Socioeconomic status and health in adolescents: the role of stress interpretations

The role of psychological interpretations in the relationship between low socioeconomic status (SES) and physiological responses was tested. One hundred high school students (ages 15–19) watched videos of ambiguous and negative life situations, and were interviewed about their interpretations. Lower SES was associated with greater threat interpretations during ambiguous (but not negative) situations and with greater diastolic blood pressure and heart rate reactivity. Threat interpretations partially mediated relationships between SES and reactivity. General life events (e.g., lack of positive life events), rather than specific life events (e.g., exposure to violence), partially explained the relationship between low SES and threat interpretations. Results suggest that the larger social environment helps explain how adolescents approach new social situations, which in turn has implications for adolescent physical health.     

Unequal academic achievement in high school: the mediating roles of concerted cultivation and close friends

Building from the classic Wisconsin model of status attainment, this study examines whether a specific style of parenting, concerted cultivation, and a close friend’s school-related attitudes and behaviors mediate the relationship between a family’s socioeconomic status and their child’s academic achievement in the United States. Using a recursive path model on nationally representative panel data of high school students (N = 10,350), the results confirm a direct association between socioeconomic status and concerted cultivation. In addition, concerted cultivation and close friends are shown to mediate the relationship between a family’s socioeconomic status and their child’s academic achievement.     

The intersection of culture and institutional support for Latino students’ academic success: Remediation or empowerment?

The study is framed by critical race theory to explore the intersection of cultural and institutional factors that influence Latino students’ completion of high school. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which factors related to students’ background, culture, socioeconomic status, and institutional-support such as participation in mentoring and/or dropout-prevention programs, can predict Latino students’ successful completion of high school. The overarching research question is: To what extent do family background, students’ educational aspirations, and institutional support programs predict whether Latino students’ complete high school? Using data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS: 2002), from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) with 2,217 Hispanic participants, the study used a logistic linear regression model for the analysis. The findings identified students’ gender, socioeconomic status, first language, educational aspirations as well as the aspirations of their parents, school poverty concentration, and school support programs to be significant predictors of high school completion. The logistic regression model correctly classified between 78%, 85%, and 81% of the cases included in the group for timely completion according to first-, second-, and third-generation respectively. A similar classification was found for high school completion-within-two-years. The discussion highlights marked differences between the effect of dropout-prevention programs and that of mentoring programs on Latinos’ high school completion. In addition, that the factors represented by individual and institutional variables might not operate in isolation but instead might intersect with socioeconomic and cultural factors that ultimately create barriers for this minority group.     

Gender Differences,Family and Psychological Factors Affecting School Performance in Greek Secondary School Students

High rates of school failure have been reported for secondary school students, with boys presenting more schooling difficulties. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between school performance and family and psychological factors. A sample of 1315 male and female secondary school students was recruited from 54 classes randomly selected out of a total of 534 classes in the Greek region of East Macedonia and Thrace. School performance was measured dichotomously according to the final school results (pass or fail). Family and sociodemographic data were collected and psychological problems were measured using the Youth Self Report (YSR). Male gender, low socioeconomic status, low parental education and parental separation were all positively associated with school failure. Those who failed scored higher on the YSR problem scales than those who passed, and boys were more affected by adverse circumstances than girls. The results indicate that students, especially boys, with psychological problems and those coming from families of low socioeconomic and educational status are at high risk of school failure.     

Experiences of psychological and physical aggression in adolescent romantic relationships: Links to psychological distress

