The Relation of Social Capital to Child Psychosocial Adjustment Difficulties: The Role of Positive Parenting and Neighborhood Dangerousness

Substantial research attention has focused on the psychosocial adjustment problems of children and adolescents residing in disadvantaged neighborhoods. However, less attention has been directed to neighborhood factors within disadvantaged neighborhoods that may facilitate child psychosocial adjustment. An expanded model, assessing how social capital, neighborhood dangerousness, and positive parenting relate to child psychosocial adjustment difficulties, was estimated using structural equation modeling (Lisrel 8.3). Participants included 130 African American mothers and their children (mean age = 12.9 years) residing in inner city New Orleans, LA. The model examined 3 avenues through which social capital (e.g., support, neighborhood cohesion) may relate to fewer child psychosocial adjustment difficulties: a direct relation; through its relation to positive parenting; and through its relation to neighborhood dangerousness. Results indicate that social capital related to child psychosocial adjustment difficulties through positive parenting and neighborhood dangerousness, but not directly. Overall, the proposed model fit the observed data reasonably well. The results suggest that social capital in disadvantaged neighborhoods is important in indirectly facilitating child psychosocial adjustment and should be incorporated into assessment and intervention practices.     

学前儿童害羞与社会适应：师幼关系的调节作用

本研究对360名幼儿进行为期一年半的追踪,探讨害羞幼儿的社会适应和师幼关系在害羞与社会适应之间的调节作用。幼儿母亲完成儿童社会偏好量表,幼儿教师完成师幼关系量表和对儿童社会适应的评价。结果表明,害羞与儿童人际技能和口头主张显著负相关,与内化问题、不合群行为和同伴排斥显著正相关;师幼关系与儿童社会适应相关,并在害羞与儿童社会适应之间具有调节作用。     

Psychosocial outcomes in later life: a multivariate model

A conceptual model was developed to identify developmental self-regulatory pathways to optimal psychosocial outcomes in adulthood. The model delineates influences among age, possible selves, developmental processes (i.e., coping, control), and well-being. Results showed age effects on all constructs except selective control. Three consistently common predictors of well-being (i.e., goal pursuit, goal adjustment, and optimization) emerged. The effects of age on well-being were differentially mediated by developmental processes. Specifically, negative age-related changes in offensive processes (i.e., goal attainment) were offset by positive influences of defensive processes (i.e., goal adjustment), which had the net effect of preserving well-being. The model demonstrates a more optimistic pattern of aging in which gains offset losses leading to positive outcomes and highlights the importance of examining both independent and combined influences of age, self, and developmental processes on psychosocial outcomes.     

The family and the child with epilepsy

Reports documenting psychosocial epiphenomena of chronic illness in individuals with that illness have been common in recent years. Few studies, however, have been concerned with how illness might affect the family. Those that have appeared in the literature often lack critical controls (i.e., control groups) and often fail to investigate possible links between illness-specific variables (i.e. chronicity, inhibition of mobility) and psychosocial outcomes on the family. The present study of 45 families focused on how children with epilepsy affect their families' functioning relative to families with a child with diabetes and families with no chronically ill members. The results suggest several areas of child and family adjustment (i.e. child self-concept, family communication, family cohesion) in which the families of epileptic children have great difficulty. Implications of these results are discussed with regard to differential influences of various chronic illnesses on families and family-based preventive and remedial treatment programs.     

童年晚期亲社会行为与儿童的心理社会适应

对2097名六年级儿童(平均年龄12.27岁, 男生1093名)的亲社会行为以及多种心理社会适应指标进行测量, 主要运用个体定向的方法考察童年晚期亲社会行为与儿童心理社会适应之间的关系。结果发现:(1)亲社会行为与孤独感、攻击等不良适应呈中等程度负相关, 与同伴接纳、社交自我概念等积极适应呈中等程度正相关;(2)童年晚期儿童的心理社会适应表现为内化问题、外化问题、同伴拒绝与正常发展4种模式;(3)个体亲社会行为水平越高, 越可能属于正常发展组, 越不可能属于不良适应组;在各种不良适应组中, 个体亲社会行为水平越高, 更可能属于内化问题组, 而非外化问题和同伴拒绝组;(4)高亲社会组的儿童有6.8%存在内化问题;低亲社会组的儿童有50.2%适应良好;与普通儿童相比, 低亲社会组的儿童表现出更多的适应不良。     

