The role of empathy and social anxiety in Latinx adolescents' indirect peer aggression during the transition to high school

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between decreased empathy (i.e., cognitive and affective) and indirect and cyber peer aggression among Latinx adolescents during their transition to high school. Further, we examined the degree to which social anxiety moderated this relationship. Participants were 469 Latinx ninth graders, ages 13–17 years (M = 14.52, SD = 0.58; 58% girls). Adolescents completed the Revised Peer Experiences Questionnaire, Cyber Peer Experiences Questionnaire, Basic Empathy Scale, and Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents at two different time points, 3 months apart. Hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed concurrent and prospective relationships between lower cognitive empathy and the perpetration of both indirect and cyber aggression. In addition, social anxiety moderated the concurrent associations between both types of empathy and both types of aggression perpetration. Results suggest that interventions that facilitate cognitive empathy and decrease social anxiety may help to reduce adolescents' indirect and cyber aggression toward peers throughout the high school transition.     

Empathy and parenthood: The moderating role of maternal trait empathy on parental burnout

The ability to empathize with others enables us to effectively interact with each other and may have specifically evolved to support parental roles and caregiving. The relationship between parenting and trait empathy is little understood as previous research focused on empathy exclusively in the context of parenting, for example parental sensitivity. Here we aimed to understand how trait empathy may moderate the association between child's negative emotionality and parental burnout. Two cohorts were examined (1) parents of infants (10–18 months old; N = 203) and (2) parents of children (3–10 years old, N = 201). Parents filled out a battery of online questionnaires assessing maternal empathy, parental burnout and child temperament. We found that the relationship between higher levels of negative emotionality and parental burnout is moderated by specific aspects of maternal emotional empathy. Our findings suggest that maternal emotional empathy acts as a buffer against parental burnout when faced with a child's characteristics that incur higher parental demands.     

Social Support, Counselling, and Cancer

Maintenance of self-esteem and of social relationships are major tasks for cancer patients, and are facilitated by supportive interactions with a variety of others. Different sources potentially provide different forms of support. Patients value informational support from doctors, with concurrent emotional support; family members and confidants specialise in the provision of empathy, reassurance of personal worth, and encouragement; and other cancer patients may act as supplementary sources of both information and empathy. Counsellors may provide direct social support in the forms of empathy and access to material help and information, and may also facilitate socially supportive interactions between the patient and other natural providers of support such as doctors, family, and peers.     

Exposure to community violence and social support as predictors of anxiety and social and emotional behavior among African American children

We examined the effects of exposure to violence and social support on self-reported state and trait anxiety and parental rated problem behaviors among school-aged African-American children in low and high violence areas. Ninety-seven (97) fourth through sixth graders and their parents were interviewed about exposure to community violence, social support, and state and trait anxiety. Results indicate that trait anxiety was correlated positively with exposure to violence and negatively with social support. State anxiety was correlated negatively with family social support. Problem behaviors were correlated negatively with family support and income. Hierarchial multiple regression analyses indicated that children's reports of their exposure to community violence continued to explain significant variability in trait anxiety, and problem behavior after controlling for both income and social support measures. Social support from peers, family and teachers played differential roles in predicting problem behaviors among children from high and lower violence areas. These findings suggest that in planning intervention programs for children exposed to violence, greater attention to empowering parents to support their children, to fostering peer group support, and to bolstering teacher support may be useful, but attention to the underlying socio-political causes of violence exposure is essential.     

大学生特质移情与网络利他行为:网络社会支持的中介效应

为了探讨大学生特质移情与网络利他行为之间的关系,以及网络社会支持在其中所起的中介效应,本研究采用特质移情量表、青少年网络社会支持量表和大学生网络利他行为量表对560名大学生进行调查,结果表明:(1)大学生的整体特质移情能力较高,且女生显著高于男生;其所获得的网络社会支持总体状况良好,且不存在显著的性别差异;网络利他行为处于中等水平,也不存在显著的性别差异。(2)大学生特质移情和网络社会支持均显著正向预测网络利他行为。(3)大学生网络社会支持在特质移情与网络利他行为的关系之间起完全中介作用,其中,网络社会支持的两个分维度情感支持和友伴支持在特质移情与网络利他行为之间的中介效应更为显著。     

