Parent-School and Community Partnerships in Children's Mental Health: Networking Challenges, Dilemmas, and Solutions

Inter-agency collaboration, service coordination, and the creation of successful partnerships among parents, teachers, and human services professionals continues to be a challenge for the development of responsive community-based systems of care for at-risk youth and their families. We explore how one inner-city neighborhood struggles to create successful community partnerships through traditional networking strategies. Our findings identify networking strategies that appear to work and those that do not. Recommendations for improving communication are provided.     

Response to Weili Zhao

Studies in Philosophy and Education -     

Buddhist and Western perspectives on suffering,stress, and coping

The distinct definition of stress postulated by Buddhist and Western cultures is the foundation for their different coping styles, traditions, and practices. Dukkha, derived from Buddha’s Four Noble Truths, appears on the surface similar to psychological stress. Further examination of the Eastern cosmology yields a fundamental disagreement between Western psychological theory and Buddhists’ conception of suffering and stress related to incorporating reality into the formulation. Cross-cultural research on traditional approaches to coping with occupational stress found that problem solving was the most effective strategy, however in Thailand meditation helped nurses cope with a variety of stressors such as dealing with death and dying. Paul Tyson Ph.D is a professor of psychology and teaches perception, Western and Eastern consciousness at Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada L2S 3A1. His research publications have ranged from lucid dreams to memory enhancement after drinking alcohol, but his primary focus has been on EEG biofeedback, stress management, and current cross-cultural publications are on how Buddhists cope with stress. Correspond with Paul Tyson via e-mail at tyson@brocku.ca Rana Pongruengphant R.N., Ph.D. is an associate professor in the Faculty of Nursing and Vice-President for Academic Affairs at Burapha University, Bangsaen, Chonburi, Thailand 20131. She teaches nursing administration, nursing research and computers for research. Her publications ranged from nursing administration, nursing practice, nursing education, and cross-cultural studies of coping with occupational stress.Correspond with Rana Pongruengphant via e-mail at rena@bucc.ac.th     

Male gender identity: early developmental roots

The purpose of this paper has been to bring together a wide variety of ideas about male gender and sexual development into a broader and updated view. Toward that end, I have suggested that we view the concept of gender identity along three intertwining strands; core gender identity, gender role identity, and choice of love object. I have also suggested some important contributions made to each of these strands at various phases of development. I have concentrated upon the early childhood roots of gender identity, particularly as the earliest years are the time when important internal structures are established and consolidated. Later manifestations, although not the same as the early ones, have their roots in the early childhood configurations. However, the contributions to an overall broad sense of gender identity made during the latency and adolescent years must not be overlooked. The final outcome of any position along any of the strands is not finally consolidated until the end of adolescence. Indeed, adult experiences may also make important contributions.     

People who consult astrologers: A profile

The aim of the study was to examine the characteristics of people who consult astrologers. Questionnaires were given out by two astrologers to their clients and 67 (approx. 45%) were returned. The demographic data of these consultees were then compared with population data obtained from the census and personality and attitudinal data were compared with those of a control group. Among the consultees there was an over representation of females, people between the ages of 30 and 39, people who were maritally marginal (never-married persons over the age of 30) and people who were either Jewish, atheist/agnostic or of a non-judeochristian faith. The consultees were also relatively well educated. With regard to the personality and attitudinal variables, these were regressed on group membership in order to control for common variance. The variable which explained the most variance was stress. This was followed by a measure of political control and then a measure of religiosity. No significant differences were found between the groups on the measures of anxiety and self control. After discussing all the results it was concluded that, in many cases, consulting an astrologer is a response by an individual to the stresses with which he or she is faced and that these stresses are mainly linked to the individual's social roles and to his or her relationships. Furthermore, it is suggested that these stresses arise partially as a result of the person's lack of social skills.     

The Role of Self-Efficacy and Fear-Avoidance Beliefs in the Prediction of Disability

Both self-efficacy and fear-avoidance beliefs have been shown to be predictors of the level of disability in low back pain suffers. What is not clear from the literature, however, is whether the two constructs are differentially predictive of disability. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between pain self-efficacy and fear-avoidance beliefs and to determine whether they can explain unique variance in disability scores. One hundred and twenty-one people over the age of 18, suffering from chronic low back pain and receiving workers' compensation, completed the Pain Self-Efficacy Scale (PSEQ), the Fear Avoidance Beliefs questionnaire (FABQ), the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale and a visual analogue scale for pain. The results show that, after controlling for pain, self-efficacy explained 24% of the variance in disability scores, and fear avoidance only a further 3.1%.     

Peer Experiences of Anxious and Socially Withdrawn Youth: An Integrative Review of the Developmental and Clinical Literature

Prior research indicates that both anxious youth and socially withdrawn youth tend to experience challenges and difficulties in various aspects of their peer relationships and social functioning. While clinical psychology researchers have examined how anxiety relates to peer experiences using normative and clinically anxious samples, developmental psychologists have focused primarily on the peer experiences of shy and withdrawn children. Research from these two fields has progressed on related yet separate paths, producing similar results despite using different terminology and assessment techniques. The purpose of this review is to bring together the developmental and clinical bodies of literature on the peer experiences of anxious and socially withdrawn youth by identifying common themes and unique contributions of each discipline. Studies reviewed focus specifically on the peer constructs of acceptance, friendship, peer victimization, social skills, and social-cognitive processes. Limitations including methodological inconsistencies and insufficient examination of age-, gender-, and ethnicity-related issues are identified. Recommendations for future collaborations between developmental and clinical researchers as well as implications for interventions targeting the peer relations of anxious and withdrawn youth are discussed.     

Social comparison, individualism-collectivism, and self-esteem in china and the United States

Possible differences in social comparison choices between individualistic and collectivistic cultures and individuals were explored among a sample of 235 student participants from the United States and China, focusing on self-esteem as a possible mediating variable. A self-report social comparison measure was developed and factor analyzed. Correlations revealed that higher collectivism scores were associated with an increased desire to compare in general, an increased desire to make upward comparisons, and a decreased desire to make downward comparisons. It is speculated that upward self-improvement comparisons for the sake of the group may be more common for those high in collectivism.