The Role of Peers in the Linkages Between Harsh Parenting and Mental Health Outcomes Among Adolescents from Families At-Risk

Harsh parenting is associated with adolescent mental health concerns. Peer relationships also importantly influence adolescent mental health outcomes. Although the direct associations between harsh parenting, peer relationships, and adolescent outcomes have been empirically established, less is known about the extent to which peer relationships mediate the associations between harsh parenting and adolescent outcomes. This study tested the links between harsh parenting, peer relationships, and adolescent outcomes among families at-risk for child maltreatment. With a sample of caregivers and adolescents (n = 218), the results of mediation analyses indicated that peer aggression partially mediated the pathway between harsh parenting and externalizing symptoms of both females and males. Additionally, peer rejection partially mediated the links between harsh parenting and internalizing symptoms of both females and males and peer rejection also was a partial mediator of male externalizing symptoms.     

The effects of mindfulness-based treatments for aggression: A critical review

Recently, there has been significant growth in the empirical literature on mindfulness and mindfulness-based treatments (MBTs). The purpose of the current review was to critically examine and critique eleven studies evaluating MBTs for reducing aggressive behaviors. Articles were divided based on design (i.e., group design vs. single subject). This review highlighted evidence supporting the efficacy of the use of mindfulness-based treatments in individuals with aggressive behavior problems. Many of the group studies had weak designs, limiting the validity of the stated results. Results from the single-subject studies were more promising, providing strong support for the use of MBTs in reducing aggression. However, despite recent advances in the use of MBTs with individuals with aggression problems, questions remain unanswered. Finally, suggestions for future research are made to improve and identify means of evaluating the effectiveness of mindfulness-based treatments in an aggressive population.     

Evidence for a response preparation bottleneck during dual-task performance: Effect of a startling acoustic stimulus on the psychological refractory period

The present study was designed to investigate the mechanism associated with dual-task interference in a psychological refractory period (PRP) paradigm. We used a simple reaction time paradigm consisting of a vocal response (R1) and key-lift task (R2) with a stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) between 100 ms and 1500 ms. On selected trials we implemented a startling acoustic stimulus concurrent with the second stimulus to determine if we could involuntarily trigger the second response. Our results indicated that the PRP delay in the second response was present for both control and startle trials at short SOAs, suggesting the second response was not prepared in advance. These results support a response preparation bottleneck and can be explained via a neural activation model of preparation. In addition, we found that the reflexive startle activation was reduced in the dual-task condition for all SOAs, a result we attribute to prepulse inhibition associated with dual-task processing.     

Ideology,Fear of Death,and Death Anxiety

Ideological beliefs have long attracted the attention of social psychologists, who have investigated their genesis as well as their influence on a host of social phenomena. Conservatism, from the Motivated Social Cognition framework, stems from epistemic and existential needs of the individual, and notably the fear of death. However, Terror Management Theory proposes a view of conservatism and its contrary, liberalism, as equivalent cultural worldviews, equally fit to fulfill such needs. In the present contribution, results are presented from five studies, which test the contrasting hypotheses derived from these two perspectives. A new perspective is considered that accounts for these and previous findings.     

The dynamical structure of handball penalty shots as a function of target location

We used principal components analysis (PCA) to investigate variations in the dynamical structure of handball penalty shots as a factor of target location and phase of shot. Participants completed a total of 10 successful shots to each of four target locations in the handball goal. Three dimensional movement time series data were analyzed. Also, data were analyzed across three temporally distinct time windows in line with the evolving kinematic chain. Statistical analyses were undertaken to determine differences across target locations. There were no significant differences between dynamical structures as a factor of target or phase. Covariance between time evolutions as a factor of target reduced in line with the ranking of the component. When shots were analyzed as three distinct time windows, only the low time evolution covariances suggested differences between targets in any time window. Our findings show that the dynamical structure underpinning the handball penalty shot does not differ greatly across locations. However, the time evolution of principal components suggests there are some variations in dynamics which may differentiate shot direction.     

Having and being an other-sex crush during early adolescence

This study examined other-sex crush experiences (both having and being perceived as an other-sex crush) among 544 young adolescents (mean age=12.74 years). Results indicated that 56% had at least one current other-sex crush, with little overlap between crushes, friends, and boyfriends/girlfriends. Significant associations between other-sex crush scores (scores reflecting the number of crush nominations received) and physical attractiveness, relational aggression, physical aggression, and popularity, as reported by same-sex and other-sex peers, were found. In addition, crush scores were (a) associated with same-sex likeability for boys (but not girls) and (b) uniquely related to peer nominations of popularity and physical attractiveness, as reported by other-sex peers. Neither having nor being perceived as an other-sex crush was uniquely related to loneliness. Taken together, the findings suggest that other-sex crushes are normative experiences during early adolescence that warrant further research attention.