Spatial behavior: the impact of global and local geometry

Humans and other animals use the global geometry of the surrounding environment in order to orient and determine which direction they are facing. Accordingly, the impact of environment geometry on spatial behavior is reflected in the paths of progression in the environment. When the perception of the global geometry is limited, such as in large or dark environments, the global geometry of the environment has to be constructed gradually as the accumulated geometry of locales. In the present study, we progressively altered the form of a dark square test arena by means of local alterations to its corners and walls, in order to differentiate the impact of the global arena geometry from that of the local arena geometry sectors on spatial behavior in rats. We found that as long as the local alterations did not distort the global square geometry of the dark environment, the rats’ behavior did not significantly change. In contrast, distortion of the square shape of the arena resulted in significant changes in the spatial distribution of the rats’ activity. Accordingly, we suggest that the perceived global geometry affects spatial behavior, overriding the impact of the local geometry.     

Parental beliefs and practices concerning motor development: Testing new tools

The parental beliefs on motor development (PB-MD) and the motor habits (MOHAB) questionnaires are new instruments measuring parental beliefs, practices, infant MOHAB, and environmental features regarding motor development. Psychometric properties of these questionnaires were tested using data of parents of 268 Dutch and Israeli infants aged 1-to-8-months. Face- and convergent validity of both questionnaires, as well as internal consistency and test–retest reliability of the PB-MD were satisfactory. Exploratory factor analysis revealed five factors in the PB-MD. Altogether, both questionnaires are valid, reliable and culturally sensitive instruments potentially useful for research and clinical practice.     

Testing a Military Family Stress Model

The current study examines a military family stress model, evaluating associations between deployment‐related stressors (i.e., deployment length/number, posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] symptoms) and parent, child, parenting, and dyadic adjustment among families in which a parent had previously deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan in the recent conflicts. Married families (N = 293) with at least one child between the ages of 4 and 12 were recruited from a Midwestern state. Service members were from the Reserve Component (National Guard or Reserves); fathers (N = 253) and/or mothers had deployed (N = 45) to the recent conflicts in the Middle East. Multiple‐method (observations of parenting and couple interactions; questionnaires) and multiple informant measures were gathered online and in the homes of participants, from parents, children, and teachers. Findings demonstrated associations between mothers’ and fathers’ PTSD symptoms and a latent variable of child adjustment comprising teacher, parent, and child report. Mothers’ but not fathers’ PTSD symptoms were also associated with dyadic adjustment and parenting practices; parenting practices were in turn associated with child adjustment. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for military family stress research and interventions to support and strengthen parents and families after deployment.     

Mothering under political violence: Post-traumatic symptoms,observed maternal parenting practices and child externalising behaviour

Using the family stress model as our conceptual framework, we explored whether observed maternal parenting practices (positive and coercive) account for the associations between mothers' post-traumatic stress symptoms and children's externalising behaviours. Mothers' self-reported post-traumatic stress symptoms, observed maternal practices, and reports of children's externalising behaviour were collected from 123 Israeli mothers and their children, who were exposed to ongoing rocket attacks in southern Israel. A structural equation model revealed that mothers' post-traumatic stress symptoms were linked with greater maternal coercive parenting practices, which in turn were associated with more externalising behaviours in children. The study highlights the crucial role of maternal distress and mothers' parenting skills in the development of externalising behaviours in children exposed to chronic political violence. These results suggest that prevention interventions designed to promote parenting skills for mothers exposed to political violence may be beneficial for children's healthy development.     

The Digitalization of Religion: Smartphone Use and Subjective Well-Being during COVID-19

Previous findings indicate that smartphone use can decrease life satisfaction and can negatively impact religious or spiritual goals. But since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, smartphones have become significantly more positive and useful. Smartphones have helped people move on with their lives, especially due to the myriad benefits they offer. Users can “virtually” spend time with family and friends (i.e., social) and can order groceries, read the news, attend to religious and spiritual needs, and entertain themselves (i.e., process) without venturing out. In the theoretical framework of uses and gratifications, we explored the impact that smartphone use can have on the subjective well-being of Jews and Christians, respectively, in countries with the highest smartphone penetration: Israel and the United States. Furthermore, we introduced religiosity and spirituality, which have surged during the pandemic, as mediators in the proposed model. In the United States, social and process smartphone use enhanced subjective well-being through religiosity (vs. spirituality). In Israel, the process use enhanced subjective well-being through spirituality (vs. religiosity). Theoretical implications are discussed.     

The Linkage Between Multiple Perspectives of the Marital Relationship and Preschoolers' Adjustment

We examined how children's, parents', and observers' perceptions of the marital relationship are linked with children's adjustment. Children's perceptions of the marital relationship were assessed using a new measure, the Interparental Relationship Interview for Children (IRIC). In the first phase of the study, 63 preschoolers, 63 mothers, and 56 fathers completed questionnaires assessing the interparental relationship. Teachers assessed the children's adjustment. In the second phase, 39 of the couples enacted a typical conflictual marital interaction. Findings established the reliability and validity of the IRIC and revealed that the IRIC uniquely contributes to the prediction of children's externalizing and internalizing behavior problems. Taken together, the different perspectives of the marital relationship explained 36% of the variance in children's externalizing behavior problems. These results suggest the promise of the IRIC and demonstrate the unique contribution of the young child's perspective.     

