Patterns of Adolescent Aggression and Victimization: Sex Differences and Correlates

This study identified heterogeneous patterns of peer and dating aggression and victimization among boys and girls and examined their relation to risk and protective correlates. Girls (n = 1648) and boys (n = 1420) in grades 8–10 completed surveys assessing 14 indicators of violence involvement. Latent class analyses indicated a four-class solution, though a test of measurement invariance indicated the nature of the classes differed by sex. Among boys and girls, three classes emerged: Uninvolved (45% of girls, 61% of boys), Peer Aggressor-Victims (23% of girls, 21% of boys), and Cross-Context Aggressor-Victims (CCAV) (12% of girls, 5% of boys). Those in the Peer Aggressor-Victims class were likely to report involvement in peer aggression only; however, girls in this class were likely to be involved only in moderate violence, whereas boys were likely to be involved in moderate and severe violence. Those in the CCAV class were likely to report involvement in all forms of violence except sexual and controlling aggression, which was likely only among boys. Among girls, but not boys, a Verbal Dating Aggressor-Victims class (21% of girls) emerged that was characterized by involvement in occasional verbal dating aggression only. Among boys, but not girls, a Cross-Context Physical Victims class (13% of boys) emerged that was characterized by being only a victim of moderate physical peer and dating violence. Unique and shared risk and protective factors distinguished class membership for girls and boys. Findings suggest the pathways leading to violence may differ by sex and result in different patterns of violence involvement.     

Social support network and adjustment of minors in residential child care

In this study, the relationship between the social support network and the personal, social and academic adjustment of minors in residential care is analyzed. The sample consisted of 102 minors who lived in residential care and who completed the Social Support Questionnaire and the TAMAI. The results show that social support from the family, despite its being the greatest provider of support, does not affect the minors' adjustment. Neither does social support from peers affect their adjustment. However, social support from adults outside the family, and mainly their affection, seems to have a positive influence on the minors' adjustment, particularly at school and in social settings. These results are discussed in relation to their implications for the improvement of programs of residential child care.     

Do people ruminate because they haven’t digested their goals? The relations of rumination and reflection to goal internalization and ambivalence

In three studies it was investigated whether rumination was related to less internalized self-regulation and goals and whether reflection was related to more internalized self-regulation and goals. In all studies students completed questionnaires measuring rumination, reflection, and internalization of self-regulation and goals. In Study 1, rumination was related to less internalized self-regulation, whereas reflection was related to more internalized self-regulation. In Study 2, rumination was related to less internalized self-regulation and goals as well as to more avoidance- and extrinsic content of goals. Reflection was related to more internalized self-regulation and goals as well as to less avoidance content of goals. In Study 3, goal-specific rumination was related to less internalized goals and goal-specific reflection was related to more internalized goals. Collectively, the studies suggest that internalization of self-regulation and goals is critical for distinguishing between unconstructive and constructive self-focused repetitive thoughts.     

The brain prolactin system: involvement in stress response adaptations in lactation

This review focuses on prolactin as a potential candidate for the regulation of emotional and neuroendocrine stress responses in the brain. In particular, we summarise evidence for a brain prolactin receptor-mediated anxiolytic action both in female and male rats, and for inhibitory actions on the reactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the neurohypophysial oxytocin system. These physiological functions of the brain prolactin system are especially relevant in the peripartum period, as an attenuation of behavioural and neuroendocrine stress responses has been described during pregnancy and lactation. At this time, there is an increase in brain prolactin receptor expression and binding, and an increase in hypothalamic prolactin gene expression. In the absence of a selective prolactin receptor antagonist, complementary approaches including chronic intracerebral infusion of prolactin, and antisense targeting of the long form of the brain prolactin receptor were used to investigate the actions of prolactin. The hypothesis of a brain prolactin system activated in the peripartum period which contributes to the adaptive changes in stress responsiveness in order to support reproductive functions is strongly emphasised.     

School Competence among Adolescents in Low-Income Families: Does Parenting Style Matter?

