Executive functions and social information processing in adolescents with severe behavior problems

One tradition in research for explaining aggression and antisocial behavior has focused on social information processing (SIP). Aggression and antisocial behavior have also been studied from the perspective of executive functions (EFs), the higher-order cognitive abilities that affect other cognitive processes, such as social cognitive processes. The main goal of the present study is to provide insight into the relation between EFs and SIP in adolescents with severe behavior problems. Because of the hierarchical relation between EFs and SIP, we examined EFs as predictors of SIP. We hypothesized that, first, focused attention predicts encoding and interpretation, second, inhibition predicts interpretation, response generation, evaluation, and selection, and third, working memory predicts response generation and selection. The participants consisted of 94 respondents living in residential facilities aged 12–20 years, all showing behavior problems in the clinical range according to care staff. EFs were assessed using subtests from the Amsterdam Neuropsychological Test battery. Focused attention was measured by the Flanker task, inhibition by the GoNoGo task, and working memory by the Visual Spatial Sequencing task. SIP was measured by video vignettes and a structured interview. The results indicate that positive evaluation of aggressive responses is predicted by impaired inhibition and selection of aggressive responses by a combination of impaired focused attention and inhibition. It is concluded that different components of EFs as higher-order cognitive abilities affect SIP.     

心理虐待与忽视对青少年攻击行为的影响:道德推脱的中介与调节作用

在一般攻击模型（GAM）和个体-环境交互作用模型的视角下,采用儿童心理虐待与忽视量表、青少年道德推脱问卷和攻击行为问卷对696名青少年进行调查,以探讨心理虐待与忽视对青少年攻击行为的影响以及道德推脱在其中的作用机制。结果发现：（1）心理虐待与忽视与青少年攻击行为和道德推脱均呈显著正相关,道德推脱与青少年攻击行为也呈显著正相关;（2）道德推脱在心理虐待与忽视和青少年攻击行为之间起着部分中介作用,道德推脱的中介作用不存在性别差异,但存在显著的年龄差异,在初中组中,道德推脱在心理虐待与忽视和青少年攻击行为间的中介作用为部分中介,而在高中组中为完全中介;（3）道德推脱在心理虐待与忽视和青少年攻击行为之间的调节作用不显著,道德推脱的调节作用不存在年龄差异,但存在显著的性别差异,在男生组中,道德推脱在心理虐待与忽视和青少年攻击行为间的调节作用不显著,而在女生组中显著。     

社交网站中的自我表露对青少年孤独感的影响:一个有调节的中介模型

本研究采用社交网站中的自我表露量表、自尊量表、感知积极反馈量表和孤独感量表对武汉市八所普通中学1588名11~19岁的中学生进行调查,考察社交网站中的自我表露和孤独感的关系,以及感知积极反馈在二者关系间的中介作用和自尊对这一中介作用的调节。结果显示：（1）在控制了性别、年龄和社交网站使用时间后,社交网站中的自我表露显著负向预测青少年孤独感;（2）感知积极反馈在社交网站中的自我表露和孤独感之间起部分中介作用;（3）社交网站中的自我表露经由感知积极反馈影响孤独感的中介作用受到自尊的调节。具体而言,感知积极反馈的中介效应只出现在高自尊者中,在低自尊者中并不存在上述中介作用。     

同伴地位与青少年冒险行为的关系:一个有调节的中介模型

为探讨同伴地位影响青少年冒险行为的作用机制及条件,采用青少年冒险行为问卷、同伴提名问卷、自我控制能力问卷、同伴群体特征问卷对山东省日照市1288名初高中学生进行调查。结果发现,（1）同伴地位负向预测青少年冒险行为,该预测作用是通过交往不良同伴的中介作用实现的;（2）交往不良同伴对青少年冒险行为的预测受到个体自我控制能力的调节。对于高自我控制能力青少年,其冒险行为与交往不良同伴无关,但低自我控制能力青少年会因交往不良同伴而参与更多冒险行为。结果提示培养良好的自我素质,塑造良好的同伴环境对于青少年的健康发展有重要作用。     

Friendships Lost: The Social Consequences of Violent Victimization

Few studies have examined the impact of violent victimization on friendship networks. This study used 2 waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) to examine the effects of violent victimization on number of peer- and self-reported friendships. Guided by stigma theory (Goffman, 1963), fixed-effect regression models controlling for depression, delinquency, substance use, and school engagement were completed to predict changes in number of friends following victimization. Consistent with the theory, results indicate that experiencing violent victimization (e.g., jumped, stabbed, shot at) was associated with a decrease in number of friends. These effects were magnified for females and for individuals with a greater number of depressive symptoms. These results were consistent even when models were run separately for each individual type of victimization. Treatment and prevention implications are discussed.     