ObjectiveThis research examined links between adolescents’ experiences of psychological and physical relationship aggression and their psychological distress. Experiences of psychological and physical aggression were expected to correlate positively with symptoms of psychological distress, but experiences of psychological aggression were expected to partially account for the association between experiences of physical aggression and psychological distress. In addition, psychological aggression was hypothesized to be perceived as more unpleasant and less playful than physical aggression.MethodParticipants were 125 high school students. Relationship aggression was assessed over an 8-week period using two methods: (1) a retrospective method based on a single assessment at the end of the 8-week period, and (2) a cumulative method based on multiple assessments conducted during the 8-week period. Adolescents’ appraisals of the aggression were also measured, as were their reports of symptoms of psychological distress.ResultsAdolescents’ experiences of psychological and physical relationship aggression correlated positively, but inconsistently, with their symptoms of psychological distress. In analyses considering both forms of aggression simultaneously, psychological aggression was related to adolescents’ distress, but physical aggression was not. This finding emerged across both methods of assessing for relationship aggression. Psychological aggression was more likely than physical aggression to be rated as unpleasant, and less likely to be attributed to the partner “playing around.”ConclusionsThe study of adolescent relationship aggression will benefit by expanding the focus of aggression to include psychological aggression as well as physical aggression, and by examining adolescents’ appraisals of the aggression they experience.Practice implicationsThe findings highlight the importance of a broad view of aggression in adolescent relationships. Psychological aggression appears to be at least as important to adolescent well-being as physical aggression in dating relationships. In addition, it may be useful to consider how adolescents’ interpret the intent of the aggression that they experience.     

Education and psychological distress in adolescence and mid-life: Do private schools make a difference?

This article extends the evidence base on childhood circumstances, education and psychological distress. We examine the link between childhood advantage and disadvantage, the type of school attended during adolescence and psychological distress at ages 16 and 42. The analysis uses a large, population-based birth cohort study, the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70) (n = 17,198) using a structural equation modelling (SEM) approach. More advantaged young people were more likely to attend private schools, but we find no evidence for an effect of private schooling on psychological distress for men, and for women there was an association between private schooling and raised psychological distress at age 16. Having a university degree was associated with a modest reduction in psychological distress in mid-life. We establish that maternal psychological distress at age 10 was a risk factor for the offspring’s psychological distress both in adolescence and in mid-life, and adolescent psychological distress predicts psychological distress in mid-life. We conclude that schools which are academically successful do not necessarily provide wider benefits in terms of mental health.     

The mediating role of social relationships in the association of adolescents’ individual school self-concept and their school engagement,belonging and helplessness in school

It is well known that teachers frequently observe a decline in the scholastic motivation of many adolescent students, which in turn is often associated with a decline in students’ individual school self-concept. In contrast, less is known about the association between students’ individual school self-concept and school engagement, or the related concepts of school belonging and helplessness in school. The current study explored social relationships as mediators in the association between individual school self-concept and adolescents’ school engagement, belonging to school and helplessness in school in a large sample of 7th and 8th grade students (N?=?1088; M_Age?=?13.7) in secondary schools in Brandenburg, Germany. The results of two structural equation models showed that the teacher–student relationship mediated the association between individual school self-concept and school engagement, belonging to school and helplessness in school, respectively. In contrast, the student–student relationship did not mediate any of these associations.     

THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ENGAGEMENT IN MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS AND SELF‐ESTEEM AMONG AFFLUENT ADOLESCENT GIRLS

This study examined the influence of growth‐fostering mentoring relationships on the self‐esteem of adolescent female students from affluent communities. Studies have demonstrated that this population of students is susceptible to psychological distress and self‐esteem problems, due to perfectionistic strivings and achievement pressures. Specifically, we hypothesized that growth‐fostering mentoring relationships (e.g., with teachers and school staff) would be positively associated with self‐esteem. Moreover, we expected that this association would be mediated by engagement in purposeful activities. The authors surveyed 207 girls from two independent secondary schools and found support for the mediation hypothesis. Using an ordinary least squares regression approach, the association between growth‐fostering mentoring relationships and self‐esteem was mediated by youth engagement in purposeful activities. Implications for future research and practice in schools are discussed.     

Effects of extracurricular activities on postsecondary completion for students with disabilities

The authors focused on participation in extracurricular activities as a way of improving the educational outcomes of children with disabilities. Regarding students in the general population, adolescent involvement in extracurricular activities has been shown to have a positive association with school involvement and adolescent self-esteem, academic achievement, and adolescent development. Using the Educational Longitudinal Study dataset, the authors conducted logistic regression analyses to examine the relationship between participation in high school–sponsored extracurricular activities and postsecondary degree completion for students with disabilities. Findings show a statistically significant association between postsecondary degree completion for students with disabilities and extracurricular activity participation, including extent and type of extracurricular activity. Students with disabilities who participate in high school extracurricular activities may have increased likelihood of completing a postsecondary degree. Implications for policy, practice, and future research are discussed.     

