The Associations between Perceived Maternal Psychological Control and Academic Performance and Academic Self-Concept in Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Basic Psychological Needs

This study examined the associations between perceived maternal psychological control and adolescent academic functioning in terms of academic performance and academic self-concept. The study also tested the possible mediating role of basic psychological needs to investigate how parental psychological control is related to child academic functioning. A sample of Chinese adolescents (N?=?338) completed a self-administered questionnaire on maternal psychological control, academic self-concept, academic performance and basic psychological needs satisfaction. Structural equation modeling was used for data analyses. Findings of this study revealed that Chinese adolescents’ perceptions of maternal psychological control were associated with their academic self-concept, and furthermore this association was mediated by adolescents’ basic psychological needs satisfaction on autonomy, relatedness and competence. Theoretical and practical implications, as well as future research directions were discussed.     

Happiness and health behaviours among university students from 24 low,middle and high income countries

The aim of this study was to examine health behaviours and happiness and associated factors in low, middle and high income countries. In a cross-sectional survey, 17 508 undergraduate university students (mean age 20.9, SD = 2. 8) from 25 universities in 24 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas self-completed anonymous questionnaires. Results indicate that the overall happiness mean score among university students across 24 countries was 13.7 (range 4–20). Generally, the study found that university students from countries of the Caribbean, South America and sub-Saharan Africa had greater happiness scores than students from countries in North Africa and Asia. In multivariate linear regression analysis, better subjective socio-economic status, coming from an higher income country, higher social support, higher intrinsic religiosity, higher personal mastery, positive health behaviours (regular breakfast, adequate physical activity, habitual seatbelt use, regular dental check-ups, not having had an injury, not drinking and driving) and negative health behaviours (not having three or more servings of vegetables and eating red meat daily) were correlated with happiness. Improvement to the happiness of university students should consider regional differences in socio-economic environment.     

Beyond the double-jeopardy hypothesis: Assessing emotion on the faces of multiply-categorizable targets of prejudice

Prior research has shown that race influences perceptions of facial expressions, with hostility detected earlier on young male Black than White faces. This study examined whether the interplay of race and age would moderate perceptions of hostility by having participants evaluate facial expressions of multiply-categorizable targets. Using a facial emotion change-detection task, we assessed evaluations of onset/offset of anger and happiness on faces of young and old Black and White men. Significant age by race interactions were observed: while participants perceived anger as lasting longer and appearing sooner on old compared to young White faces, this relationship was reversed for Black faces, with participants perceiving anger lasting longer and appearing sooner on young compared to old Black faces. Similar results were found for perceived happiness. These results suggest that perception during cross-categorization may be more complex than the simple additive function proposed by the double-jeopardy hypothesis, such that co-activation of other stereotypes may sometimes confer a protective benefit against bias.     

The GABAergic effect of low doses of lorazepam on social behavior

The aim of this work was to test the antiaggressive effects of lorazepam and to determine whether these effects were mediated by benzodiazepine receptors. In a first experiment, male mice were injected with lorazepam in a range of low doses (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.6 mg/kg) or saline solution. In a second experiment, 1 mg/kg of Ro 15‐1788, a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist, and a saline solution were injected before the behavioral test. Results showed that 0.6 mg/kg of lorazepam was the only dose that decreased the total duration of threat (P < .01) and social investigation (P < .05) and that 1 mg/kg of Ro 15‐1788 had no effects. In the third experiment, animals received two injections: 0.6 mg/kg of lorazepam plus 1 mg/kg of Ro 15‐1788, 0.6 mg/kg of lorazepam plus saline solution, or saline solution plus saline solution. Those treated with lorazepam and saline solution spent less time digging (P < .001), threatening (P < .001), and attacking (P < .05) and more time avoiding the opponent (P < .01) or being immobile (P < .001) than the controls. Ro 15‐1788 was successful in completely antagonizing the behavior modulated by lorazepam. Aggr. Behav. 28:248–256, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Neonatal ventral hippocampus lesions disrupt extra-dimensional shift and alter dendritic spine density in the medial prefrontal cortex of juvenile rats

