Influence of negative childhood experiences on psychological functioning, social support, and parenting for mothers recovering from addiction.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted with mothers recovering from drug and alcohol addiction and had three aims: first, to understand the range of negative childhood events these mothers experienced; second, to understand their current level of distress and their parenting experiences; and third, to examine the relationships between negative childhood events and parenting experiences. METHOD: Forty-six mothers participated in a cross-sectional exploratory study and completed a range of self-report measures, including the Child Abuse & Trauma Scale, Social Support Inventory, CES-D, Parenting Stress Index, and the Parenting Scale. RESULTS: When compared to norming samples these mothers reported significantly higher levels of aversive childhood experiences, psychological distress, parenting stress and use of problematic parenting behaviors along with lower levels of social support. Higher levels of neglect and growing up in a negative home environment were significantly correlated with lower levels of social support from the family, higher levels of distress and parenting stress, and greater use of problematic parenting behaviors. CONCLUSION: For this sample there is a greater incidence of aversive childhood experiences and greater problems with maternal functioning. Mothers recovering from addiction have an additional need for clinical attention towards issues of recovery from childhood abuse and responding to parenting difficulties with their own children.     

Predictors of Quality and Commitment in Family Child Care: Provider Education, Personal Resources, and Support

This study examined the personal characteristics and resources in 65 licensed family child care providers' lives that influence developmentally enhancing caregiving and professional commitment to child care. Several self-report instruments were utilized to assess providers' personal characteristics and resources. The Family Day Care Rating Scale (FDCRS: Harms & Clifford, 1989) was used to assess quality of care during morning observations at providers' homes, while the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ: Mowday, Steers, & Porter, 1979) was adapted to assess professional commitment to family child care. Factors in providers' lives that uniquely contributed to higher levels of quality care were higher levels of formal education and training, college coursework in ECE, higher levels of psychological well-being, and higher family incomes. Common factors in providers' lives that predicted higher levels of professional commitment to child care were helpful and supportive resources for child care and higher levels of psychological well-being.     

The effects of community violence on children in Cape Town, South Africa

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between exposure to community violence (neighborhood, school, police, and gang violence) and psychological distress in a sample of children living in the Cape Town, South Africa area. Another objective was to identify variables that moderate and mediate the relationship between exposure to community violence and psychological distress. METHODS: Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 185 children between the age of 8 and 13 from five Cape Town Township schools. Structured scales were used to measure exposure to several forms of community violence, family functioning, social support, perceptions of safety, and "unknown" locus of control. RESULTS: Exposure to all forms of violence was extremely high and resulted in substantial psychological distress. Perceived safety functioned as a mediating variable for all forms of violence. Unknown locus of control, social support, family organization, and family control moderated the effects of exposure to certain kinds of violence. Surprisingly, exposure to murder was not related to psychological distress, suggesting a possible "numbing" effect of extreme forms of violence. Hearing about violence from others had almost the same effect as actually witnessing it. Older children had witnessed more violence and were experiencing more distress, suggesting an "exposure accumulation" effect. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest the importance of a child's ability to feel safe in reducing the distress that occurs as a result to exposure to violence. Parents and schools can help children cope, but there appear to be limits. Early intervention, before maladaptive coping mechanisms have developed, also appears to be important.     

Black Grandmothers in Multigenerational Households: Diversity in Family Structure and Parenting Involvement in the Woodlawn Community

We report here the frequency of black grandmothers' coresidence in households with first-grade children, their patterns of involvement in parenting, and the degree to which family structure and employment affected the grandmothers' parenting involvement in a 1966/1967 community-defined population. Coresidence between grandmothers and their target first-grade grandchildren was found in 10% of the households. The 130 grandmothers' parenting involvement was substantial, second only to mother involvement, and was characterized by 2 parenting activity patterns: control and punishment, and support and punishment. The degree of grandmothers' parenting involvement differed by family structure, with grandmothers in mother-absent homes most likely to be involved. Grandmothers' employment did not moderate their engagement in parenting behaviors. These findings are consistent with previous reports of significant parenting involvement by black extended family members.     

Stress,Self-Efficacy,Social Support,and Psychological Distress Among Prospective Chinese Teachers in Hong Kong

Teacher stress, self-efficacy, social support, and psychological distress were assessed in a sample of 83 Chinese prospective teachers in Hong Kong. These teachers reported significantly higher levels of symptoms in somatic problems, followed by anxiety and dysphoria. In exploring the role of personal and social resources in the stress-symptom process, neither self-efficacy nor social support mediated the impact of teacher stress on psychological distress. In contrast, social support moderated the influence of stress on distress in addition to the main effects of stress. While there were subtle differences when specific symptoms were considered, the high-stress/low-support group was most vulnerable. Self-efficacy and social support as protective factors for teacher stress management are discussed.     

