Parenting stress and depressive symptoms in postpartum mothers: Bidirectional or unidirectional effects?

Despite the consistent link between parenting stress and postpartum depressive symptoms, few studies have explored the relationships longitudinally. The purpose of this study was to test bidirectional and unidirectional models of depressive symptoms and parenting stress. Uniquely, three specific domains of parenting stress were examined: parental distress, difficult child stress, and parent–child dysfunctional interaction (PCDI). One hundred and five women completed the Beck Depression Inventory and the Parenting Stress Index – Short Form at 3, 7, and 14 months after giving birth. Structural equation modeling revealed that total parenting stress predicted later depressive symptoms, however, there were different patterns between postpartum depressive symptoms and different types of parenting stress. A unidirectional model of parental distress predicting depressive symptoms best fit the data, with significant stability paths but non-significant cross-lagged paths. A unidirectional model of depressive symptoms predicted significant later difficult child stress. No model fit well with PCDI. Future research should continue to explore the specific nature of the associations of postpartum depression and different types of parenting stress on infant development and the infant–mother relationship.     

Children's action-control behaviors (coping): A longitudinal validation of the behavioral inventory of strategic control

Abstract

Integrating multi-axial models with an action-theory perspective, we propose that children's coping strategies vary along four dimensions of strategic behavioral control: Direct Action, Indirect Action, Prosocial Action, and Antisocial Action. The Behavioral Inventory of Strategic Control (BISC) assesses these four general dimensions of strategic control. We contrast these four axial dimensions with six specific strategic combinations: Avoidance (Indirect-Antisocial), Emotional Support Seeking (Indirect-Prosocial), Social Exploitation (Indirect-Antisocial), Social Cooperation (Direct-Prosocial), Aggressive Individualism (Direct-Antisocial) and Hostility (Indirect-Antisocial). In a short-term longitudinal study (three occasions over four months) of 318 children (grades 2–6), we examined the validity of the BISC, showing that the hypothesized dimensional structure of children's strategic control behavior was strongly supported.     

Understanding Adolescent Property Crime using a Delinquent Events Perspective

This qualitative research employed an integrated symbolic interactionist/cultural studies framework to guide its focus on 24 male adolescent offenders' perceptions of their involvement in delinquent events characterized by the commission of property crimes. Adolescents were asked to describe the situations within which their crimes were embedded, including what they were thinking and feeling throughout the course of the delinquent event. Results indicated that adolescents committed property crimes for thrills, to cope with stressors, to defend their gang, and for economic gain. In particular, each motive was associated with a certain set of interactions and conditions, which served as cues to guide the adolescents' interpretive process and eventual meaning construction. The relation between this process and the larger culture is discussed.     

Optimism Is Universal: Exploring the Presence and Benefits of Optimism in a Representative Sample of the World

Current theories of optimism suggest that the tendency to maintain positive expectations for the future is an adaptive psychological resource associated with improved well‐being and physical health, but the majority of previous optimism research has been conducted in industrialized nations. The present study examined (a) whether optimism is universal, (b) what demographic factors predict optimism, and (c) whether optimism is consistently associated with improved subjective well‐being and perceived health worldwide. The present study used representative samples of 142 countries that together represent 95% of the world's population. The total sample of 150,048 individuals had a mean age of 38.28 (SD = 16.85) and approximately equal sex distribution (51.2% female). The relationships between optimism, subjective well‐being, and perceived health were examined using hierarchical linear modeling. Results indicated that most individuals and most countries worldwide are optimistic and that higher levels of optimism are associated with improved subjective well‐being and perceived health worldwide. The present study provides compelling evidence that optimism is a universal phenomenon and that the associations between optimism and improved psychological functioning are not limited to industrialized nations.     

Examining adversarial growth in illness: The factor structure of the silver lining questionnaire (SLQ-38)

The Silver Lining Questionnaire (SLQ-38) is purported to measure 10 aspects of adversarial growth in illness. To date however, no empirical evidence exists to support this claim. Hence the aim of this study was to investigate the factor structure of the SLQ-38 in a sample of 560 individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), cancer, cardiac, and renal disease. The results demonstrate that 24 SLQ-38 items can be factored into five subscales: improved personal relationships, greater appreciation for life, positive influence on others, personal inner strength and changes in life philosophy, all of which are in accordance with the literature on adversarial growth. Individuals with MS experienced lower adversarial growth compared to other illness groups. Gender, age and time since diagnosis were unrelated to adversarial growth in illness. The utility of the revised SLQ-38 is discussed along with suggestions for future research on the convergent and divergent validity of this revised instrument.     

Latent relationships of fluid, visual, and simultaneous cognitive tasks

Horn's 1989 fluid intelligence and Luria's 1966 simultaneous processing have been represented in various cognitive assessment batteries. Although related, these concepts are purported to measure distinct cognitive functions; fluid intelligence refers to deductive reasoning whereas simultaneous processing refers to understanding complex relationships among gestalts. The current study explored the factor structure of known fluid and simultaneous tests along with visually complex new tests. A total of 56 children in Grades 1 through 5 were administered tests from the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Elliott's Differential Abilities Scales, and two experimental tasks. Findings suggest that (1) the two experimental subtests were psychometrically viable, (2) when analyzed as a two-factor structure, fluid and visual processing components were pronounced, and (3) when analyzed as a single-factor structure, simultaneous processing emerged. These findings indicate simultaneous processing may be a blend of fluid and visual components.     

Demographic variables and microCog performance: relationships for VA patients under treatment for substance abuse

The associations of demographic variables with cognitive performance, as measured by the MicroCog ability domain scores, were assessed with 222 substance abusers who were patients in a VA medical center. Analysis indicated that age was negatively related to all five outcomes scores, and education was positively related to measures assessing Attention/Mental Control and Reasoning/Calculation. These findings are consistent with past theoretical and applied research. The demographic variables, as a group, accounted for a total of 17% to 37% of the variance in the five domain scores.     

Random responding to the MMPI-2 F scale

Exact probabilities for a variety of F scale cutoffs are presented for detecting examinees who respond randomly to the MMPI-2 items.     

Boston Naming Test: problems with administration and scoring

The poorly written administration and scoring instructions for the Boston Naming Test allow too wide a range of interpretations. Three different, seemingly correct interpretations of the scoring methods were compared. The results show that these methods can produce large differences in the total score.     

Correlations among measures of cognitive ability, creativity, and academic achievement for gifted minority children

This study explored the correlations among nonverbal reasoning ability, creativity, and academic achievement in gifted minority children, 89 girls and 71 boys in Grades 1 through 8 in a program for gifted. A random half of students from all grade levels were tested at the beginning of the year and the remaining half after 7 mo. with Raven Progressive Matrices, Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, and the California Achievement Test. Pearson correlations reflected limited relations among these variables except for a significant positive value between creativity and reading achievement. Suggestions for further study and implications for identification procedures and program development were provided.