The storm and stress (or calm) of early adolescent self-concepts: within- and between-subjects variability

This study uses intraindividual variability and change methods to test theoretical accounts of self-concept and its change across time and context and to test the developmental implications of this variability. The 5-year longitudinal study of 541 youths in a rural Pennsylvania community from 3rd through 7th grade included twice-yearly assessments of self-concept (academic and social), corresponding external evaluations of competence (e.g., teacher-rated academic skills, peer-nominated "likeability"), and multiple measures of youths' overall adjustment. Multiphase growth models replicate previous research, suggesting significant decline in academic self-concept during middle school but modest growth in social self-concept from 3rd through 7th grade. Next, a new contribution is made to the literature by quantifying the amount of within-subject variability (i.e., "lability") around these linear self-concept trajectories as a between-subjects characteristic. Self-concept lability was found to associate with a general profile of poorer competence and adjustment and to predict poorer academic and social competence at the end of 7th grade above and beyond level of self-concept. Finally, there was substantial evidence that wave-to-wave changes in youths' self-concepts correspond to teacher and peer evaluations of youths' competence, that attention to peer feedback may be particularly strong during middle school, and that these relations may be moderated by between-subjects indicators of youths' general adjustment. Overall, findings highlight the utility of methods sensitive to within-subject variation for clarifying the dynamics of youths' self-system development.     

Preschoolers' effortful control and negative emotionality, immediate reactions to disappointment, and quality of social functioning

Relations among effortful control/low negative emotionality, immediate reactions in a situation that usually calls for the masking of disappointment (i.e., the use of display rules), and social competence/adjustment were investigated for 78 preschool children (mean age=4.87 years). Parents, teachers, and peers rated children on negative emotionality and/or effortful control as well as on social competence/adjustment. Children who were rated by parents and teachers as high on effortful control/low on negative emotionality expressed fewer immediate verbal/gestural indicators of disappointment in the presence of an unfamiliar adult and were perceived by their parents, teachers, and peers as socially competent and well adjusted. The pattern of findings was consistent with the view that children's immediate verbal/gestural reactions to disappointment partially mediated the relations between effortful control (as reported by parents) and social competence/adjustment.     

Self-concept consistency and culture: the differential impact of two forms of consistency

Self-concept consistency is viewed as central to authenticity and adjustment in Western cultures. The authors propose that the implications of self-concept consistency depend on both the cultural background of the individual and the type of consistency involved. Specifically, although consistency of the self-concept across different contexts may be less important in East Asian than Western cultures, East Asians may still benefit from consistency within specific social contexts over time (i.e., maintaining stable, distinct relational selves). Supporting these ideas, across three studies, inconsistency of trait self-perceptions across different relationship contexts was linked to lower subjective authenticity and relationship quality for European Americans but not East Asian Americans. However, inconsistency within the same relationship context over time showed similar negative associations with these outcomes in both groups. Overall, the results suggest that inconsistency may be less consequential for East Asians relative to Westerners only if it reflects culturally prescribed adjustment to different social contexts.     

青少年的心理弹性及自我概念：一年跟踪的交叉滞后分析

为考察青少年心理弹性的发展与内在作用机制,促进学生的心理健康发展。研究选取369名青少年（高中生260名,大学生109名）,分别在学生入学一月及一年后两次跟踪测查青少年的心理弹性以及包括青少年对自我言语能力、数学能力、学校一般情况、体能、外貌、与异性关系、与同性关系、与父母关系、诚实可信赖度、情绪稳定性和一般自我概念等因子的自我评价概念状况。结果表明,青少年的心理弹性总体状况一年后显著增强（F(1, 366) = 16.35, p < .01, ηp2 = .04）。心理弹性与自我概念各因子交叉滞后分析表明,自我概念总分及青少年对自身外貌、体能、与同性关系、与异性关系的评价等四个因子能够分别预测一年后的心理弹性。研究为促进青少年心理弹性及积极心理健康提供了理论参考。     

