A Developmental and Cross‐cultural Study on the Interpersonal Cognition of Swedish and Japanese Children

The interpersonal cognition of Japanese children is compared with that of Swedish children in an attempt to understand how far sex‐inequality in society influences the interpersonal cognition of children. The findings support the view that the sex‐difference observed in Japanese children is the result of the sex‐inequality in the Japanese society: the sex‐difference observed in Swedish subjects is smaller in comparison with that of Japanese subjects and is insignificant in the older children. The development of emotional and conjectural cognition of Japanese children is affected by the interpersonal relations peculiar to Japanese society.     

Understanding Emotional Response Theory: The Role of Instructor Power and Justice Messages

Self‐efficacy is the belief or confidence people have in their ability to achieve their goals. This study tested a path model involving past communicative experience, situation difficulty, self‐efficacy, interpersonal communication competence, and interpersonal communication outcomes. We found that self‐efficacy mediated the effect of past experience and situation difficulty on interpersonal communication outcomes. Interpersonal communication competence directly effected rewarding, satisfying communication. The study also provided concurrent validity information on the Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale, a skills measure of competence that taps 10 dimensions of the construct.     

Relationship between teachers’ preferred teacher–student interpersonal behaviour and intellectual styles

This study examines the association between teachers’ preferred interpersonal behaviour in teaching and their thinking styles. A sample of 131 secondary teachers from Hong Kong (n = 94) and Macau (n = 37) participated in a survey to measure their preferred interpersonal behaviour by the questionnaire for teacher interaction (QTI) and their thinking styles by the thinking style inventory‐revised (TSI‐R). Results indicated that teachers in both regions preferred to employ student‐centred interpersonal behaviour (leadership, helpful and friendly, understanding and freedom teaching styles) in the classroom teaching. Teachers’ thinking styles were related to their preferred interpersonal teaching styles. Specific relationships were found between the types of thinking styles and their preferred teacher interpersonal behaviour among Hong Kong and Macau teachers.     

Teacher interpersonal competence for Dutch secondary multicultural classrooms

In the Netherlands, as in many European countries, classrooms display a growing cultural diversity. There are only very limited empirically supported data on the interpersonal competence teachers need in Dutch classrooms and studies from other countries cannot be generalized because of differences in the composition of the student population. This paper reports on an exploratory study in two schools on teachers' experiences in multicultural classes followed by an in‐depth case study of one expert teacher. We use this study to answer the question to what degree this teacher displays interpersonal competence (teaching behaviours, knowledge and attitudes) specific for teaching in multicultural classrooms by comparing this teacher's competence with generic interpersonal teaching competence. The teacher studied seems to be aware of special needs of students from different cultures and to use this knowledge to apply specific teaching strategies and interpersonal cues to create a positive classroom atmosphere and to cater for needs of diverse students. Further, the results indicate that many elements of this teacher's interpersonal competence in teaching a multicultural class can be considered aspects of generic teaching competence. It seems that the multicultural classroom puts heavier demands on this competence than a less diverse classroom.     

Protective factors for depressive symptoms in adolescents: Interpersonal relationships and perceived social support

The association between interpersonal relationships, perceived social support, and depressive symptoms in adolescents was investigated in the present study. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depressive Symptoms Scale (CES‐D‐SF), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and Interpersonal Relationship Scale (IRS) were administered to 1,573 high school students. There were four main findings: all three types of interpersonal relationships (same‐sex peer, opposite‐sex peer, and teacher–student relationship) and perceived social support had direct effects on depressive symptoms; perceived social support was a mediator in the relationship between interpersonal relationships and depressive symptoms; gender differences were present in the relationship between interpersonal relationships and depressive symptoms; and the three types of interpersonal relationships exerted different effects on depressive symptoms between adolescent boys and girls. Same‐sex relationships exerted the strongest effect on depressive symptoms among girls, whereas teacher–student relationships exerted the strongest effect among boys.     

Effects of Mindfulness‐Based Versus Interpersonal Process Group Intervention on Psychological Well‐Being With a Clinical University Population

This quasi‐experimental study compared a group mindfulness‐based intervention (MI) with an interpersonal process (IP) group intervention and a no‐treatment (NT) control condition in reducing psychological distress among 112 students at 2 universities. At postintervention, IP and MI group participants exhibited significant reductions in anxiety, depression, and interpersonal problems compared with the NT group. At the 6‐month follow‐up, only MI participants maintained the reduction in anxiety, depression, and academic problems; conversely, only IP participants maintained reductions in interpersonal problems.     

