School connectedness as a protective factor against childhood exposure to violence and social deprivation: A longitudinal study of adaptive and maladaptive outcomes

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Leigh G. Goetschius ◽  
Vonnie C. McLoyd ◽  
Tyler C. Hein ◽  
Colter Mitchell ◽  
Luke W. Hyde ◽  
...  

Abstract School connectedness, a construct indexing supportive school relationships, has been posited to promote resilience to environmental adversity. Consistent with prominent calls in the field, we examined the protective nature of school connectedness against two dimensions of early adversity that index multiple levels of environmental exposure (violence exposure, social deprivation) when predicting both positive and negative outcomes in longitudinal data from 3,246 youth in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (48% female, 49% African American). Child and adolescent school connectedness were promotive, even when accounting for the detrimental effects of early adversity. Additionally, childhood school connectedness had a protective but reactive association with social deprivation, but not violence exposure, when predicting externalizing symptoms and positive function. Specifically, school connectedness was protective against the negative effects of social deprivation, but the effect diminished as social deprivation became more extreme. These results suggest that social relationships at school may compensate for low levels of social support in the home and neighborhood. Our results highlight the important role that the school environment can play for youth who have been exposed to adversity in other areas of their lives and suggest specific groups that may especially benefit from interventions that boost school connectedness.

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 1252-1259
Author(s):  
Tyler C Hein ◽  
Leigh G Goetschius ◽  
Vonnie C McLoyd ◽  
Jeanne Brooks-Gunn ◽  
Sara S McLanahan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Childhood adversity is, unfortunately, highly prevalent and strongly associated with later psychopathology. Recent theories posit that two dimensions of early adversity, threat and deprivation, have distinct effects on brain development. The current study evaluated whether violence exposure (threat) and social deprivation (deprivation) were associated with adolescent amygdala and ventral striatum activation, respectively, in a prospective, well-sampled, longitudinal cohort using a pre-registered, open science approach. Methods One hundred and sixty-seven adolescents from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study completed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning. Prospective longitudinal data from ages 3, 5 and 9 years were used to create indices of childhood violence exposure and social deprivation. We evaluated whether these dimensions were associated with adolescent brain function in response to threatening and rewarding faces. Results Childhood violence exposure was associated with decreased amygdala habituation (i.e. more sustained activation) and activation to angry faces in adolescence, whereas childhood social deprivation was associated with decreased ventral striatum activation to happy faces in adolescence. These associations held when adjusting for the other dimension of adversity (e.g., adjusting for social deprivation when examining associations with violence exposure), the interaction of the two dimensions of adversity, gender, internalizing psychopathology, and current life stress. Conclusions Consistent with recent theories, different forms of early adversity were associated with region-specific differences in brain activation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathrin Wunsch ◽  
Claudio R. Nigg ◽  
Susanne Weyland ◽  
Darko Jekauc ◽  
Claudia Niessner ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Physical activity (PA) has beneficial effects on health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), which is a protective factor of illness and mortality. The purpose of this examination was to investigate if self-reported and device-based measures of PA were related to HRQoL in adolescents. Methods Participants (N = 1565; 54.3% female; Mage = 14.37 years, SDage = 1.99) were recruited from 167 sample points across Germany. Adolescents self-reported their PA, supplemented by a 1-week examination of device-based PA using accelerometry. Additionally, they completed the multidimensional KIDSCREEN-27 to assess HRQoL. Results Results showed that self-reported PA was correlated with overall HRQoL, Physical Well-Being, Psychological Well-Being, Social Support & Peers, and School Environment, whereas device-based PA was only correlated with Physical as well as Psychological Well-Being. Further, self-reported PA significantly predicted all facets of HRQoL except for Autonomy and Parent Relations, whereas device-based PA solely heightened the amount of explained variance in the Physical Well-Being subscale. Conclusions Findings demonstrate the importance of self-reported PA as it is related to almost all facets of HRQoL. Both measures of PA are not congruent in their relationship with HRQoL and thus implications have to be carefully considered. Future studies should investigate the direct effect of PA on HRQoL and health in a longitudinal approach to account for the causality of effects.