Social Support and Personal Mastery as Protective Resources During Emerging Adulthood

During emerging adulthood, lesbian and gay (LG) adults must develop an identity within the social context of heterosexist discrimination. Our specific aims were to examine differences by sexual orientation in depressive symptomatology and self-esteem and explore the role of personal resources in explaining these aspects of psychological well-being. Data were analyzed on 306 participants in emerging adulthood who completed an online survey. LG individuals experienced higher depressive symptomatology and lower self-esteem than heterosexuals, and variations in well-being were explained by personal mastery and social support. The instability which characterizes emerging adulthood is likely compounded by the developmental challenges posed by heterosexism. The formation of social relationships, coupled with personal mastery, appear to serve as protective resources during emerging adulthood.     

Hope,social support,and depression among Hong Kong youth: personal and relational self-esteem as mediators

Previous studies have shown that depression is negatively associated with hope and social support. However, little research has been undertaken to investigate the theoretical mechanisms underlying the connections among hope, social support, and depression. This study examined how two types of self-esteem (personal and relational) would mediate the relationship of hope and social support to depression among 384 Hong Kong adolescents (age: 12–18 years; M = 14, SD = 1.19). Participants reported their levels of hope, social support, personal self-esteem, relational self-esteem, and depressive mood. Results of the path analysis showed that both personal and relational self-esteem mediated the associations of hope and social support with depression. Hope and social support were associated with higher levels of personal and relational self-esteem, which were in turn related to decreased levels of depression. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Internet Use Associated Body-Surveillance Among Female Adolescents: Assessing the Role of Peer Networks

Body-surveillance is a core element of self-objectification, which has been recognized as a health hazard, particularly in female adolescents. Although the role of peers in self-objectification has been documented, the utility of ego-centered network approach has not been demonstrated. Using an online sample of 211 Croatian female adolescents, this study explored whether structural characteristics of self-reported networks (composed of same-sex peers one has discussed sexuality with) moderated the relationship between the use of social networking sites (SNS) and body-surveillance. Controlling for parental monitoring and accounting for self-esteem—which was negatively associated with adolescent body-surveillance—smaller network size amplified the association between SNS use and body-surveillance. Apart from confirming the overlap between offline and online peer networks in shaping adolescent body image concerns, this study’s findings suggest that adolescent women who frequently use SNS and those with fewer close friends are more vulnerable to social media-related body-objectification than their peers.     

The relations among varieties of adult attachment and the components of empathy

The authors examined the proposition that recollections of childhood attachments, parental bonds, or romantic attachments are related to M. H. Davis's (1983) cognitive and emotional components of empathy. Participants were 178 undergraduates who completed self-report questionnaires. Recollections of parental bonds and romantic attachments made both independent and conjoint contributions to Davis's components. Parental overprotection and romantic anxiety predicted personal distress; parental care and romantic anxiety predicted empathic concern; and romantic avoidance predicted fantasy. The findings suggested that attachment may be more likely to influence empathy negatively than positively, that the relation between attachment and empathy may be more emotional than cognitive, and that romantic attachments may be more related to empathy than recollections of parental bonds.     

Who benefits from chatting, and why? The roles of extraversion and supportiveness in online chatting and emotional adjustment

The current study aimed to provide more insight into the role of online chatting in young adults' emotional adjustment. A model was tested that takes into account (a) extraversion of individuals who communicate online, (b) the kind of peers these individuals communicate with online (i.e., online-exclusive peers vs. friends), and (c) the extent to which effects of online chatting on emotional adjustment are mediated by individuals' ability to provide support to others. Young adults (age M = 18.9) filled out questionnaires about themselves and their fellow students at three measurements with a 4-month interval. Results showed that only for less extraverted individuals, chatting with peers found exclusively online directly predicted higher self-esteem and indirectly predicted less depressive symptoms through increases in supportiveness. Thus, results supported a model of social compensation where effects of online chatting with online-exclusive peers improved young adults' emotional adjustment.     