Economic Inequality is Associated with Long-Term Harm on Adolescent Well-Being in China

Economic inequality has been found to be detrimental to psychological well-being. However, previous studies were mostly based on cross-sectional data, drew exclusively on adults, and confined to Western developed countries. To address these shortcomings, the current study investigated the longitudinal association of income inequality with adolescent psychological well-being in a non-Western developing economy (i.e., China). We used the China Family Panel Studies data set with a representative sample of 3,042 adolescents (M_age = 12.59) from 20 provinces in China. Analyses showed that adolescents in more unequal provinces had lower happiness and more psychological distress. The associations between economic inequality and well-being varied across adolescents from different socioeconomic strata.     

Trauma and psychological distress among ethnically diverse community college students

An association has been found between traumatic experiences and psychological distress; however, the impact of ethnicity on psychological distress is less clear. The present study examined the relationship between traumatic experiences and measures of psychological distress among a multiethnic sample of community college students. A total of 389 male and 848 female students completed a questionnaire that included the Distressing Events Questionnaire (DEQ), the Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire (TLEQ), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), the Bulimia (BUL), and the Drive for Thinness (DT) subscales of the Eating Disorders Inventory. As predicted, Blacks and Latinos reported higher levels of interpersonal trauma than White students. There was a positive association between trauma exposure and symptoms of depression, eating disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and no ethnic differences were observed in depression and PTSD scores among students exposed to interpersonal trauma. The high levels of trauma among Blacks and Latinos should be of concern to academic institutions because trauma is linked to poor academic performance.     

关注心理健康提高心理素质——中学生心理健康教育之我见

心理健康是指个体心理和行为与社会现实之间的一种和谐状态。在对中学生存在的心理健康问题及其成因进行概括与分析的同时,提出一些比较切实可行的加强中学生心理健康教育的措施,以培养学生良好的心理素质,提高调适心理技能,充分发挥心理潜能,从而促进学生素质的全面提高与个性的和谐发展。     

Immigrant students in Denmark: why are they disadvantaged in civic learning?

Abstract

Although native family students often learn more than immigrant family students in school (e.g. civics), scholars have not systematically demonstrated the mechanisms through which native family students outperform immigrant family students. The Opportunity-Propensity framework guides this study. We examine the link between students’ immigrant status and civic knowledge, with antecedent factors (socioeconomic status [SES] and language spoken at home), opportunity factors (civic learning at school, civic participation at school, and political discussion), and propensity factors (perceived open classroom climate and student-teacher relationship). Two-level path analysis of the responses to the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) 2016 by 6254 eighth graders in Denmark showed that the civic knowledge of native family students exceeded that of immigrant family students, mediated by their own and schoolmates’ higher family SES. Meanwhile, immigrant family students had more political discussions, which are linked to better civic knowledge.     

Dropping Out Among Mexican American Youth: Reviewing the Literature Through an Ecological Perspective

The noncompletion of school among minority youth remains an area of intense study, especially given the growing numbers of school dropouts among Mexican American youth. Much of the research to date has focused on the demographic variables of ethnicity and socioeconomic status rather than on the interactions between individuals and environments. The interplay between the personal attributes of the student, family, peers, school, and society are considered to be the most important factors contributing to high school completion. However, a systematic framework has not often been used to facilitate the organization and integration of these variables. This article uses an ecological model to examine the different factors that impact school completion for Mexican American students. Suggestions for prevention and intervention within each of the concentric levels of this model are offered to effect positive educational outcomes for all children.     

