Neighborhood violent crime and adolescent relationship aggression

Research has shown that neighborhoods play a role in the etiology of violence. However, few adolescent relationship aggression (ARA) studies have objective measures of violent neighborhoods. Drawing on a nationally representative sample of youth, this study examines the association between ARA and local levels of violent crime (measured using geocoded Uniform Crime Report data from each of the youths’ residential neighborhoods). Study analyses are based on survey data from 723 youth (ages 10–18) in current or recent dating relationships (351 males and 372 females) in the Survey on Teen Relationships and Intimate Violence (STRiV), a national representative household panel survey exploring interpersonal violence and related aggression among adolescents. About 19% of the sample reported ARA victimization in their most recent dating relationship (ARA perpetration was 17%). Neighborhood violent crime in the study (males living in 86.9 and females 99.8) was slightly lower than the national average of 100. With a broad national sample, 40% non-Whites, hypotheses guided by theories of neighborhood influence were tested. The study did not find an association between neighborhood violent crime and ARA victimization and perpetration, controlling for key demographic factors. The results, for a broad range of high- and low-crime neighborhoods, suggest that neighborhood violence does not seem to affect individual rates of ARA. The results suggest the ARA victimization and perpetration are perhaps ubiquitous and found both in low and high violent crime neighborhoods, suggesting that addressing local violent crime rates alone does not seem to be a path to also reducing ARA.     

初中生学生投入的发展特点及其与同伴欺负的关系:一项三年追踪研究

采用问卷法和追踪研究设计,对北京市294名初一学生进行了连续三年的追踪测查,来考察初中生学生投入的发展特点,以及同伴欺负与学生投入发展变化的关系。运用多层线性模型进行数据分析,结果表明：（1）从初一（T1）到初三（T3）,学生的行为投入呈下降趋势（主要集中在参与学校活动的投入度上）,情感投入和认知投入呈上升趋势;（2）在控制性别和父母学历后,初中生受言语欺负会负向预测T1时的行为和情感投入;受关系欺负会负向预测T1时的行为、情感及认知投入;受身体欺负会负向预测行为投入的下降速度。     

表面相似性对数量关系和相对大小关系理解的影响

研究采用数量关系匹配任务和相对大小关系匹配任务,通过高表面相似性、低表面相似性和交叉映射三种实验条件,探讨表面相似性对儿童和成人数量与相对大小关系理解的影响。研究一对37名4岁儿童进行三次每次间隔半年的追踪测查,结果表明4~5岁间儿童理解数量关系和相对大小关系的水平有显著提高;4岁儿童对数量关系的理解受到表面相似性的影响,4~5岁儿童对相对大小关系的理解受到表面相似性的影响。研究二探究44名成人数量和相对大小关系理解的特点,结果发现,成人完成两种关系匹配任务时也受到表面相似性的影响。     

Social context,interpersonal network,and identity dynamics: A social psychological case study of terrorist recidivism

The existing literature on jihadist terrorism has extensively documented the importance of networks, yet the interpersonal element of the networks and how this links to the social identity dynamics of a mujahid have been scarcely explored. It also is still unclear how specific social contexts such as prison, neighbourhood, and home may play a role in the link between interpersonal networks and social identity dynamics. Drawing insights from the social identity perspective, this article examines the relationships between social context, interpersonal networks, and identity dynamics of a mujahid based on a single case of terrorist recidivism in Indonesia. Our analyses showed how transitions across social contexts were related to the subject's opportunities and constraints for the participation in different interpersonal networks that influenced the process of identity negotiation as a mujahid versus alternative identities of family member and belonging to a neighbourhood. It is argued that analysis of the dynamics of a mujahid's identity in local social contexts are an important part of assessing risks of their recidivism.     

Characteristics of unsafe events involving a motor vehicle for group riders in Western Australia: A naturalistic study

Little is known about the safety issues affecting non-professional group riders. This study aimed to identify the most common unsafe events involving a motor vehicle that occurred while group riding, describe their characteristics and suggest potential preventative measures. A naturalistic study collected video footage from cameras attached to the bicycles of group riders who rode on-road for training, fitness or recreation in Perth, Western Australia. Fifty-two riders from 40 different riding groups, recorded footage of 126 group riding trips, resulting in 135 h of video. A total of 108 unsafe events (‘near-crashes/ crash relevant events’ and ‘close passing only events’) involving the group riders and a motor vehicle were observed. The most common type of unsafe event involved a motor vehicle attempting to pass/ overtake the group (65.7%). For 39.4% of the passing events, the presence of road infrastructure ahead (e.g. roundabout, traffic island) prevented safe passing and led to an unsafe event. Motorists were at fault for 83.3% of all unsafe events and reckless behaviour by the motorist was observed for 13.3% of these at-fault events. Aggressive communication on the part of the motorist or rider/s was observed for 15% of all unsafe events. This study highlighted that motorists were at fault for the majority of unsafe events involving group riders but only a small proportion involved reckless behaviour. Further research should examine the effectiveness of motorist education as well as infrastructure modifications on popular group riding routes, for reducing unsafe events involving group riders.     

