Religious involvement and adolescent psychosocial development

The purpose of this study was to determine if religious involvement was associated with psychosocial maturity of adolescents as understood in Erikson's psychosocial theory. Three forms of religious involvement (attendance at religious services, participation in a Bible study group, and youth group involvement) were examined in relation to ego strengths, ideological and ethnic forms of identity, general self-esteem, and school self-esteem. Questionnaires were completed by 62 African-American and 63 European-American students in the 11th grade. All participants were from rural areas in West Virginia and of lower income status. Ego strengths of hope, will, purpose, fidelity, love, and care were associated with various forms of religious involvement. These associations were most apparent for European-Americans. Although ideological identity was not related to religious involvement, higher ethnic identity was associated with being African-American, especially for those more religiously involved. General self-esteem was not significant in the analyses, but school self-esteem was higher for each form of religious involvement.     

Promoting cognitive and ego development of African–American rural youth: a program of deliberate psychological education

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a role-taking, action learning program on the cognitive and ego development of African–American rural high school students. The program employed instruction in scientific problem-solving in relation to past and current contributions of African–American scientists. There were two experimental and two comparison groups during the one semester program. The main effects were assessed in two related domains: (1) concrete to abstract thinking (a Piagetian measure); and (2) self-concept development (Loevinger's Ego Stages). The results indicated statistically significant gains in both abstract thinking and ego stage. Implications for school curriculum modification are also detailed.     

万州中学生网络成瘾现状的调查

目的：调查网络成瘾在重庆万州中学生之中的发生率；研究网络成瘾者情绪问题、心理卫生问题和人格特征。方法：采用网络一般使用问卷、网络成瘾诊断问卷、儿童焦虑性情绪障碍筛选表（SCAEED）、并用长处和困难问卷（SDQ）及艾森克个性问卷（EPQ）对4703名重庆万州9所学校内初一、高一、职业学校一年级中学生进行评估。结果：网络成瘾比例3．5％，网络成瘾者存在特定的人格特征，其焦虑情绪明显高于非成瘾者；男性成瘾比例高于女性。结论：网络成瘾行为与情绪状态和性别密切相关，严重影响学习和社会功能，网络成瘾者存在特定的人格特征，需要社会心理干预。     

Assessing Defense Structure in School-Age Children Using the Response Evaluation Measure-71-Youth Version (REM-Y-71)

This study used the Response Evaluation Measure-Youth (REM-Y-71), a self-report measure of 21 defense reactions, among school-age children. Participants were elementary and middle school students (n=290; grades 3–8; age range: 8–15; mean=11.73). Factor analysis revealed a 2-factor defense structure consistent with structure among high school and adult samples. The composite REM-Y defense scores for each factor were significant predictors of social desirability, using the Children’s Defensiveness Scale (CDS); anxiety, using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC); and psychosocial functioning. This study represents the first cross-sectional empirical analysis of overall defense structure and use among children and early adolescents.     

Could a healthy ego identity serve as a protective factor against suicidal tendencies? A pilot study

Objective: The study investigated the interrelationship between adolescent ego identity, suicidal tendencies, gender and race in a sample of South African Indian and Black secondary school students.

Method: The Ego Identity Scale (EIS) and the Multi-attitude Suicide Tendency Scale (MAST) were administered to 63 learners between the ages of 15 and 20 years.

Results: Pearson correlations and t-tests were used to analyse the data. The results indicate that higher scores on the EIS correlate with lower suicidal tendencies for this sample. In addition, higher scores were recorded by females on the Attraction to Death subscale and by Black males on the Attraction to Death, Repulsion by Life and Repulsion by Death subscales of the MAST.

Conclusion: The authors conclude that ego identity achievement is likely to serve as a protective factor against suicidal tendencies.     

Separation anxiety and overanxious disorders: relations to age and level of psychosocial maturity.

OBJECTIVE: To study the developmental underpinnings of age trends in the prevalence of separation anxiety disorder (SAD) and overanxious disorder (OAD) in children and adolescents. METHOD: The sample consisted of 118 children and adolescents (aged 8-18 years) with SAD or OAD, who were referred to an outpatient psychiatric clinic. Anxiety disorders were assessed with Silverman and Nelles' Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Children; level of psychosocial development was conceptualized and assessed by means of Jane Loevinger's model and measure of ego development. Logistic regression analyses were applied to study the extent to which age and level of ego development were related to the presence of SAD or OAD. RESULTS: Level of ego development was the strongest predictor of group membership (SAD versus OAD). Although age was a strong predictor as well, the age effect became insignificant after ego level had been entered into the regression equation. As predicted, SAD was related primarily to the Impulsive ego level, whereas OAD was related mostly to the Conformist ego level. The comorbid condition (SAD and OAD) fell squarely in between the 2 "pure" groups, both in terms of age and ego level. The results were controlled for possibly confounding variables, such as gender, IQ, and socioeconomic status. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of SAD and OAD appears to be related to specific levels of psychosocial maturity, irrespective of age.     

