistently found for Mexican versus U.S. samples. However, SA incidence was also consistently higher in older individuals and females; more recently experienced SA was reported at lower rates and with greater gender congruence than more distal SA; and variation between Mexican samples was roughly equal to variation between Mexican and U.S. samples. Findings show cross-national variation in SA rates.     

The relationship between conformity to gender norms,sexual orientation,and gender identity for sexual minorities

The current study examined how dimensions of masculinity and femininity were expressed for sexual minorities. Cluster analysis was used to determine the number of latent classes for conformity to masculine and feminine norms for sexual minorities. A four-class solution was the best fit to the data. Cluster 1 (labeled Relating to others through equality and caring, n = 41) was characterized by low dominance and power over women and high involvement with kids and have nice relationships norms. Cluster 2 (labeled Relating to others through avoidance and misogyny, n = 38) was characterized by low risk-taking and have nice relationships and high power over women and disdain for homosexuality. Cluster 3 (labeled Relating to others through power, n = 34) was characterized by high winning, pursuit of status, and appearance and low modesty. Cluster 4 (labeled Relating to others through sex, n = 27) was characterized by low involvement in romantic relationships and sexual fidelity while endorsing high playboy attitudes. Results indicate that conforming to gender norms tends to follow categories of interpersonal beliefs and behaviors rather than being based in gender identity or sexual orientation. Implications of the results for future research and clinical practice are examined.     

Personality and sexuality in older adults

Objective: This study explored cross-time associations between personality and multiple components of sexual functioning and behaviour in a large cohort of older adults (n = 5745).

Design: Participants (M_age = 65.57 ± 8.28 years) completed questionnaires in 2010 and 2012.

Main outcome measures: Outcomes explored included sexual attitudes, sexual activity, sexual satisfaction, lifetime sexual partners, sexual orientation and sexual dysfunction.

Results: We found that higher levels of openness and lower levels of agreeableness were related to more liberal attitudes toward sex, a greater number of sexual partners, a higher sex drive, more frequent sexual activity, lower levels of sexual dysfunction and (for women) a greater tendency towards homosexuality. Higher levels of conscientiousness were also related to more conservative attitudes towards sex, lower levels of sexual dysfunction and a greater tendency towards heterosexuality. For sexually active older adults, higher levels of extraversion and lower levels of neuroticism were related to greater sexual satisfaction. Higher levels of extraversion and lower levels of conscientiousness were also related to a greater number of sexual partners in men but not women.

Conclusion: These findings provide evidence that personality is an important correlate of sexual functioning and behaviour in older adults.     

The relationships of change in work climate with changes in burnout and depression: a 2-year longitudinal study of Chinese mental health care workers

Mental health care workers face heavy emotional demand and are prone to work burnout. Work burnout has been associated with poor mental health and work climate, which refers to individual perceptions about work setting. The purpose of this study was to examine whether intra-individual changes in work climate were associated with intra-individual changes in burnout and depression over two years. The present sample included Chinese mental health care workers (N = 312; mean age = 38.6, SD = 9.9) working in a psychosocial rehabilitation institution. The participants completed questionnaires on work climate, work burnout and depression at seven time points across two years. Parallel process latent growth modeling was used to analyze the associations of change between work climate and burnout and depression. Work climate displayed a logarithmic decreasing trend while burnout and depression displayed logarithmic increasing trends over two years. Baseline levels of work climate were negatively and moderately associated with baseline levels of burnout and depression (r = ?.44 to ?.60, p < .01). Changes in work climate were negatively and moderately associated with change in burnout (r = ?.43, p < .01) and change in depression (r = ?.31, p < .05). Change in burnout was positively and strongly associated (r = .58, p < .01) with change in depression. The current results support temporal relationships among changes in work climate, burnout and depression across time. Practical implications for future preventive work in burnout interventions were discussed within this population.     

