Stressed and Helping: The Relations Among Acculturative Stress,Gender, and Prosocial Tendencies in Mexican Americans

ABSTRACT

Available evidence suggests that stress is not necessarily linked to negative outcomes and, in fact, may lead to increases in sympathy and helping. In this study, we examined whether acculturative stress was associated with prosocial tendencies in a sample of 148 Mexican American college students (M age = 23.05 years; 99 women). Participants completed measures of acculturative stress, sympathy, and prosocial tendencies. The relations between acculturative stress and prosocial tendencies were generally positive but varied by the type of helping and gender. Higher levels of acculturative stress were linked to greater emotional, dire, compliant, and anonymous prosocial tendencies, as well as with fewer costly (altruistic) prosocial tendencies. Sympathy mediated the relations between acculturative stress and prosocial tendencies for men only.     

Oxytocin Receptor (OXTR) Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Indirectly Predict Prosocial Behavior Through Perspective Taking and Empathic Concern

Engaging in prosocial behavior can provide positive outcomes for self and others. Prosocial tendencies contribute to the propensity to engage in prosocial behavior. The oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) has also been associated with prosocial tendencies and behaviors. There has been little research, however, investigating whether the relationship between OXTR and prosocial behaviors is mediated by prosocial tendencies. This relationship may also vary among different types of prosocial behavior. The current study examines the relationship between OXTR, gender, prosocial tendencies, and both altruistic and public prosocial behavior endorsement. Students at a midwestern university (N = 398; 89.2% Caucasian; M_age = 20.76; 26.6% male) provided self‐report measures of prosocial tendencies and behaviors and buccal cells for genotyping OXTR polymorphisms. Results indicated that OXTR single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2268498 genotype significantly predicted empathic concern, whereas gender moderated the association between several other OXTR SNPs and prosocial tendencies. Increased prosocial tendencies predicted increased altruistic prosocial behavior endorsement and decreased public prosocial behavior endorsement. Our findings suggest an association between genetic variation in OXTR and endorsement of prosocial behavior indirectly through prosocial tendencies, and that the pathway is dependent on the type of prosocial behavior and gender.     

The structure and correlates of a measure of prosocial moral reasoning in adolescents from Spain

The study was designed to examine the structure and correlates of a measure of prosocial moral reasoning in a sample of young and middle-aged adolescents. Participants were 1,556 students (53% male, M _age = 13.12 years, SD = 0.87) from Valencia, Spain, who completed paper-and-pencil measures of prosocial moral reasoning (PROM), empathy, prosocial behaviours, and aggression. As expected, a series of confirmatory factor and structural equation modelling analyses revealed a four-factor solution of the PROM to have the best fit (as compared to alternative models) among Spanish youth (across gender and grade). Moreover, higher level and other-oriented forms of prosocial moral reasoning were generally positively related to empathy and prosocial behaviours, and negatively related to aggression. In contrast, generally, lower level and self-focused modes of prosocial moral reasoning were negatively related to such prosocial tendencies, and positively related to aggression. Discussion focuses on the usefulness of the PROM, its relations to theoretically relevant correlates, and its usefulness to study the development and universality of prosocial moral development.     

Cultural conceptions of a bereavement-related illness in a South African indigenous community

This study explored cultural conceptions of a bereavement-related illness among elderly (aged 34–85yrs) Northern Sotho-speaking people in Limpopo province. The participants (n = 14, females = 50%, mean age = 59 years, SD: 13.7 years) were purposively selected and interviewed using in-depth interviews. Data were analysed using Hycner’s adapted phenomenological method. Three themes emerged from the analysis: debilitating and life-threatening symptoms of the illness; aetiology explained by ritual taboo violations; and management of the illness through ritual cleansing. The cleansing process incorporates the administration of traditional herbs. The findings suggest bereavement-related illness in an African cultural community to be explained by their cultural concept of distress understandings.     

Perceived Maternal Parenting Styles,Cultural Values,and Prosocial Tendencies Among Mexican American Youth

The present study aimed to extend research on parenting and positive development of Latino youth. Participants were 207 Mexican American adolescents (M age = 10.9 years, SD = 0.83 years; 50% girls) who completed measures of their parents' supportive and firm parenting, their own endorsement of respect and traditional gender role values, and their tendency to engage in six forms of prosocial behaviors. Maternal nativity was also considered as an initial predictor of parenting, adolescents' cultural values, and adolescents' prosocial behaviors. Overall, the results demonstrated that maternal nativity was associated with traditional gender roles and specific forms of prosocial behaviors. Parenting dimensions were differentially associated with respect and traditional gender role values and prosocial behaviors. Cultural values, in turn, were associated with multiple forms of prosocial behaviors. Gender differences in the processes were also explored.     