In the present study, we investigated parenting styles and self-perceived school competence among low-income adolescents in Norway. The purpose of the study was threefold: (1) to identify differences, if any, in self-perceived school competence between low-income ethnic Norwegians and low-income ethnic minorities; (2) to determine differences, if any, in the perception of parenting styles between the groups; and (3) to determine if parenting styles predict self-perceived school competence in the two groups. The sample consisted of 253 adolescents 12–18 years of age; 130 adolescents were ethnic Norwegians, and 123 were from ethnic minorities. Self-perceived school competence was measured using the Scholastic Competence subscale of Harter’s Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents. Perception of parenting style was measured with the following three scales: support, monitoring and neglect. An independent-samples t-test revealed that ethnic minorities reported higher levels of self-perceived school competence than did ethnic Norwegians. No significant difference between the groups in their perception of parenting styles was observed. Support and monitoring were positively correlated with school competence, whereas neglect was negatively correlated with school competence. When all three parenting styles were entered separately into standard multiple regression analyses for the two groups, a high degree of perceived neglect significantly predicted low self-perceived school competence in both groups. This finding indicates how schools and policy makers can explore the types of support that families may need to adopt better upbringing styles.     

“Ich sitz' in meiner Burg und draußen tobt der Krieg”

Based on case illustrations of psychiatric inpatients the association between the existence of a conflicting relationship to the social environment and the existence of an obsessive-compulsive disorder is depicted. In a second step, the effects of obsessions and compulsions on the individual and its relationship to the social environment are described followed by considerations concerning psychotherapy of obsessive-compulsive disorders.     

Rorschach Comprehensive System data for a sample of 343 adults from Finland

This article combines Rorschach Comprehensive System (CS; Exner, 1990, 1993) data from four projects conducted in Finland between 1990 and 1995. The projects studied a stratified random sample of Finnish nonpatients, a cohort of twins, a group of elderly men, and a random sample collected to investigate sleep difficulties. The 343 records from these four studies provide a representative survey of Rorschach responding throughout the Finnish population.     

Generalizability of career orientations: A comparative study in Switzerland and Great Britain

This study examined the generalizability of types of career orientation. Exploratory latent class analyses were used to examine whether structurally the same career orientations can be found across a large sample of Swiss German (N=737), Swiss French (N=319), and British (N=1,002) employees. The finding showed that the generalizability of career orientations was not supported across the two countries and not even between the German‐ and French‐speaking parts of Switzerland. At least four career orientations were found in all samples. Country‐specific inspection of these four career orientations showed that they differed in terms of their combinations of specific components (boundaryless, protean, advancement, and time orientation). Mixtures of types of career orientations exist and make it difficult to identify fully the same type of career orientation across different cultural contexts. Explanations for differences in career orientation are discussed focusing on the cultural and economic context of Switzerland and Great Britain. Implications for organizational career management practices as well as theory of the career orientation concept are discussed.     

Right-wing authoritarianism and majority members’ preferences for minority acculturation

The present research examines the role of right-wing authoritarianism for the formation of majority members’ attitudes towards minority members’ contribution to the acculturation process. Previous research has confirmed the link between right-wing authoritarianism and majority members’ acculturation preferences. Nonetheless, a test of their longitudinal relationship was still lacking. Using data from a 3-wave panel study in Germany, we demonstrate that right-wing authoritarianism among majority members predicts less support for immigrants’ cultural maintenance and less support for the establishment of intergroup relations over time (Study 1, N = 551). Using cross-sectional survey data, we show that collective threat mediates these relationships (Study 2, N = 817). Data were representative of the German adult population. Our findings indicate that authoritarian majority members oppose integration because they perceive foreigners as threatening. Right-wing authoritarianism appears to be a meaningful individual difference variable linked to majority members’ attitudes towards immigrants’ maintenance of their heritage culture and the establishment of intergroup relations over time. Our findings complement recent theorizing about acculturation processes.