How Can Dogs and Cats Help to Cure Human Cancers?

Like their owners, dogs and cats can be affected by several types of cancer, and some types are very similar to those seen in people. Unfortunately, there is still no cure for several types of cancer. How can humans’ best friends help? If a new therapy to fight cancer works well in pets, it is likely to also be effective in people with the same type of cancer. Scientists, medical doctors, and animal doctors are working together to develop new therapies that destroy cancer cells and save patients. Since the characteristics of certain types of cancer are very similar between humans and pets, new medicines that work in pet dogs or cats may also benefit human patients. Studying these “human-like” cancers in pets may speed up the development of effective anti-cancer drugs and will help to cure not only more dogs and cats, but also people with cancer.

USA and Portuguese Young Adolescents’ Perceived Qualities and Satisfaction in Their Relationships with Mothers, Fathers and Best-Friends

Background: Few researchers have examined young adolescents’ perceived qualities and satisfaction in their relationships with their mothers, fathers and best friends simultaneously, using a cross-cultural perspective. This study aimed to compare the perceived qualities and satisfaction of USA and Portuguese adolescents in their relationships with their parents and best friends and to examine the influence of perceived relationship qualities on the satisfaction of young adolescents with their close relationships. Methods: The sample consisted of 347 USA adolescents (170 boys, 177 girls) and 360 Portuguese adolescents (176 boys, 184 girls) who completed the Network of Relationships Inventory Social Provision Version to assess perceived support, negativity, power balance and satisfaction in their relationships with their mothers, fathers and same-sex best friends. Results: Adolescents from both countries perceived their relationships with parents to be more negative and imbalanced in power than their relationships with friends, but the magnitude of differences was greater in the USA. Furthermore, USA adolescents reported higher satisfaction in their relationships with friends than in their relationships with parents. Country differences in the concomitants of relationship satisfaction were found. Conclusions: These findings support the notion that young adolescents’ perceived qualities and satisfaction in close relationships may differ depending on cultural norms.

Latinx children’s race- and ethnicity-related identities, beliefs, and preferences

The study of Latinx children’s race- and ethnicity-related identity, beliefs, and preferences has the potential to contribute to theoretical models and policy recommendations concerning intergroup attitudes and relations. We examined a host of such constructs among Latinx children ( N = 61; 72% girls) living in the Southwest US, ranging from 6 to 11 years ( M = 8.45, SD = 1.39). With the goal of assessing individual, group, and age-related variation within—and relations across—measures, we assessed racial/ethnic: (a) identity (i.e., self-categorization, centrality), (b) beliefs (stereotypes, perceived parental social distance), and (c) preferences (friendship choices, social distance). Results indicated that children held more positive attitudes toward Latinx and White children than toward Black children. Children who felt more comfortable around Latinx individuals had more Latinx best friends, and those children who felt that race/ethnicity was an important part of their identity were more likely to report having no Black best friends, suggesting that parents and teachers should discuss race/ethnicity in ways that dispel potential anti-Black prejudice and encourage cross-race/ethnicity friendship.

From Best Friends to Silent Ends: Exploring the Concepts of Ghosting in Non-Romantic Relationships

Ghosting is a popular term in mass media that has continued to baffle many with its ambiguity as a dissolution strategy. Multiple studies in the past have explored ghosting within romantic relationships, examining how this dissolution strategy has impacted the two parties involved: the initiator (ghoster) and the non-initiator (ghostee). However, it has been stated that ghosting can exist outside of romantic relationships as it may also occur within friendships or even if the relationship is questionably nonexistent. The objectives of the paper seek to understand how ghosting happens within these non-romantic relationships, its effects on the initiators and non-initiators, and its possible differences when compared to romantic relationships. Semi-structured interviews were conducted through video communication platforms on thirty respondents ages 18-25 who have experienced ghosting or been ghosted by a friend. Through the use of descriptive phenomenological qualitative study, the results revealed that 1) ghosting in non-romantic relationships occurs on technology-mediated channels, 2) the initiators experienced post-dissolution feelings of regret, 3) the non-initiators experienced feelings of uncertainty, 4) ghosting a friend is more socially acceptable than ghosting a romantic partner, and, 5) ghosting is more frequent in non-romantic relationships due to the lower levels of commitment and expectations. Other recurring themes, such as the common reasons behind ghosting for the initiators and ghosting as a justifiable means of dissolving the relationship, were also found.

Emerging Adults’ Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Longitudinal Study on the Importance of Social Support

The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate emerging adults’ mental health before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether social support from mothers, fathers, and best friends moderated the change in mental health. Participants were 98 emerging adults (46% men) who were assessed prior to COVID-19 ( Mage = 20.60 years) and during the first lockdown ( Mage = 22.67 years). Results indicated that the pandemic did not uniformly lead to elevated levels of mental health problems, but instead depended on level of mental health problems prior to COVID-19 and the source of support. For emerging adults who already experienced more problems prior to COVID-19, more maternal support was related to decreases in general psychological distress and depressive symptoms, whereas more paternal support was related to increases in general psychological distress and depressive symptoms. Support from best friends were not associated with (changes in) mental health.

Pants-tastic performances

Claire Freedman is a highly successful author of many entertaining picture books for young children, featuring pants-obsessed aliens and dinosaurs, best friends Oliver and Patch, and lots of different monsters.