Self-handicapping tendencies,coping, and anxiety responses among athletes

Objectives: Four studies examined relationships between self-handicapping tendencies and reactions to two different yet potentially stressful sport situations (i.e., dealing with a performance slump and emotional reaction prior to competition).Design: Retrospective and prospective cross-sectional survey.Methods: For studies 1 and 2, participants were 65 male athletes (mean age=20.45) and 141 male and female athletes (mean age=21.5), respectively. Participants in study 1 completed the Self-handicapping Scale (SHS) and slump-related coping was assessed using the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS). Participants in study 2 completed the SHS and slump-related coping was assessed using the modified Ways of Coping in Sport Scale (WCSS). For studies 3 and 4, participants were 220 male athletes (mean age=22.60) and 120 male and female athletes (mean age=34.75), respectively. Participants from both studies completed the SHS and emotions prior to competition were assessed using the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory (CSAI-2).Results: Data from study 1 showed that self-handicapping tendencies were related to emotive-oriented coping. CISS emotion scale scores accounted for 25% of the variance in SHS scores. Data from study 2 showed that self-handicapping tendencies were related to denial/avoidance and wishful thinking subscale scores of the WCSS. Together these two variables accounted for 11% of the variance in SHS scores. Data from studies 3 and 4 showed positive relations between self-handicapping tendencies and cognitive state-anxiety. Cognitive state-anxiety accounted for 8% of the variance in SHS scores in study 3 and 12% of the variance in SHS scores in study 4.Conclusions: Results from studies 1 and 2 demonstrate that self-handicapping tendencies are related to general and specific emotion coping strategies when dealing with a slump. Results from studies 3 and 4 show that self-handicapping tendencies are related to precompetitive cognitive state-anxiety.     

Psychometric Evidence of a Multidimensional Measure of Prosocial Behaviors for Spanish Adolescents

Prior theories and scholars rarely distinguished between distinct forms of prosocial behaviors (i.e., actions intended to benefit others) and most scholars operationalize prosocial behaviors as a global construct. Furthermore, stringent tests of psychometric properties of prosocial behavior measures are rare, especially in countries other than the United States. The present study was designed to examine the structure and functions of a multidimensional measure of prosocial behaviors in youth from Spain. Six hundred and 66 adolescents (46% girls; M age = 15.33 years, SD = 0.47 years) from Valencia, Spain, completed the Prosocial Tendencies Measure-Revised (PTM-R), measures of sympathy, perspective taking, and a global measure of prosocial behavior. Results showed that the hypothesized 6-factor structure of the PTM-R had good fit, the best fit model as compared to alternative models, and that there were several unique patterns of relations between specific forms of prosocial behaviors and sympathy, perspective taking, and the global measure of prosocial behavior. Furthermore, although there were significant gender differences in some forms of prosocial behaviors, the structure of the PTM-R was equivalent across gender. Discussion focuses on the implications for theories and measurement of prosocial behaviors.     

Empathy,Perspective Taking and Prosocial Behaviour: The Importance of Parenting Practices

The current study analyzed the relationships among maternal empathy (emotional and cognitive), parenting that encourages the child to take the perspective of others, child cognitive empathy and child prosocial behaviour. Participants were 72 typically developing children (66 Caucasian, six Asian) aged between 47 and 76 months (M = 61.5 months, SD = 8.3 months). Results support the facilitative effect of parenting that encourages the child to take the perspective of others. Thus, the role played by parents in the development of prosocial behaviour extends beyond warm/sensitive/responsive parenting in infancy. Together these forms of parenting are key factors that facilitate the development of prosocial behaviour. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Junior Tennis Players’ Preferences for Parental Behaviors

The purpose of this study was to identify junior tennis players’ preferences for parental behaviors at competitions. Eleven focus groups were conducted with 42 high performance Canadian tennis players (M age = 13.5 yrs, SD = 1.2 yrs). Analysis revealed several themes describing athletes’ views of supportive parental behaviors. Specific preferences were that parents should not provide technical and tactical advice, but they should comment on effort and attitude, provide practical advice, respect tennis etiquette, and match nonverbal behaviors with supportive comments. By providing a children's perspective, these findings offer guidance to enhance parental involvement in tennis.     

