Associations between violence,criminality, and cognitive control deficits among young men living in low resource communities in South Africa

Despite empirical support for “Self-control theory” in criminology, there is controversy about how self-control should be operationalized. Working within the framework of “self-control theory,” we investigated if violence and criminal behaviors are associated with nine distinct dimensions of cognitive control in a community sample of young men (n = 654) living in peri-urban townships in South Africa. Cognitive control was assessed using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function. Multivariate statistical analysis was used, to identify associations between violence and criminality, and deaggregated measures of nine distinct components of cognitive control. Fifteen percent of the sample reported recent violence, 27% had been in physical fights with family/friends in the preceding 6 months, 10% reported being arrested, 4% reported forced sexual contact, and 26% reported intimate partner violence (IPV). Controlling for substance use and sociodemographic variables, contact with the criminal justice system and violence were associated with deficits in all domains of cognitive control. Forced sexual contact was associated with behavioral dysregulation. IPV was associated with behavior dysregulation and executive control dysfunction. Future studies might utilize deaggregated measures of self-control to provide further insight into links between particular components of cognitive control and various forms of offending and violence.     

Self-presentation styles and Problematic use of Internet communicative services: The role of the concerns over behavioral displays of imperfection

The current study had the dual purpose of identifying consequences associated with perfectionistic self-presentation (PSP) and evaluating these factors as mediator of the proposed link between PSP and Problematic use of Internet communicative services (GPIU). The present study hypothesized that a self-presentation style characterized by the need to avoid displaying imperfections is associated with GPIU because communicating online rather than in person affords greater control through the reduction of non-verbal cues and the greater temporal flexibility. A sample of 200 university student participants completed measures assessing PSP, GPIU, and perceived controllable aspects of behaviors associated with relying on computer mediated communications (i.e. managing nonverbal displays and buying more time before having to respond). Structural equation modeling confirmed that those who systematically try to avoid revealing their supposed “less than perfect” behaviors or performance place great emphasis on the reduction of nonverbal cues and the temporal flexibility offered by the computer mediated interactions, which, in turn predicts GPIU levels. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for GPIU and for the perfectionism social disconnection model.     

The prevalence of cell phone use while driving in a Canadian province

The use of a cell phone while driving has been recognized as a form of distracted driving across the world. Many countries have banned the use of handheld mobile devices while operating motor vehicles. In Canada, all the provinces and territories now ban the use of handheld cell phones while driving. Utilizing the 2011 annual Alberta Survey, this study examined the current prevalence of cell phone use while driving in the province of Alberta. Moreover, this paper investigated the impact of the perception of risk on actual behaviors, and if demographic factors played a role. Our results indicated that despite being cognizant of the risks involved, many Albertans (52%) still use cell phones (45% of cell phone users utilized hands-free devices) while driving. Logistic regression analysis indicated that gender, age, employment status, home ownership, household income, immigrant status, and risk perceptions were significant predictors of cell phone use while driving in the province. These findings imply that the use of cell phones while operating a vehicle remains quite high despite legislative efforts to limit such behavior.     

Mental Health Conditions and Substance Use Among American Indians From Eastern Tribes

This study examined the differences in mental health and substance use by gender and across education levels of 634 American Indians from 4 eastern tribes. Multivariate analysis of variance indicated that men self‐rated significantly better mental health but binge drank and used illicit drugs more often compared with women. Participants with a post–high school degree had significantly better mental health than those without a high school diploma. As education increased, cigarette smoking significantly decreased. Implications for culturally appropriate interventions are discussed. Este estudio examinó las diferencias en salud mental y abuso de sustancias entre distintos sexos y niveles de educación de 634 indios americanos de 4 tribus del este. El análisis multivariante de la varianza indicó que los hombres autoevaluaron su salud mental como significativamente mejor, pero consumían alcohol en exceso y usaban drogas ilícitas con más frecuencia que las mujeres. Los participantes con un grado superior a la enseñanza secundaria tenían una salud mental significativamente mejor que aquellos que no terminaron la enseñanza secundaria. A niveles educativos mayores, la incidencia de fumadores disminuyó significativamente. Se discuten implicaciones para intervenciones culturalmente apropiadas.     

Experiences of HIV-related discrimination and consequences for internalised stigma,depression and alcohol use

Objective: HIV stigma undermines health and well-being of people living with HIV (PLWH). Conceptual work on stigma mechanisms suggests that experiences of stigma or discrimination increase internalised stigma. However, not all PLWH may internalise the HIV discrimination they experience. We aimed to investigate the role of stress associated with events of HIV-related discrimination on internalised HIV stigma, as well as the downstream effects on depressive symptoms and alcohol use severity.

Design: 199 participants were recruited from an HIV clinic in the southeastern United States.

Main study measures: HIV-related discrimination was assessed using items adapted from measures of enacted HIV stigma and discrimination. Participants rated perceived stress associated with each discrimination item. Internalised HIV stigma was assessed using the internalised stigma subscale of the HIV Stigma Mechanisms Scale. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Centre for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Index. Alcohol use severity was assessed with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test.

Results: In serial mediation models, HIV-related discrimination was indirectly associated with both depressive symptoms and alcohol use severity through its associations with stress and internalised HIV stigma.

Conclusions: Understanding the mechanisms through which PLWH internalise HIV stigma and lead to poor health outcomes can yield clinical foci for intervention.     

“R U Mad?”: Computerized text analysis of affect in social media relates to stress and substance use among ethnic minority emerging adult males

Objective: This study examined the interactive role of affectivity and stress in substance use severity among ethnic minority, emerging adult males, using linguistic indicators of affect obtained through social media.

Method: Participants were 119 emerging adult, ethnic minority males (ages 18–25) who provided access to their mobile phone text messaging and Facebook activity for 6-months. Computerized text analysis (LIWC2015) was used to obtain linguistic indices of positive and negative affect from texts and Facebook posts. The Perceived Stress Scale was used to measure stress, and items from the Drug Abuse Screening Test were used to measure substance use severity.

Results: Generalized estimating equations showed that higher negative affect in texts was associated with greater substance use severity. Stress moderated the relationship between positive affect expressed in Facebook posts and substance use such that higher positive affect in Facebook posts was associated with less substance use at higher stress and greater substance use at lower stress.

Conclusions: Findings highlight the complexities of interactions between stress and affectivity. Findings could inform development of substance use interventions for young males that employ social technologies.     

RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT AND MILITARIZED HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION: When and Why the Churches Failed to Discern Moral Hazard

This essay addresses moral hazards associated with the emerging doctrine of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P). It reviews the broad acceptance by the Vatican and the World Council of Churches of the doctrine between September 2003 and September 2008, and attempts to identify grounds for more adequate investigation of the moral issues arising. Three themes are pursued: how a changing political context is affecting notions of sovereignty; the authority that can approve or refuse the use of force; and plural foundations for human rights in a religiously and otherwise plural world such that the human rights protection does not become tyrannical.     

Reducing car use by volitional strategy of action and coping planning enhancement

Personalized travel plans have been regarded as potentially effective soft measures in mobility management. This research conducted a randomized social experiment aiming at citizen car-use reduction, and examined the effect of implementing two personalized travel plans: action plans and coping plans. The two types of plans were designed respectively for enhancing action planning and coping planning as the volitional factors of behavior change. The results supported the effectiveness of the combined action-plus-coping plan intervention in reducing car use, but not of the action plan alone intervention. In addition, the influence of intervention on behavioral intention, action planning, and coping planning, were also presented.