Stability of peer victimization in early adolescence: effects of timing and duration

The current study investigated the stability of peer victimization and the impact of the timing and duration of victimization on psychological and academic outcomes for boys and girls on a sample of 863 middle school students. Results demonstrated strong support for the onset hypothesis and concurrent effects of maladjustment in anxiety, depression, self-esteem, poor school attitude, GPA, and attendance. Support for the cessation hypothesis was mixed, depending on the outcome and gender: boys demonstrated recovery from internalizing distress, whereas girls demonstrated residual effects, even after the cessation of victimization. Girls also demonstrated residual effects of victimization on grades, and both boys and girls evidenced residual effects of victimization on attendance. Regarding duration of victimization, there was strong support for the life-events model of stress and coping across almost all outcomes, suggesting that even temporary experiences of victimization could have a negative impact on psychological and academic outcomes. Overall, results demonstrated the importance of considering the timing and duration of victimization in understanding the risks and damaging effects of victimization. The results from this study also highlight both the need and the potential to intervene during early adolescence when peer relationships are taking on increasing importance, as well as the importance of helping students regain social-emotional and academic functioning, even after victimization ceases.     

Creativity in Medical Education: The Value of Having Medical Students Make Stuff

What is the value of having medical students engage in creative production as part of their learning? Creating something new requires medical students to take risks and even to fail--something they tend to be neither accustomed to nor comfortable with doing. “Making stuff” can help students prepare for such failures in a controlled environment that doesn’t threaten their professional identities. Furthermore, doing so can facilitate students becoming resilient and creative problem-solvers who strive to find new ways to address vexing questions. Though creating something new can be fun, this is not the main outcome of interest. Rather, the principle reason we recommend devoting precious curricular time to creative endeavors is because it helps medical students become better doctors.     

Hospice Comics: Representations of Patient and Family Experience of Illness and Death in Graphic Novels

Non-fiction graphic novels about illness and death created by patients and their loved ones have much to teach all readers. However, the bond of empathy made possible in the comic form may have special lessons for healthcare providers who read these texts and are open to the insights they provide.