More than talk: Relations between emotion understanding and positive behaviour in toddlers

Background. Associations between positive behaviour, emotion understanding and verbal ability have been reported in studies of preschoolers ( Cassidy, Werner, Rourke, Zubernis, & Balaraman, 2003 ), but have yet to be investigated in younger children. Methods. In this study the performance of 36 toddlers (17 boys and 19 girls; mean age = 29 months, SD = 3.9 months) on standardized verbal ability assessments and four simple tests of emotion understanding was examined in relation to three measures of positive behaviour: maternal ratings of prosocial behaviour (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; Goodman, 1997 ), and video‐based coding of the toddlers in 20‐minutes dyadic play with (i) mothers and (ii) familiar peers. Results. Relations between the three measures of positive behaviour were rather modest, and only significant for the association between maternal ratings and observed positive behaviours with peers. Maternal ratings of prosocial behaviour were significantly correlated with performance on the emotion‐understanding tasks, even when age effects were controlled. Together, emotion understanding and verbal ability explained over half the variance in maternal ratings of prosocial behaviour; unique predictive effects were significant for emotion understanding but not verbal ability. Further, emotion understanding mediated the relationship between verbal ability and mothers' ratings of prosocial behaviour. Conclusions. These findings highlight the importance of emotion understanding as a proximal influence on very early prosocial behaviour.     

Mothers' Management of Adolescent Peer Relationships: Associations With Aggressive,Prosocial, and Playful Behavior

The authors examined the relation between adolescents' reports of mothers' management of peer relationships and adolescents' reports of their own aggressive, prosocial, and playful behaviors. The sample comprised 92 adolescents (M age = 15.41 years, SD = 1.81 years) enrolled in a residential summer camp. Higher levels of consulting were related to lower levels of adolescents' relational aggression, physical aggression, playful teasing, and rough-and-tumble play. Higher levels of consulting were related to higher levels of prosocial behavior. Higher levels of guiding were related to higher levels of adolescents' relational aggression and social inclusion. Higher levels of granting access to peers were related to higher levels of adolescents' prosocial behavior and social inclusion. Moderate levels of granting access to peers were related higher levels of playful teasing.     

Can Hovering Hinder Helping? Examining the Joint Effects of Helicopter Parenting and Attachment on Prosocial Behaviors and Empathy in Emerging Adults

While previous research has established links among multiple aspects of parenting, empathy, and prosocial behaviors in youth, little is known regarding the relations between helicopter parenting, a particular type of parental over control, and empathy and prosocial behaviors (Padilla-Walker, 2014). Because helicopter parenting could undermine empathic and prosocial outcomes by negatively impacting self-regulatory behaviors and promoting narcissistic tendencies (Padilla-Walker, 2014; Segrin, Woszidlo, Givertz, Bauer, & Murphy, 2012; Segrin, Woszidlo, Givertz, & Montgomery, 2013), the author sought to examine potential relationships among these constructs. A battery of self-report measures was administered to an emerging adult sample (N = 187 college students; 49% women; M age = 18.81 years; 71% White). Hierarchical multiple regression model results indicated that both maternal and paternal helicopter parenting predicted fewer positive prosocial and empathic outcomes, and these relations depended on parental attachment, gender, and specific outcome assessed. Helicopter parenting appears to be a distinct type of parental overcontrol that especially contributes to moral development.     

Identity, Reasoning, and Emotion: An Empirical Comparison of Three Sources of Moral Motivation

Prior research on moral motivation has primarily emphasized moral reasoning and moral emotion; however, identity may also play an important role. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the relative importance of prosocial identity, prosocial moral reasoning, and empathy in predicting prosocial behavior. The sample included 91 university students, ages 19–35 years (M=21.89; SD=3.01; 80% European American; 65% female). Prosocial identity and empathy, but not prosocial moral reasoning, were positively associated with overall prosocial behavior. Exploratory analyses examined how these three sources of prosocial motivation differentially related to six forms of prosocial behavior. Results suggest the importance of considering the roles of all three sources of moral motivation.     

Prospective Associations Between Prosocial Behavior and Social Dominance in Early Childhood: Are Sharers the Best Leaders?

A short-term longitudinal study during early childhood (N = 96; M = 42.80; SD = 7.57) investigated the concurrent and prospective association between prosocial behavior and social dominance. Time-intensive school-based focal child sampling with continuous recording observations of prosocial behavior to peers were conducted and teacher-reports of social dominance were collected. The study documents significant prospective links between prosocial behavior to peers and increases in social dominance over time. Social dominance was not associated with changes in prosocial behavior. The findings extend past empirical work in early childhood and future directions are discussed.     

