The Role of Children��s Appraisals on Adjustment Following Psychological Maltreatment: A Pilot Study

Little is known about the cognitive mechanisms involved in the development of psychopathology following psychological maltreatment in children. This study therefore examined the role of thinking styles on children's outcomes following this subtype of maltreatment. Children who had experienced past maltreatment (n?=?24) and a control group (n?=?26) were assessed using self-report questionnaires. Maltreatment history, cognitive styles and psychological outcomes, such as depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and self-esteem were assessed. Parents/caregivers also completed a measure of child internalizing and externalizing behaviours. Psychological maltreatment made a significant contribution to children's self-reported depression and low self-esteem, and parent reported internalizing and externalizing problems, even after controlling for other abusive experiences. This was not the case for PTSD symptoms. Further, children's cognitive styles were associated with self-reported depression, self-esteem and PTSD. They did not, however, predict parent-rated emotional and behavioural problems. This study provides preliminary support for a cognitive model of adjustment following psychological maltreatment. The results indicate the need for enhanced community awareness about the impact of psychological maltreatment, and suggest a direction for therapeutic intervention.     

The Brief Problem Monitor (BPM-Y/BPM-P) Among Chinese Youth: Psychometric Properties and Measurement Invariance

The Brief Problem Monitor (BPM) is a 19-item instrument newly developed for screening children and adolescents for emotional and behavioral problems. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the youth-report and parent-report versions of the BPM (BPM-Y and BPM-P) among Chinese youth. Data was collected from two samples: a middle school student sample (n?=?1,246, girls?=?516 [41.4%]) and a community youth sample from families suffering adversity (n?=?383, girls?=?143 [37.3%]). We conducted a series of confirmatory factor analyses to test and compare the latent structures of the BPM-Y and BPM-P. Results suggested that the three-factor model of the BPM-Y and BPM-P fit the data best. And based on the omnibus fit indices and difference between them, the items of the BPM-Y and BPM-P support measurement invariance across informants (both youth- and parent-report) for the three-factor model. Internal consistency coefficients were satisfactory (Cronbach's α?=?.73?~?.90). In terms of convergent validity, BPM factors and BPM scores showed expected correlations with strength and difficulties behavior, callous–unemotional traits, psychopathic traits, and social competence. In sum, our findings supported that the three-factor structuure of BPM-Y and BPM-P could be a promising instrument to screen emotional and behavioral problems in Chinese youth.

     

Adolescent Perceptions of Parental Behaviors,Adolescent Self-Esteem,and Adolescent Depressed Mood

Using symbolic interaction, we developed a research model that proposed adolescent perceptions of parental support and psychological control would be related to adolescent depressed mood directly and indirectly through self-esteem. We tested the model using self-report questionnaire data from 161 adolescents living with both of their biological parents. To examine possible gender of adolescent differences, we tested two multigroup models separately for adolescents’ perceptions of mothers’ and fathers’ parental behaviors. Both the fathers’ and mothers’ models yielded (a) direct paths from self-esteem to depressed mood (for boys and girls), psychological control to depressed mood (for boys) and (b) an indirect path from support to self-esteem to depressed mood (for girls and boys) and an indirect path from psychological control to self-esteem to depressed mood (for girls). In addition, in the fathers’ model a significant direct path was found between fathers’ support and depressed mood (for girls).     

Self-esteem,need gratification,and work satisfaction: A test of competing explanations from consistency theory and self-enhancement theory

A sample of 112 administrators provided self-report data used to test two hypotheses derived from Korman's consistency model of work behavior. As predicted, those with high self-esteem experienced significantly greater need gratification than did those with low self-esteem, and self-esteem also significantly positively moderated the relationship between n gratification and work satisfaction. Need gratification was assessed for only those needs that were most salient for each person, thus eliminating a rival interpretation of the findings derived from the self-enhancement model of self-esteem. The moderating effect of self-esteem on the n gratification-work satisfaction relationship was limited to those experiencing low levels of n gratification, indicating a possible “boundary condition” of consistency theory. A problem with the use of moderator variables in behavioral science was also discussed.     

Getting by with a little help from self and others: self-esteem and social support as resources during early adolescence

Influences of social support and self-esteem on adjustment in early adolescence were investigated in a 2-year longitudinal study (N = 350). Multi-informant data (youth and parent) were used to assess both overall levels and balance in peer- versus adult-oriented sources for social support and self-esteem. Findings obtained using latent growth-curve modeling were consistent with self-esteem mediating effects of social support on both emotional and behavioral adjustment. Lack of balance in social support and self-esteem in the direction of stronger support and esteem from peer-oriented sources predicted greater levels and rates of growth in behavioral problems. Results indicate a need for process-oriented models of social support and self-esteem and sensitivity to patterning of sources for each resource relative to adaptive demands of early adolescence.     