Relationship between Africentric Worldview and Psychological Distress among Ghanaian Mothers of Children with Intellectual Disability

This study examined the relationship between an Africentric worldview and psychological distress among 55 Ghanaian mothers of children with intellectual disability. The study hypothesized the protective effects of an Africentric worldview on psychological distress, and their association with parenting stress. Results showed that an Africentric worldview was negatively associated with psychological distress and parenting stress, and that parenting stress was positively related to psychological distress. Further hierarchical regression analysis showed that an Africentric worldview did not moderate the relationship between parenting stress and psychological distress. However, parenting stress mediated the relationship between an Africentric worldview and psychological distress. These findings reveal the positive influence of an Africentric worldview on psychological functioning of mothers of children with intellectual disability. Additionally, the findings underscore the need to develop culturally relevant interventions to help improve the well-being of mothers of children with intellectual disability. Implications for clinical and counselling practice are discussed.     

初中生校本心理辅导课的需求分析——基于温州洞头实验中学的调查与研究

采用自编的初中生校本心理辅导课需求问卷,以216名初中生为被试,结果表明:1)初中生对心理辅导课均持有较为积极的态度,不同年级、性别学生没有显著差异。2)同伴关系、情绪调节、人生目标等10个主题的选择人数最多;亲子关系、异性关系、学习动机等7个主题上存在显著的年级差异;网络与节制、萌动的青春两个主题上存在显著的性别差异。3)心理游戏、心理测试两种上课形式最受学生的喜爱,小组讨论、课外拓展并列最后;课堂体验这一上课形式存在显著的年级差异;故事情节这一上课形式存在显著的性别差异。     

影响中学生心理健康的因素及教育对策

用自编的中学生心理健康状况问卷对贵州省 818名中学生进行调查 ,结果表明 ,影响中学生心理健康较明显的因素有 :家庭结构、家长期望、亲子关系等家庭因素 ,师生关系等学校因素 ,学习问题和与异性交往状况等自身因素。根据研究结果 ,提出了相应的教育对策 :(1)发挥家庭的心理健康教育功能 ;(2 )开展心理健康教育 ,帮助学生建立良好的师生关系和同伴关系 ;(3)营造有助于心理健康发展的社会环境     

初中聋生心理健康状况与家庭环境的相关研究

目的:探讨影响初中聋生心理健康的家庭因素,为促进聋生心理健康,改善家庭环境提供依据。方法:采用整群和分层整群抽样的方法,使用《心理健康诊断测验量表》(MHT)和《家庭环境量表》(FES)对河北省85名初中聋生和120名健听学生进行了问卷调查。结果:初中聋生和健听学生心理健康水平没有差异;聋女生的心理健康状况显著高于男生;初中聋生与健听学生家庭环境在亲和度、成功性、娱乐性和控制性四个因子方面差异极显著;父母亲的文化程度与聋生的自责倾向、冲动倾向显著相关。结论:初中聋生的心理健康状况受性别、父母文化程度、家庭环境等多因素影响。     

Do causal attributions mediate the relationship between personality characteristics and life satisfaction in adolescence?

This study examined relationships among personality traits, causal attributions, and global life satisfaction in a sample of 212 high school students. A chief aim of this research was to explore whether causal attributions mediate the relationship between personality characteristics and global life satisfaction as hypothesized by DeNeve and Cooper (1998). Specifically, a mediational model was proposed whereby extraversion and emotional stability relate to causal attributions, which in turn relate to life satisfaction. The results of this research revealed that the personality characteristic of emotional stability, but not extraversion, was related significantly to adolescent life satisfaction. Moreover, this study indicated that adolescents' causal attributions for good events mediated the relationship between life satisfaction and emotional stability. These findings should enhance understanding of potential pathways to the development of increased life satisfaction in adolescents as well as inform adolescent health promotion efforts. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 42: 91–99, 2005.     

Mobility in sixth graders as related to achievement,adjustment, and socioeconomic status

The present study dealt with the relationship between mobility and academic achievement, classroom adjustment, and socioeconomic status (SES). Mobility was defined as the number of schools a child had attended. The school records of 1,007 sixth-grade students were examined for the above variables. Pearson product moment correlations and Spearman rank order correlations were employed to determine the relationship among these variables. Results indicated mobility to be inversely related to achievement (p <.001), adjustment (p <.001), and SES (p <.05). The implications for use of these data in schools are discussed.