Development of Adolescent Problem Behavior

The developmental model of adolescent antisocial behavior advanced by Patterson and colleagues (e.g., Patterson, Reid, & Dishion, 1992) appears to generalize the development of a diverse set of problem behaviors. Structural equation modeling methods were applied to 18-month longitudinal data from 523 adolescents. The problem behavior construct included substance use, antisocial behavior, academic failure, and risky sexual behavior. Families with high levels of conflict were less likely to have high levels of parent–child involvement. Such family conditions resulted in less adequate parental monitoring of adolescent behavior, making associations with deviant peers more likely. Poor parental monitoring and associations with deviant peers were strong predictors of engagement in problem behavior. These constructs accounted for 46% of the variance in problem behavior. Although association with deviant peers was the most proximal social influence on problem behavior, parental monitoring and family factors (conflict and involvement) were key parenting practices that influenced this developmental process.     

Attributes of successful approaches to weight loss and control

Most weight loss treatments result in only temporary losses, followed by slow regain. This paper examines those factors that are correlated with the most favorable results in terms of loss and maintenance of loss. Weight loss is positively related to self-monitoring, goal setting, social support, and length of treatment. Maintenance of weight loss is correlated with regular physical activity, self-monitoring, and continued contact with therapists. Regain is associated with inconsistent and restrictive dieting, life stress, negative coping style, and emotional or binge eating patterns. The implications drawn from these findings are (a) normalize eating patterns, (b) emphasize exercise, (c) ensure social support, (d) set realistic goal weights, (e) focus on health rather than appearance, (f) focus on self-esteem, and (g) target binge eating.     

Developing conceptions of racism among young white adults in the context of cultural diversity coursework

Despite substantial research on racial attitudes and racial identity development among young white adults, little is known about the development of their conceptions about racism. The present study assessed a five-step, empirically based contextualist model of the development of conceptions about racism in young white adults, adapted from the research of Perry (1970), Kitchener and Fischer (1990), and others. A total of 55 young white adults participating in cultural diversity coursework responded to questionnaires about the nature and causes of racism and responses were classified according to the five-step model. Results indicated that many first-year white college students think about racism in dualistic terms, comparable to those described by Perry (1970) in some first-year students' epistemological concepts. Over a semester, many students showed transitions to higher steps, conceptually integrating more dimensions of the problem. Such developmental transitions may be highly context-specific. Implications for educational interventions are discussed.     

Control over response number by a targeted percentile schedule: reinforcement loss and the acute effects of d-amphetamine.

Two fixed-consecutive-number-like procedures were used to examine effects of acute d-amphetamine administration on control over response number. In both procedures, rats were required to press the left lever at least once and then press the right lever to complete a trial. The consecutive left-lever presses on each trial comprised a "run." Under the targeted percentile schedule, reinforcement was provided if the current run length was closer to the target length (16) than half of the most recent 24 runs. This differentially reinforced run length while holding reinforcement probability constant at .5. A second group acquired the differentiation under the targeted percentile schedule, but were then shifted to a procedure that yoked reinforcement probability by subject and run length to that obtained under the targeted percentile schedule. The two procedures generated practically identical control run lengths, response rates, reinforcement probabilities, and reinforcement rates. Administration of d-amphetamine disrupted percentile responding to a greater degree than yoked control responding. This disruption decreased reinforcement frequency less in the former than the latter procedure. The similar baseline responding under these two procedures suggests that this difference in sensitivity was due to behavioral adjustments to drug prompted by reduction of reinforcement density in the yoked control but not the percentile schedule. These adjustments attenuate the drug's effects under the former, but not the latter, procedure.     

Parental grief following the death of an infant—a follow-up over one year

The course of parental bereavement during the first year following an infant's death was investigated. Also, the differences in mothers' and fathers' reactions, the differences according to the mothers' occupational role, and the similarities in couples' reactions were studied. From a total sample of 59 families, 13 families answered their questionnaires at all three time points (1, 6 and 13 months), 22 families responded at two time points, and 37 families responded at some point following the loss. Measures relating to anxiety, depression, bodily discomfort, general well being and impact of event were used at the three time points. The results showed that grief, as measured by the different inventories, decreased over time. The decrease was most evident from 6 to 13 months, and most prominent in women. A considerable number of the parents were still actively dealing with the loss all through the first year of bereavement. In most couples the mother reported most distress. Mothers were significantly more depressed than fathers at all time points, and mothers also had significantly higher anxiety and lower general health at 1 and 13 months, and intrusive scores of 1 and 6 months. Women at home evidenced more grief at all three time points than women employed outside the home. A high or low score in one spouse was more strongly correlated with a similar score in the other at 1 and 13 months, than at 6 months. The implications for counselling of parents, with special emphasis on the employment situation of the mother, is emphasized.     