Faces of Shame: Implications for Self-Esteem,Emotion Regulation,Aggression, and Well-Being

There is an increasing interest in psychological research on shame experiences and their associations with other aspects of psychological functioning and well-being, as well as with possible maladaptive outcomes. In an attempt to confirm and extend previous knowledge on this topic, we investigated the nomological network of shame experiences in a large community sample (N = 380; 66.1% females), adopting a multidimensional conceptualization of shame. Females reported higher levels of shame (in particular, bodily and behavioral shame), guilt, psychological distress, emotional reappraisal, and hostility. Males had higher levels of self-esteem, emotional suppression, and physical aggression. Shame feelings were associated with low self-esteem, hostility, and psychological distress in a consistent way across gender. Associations between characterological shame and emotional suppression, as well as between bodily shame and anger occurred only among females. Moreover, characterological and bodily shame added to the prediction of low self-esteem, hostility, and psychological distress above and beyond the influence of trait shame. Finally, among females, emotional suppression mediated the influence of characterological shame on hostility and psychological distress. These findings extend current knowledge on the nomological net surrounding shame experiences in everyday life, supporting the added value of a multidimensional conceptualization of shame feelings.     

The Self-Perception Profile for Children: further evidence for its factor structure, reliability, and validity

This article presents further evidence for the psychometric qualities of the Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPPC), a widely used questionnaire for assessing self-esteem in youths. The SPPC was administered to a large sample of Dutch school children (N=1143) in order to study its factor structure, reliability (internal consistency and test–retest stability), and validity. Results showed that the hypothesized factor structure of the SPPC representing five specific domains of self-esteem (i.e. scholastic competence, social acceptance, athletic competence, physical appearance, and behavioral conduct) provided a reasonable fit for the data. Furthermore, the reliability of the scale appeared to be satisfactory with good internal consistency and test–retest stability. Finally, evidence was also obtained for the validity of the SPPC. More specifically, the scale correlated in a theoretically meaningful way with child-, parent-, and teacher-reports of psychopathology and personality. Altogether, the current findings confirm the notion that the SPPC is a reliable and valid self-report measure for assessing children's self-esteem.     

Children and adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis: emotional reactions, coping mechanisms, and self-esteem

The main aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship among emotional responses of children and adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis towards their physical state, the coping mechanisms they used, and their self-esteem and the treatment condition of their disorder, i.e., the use of a brace or not. 82 children and adolescents ages 7 to 17 years who were attending an outpatient scoliosis clinic were administered two questionnaires; one evaluated emotional and behavioral factors linked to coping with stressful situations, and the second assessed self-esteem. Analysis showed that, after adjusting for emotion-focused coping, general self-esteem, and age, the effect of the use of brace as a treatment technique on the participants' emotional reactions was not significant.     

Patterns of emotion-specific appraisal,coping, and cardiovascular reactivity during an ongoing emotional episode

The authors examined emotion-specific patterns of appraisal, coping, and cardiovascular reactivity during real ongoing emotional episodes. In this study, 109 participants performed a neutral opinion-expression task, where a confederate elicited anger, shame, or pride using verbal and nonverbal behavior. The authors assessed cognitive appraisals, emotional reactions, coping, outcomes (state self-esteem and outcome satisfaction), and cardiovascular reactivity. Results indicated substantial and theoretically consistent differences between the 3 emotions (and differences from a nonemotion condition) for cognitive appraisals, self-reported coping, behavioral coping, self-esteem, and cardiovascular reactivity. The results are discussed in relation to their implications for emotion theory and for psychological and physical health. Overall, the results suggest that researchers can study emotion-related issues using authentic emotional reactions.     

Self-esteem,body-esteem,emotional intelligence,and social anxiety in a college sample: the moderating role of weight

To examine the relationships between self-esteem, body-esteem, emotional intelligence, and social anxiety, as well as to examine the moderating role of weight between exogenous variables and social anxiety, 520 university students completed the self-report measures. Structural equation modeling revealed that individuals with low self-esteem, body-esteem, and emotional intelligence were more likely to report social anxiety. The findings indicated that obese and overweight individuals with low body-esteem, emotional intelligence, and self-esteem had higher social anxiety than others. Our results highlight the roles of body-esteem, self-esteem, and emotional intelligence as influencing factors for reducing social anxiety.     

