Translating knowledge into interventions: An ‘individual by context’ approach to bullying

Bullying affects a considerable number of children and adolescents, with serious consequences for school performance, health and emotional well-being. To understand bullying a promising approach is the individual by context approach, which implies that social contexts can either attenuate or exacerbate the effect of individual characteristics on bullying behaviour. Within this interactional framework, the paper reviews studies which lie at the intersection between two research areas, bullying knowledge and anti-bullying interventions research. Specifically, studies that show how the relation between individual vulnerability and bullying is moderated by class norms, peer behaviours and teacher interventions will be discussed. Following these results, translation implications will be analysed focusing on: 1) studies evaluating interventions which aim to change peer behaviours and class norms; 2) studies investigating the circumstances under which an intervention may work or not; and 3) studies focusing on the effectiveness of an intervention in relation to the different target population.     

Universal Prevention Exposure as a Moderator of the Community Context: Findings from the PROSPER Project

This study examined how participation in a universal family skills‐building program may interact with community risks and resources to produce youth outcomes. Prior research has noted community‐level variability in risk and protective factors, but thus far no study has examined the role that participation on a community‐wide intervention may play in moderating the effects of community risks or resources. The study included 14 communities (seven in Iowa, seven in Pennsylvania) that implemented a family focused evidence‐based program as part of the PROSPER project. Community level variables included both risk factors (percent of low income families, the availability of alcohol and tobacco, norms regarding adolescent substance use, incidence of drug‐related crimes) and community resources (proactive school leadership, availability of youth‐serving organizations, and student involvement in youth activities). The proximal youth and family outcomes included youth perceptions of their parents’ management skills, parent–child activities, and family cohesion. Results indicated that the Strengthening Families Program:10–14 may have moderated the impact of the community risks and resources on community‐level youth outcomes; risk levels meaningfully associated with community‐level change in program participants, though these results varied somewhat by outcome. Generally, higher levels of resources also meaningfully associated with more positive change after participating in the family‐focused intervention. These results suggest that the effect of some evidence‐based programs may be even stronger in some communities than others; more research in this area is needed.     

Using phenomenography to unearth factors influencing the delivery of guidance services

Which factors influence the delivery of school guidance services in Colleges of Education (CoEs) in Ghana? The guidance needs of students in the CoEs may not be fully met if the factors that influence guidance service delivery at that level of education are not explored for effective upgrade of service quality. This phenomenographic study therefore explored factors influencing the delivery of guidance services in CoEs in Ghana. We interviewed second-year teacher trainees (n = 24) and counsellors from three randomly selected CoEs in the Volta region of Ghana (n = 3). The findings indicate that material resources and awareness influenced guidance service delivery in the CoEs. It was also found that although students reported that confidentiality and attitude influenced service delivery in the colleges, the counsellors did not agree with this. Finally, the study discovered that human resource does not influence guidance service delivery in the colleges. It was recommended that college authorities should provide the material resources, such as offices, computers, and test batteries, that are needed for counselling, and counsellors should publicise the guidance programme to raise awareness and lead to the development of positive attitudes towards the programme. This study contributes to the guidance and counselling literature by illuminating the factors influencing guidance service delivery in CoEs. This should be of interest to practitioners, policymakers and researchers in school guidance and counselling.     

教师工作满意度的影响因素结构模型研究

通过对317名教师的问卷调查,建立了教师工作满意度的影响因素结构模型。研究发现,组织氛围、课程改革参与性是教师工作满意度的直接影响因素,其对教师工作满意度的作用是正向的。工作满意度是影响教师职业承诺、工作主动性,以及职业倦怠的重要中介变量。组织氛围能提升教师的职业承诺。课程改革参与性不仅能增强教师的工作主动性,而且能降低教师的职业倦怠。     

Social connectedness,mindfulness, and coping as protective factors during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented psychological impact, revealing immense emotional disturbances among the general population. This study examined the extent to which social connectedness, dispositional mindfulness, and coping moderate symptoms of anxiety and depression in 1242 adults under the same government-issued COVID-19 stay-at-home mandate. Participants completed measures of anxiety, depression, dispositional mindfulness, social connectedness, and coping, and regression analyses were used to examine associations and interaction effects. Results indicated that social connectedness and dispositional mindfulness were associated with reduced symptoms. For individuals living with a partner, decreased mindfulness and avoidant coping were associated with anxious symptoms. In households with children, overutilization of approach coping served to increase symptoms of depression. Results indicate the importance of considering social connectedness, mindfulness, and coping in counseling to enhance factors serving to protect clients during a public health crisis. Implications for professional counselors and areas of future research are discussed.     