The cyber dating violence inventory. Validation of a new scale for online perpetration and victimization among dating partners

Cyber dating abuse is a new kind of dating violence. Several recent measures assess this phenomenon, but do not focus on a severe aggression that aims to spoil a partner’s relational network (relational cyber abuse). This study developed and validated the Cyber Dating Violence Inventory (CDVI) with 1405 adolescents and young adults (M_age = 18.17; SD_age = 2.39; 65.1% females), an instrument that considers the relational dimension of online dating abuse. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses found two correlated factors (Psychological and Relational) for both perpetration and victimization, showing good reliability. CDVI factors were positively correlated with offline dating violence, showing good criterion validity. This instrument has clinical and educational implications.     

Factors related to life satisfaction among urban African American adults receiving care at a publicly-funded sexual health clinic

Life satisfaction is linked to premature morbidity and mortality and it may be compromised for individuals living in economically-disadvantaged, urban neighborhoods. The present study explores how behavioral and social-environmental health factors are associated with life satisfaction among a sample of African American young adults. Participants (N = 307, M_age = 26.6 years, 53% male) were recruited from a publicly-funded clinic for a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Data from the baseline assessment of the RCT, which included measures of sleep, depression, anxiety, social support, alcohol and drug use problems, city stress, and life satisfaction, were used for the current study. Correlation analyses assessed bivariate associations between life satisfaction and the demographic and health-related factors. Linear regression using backward elimination determined the best fitting model of factors associated with life satisfaction. Backward elimination resulted in the following variables remaining as significantly associated with life satisfaction: age (b = ?2.40, p = .017), anxiety (b = ?5.32, p < .001), and social support (b = 2.89, p = .004). Feeling rested upon waking also remained in the best fitting model, although this association did not achieve statistical significance (p = .099). The results suggest that African American adults who are younger, less anxious, and report adequate social support are more likely to report satisfaction with life. These findings add to the literature aimed at examining health and social factors impacting the well-being of African Americans living in low-income, urban communities.     

Predicting positive mental health in internally displaced persons in Indonesia: the roles of economic improvement and exposure to violent conflict

Positive mental health, rather than just the absence of mental illness, is rarely investigated among the internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by violent conflict in low-income countries. The purpose of this study was to investigate a model that could explain the interrelationship between factors contributing to positive mental health in displaced populations. In a longitudinal study we examine poverty, exposure to traumatic events and the change of material well-being after one year. We collected data in two consecutive years (2005 and 2006) from a community-based sample of IDPs in Ambon, Indonesia, through face-to-face structured interviews with consenting adults. Participants of this study were IDPs lived in Ambon during the violent conflict period. We interviewed 471 IDPs in the first year and reinterviewed 399 (85%) of the same subjects in the second year. The IDPs possessed good sense of coherence and subjective well-being. Our final model, which was generated by the use of structural equation modeling, fits the data well (χ² = 52.51, df = 45, p = .21, CFI = .99, RMSEA = .019). Exposure to violent conflict had a negative impact on IDPs’ mental health initially and better economic conditions improved it (r = ?.30 and .29 respectively). Mental health status one year previously was a strong predictor of future mental health, followed by individual economic growth in the past year (r = .43 and .29 respectively). On a group level the IDPs were resilient and adaptive to survive in adverse living conditions after devastating violent conflict, and the economic improvement contributed to it.     

Associations Between Proactive and Reactive Aggression and Risky Sexual Behavior Among Emerging Adults

This study examined associations between proactive and reactive aggression and types of risky sexual behavior. Additionally, gender was examined as a moderator of these associations. The sample included emerging adults (N = 232; male = 132) ranging from 18 to 25 years of age. Of the overall sample, 155 individuals (53.5% male) reported engaging in sexual intercourse. Proactive, but not reactive, aggression was uniquely associated with 4 types of risky sexual behavior (i.e., ever engaging in sexual intercourse, number of lifetime sexual partners, number of partners within past 3 months, and frequency of contraception use). Further, associations with number of sexual partners were strongest when levels of reactive aggression were low. With regard to gender differences, proactive aggression was associated with lower likelihood of contraception use in males. Gender also moderated the association between reactive aggression and number of lifetime sexual partners. Implications and future directions are discussed.     