2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 536-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bart Duriez ◽  
Theo A. Klimstra ◽  
Koen Luyckx ◽  
Wim Beyers ◽  
Bart Soenens

Because the authoritarian personality was introduced to explain the rise of fascism during World War II, research focused on its ability to predict prejudice, leaving its associations with well–being largely unexplored. Studies that did examine these associations yielded inconsistent results, and some authors even argued that authoritarianism buffers against the negative effects of psychological vulnerability factors (i.e. D–type personality) and negative life events on well–being, especially among people in an authoritarian environment. Using a cross–sectional community sample (N = 1010), Study 1 failed to support the idea that authoritarianism relates to depressive symptoms and buffers against the negative effects of D–type personality on depressive symptoms. Using a longitudinal college student sample (N = 499), Study 2 showed that authoritarianism did not moderate the effects of life events either and even predicted over–time increases in depressive symptoms. Using a longitudinal high school sample (N = 590), Study 3 showed that this effect emerged regardless of degree of fit with the social environment (i.e. with family and friends). Taken together, results suggest that authoritarianism constitutes a risk factor for rather than a protective factor against depressive symptoms. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110440
Author(s):  
Chiara Sabina ◽  
E. Susana Marsical ◽  
Carlos A. Cuevas

This study examined whether the relationship between teen dating violence (DV) and psychological functioning (depression, anxiety, and hostility) varied as a function of relational and collective resources (social support, familism, and school connectedness) among Latino teen victims of DV. Data came from a subset of youth who experienced DV ( n = 95) from the Dating Violence Among Latinos Adolescents Study, a national survey of Latino teens aged 12-18 years old. Multivariate regression models showed that school connectedness was associated with lower depression and anxiety for DV victims. Additionally, five interactions were significant across depression, anxiety, and hostility: Three following a pattern of protective-enhancing (DV × School connectedness for depression and anxiety; DV × Social support for anxiety) and two following a pattern of vulnerability-reactive (DV × Familism for anxiety and hostility). School connectedness is an important protective factor for Latino teen victims of DV and one that can inform intervention efforts. Latino victims of DV benefit from high levels of school connectedness and social support, especially when DV is high. At high levels of DV familism is associated with a worsening of mental health. It is important to understand the nuances of how these resources work at varying levels of DV for intervention and prevention purposes.


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaiz Ahmed ◽  
Stephen S

This study aimed to describe how, why and to what extent psychology students self-diagnose and what impact this has on their lives, using an in-depth qualitative exploration. A sample of 8 students were taken and interviews were administered on them. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted on the results, revealing four global themes. These were: Causes of Self-Diagnosis, Methods of Self-Diagnosis, Effects of Self-Diagnosis and Academic Maturity. It was concluded that students self-diagnose based on earlier experiences as well as psychological information they learn in an academic setting and introspection methods. Factors such as schematic thinking played a role in self-diagnosis and it had positive and negative effects, which can be classified as cognitive, affective and behavioural effects. Academic Maturity was seen to be a protective factor against the negative effects of self-diagnosis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuela Ingusci ◽  
Fulvio Signore ◽  
Maria Luisa Giancaspro ◽  
Amelia Manuti ◽  
Monica Molino ◽  
...  