Échelle du fatalisme en santé version française (EFS-VF) : une validation de l’échelle du fatalisme en santé

IntroductionFatalistic beliefs have a deleterious effect on the adoption of healthy behaviours and well-being of individuals. In health domain, there are tools in the literature to measure those beliefs in several cultures, but none are suitable for an African context, precisely in Cameroon.ObjectiveThis study aimed to validate the French-cultural version of the 20-item health fatalism scale of Shen et al. in a Cameroonian population.MethodIn a sample of 652 participants (331 women and 321 men) aged from 15 to 61 years, this scale was translated, adapted and its psychometric qualities assessed.ResultsExploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed that in the Cameroonian context, a four-dimensional model with 18 items was more adjusted. The extracted factors were: luck, ineluctability of disease, pessimism and pre-determination.ConclusionThe health fatalism scale French version can be used effectively to evaluate fatalistic beliefs in the African context precisely in Cameroon, in order to adapt community health interventions aimed at eradicating risky behaviours.     

Mementos and the endowment effect

This research provides evidence for a new moderator of the endowment effect: having a memento of the endowed object. Three studies adapting classic endowment effect paradigms and using a variety of endowment objects and mementos demonstrate that having a memento of an endowment increases willingness to trade the endowment and decreases selling prices for the endowment. We provide evidence that mementos attenuate the endowment effect regardless of whether the memento is a separate small gain when facing the loss of the endowment or a small part of the original endowment that is kept. Examining mementos in context of the endowment effect not only provides insight into the psychology underlying the reluctance to part with one's endowment but also other consumer disposition behaviors.     

女性生理周期对条件性恐惧习得和消退的影响

动物研究显示, 雌激素调节条件性恐惧习得和消退, 但是, 人类的性激素对条件性恐惧习得和消退的影响还不太清楚。因此, 本研究以大学生为研究对象, 考察女性不同生理周期对条件性情境恐惧的习得和消退的影响。20名经前期和20名经期女被试暴露于3种情境下：无厌恶刺激情境(N)、可预测情境(P)和不可预测情境(U), 预测此3种情境下是否出现厌恶刺激。以在线索条件下和无线索条件下对厌恶刺激的主观预期值为因变量。研究结果显示:在习得阶段, 经期女性在P情境下的条件性线索恐惧的主观预期值高于经前期女性; 经前期女性在3种情境下的条件性情境恐惧的主观预期值都高于经期女性, 但只在N情境和P情境, 与经期女性相比, 经前期女性对厌恶刺激的主观预期值存在显著差异。在消退阶段, 与经期女性相比, 经前期女性在3种情境下的条件性情境恐惧的主观预期值更高, 且经前期女性对厌恶刺激的主观预期值在N情境和P情境显著高于经期女性。该结果显示, 经前期女性对条件性情境恐惧易习得难消退, 表明此生理阶段的性激素影响大脑的情绪调节功能, 从而影响条件性情境恐惧。     

人格特质对个体心理性应激反应的调节作用

心理性应激是个体的内稳态受到社会心理威胁时候的状态。面对急性心理性应激源, 有机体的各大机能系统, 包括神经内分泌系统、免疫系统以及自主神经系统等, 会出现一系列生物功能的改变。已有研究表明人格特质(如自尊、特质焦虑和大五人格)会影响个体在心理性应激情境中的反应差异且影响方式尚不统一, 并且不同文化环境下人格特质影响心理性应激反应的方式是不一样的, 然而这种结果的差异有可能是生物标记物的不一致造成的, 也有可能是心理性应激任务的不一致造成的, 不能直接进行比较。未来研究应该在控制这些无关变量的基础上, 从跨文化的角度去考察人格特质对个体心理性应激反应差异的影响。