The Moderation Role of Self‐perceived Maternal Empathy in Observed Mother–Child Collaborative Problem Solving

Based on L. S. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, previous scaffolding studies have examined some factors associated with adjustment of parental support during collaborative problem solving. However, a factor that remains unexplored in the literature is the potential relationship between parental empathy and parental support in collaborative problem solving. The present study addresses this question through the observation of 45 preschool children and their mothers cooperating in a problem‐solving task with two levels of difficulty. Teachers rated the children's fine motor skills, and sampled mothers reported their empathy levels towards their children. Consistent with the notion of scaffolding, negative correlations were found between observed maternal verbal support (cognitive, autonomy, and emotional) and child age, and between observed maternal cognitive support and teacher reports of child motor skills. An analysis of covariance revealed significant empathy‐by‐difficulty interactions for physical and cognitive support after controlling for the effect of child motor skills. Implications of these findings are discussed in terms of the role of child motor skills and the importance of parental empathy in collaborative problem solving. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

儿童期虐待与青少年网络欺负行为的关系：自尊的中介作用和友谊质量的调节作用

本研究采用问卷法对2407名青少年进行调查,探究儿童期虐待对青少年网络欺负行为的影响,以及自尊的中介作用和友谊质量的调节作用。结果表明：（1）儿童期虐待显著正向预测青少年网络欺负行为。（2）自尊在儿童期虐待与青少年网络欺负行为之间起部分中介作用。（3）儿童期虐待对青少年网络欺负行为的间接效应的前半段路径受到友谊质量的调节。友谊质量高、低水平下儿童期虐待对自尊的预测作用均显著,但友谊质量较高的青少年群体中儿童期虐待对自尊的预测作用更强。     

Social Influences on Students’ Academic Engagement and Science Achievement

The aim of this study was to examine the role of social support from parents, teachers, and peers in students’ engagement and achievement. Filipino secondary school students (N?=?1,694) participated in this study and answered questionnaires assessing their levels of perceived social support and academic engagement. A standardized science achievement test was also given. Results showed that students who perceived higher levels of social support from parents, teachers, and peers were more engaged and had higher achievement scores. More interestingly, peer support seemed to be more salient compared to parental and teacher support. Implications are discussed.     

Self-functioning and perceived parenting: relations of parental empathy and love inconsistency with narcissism, depression, and self-esteem

In Heinz Kohut's (1977, 1984) theory of the psychology of the self, good parenting provides a child with optimal frustration and just the right amount of loving empathic concern. In the present study, the authors examined the relations of perceived parental empathy and love inconsistency with measures of narcissism, self-esteem, and depression. In a sample of university undergraduates (N=232; 78 men, 153 women, and 1 nonresponder), perceived parental empathy predicted more adaptive self-functioning, whereas parental love inconsistency was related to psychological maladjustment. These results support the theoretical assumption that perceived parental empathy is associated with healthy self-development.     

Online we are all able bodied: Online psychological sense of community and social support found through membership of disability‐specific websites promotes well‐being for people living with a physical disability

People with a physical disability are a population who for a number of reasons may be vulnerable to social isolation. Research into Internet‐based support sites has found that social support and an online sense of community can be developed through computer mediated communication channels. This study aims to gain an understanding of the benefits that membership of disability‐specific online communities may have for people with a physical disability. An online survey was administered to a sample of users of such sites (N = 160). Results indicated that users did receive moral support and personal advice through participating in such online communities. Further, results indicated that online social support and feeling a sense of community online were positively associated with participants' well‐being in the areas of personal relations and personal growth. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Membership in a Devalued Social Group and Emotional Well-Being: Developing a Model of Personal Self-Esteem,Collective Self-Esteem,and Group Socialization