Egoistic and Moralistic Self‐Enhancement in the Eye of the Beholder: A Cross‐Informant Study

This study was conceived to assess the agreement between self‐ and other reports of egoistic (E) and moralistic (M) self‐enhancement (SE). A self‐report scale assessing E‐SE and M‐SE was filled out by 304 participants (mean age = 39.11, SD = 10.12, 54% female). The scale, with items worded in third person, was also completed by 304 informants (one for each target participant). Data were subjected to a correlated‐traits correlated‐methods model. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded two distinct factors for both self‐ and other ratings of E‐SE and M‐SE. A significant correlation across raters was observed for each factor. Proportion of trait variance was .58 for E‐SE and .35 for M‐SE. Proportion of method variance was .24 and .41, respectively. E‐SE and M‐SE were substantially correlated within each data source. However, the two measures became orthogonal after method variance was partialed out. Measures of E‐SE and M‐SE include both trait and artifactual components of variance, which are likely to reflect individual differences in the style of self‐presentation and response bias (i.e., tendencies to exaggerate agentic and communal qualities). The trait components of E‐SE and M‐SE represent two unrelated tendencies that can be captured and distinguished not only through self‐judgments, but also by an external observer.     

Recall of 9/11/01 as an Indicator of Cognitive Functioning in the Elderly

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between the recall of a highly salient remote event, the terrorist attack in New York City on 9/11/01, and general cognitive functioning in the elderly. A heterogeneous group (n = 93) of persons ≥65 years of age (M = 76.5, SD = 6.4), from both community and hospital settings, were asked to describe as much as they could remember about the events of 9/11/01 in New York City. The number of correct factual details, affective or emotional responses, and incorrect details were recorded. Ten multiple choice questions were then administered to assess recognition of the 9/11 events (M = 9.1 items correct, SD = 1.2). The mini mental state exam (MMSE) was also administered (M = 26.3, SD = 3.4). Participants generated a mean of 4.8 (SD = 3) correct factual details about 9/11, 1.1 affective/emotional responses (SD = 1.1), and 0.22 incorrect recollections (SD = 0.46). Significant correlations (p &;lt; .01) were found between correct details recalled and the MMSE (0.42), education (0.37), and age (?0.31). A significant negative correlation (p &;lt; .01) was found between incorrect details recalled and MMSE scores (?0.38). Female participants generated significantly more affective responses than males (M = 1.3 vs. 0.51; p &;lt; .001) but recall of correct details was equivalent. The recall of 9/11 events, approximately 18 months after the incident, appears related to general mental status, education, and age. Responses to this question may be helpful in assessing the mental status of the elderly. In addition, now that objective memory data has been established, recall of this event by other samples of seniors can be monitored over time to determine the cognitive processes related to the storage and retrieval of this unique and tragic event.     

Psychoactive substance use among children in informal religious schools (Almajiris) in northern Nigeria

“Almajiri” is a term used to describe children in northern Nigeria who are sent to live with teachers of the Qur’an in order to receive religious instruction. Unable to cater for their needs, the teachers send the children to the streets to beg and do menial jobs. Drug use and other forms of high risk behaviour have not yet been studied among these children. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 340 Almajiris in northeast Nigeria, using an adapted version of the WHO Student Drug Use Questionnaire. The Almajiris were all males, with ages ranging from 5 to 16 years (mean = 11.2 years, SD = 3 years) who had left their parents between the ages of 3 and 12 years (mean = 6.6 years, SD = 2.1 years). The prevalence of drug use was 66.2% and the most frequently used drugs were stimulants (49.7%), volatile solvents (21.5%), cigarettes (19.1%) and cannabis (18.5%). This study provides the first evidence of a high prevalence of drug use among the Almajiris.     

Identity Statuses and Prosocial Behaviors in Young Adulthood: A Brief Report

Little is known about behavioral correlates of Marcia's (1966) identity statuses. Hence, the purpose of this study was to examine links between identity statuses in young adulthood and three measures of prosocial behavior: community service, prosocial activities, and prosocial behavioral tendencies. The sample included 91 university students (age range 19–35, M = 21.89, SD = 3.01; 80% European American; 65% female). Scores on identity diffusion were negatively correlated with all three measures of prosocial behavior, whereas identity achievement was positively associated with these prosocial outcomes. In regression analyses, however, only identity achievement scores remained significantly related to the three prosocial behavior measures. Results suggest that identity development is related in important ways to prosocial behavior.     

Age moderates the link between relationship desire and life satisfaction among singles

Higher desire for a romantic partner has been shown to be associated with lower life satisfaction for singles, but research has not considered whether the strength of this association might vary across age groups. We collected data from single participants (N = 3057) across a broad age range (18 to 75 years of age, mean = 36.12, standard deviation [SD] = 12.34) to examine age as a moderator of the relationship between desire for a partner and singles' life satisfaction. Our results suggest that having greater desire for a partner is associated with lower life satisfaction for older (1 SD above the mean or 48.46 years) versus younger (1 SD below the mean or 23.78 years) individuals. We also found some evidence that this age-dependent association was stronger for women than men. Further, this interaction effect remained largely unchanged controlling for participants' attachment anxiety or avoidance. This study highlights the importance of considering how singlehood may play out differently for individuals at different life stages.