Influence of the teacher-student relationship on childhood conduct problems: a prospective study.

Examined the influence of the quality of the teacher-student relationship on children's subsequent levels of aggression in a sample of 61 second and third-grade children nominated and rated by their teachers as aggressive. The stability of teachers' and children's reports of relationships quality across academic years was in the low to moderate range. Teachers and children showed little agreement in their reports of relationship quality. Teachers' and children's reports of relationship quality in year 1 (Y1) predicted teacher-rated aggression the following year, controlling for Y1 ratings of aggression. Teachers' reports of relationship quality across Y1 and Y2 predicted peer-rated aggression, but not teacher-rated aggression, in Y3, controlling for Y1 aggression. Consistent with a buffering role for teacher-student relationships, a positive teacher-student relationship was of greatest benefit to children whose mothers reported rejecting parenting histories. We discuss implications for school-based prevention programs.     

State and Society in the Political Thought of the Moscow Slavophiles

Leading members of the Slavophile circle shared a commonWeltanschauung, fostered by a complex reaction to thesocial and political changes taking place in mid-nineteenth-centuryRussia. There was, however, considerable diversity in their views aboutthe character and value of the Russian state apparatus. While theyall criticised the bureaucratic ethos of the tsarist state,a number of them recognised that it played a critical role in stabilising deep-seated social tensions in Russian society. Inthe late 1850s, some members of the Slavophile circle also cameto recognise that the state apparatus could play a positiverole in eliminating serfdom. Nevertheless, in the wake ofthe Emancipation Edict of 1861, conflict over the roleof the Russian state became the most divisive issuefor surviving members of the Slavophile circle.     

Risk Factors for Adolescent Suicide and Suicidal Behavior: Mental and Substance Abuse Disorders,Family Environmental Factors,and Life Stress

This review focuses on psychopathologic risk factors for adolescent suicide and suicidal behavior, namely, affective, disruptive, substance abuse, psychotic, and personality disorders. The interaction of psychopathology with age and gender is discussed. The role of family environmental risk factors and stress events in suicide and suicidal behavior, both alone, and in interaction with psychopathology are reviewed. Research reviewed will include psychological; autopsy studies, longitudinal studies examining predictors of suicide, and epidemiologic studies of suicide attempts.     

Accuracy of Self-Reported Personal History of Cancer in an Outpatient Breast Center

The self-reporting of cancer history is becoming increasingly important, as it frequently guides medical decision-making. We studied the accuracy of personal cancer history using a self-administered questionnaire, comparing the results with the Tumor Registry at our institution. Among 39,662 records, we identified 3614 women with a single cancer in the Tumor Registry who reported none or one cancer on their questionnaire. The sensitivity in self-reporting cancers was 85.7%, ranging from 92.1% for breast cancer to 42.9% for leukemia. The accuracy for breast cancer and Hodgkin's Lymphoma was significantly better than other cancers (p=0.00027, CI: 1.4–3.88). Analysis of patient's characteristics showed that Caucasians reported breast cancer more accurately than Asian/Pacific Islanders (p=0.008), and those with Jewish ancestry more accurately than non-Jewish (p=0.0435). These results will help us to improve data collection and thus improve medical decision-making.     

Research in Adolescent Suicide: Implications for Training,Service Delivery,and Public Policy

Four domains of research in adolescent suicide are reviewed: (1) the role of psychopathology, (2) family history of psychopathology, (3) mental health treatments, and (4) firearms in the home. Based on the extant literature, recommendations are made for changes in training, service delivery, and public policy. Among the recommendations for training professionals are: an emphasis on diagnostic proficiency, skill and attentiveness in the assessment of the entire family unit, and assessment of the availability of firearms in the home. With respect to changes in service delivery, we recommend treatment of the entire family system, and treatment of psychiatric and substance abuse problems in the same setting, and we show the need for a continuum of intensity of care from inpatient to outpatient. With respect to policy changes, we recommended parity of mental and physical health insurance coverage, screening for psychiatrically at-risk youngsters in schools and physicians' offices, providing funding to support a continuum of care between inpatient and outpatient, and gun control laws to restrict access to handguns. We believe that these changes can result in a substantial reduction in the adolescent suicide rate.     

Terminal decline and cognitive performance in very old age: does cause of death matter?

Cross-sectional differences and longitudinal changes in cognitive functioning in relation to mortality across a 7-year follow-up period, with 3 times of measurement, were examined in a population-based sample of very old adults. The authors also sought to determine whether cause of death (cerebro/cardiovascular disease [CVD]; non-CVD) modified the magnitude of mortality-related cognitive deficits. Cognitive performance was indexed by tests of general cognitive ability, episodic memory, primary memory, verbal fluency, and visuospatial ability. Results indicated cross-sectional differences on all domains of functioning, with persons who would die within 3 years after baseline testing performing more poorly. Longitudinally, greater decrements were observed on all domains for persons who would die after the first follow-up period, as compared with survivors. Cause of death failed to modify the magnitude of the cross-sectional and longitudinal deficits. The pattern of results point to the general nature of this phenomenon.     

Internalization of Appearance Ideals and Cosmetic Surgery Attitudes: A Test of the Tripartite Influence Model of Body Image

The Tripartite Influence Model of Body Image was adapted to examine the role of body satisfaction, perceived pressure to have cosmetic surgery, and internalization of societal appearance ideals in understanding cosmetic surgery attitudes. Participants were 2,048 men (N?=?445) and women (N?=?1,603) American college students from Florida who completed a range of measures that assessed levels of body satisfaction, perceived appearance pressures, internalization of appearance standards, and cosmetic surgery attitudes. A structural equation model was used to test hypothesized relations independently for men and women. Results indicated a moderate-good fit to the data, with both internalization and body satisfaction mediating the effect of perceived pressures on cosmetic surgery attitudes. Invariance testing revealed significant differences in pathway estimates between samples of men and women. The findings offer further support for the Tripartite Influence Model of Body Image and indicate potential factors that may influence cosmetic surgery attitudes.