Variation in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity among bullied and non-bullied children

We examined the relationship between being bullied during childhood and activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis as assessed through repeated measures of salivary cortisol. A non-clinical sample of 154 (74 boys) predominantly Caucasian middle-class 12-year-olds each provided detailed information about their experiences with bullying and six saliva samples were standardized across time and day. Children with a history of child maltreatment, diagnosed psychiatric illness, foster care placement, medication use (psychotropic and oral contraception) and aggression directed toward peers and/or family members were excluded. Using multilevel regression and applying orthogonal polynomial contrasts to model the observed circadian pattern in the data, we found that occasional and frequent verbal peer victimization was associated with hyposecretion of cortisol when controlling for sex, pubertal status, age, depression and anxiety. This relation, however, was moderated by sex. For boys, occasional exposure was associated with higher cortisol levels, whereas for girls exposure was associated with lower cortisol levels. The present study highlights the need to consider the plight of peer-victimized children seriously, as it is associated with alterations to the HPA axis that affect males and females differently, and likely diminishes a person's ability to cope with stress, possibly placing them at risk for psychopathology and ill health.     

Gender Differences in Children’s Hero Attributions: Personal Hero Choices and Evaluations of Typical Male and Female Heroes

The current study investigated gender differences in the personal hero choices, hero attributions, and characteristics attributed to “typical” male and female heroes of children living in the Midwestern United States (N = 103; mean age = 10 years). Questionnaires were completed in a school setting. The majority of girls chose heroes personally known to them; boys chose personal and public figures equally often. Most boys chose same gender heroes; girls’ nominations were mixed. Gender differences were also seen in the characteristics children attributed to their own heroes and in their conceptions of “typical” male and female heroes. Children rated same-gender “typical” heroes more positively on many attributes, except for stereotypically masculine characteristics. Gender socialization, stereotypes, and in-group favoritism were used to explain these findings. Portions of this project were presented at the 2003 Society for Research on Child Development Biennial Meeting. We wish to thank Anna V. Persson and Sara E. Goldstein for their assistance on the early development of this study. We also appreciate the children, teachers, guidance counselors and principals at Leipsic Local School and Pandora-Gilboa Elementary School for making this study possible. Inquiries about this study should be addressed to Shayla Holub, .     

植入前遗传学诊断中性别选择的伦理辩护

植入前遗传学诊断（PGD）是在胚胎植入子宫前进行遗传学检查的新技术。它可对植入胚胎进行性别选择,从而引发了会增加我国出生人口性别比的担忧。通过对PGD性别选择伦理风险的分析,指出其用于医学需要时不会对性别比造成危害。但在实施过程中需要医生、患者及社会全体人员共同参与,避免该技术用于非医学目的的需要。     

中国人的人格特点(VI):人际关系

人际关系人格维度包括宽和与热情两个次级因素,反映的是对待人际关系的基本态度。该研究依据本土化的中国人人格量表对中国人的人际关系人格维度及其两个次级因素的特点进行了分析,发现个体的性别、年龄、职业和婚姻状况均对人际关系产生不同程度的影响。总体上看,女性比男性对人更宽和,男性比女性对人更热情;年龄越大,人际关系分数越高;行政管理者比工人农民与和教科文卫人员人际关系分数更高,而婚姻状况也与年龄和性别一起影响个体的人际关系倾向。     

性别角色和主观幸福感的关系模型：基于中国大学生的检验

在西方文化下,关于理想的性别角色类型主要存在三种观点：一致性模型、双性化模型、男性化模型。按照一致性模型,具有男性化特质的男性和具有女性化特质的女性是最为理想的;按照双性化模型,在男性化特质和女性化特质两个维度上得分都高的个体社会适应性最强而且心理最健康;按照男性化模型,男性化特质才是心理健康和社会适应的主要决定因素。研究运用大样本的网络数据,探讨在中国文化下,上述三个模型在中国的适用性,具体地,在性别角色类型和主观幸福感的关系上的适用性。结果发现：双性化模型得到支持,同时具有男性化特质和女性化特质的个体主观幸福感最高;男性化模型和一致性模型都没有得到支持。这表明在当代西方文化下的理想模型——男性化模型并不适用于中国,理想的性别角色模型具有文化特异性。这一结果不仅增进和丰富了人们对文化对心理和行为的影响的认识,还对我国目前青少年良好个性品质的塑造和培养以及心理健康教育的实践具有重要指导作用     