Coping resources of maltreated children in the family: a salutogenic approach.

OBJECTIVE: Most research in child maltreatment within family focuses mainly on the pathological damage caused to the battered child. This study, based on a salutogenic approach, focuses on the resources that may help maltreated children to cope with their state and stay well. METHOD: Resilience was measured by two variables: perceived competence and psychological distress. The moderating or buffering variables that may contribute to better coping were: sense of family coherence, psychological sense of school membership, and social support. Two hundred and twenty-six 8th graders answered an anonymous self-report inventory. Based on the students' answers, they were divided into two groups: those who reported that they had been maltreated (MC) (n = 81) and those who did not (NMC) (n = 145). RESULTS: The study revealed a significantly high percentage of adolescents (35.6%) who reported having been maltreated within their families. A significant difference was found between the MC and the NMC in levels of perceived competence (higher for the NMC) and psychological distress (higher for the MC group). The moderating variables were found to have a differential effect on the dependent variables within the two groups. Sense of family coherence was found to be the main contributor to variance explanation of perceived competence among the MC, while sense of school membership had the main effect among NMC. CONCLUSIONS: The findings support a salutogenic approach in studying maltreated children. Implications on the possible detection of maltreated children in the community and on their coping resources that may contribute to resilience are discussed.     

Cyberbullying victimisation and mental distress: testing the moderating role of attachment security,social support,and coping styles

Although it has been well established that cyberbullying leads to mental health problems, less is known about the factors that confer resilience to the adverse effects of cyberbullying among young people. To address this gap, adolescents aged 13–19 years (n = 476) completed a survey measuring cyberbullying victimisation, attachment styles, perceived social support, coping styles, and mental distress. Compared to non-victims, victims of cyberbullying experienced higher levels of depression and anxiety and endorsed more self-statements indicative of attachment anxiety. Peer support, security in attachment relationships, and the endorsement of positive coping strategies attenuated the positive relationship between cyberbullying victimisation and mental health difficulties. Family support did not appear to buffer adolescents from mental distress in this context. However, family support was the strongest bivariate predictor of reduced mental distress. Although peer relations should be the target of intervention programmes within school settings, the findings highlight the importance of including families in cyberbullying prevention programmes.     

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Values Aspired for the Future Scale in grandparents

Although the engagement of grandparents in grandchildren’s life has increased, there is a lack of research that explores the values that grandparents desire to transmit to their grandchildren. The aim of this study was to analyze the factor structure, the validity, and the reliability of the Values Aspired for the Future Scale in a sample of grandparents. Three hundred grandparents participated in this study. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a three-factor structure with an excellent overall fit: personal and relationship values, abilities and knowledge values, and materialistic values. Grandparents’ sex did not have a moderating effect on the factor structure. An adequate internal consistency was obtained. Signi?cant associations between values, health-related quality of life, social support, and psychological well-being were found, with the exception of the materialistic values. This scale should be tested in different cultural contexts in order to confirm the results found. The implications of the results are discussed.     

Examining the Structural Relationship of Chronic Illness,Physical Function,Life Satisfaction,and Social Support in the Development of Depression Among Filipino Elderly in Institutionalized Settings

Considering the increasing prevalence of chronic illness in the Filipino elderly, this study seeks to test a model that describes the relationship between chronic illness and depression and how this link might interact with physical functioning, life satisfaction, and social support. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the causalities among these variables. With the participation of 151 respondents, data were gathered using a five-part instrument consisting of the robotfoto, Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living, Life Satisfaction Checklist, Social Support Scale, and Geriatric Depression Scale. Data were analyzed using AMOS version 19. Results showed that the duration and number of present chronic illness will not lead to an increase in social support, although those things proved to have a negative effect on physical functioning and life satisfaction. Social support from the family also showed to have a direct impact on life satisfaction while social support from the caregivers revealed a negative effect on physical functioning. Life satisfaction had a negative influence on depression while other suggested variables have no impact on depression at all. Through this model examining the variables relating to depression, holistic care must be provided to manage not only the medical conditions of the elderly but also their physical, social, and psychological well-being.     

Parenting Stress as a Mediator of the Relation Between Parenting Support and Optimal Parenting

Objective. This study assessed the direct and indirect relations between 2 types of social support - parenting support and general social support - and optimal parenting. Design. Self-report data were gathered from 165 married mothers of firstborn 4th-graders between the ages of 9 and 11 years. Widely accepted measures of warmth, monitoring, general psychological distress, parenting stress, and general social support were used. A measure of parenting support from family and friends was developed for this study. Results. Path analysis indicated that the relation between specific parenting support and optimal parenting was completely mediated by parenting stress and not by general psychological distress. The relation between general social support and optimal parenting was not completely mediated by either parenting stress or general psychological distress. Conclusions. This study integrated essential components from the social support, stress and coping, and parenting research. The authors identify parenting stress as a mediator of the relation between parenting support and optimal parenting by focusing on the specificity of social support and stress in the domain of parenting.     