团体心理干预对初中生校园暴力行为的影响

目的 了解某市中学生校园暴力发生现状及其影响因素,采用以团体心理辅导和健康教育为主方式进行综合干预,并评估干预效果.方法 采用前瞻性干预研究设计,按年级分层,随机抽取班级,将受调查615名学生分成研究组（n =295）和对照组（n=320）.研究组学生将接受为期8次的心理干预,而对照组不采取任何干预.所有被试学生干预前、后自评完成一般情况调查问卷、校园暴力行为调查问卷和特质应对方式问卷（TCSQ）.2个月后评价团体心理干预的效果.结果 615名学生校园暴力行为检出率为35.3％.其中男生为43.0％,女生为25.9％,差异有统计学意义（χ^2 =19.570,P＜ 0.01）.多因素Logistic回归分析表明男生、经常被父母打骂、经常玩网络游戏、消极应对是校园暴力行为的危险因素.男生校园暴力的危险性高于女生（OR=0.321,P＜0.01）;经常被父母打骂（OR=1.562,P＜0.01）、经常玩网络游戏（OR=2.393,P＜0.01）校园暴力的危险性相对较高;消极应对水平高者（OR=2.931,P＜0.05）校园暴力的危险性相对较高.干预后暴力行为的检出率对照组高于研究组,两组比较差异有统计学意义（χ^2=4.553,P＜0.05）.干预后,研究组消极应对分较干预前显著降低,差异有统计学意义（Z=6.743,P＜0.01）.结论 团体心理辅导能够有效降低校园暴力的发生,可有效改善学生的应对方式.     

English proficiency and peer interethnic relations as predictors of math achievement among Latino and Asian immigrant students

Studies show math achievement to be the best predictor of entering post-secondary education. However, less is known about the predictors of math achievement, particularly among immigrant youth. This study examined English proficiency and peer interethnic relations as predictors of mathematics achievement among Latino and Asian high school students, postulating an interaction between the predictors and mediation by academic motivation. A multilevel moderated-mediation model was used to analyze data from a national sample of 2113 non-native English speaking Latino and Asian students attending high school in the U.S. We found that higher academic motivation mediated the relationship between English proficiency during their sophomore year and gains in senior math achievement scores for both Asian and Latino students. For Latino students however, this indirect path was only significant for students whose perceptions of positive peer interethnic relations at school were average or above average.     

Adolescent sex-role orientation and ego identity

This study investigated the relationship between sex-role development and ego development in a sample of 9th-12th grade Anglo-American and Mexican-American students attending high school in a southwestern state. All students were administered: (a) the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status (Grotevant and Adams, 1984) as a measure of ego development (i.e., diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, and identity achievement), and (b) the Personal Attributes Questionnaire Short Form (Spence, Helmreich and Stapp, 1975) as a measure of masculinity and femininity. Results indicated no ethnic differences in the relationship between ego identity and masculinity/femininity. Adolescents who were identity achieved on ideological identity formation had significantly higher levels of masculinity than did moratorium, foreclosed, and diffused individuals. For interpersonal identity, identity achieved adolescents had higher levels of both masculinity and femininity than did individuals who were foreclosed, diffused, or in moratorium. Discussion centered on these results in light of the additional finding that there was little shared variance (eta2) between masculinity, femininity and ego identity.     

Effects of sleep timing,sleep quality and sleep duration on school achievement in adolescents

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine the effects of sleep timing, quality and duration on school achievement in adolescents.MethodsThirty-six Italian students (mean age: 18.14 ± 0.49 years) attending their last year of high school participated in the study. They completed the Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (MEQ-CA). This was used to determine their ideal sleep timing by computing the total score, with higher scores corresponding to a greater tendency toward morningness. In addition, students underwent two non-consecutive weeks of actigraphy in one-month period to objectively assess: habitual sleep timing through the midpoint of sleep (MS); habitual sleep quality through the parameter of sleep efficiency (SE); and habitual sleep duration through the parameter of total sleep time (TST). Participants also completed the Mini Sleep Questionnaire, which allowed us to assess perceived sleep quality, at the end of each actigraphic-recording week. School performance was assessed using the grades obtained by students in their school leaving exams taken at the end of the school year.ResultsA significant positive correlation was observed between SE and exam grades, as well as MEQ-CA scores and grades. Multiple regression analysis showed that only SE was significantly and positively related to the final grade.ConclusionsExamining objective and ecological measures, SE (indicator of sleep quality) had the strongest effect on school achievement in adolescents.     