Effects of Cultural Orientation,Self-Esteem,and Collective Self-Esteem on Well-Being

This study examined a model of independent and interdependent self-construal, individual and collective self-esteem, and subjective well-being in a sample of college students from the mainland USA, Hawaii, and Japan. Specifically, the mediation role of individual as well as collective self-esteem in the effects of independent and interdependent self-construal on subjective well-being was explored. Results indicated that the hypothesized model fit well. The study found the direct effects of independent self-construal on subjective well-being in all three cultural groups. Collective self-esteem was a significant mediator of the effects of both independent and interdependent self-construal on subjective well-being only in the mainland USA. The negative effect of interdependent self-construal on collective self-esteem was observed only in the mainland USA. Better understanding of both universal and culture-specific aspects of collective self-esteem in promoting subjective well-being seems essential for further theoretical development as well as effective prevention/intervention efforts across three cultural groups.     

Associations between attachment‐related symptoms and later psychological problems among international adoptees: Results from the FinAdo study

We examined the associations between attachment‐related symptoms (symptoms of reactive attachment disorder (RAD), symptoms of disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED), and clinging) and later psychological problems among international adoptees. The study population comprised internationally adopted children (591 boys and 768 girls, 6–15 years) from the ongoing Finnish Adoption (FinAdo) study. Data were gathered with self‐administered questionnaires both from adoptive parents and from adoptees aged over 9 years. Attachment‐related symptoms were measured using of a short (8‐item) questionnaire and later behavioral/emotional problems were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Five to Fifteen (FTF) scale for attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. RAD and DSED symptom subscales were associated with an increased risk of emotional and behavioral problems and ADHD. Especially the mixed type of attachment‐related symptoms was strongly associated with later emotional and behavioral problems.     

Confirmatory Factor Analyses of Self- and Parent- Report Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits in 8- to 10-Year-Olds

The factorial structure of the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU; Frick 2004) has been inconsistent across various studies using different rater versions and samples. In this study the factorial structure of the self- and parent-report versions of the ICU was examined in a community sample of 340 boys and girls aged 8- to 10- years. A series of confirmatory factor analyses revealed that (1) for self-report ICU, a two-factor model comprising one Uncaring and one Callousness factor fit the data best; the factorial structure was invariant across sex, although boys showed higher scores than girls on the Uncaring factor; (2) for the parent-report ICU, a three-factor structure was supported, and boys and girls did not differ on factor structure or levels of the factors. For both versions, CU traits were positively associated with the count of Oppositional Defiant Disorder/Conduct Disorder and internalizing behavior symptoms, demonstrating ICU’s good convergent albeit unsatisfactory discriminant validity. Findings suggest further refinement of this instrument for the self-report and parent versions separately.     

Adjudicated Mexican American Adolescents: The Effects of Familial Emotional Support on Self-Esteem,Emotional Well-Being,and Delinquency

This article examines relationships between familial emotional support, self-esteem, emotional well-being, and delinquency in 58 adjudicated Mexican American adolescents who were on probationary status with the juvenile justice system. Results indicated that maternal emotional support was negatively correlated with delinquency, and positively correlated with emotional well-being. In addition, regression analyses revealed that familial emotional support significantly predicted delinquency and emotional well-being, with maternal emotional support accounting for most of the total variance. Unlike previous findings in the general delinquency research, familial emotional support was unrelated to self-esteem. These results offer several insights into the nature and effects of Mexican American familial emotional support on an adolescent's behavioral and emotional adjustment.     

The effects of sports participation on young adolescents' emotional well-being

This study examined the relationship between children's sports participation and emotional well-being including self-reported emotional and behavioral problems and multidimensional aspects of self-concept. Data were collected from 203 young adolescents using a multitrait-multimethod assessment methodology. Information was obtained using a sports questionnaire concerning participation in and perceptions of sporting activities. Emotional well-being was assessed by the Youth Self-Report (Achenbach, 1991) and the Self-Perception Profile for Children (Harter, 1985). The study found that increased levels of sports participation had a positive relationship with aspects of emotional and behavioral well-being, particularly self-concepts. Results also showed that children with increased perceptions of sport-related competencies reported significantly fewer emotional and behavioral problems than did children who were, by external standards (e.g., teacher rating, number of sporting achievements), actually competent at sport. The study also found particular areas of sports participation to be positively associated with self-concept. Evidence suggests a similar beneficial association with some aspects of behavior problems. Practical implications of the findings are discussed along with recommendations for future research.     