Conceptualising and testing the Narnian Character Virtue Scales: a study among 12- to 13-year-old students

ABSTRACT

This paper sets out to examine and to operationalise 12 key character virtues identified within C. S. Lewis’ Narnian texts: courage, curiosity, forgiveness, fortitude, gratitude, hard work, humility, integrity, justice, love, self-control, and wisdom. A pilot study among 56 year eight students (12–13 years of age) generated nine five-item instruments displaying adequate internal consistency reliability, and suggested ways in which the other three measures (curiosity, integrity, and love) could be enhanced in future work. Construct validity was explored by examining the correlations between these 12 character virtues and sex, self-concept, and empathy, and by locating these 12 character virtues within the three-dimensional psychological space proposed by Eysenck’s model of personality.     

Lifestyle and mental health among school-going adolescents in Namibia

This study examined the association between lifestyle behaviours and psychological distress indicators among school-going adolescents. The analysis included 4 531 school children, 11–18 years of age, who completed the Namibia Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) in 2013. Multivariable logistic regression analysis found that engaging in a greater number of harmful consumptive, sedentary and sexual risk behaviours carried an elevated risk for anxiety, suicide attempt and loneliness. Adolescents with co-occurring health risk behaviours have poorer mental health outcomes with socio-economic vulnerability.     

Building seven bridges with young asylum seekers living in exile in the UK (Part 1)

This first paper focuses on the key themes that emerge in work with young asylum seekers and refugees and on our assessment of the needs of individual young asylum seekers, alongside the ways in which we meet the needs of these young people given the holistic, integrated and developmental approach of the Baobab Centre. The fact that psychotherapeutic methods are useful in this context and the need to have flexible approach to psychotherapy in our context are two ideas explored here. This paper will explore how we can slowly build sturdy and protective connections during and after the developmental years following experiences of sequential violence. This means building bridges and links within the internal worlds of these young people between: (1) different aspects of themselves that emerge after violence and loss; (2) themselves and their peers; (3) listening adults; (4) various social influences; (5) cultural influences; (6) their past, present and future lives; (7) links with local, national and international communities all of which are addressed via a ‘Transitional Non-Residential Therapeutic Community’. A case example will illustrate how this work may take place.     

父母教养方式与青少年网络成瘾:自我弹性的中介和调节作用检验

对2758名初中生的父母教养方式、网络成瘾和自我弹性进行问卷测查,考察父母教养方式与青少年网络成瘾的关系及自我弹性在其中的作用。结果表明:(1)控制无关变量后,专制和纵容教养显著正向预测网络成瘾。(2)自我弹性在权威和专制教养与网络成瘾之间有中介作用。(3)自我弹性在专制教养与网络成瘾之间有调节作用,专制教养与网络成瘾的正向联系在高自我弹性个体中要比在低自我弹性个体中更明显。     

青少年早期自尊与抑郁的交叉滞后分析：检验易感模型和创伤模型

本研究以初一年级598名青少年为研究对象,采用三年追踪设计,运用交叉滞后回归分析,控制变量的先前水平,旨在揭示青少年早期自尊与抑郁的相互影响,检验易感模型和创伤模型。结果发现,对于青少年样本总体来说,第一、二学年抑郁各自能显著负向预测第二、三学年自尊,支持创伤模型;同时第二学年自尊又能显著负向预测第三学年抑郁,支持易感模型。对于女生而言,其自尊与抑郁之间的关系与样本总体相同,既支持易感模型,又支持创伤模型;对于男生而言,仅发现其第二学年抑郁能显著负向预测第三学年自尊,支持创伤模型。这些结果表明青少年早期的自尊与抑郁存在双向的相互影响,易感模型和创伤模型同时起作用,而且这种影响存在显著的性别差异。