Recent data showed that neonatal ventral hippocampus (VH) lesions, an approach used to model schizophrenia symptoms in rodents, produce premature deficits of working memory believed to be associated with early medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) maldevelopment. This experiment expands the investigation of mPFC integrity in juvenile rats with neonatal VH lesions by assessing behavioral flexibility and dendritic spine density. Sixteen Sprague-Dawley male pups received bilateral microinjections of ibotenic acid in the VH or SHAM surgery on postnatal day (PND) 6. On PND 29 and 30, rats were subjected to a spatial shift task in a cross-maze; an attentional set-shifting task was then administered on two consecutive days, between PND 33 and PND 35. Rats were sacrificed at PND 36 and dendritic spine density in the mPFC was assessed using Golgi-Cox staining procedure. Results revealed impaired extra-dimensional shift in VH-lesioned rats and inconsistent reversal discrimination outcomes. Although lesioned animals displayed intact performance in the spatial shift, rates of perseverative responses were higher than normal in this task. Neonatal VH damage resulted in lower dendritic spine density in the mPFC than measured in control brains; however, no significant correlation was found between this outcome and behavioral data. Juvenile morphological and cognitive perturbations are consistent with the early emergence of mPFC anomalies following neonatal VH lesions. Results are discussed in relation with potential common mechanisms linking pre- and post-pubertal onsets of behavioral dysfunction.     

Assessment of vocational guidance: the Berufsbilder test

The object of this study is to assess informative possibilities of some technical indicators of the Test of Photos of Professions (BBT--Berufsbilder test), a projective method to clarify professional inclination, proposed by Martin Achtnich. This psychological evaluation technique is composed of 96 photos of professionals, performing various types of activities. The test subject classifies the photos into three groups: positive (agreeable), negative (disagreeable) and indifferent (neutral). Among those chosen positively, five preferences are chosen and a story is developed that includes them, an activity that is requested two times during the Vocational Guidance process: in the beginning (or middle) and at the end of the intervention. In this study, 160 stories were created by 80 youths, between 15 and 20 years of age, in public and private schools in a mid-sized Brazilian city. The stories were compared in three analytical categories: protagonist, professional conflict and resolution. The results were submitted to Wilcoxon nonparametric statistical analysis (p < .05), significant and relevant indicators of resolution being found in the process of occupational choice. This technical resource was shown, from this empirical evidence, to be promising for use in evaluation of intervention processes of Vocational Guidance.     

Toward a unifying model of identification with groups: integrating theoretical perspectives.

Building on the contributions of diverse theoretical approaches, the authors present a multidimensional model of group identification. Integrating conceptions from the social identity perspective with those from research on individualism-collectivism, nationalism- patriotism, and identification with organizations, we propose four conceptually distinct modes of identification: importance (how much I view the group as part of who I am), commitment (how much I want to benefit the group), superiority (how much I view my group as superior to other groups), and deference (how much I honor, revere, and submit to the group's norms, symbols, and leaders). We present an instrument for assessing the four modes of identification and review initial empirical findings that validate the proposed model and show its utility in understanding antecedents and consequences of identification.     

A comparison of mental health literacy,attitudes, and help-seeking intentions among domestic and international tertiary students

Limited research has examined distress or help-seeking knowledge and attitudes among international students. The aim of this study was to examine psychological distress, mental health literacy (MHL), and help-seeking attitudes and intentions among a sample of domestic and international tertiary students. The sample comprised 357 domestic and international tertiary students. Participants completed an online questionnaire package, with measures relating to distress, MHL, help-seeking attitudes, and help-seeking intentions. International student status was predictive of lower scores on MHL, help-seeking attitudes, and help-seeking intentions for suicidal ideation. Student group was not predictive of help-seeking intentions for emotional problems or psychological distress, but international students had lower help-seeking intentions for suicidal ideation. Educational interventions targeting MHL and help-seeking attitudes and intentions among international students may be required to improve help-seeking behaviours.