Brief multidimensional students' life satisfaction scale: sex, race, and grade effects for a high school sample

Preliminary normative data for the total score of the Brief Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale were collected from 5,034 adolescents in Grades 9 through 12 at public high schools in South Carolina. The statistically significant mean differences by race were of small magnitude. Mean total scores did not differ by sex or grade in school.     

Academic Characteristics of Early Adolescents with Higher Levels of Life Satisfaction

Research related to students’ global life satisfaction and their academic and behavioral functioning has yielded varying findings. Some researchers have suggested the possibility that very high levels of life satisfaction may yield decrements in productivity (Oishi et al. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2, 346–360 2007). Middle school students (N?=?917) were surveyed regarding their global life satisfaction, school engagement, and academic performance. We evaluated whether the associations were best characterized linearly or non-linearly (i.e., quadratic) to clarify the associations between life satisfaction and the various academic performance variables. Differing from the findings of Oishi et al., our findings failed to reveal support for the hypothesis of a negative quadratic relation between life satisfaction and most of the academic or student engagement outcomes we examined. To the contrary, statistically significant, positive linear relations were observed between life satisfaction and GPA, math standardized test scores as well as cognitive, emotional and behavioral engagement. A linear relation was not observed between life satisfaction and English Language Arts standardized test scores. Consistent with previous research, these findings provide further support that higher levels of life satisfaction are related to higher levels of student engagement and academic performance in early adolescents. Furthermore, the results are consistent with efforts to expand education reforms to incorporate goals related to increasing students’ well-being as well as their academic success.     

The Longitudinal Relationship Between School Belonging and Subjective Well-Being in School Among Elementary School Students

Situated within a positive psychology perspective, the present study explored the relationship between school belonging and subjective well-being (SWB) in school among elementary school students. In order to ensure the applicability of the Brief Adolescents’ Subjective Well-Being in School Scale (BASWBSS) to elementary school students, firstly, we provided evidence for its validity using two samples (total n?=?1333) of elementary school students. Secondly, we used cross-lagged structural equation modeling techniques to evaluate the nature and directionality of relationships between school belonging and SWB in school. To test these relationships, 890 students (58.54 % male) completed a measure of school belonging and SWB in school at two time points, 6 weeks apart. The results showed that (1) BASWBSS has good applicability among elementary school students and (2) significant bidirectional relationships were found between school belonging and SWB in school. Overall, the present study provided important evidence of applicability of the BASWBSS with elementary school students and the role of school belonging in elementary school age children’s SWB in school.     

Three Subtypes of Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors in Chinese Adolescents: Results of a Latent Class Analysis

Using latent class analyses (LCA), the present study aimed to test whether meaningful subtypes of internalizing and externalizing behaviors could be found among Chinese community-based adolescents. A total of 5244 adolescents, ages 11–18 years (M?=?15.11, SD?=?1.79) recruited from 16 Chinese middle schools completed the Chinese version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-C). We examined the data using Latent Class Analysis to identify subtypes of internalizing and externalizing behaviors among the adolescents. Multivariate Logistic regression was subsequently implemented to ascertain the relationships between latent classes and demographic covariates. Three distinct subtypes were uncovered: a high-risk group, a middle-risk group and a low-risk group; the three subtypes accounted for 19.8, 31.1, and 49.1 % of the total sample variance respectively. Youth with elevations in one behavior type were likely to have elevations in the other behavior type. Further analyses revealed that compared to the low-risk group, the adolescents from the high-risk group and middle-risk groups were female and older. Significant heterogeneity in internalizing and externalizing behaviors was revealed in this Chinese adolescent’s sample. Profiling behavior problems patterns is potentially useful as a first step in developing tailored prevention and intervention programs. Suggestions for future research, including cross-national studies, and implications for mental health professionals were discussed.     

Transactive Memory Reconstructed: Rethinking Wegner's Research Program

In this paper, I argue that recent research on episodic memory supports a limited defense of the phenomena that Daniel Wegner has termed transactive memory. Building on psychological and neurological research, targeting both individual and shared memory, I argue that individuals can collaboratively work to construct shared episodic memories. In some cases, this yields memories that are distributed across multiple individuals instead of being housed in individual brains.     

Posttraumatic Growth and HIV: A Study on Associations of Stigma and Social Support

The present study investigated the influence of HIV‐related stigma and social support on posttraumatic growth (PTG) in adults with HIV (N = 126). The study examined if social support moderated the relationship between stigma and PTG. Results from the study revealed that the predictor variables contributed significantly to PTG following an HIV diagnosis; however, no significant interaction effect between the 2 variables was found. Implications for counselors and directions for future research are provided.     

CACREP Accreditation,Ethics, and the Affirmation of Both Religious and Sexual Identities: A Response to Smith and Okech

In response to Smith and Okech ( 2016 ), the authors reason that protections for sexual minorities can thrive with protections for religious liberties. The authors (a) acknowledge that the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs' accreditation process is designed to ensure that counseling programs of religious or secular institutions meet established standards to prepare counselors to work with all client groups, (b) describe the Ethical Acculturation Model (Handelsman, Gottlieb, & Knapp, 2005 ), and (c) provide an example of a theological perspective for educators to help students integrate their professional and religious identities.     

The impact of sociocultural background and assessment data upon school psychologists' decisions

Fifty-six school psychologists participated in an adapted version of Algozzine and Ysseldyke's (1981) diagnostic simulation. The adaptation was designed to investigate the effects of sociocultural background (rural vs. suburban) and assessment data (normal vs. LD) on school psychologists' educational decisions. Knowledge of a student's sociocultural background did not influence these school psychologists' decisions; however, the type of assessment data had a strong impact. In contrast to the findings of Algozzine and Ysseldyke, the subjects did not ignore individual test data in favor of teacher referral statements. The school psychologists who received normal data were less likely to have low expectations for pupils' future academic attainment, to diagnose the child as LD, and to recommend special class placement. The subject school psychologists' perceptions of the importance of various diagnostic factors also agreed with their actual practices, as they reported that standardized test data figured prominently in their decision making. In short, this research suggests that school psychologists utilize multiple sources of information but rely primarily upon the more objective sources of information to make educational decisions.