The role of mattering as an overlooked key challenge in retirement planning and adjustment

In an aging society, making a successful transition from work to retirement and achieving good quality of retirement adjustment become major concerns for individuals, organizations, and governments. This paper focuses on the particular role of mattering (i.e., individuals' perceptions that they make a difference in the world) as a critical self-concept dimension that may mediate the impact of social interactions on retirement process at two distinct phases. We conducted two studies using time lagged design (with one-year time interval) among older workers 55 years or older (N = 161; Study 1) and retirees (N = 186; Study 2). Study 1 found that mattering mediated the effects of social support at work on life satisfaction but not retirement planning. Study 2 found that mattering mediated the effects of general social support on positive affect but not life satisfaction. Contrary to our expectation, mattering also did not mediate effects of caregiving activities. Overall, our results suggest that mattering represents a critical mechanism that explains some of the positive associations between social support and retirement adjustment quality.     

幼儿害羞与社会适应:母亲教养方式的调节作用

本研究以487名幼儿为被试,探讨害羞与社会适应的关系,以及母亲教养方式在害羞与社会适应之间的调节作用。幼儿母亲完成儿童社会偏好量表和教养方式问卷,幼儿教师完成对幼儿社会适应的评价。结果表明:(1)害羞与不合群和同伴排斥显著正相关;(2)母亲教养方式在害羞与社会适应之间具有调节作用。具体来说,母亲温暖、说理和鼓励自主的教养方式可减弱害羞幼儿的消极适应,而体罚和指令型的教养方式会加剧害羞幼儿的消极适应。研究结果对于害羞幼儿的干预具有重要价值。     

Relations between locus of control and sources of work motivation amongst government workers

This field study tested the relationship between locus of control and sources of work motivation for a sample of 382 government employees, selected as part of a leadership development initiative. Their mean age was 46 yr., 53% were women, and 42% had earned bachelor's degrees. Analysis showed a significant positive relationship between follower's locus of control and self-concept external motivation (r = .11), self-concept internal work motivation (r = .14), and goal internalization (r = .14); however, these relationships accounted for 2% or less of the common variance in the data. Other relationships tested were not significant. The psychometric structure of the abbreviated locus of control measure was reliable. More complex models and definitive experimental designs are recommended to generalize further.     

Role of identity integration on the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and psychological adjustment of multiracial people

This study examined relations between perceived racial discrimination, multiracial identity integration (i.e., racial distance and racial conflict), and psychological adjustment (i.e., distress symptoms, positive affect, and negative affect) of 263 multiracial adults, using an online cross-sectional survey design. As hypothesized, higher levels of perceived racial discrimination was related to lower levels of psychological adjustment (i.e., higher distress symptoms and negative affect). Also, higher levels of multiracial identity integration with low racial conflict was related to higher levels of psychological adjustment (i.e., lower distress symptoms and negative affect), whereas higher levels of multiracial identity integration with low racial distance was related to higher levels of psychological adjustment (i.e., lower negative affect). Finally, multiracial identity integration (i.e., lower racial conflict) moderated the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and psychological adjustment (i.e., negative affect) with results suggesting multiracial identity integration related to low racial conflict buffers the negative effects of perceived racial discrimination on psychological adjustment. Findings from this study are discussed in terms of future research on the psychological well-being of multiracial individuals and implications for clinical practice with multiracial adults.     

Assessment of the use of timeout in an inpatient child psychiatry treatment unit

This article describes the use of response contingent brief social isolation (i.e., timeout) with 770 children admitted to an inpatient child psychiatry treatment unit during a 2-year study period. A total of 2,256 timeouts were recorded during the study period. Preliminary normative frequency, duration, and reason for timeout information are reported for age and sex groups and for common diagnostic categories. Only a third (255) of the inpatients earned one or more timeouts during their hospitalization. The results suggest 2 trends for timeout in this inpatient setting. First, there was an inverse relationship between timeout frequency and subjects' age; i.e., frequency of timeouts tended to decrease as subjects' age increased. Second, there was a positive relationship between timeout duration and subjects' age; i.e., older subjects required longer timeouts. A third and tentative finding suggested that the frequency of timeout was differentially associated with primary diagnosis for some groups. Alternative treatment procedures are discussed.     

