Passive-aggressive (negativistic) personality disorder: a population-based twin study

The objective of this study was to investigate the familial aggregation of passive aggressive personality disorder (PAPD), and explore issues regarding PAPD raised by the DSM-IV Personality Disorder Work Group. Two thousand seven hundred and ninety-four Norwegian twins from the population-based Norwegian Institute of Public Health Twin Panel were interviewed with the Structured Interview for DSM-IV Personality (SIDP-IV). Because of the rarity of the twins meeting full diagnostic criteria for PAPD a dimensional representation of the disorder was used for the analyses. Overlap with other axis II disorders was assessed by polychoric correlations, while familial aggregation was explored by structural equation twin models. Overlap was highest with paranoid (r = 0.52) and borderline personality disorder (r = 0.53), and lowest with schizoid (r = 0.26). Significant familial aggregation was found for PAPD. The twin correlations and parameter estimates in the full model indicated genetic and shared environmental effects for females, and only shared environmental effects for males, but the prevalence of endorsed PAPD criteria in this community sample was too low to permit us to conclude with confidence regarding the relative influence of genetic and shared environmental factors on the familial aggregation of PAPD.     

Informal situated counselling in a school context†

The institutional regulation of counselling conversations does not always provide optimal conditions for counselling. Many teachers experience that some “normal” conversations develop into conversations which are of a counselling nature. Conversations which resemble counselling can be optimal counselling opportunities. In this paper we describe and develop these counselling conversations, which we call Informal Situated Counselling.     

Mental health in infants with esophageal atresia

Chronic somatic illness in infancy may challenge the development of mental health and impinge the infant's capability to form close interpersonal relationships. Esophageal atresia (EA) is a congenital anomaly requiring neonatal surgery, medical aftertreatment, and extended hospitalization. The aim of the study was to assess mental health and to find prognostic factors for mental health among infants with EA. Thirty‐nine infants treated consecutively during 2000 to 2003 and their mothers were included. Infant mental health was assessed by Diagnostic Classification: 0–3 (Zero to Three, 1994). Medical and environmental data were collected from medical records and semistructured interview with the mothers. Child development was assessed with the Bayley scales, second edition (N. Bayley, 1993). Maternal psychological distress, anxiety, and child temperament were assessed by self‐report questionnaires: the General Health Questionnaire, 30‐item version (D. Goldberg & P. Williams, 1988); the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (C.D. Spielberger, R. Gorsuch, & R. Lushene, 1970); and the Infant Behaviour Questionnaire (M.K. Rothbart, 1981). Thirty‐one percent of the infants with EA showed mental health disorders by 1 year of age. Prognostic factors predicting mental health were posttraumatic symptoms reported by mother, more than one operation, mechanical ventilation beyond 1 day, and moderate/severe chronic family strain. Relational trauma, vulnerable attachment, and impaired self‐development are highlighted as possible pathways for psychopathology. Children with EA are vulnerable to mental health disorders, and this study may help clinicians to identify children at risk.     

Psychometric examination and normative data for the narcissistic personality inventory 29 item version

The Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) is commonly used in empirical studies of narcissism. Few population-based studies have been published. Our aim was to do a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the NPI 29 item version with a four-factor structure, in two population-based samples and in a patient sample, and present normative population-based data. The NPI-29 was filled in by 324 respondents from the Norwegian population, 231 from the Swedish population and 167 Norwegian psychiatric patients. The four-factor structure of the NPI-29 with Leadership/Power, Exhibitionism/Self-admiration, Superiority/Arrogance and Uniqueness/Entitlement was reproduced in these samples. The CFA models showed good fit indices in all samples. Mean scores on the NPI-29 and four subscales hardly differed between the samples. For the NPI-29 total score and factors, few significant differences were observed. CFA of the samples supported the factor structure of the NPI-29 formerly identified by principal component analysis of the Swedish population sample.     