Test of structural relationships within a proposed exercise and self-esteem model

This study tested structural relationships within a model proposed to explain the manner in which self-esteem changes are associated with exercise experiences. As initially assessed by self-efficacies (EFFs) specific to physical tasks within a training program, we postulated that competence can generalize to feelings of global self-esteem (SE) through an intervening construct of perceived physical competence (PC). Three measures of EFF and two each of PC and SE were administered to 145 people in their mid- to late adulthood. Confirmatory factor analysis examined orthogonal and oblique versions of three measurement models and identified three distinct but correlated factors, each assessed by its hypothesized indicators. Alternative structural equation models were specified and tested using both normal and nonnormal estimation procedures. The proposed model provided the most parsimonious fit and explained 29% of the variance in SE. Confirmation of its structural relationships provides preliminary validity for model use in examining the manner in which exercise experiences influence levels of self-perception.     

The Relations Between Traumatic Experiences,Activity, and Cognitive and Emotional Responses Among Palestinian Children

The relations between the level of traumatic experiences, degree of active participation in the Intifada, and cognitive and emotional responses were studied among 108 Palestinian children of 11–12 years of age in the Gaza Strip. The results showed that the more traumatic experiences the children had and the more they participated in the Intifada, the more concentration, attention, and memory problems they had. Traumatic experiences also increased neuroticism and risk-taking, and Intifada participation decreased self-esteem. Children's active participation in the Intifada could not protect children from developing emotional problems, as was originally assumed. The highest level of neuroticism was found among active boys who were exposed to many traumatic experiences.     

Test of Structural Relationships Within a Proposed Exercise and Self-Esteem Model

This study tested structural relationships within a model proposed to explain the manner in which self-esteem changes are associated with exercise experiences. As initially assessed by self-efficacies (EFFs) specific to physical tasks within a training program, we postulated that competence can generalize to feelings of global self-esteem (SE) through an intervening construct of perceived physical competence (PC). Three measures of EFF and two each of PC and SE were administered to 145 people in their mid- to late adulthood. Confirmatory factor analysis examined orthogonal and oblique versions of three measurement models and identified three distinct but correlated factors, each assessed by its hypothesized indicators. Alternative structural equation models were specified and tested using both normal and nonnormal estimation procedures. The proposed model provided the most parsimonious fit and explained 29% of the variance in SE. Confirmation of its structural relationships provides preliminary validity for model use in examining the manner in which exercise experiences influence levels of self-perception.     

Personality and mood correlates of avoidant personality disorder

Avoidant personality disorder (APD) has been recognized as prevalent and clinically important; however, it is not clear how APD maps onto established personality and mood dimensions. In this cross-sectional survey study, 365 college students completed questionnaires assessing APD features and theoretically relevant personality and mood dimensions. Based on these self-report data, 6.6% may meet DSM-IV criteria for APD. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that APD features were associated with introversion, neuroticism, low self-esteem, and pessimistic expectancies. Additionally, APD features were linked with self-reports of elevated emotional responsiveness to threats and reduced emotional responsiveness to incentives (the behavioral inhibition system and behavioral activation system scales). After controlling for the effects of other personality, temperament, and cognitive measures, affective distress (i.e., anger, anxiety, and depression) was no longer related to APD. Results are consistent with APD models that emphasize the joint influences of emotional vulnerability and social-cognitive triggering and sustaining factors.     

Socioeconomic Status,Emotional/Behavioral Difficulties,and Social Competence among Preschool Children in Japan

Socioeconomic status (SES) is an important contextual factor influencing children’s development. However, there have been limited attempts to examine either the impact of relative poverty on child development or the relationships between specific SES indicators and mental health domains. This study elucidates these relationships in Japanese preschool children who experience high levels of relative poverty. Participants were 3218 Japanese children aged 5–6 years. Their mothers completed self-report questionnaires on SES indicators and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to measure emotional/behavioral problems. Children’s teachers evaluated children’s social competence using the Social Skills Questionnaire for Preschoolers. Each SES indicator had an inverse relationship with all emotional/behavioral problem domains in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, lower family income consistently predicted higher scores on all emotional/behavioral problem domains, whereas lower maternal and paternal education levels independently predicted higher scores in specific domains. Each SES indicator had positive relationships with all social competence dimensions in the univariate analysis. Higher family income consistently predicted higher social competence in the multivariate analysis. However, paternal education level only predicted self-control, and maternal education did not predict social competence. Family income and parental education levels were significant independent predictors of emotional/behavioral problems and social competence. Thus, this study suggests that SES does affect child outcomes in a country where there is a high level of relative poverty and underscores the importance of assessing income and education status separately in order to identify their potentially unique associations with development among preschool children.