We proposed and tested a theoretical model that links membership in a devalued social group to emotional health. People who identify with devalued social groups (e.g., ethnic minorities, gay men/lesbians, bisexuals, women) may be at increased risk for distress via 3 different pathways. First, some members of devalued groups may internalize negative stereotypes about their group, which negatively impact personal self-esteem. Second, being devalued simply on the basis of one's group membership could lead to emotional distress independent of one's own personal self-esteem. Third, some members of devalued groups may be socialized to develop attitudes and behaviors that increase their risk for emotional distress. Data were collected from a sample of White, middle-to-upper-class undergraduate women and men with respect to personal self-esteem, collective self-esteem on the basis of their gender group, attitudes and behaviors associated with female socialization, and emotional distress. Results supported the direct effect of each pathway in predicting concurrent depression and partially supported the prediction of concurrent anxiety. Each pathway fully accounted for women's greater levels of depression relative to men's. Implications for the study of devalued groups are discussed.     

Interpersonal influences on adolescent materialism: A new look at the role of parents and peers

What causes adolescents to be materialistic? Prior research shows parents and peers are an important influence. Researchers have viewed parents and peers as socialization agents that transmit consumption attitudes, goals, and motives to adolescents. We take a different approach, viewing parents and peers as important sources of emotional support and psychological well-being, which increase self-esteem in adolescents. Supportive parents and peers boost adolescents' self-esteem, which decreases their need to turn to material goods to develop positive self-perceptions. In a study with 12–18 year-olds, we find support for our view that self-esteem mediates the relationship between parent/peer influence and adolescent materialism.     

大学生网络社会支持与网络人际信任的关系:一个有调节的中介模型

从社会认知理论的视角来探讨网络社会支持和网络人际信任的关系,并在此基础上提出了一个有调节的中介模型,考察网络社交效能的中介作用以及自尊的调节作用.采用整群抽样法对432名大学生进行问卷调查,结果表明:(1)网龄对网络人际信任有显著的负向预测作用;网络社会支持对网络人际信任具有显著正向预测作用;(2)网络社交效能在网络社会支持与网络人际信任的关系中起部分中介作用;(3)网络社会支持通过网络社交效能对网络人际信任的间接效应受到自尊的调节.对高自尊个体而言,网络社交效能起部分中介作用;对低自尊个体而言,网络社交效能的中介效应不显著,网络社会支持对网络人际信任只有直接作用.     

The Role of Parental Mediation and Peer Norms on the Likelihood of Cyberbullying

ABSTRACT

Cyberbullying is a disturbing behavior associated with the use of communication technologies among adolescents. Many studies have been devoted to the activities of cyber victims as risk factors, while others have considered parental mediation a protective factor. However, there is a paucity of studies investigating the joint contribution of parental mediation, peer norms and risky online activities to the likelihood of being bullied on the Internet. To fill this gap, we conducted a study among a representative sample of 495 sixth to eleventh grade adolescents. We measured risky behavior online with items indicating the frequency of posting personal details, sending an insulting message and meeting face-to-face with a stranger met online. Respondents reported their perceptions about their peers. attitudes toward these risky online behaviors. We also measured three types of parental mediation: active guidance, restrictive supervision and non-intervention. Binary logistic regression findings show that risky online behaviors and peer norms regarding these behaviors had a significant effect, suggesting that the likelihood of being bullied on the Internet is associated with both risky behavior online and the norms prevalent within the adolescents. peer group. Restrictive supervision had a significant effect, implying that parents who feel their children are being bullied online may increase their oversight. The results emphasize the critical role of peers and the declining influence of parents in adolescence.     

大学生自尊与微信成瘾：状态焦虑和网络人际信任的中介作用

摘要 为探究大学生微信成瘾的原因及其心理机制,采用自尊量表、网络人际信任量表、状态焦虑量表和微信成瘾量表对931名来自三所高校的大学生进行调查。结果表明：（1）自尊与焦虑、微信成瘾显著负相关;焦虑与网络人际信任显著负相关;网络人际信任、焦虑与微信成瘾显著正相关。（2）自尊对微信成瘾有显著的直接预测作用,而且能够通过焦虑、以及焦虑和网络人际信任的链式中介作用间接对微信成瘾产生影响。研究结果对减少大学生微信成瘾具有一定的借鉴意义。