Predictors for re-employment success in newly unemployed: A prospective cohort study

The aim of the present study was to examine which personal and situational factors affect reemployment success in persons in their first year of unemployment. In a prospective cohort study with a one-year follow-up, we investigated a sample of 3618 subjects who became unemployed. A survey was sent to all participants, including personal and situational factors, based on Wanberg's model, the Theory of Planned Behavior model and the Valence–Instrumentality–Expectancy model. Our results showed that ten key-factors predicted re-employment success in the first year after becoming unemployed. Knowing these factors, and in particular those which are amenable to change through any intervention program, may help to develop effective intervention strategies for those who facilitate reemployment in order to shorten the duration of unemployment.     

Knowledge junkies or careerbuilders? A mixed-methods approach to exploring the determinants of students' intention to earn a PhD

What are the determinants of students' interest in earning a PhD? In this study, we use a mixed-methods approach to pursue this question. Based on qualitative interview data, we develop a model in which academic motivation and academic achievement interact with contextual factors such as working conditions to influence career intentions. We then test this model using a sample of 229 students currently enrolled in master-level courses of study at a German university. Our results speak to the role of intrinsic versus extrinsic motivations in the context of PhD intentions. In contrast to our expectations, results suggest that while intrinsic life aspirations and the intellectual challenge of gaining a PhD play a significant role for students' intention to pursue a PhD, extrinsic life aspirations and contextual determinants seem to be less influential. Furthermore, results highlight the importance of gaining familiarity and experience with academic work for students' career decisions.     

Addressing Mental Health Disparities With Asian American Clients: Examining the Generalizability of the Common Factors Model

Although mental health disparities for Asian Americans are known, reasons for the disparities are not well understood within the counseling process. This study coded Asian American and White clients' reports of helpful counselor actions into empirically supported common factors to determine which within‐session processes might reduce mental health disparities for Asian American clients. Asian American clients' reports of helpful therapist actions did not differ from those of White clients, suggesting that disparities do not originate in differences in the foundational aspects of counseling. Implications for addressing disparities are discussed.     

Is separation anxiety in adolescents and parents related to parental differentiation of self?

The current study examined the relationship between separation anxiety in adolescents after their transition to middle school, on the one hand, and differentiation of self and separation anxiety in their parents, on the other hand. The sample included 88 adolescents from northern Israel, together with their biological parents. Adolescents' separation anxiety was found to be negatively associated with maternal I-position (IP). In terms of gender differences, mothers' levels of emotional reactivity and fusion with others were higher than fathers', while fathers' levels of IP and emotional cut-off were higher than mothers'. Furthermore, parents' levels of differentiation of self were negatively correlated with their own levels of separation anxiety. The study found an absence of gender differences in separation anxiety, both for parents and adolescents. Also, parents' separation anxiety was not related to adolescents' separation anxiety. The results indicate that differentiation of self among mothers is a significant characteristic in understanding adolescents' separation anxiety. On a practical level, this study has the potential to increase the awareness of teachers, school counsellors and psychologists of those familial sources that promote and increase adolescents' separation anxiety.     

Psychological and Physical Characteristics of U.S. Marine Recruits

This study examined psychological and physical health factors in a cohort of U.S. Marine recruits with the goal of developing a comprehensive understanding of attributes recruits bring to training. 1,350 male recruits completed a multimeasure survey during the first week of training. A 2-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to explore the relationship of hardiness dimensions on several psychological and physical factors. Compared with other military samples, this cohort reported similar levels on hardiness control and rigidity subscales. Recruits who reported higher scores on a measure of positive hardiness also reported higher scores on measures of grit, grit ambition, sensation seeking, training expectations, positive ways of coping, physical and mental health, fitness scores, and lower scores on a measure of depression. This study provides a more complete understanding of the complex array of attributes of Marine recruits and forms a foundation for predictive models of injury risk and/or attrition.