The role of perceived parental socialization practices in school adjustment among Norwegian upper secondary school students

Background Lack of adjustment or school failure is a concern to educators, educational and school psychologists as well as parents, but few studies have focused on school adjustment during late adolescence. Moreover, studies have yet to explore associations between parenting and school adjustment among upper secondary school students. Aim The primary objective of this study is to explore the relative and unique influence of parental support, behavioural control and psychological control (overprotection and autonomy granting) in school adjustment among upper secondary school students. Sample The sample consisted of 564 students (15–18 years of age) in vocational and general educational courses from one upper secondary school in western Norway. Method The study was conducted as a survey. All data were based on adolescent reports, except for absence data, which were provided by the school. Results The results showed that perceived parental practices accounted for moderate, but statistically significant amounts of variance in different aspects of school adjustment. Conclusions The findings indicate that perceived parental socialization practices are only moderately associated with school adjustment among upper secondary school students. This probably reflects the fact that the influence of specific parenting practices declines as children and young adolescents mature into late adolescent students.     

The Effects of Social Identity and Perceived Autonomy Support on Health Behaviour Within the Theory of Planned Behaviour

The present study employed constructs from self-determination theory, social-identity theory, and the theory of planned behaviour to examine the combined effects that social identity and perceived autonomy support exerted on attitudes, intentions and health behaviour. A prospective design was employed measuring constructs from the theory of planned behaviour, group norms, group identification, and perceived autonomy support at baseline and physical activity behaviour 5 weeks later. Self-report questionnaires were administered to 231 pupils (male = 113, female = 118, M = 14.21 years, SD = .90). Hierarchical regression analysis demonstrated that group norms predicted participation in physical activities and attitudes, but only for participants who identified strongly with their group. Perceived autonomy support predicted attitudes, intentions and behaviour. The effects of perceived autonomy support and social-identity constructs were independent. It was concluded that both social identity and perceived autonomy support should be included in the theory of planned behaviour.     

The Interaction of Job Satisfaction, Job Search, and Job Changes. An Empirical Investigation with German Panel Data

Using the rich data set of the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP) this article analyzes the effects of job characteristics on job satisfaction as well as the conditions under which low job satisfaction leads to job search, and under which job search leads to job changes. Individual fixed effects are included into the analysis in order to hold unobserved heterogeneity constant. According to the empirical results, the strongest determinants of job satisfaction are relations with colleagues and supervisors, task diversity and job security. Furthermore, job satisfaction is an important determinant of the self-reported probability of job search, which in turn effectively predicts actual job changes. The effect of job search on the probability of changing jobs varies with job satisfaction and is strongest at low levels of job satisfaction. The effects of job dissatisfaction on job search and of job search on quits are stronger for workers with lower tenure, better educated workers, workers in the private sector and when the economy and labor market are in a good condition.     

A longitudinal study of the relationship between leisure-time physical activity and depressed mood among adolescents

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine and test the possible directions of the relationships between leisure-time physical activity and depressed mood.MethodA 10-year longitudinal study with a sample of 924 adolescents was conducted, and data were collected 8 times from the age of 13 years to the age of 23 years. The data were analysed using multivariate latent curve modelling.ResultsLeisure-time physical activity and depressed mood covary inversely through adolescence. However, baseline levels of leisure-time physical activity do not predict later changes in depressed mood, and baseline levels of depressed mood do not predict later changes in leisure-time physical activity.ConclusionChanges in leisure-time physical activity and depressed mood are related, but the results do not provide support for the common assumption that a high early level of physical activity protects against later depressed mood, nor that a high early level of depressed mood acts as a barrier for later physical activity.     

Night-time thoughts in high and low worriers: reaction to caffeine-induced sleeplessness

There is ample evidence for the existence of an association between sleeplessness and worry. Not much is known, however, concerning the nature of this relationship. Therefore, a study was conducted investigating the causal relationship between sleeplessness and nocturnal worry. A 2 x 2 (Worry x Induced sleeplessness) analysis of covariance design was used. The first factor consisted of a subject variable defined by scoring either high or low on a trait measure of worry (the Penn State Worry Questionnaire) and the second factor consisted of 300 mg caffeine or placebo. A total of 96 female undergraduate students participated. The dependent variables comprised measures of nocturnal worry (the Night-Time Thoughts Questionnaire) and subjective and objective sleep parameters. Overall, caffeine caused an increase in nocturnal worry and sleeplessness. A significant interaction effect occurred between Worry and Induced sleeplessness on one of the objective sleep parameters, but no other interaction effects were significant. The results suggest that worry may occur as an epiphenomenon of sleeplessness.