Examining cognitive development from a conceptual change point of view: The framework theory approach

Sexual socialization refers to how, through social interaction, an individual acquires and internalizes culture-specific knowledge, values and attitudes about sexuality. Little, however, is known about how an individual's genetic characteristics modify this process, or if individuals gravitate towards specific environments according to their genetic characteristics. The aim was to explore whether adolescents' genetic predispositions modify environmental influences on peer-group sexual attitudes. Using a Finnish population-based sample of twins and their siblings (n = 9534), it was found that genetic effects influenced peer-group sexual attitudes in men (52%) and women (46%), thus offering evidence for gene–environment correlation. Men showed less restricted peer-group sexual attitudes than women. Some indications of different genes influencing environmental exposure in men and women were found.     

Rethinking barriers: a novel conceptualization of exercise barriers in cancer survivors

Previous research suggests different types of barriers may demonstrate different relationships with intention to engage in health behaviors. This study explored global, practical, and health-related barriers’ relationships with exercise intention and behavior among cancer survivors. The mediating role of intention in the barriers-behavior relationships was also evaluated. Cancer survivors (N = 152) completed self-report measures of exercise barriers, intention, and behavior at baseline and of exercise behavior two months later. Global barriers were negatively related (p < .01) and practical and health-related barriers were unrelated (ps ≥ .07) to exercise intention. Global and practical barriers were negatively related (ps < .01) and health-related barriers were unrelated (p = .48) to subsequent exercise behavior. Exercise intention did not mediate any barriers-behavior relationships. Results suggest that global and practical barriers should be targeted in barriers reduction interventions and highlight the intention-behavior gap problem. Future research should explore multidimensionality of barriers for other health behaviors.     

Let's talk openly about sex: Sexual communication,self-esteem and efficacy as correlates of sexual well-being

Drawing from theories of sexual development, the aim of this study was investigate whether sexual well-being was more positive when youth reported more frequent and better quality sex-related communication, and greater sexual subjectivity (sexual body esteem and pleasure self-efficacy). Sexual well-being was measured with reference to partnered behaviour, including safe-sex behavioural competence, sexual assertiveness, and emotional reactions. Young adults (N = 209; 61% female) aged 17–21 completed questionnaires. While also considering age, gender, romantic status and coital experience in regression analyses, participants higher in competence reported more frequent communication with mothers in high school, and current higher quality communication with mothers and friends. Participants reported more positive emotions related to sex when they had better quality communication with their friends. Associations of sexual subjectivity with greater sexual well-being were found, and small indirect effects were found between retrospectively reported communication frequency and sexual well-being via pleasure self-efficacy.     

Wealth differentials in the impact of conditional and unconditional cash transfers on education: findings from a community-randomised controlled trial in Zimbabwe

We investigated (1) how household wealth affected the relationship between conditional cash transfers (CCT) and unconditional cash transfers (UCT) and school attendance, (2) whether CCT and UCT affected educational outcomes (repeating a year of school), (3) if baseline school attendance and transfer conditions affected how much of the transfers participants spent on education and (4) if CCT or UCT reduced child labour in recipient households. Data were analysed from a cluster-randomized controlled trial of CCT and UCT in 4043 households from 2009 to 2010. Recipient households received $18 dollars per month plus $4 per child. CCT were conditioned on above 80% school attendance, a full vaccination record and a birth certificate. In the poorest quintile, the odds ratio of above 80% school attendance at follow-up for those with below 80% school attendance at baseline was 1.06 (p = .67) for UCT vs. CCT. UCT recipients reported spending slightly more (46.1% (45.4–46.7)) of the transfer on school expenses than did CCT recipients (44.8% (44.1–45.5)). Amongst those with baseline school attendance of below 80%, there was no statistically significant difference between CCT and UCT participants in the proportion of the transfer spent on school expenses (p = .63). Amongst those with above 80% baseline school attendance, CCT participants spent 3.5% less (p = .001) on school expenses than UCT participants. UCT participants were no less likely than those in the control group to repeat a grade of school. CCT participants had .69 (.60–.79) lower odds vs. control of repeating the previous school grade. Children in CCT recipient households spent an average of .31 fewer hours in paid work than those in the control group (p < .001) and children in the UCT arm spent an average of .15 fewer hours in paid work each week than those in the control arm (p = .06).     