Teaching as a Dynamic Phenomenon with Interpersonal Interactions

People tend to assimilate toward each other. Importantly, assimilations occur both explicitly and implicitly at various levels, ranging from low‐level sensory‐motor coordination to high‐level conceptual mimicry. Teaching is often confused with simply one means of enhancing learning. However, as we shall see in the other articles in this issue, teaching is a dynamic phenomenon where interpersonal interactions occur explicitly and implicitly at multiple levels. Bonding through coordinated interpersonal interactions occupies a substantial portion of teaching. In this article, I would like to introduce two interpersonal phenomena that exemplify implicit interactions and discuss their relations to the new realization of teaching.     

Beyond the breakup: Heterosexual and homosexual post‐dissolutional relationships

Although most romantic relationships will dissolve, few studies have examined the relationship formed between dating partners after their romance terminates. This study examines the post‐dissolutional relationships experienced by participants who were involved in same‐sex (N = 298) and opposite‐sex (N = 272) romantic relationships. The degrees to which ex‐partners experience interpersonal contact, emotional and sexual intimacy, and satisfaction in their post‐dissolutional relationships was examined. Further, two types of influences on post‐dissolutional relationship qualities were investigated. Variables that originated within the dyad or individuals (personal) had a stronger influence on relationship qualities than did variables that originated from the dyad's environment (structural). The importance of understanding post‐dissolutional relationships and future research suggestions are discussed.     

College Adjustment Difficulties and the Overt and Covert Forms of Narcissism

Overt narcissism correlated negatively with emotional distress and interpersonal difficulties among female, but not male, students. After controlling for self‐esteem, overt narcissism correlated positively with depression among female students and with emotional distress and interpersonal difficulties among male students. Covert narcissism correlated positively with emotional distress and interpersonal and academic difficulties among both male and female students. Associations between covert narcissism and emotional distress and interpersonal difficulties remained after controlling for self‐esteem.     

Interpersonal communication and transactional relationships: Clarification and application

What model does one use to understand interpersonal communication and how does one apply such a model when teaching a course in interpersonal communication? The author presents and applies a self‐validation model and topology of transactional relationships to help select concepts, principles, and skills that are essential for the study of interpersonal communication.     

Peer assessment among first year medical students in anatomy

Peer assessment has been shown to be an effective tool to promote professionalism in medical students. Peer assessment may be particularly useful in anatomy dissection laboratory as the required close collaboration and long hours of anatomy laboratory provide students insights into their peers' work habits and interpersonal skills. The objective of this study was to quantitatively and qualitatively analyze the use of a validated peer assessment tool in Gross Anatomy. Students in a first year medical school class evaluated three members of their dissection group using an online survey tool. The mid‐course and end‐of‐course evaluation included open‐ended comments, as well as a five‐point scale that measured three work habits, two interpersonal attributes and one overall score. All 267 students completed the assignment. The overall score and four of the five other assessed categories showed significant improvement from the mid‐ to end‐of‐course evaluations. Quantitative and qualitative data also revealed significant improvement among the students who received the lowest mid‐course assessments. Seventy‐six percent of the class agreed with the statement: “Based on the feedback I received, I made a change in how I worked with or taught my peers.” The use of this peer assessment tool used by students in anatomy was associated with improvements in work habits and interpersonal attributes, particularly by the cohort of students who received the lowest mid‐course feedback. Peer assessment offers students an opportunity to improve their interpersonal skills and work habits. Anat Sci Educ 7: 144–152. © 2013 American Association of Anatomists.     

Assessing the Interpersonal Communication Competence of Vocational Teachers: contemporary issues and dilemmas

In recent months, certain major policy documents have highlighted the importance of facilitating the development of interpersonal communication competence in vocational teachers. These documents include the provocative Australian Education Council Review Committee Report (Finn Report) which lists interpersonal and personal development as one of six key competency areas. As new vocational teacher education courses like the Bachelor of Teaching are beginning to be developed on a national scale within Australia, it is appropriate to cater for the development of interpersonal communication competence in vocational teacher education curricula. Among the more vexatious questions which need to be addressed is the determination of whether vocational teachers can demonstrate interpersonal communication competence, particularly in relation to their professional roles. This paper examines current scientific literature on communication competence. Since competence implies more than skill alone, consideration is also given in this paper to ways of identifying vocational teachers’ understanding of interpersonal communication processes and their importance in relation to the facilitation of learning in the post‐secondary vocational education sector. Such issues as assessing interpersonal communication competence in teacher‐learner relationships by means of direct observation, video‐based structured reflection, and self‐analysis are identified for further study. Finally, implications are drawn for vocational teacher education curricula currently being developed within Australia.     

Non‐Verbal Communication,Self‐esteem and Interpersonal Relations of LD and Non‐LD Students

Accurate perception and comprehension of verbal and non‐verbal communication is important in one's interpersonal environment; such understanding may affect not only the child's academic achievement but how he/she relates to and is perceived by others. In the present study learning disabled (LD) and non‐learning disabled (NLD) middle school students were evaluated on their ability to perceive and accurately comprehend non‐verbal communication; they also responded to an interpersonal relations scale and a self‐esteem inventory. LD children differed from regular class students both in reported self‐esteem and in the ability to perceive and comprehend “wordless” communication, but similarities were noted between the two groups in reported need for interpersonal relations.     