Children and Youth Perceptions of Family Food Insecurity and Bullying

Children at high risk for going to school or bed hungry are also at risk to develop psychosocial problems at school. These psychosocial problems are associated with bullying. To date, no empirical studies examine the association between going to school or bed hungry (i.e., food insecurity) and bullying. Perceptions of food insecurity are aligned with perceived social standing, and this study is guided by the conceptual framework that youth subjective appraisal of their social standing is associated with psychosocial problems. This study uses a representative US sample of 12,642 students from the “Health Behaviour in School-aged Children” survey. Omnibus Kruskal–Wallis and pairwise test statistically analyze the data. Findings indicate food-insecure students bully others and are victims of bullying more frequently than food-secure students. These results suggest food not only impacts health, but perceptions of lack of food are related to psychosocial problems in the form of school bullying. Schools can implement treatment models that address individual-level psychosocial perceptions to advance positive youth developmental trajectories and prevent food insecurity and bullying.     

Early to bed: a study of adaptation among sexually active urban adolescent girls younger than age sixteen

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between sexual activity among urban adolescent girls and four global measures of psychosocial adaptation (academic motivation, school achievement, depressive symptoms, and expectations about the future). METHOD: Data derived from the Social and Health Assessment, a self-report survey administered in 1998 to students in the public school system in New Haven, CT (149 classes at 17 middle and high schools). RESULTS: Of 1,413 respondents (57% black, 28% Hispanic; mean age 13.4 +/- 1.7 years), 414 (29%) acknowledged prior sexual intercourse; the proportions of sexually active girls in 6th, 8th, and 10th grades were 14%, 30%, and 50%, respectively. In multivariate analyses of covariance, sexual activity was significantly associated with all four measures of psychosocial adaptation (p < .001). Other correlates of at least one measure of maladaptation included socioeconomic status, sensation seeking, and lower school grade (p < .001 for each), peer pressure (p < .01), and black ethnicity, and the interaction of sexual activity by lower school grade (p < .05 for each). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with their sexually naive peers, sexually active adolescent girls had lower scores on global measures of psychosocial adaptation. These findings have clinical, policy, and research relevance to a vulnerable population at high risk of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.     

上海市中学生网络过度使用者心理特征的调查

目的 调查网络过度使用（internetoveruse,IOU）在上海市中学生中的发生率,并研究IOU者的心理卫生问题和人格特征。方法 采用系统分层随机抽样的方法对上海市10所中学的3068名学生进行互联网过度使用的筛查,并用长处和困难问卷（Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire,SDQ）及艾森克个性问卷（Eysenck Personality Questionnaire,EPQ）进行评估。结果 网络过度使用在上海市中学生中的发生率为2．62％,男生IOU的发生率明显高于女生（P〈0．05）;男生中IOU组EPQ中的L量表分高于对照组,E量表分低于对照组（P〈0．05）;女生中IOU组EPQ中的L得分高于对照组（P〈0．05）。IOU组SDQ中情绪症状、品行问题、多动注意不能、同伴交往问题4个因子均高于对照者,社会行为因子低于对照组（P〈0．001）。结论 网络过度使用者与对照组相比更多地受情绪和行为问题、同伴交往等问题的心理困扰;网络过度使用者存在特定的人格特征,需要给予社会心理干预。     

Correlates for poor sleepers in a Los Angeles high school

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We explored sleep patterns including morning-evening preference and their associations with other lifestyle determinants among high school students. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of students grades 9-12 from a private high school in the United States. One hundred and thirty-one students completed an online survey comprising 23 original, investigator-created questions, a mood scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Horne-Ostberg Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ). RESULTS: We found that 80% of students reported a sleep deficit. As defined by the PSQI, 69% of girls and 58% of boys in this sample were poor sleepers. Eveningness was a strong predictor of poor sleep, particularly among students aged 15 years (odds ratio [OR] 9.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.52-64.8), among whom poor sleep quality was also associated with a higher body mass index (BMI) (OR, 6.97; 95% CI, 1.01-48.2). CONCLUSIONS: Our pilot study suggests that morningness-eveningness is a strong predictor of sleep quality among high school students.     

Perceptions of teachers' support, safety, and absence from school because of fear among victims, bullies, and bully-victims

This study examines the distribution of the types of involvement in school violence (bullies, victims, bully-victims, and students not involved in violence) among the general population of Israeli school students. The prevalence of these different types of involvement was also examined according to gender, age or school level (junior high vs. high school), and ethnicity (Jewish vs. Arab). Further, the study examines the relationships between type of involvement in school violence and students' perceptions of teachers' support, safety, and absence from school because of fear. Data were obtained from a nationally representative, stratified sample of 13,262 students in grades 7-11 who responded to a self-report questionnaire on victimization by, and perpetration of, school violence and on perceptions of school climate. Data revealed that 3.6% of all students were victims of bullying (18.5% of those involved in violence). The proportion of bully-victims among male students was 6.4% (21.9% of all involved) compared with 1.1% (11.2% of all involved) among females. Bully-victims reported the lowest levels of teacher support and feelings of security and missed school because of fear significantly more often. The results point to the uniqueness of the bully-victim group. This group presents multiple challenges for school staff with these students needing special attention.     

