The Role of Parental Mediation and Peer Norms on the Likelihood of Cyberbullying

ABSTRACT

Cyberbullying is a disturbing behavior associated with the use of communication technologies among adolescents. Many studies have been devoted to the activities of cyber victims as risk factors, while others have considered parental mediation a protective factor. However, there is a paucity of studies investigating the joint contribution of parental mediation, peer norms and risky online activities to the likelihood of being bullied on the Internet. To fill this gap, we conducted a study among a representative sample of 495 sixth to eleventh grade adolescents. We measured risky behavior online with items indicating the frequency of posting personal details, sending an insulting message and meeting face-to-face with a stranger met online. Respondents reported their perceptions about their peers. attitudes toward these risky online behaviors. We also measured three types of parental mediation: active guidance, restrictive supervision and non-intervention. Binary logistic regression findings show that risky online behaviors and peer norms regarding these behaviors had a significant effect, suggesting that the likelihood of being bullied on the Internet is associated with both risky behavior online and the norms prevalent within the adolescents. peer group. Restrictive supervision had a significant effect, implying that parents who feel their children are being bullied online may increase their oversight. The results emphasize the critical role of peers and the declining influence of parents in adolescence.     

Asymmetric peer selections among Blacks,Asians, and Whites in a virtual environment: Preliminary evidence for triangulated threat theory

Black, Asian, and White participants (N = 210) created self-resembling avatars and engaged in peer-selection tasks during social events in the virtual world, Second Life, that were designed to simulate various types of resource competition. Participants in merit-based resource competition settings had less diversity in their peer groups compared to participants in settings where no resource competition was present, and Asian participants had lower preference for Black peers. Furthermore, these relationships were mediated by out-group discomfort. Results are discussed in relation to partial support for triangulated threat theory of group relations among Blacks, Asians, and Whites.     

亲子依恋与初中生亲社会行为:有调节的中介效应

亲社会行为是个体在人际交往中表现出的谦让、帮助、合作、分享等行为,是青少年社会能力发展的重要方面。以往研究表明,安全的亲子依恋对亲社会行为具有重要影响,但亲子依恋发挥作用的具体机制及作用条件还有待深入探讨。本研究在发展系统理论及依恋理论指导下,构建一个有调节的中介效应模型,检验心理资本在亲子依恋与亲社会行为之间的中介作用,以及不良同伴交往对上述中介路径的调节作用。采用亲子依恋问卷、心理资本问卷、不良同伴交往问卷以及亲社会行为问卷对737名初中生进行测查。结构方程模型分析表明:(1)在控制了年龄、性别和社会经济地位后,亲子依恋对亲社会行为具有显著的正向预测作用。(2)中介效应检验表明,心理资本在亲子依恋与亲社会行为之间具有完全中介作用。(3)有调节的中介效应检验进一步表明,不良同伴交往调节了"亲子依恋→心理资本→亲社会行为"的前半段,即当初中生的不良同伴交往偏多时,亲子依恋对心理资本的促进作用减弱。本研究的发现表明,安全的依恋关系有利于培养初中生的心理资本,进而促进亲社会行为。但是,较高的不良同伴交往会阻碍亲子依恋积极作用的发挥。本研究验证了家庭系统、同伴系统和个人系统对亲社会行为的联合作用,对初中生亲社会行为的培养具有一定的指导意义。     

流动儿童同伴侵害的特点及与内化问题的循环作用关系:一项追踪研究

本研究采用纵向设计,以北京市426名四、五年级流动儿童为被试,进行连续4次的追踪测查,考察流动儿童同伴侵害的特点及其与内化问题的动态相互作用关系。结果发现:(1)打工子弟学校流动儿童的同伴侵害与内化问题水平比公立学校流动儿童高;流动儿童的流动性越大,同伴侵害和内化问题越多。(2)控制了性别、年级、家庭社会经济地位(SES)和流动性后,从T1到T2,同伴侵害与孤独感为相互作用关系,且同伴侵害可以显著预测抑郁,但对社交焦虑的预测作用不显著,而从T2到T4,同伴侵害和3种内化问题的相互作用模式完全一致,即T2时的社交焦虑、抑郁和孤独感显著预测T3的同伴侵害,进而显著预测T4的社交焦虑、抑郁和孤独感。(3)抑郁、孤独感与同伴侵害的循环作用在两类流动儿童中具有较强的稳定性,而在社交焦虑和同伴侵害的模型中,打工子弟学校流动儿童的同伴侵害对社交焦虑的作用比公立学校流动儿童更大。可见,同伴侵害和内化问题呈循环作用关系,未来预防/干预研究可以聚焦于减少流动儿童的同伴侵害或内化问题的角度打破二者的恶性循环,帮助他们建立良好的人际关系,构建良性循环,促进他们的积极发展。     

