Effect of Poverty on Mental Health of Children in Rural China: The Mediating Role of Social Capital

Underprivileged children are a relatively special vulnerable group in rural China, but the relationship between poverty and children’s mental health has been rarely examined. This study aimed to investigate the effect of poverty on children’s mental health and the mediating role of social capital in their family, peer, school, and community level. Data used in this study were collected in 2015 from a school-based survey of 1314 children in grades 4–9 through a multi-stage cluster random sampling method in Xiushui, a poverty-stricken city in Mainland China. The result of structural equation modeling indicated that poverty elicited a significant predictive effect on children’s negative and positive mental health. Family social capital and peer social capital played intermediary effects between poverty and children’s mental health. However, the mediating effects of school and community social capital are not significant. The implications of these findings on theory, social policy, and social work services were also discussed.

     

Family Economic Strain and Adolescent Aggression during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Roles of Interparental Conflict and Parent–Child Conflict

Although the link from family economic strain to adolescent aggression has frequently been hypothesized, the results are mixed. Both interparental conflict and parent–child conflict are considered to be potential mediators of this link. However, the empirical evidence supporting this proposition is lacking. The present study investigated the direct effect of family economic strain on adolescent aggression as well as indirect effects through interparental conflict and parent–child conflict. Based on multi-informant data from 971 families with a child in middle and high schools in Y City, in Shanxi Province, structural equation modeling is conducted to examine the proposed theoretical model. Findings show that family economic strain has no significant direct impact on adolescent aggression. Interparental conflict and parent–child conflict mediate the link between family economic strain and adolescent aggression simultaneously and sequentially. This study expands current literature and deepens our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the relationship between family economic strain and adolescent aggression. Implications for policies and interventions to reduce the risk of adolescent aggression are discussed.

     

Understanding the Relationship between Poverty and Children’s Mental Health in Poverty-Stricken Area of China: Social Causation or Social Selection?

This study aimed to explore the relationship between poverty and children’s mental health in the social context of China. Data were consisted of 1314 children, which were collected with a multi-stage cluster random sampling method in Xiushui, a typical poverty city in China. Structural equation modeling was adopted to test the hypothesized model. Results showed that both social causation model and social selection model could explain the relationship between poverty and children’s mental health in Mainland China. The implications of these findings on theory and social work services were also discussed.     

书法练习对儿童情绪及其调节策略发展的促进作用

本研究采用纵向设计,对170名儿童（实验组：101人;对照组：69人）进行为期两学年的追踪,旨在探讨书法练习对儿童情绪状态及认知性情绪调节策略发展的影响。研究发现,1）以前测成绩为协变量,后测时实验组的积极情绪显著高于对照组;2）实验组在“积极重新关注”、“计划”两维度上的情绪调节策略得分增量（后测-前测）显著高于对照组。结果表明,书法练习对儿童情绪及其调节策略发展具有促进作用。     

书法练习促进心理积极改变的实证研究述评

文章在述评了相关实证研究后指出:书法练习对脑神经活动、认知能力、人格、心理健康等因素的诸多方面有积极影响;书法练习也是精神疾病(精神分裂症、神经症、自闭症等)的一种可行治疗手段.文章还讨论了书法练习产生积极心理效应的潜在原因,以及此类研究的方法学问题,并提出"基于书法的心理训练"作为可能的治疗与训练模式.