儿童视角看上海儿童友好家庭环境的营造

本研究采用自编"儿童友好家庭自评量表",了解上海市儿童对其家庭儿童友好环境的评价.调查发现:总体而言,上海市儿童对家庭环境持积极肯定态度,亲子关系融洽,生活满意度高;家庭环境体现无性别歧视原则,基本实现男女平等;照料养育与积极管教普遍获得认可,亲子沟通与对儿童的心理支持方面有待加强;一些家庭尚存在不同形式和不同程度的暴...     

A Prospective Study of Life Stress, Social Support, and Adaptation in Early Adolescence

This study employed a 2-year longitudinal design to examine the relation of stressful life events and social supports to psychological distress and school performance among 166 early adolescents (mean age = 13.5 years). A prospective approach was utilized to control for initial levels of adjustment when examining the relation of Time 1 stress and support variables to Time 2 psychological distress and school performance. Both stress and support variables made significant contributions to the prediction of subsequent psychological distress. Stresses, but not supports, made a significant contribution to the prediction of subsequent school performance. Evidence for reciprocal and interactive linkages was also found, including effects of psychological distress and school performance on subsequent stresses and supports, and greater adaptive impact of school-based supportive resources under conditions of heightened risk outside of school. Implications for ecological and transactional models of development relating to the targeting and efficacy of preventive efforts are discussed.     

离异家庭初中生应激生活事件、社会支持、应对方式与心理健康的结构模型研究

目的:构建离异家庭初中生应激生活事件、社会支持、应对方式与心理健康的关系模型。方法:对131名离异家庭初中生分别采用应激生活事件问卷、应对方式问卷、社会支持问卷和症状自评量表进行测量,进而用结构方程模型的方法构建了潜变量之间的关系模型。结果:离异家庭学生的应激生活事件、社会支持、积极应对、消极应对对症状总分有直接影响(权重分别是0.45、-0.21、-0.48、0.78);结构方程分析表明,离异家庭学生的积极应对、消极应对对症状总分的影响比正常家庭学生的更大(离异家庭学生的权重为-0.48和0.78,正常家庭学生的权重为-0.14和0.35);离异家庭学生的应激生活事件对社会支持的影响比正常家庭学生的更大(离异家庭学生的权重为-0.49,正常家庭学生的权重为-0.28)。结论:应激生活事件、社会支持、应对方式对心理健康的作用得到结构方程模型的有力支持。     

ADULTS IN EXPANDED GRANDPARENT ROLES: CONSIDERATIONS FOR PRACTICE,POLICY, AND RESEARCH

The number of middle-aged and older adults assuming primary caregiver roles to their grandchildren has dramatically increased in the past decade due to a myriad of serious family-related problems. Gerontology professionals in human service and mental health positions as well as policy makers and researchers can play important roles in helping these women and men function effectively in their expanded grandparent roles. The primary goal of this article is to provide a representative picture of (1) the circumstances surrounding grandparents' acquisition of the surrogate parent role; (2) the consequences of the caregiving roles for the older generation (positive as well as negative outcomes); and (3) recommendations of types of support (socioemotional and instrumental) that would be most helpful for grandparents raising their grandchildren. Recommendations for future programs, policies, and research on this growing population of family caregivers are also provided.     

Stress and psychological distress among trainee secondary teachers in England

The relationships between stress and psychological distress were investigated among a cohort of trainee secondary school teachers in England. Specifically, the study examined the structure of a Teacher Stress Scale and its relationship to mental health as measured by the 12‐item General Health Questionnaire. Three factors were identified: behaviour management, workload, and lack of support. Differences were identified between men and women in respect of stressors and psychological distress. Stress attributed to pupils’ disruptive behaviour and stress attributed to perceived occupational stress were found to be significant predictors of psychological distress. The findings are discussed in relation to the degree to which trainees are prepared for the challenges they are likely to experience as teachers.     