Assessment of Interpersonal Influences on Adolescents: The Parent and Peer Influence Scale

Peer influence is a common topic of interest for parents, clinicians, and researchers, but results from research on the relative importance of parents’ versus peers’ influence on adolescents and young adults has been contradictory. For example, some research suggests that peer attitudes about school influences future academic aspirations, other research suggests that parents and peers differ on their level of influence based on topic (e.g., parents’ are the primary source of influence about moral issues), and other research suggests that peer-oriented children are a product of parental disregard. A reliable and valid measure of the relative strength of parent versus peer influence could enhance research in this area. As a result, the Parent and Peer Inventory Scale (PPI) was developed, which demonstrates strong reliability as well as face and concurrent validity. The PPI can be used both by researchers to address contradictions in the literature, as well as clinicians seeking to evaluate level of peer influence in a family.     

Emotions as signals of normative conduct

Social interactions are heavily norm-based and these norms need to be learned. For this, the emotional reactions of other's in response to a norm transgression can serve as signals. We were able to show that when a group responds with anger to a norm transgressing behaviour, participants were better able to correctly infer the norm than when the group responded with sadness or emotional neutrality. We further tested a process-model showing that this inference is based on the participants' understanding of the groups' appraisals of the behaviour. That is, participants who were able to reverse engineer the underlying appraisal of norm-incompatibility from the emotion expressions inferred the norm more readily. Humans as a social species, require efficient means to quickly adapt to new situations and to perform flawlessly in social contexts. Emotion information is one of the instruments that can be used in this quest.     

Posttraumatic Symptoms, Functional Impairment, and Coping among Adolescents on Both Sides of the Israeli–Palestinian Conflict: A Cross-Cultural Approach

This study assessed the effects of the ongoing violence on the mental health of Palestinian and Israeli youths. Parallel instruments were developed and adapted, as part of a collaborative project, in order to assess, in each society: (1) differential rates of exposure to the conflict, (2) the association between exposure and the severity of posttraumatic symptoms (PTS), and (3) the inter‐relationships among PTS, functional impairment, somatic complaints, and coping strategies. Participants were 1,016 Israeli and 1,235 Palestinian adolescents. A self‐report questionnaire assessed exposure. PTS was measured using the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index, functional impairment and somatic complaints were measured with the DISC, and coping strategies were assessed with Brief Cope. In both societies, greater exposure to conflict‐related violence was associated with more PTS and more somatic complaints, with girls reporting more distress than boys. A total of 6.8 per cent of the Israeli students and 37.2 per cent of the Palestinian students met criteria for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In both societies, but more pronounced in the Palestinian Authority, adolescents reported significant levels of functional impairment, mainly in the area of school functioning. Students with PTSD reported more somatic complaints as well as greater functional impairment. The results show the serious psychological impact of the ongoing violent conflict on Israeli and Palestinian students and point to the need to develop appropriate school‐based interventions to address their mental health needs. Cette étude évalue les effets de la violence continuelle sur la santé mentale des jeunes palestiniens et israéliens. Des instruments analogues ont été développés et adaptés, dans le cadre d’un projet de collaboration, afin d’évaluer dans chaque société: (1) les différences de taux d’exposition au conflit, (2) l’association entre l’exposition et la sévérité des symptômes post‐traumatiques (PTS) et (3) les interrelations entre les PTS, les troubles fonctionnels, les plaintes somatiques et les stratégies de faire‐face. 1016 adolescents israéliens et 1235 adolescents palestiniens ont participéà cette étude. Un questionnaire auto‐administré mesure l’exposition au conflit. Les PTS sont mesurés par l’utilisation de l’UCLA PTSD Reaction Index, les troubles fonctionnels et les plaintes somatiques sont approchés par le DISC, et les stratégies de faire‐face par le Brief Cope. Dans les deux sociétés, une plus grande exposition au conflit et à ses violences est associée à des PTS plus importants et à plus de plaintes somatiques, les filles manifestant plus de détresse que les garçons. Un total de 6.8% des étudiants israéliens et 37.2% des étudiants palestiniens répondent à des critères du Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Dans les deux sociétés, mais de façon plus prononcée dans l’Autorité palestinienne, les adolescents rapportent des niveaux significatifs de troubles fonctionnels, principalement dans le domaine du fonctionnement scolaire. Les étudiants avec PTSD manifestent plus de plaintes somatiques, il en va de même pour les troubles fonctionnels. Les résultats montrent le sérieux impact psychologique d’un conflit violent et continuel sur les étudiants israéliens et palestiniens et signale le besoin de développer des interventions scolaires appropriées à leurs besoins en matière de santé mentale.     

Effects of a Military Parenting Program on Parental Distress and Suicidal Ideation: After Deployment Adaptive Parenting Tools

Few studies have examined whether parenting prevention programs might mitigate risk for suicidality in parents, yet parent suicidality is a strong risk factor for offspring suicidality. We report results from a randomized controlled trial of a parenting program for deployed National Guard and Reserve families with a school‐aged child. Intent‐to‐treat analyses showed that random assignment to the parenting program (ADAPT) was associated with improved parenting locus of control (LOC). Improved parenting LOC was concurrently associated with strengthened emotion regulation which predicted reductions in psychological distress and suicidal ideation at 12 months postbaseline. Results are discussed in the context of ongoing efforts to reduce suicide rates in military populations.