How do Lithuanian adolescents address identity questions? A four-wave longitudinal study on change and stability in identity styles

Abstract

The present investigation evaluated multiple patterns of change and stability in Berzonsky’s identity styles (informational, normative, and diffuse-avoidant) in a four-annual-wave longitudinal study with 468 adolescent boys and girls from Lithuania. A combination of mean level changes, high rank-order stability, and high profile stability has been found in this study. First, levels of informational and normative identity styles remained stable for girls, but decreased significantly for boys; levels of diffuse-avoidant identity styles remained stable for girls and boys. Second, the rank-order stability of the normative and diffuse-avoidant styles was lower for boys, than for girls. Third, the mean profile stability was high for girls and moderate for boys. In general, our findings highlighted substantial gender differences in multiple indices of change and stability of identity styles.     

Modified test administration using assistive technology: preliminary psychometric findings

This study examined the psychometric properties of test presentation and response formats that were modified to be accessible with the use of assistive technology (AT). First, the stability of psychometric properties was examined in 60 children, ages 6 to 12, with no significant physical or communicative impairments. Population-specific differences were then examined with samples that included 24 children with cerebral palsy and matched control peers. Children were administered standard and modified versions of tests. The type of AT access did not have a statistically significant effect on modified test scores. Measurement stability between the standard and modified versions of quadrant forced-choice format tests was sufficient. The findings support the potential use of AT and accessible procedures for some test instruments in the assessment of children with cerebral palsy.     

Aesthetic sports as high-risk contexts for eating disorders--young elite dancers and gymnasts perspectives

This is the first study developed in Portugal which investigates specific characteristics of dance and gymnastics environments that make them high-risk contexts for the development of eating disorders. Four focus groups were conducted with thirteen ballet students from a professional dance school and nine gymnasts from a gymnastics club (aged 12 to 17 years old), which were subjected to an inductive-deductive analysis procedure. Specific risk and protective factors were identified. Among their respective sources of influence, teachers and coaches are those who exert a stronger influence upon young athletes. We also explored some themes related to the influence of peers, parents, and environmental characteristics, which could have an important role on the development or prevention of disordered eating.     

Psychometric properties of the Spanish Human System Audit Short-Scale of transformational leadership

The aim of this research is to examine the psychometric properties of a Spanish version of the Human System Audit transformational leadership short-scale (HSA-TFL-ES). It is based on the concept of Bass developed in 1985. The HSA-TFL is a part of the wider Human System Audit frame. We analyzed the HSA-TFL-ES in five different samples with a total number of 1,718 workers at five sectors. Exploratory Factor Analysis corroborated a single factor in all samples that accounted for 66% to 73% of variance. The internal consistency in all samples was good (alpha = .92 - .95). Evidence was found for the convergent validity of the HSA-TFL-ES and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. These results suggested that the HSA-TFL short-scale is a psychometrically sound measure of this construct and can be used for a combined and first overall measurement.     

Perceiving children's behavior and reaching limits in a risk environment

The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy of parents' perception of children's reaching limits in a risk scenario. A sample of 68 parents of 1- to 4-year-olds were asked to make a prior estimate of their children's behavior and action limits in a task that involved retrieving a toy out of the water. The action modes used for reaching, accuracy of estimates, and error tendency were investigated. Several morphological variables, walking experience, and swimming program experience were analyzed as predictors of maximum and estimated maximum reachability. Most children sat to retrieve the toy out of the water and fell in while attempting to grasp beyond their reaching limit. Nearly 80% of the parents correctly predicted their children's behavior when the toy was unreachable. Parents were cautious in predicting their children's maximum reachability (>50% underestimates). Mothers were more accurate than fathers in estimating their children's reaching limit. The prediction of children's capabilities was based partially on body dimensions and proportions.     

Integrating Diabetes Self-Management Interventions for Mexican-Americans into the Catholic Church Setting

Churches provide an innovative and underutilized setting for diabetes self-management programs for Latinos. This study sought to formulate a conceptual framework for designing church-based programs that are tailored to the needs of the Latino community and that utilize church strengths and resources. To inform this model, we conducted six focus groups with mostly Mexican-American Catholic adults with diabetes and their family members (N = 37) and found that participants were interested in church-based diabetes programs that emphasized information sharing, skills building, and social networking. Our model demonstrates that many of these requested components can be integrated into the current structure and function of the church. However, additional mechanisms to facilitate access to medical care may be necessary to support community members’ diabetes care.     

The Unique Role of Spirituality in the Process of Growth Following Stress and Trauma

This study investigated the unique contributions and moderating effects of positive and negative experiences of spirituality in predicting variance in stress-related growth and positive affect over and above the variance explained by the domains of the Five-Factor Model of Personality, social support, perceived stress, and gender in a sample of 109 male and 320 female volunteers. Responses were analyzed using hierarchical linear regression. Results indicated that faith maturity predicted unique variance in stress-related growth after controlling for the influence of personality and gender; faith maturity and spiritual struggle predicted significant unique additional variance in positive affect over and above the variance predicted by personality, social support, and stress-related growth; and spiritual struggle moderated the relationship between stress-related growth and positive affect. The implications of these results are discussed in light of Park’s (Journal of Social Issues 61:707–729, 2005) model of religion as a meaning-making framework.     

Active Recreation and Well-Being: The Reconstruction of the Self Identity of Women With Spinal Cord Injury

This qualitative study obtained the viewpoints of four women with spinal cord injury about the meaning of active recreation in their lives. Using the constant comparison method, common points of view were revealed within the narratives, leading to the finding that active recreation contributed to a positive self-concept. This facilitated the reconstruction of participants' identities as fit, confident, and social women actively engaged in their communities. Since participation in active recreation was found to be important to the self-identity of women who value physical activity, integrating this role into occupational therapy can facilitate the recovery of a desired self.     

Toward a New Model of the Hindu Pantheon A Report on Twenty-some Years of Feminist Reflection

This article argues that the familiar triadic model of the Hindu pantheon obscures the significance of goddesses in Hinduism by incorrectly locating the major division within the Hindu pantheon along gender lines. Instead, it will be argued that the familiar ‘moksha-dharma’ tension and synthesis be used to organise the deities into a pantheon, with both female and male deities patronising both moksha and dharma.