The radical changes deriving from the COVID-19 emergency have heavily upset some of the most familiar routines of daily work life. Abruptly, many workers have been forced to face the difficulties that come with switching to remote working. Basing on the theoretical framework proposed by the Job Demands-Resources model, the purpose of this paper was to explore the effect of work overload (workload and techno overload), on behavioral stress, meant as an outcome linked to the health impairment process. Furthermore, the aim of the study was to explore the mediating role of job crafting, considered as a second-order construct consisting of two dimensions (increasing structural resources and increasing challenging demands) in the abovementioned relation. Participants were 530 workers experiencing remote working or work-from-home during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Italy (March–May 2020). Hypotheses were explored by using three different latent variables, measured reflexively through indicators on a 5-point scale, extracted from validated questionnaires. Data analysis was performed through Structural Equation Modeling; to test the mediation, bootstrap validation was computed (n = 2,000). Results showed that the mediation of job crafting was partial. More specifically, the direct effect between work overload and behavioral stress was positive; moreover, the indirect, negative effect through the mediation of job crafting was also significant. Therefore, results showed that job crafting can play a crucial role as a protective factor supporting the activation and adjustment of suitable resources; these resources can be useful to deal with the negative effects of work overload, particularly under the condition of heavy remote working and use of technologies, on individual outcomes. Starting from the current global scenario of the pandemic that has not yet ceased its effects, the study suggested decisive theoretical and practical implications. Accordingly, findings extended the current trends in occupational health psychology research, with special reference to the mainstream topic “work and COVID-19” in the Italian context. Finally, results can give suggestions to companies engaged in managing change, recommending that they build a collaborative workplace at the individual and collective level to implement job crafting interventions and enrich the personal and organizational resources of workers, which is useful cope with the current demands.


Author(s):  
Bukurie Lila

Media is one of the main agents of socialization that affects youth the most. Young adults are majority time are surrounded by the media, which brings me to my main question, "How is Mass Media Affecting Socialization in Children and Young Adults in Albania?" To understand this question one must know and understand what socialization is. The socialization process is a very dramatic impact on a child's life. Socialization is a "Continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity and learns the norms, values, behavior, and social skills appropriate to his or her social position". Mass media has enormous effects on our attitudes and behavior which makes it an important contributor to the socialization process. in some ways mass media can serve as a positive function. It helps there to be more diversity, we can learn more about things that are going on in different countries. It can help you learn new things you did not know. Sadly Media can serve as a negative function in young people life. Young people want to be accepted by society and the media creates the ideal image that tells you what the characteristics are to be accepted and to be able to fit in with society. They show what you should look like, how you can look like this, and where to go to buy these things that will make you look right. This is why many young women deal with anorexia because they want to look like the ideal type that the media displays. Media also influences young people to misbehave. Media shows that being deviant makes you cool and look tough and that it's okay to do deviant things. Statistics show that when young people watch violence on television it increases their appetites to become involved in violence. It opens their minds to violence and makes them aware of crimes and people acting deviant. Many people think that the media does not play a role in the socialization process as much as family, peers and education. But in fact the media plays a strong role in the socialization process. The aim of this study is to see the positive and negative effects that the Albanian media plays in the socialization process in Albania.


2002 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 445-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodora Papatheodorou

Overall research findings have revealed that the school environment both immediate and in the wider sense of the community does play a role in pupils' academic and behavioural outcomes. The present article aims to discuss pupils' experiences of, and suggestions for, the physical environment of the school which they attend. A case study was conducted in the United Kingdom in a primary school located in an area that is characterised by high levels of economic and social deprivation. Methods of collecting data included documentary evidence, interviews, observations, focus groups and pupils' drawings and designs. The study findings have shown that there are great concerns about pupils' learning and behavioural outcomes and that the school experiences overcrowding conditions as well as lack of space and facilities that provide opportunities for creative activities. The pupils themselves also showed awareness about the limitations of their school environment and their discussions revealed the physical environment to be of considerable importance to their experience of learning. The implications of the study findings for teachers, policy makers and budget holders will be highlighted.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 625-645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leandra Parris ◽  
Jesslynn Rocha Neves ◽  
Tamika La Salle

Student perceptions of school climate have been linked to a number of outcome variables; specifically, more positive perceptions of school climate are associated with academic achievement, social and emotional wellness, and reduced risky behaviors. Considering student perceptions of school climate can help to guide the selection and implementation of culturally-responsive, targeted school improvement efforts. Further, the ways that students experience and perceive the school environment have been shown to vary based on student reported racial/ethnic identity. In the present study, moderation analyses established a significant impact of school diversity (i.e., high diversity or low diversity) on the relationship between student race/ethnicity, perceptions of school climate, and associated subscales including school connectedness, peer and adult support, and cultural awareness. Contrary to prior research, as school diversity increased, perceptions of school climate decreased, with Asian participants least affected. Implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document