Intimate partner violence and preschoolers' explicit memory functioning.

This research examines whether parents' intimate partner physical violence (IPV) relates to their preschoolers' explicit memory functioning, whether children's symptoms of hyperarousal mediate this relation, and whether mothers' positive parenting moderates this relation. Participants were 69 mothers and their 4- or 5-year-old child (34 girls). Mothers completed measures of IPV, children's hyperarousal symptoms, parent-child aggression, and positive parenting. Measures of explicit memory functioning were administered to preschoolers. As expected, IPV correlated negatively with preschoolers' performance on explicit memory tasks, even after controlling for parent-child aggression and demographic variables related to preschoolers' memory functioning. Preschoolers' hyperarousal symptoms did not mediate the relation between IPV and explicit memory functioning, but mothers' positive parenting moderated this relation. Specifically, the negative relation between IPV and preschoolers' performance on 2 of the 3 explicit memory tasks was weaker when mothers engaged in higher levels of positive parenting. These findings extend research on IPV and children's adjustment difficulties to explicit memory functioning in preschoolers and suggest that mothers can ameliorate the influence of IPV on preschoolers' memory functioning via their parenting.     

Personal Inadequacy and Intimacy Predictors of Men's Hostility Toward Women

In this study we examined social/personality and intimacy predictors of men's hostility toward women (HTW). The study was framed in terms of a projection model that suggests that men's feelings of inadequacy contribute to hostility toward women. The sample consisted of 172 college men. The strongest attitudinal predictors were measures of locus of control. These data support the feminist analysis of sexual violence as an issue of power and lend support to the proposed projection model in terms of perceived powerlessness. In addition, based on the projection model, intimacy predictors for best male friend and female romantic partner were examined. The strongest correlate of men's HTW was intellectual intimacy, which conceptually is more related to the idea of an egalitarian relationship than other aspects of intimacy and may be most inhibited in men who are hostile toward women's intimate relationships.     

You Need to Understand My Gender Role: An Empirical Test of Tannen's Model of Gender and Communication

In her popular book on gender differences in communication, Deborah Tannen proposed that women and men interpret messages along different dimensions (intimacy and control) and that these differing interpretations make intersex communication difficult. In the present study, we contrasted Tannen's model with a more complex model that incorporated gender role as a factor that influences the interpretations of messages. Causal modeling of data from questionnaires (N = 192) administered to predominately European American university students revealed stronger support for a complex model than for the basic model.     

Distress Over the Infidelity of a Child’s Spouse: A Crucial Test of Evolutionary and Socialization Hypotheses

Parents of undergraduates were asked whether they would be more distressed by the sexual or the emotional infidelity of their child’s partner. Comparing the responses of mothers and fathers may offer a rare, “crucial” instance in which evolutionary and socialization perspectives offer different predictions. Socialization theory, broadly conceived, predicts an effect for the gender of the parent: Consistent with their differing gender socialization histories, mothers should be more distressed by the emotional infidelity of their child’s partner, and fathers by the sexual infidelity of their child’s partner. In contrast, an evolutionary psychology approach predicts little or no effect for the sex of the parents: Both mothers and fathers should be more distressed by infidelities that pose a greater threat to their genetic interests. Results were largely consistent with the predictions derived from evolutionary psychology: Both mothers and fathers regarded sexual infidelity as more distressing when committed by a daughter–in–law than by a son–in–law, and emotional infidelity as more distressing when it involved a son–in–law rather than a daughter–in–law. Discussion centered on the theoretical implications of research that examines the behavior of those who are, genetically, one step removed from the sexual behavior of others, but still affected by the reproductive consequences of that behavior.     

Efficacy of dialectical behaviour therapy for adolescents

The current review provides a qualitative assessment of the efficacy of dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) as adapted for adolescents. The aim was to assess the efficacy of DBT compared to usual methods in the treatment of adolescent mental health symptoms, inclusive of suicidal ideation and self‐harm. Computerised databases including Medline and PsycINFO were accessed and knowledgeable informants in the area of DBT were contacted. Inclusion criteria required the studies to be clinical trials on DBT provided to adolescents. Due to the requirements on research design only three studies were appropriate for review. The review focused on quality assessment of the current data, including investigation into the effects of selection bias, confounding variables, outcome measures and measurement errors. The data suggest that there is some evidence for DBT being effective in reducing symptoms of mental health, especially those consistent with borderline personality disorder. The resultant data, however, are of very poor quality, and as such the review addresses ways to improve the quality of research and offers suggestions for future research.     

The effect of perceived parental involvement and the use of growth-fostering relationships on self-concept in adolescents participating in gear up

Adolescence is marked by physical, cognitive, and social changes which affect how individuals perceive themselves. However, individuals do integrate their perceptions with those of significant others. Adolescents' self-concept is influenced by their relationships with family, peers, mentors, and community groups. In this study, the characteristics of these relationships are examined as well as the perception of parental involvement. The effect of perceived parental involvement and the use of growth-fostering relationships on self-concept was examined using 78 adolescents who were participating in GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness of Readiness for Undergraduate Programs). Results support the influence of family, peers, mentors, and involvement in community groups on adolescent self-concept.