Cooperation or dolphin ‘tug-of-war’? Comment on Kuczaj et al. and Eskelinen et al.

Two recent papers by Kuczaj et al. (Anim Cognit 18:543–550, 2015) and Eskelinen et al. (Anim Cognit 19:789–797, 2016) claim to have demonstrated that (i) bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) cooperated to solve a novel task and (ii) vocal signals were important for coordinating these cooperative efforts. Although it is likely that bottlenose dolphins may share communicative signals in order to achieve a common goal, we suggest that this has not been demonstrated in the aforementioned studies. Here, we discuss the two main problems that preclude any definitive conclusions being drawn on cooperative task success and vocal communication from these studies. The first lies in the experimental design. The ‘cooperative task’, involving an apparatus that requires two dolphins to pull in opposite directions in order to achieve a food reward, is not conducive to cooperation, but could instead reflect a competitive ‘tug-of-war’. It is therefore of questionable use in distinguishing competitive from cooperative interactions. Second, the suggestion that the occurrence of burst-pulsed signals in this task was indicative of cooperation is disputable, as (i) this study could not determine which dolphins were actually producing the signals and (ii) this sound type is more commonly associated with aggressive signalling in dolphins. We commend the authors for investigating this exciting and topical area in animal communication and cognition, but the question of whether dolphins cooperate and communicate to solve a cooperative task remains as yet unanswered.     

Relational Resilience in Māori,Pacific, and European Sole Parent Families: From Theory and Research to Social Policy

This study reports findings and policy recommendations from a research project that applied a relational resilience framework to a study of 60 sole parent families in New Zealand, with approximately equal numbers of Māori, Pacific, and European (White) participants. The sole parent families involved were already known to be resilient and the study focused on identifying the relationships and strategies underlying the achievement and maintenance of their resilience. The study was carried out to provide an evidence base for the development and implementation of policies and interventions to both support sole parent families who have achieved resilience and assist those who struggle to do so. The three populations shared many similarities in their pathways to becoming sole parents and the challenges they faced as sole parents. The coping strategies underlying their demonstrated resilience were also broadly similar, but the ways in which they were carried out did vary in a manner that particularly reflected cultural practices in terms of their reliance upon extended family‐based support or support from outside the family. The commonalities support the appropriateness of the common conceptual framework used, whereas the differences underline the importance of developing nuanced policy responses that take into account cultural differences between the various populations to which policy initiatives are directed.     

A Feasibility Study of Behavioral Activation for Major Depressive Disorder in a Community Mental Health Setting

Behavioral activation (BA) is a well-supported treatment approach, but little research has been conducted on the effectiveness of this treatment within publicly funded community mental health settings. We examined the feasibility of conducting a randomized trial examining the effectiveness of nine sessions of BA as a treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD) in a community mental health clinic (CMHC) setting. Following adaptation of a BA manual and training of BA therapists, 80 patients seeking treatment at a CMHC were randomized, with a 3:1 randomization rate of BA to nine sessions of treatment as usual (TAU). Feasibility assessments indicated that only one eligible patient refused randomization and, of patients who attended at least one session, the median number of sessions was six for the BA group and eight for the TAU group. Of three postbaseline monthly assessments, 71.3% (171/240) were successfully obtained. On average, patients in the BA condition completed homework assignments 83.9% of the time. Treatment fidelity ratings indicated that substantially more BA techniques were delivered in the BA group compared to the TAU group (d = 2.11). Measures of BA mechanisms improved significantly over time and these changes were significantly associated with change in depressive symptoms. These results indicate that it is feasible to conduct a randomized study of BA for MDD in a CMHC setting. In addition, the study reconfirmed the potential importance of theory-relevant BA mechanism variables. Following these findings, further investigation into the effectiveness of BA in this setting is needed.     

Gender Inequality Lowers Educational Aspiration for Adolescent Boys and Girls: A Multi-Level and Longitudinal Study in China

Sex Roles - Adolescent students' educational aspiration is a crucial predictor of both concurrent academic achievement and educational attainment later in life. Past studies on educational...     

Worker Well-Being: What it Is,and how it Should Be Measured

Applied Research in Quality of Life - Worker well-being is a hot topic in organizations, consultancy and academia. However, too often, the buzz about worker well-being, enthusiasm for new programs...     

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.