Asthma in children of Caribbean descent living in the inner-city: comparing Puerto Rican and Afro-Caribbean children

Ethnic minority children bear a disproportionate amount of the US asthma burden. We compared asthma morbidity and pulmonary function (%FEV₁) in two Caribbean groups living in the Bronx, NY: Puerto Rican and Afro-Caribbean children. Caregiver-child dyads (Puerto Rican: n = 113, M age = 9.89 ± 2.05; Afro-Caribbean: n = 47, Mage = 10.35 ± 2.08) responded to sociodemographic and asthma-related questions, and children’s %FEV₁ was measured. Puerto Rican children had significantly greater (past year) asthma morbidity, yet there were no significant differences in %FEV₁. This discrepancy between objective pulmonary function and asthma morbidity suggests the importance of considering sociocultural factors in pediatric asthma care.     

Cognitive,behavioral and psychological functioning in children with metopic synostosis: a meta-analysis examining the impact of surgical status

Neurodevelopmental delays are known to occur in children with metopic synostosis, but it is presently unclear whether the cognitive, behavioral and psychological outcomes of children with metopic synostosis differ to those of their healthy peers. This meta-analysis consolidated data from 17 studies (published prior to August 2017) that examined the cognitive, behavioral and psychological outcomes of children (n = 666; aged ≤19 yrs) with metopic synostosis. Hedges’g (g_w) effect sizes compared the outcomes of samples with metopic synostosis (unoperated, operated) to healthy controls or normative data and, where available, the prevalence of problems/disorders was calculated. Children with unoperated metopic synostosis performed significantly worse than their healthy peers on measures of: general cognition (g_w = ?.38), motor functioning, (g_w = ?.81), and verbal (g_w = ?.82) and visuospatial (g_w = ?.92) abilities. Children with operated metopic synostosis performed significantly worse on measures of motor functioning (g_w = ?.45), visuospatial skills (g_w = ?.32), attention (g_w = ?.50), executive functioning (g_w = ?.36), arithmetic ability (g_w = ?.37), and behavior (g_w = ?.34). Cognitive, behavioral, and psychological problems were prevalent, but variable. Overall, the cognitive, behavioral, and psychological outcomes of children with metopic synostosis are generally worse than their healthy peers, regardless of surgical status. However, research is sparse, samples small, controls are rarely recruited, and the severity of metopic synostosis often not stated. Nevertheless, the findings suggest that children with metopic synostosis are likely to experience a variety of negative outcomes and should therefore receive ongoing monitoring and support.     

Emotion Beliefs and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder

Despite strong support for the efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for social anxiety disorder (SAD), little is known about mechanisms of change in treatment. Within the context of a randomized controlled trial of CBT, this study examined patients' beliefs about the fixed versus malleable nature of anxiety—their ‘implicit theories’—as a key variable in CBT for SAD. Compared to waitlist (n = 29; 58% female), CBT (n = 24; 52% female) led to significantly lower levels of fixed beliefs about anxiety (M_baseline = 11.70 vs. M_Post = 7.08, d = 1.27). These implicit beliefs indirectly explained CBT-related changes in social anxiety symptoms (κ² = .28, [95% CI = 0.12, 0.46]). Implicit beliefs also uniquely predicted treatment outcomes when controlling for baseline social anxiety and other kinds of maladaptive beliefs (perceived social costs, perceived social self-efficacy, and maladaptive interpersonal beliefs). Finally, implicit beliefs continued to predict social anxiety symptoms at 12 months post-treatment. These findings suggest that changes in patients' beliefs about their emotions may play an important role in CBT for SAD.