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.     

“Unpacking” the Identity‐to‐Politics Link: The Effects of Social Identification on Voting Among Muslim Immigrants in Western Europe

The identity‐to‐politics link assumes that individuals who share a certain demographic feature also share common political pursuits. This article critically examines that presumed relationship by analyzing how voting probability is affected by social identification in combination with other elements—namely, perception of shared grievances and group resources. Tallying responses from Muslim immigrants in Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom via surveys conducted for the European research project EURISLAM, this study supports the assumption that social identification affects voting in specific circumstances. The results show that identifying with the origin country decreases voting probability among Muslim immigrants in Europe. Another finding was the context‐specific effect of social identification. That is, origin‐country identification's effect is contingent on an individual's perception of shared grievances and national identification; and origin country and religious identifications' effects are contingent on an individual's perception of shared grievances, national identification, and group differences.     

Does Engaging in a Group-Based Intervention Increase Parental Self-efficacy in Parents of Preschool Children? A Systematic Review of the Current Literature

As the preschool years are a formative period for long-term physical and mental health, this period is recognised as an important window for early effective intervention. Parenting behaviour is a key factor to target in order to optimise child development. Group-based interventions for parents are considered efficient and cost effective methods of early intervention and have been found to improve child behaviour and adjustment. Self-efficacy is key to behaviour change and as such parental self-efficacy should be a consideration in interventions aimed at influencing parenting behaviour. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review was to examine the impact of group-based early interventions for parents of preschool children on parental self-efficacy. Nine databases were searched (ASSIA, CINAHL, EMBASE, Maternity and Infant Care, Ovid Medline, PsycINFO, Pubmed, Science Direct and Web of Science). Studies were included if they were a randomised controlled trial of a group-based intervention for parents of preschool children and measured change in parental self-efficacy. Fifteen studies were identified. Although changes in parental self-efficacy following a group-based intervention were noted in the majority of studies reviewed, the methodological quality of the studies included in the review means these findings have to be interpreted with caution; only seven studies were rated to be methodologically adequate. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms by which these interventions may improve parental self-efficacy. Studies specifically examining the impact of such interventions on paternal self-efficacy are also warranted.     

Metaphor: Bridging embodiment to abstraction

Embodied cognition accounts posit that concepts are grounded in our sensory and motor systems. An important challenge for these accounts is explaining how abstract concepts, which do not directly call upon sensory or motor information, can be informed by experience. We propose that metaphor is one important vehicle guiding the development and use of abstract concepts. Metaphors allow us to draw on concrete, familiar domains to acquire and reason about abstract concepts. Additionally, repeated metaphoric use drawing on particular aspects of concrete experience can result in the development of new abstract representations. These abstractions, which are derived from embodied experience but lack much of the sensorimotor information associated with it, can then be flexibly applied to understand new situations.     

Trauma exposure and life satisfaction among at-risk black South African adolescents

This study aimed to construct a model to explain trauma exposure and life satisfaction among black South African school learners. A random sample of 366 black adolescents selected from ten South African schools participated (females = 63.2%; rural = 24.2%; mean age = 13.9 years). The school learners were surveyed on trauma exposure, resources, coping and resilience, and life satisfaction. A structural equation modelling analysis indicated that interpersonal, intrapersonal and affective strengths, coping skills, family involvement, and school functioning were associated with increased resilience, which in turn predicted life satisfaction. Interventions aimed at increasing resilience in contexts characterised by high levels of trauma exposure should prioritise helping adolescents access both internal and external resources, such as coping skills and family involvement respectively.     

Qualitätssicherung von Gerichtsgutachten im Familienrecht

In recent years many controversial verdicts and studies have brought discussions about the quality of expert opinions in family law into the focus of the media, political and expert public spheres. With the coalition contract, the ruling parties agreed on improving the quality of expert opinions, especially in the sector of family law, in collaboration with professional institutions. Representatives of the legal, psychological and medical associations, the Federal Bar Association and the Federal Chamber of Psychotherapists worked out guidelines for expert opinions in family law in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection. The three main quality assurance aspects are scientifically founded procedures, transparency and traceability. These requirements are concretely illustrated in this article with recommendations concerning the procedure and composition of expert opinions.     

Visual Attention to Pictorial Food Stimuli in Individuals With Night Eating Syndrome: An Eye-Tracking Study

Night eating syndrome (NES) is characterized by excessive evening and/or nocturnal eating episodes. Studies indicate an attentional bias towards food in other eating disorders. For NES, however, evidence of attentional food processing is lacking. Attention towards food and non-food stimuli was compared using eye-tracking in 19 participants with NES and 19 matched controls without eating disorders during a free exploration paradigm and a visual search task. In the free exploration paradigm, groups did not differ in initial fixation position or gaze duration. However, a significant orienting bias to food compared to non-food was found within the NES group, but not in controls. A significant attentional maintenance bias to non-food compared to food was found in both groups. Detection times did not differ between groups in the search task. Only in NES, attention to and faster detection of non-food stimuli were related to higher BMI and more evening eating episodes. The results might indicate an attentional approach-avoidance pattern towards food in NES. However, further studies should clarify the implications of attentional mechanisms for the etiology and maintenance of NES.     

4—6岁幼儿空间方位传递性推理能力的发展

该研究旨在探查4、5、6岁幼儿空间上下和前后方位传递性推理能力的发展水平及不同实验条件(一致、模糊、冲突)下儿童的传递性推理能力。为了尽量降低记忆对推理的影响,要求幼儿在前提呈现的条件下按前提方位关系进行传递性推理操作。被试为幼儿园4、5、6岁组儿童各24人,其中男女各半。主要结果表明：4岁幼儿开始萌发空间前后和上下方位的传递性推理能力;从4岁到6岁,“上下”方位传递性推理能力的发展优于“前后”方位;4—6岁幼儿还不能完全摆脱知觉干扰因素的影响,形成稳定的传递性推理能力。     

双重作业的颜色编码方式对作业绩效的影响

研究探讨了不同颜色编码方式对双重任务操作绩效的影响。实验结果证明：若采用同类颜色编码方式,同时操作的两种作业就会产生结构限制,降低双重任务操作绩效;相反,若采用异常颜色编码方式,将有效地减少双重任务操作的结构限制,使双重任务的操作绩效得到提高。     

Illness perception in individuals with atopic dermatitis

Accumulating evidence suggests that in order to understand and respond to the difficulties presented by illness, patients construct their own "common sense" cognitive model of illness. This study set out to examine self-help group members, and students' beliefs about their atopic dermatitis (AD) and to investigate their relationship with symptom report and clinical and demographic variables. A total of 284 participants with AD undertook a self-assessment of their disease severity and completed the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire. The most frequent symptoms associated with AD were itching, sleep difficulties and pain. The most commonly reported triggers of AD were stress, hereditary factors and emotional state. Over 75% of participants believed that their condition would be chronic. Self-help group members reported more significant consequences of the condition, a greater emotional impact, while the student group felt they had more personal control of their AD. Multiple regression analyses indicated that illness beliefs, in particular perceived consequences associated with AD and personal control, accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in emotional response to the condition. This study suggests that participants' beliefs and emotional response are more strongly associated with the meaning they ascribe to their condition rather than its severity.