Does contact at work extend its influence beyond prejudice? Evidence from healthcare settings

This article reports on two studies investigating the role of intergroup contact on the reduction of prejudice against migrants and on organizational and health outcomes. Study 1 enrolled 624 native healthcare professionals and showed that frequent and positive contact with non-native co-workers was associated with a decrease in the professionals’ prejudice and an increase in the professionals’ perception of team functioning. These effects were mediated by reduced in-group threat perception. Study 2 enrolled 201 native patients and showed that frequent and positive contact with non-native healthcare providers was associated with a decrease in patients’ prejudice and an increase in patients’ satisfaction for the care received. These effects were mediated by reduced in-group threat perception. These novel findings showed that frequent and positive contact with non-native individuals can improve health and organizational outcomes along with facilitating positive intergroup relations.     

Academic goals and learning strategies in secondary education Spanish students with social anxiety / Metas académicas y estrategias de aprendizaje en estudiantes españoles de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria con ansiedad social

The purpose of this study was to analyse the relationship between high social anxiety, academic goals and learning strategies in a sample of 2,022 (51.1% male) Spanish adolescents aged 12–16. The Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory (SPAI), Achievement Goal Tendencies Questionnaire (AGTQ) and Learning and Studies Skills Strategies Inventory — High School Version (LASSI-HS) were used to assess the variables. The results showed no statistically significant differences in goal orientations between students with and without high social anxiety. However, students with high social anxiety used learning strategies significantly less. In addition, the logistic regression results indicated that high social anxiety acts as a significant predictor for setting social reinforcement goals and learning and study strategies.     

家庭功能与青少年消极冒险行为的关系:一个有调节的中介模型

为探讨家庭功能影响青少年消极冒险行为的作用机制及条件,采用青少年冒险行为问卷、家庭功能问卷、自尊问卷、同伴群体特征问卷对山东省日照市940名初高中学生进行调查。结果发现:(1)家庭功能不良不仅可直接预测青少年更多的消极冒险行为,而且也可通过使青少年交往更多不良同伴进而使其冒险行为进一步增多;(2)不良同伴交往对青少年消极冒险行为的预测受到个体自尊的调节。低自尊个体更容易受到不良同伴交往的影响而发生更多的消极冒险行为,表现出两风险因素的叠加效应。研究结果提示,家庭是青少年健康成长的基础,家庭功能不良可使青少年适应不良,塑造良好的同伴环境、培养良好的自我素质或可降低这一风险。     

Effectiveness of a Group Therapy Program for Children with Psychosocial Deficits: Benefits of Concurrent Participation in Organized Activities

Prior research suggests children’s involvement in organized activities predicts positive outcomes, although benefits for youth with psychosocial deficits remain unclear. This study examines if activity participation predicts response to a group therapy program for children with psychosocial deficits and if improvements depend on children’s functioning within the organized activity context. Participants were 178 children (M age?=?9.6 years) enrolled in a group therapy program. Greater activity participation significantly predicted improvements in family functioning and social skills, suggesting the value of participation in organized activities for youth with psychosocial deficits.     

教师支持与心理素质对中学生学业成绩的影响

采用学生感知教师支持行为问卷和中学生心理素质问卷,对西南地区两所中学7~12年级的824名在校中学生进行调查研究,探讨教师整体支持和不同类型支持与中学生学业成绩的关系及心理素质在其中的中介作用。结果发现：（1）教师整体支持与中学生心理素质、学业成绩间存在显著正相关;教师情感支持与中学生心理素质、学业成绩间存在显著正相关,教师学习支持、能力支持与中学生心理素质存在显著正相关,但与学业成绩相关均不显著;（2）控制性别和年龄后,心理素质在教师整体支持与学业成绩的关系中起完全中介作用;心理素质在教师情感支持与学业成绩关系中起部分中介作用,在教师学习支持与学业成绩、教师能力支持与学业成绩关系中均起完全中介作用。     

The longitudinal association between internalizing symptoms and academic achievement among immigrant and non‐immigrant children in Norway

The aim of this study was to explore the longitudinal relation between internalizing symptoms and academic achievement, as two processes of children and youth development, among children in Norway, and whether having an immigrant background moderated this association. Data collected from 4,458 students in Norway in four waves over three years were analyzed with multi‐group latent growth curve modeling (LGM ). Results showed that internalizing symptoms level remained unchanged over time both for immigrant and non‐immigrant children, while levels of academic achievement increased only for children of immigrants with both parents born outside of Norway. Further analyses supported a reciprocal relation between internalizing symptoms and academic achievement and revealed that the initial level of academic achievement predicted the rate of change in internalizing symptoms over time, but not vice versa. Moreover, immigrant background did not moderate the associations in the model, however, children of immigrants with both parents born abroad initially had lower levels of academic achievement, but showed an increase in academic achievement, compared to their non‐immigrant peers as well as to peers with one native‐born parent after controlling for gender and their grade at the first observation. The implications for policy and practice were discussed.     