Humor as a protective factor against anxiety and depression

Background/ObjectivesEven though humor its part of everyday life, only in the last 40 years has Psychology begun to discern its impact on mental health. The aim of this paper is to explore the role that humor styles may have as protectors against anxiety and depression and their relationship with optimism.MethodA sample of 804 participants (M = 39.28; SD = 14.71) was used to analyze the uses of humor, optimism and clinical symptoms of anxiety and depression. In addition, the influence of sociodemographic variables such as sex, geographic location, age and educational level on different uses of humor was studied. Through an analysis of structural equations, the variables that had a protective or facilitating role in depression and anxiety were analyzed.ResultsMen and women differ in the use of a more aggressive humor style, and the use of affiliative humor styles decreases with age. The structural equation model indicated a good fit to the proposed theoretical model.ConclusionsHumor is a tool of everyday life and it can act for or against an individual’s mental health.     

Spanish adaptation of the Personal Meaning Profile-Brief: Meaning in life,psychological well-being,and distress

Background/ObjectiveThis study aimed to adapt the Personal Meaning Profile-Brief (PMP-B) to the Spanish-speaking population and investigate its psychometric properties. The PMP-B is a 21-item instrument that assesses meaning in life through seven sources: relationship, intimacy, achievement, self-acceptance, self-transcendence, fair treatment, and religion.MethodParticipants were 546 Spanish adults comprised of a community sample (n = 171) and university students (n = 375). The PMP-B, the Ryff's Scales of Psychological Well-Being, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale were administrated.ResultsThe PMP-B showed a bifactor structure with one general factor and seven subfactors. Measurement invariance was found across age, gender, and samples. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were generally good. Older people showed higher PMP-B scores than younger people. The PMP-B scores, especially relational sources of meaning, were positively associated with psychological well-being and negatively related to psychological distress, mainly to depression.ConclusionsThe validity evidence gathered in this study supports the reliable use of the PMP-B to measure meaning in life. The PMP-B can be a noteworthy contribution to the meaning-centered research.     

Physical activity,screen time and subjective well-being among children

Background/ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to explore the differences between physical activity and/or screen time levels on cognitive (Life satisfaction LS) and affective (Positive affect, PA and Negative affect NA) components of subjective well-being (SWB) in children.MethodThis cross-sectional study enrolled 1,540 children (1,040 boys, 8–12 years old). LS, PA, NA, physical activity and screen time were assessed with validated questionnaires.ResultsChildren who reported 3 days per week of physical activity or less had lower LS and PA than counterparts with ≥6 days of physical activity per week (p < .05). Participants who reported 2 hours per day or less of screen time had lower NA than counterparts with 4 hours per day or more of screen time (p < .05). Also, children who meet physical activity guidelines have higher LS and PA compared to inactive peers, even with high screen time. In contrast, excessive screen time was also related with NA independent of the level of physical activity.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that physical activity is related with positive feelings and LS, but does not eliminate the effect of screen time on negative feelings among Chilean children.     

Spanish validation of the Parental Acceptance Questionnaire (6-PAQ)

Background/ObjectivePsychological flexibility is an ability with positive effects in health, also in the field parenting. The aim of this study is to validate the Parental Acceptance Questionnaire (6-PAQ) in Spanish sample.MethodA total of 426 parents (96.3% female), with an average age of 38.25 years (SD = 5.76) and with at least one child between 3 and 16 years old participated. Participants completed the 6PAQ and other instruments assessing experiential avoidance, thought suppression, satisfaction with life and symptoms of anxiety and depression.ResultsIn comparison with the original model, the three-factor structural solution with 16 items obtained a better adjustment (CFI = .996; GFI = .998; TLI = .995; RMSE = .016) that refer to response styles related to psychological flexibility (open, aware and active). The 6-PAQ adaptation has shown good internal consistency, with a Cronbach alpha of .81 and a McDonald's omega of .86 for the scale, and evidence of convergent validity with significant correlations with measure of avoidance, thought suppression, satisfaction with life and anxiety.ConclusionsThe Spanish version of the 6-PAQ with the three-factor structure presents psychometric property to be considered a reliable measure and a valid instrument for the evaluation of parental psychological flexibility.     

Cyberbullying victimization and somatic complaints: A prospective examination of cognitive emotion regulation strategies as mediators

Background/Objective: The main purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among cybervictimization, maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies and somatic complaints in a 4-month follow-up study. Method: A total of 1,024 high school students (456 male and 568 female, M (SD) = 13.69 years (1.3 years), range 12–18 years, voluntarily participated in this study. Measures of cybervictimization and cognitive strategies were obtained at Time 1. Four months later (Time 2), measures of somatic complaints were obtained. Results: Multiple mediation analyses were conducted to determine the mediating roles of maladaptive strategies in the link between cybervictimization and somatic complaints. As expected, path-analytic results showed that cybervictimization predicted somatic symptoms. Furthermore, some maladaptive regulation strategies, namely self-blame and rumination, partially mediated the link between cybervictimization and somatic symptoms evaluated 4-months later. Conclusions: The findings are discussed in terms of the role that maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies might play with regards to physical health in cyberbullying episodes. In general, these findings have important implications for developing an understanding about the affective determinants of somatic health problem initiation and maintenance after a victimization and for developing intervention programs specifically for cybervictimized adolescents.