Unequal Opportunities and Individual Achievements: Effect of Family Background

Equal opportunity theory is based on the idea that inequality of individual achievements is a complex phenomenon. It is formed by two groups of factors: (1) one's own decisions and efforts (inequality of efforts) and (2) circumstances beyond one's control (inequality of opportunities). Therefore, wealth inequality caused by effort factors (1) is fair and is not to be compensated for, whereas differences in welfare caused by objective circumstances (2) are unfair and should be compensable (the compensation principle). This paper introduces an assessment of circumstances associated with family background: composition, psychological atmosphere, well-being, occupation, education, etc. Parents' education and two-parent status appeared to be the most important circumstances. Respondents who grew up in a two-parent family with both biological parents had a higher income than those who grew up in one-parent families or with one biological and one stepparent. The low economic status of the parental family also proved to affect the well-being of grown-up children. Thus, efforts to provide equal opportunities can have a long-term effect on social inequality and build a more just society.

Socio-psychological characteristics of convicted persons who have committed violent and self-serving violent crimes

The problem of studying the socio-psychological characteristics of criminals who have committed violent and self-serving violent crimes is extremely relevant. This is due to its insufficient study, the high prevalence of convicts of this category in the population of convicts, the ability to understand the causes and origins of their criminal behavior. The aim of the research is to study the sociopsychological characteristics of convicts who have committed violent and self-serving violent crimes. According to the results obtained, the acceptance of responsibility for the committed crime is associated with the age of the offender (young convicts are more likely to attribute the blame for the committed criminal act to external circumstances). First-time convicts tend to deny the need for social support and show less desire for social contacts; their perception of life goals is less conscious, life is less meaningful compared to repeat offenders. The greater orientation of repeat offenders to social interaction and the perception of their own life as meaningful are considered as associated with the conscious acceptance of criminal values and the commission of criminal acts. The features of the relations of convicts in the parental family are related to the parameters of their further life: constructive employment at the time of detention, the level of education, the available family status, the severity of the crime committed.

Association between dementia parental family history and mid-life modifiable risk factors for dementia: a cross-sectional study using propensity score matching within the Lifelines cohort

ObjectiveIndividuals with a parental family history (PFH) of dementia have an increased risk to develop dementia, regardless of genetic risks. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between a PFH of dementia and currently known modifiable risk factors for dementia among middle-aged individuals using propensity score matching (PSM).DesignA cross-sectional study.Setting and participantsA subsample of Lifelines (35–65 years), a prospective population-based cohort study in the Netherlands was used.Outcome measuresFourteen modifiable risk factors for dementia and the overall Lifestyle for Brain Health (LIBRA) score, indicating someone’s potential for dementia risk reduction (DRR).ResultsThe study population included 89 869 participants of which 10 940 (12.2%) had a PFH of dementia (mean (SD) age=52.95 (7.2)) and 36 389 (40.5%) without a PFH of dementia (mean (SD) age=43.19 (5.5)). Of 42 540 participants (47.3%), PFH of dementia was imputed. After PSM, potential confounding variables were balanced between individuals with and without PFH of dementia. Individuals with a PFH of dementia had more often hypertension (OR=1.19; 95% CI 1.14 to 1.24), high cholesterol (OR=1.24; 95% CI 1.18 to 1.30), diabetes (OR=1.26; 95% CI 1.11 to 1.42), cardiovascular diseases (OR=1.49; 95% CI 1.18 to 1.88), depression (OR=1.23; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.41), obesity (OR=1.14; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.20) and overweight (OR=1.10; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.17), and were more often current smokers (OR=1.20; 95% CI 1.14 to 1.27) and ex-smokers (OR=1.21; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.27). However, they were less often low/moderate alcohol consumers (OR=0.87; 95% CI 0.83 to 0.91), excessive alcohol consumers (OR=0.93; 95% CI 0.89 to 0.98), socially inactive (OR=0.84; 95% CI 0.78 to 0.90) and physically inactive (OR=0.93; 95% CI 0.91 to 0.97). Having a PFH of dementia resulted in a higher LIBRA score (RC=0.15; 95% CI 0.11 to 0.19).ConclusionWe found that having a PFH of dementia was associated with several modifiable risk factors. This suggests that middle-aged individuals with a PFH of dementia are a group at risk and could benefit from DRR. Further research should explore their knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards DRR, and whether they are willing to assess their risk and change their lifestyle to reduce dementia risk.

THE IMPACT OF FAMILY COMPOSITION ON FORMATION OF ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S FUTURE FAMILY IMAGE

Parental family is a first social individual environment, a socialization environment. Children learn life standards from their family, “community standards” from society and perceive culture through their parents. Precisely in the family a person receives first family experience, assimilates rules and norms of behavior. Parental family becomes the most approachable observation instance and as per several conditions – inheritance pattern. Presence of family in a child’s life affects the personality of adolescents and forms the idea of their future family. As well as extended one, single parent family can also affect adolescent’s future family image, which they intend to start. Single mothers use to make the situation worse as for the problems connected with father’s absence in family life, thus forming child’s negative attitude towards the father, and thereafter to their gender – for boys, and opposite sex – for girls. Presently main features of traditional male role in a family and their contribution to the implementation of household duties are criticized by women. This forced scientists to pay greater attention to problems connected with role of man and father. It is established, that in traditional men’s social role there are several aspects that are being actively imposed on and supported namely by women. Mostly these stereotypes are connected with social role of “father and mother” in the modern family. Periods of family development (“a family that is awaiting a child”, “a family with a newborn baby”, “a family with a pre-school child”, “a schoolchild’s family”, “a family with a child of high school age”) were analyzed, and functions of all family members were described in this research. Maximizing the selected range of functions will provide sustainability on all stages of family development. Focus is on lighting attitudes of scientists regarding the image of the family and its impact on children’s socialization.

A THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS

The academic performance of student is influenced by several factors. Studies have been conducted in the field of educational data mining to find out what all the factors are that have an effect on a student's academic performance. There are many factors that can have an effect on a student's academic success, but our study aims to find the main factors that can have an effect on a student's academic performance. Predicting student performance becomes more difficult due to the large volume of information in academic databases. The responsibility of the teacher increases, she must be attentive to the activities and behavior of the student. To facilitate the work of a teacher, this study attempted to identify some factors that affect the academic performance of students. Our study could bring benefits and impacts to students, educators/teachers, and tutoring institutions. The factors investigated in this study are: student base knowledge, socio-economic status, college/school environment, environment pollution, teachers’ support, parental/family support, friend circle and health.

Three Regimes of Gender Citizenship: Social Policy Experience of Three Generations of Russian Women

The article is devoted to the analysis of ideas of women belonging to three generations about their rights. Women’s rights are considered as part of the concept of gender citizenship, which includes ideologically and institutionalized ideas about normative gender contract for women, as well as their own meanings and values that they attribute to their status as recipients of social policy. The empirical basis of this study is composed of 45 biographical interviews with women of three generations (1950s, 1970s and 1990s years of birth). The interview guide also contained questions about parental family, education, professional activity, family and parenting, housing, organization of recreation and medical services, and retirement benefits. Based on the analysis of biographical narratives, the authors identify three modes of gender citizenship that are typical for women of three generations. 1) The mode of receiving support and benefits from the state is built through receiving support from the state as workers and mothers within the framework of social policy and is built on the subjective assessment by women of the ratio of their labor and reproductive contribution and the amount of assistance received from the state. 2) The regime of self-sufficiency and market consumption of goods relevant for women of the middle generation with experience of socialization and the beginning of working life in the period of post-Soviet transformations. In a broad sense, they see the market as the main source of well-being, which determines their solidarity with the values of the neoliberal economy and forms in them the skills of competent consumers of a wide variety of goods and services. 3) The regime of demanding support and active consumption of social goods and services is built on the basis of a proactive and individualized position of women in relation to such sources of well-being as the state and the market. Representatives of the younger generation not only have their own experience of gender discrimination, but also actively use feminist optics to define and interpret various life situations in terms of gender inequality as structurally determined differences in the life strategies of men and women.

Theoretical analisis of the causes of jealousy

The purpose of the article. Theoretical analysis of the causes and manifestations of jealousy. Methodology. The basis of the study is a theoretical analysis, synthesis, generalization, systematization of available scientific literature on the subject. Results. Theoretical analysis of scientific works clarified psychological features and factors of jealousy in marital partners. Scientists identify the leading factors of jealousy of marriage partners personal characteristics, in particular: inadequate self-esteem, self-doubt, inferiority complex, as well as mental and neurotic personality disorders, abuse of alcohol, drugs, various psychoactive substances; jealousy of the traitor, which arise for self-defense; provocative games and flirting partner; negative previous experience of close relationships, in particular experiences of infidelity and marital infidelity in the relationship. Among the causes of jealousy are demographic, socio-psychological and individual-psychological one. Demographic factors are identified by age and gender. The presence of siblings, the order of birth in the family, the model of the parental family, etc. belong to the group of socio-psychological reasons. The group of individual psychological factors that influence the emergence and manifestation of jealousy is represented by the emotional sphere of personality (sentimentality, passion, affectivity, stress) and its psychological guidelines, inertia of mental processes, human self-esteem, value orientations. Practical implications. The need to study jealousy, is the importance of knowing the nature and causes of their appearance in the process of psychological counseling of spouses who are on the verge of divorce due to jealousy. Theoretical materials can be used in the training process of the courses “Psychology of personality”, “Age Psychology”, “Differential Psychology”, “Family Psychology”, “Fundamentals psychological correction”. Theoretical generalizations and conclusions can be used in the implementation of psychological advising marriage partners on problems arising from jealousy marital relations. Originality/value. Theoretical substantiation of the problem of the causes and manifestations of jealousy allows us to conclude that jealousy is characterized as a complex psychological phenomenon related to the sphere of feelings and, depending on their features, is accompanied by different emotions. Key words: emotions, feelings, jealousy, causes of jealousy, demographic causes of jealousy, socio-psychological causes of jealousy, individual-psychological causes.

Parental Family Violence and Mental Health among parents and their offspring in the Southern Province, Rwanda

Background Children who witness violence between parents have an elevated risk of developing mental disorders as well as being victims or perpetrator of family violence (FV) in their future relationships when compared with children from non-violent family. Objectives To assess links between both parental FV and mental disorders, and mental disorders in their offspring. Methods One hundred and thirty eight (138) participants dispatched in two categories: spouses/partners (N: 89; 40 Males) and offspring (N: 49; 20 Males) have been recruited from eight District Police Unities (DPU) of the Rwandan Southern Province to participate in this cross-sectional study during a 7 months period. This study used the student “t” to examine the links between parental FV and mental disorders in offspring. Results Parental FV was linked with PTSD, psychopathic and addiction behavior symptoms in offspring. Parental anxious attachment was linked with anxiety and addiction behavior symptoms in offspring and the risk of being perpetrator or victims of FV. Parental avoidant attachment was linked with depression symptoms in offspring. Further, both parental low self-esteem and PTSD were linked with depression and PTSD symptoms in offspring. Conclusion The results indicate that FV and mental disorders experienced by parents seem to affect offspring’s mental health and generate specific mental disorders. Therefore, the intervention programs should focus on the treatment of both parental and children mental disorders. Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2020;3(3):291-314