Effectiveness of a Universal,Interdependent Group Contingency Program on Children's Academic Achievement: A Countywide Evaluation

The Good Behavior Game (GBG) is a universal prevention program designed to increase academic engagement and to decrease disruptive behavior in elementary school-age children. Teachers and other school personnel use interdependent group contingencies to improve students’ behavior in the classroom. Previous research indicates the GBG is efficacious in reducing behavior problems; however, little research has examined its effects on academic achievement in real-world settings. In this study, the authors evaluated the PAX GBG, a commercially available version of the GBG, as it is typically administered in elementary schools. The authors examined standardized reading and mathematics scores across one academic year for 949 students enrolled in the GBG or comparison classrooms. Results showed significant but small effects of the GBG on reading and mathematics. Results were greatest for boys, children with lower achievement scores at baseline, and students from more economically disadvantaged school districts. School personnel may find the PAX GBG useful in improving children's behavior and academic skills.     

Examining the association between psychological wellbeing with daily and intra-individual variation in subjective wellbeing

A number of studies identify distinct dimensions of psychological and subjective wellbeing. However, few investigations have examined how these distinctive wellbeing dimensions may be related over time. The present study aimed to contribute to this growing body of research by adopting a measurement burst design to examine the association between psychological functioning with daily and intra-individual variation in affect over a 14-day period, controlling for personality. Participants (N = 45) comprised a sample of Australian adults from Canberra, Australia who were observed on up to 14 days over a 2-week period (Mobs = 10.9 (SD = 3.1)). Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimates from a multi-level structural equation model identified psychological functioning as only weakly associated with daily positive affect, and unrelated to daily levels of negative affect and intra-individual variation in both affect domains when adjusting for demographic, personality and daily stressors. Positive and negative daily events were most strongly associated with positive and negative feelings, respectively. Post-hoc analysis within a Bayesian context confirmed our ML results whilst a Monte Carlo simulation identified sufficient statistical power of significant parameters. Overall, evidence for an association between psychological functioning and daily affect was not identified.     

Longitudinal trajectories of bicultural identity integration in recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents: Links with mental health and family functioning

This study examined, in a sample of recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents in Miami and Los Angeles, the extent to which bicultural identity integration (BII; involving the ability to synthesise one's heritage and receiving cultural streams and to identify as a member of both cultures) is best understood as a developmental construct that changes over time or as an individual‐difference construct that is largely stable over time. We were also interested in the extent to which these trajectories predicted mental health and family functioning. Recent‐immigrant 9th graders (N = 302) were assessed 6 times from 9th to 12th grade. Latent class growth analyses using the first 5 timepoints identified 2 trajectory classes—one with lower BII scores over time and another with higher BII scores over time. Higher heritage and US identity at baseline predicted membership in the higher BII class. At the 6th study timepoint, lower BII adolescents reported significantly poorer self‐esteem, optimism, prosocial behaviour and family relationships compared with their higher BII counterparts. These findings are discussed in terms of further research on the over‐time trajectory of biculturalism, and on the need to develop interventions to promote BII as a way of facilitating well‐being and positive family functioning.     

The Academic Advantage of Devotion: Measuring Variation in the Value of Weekly Worship in Late Adolescence on Educational Attainment Using Propensity Score Matching

This study measures the effect of regular worship attendance at age 17 on total years of schooling by age 25, using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997. Expanding on previous work, this study estimates differences in the impact of worship attendance by race and family income status using propensity score matching. Individuals who frequently attend religious services complete .69 more years of schooling than similar individuals who do not frequently attend services. There are significantly greater returns to attendance for low‐income youth and no significant difference in returns by religious affiliation. These findings suggest that religious observance provides greater benefits for low‐income individuals or perhaps provides resources high‐income individuals have access to elsewhere. Moreover, this study extends previous work by examining a more recent and nationally representative sample of youth and by using methods that allow for greater causal inference.