Identity Problems,Ego Strengths,Perceived Stress,and Adjustment During Contextual Changes at University

We present a 2-year time-lag study in which Canadian and Spanish students’ perceptions of stress, identity problems, and psychosocial maturity (ego strengths) were examined in relation to academic, social, and personal-emotional adjustment to university under different conditions of macro-environmental disruption (i.e., academic and economic) and no disruption (stability). In the academic disturbance context, students reported increased stress and the economic disruption situation was associated with greater identity problems. The expected relationships were found among the variables in the study. Students reported greater social maladjustment at university related to economic disruption in comparison with the academic and no disruption contexts. Ego strengths moderated the relationship between perceived stress with academic and social adjustment, respectively. In other words, delayed psychosocial development in conjunction with high perceived stress was associated with deficient academic and social functioning at university. The findings are considered in terms of psychosocial development and the role of proximal and distal perception of stressors in the functional well-being of university students.     

Differential Associations Between Relational and Overt Aggression and Children’s Psychosocial Adjustment

Although much research has focused on the association between childhood aggression and negative psychosocial adjustment, the link between the subtypes of aggression and adjustment is less clear, particularly for relational aggression. The current study examined whether overt and relational aggression in childhood (M = 10.4 years, SD = 1.1) are differentially associated with four psychosocial adjustment outcomes (i.e., academic performance, social problems, depression, and delinquency). Results indicated that relational aggression was negatively associated with academic performance, while overt aggression was positively associated with delinquency. Additionally, findings suggested gender differences in the link between aggression subtypes and social problems. Specifically, overt aggression was positively associated with social problems for boys and relational aggression was positively associated with social problems for girls. Neither subtype of aggression was uniquely associated with depression. Thus, this study suggests that psychosocial outcomes may differ depending on the form of aggression that is utilized.     

Achievement in physical education and self-concept of Greek students in grades 5 and 6

This study investigated the relationship between rated achievement in physical education (low, medium, high) and specific domains of self-concept on the Self-Perception Profile for Children of 303 students in Grades 5 and 6 (M age = 10.9 yr., SD = 0.7). Analysis of variance yielded statistically significant differences between achievement groups on all domains of self-concept except Behavioral Conduct. Students with lower rated achievement in physical education had lower scores on self-concept domains.     

Organization Personality Perceptions and Attraction: The role of social identity consciousness

The current study explores the theory of symbolic attraction. The theory suggests that social identity consciousness moderates the relationship between symbolic inferences between organizations and attraction to those organizations. The study explored the two dimensions of social identity consciousness (i.e., social adjustment concern and value expression concern) as moderators of the relationship between organization personality perceptions (i.e., boy scout, innovativeness, dominance, style, and thrift) and organization attraction. The results of the study suggest that value expression concern moderates the relationships between boy scout, innovativeness, style, and thrift perceptions and attraction such that the relationships between these variables are stronger among those high on value expression concern. There was no support for social adjustment concern as a moderator of these relationships.     

Intimacy motivation and psychosocial adjustment: a longitudinal study

Longitudinal data of 57 middle-aged men from the Grant Study Adult Development were analyzed in terms of nine indices of psychosocial adjustment and four social motives: achievement, power, affiliation, and intimacy motivation. The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), administered in 1950-52, was scored for the four motives. Psychosocial adjustment, determined by ratings made primarily with reference to life history data gathered between 1950 and 1967, was comprised of scores on income level, occupational promotion, occupational enjoyment, days of sick leave, marital enjoyment, regular vacations, pastimes with friends, drug or alcohol misuse, and psychiatric visits. High intimacy motivation at age 30 was significantly associated with better adjustment 17 years later. The results are discussed in terms of contemporary theories of psychosocial adaptation.