Promoting parent–infant responsiveness in families experiencing homelessness

My Baby's First Teacher is an intervention designed specifically for parents with infants staying in emergency homeless shelters. Infants are overrepresented in shelter populations and face considerable risk to their development, including mental health. We utilized a randomized controlled design across three family shelters to evaluate the program's effectiveness with 24 dyads assigned to the intervention compared to 21 dyads in care-as-usual. Dyads were randomized by round at each site to account for shelter effects. We used path analysis to illustrate change over time and in relation to intervention assignment.     

家庭社会经济地位对数学成绩的影响:亲子沟通和学业自我效能感的链式中介模型

采用“中国学校课程教学调查项目”中1811名八年级学生及其家长作为样本进行调查,探讨家庭社会经济地位与数学成绩的关系,考察亲子沟通和学业自我效能感的作用机制。结果显示:(1)家庭社会经济地位显著正向影响数学成绩;(2)亲子沟通、学业自我效能感在家庭社会经济地位与数学成绩之间起部分中介作用;(3)亲子沟通、学业自我效能感在家庭社会经济地位与数学成绩之间具有链式中介作用。     

价值观的稳定性与可变性：基于认知神经科学的视角

价值观的稳定性和可变性一直是该领域争论的焦点所在。近些年来, 研究者开始从认知神经科学的角度来探讨导致价值观稳定性差异的机制问题。已有的神经反应证据表明, 当某种价值观是基于道义主义的绝对规则来进行认知建构的, 或与自我概念在表征上存在一致性时, 其更倾向于保持稳定的状态; 若非如此, 便可能会在外界影响(如他人劝说)下发生重要程度上的改变。未来需要进一步丰富和完善认识价值观稳定性与可变性关系的认知神经加工模型, 并探索价值观长效改变背后的认知神经机制, 以促进理论研究在价值观教育中的实践和应用。     

青少年早期身体攻击与关系攻击的异质性共发模式、稳定性及其与同伴关系的联系

采用整群抽样法选取1967名青少年被试（平均年龄13.22±0.36岁,男生1018人）进行三年追踪,运用个体定向方法考察青少年早期身体攻击和关系攻击的异质性共发模式及其稳定性、与同伴关系间联系。结果发现三时间点均存在5个身体—关系攻击共发模式组：高身体—关系攻击组、中等身体—关系攻击组、中下身体且低关系攻击组、低身体且中下关系攻击组、低身体—关系攻击组,表明两类攻击总体上表现出水平一致或类似的共发模式,且具跨年龄一致性。各共发模式身份表现出有差异的跨时间稳定性,低攻击组稳定性最高,其次是高攻击组、中等攻击组,低身体且中下关系攻击组转变概率最高。高攻击组同伴拒绝水平最高、同伴接纳最低,低攻击组反之,其他组同伴拒绝水平均显著高于低攻击组,为两类攻击亚组共发模式提供了效度证据。     

家庭功能对青少年早期外化问题行为的影响：心理韧性的中介作用和性别的调节作用

为探讨家庭功能对青少年早期外化问题行为的影响,以及心理韧性和性别在二者关系中的作用机制,采用家庭功能量表、心理韧性量表和青少年外化问题行为量表对1284名初一学生进行测查。结果显示：（1）家庭功能显著负向预测青少年外化问题行为。（2）心理韧性在家庭功能和青少年外化问题行为中起部分中介作用,即家庭功能可以通过心理韧性间接影响青少年外化问题行为。（3）家庭功能对青少年外化问题行为中介过程的前半条路径和直接路径受到性别调节,具体而言,相比于男生,在女生群体中,家庭功能对心理韧性的影响更大;相比于女生,在男生群体中,家庭功能对外化问题行为的影响更大。     

Family Unification with Reactive Attachment Disorder Children: A Brief Treatment

This is a case study of a family with a child (age eight) with reactive attachment disorder and the subsequent individual and family therapy. Treatment of choice for the child was Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and supportive educational counseling for the parents and family. Qualitative evaluation of the process demonstrated that the parents observed an instant change in the child's attitude. The child reported that she felt better about family, school, and truthfulness, and stated about the therapy: It opened a window for me. A 12-month evaluation demonstrated continued positive effects.     

Ethical dilemmas in testing for late onset conditions: reactions to testing and perceived impact on other family members

This paper examines some of the ethical dilemmas that arise when testing for the late onset, untreatable condition of Huntington disease (HD) specifically now that technology allows us to test younger generations of the family for the mutant gene. Drawing on interview data from families with Huntington disease, the reactions to testing and perceived impact on other family members are considered. These are discussed in the light of the possible lowering of the age of test applicants. This potentially raises problems for a younger generation as they are confronted with reproductive decisions that the older generation did not have to face. It also means that individuals have the prospect of living with knowledge of a future illness for much longer.     

Parenting and Family Stress Treatment Outcomes in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): An Empirical Analysis in the MTA Study

Parenting and family stress treatment outcomes in the MTA study were examined. Male and female (579), 7–9-year-old children with combined type Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), were recruited at six sites around the United States and Canada, and randomly assigned to one of four groups: intensive, multi-faceted behavior therapy program alone (Beh); carefully titrated and monitored medication management strategy alone (MedMgt); a well-integrated combination of the two (Comb); or a community comparison group (CC). Treatment occurred over 14 months, and assessments were taken at baseline, 3, 9, and 14 months. Parenting behavior and family stress were assessed using parent-report and child-report inventories. Results showed that Beh alone, MedMgt alone, and Comb produced significantly greater decreases in a parent-rated measure of negative parenting, Negative/Ineffective Discipline, than did standard community treatment. The three MTA treatments did not differ significantly from each other on this domain. No differences were noted among the four groups on positive parenting or on family stress variables. Results are discussed in terms of the theoretical and empirically documented importance of negative parenting in the symptoms, comorbidities and long-term outcomes of ADHD.     

The Role of Families and Care Givers as Risk and Protective Factors in Preventing Youth Violence

This paper reviews research which discusses the risk and protective functions that families and other caregivers provide in influencing the development of aggressive behavior in youth. Currently, there is an emphasis on providing violence prevention programs in the school environment, typically with little parental or caregiver involvement. By enhancing the role of families and caregivers in youth violence prevention programs, we assert that an unique opportunity exists to both address specific risk factors for violence while enhancing the protective features of the family. Relatedly, the risk literature on youth violence indicates that the most influential risk factors (i.e., the family, community, and peers) have their principle impact on youth aggression outside the school. We suggest a shift in the focus of violence prevention programming that is more inclusive of families as both a risk and protective agent. In support of this position, relevant theory and reviews of exemplary family-involved programs are offered. Challenges to involving youth caregivers are identified and recommendations for overcoming those challenges suggested. Last, recommendations for future research and public policy in the prevention of youth violence are offered.     

The Factor Structure of the Beavers Interactional Scales

Confirmatory factor analysis and regression analyses of the Beavers Interactional Scales did not appear to support the model offered by its developers, namely, several specified family attributes contributing respectively to two global factors of Family Competence and Family Style. Moreover, regression analysis indicated that only three of 12 items predicted raters' assessments of Global Family Health, and one of seven items predicted Global Family Style. Individuals interested in the family dynamic centripetal/centrifugal might best think of that as a unitary entity and rate it accordingly.