Heteronormativity, school climates, and perceived safety for gender nonconforming peers

Students' perceptions of their school climates are associated with psychosocial and academic adjustment. The present study examined the role of school strategies to promote safety in predicting students' perceptions of safety for gender nonconforming peers among 1415 students in 28 high schools. Using multilevel modeling techniques, we examined student- and school-level effects on students' perceptions of safety for gender nonconforming peers. We found that older students, bisexual youth, Latino youth, and youth who experienced school violence perceived their gender nonconforming male peers to be less safe. Similarly, we found that older students and students who experienced school violence and harassment due to gender nonconformity perceived their gender nonconforming female peers to be less safe. At the school-level, we found that when schools included lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) issues in the curriculum and had a Gay-Straight Alliance, students perceived their schools as safer for gender nonconforming male peers.     

Quarrelsome family environment as an enhanced factor on child suicidal ideation

Suicide is a leading cause of death in adolescents, and develops through a process leading from depression to suicidal ideation and self-injury. In this study, we analyzed and compared suicidal ideation among elementary school children from distinct families and school-related backgrounds. We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate suicidal ideation in elementary school children in Miaoli County of Western Taiwan. Our study included 979 eligible participants and collected data, including suicidal ideation, depression scores, demographic characteristics, and family and school variables. The results revealed that 175 students (17.9%) exhibited depression, and 146 students (14.9%) had contemplated suicide. A quarrelsome family environment was found to be an important independent factor in child suicidal ideation after controlling for depression status. Children living in quarrelsome families showed a 3.7-fold risk of suicidal ideation compared with children in a harmonious family. Among boys living in quarrelsome family environments, suicidal ideation risk was 7.4-fold higher than for girls living in harmonious families. A 27-fold high increased suicidal ideation risk was also observed among the depressed children who living in the quarrelsome family environment, compared with the non-depressed in the harmonious family environment. This study provides novel evidence indicating the enhanced effects of a quarrelsome family environment combined with depression symptoms and among boys on suicidal ideation. These findings suggest of quarrels in a family environment playing an important role on elementary school children's psychological development, and may help parents in improving their mental health.     

Parenting and Child Personality as Modifiers of the Psychosocial Development of Youth with Cerebral Palsy

This two-year longitudinal study addressed the joint contribution of parent-rated parenting behaviors and child personality on psychosocial outcomes in 118 families of children with Cerebral Palsy (M age Time 1?=?10.9 years old, 64.4% boys). Latent change modeling revealed intra-individual changes in children’s psychosocial development as internalizing and externalizing behaviors increased from the first to the second assessment and psychosocial strengths increased from the second to the third assessment, whereas externally controlling and autonomy-supportive parenting behavior remained stable over time. Externally controlling parenting related to higher levels of, and increases in behavioral problems, with these associations being most pronounced among children low on Extraversion, Conscientiousness, or Imagination. Autonomy-supportive parenting related to higher levels of psychosocial strengths, with this association being most pronounced among children high on Emotional Stability.

     

新冠肺炎疫情期间安徽省中学生应对方式及其与焦虑情绪的关系

目的 探讨新冠肺炎(COVID-19)疫情期间安徽省13～18岁中学生的应对方式及其与焦虑情绪的关系.方法 于2020年2月13日-19日,采用方便抽样方法,以网络问卷形式,使用中学生应对方式量表(CSSMSS)及儿童焦虑性情绪障碍筛查量表(SCARED)对安徽省中学生进行横断面调查.结果 CSSMSS评定结果 显示,...     

Ethnic identity in college students from four ethnic groups

Research on adolescent identity development within Erikson's (1968) framework has not included ethnicity. This study examined ethnic identity search and commitment, the importance of ethnicity as an identity issue, and relationship of ethnic identity to self-esteem among college students. Questionnaires were given to 196 male and female urban college students from three minority groups (Asian-American, Black, and Mexican-American) and a comparison White group. Exploration of ethnic identity issues was significantly higher among minority group, compared to majority group, college students. Ethnicity was considered to be as important as two other traditionally studied areas of identity and was rated as significantly more important by minorities than by Whites. Self-esteem, especially for minority subjects was related to the extent that subjects had thought about and resolved issues involving their ethnicity.