MAOA基因T941G多态性与同伴侵害对男青少年早期抑郁的交互作用:COMT基因Val158Met多态性的调节效应

抑郁具有复杂的多基因遗传基础,然而既有研究大多采用单基因以及单基因-环境交互设计(G×E)考察抑郁的遗传机制。以757名男青少年为被试(初次测评时Mage=11.32岁,SD=0.49岁),采用多基因-环境交互(G×G×E)设计,本研究考察了MAOA(monoamine oxidase A,单胺氧化酶A)基因T941G多态性、COMT(catechol-O-methyltransferase,儿茶酚胺氧位甲基转移酶)基因Val158Met多态性与同伴侵害对青少年早期抑郁的影响。结果显示,MAOA基因T941G多态性与同伴侵害交互作用于青少年抑郁,同伴侵害仅显著正向预测G等位基因(而非T等位基因)青少年抑郁。而且,MAOA基因T941G多态性与同伴侵害的交互作用受到COMT基因Val158Met多态性的调节,上述交互作用仅存在于COMT Met等位基因而非Val/Val基因型携带者中。研究结果显示,抑郁的产生与个体差异存在多基因与环境间的复杂交互机制。     

同伴地位与青少年冒险行为的关系:一个有调节的中介模型

为探讨同伴地位影响青少年冒险行为的作用机制及条件,采用青少年冒险行为问卷、同伴提名问卷、自我控制能力问卷、同伴群体特征问卷对山东省日照市1288名初高中学生进行调查。结果发现,（1）同伴地位负向预测青少年冒险行为,该预测作用是通过交往不良同伴的中介作用实现的;（2）交往不良同伴对青少年冒险行为的预测受到个体自我控制能力的调节。对于高自我控制能力青少年,其冒险行为与交往不良同伴无关,但低自我控制能力青少年会因交往不良同伴而参与更多冒险行为。结果提示培养良好的自我素质,塑造良好的同伴环境对于青少年的健康发展有重要作用。     

The role of emotional maltreatment and looming cognitive style in the development of social anxiety symptoms in late adolescents

Background: Social looming constitutes a specific cognitive vulnerability that acts as a danger schema and biases the processing of threat-related information associated with the development of social anxiety disorder. This model characterizes early negative experiences as critical to the formation of looming cognitive style. Furthermore, research has found links between parental emotional abuse and peer victimization and social anxiety. Design: A three-wave longitudinal design was used to analyze the role of parents’ emotional abuse and peer victimization in the onset of social anxiety symptoms through the development of this cognitive style. Methods: The final sample was made up of 307 females and 243 males (M_age?=?16.97, SD_age?=?.81). Perceived parents’ emotional abuse and peer victimization by participants were measured at Time 1, social looming was measured at Time 1 and 2, and social anxiety symptoms were measured at Times 1, 2, and 3. Results: Parents’ emotional abuse and peer victimization were related to social anxiety cross-sectionally. Longitudinally, social looming acted as a mediator in the relationship between parents’ emotional abuse and social anxiety. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need to better understand the mechanisms through which emotional abuse and peer victimization impact social looming and contribute to social anxiety.     

Specificity of peer difficulties to social anxiety in early adolescence: categorical and dimensional analyses with clinical and community samples

Background and Objectives: We investigated the specificity of social difficulties to social anxiety by testing associations of social anxiety and other anxiety presentations with peer acceptance and victimization in community and treatment-seeking samples of adolescents aged 12–14 years.

Design: Cross-sectional, quantitative survey.

Methods: Adolescents from the community (n?=?116) and a clinical setting (n?=?154) completed ratings of anxiety symptoms, perceived social acceptance, and peer victimization. Their parents also completed ratings of the adolescents’ anxiety and social acceptance.

Results: Social acceptance was lowest among adolescents with social anxiety disorder (SAD) and lower among adolescents with other anxiety disorders than in the community sample. Anxiety symptoms were negatively correlated with social acceptance, but these associations were not unique to social anxiety symptoms. Girls in the community sample reported more overt victimization than girls with SAD and with other anxiety diagnoses. Relational victimization was associated with social and nonsocial anxiety symptoms only in the community sample.

Conclusions: Our findings supplement recent laboratory-based observational studies on social functioning among adolescents with SAD and other anxiety disorders. Although social anxiety may be associated with unique social skill deficits and impairment, concerns about peer relations should also be considered among adolescents with other anxiety symptoms.     

Teaching about teaching sexuality and religion

Classroom instructors implementing pedagogical strategies for embodied learning about sexuality and religion need institutional support and assistance from colleagues and mentors to be successful. One means of providing institutional and peer support for classroom instructors is to host and lead a pedagogy workshop. Building on the work of Ott and Stephens on embodied learning and other articles and teaching tactics found throughout this issue of Teaching Theology and Religion, this article presents a sample design for a two‐hour workshop with faculty and/or graduate teaching assistants on the topic of teaching sexuality and religion. Non‐expert facilitators can lead this workshop and it is intended to start a conversation about pedagogy rather than to provide definitive answers to end the discussion. The goals are to demystify a taboo topic and to provide concrete strategies for teaching that will promote responsible engagement and a better‐integrated learning experience for students.