高职生人际交往不良的成因与对策

高职学生面临的学习、工作、家庭、社会等方面的压力日益增多,他们在学习、生活和社会适应等方面遇到越来越多的困难和挫折,导致各种心理问题的出现。分析高职生人际交往问题产生的原因,探索提高人际交往能力的途径,采取有效的手段提高高职生人际交往能力。     

An Interpersonal Psychotherapy Approach to Counseling Student Athletes: Clinical Implications of Athletic Identity

Research has shown that disruptive circumstances in an athlete's career (temporary injury, permanent injury, retirement) can pose significant difficulties, especially if the athlete has developed a salient athletic identity at the expense of a multidimensional self‐concept. The authors present an interpersonal psychotherapy approach to case conceptualization with student athletes that can be effective because of its brief nature and focus on grief, role transitions, interpersonal deficits, and interpersonal disputes.     

Emotional intelligence,self‐efficacy,and coping among Chinese prospective and in‐service teachers in Hong Kong

Emotional intelligence (intrapersonal and interpersonal) and general teacher self‐efficacy were assessed to represent personal resources facilitating active and passive coping in a sample of 273 Chinese prospective and in‐service teachers in Hong Kong. Intrapersonal emotional intelligence and interpersonal emotional intelligence were found to predict significantly active coping strategy, but teacher self‐efficacy did not contribute independently to the prediction of active coping even though there was some evidence that teacher self‐efficacy might interact with intrapersonal emotional intelligence in the prediction of active coping, especially for male teachers. The implications of the findings for preventive intervention efforts to combat teacher stress through teaching to enhance emotional intelligence are discussed.     

Interpersonal and psychological predictors of parasocial interaction with different television performers

The study examined the relationship of interpersonal homophily and self‐esteem with the development of parasocial interaction. “Attitude”; homophily was found to be the strongest predictor, among the independent variables, of parasocial interaction for all three groups of television performers. The results also indicated that certain dimensions of a person's self‐esteem helped to predict and to explain parasocial interaction. The study showed how an integration of interpersonal and mass communication theories contributes to our knowledge of parasocial interaction.     

A comparison of influence strategies utilized by managers in American and Japanese organizations

This study is a preliminary investigation of computer‐mediated communication (CMC) as a functional alternative to face‐to‐face communication. We examined the relationships between motives for using the Internet as a CMC channel and motives for face‐to‐face interactions as well as the influence of locus of control and communication apprehension as antecedents of face‐to‐face and mediated interactions. We surveyed a sample (N=132) of Internet users and tested the hypothesis that no differences exist between CMC and interpersonal communication motives (i.e., that they would be functional alternatives). We also used MANOVA and ANOVA procedures to see if main and interaction effects existed for high and low locus of control and high and low CMC apprehension respondents on interpersonal and media motives. Results indicated CMC Apprehension main effect differences for communication motives, and that use of the Internet as a communication channel is not perceived as a functional alternative to face‐to‐face communication.     

TRAINING FOR INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION: A TRANSACTIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Theorists argue that one's personal view of communication affects the actual communicative relationship. This paper explores the positive, growth‐promoting implications for communication between generations when the model that persons bring to the cross‐generational relationship is transactional, and discusses implications of the transactional model for trainers and educators in gerontology.

With the rising number of older persons in American society, the question for persons working on a consistent basis with the elderly (kin, social service provider, etc.) of how to relate most effectively on an interpersonal basis with an older person is an issue of great import. The authors suggest that the transactional perspective to interpersonal communication with older persons is the answer to most effectively dealing with factors affecting communication cross‐generationally and suggest that educators adopt this perspective. Factors that the transactional perspective addresses directly include negative stereotypes and fears of aging, crises encountered as the person ages, shifts during the later life cycle in exposure to interpersonal communication, and ability to negotiate relationships.     

Examining interpersonal dynamics among adult learners through the lens of place

The purpose of this article is to analyze interpersonal problems among adult learners in three family literacy programs and to identify how these tensions were connected to place or distinctive community contexts. Drawing on the critical geography literature, the article argues that interpersonal problems must be understood in light of socio‐cultural and spatial factors such as the history of steel‐era industrial capitalism and immigrant settlement patterns resulting from global economic restructuring. By linking micro‐level interactions to contextual factors, the article provides a sociological, place‐conscious alternative to individualistic explanations of relational conflicts. In short, the group dynamics adult educators and learners encounter in the classroom should be understood as a microcosm of spatially produced social relations outside the program.