儿童2~7岁行为抑制性的发展

采用实验室录像观察对中国儿童的行为抑制性的发展进行了追踪研究(2岁、4岁、7岁)。儿童2岁时,有124名儿童参加了实验室观察。儿童4岁时,由于搬迁、退出或失约,有103名儿童参加。儿童7岁时由于以上原因有100名儿童参加实验室观察。在2岁、4岁、7岁至少参加一次观察的儿童有113名,而在三个时间点都参加观察的儿童有89名。我们对儿童2~7岁行为抑制性整体发展的稳定性以及行为抑制性和非抑制性的发展趋向进行了分析。结果表明,中国儿童从2岁到7岁的行为抑制性的整体发展稳定性较低。从2岁到7岁,行为抑制性-非抑制倾向比较稳定的儿童共28人,占总人数的31.5%。而行为抑制性-非抑制性不稳定的儿童为61人,占总人数的68.5%。随着年龄增长,本研究中的儿童的行为抑制性-非抑制性倾向有向中间型趋中的趋势。从2岁到7岁,行为抑制性的发展变化没有显著性别差异     

认知功能的性别差异

我们了概述认知功能的性别差异, 尤其是情节记忆功能的性别差异。已有的研究结果表明女性在言语生成、情节记忆、面孔识别任务中比男性存在明显的优势, 而男性的优势则表现在视空间任务中, 如视空间情节记忆任务。本文批判性地讨论了一个流行的假设: 类固醇激素影响认知功能的性别差异, 得出的结论是内源性睾丸激素或雌二醇均未显著影响认知功能的性别差异。     

基于等级反应模型的属性层级方法

给出基于等级反应模型的属性层级方法（Attribute Hierarchy Method, AHM）,并简记为GRM-AHM,提出了相应的确定GRM-AHM的期望项目反应模式全集的方法和一种新的归类法LL。用蒙特卡洛模拟实验比较GRM-AHM的几种归类法的归准率（属性模式归准率和单个属性的平均判准率）。结果发现,新归类法的归准率与AHM中的方法A差不多,但比方法B高很多;随着被试作答失误率的提高,它们的归准率都有所下降。在归类精度和简单性方面,GRM-AHM都比Bolt等(2004)提出的多级评分融合模型（Fusion Model）好     

Waist-to-Hip Ratio and Unhealthy Body Change in Women

The role of waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) in unhealthy body change was examined in a sample of 143 women university students. They completed the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q), reported their level of concern with weight and with WHR, and used unmarked measuring tapes to record their subjective (self-perceived), ideal, and objective (measured) waist and hip circumference. Although body shape was reported as important, and concern with WHR correlated significantly with symptoms of disordered eating, the relationships involving WHR were not independent of those involving body weight. Thus, there appears to be little behavioural and/or clinical significance in the aesthetic evaluations made by women of their WHR. Reasons for this are considered in light of evidence that women regard WHR as more difficult to control and less amenable to change than their overall body weight.     

Officer attitudes towards adult male prisoners who self-harm: development of an attitudinal measure and investigation of sex differences

Purpose: The aim of the current study was to explore attitudes towards self‐harm in a sample of prison officers, with subsidiary aims of assessing if these attitudes alter as a function of the prisoner's behavior and the sex of the participant. Method: One hundred and sixty‐two officers (100 men and 62 women) completed a general measure of their attitudes towards prisoners and one designed to assess Attitudes towards Prisoners who Self‐Harm (APSH). Participants rated their perceptions of two adult male prisoners depicted in vignettes. The vignettes depicted identical types of self‐harm but varied the behavioral characteristics of the prisoners involved, with one depicted as “well‐behaved” and the other as “disruptive”. Results: Women were more likely than men to report positive attitudes towards self‐harm and in particular were less likely than men to endorse negative myths regarding self‐harm. The prisoner depicted as “disruptive” invoked increased negative attitudes than the “well‐behaved” prisoner. This finding was consistent across sex. Conclusion: The current study indicates that APSH are comprised of a number of components that were influenced by the sex of the participant and the behavioral characteristics of the prisoners depicted. The implications of these findings to practice are discussed. Aggr. Behav. 33:63–72, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.