Early adolescent health risk behaviors, conflict resolution strategies, and school climate

Drawing upon an ethnically and socio-economically diverse sample of 323 7th grade students from twelve urban schools within one school district, this mixed method study examined early adolescents' self-reported health risk behaviors as related to their conflict resolution strategies and their school's conflict resolution climate. Survey data suggested that early adolescents who reported using more cooperative and fewer aggressive conflict resolution strategies also reported to engage in fewer personal health risk behaviors. Reported engagement in fewer behavioral risks also was associated with attending schools with more supportive “conflict resolution climates.” Serial small group interviews in selected schools indicated that conflict resolution climate quality was associated with how well teachers were perceived to respond to students' conflicts and how they managed teacher–student conflicts. In addition, many students in less supportive climates exhibited cynical attitudes regarding the viability of the conflict resolution strategies promoted by schools and prevention programs.     

Type a behavior pattern in mothers of infants: An exploration of associations with attachment,sensitive caregiving,and life-events

Abstract

In the present study. 83 lower- to upper-middle class mothers of first-born, 12-month-old infants were interviewed with the Adult Attachment Interview (George, Kaplan, and Main, 1985), and completed the Groninger Intelligence Test (Luteijn and Van der Ploeg, 1982). Eighteen months after the beginning of the study, 67 mothers (81% of the original sample) were interviewed with the Structured Interview (Rosenman, 1978), and were observed during a brief, semi-structured play session at home with their child - at that time a 2.5-years-old toddler. They also completed a checklist about major life-events that had occurred during the past 18 months. A large majority of these mothers of young children (81%) showed Type A behavior patterns. The job of parenting, indeed, appears to be stressful. Attachment and Type A behaviors, however, did not seem to be related, probably because the influence of attachment is restricted to the regulation of emotions in intimate relationships. Yet, Type A behavior predicted a more sensitive parenting style than Type B did. All mothers who experienced negative life-events or Serious health problems in the recent past showed Type A behavior patterns. Our findings show that the Structured Interview can be applied in a valid manner to mothers of young children passing trough a demanding phase in their lives. Further research is needed to uncover the causes of the high prevalence of Type A behaviors in young mothers.     

Painting the vortex: The existential structure of the experience of parenting a child with autism

The experience of parenting a child with autism is one of change to the parent's self. The associated triad of impairment in autism of impaired communication, social skills and a repetitive way of being permeates into the self of the parent through the medium of the social parent child relationship. This is a progressive process likened to the parent being pulled into a vortex. The existential mechanisms through which this may plausibly occur are considered.     

2～6岁儿童母亲教育观念结构及其影响因素

对北京市各城区共2598名2—6岁儿童母亲的教育观念进行测查,探讨其结构组成和可能的影响因素。结果发现,母亲教育观念具有一定的整体构成和较稳定因素成分,主要由儿童发展现、对儿童发展的期望和儿童教育观三维度、十八因素构成;各维度间相互作用、相互影响;儿童年龄、性别、母亲受教育水平、职业等对母亲教育观念具有显著的影响。     

The wellness behavior interaction model

A cognitive-behavioral model for conceptualizing wellness is proposed consisting of situational/antecedent variables, person variables, and consequence variables which, taken individually or together, may serve to describe and explain wellness behavior. The model also is interactional in the sense that different categories of variables or factors within a category may impact on each other in a multidirectional fashion. A selective review of research relating to each variable is provided to demonstrate the need for such a multidimensional conceptual scheme for wellness.     

Stress in Mothers with Intellectual Disabilities

Both low parental IQ and stress have been shown to be associated with parenting difficulties and adverse child outcomes. We examined stress in parents with low IQ as a potential contributor to their documented parenting problems. Eighty-two mothers with intellectual disabilities (IQ < 80; labelled as having mental retardation) were given the Parenting Stress Index and they were found to be enduring very high levels of overall stress (95th percentile), stress related to child characteristics (95th percentile), and stress related to other life experiences (90th percentile) as compared to the normative test group. We divided the 82 mothers with intellectual disabilities into three groups depending on the age of their children. The mothers with school-age children reported significantly higher stress than parents of infant/toddler and preschool children. A hierarchical regression analysis revealed that child age and living in a crowded environment were significant predictors of parenting stress. The results confirm that mothers with intellectual disabilities experience extreme stress that, together with other factors, may hinder adequate parenting.     

The associations of the Five Factor Model of personality with inflammatory biomarkers: A four-year prospective study

This study evaluated the associations of the Five Factor Model of personality with two inflammation biomarkers, C-reactive protein and fibrinogen, and the possible moderating effects of common health-related behaviors (physical activity and smoking) concurrently and over four years, while adjusting for socio-demographic and health status. Participants were individuals who underwent a health examination at two points of time, T1 (n = 1709) and T2 (n = 923), about four years apart. Regression analyses uncovered positive associations between Neuroticism and Extraversion with two inflammatory biomarkers at baseline (T1) and over time (T2) and increases in their levels over time. Additionally, a synergistic interaction of neuroticism and physical inactivity was associated with higher levels of inflammation biomarkers at both time periods. Openness was negatively associated with inflammation biomarkers at T1 and T2, but not with changes in their levels. No significant associations were found for Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. The results suggest that personality traits might be involved in the inflammatory process both concurrently and over time, and thus indicate a possible mechanism by which personality traits might influence health, especially cardiovascular disease risk.     

Emerging Adulthood in American and British Samples: Individuals' Personality and Health Risk Behaviors

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between instrumental and expressive traits, and health-related behaviors among individuals in emerging adulthood (18–25 years old) in two Western societies. Individuals (100 males, 100 females) in an American sample and a British sample (36 males, 75 females) completed the Personal Attributes Questionnaire, a measure of neuroticism, the Health Behaviors Inventory, and two measures of perceived physical health. As hypothesized, in support of the androgyny model, individuals in both samples who scored high on both instrumental and expressive traits reported better health practices (i.e. safety belt use, less smoking) than individuals who scored low on both sets of traits or high on only one set of traits, after controlling for neuroticism. As hypothesized, for both samples, neuroticism explained more variance in perceived physical health than the other personality traits.     

工作使命感:一个正在复苏的研究课题

将工作看成是使命(view work as calling)一直被人类社会文化所倡导。近年来,使命感成为西方学术界的研究热点。西方学者围绕使命感的概念内涵、测量以及对在职人员的主观幸福感、工作态度与行为的影响进行了大量研究。使命感的未来研究议题应当在:探讨使命感的来源;从正面和负面继续探讨使命感的影响效果;考察使命感的前因变量。关于研究方式方法,未来研究应当:强化理论导向、强化纵向和跨层次研究、开展本土化研究。