The influence of childhood sexual abuse,physical abuse,family environment,and gender on the psychological adjustment of adolescents

OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of the current study was to examine the contributions of sexual abuse, physical abuse, family cohesion, and conflict in predicting the psychological functioning of adolescents. Additional analyses were conducted to determine whether adolescent victims of child sexual abuse and physical abuse perceive their family environments as more conflictual and less cohesive than nonabused adolescents. METHOD: Participants were 131 male and female adolescents, ages 16 years to 18 years, receiving services at a residential vocational training program. Participants completed well established psychological assessment tools to assess abuse history, family environment characteristics, and current adjustment. RESULTS: Physically abused adolescent females perceived their family environments as more conflictual and less cohesive than females without physical abuse, and sexually abused females perceived their family environments as more conflictual and less cohesive than females without sexual abuse. Physically abused adolescent males reported more conflict than males without physical abuse, but did not differ with regard to cohesion. Adolescent males with and without a sexual abuse history did not differ on the family dimensions. Multiple regression analyses revealed that both conflict and cohesion, in addition to a history of sexual and physical abuse, predicted depression and distress. Separate analyses by gender revealed these variables differentially impact adjustment in male and female adolescents. Results of a power analysis indicated sufficient power to detect these differences. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that in addition to child sexual abuse and physical abuse, family conflict and cohesion are risk factors for the development of psychological distress and depression in adolescence. Implications for treatment and directions for future research are discussed.     

Psychoeducational Support for Parents of Children with Intellectual Disability: An Outcome Study

The pressures frequently encountered by the parents of children with chronic conditions and the concomitant impact on family life have been well‐documented. Family‐focussed interventions have been advocated to address parents’ difficulties. The present evaluation study was undertaken to ascertain long‐term outcomes of the psychoeducational support program, Caring for Parent Caregivers. The aim of the program is to empower the individual and thereby strengthen family resources. Quantitative and qualitative analytical procedures, which included the written evaluations of treatment subjects, were employed to examine program effectiveness. For the fathers and mothers of children with disabilities, psychological health and well‐being was assessed on the General Health Questionnaire, using a pretest and follow‐up control group design. Results showed a statistically significant difference between groups, 12 months after treatment, with program participants displaying less emotional distress than control group subjects. The positive direction of behavioural and attitudinal outcomes, which emerged from evaluation of the small group intervention, were similar for both mothers and fathers. Overall satisfaction with the program was very high, with useful recommendations for program development and for future research and practice being identified.     

Lay therapy intervention with families at risk for parenting difficulties: The Kempe Community Caring Program.

OBJECTIVE: To determine which areas of family functioning lay therapy intervention can improve in a home visitation program for first time mothers at high risk for parenting difficulties, including the potential for child abuse and neglect. METHODS: Families were assessed for risk of parenting difficulties using the Parent Readiness and Risk Assessment Checklists. Lay therapists completed the Scale of Family Functioning pre- and postintervention with 108 high risk families for whom they provided support, education, and referrals. RESULTS: Paired t tests were done to determine whether the eight categories of the Scale of Family Functioning improved from baseline to termination of the service. Four categories showed statistically significant improvement: social support (p = .001), self-esteem (p < .001), confidence as a parent (p < .001), and affective relationships (p = .003). CONCLUSIONS: Statistically significant improvement occurred in four of the eight categories on the Scale of Family Functioning indicating that home intervention programs can improve some categories of family functioning. Longer intervention and an increased focus on improving parent/infant interactions may be able to increase parental sensitivity and expectations. In this study, the categories of family conflict and stability/meeting basic needs were not amenable to change with lay therapy intervention.     

高师学生社会支持、应对方式与心理健康的相关性研究

该文主要探讨社会支持、应对方式对心理健康的影响，以及社会支持与应对方式之间的关系。采用社会支持、应对方式及SCI－90三个量表对863名高师学生进行测量。提出社会支持、应对方式是影响心理健康水平的中介因素。     

灾区大学生心理健康状况的调查与分析

目的：了解地震灾区高校学生的心理健康状况,为对这部分学生进行心理干预提供科学依据。方法：用灾后精神失调筛查自评问卷（SRQ-20）、社会支持评定量表（SSRS）、成人依恋量表（AAS）,PTSD自评量表（PCL）、事件影响量表（IES—R）对成都）晦近灾区的某高校的2165名灾区学生进行了随机问卷调查。结果：（1）学生的心理困扰严重程度可以分成不同的层次,IES—R检出率29．19％、SRQ检出为26．74％、PCL检出率为16．16％;（2）检出的学生中73％以上均是那些地震中一直在现场和大部分时间在现场,他们的创伤反应比其他灾区学生更突出;（3）在检出的学生中,不安全的依恋类型的学生比例占了大部分（均为63％以上）;（4）在三个筛查量表中阳性检出组与阴性组的学生在社会支持总分、客观支持、主观支持、对支持的利用度,以及依恋量表中的亲近因子、焦虑因子上差异均有统计学意义。结论：在心理康复工作中,（1）要根据学生的实际状况分层次干预;（2）要关注学生震前的亲子依恋关系,注意复杂型创伤的治疗;（3）要重点放在如何帮助学生构建积极的社会支持资源方面;（4）学生社会支持网络恢复要有的放矢。