Indicators Of Psychosocial Adjustment Research Articles

Trajectories of care leavers according to indicators of psychosocial adjustment: A cohort analysis

BackgroundThe study of the trajectories of care leavers regarding their involvement with a series of public services and institutions contributes to identify some indicators of psychosocial adjustment and therefor make proposals of improvement in their transitions into adulthood. ObjectivesThe present study aims to contribute to knowledge in this regard and the objectives focus on analysing the relationship of care leavers once they become adults with (i) the child protection system as parents, (ii) the penitentiary system, and (iii) residential resources for people with disabilities, analysing the results according to gender, country of origin, type of foster care when they were minors, type of support received as young care leavers and years in care. MethodWith a pioneering study in Spain, we analyse cohort of former looked-after young people from the Autonomous Community of Catalonia born between 1983 and 1993 (N = 8334), based on the analysis of official records. Bivariate data analysis and three logistic regression models was carried out. Results and conclusionsThe results indicate that despite experiencing higher rates of vulnerability in these three areas compared to the general population, it is notable that the majority of this population with a care background overcome adversity without displaying any of these indicators. Differences by the variables of gender, type of placement and support received are discussed to help identify factors influencing the life pathways of former looked-after youth.

Early Family Experiences, Drug Use, and Psychosocial Adjustment across the Life Span: Is Parental Strictness Always a Protective Factor?

Objective: This study analyzes whether parental strictness, which is shared by authoritative parenting (strictness and warmth) and authoritarian parenting (strictness without warmth) styles, always acts as a main protective factor against drug use and psychosocial maladjustment in children. This conclusion has already been stated in numerous classic studies, though emergent research suggests that there are benefits to parental warmth regardless of whether strictness is present or not. Method: Sample were 2,095 Spanish participants (1,227 females, 58.6%), 581 adolescent children (aged 12-18 years, 27.7%) and 1,514 adult children (72.3%). The measures were the main parenting style dimensions (warmth and strictness), drug use, and a set of indicators of psychosocial adjustment. A 4 × 2 × 4 MANOVA was applied for all outcomes with parenting style, sex, and age as independent variables. Results: Indulgent parenting (warmth without strictness) was related to less drug use than parenting without warmth (authoritarian and neglectful). Additionally, indulgent and authoritative parenting styles were related to better scores on psychosocial adjustment than authoritarian and neglectful styles, although the indulgent parenting was the only style related to the optimal scores being equal or even more effective than the authoritative style. Conclusion: Contrary to classical studies, present findings suggest that it is the parental warmth instead of the parental strictness that seems to be effective in protecting against drug use and psychosocial maladjustment.

Looking beyond time alone: An examination of solitary activities in emerging adulthood.

Solitude represents an important context for emerging adults' well-being; but to date, little is known about how emerging adults spend their time alone. The goals of this study were to: (1) describe and characterize solitary activities among emerging adults attending university; (2) examine links between solitary activities and indices of adjustment; and (3) explore the moderating role of affinity for solitude in these associations. Participants were N = 1798 university students aged 18-25 years (Mage = 19.73, SD = 1.46; 59.7% female) who completed assessments of how/why they spend time alone and indices of psychosocial adjustment (e.g., well-being, psychological distress, loneliness, and aloneliness). Emerging adults who spent time alone predominantly thinking reported poor adjustment outcomes (i.e., higher loneliness and psychological distress, and lower well-being) and dissatisfaction with solitude, whereas those who engaged in active leisure activities or passive technology use while alone reported lower psychological distress and higher satisfaction with solitude. The negative implications of doing nothing were not attenuated at higher levels of affinity for solitude. These findings suggest that some solitary activities are more beneficial than others.

Social Interaction Profiles Among Youth with Intellectual Disabilities: Associations with Indicators of Psychosocial Adjustment.

This study investigates the nature of the social interaction profiles observed among youth with intellectual disabilities (ID), defined while considering their relationships with their parents, peers, and teachers, as well as the implication of these profiles for self-esteem, aggressive behaviors, and prosocial behaviors. A sample of 393 youth with mild (48.2%) to moderate (51.8%) levels of ID, aged between 11 and 22 (M = 15.70), was recruited in Canada (n = 141) and Australia (n = 253). Our results revealed four profiles, corresponding to Socially Isolated (23.24%), Socially Integrated (39.83%), Socially Rejected (28.37%) and Socially Connected (8.57%) youth with ID. The socially integrated and connected profiles both presented higher self-esteem, more prosocial behaviors, and less aggressive behaviors than the socially isolated and rejected profiles.

Evaluating Links between Social Withdrawal Motivations and Indices of Psychosocial Adjustment among Norwegian Emerging Adults

Social withdrawal is the behavioral tendency to remove oneself from social situations – a tendency that often contributes to reductions in individuals’ mental health. The current study evaluated the links between different motivations for social withdrawal (shyness, unsociability, social avoidance) and indices of psychosocial adjustment in a Norwegian sample of emerging adults. Participants were N = 194 Norwegian university students who completed self-report measures of life satisfaction, loneliness, and depressive symptoms, as well as withdrawal motivations. Among the results, a newly translated version of the Social Preference Scale-Revised (SPS-R) was validated for use in Norway. Findings showed that shyness was uniquely and positively associated with loneliness and depressive symptoms, as well as lower life satisfaction, whereas social avoidance was positively associated with depressive symptoms. Unsociability was uniquely linked to lower levels of loneliness and depressive symptoms. Findings provide novel information about the psychosocial correlates of social withdrawal motivations during emerging adulthood in the under-explored cultural context of Norway. Understanding nuances in the correlates of different motivations may aid in the development of culturally and developmentally sensitive interventions.

A Longitudinal Investigation of Observed Adolescent Text-Based Sexting and Adjustment.

Despite strong concerns that sexting poses risks for adolescents' well-being, previous research finds mixed results. Moreover, these studies rely heavily on self-report measures and cross-sectional designs. This study utilizes observational methods to examine longitudinal relations between text-based sexting and both negative and positive indicators of psychosocial adjustment. An ethnically diverse sample of 197 adolescents was provided smartphones that captured their text messages across high school, from 2008-2012. Two, two-day samples of text messages from grades 9-12 were content-coded (468,201 total observations). Sexting was defined as sending and receiving text-based statements about past, present, or hypothetical sexual behaviors occurring between dyadic texting partners. Each year, adolescents reported on negative (internalizing, externalizing, and social problems; borderline personality features) and positive (life satisfaction, group belongingness, and positive self-perceptions) indicators of their psychosocial adjustment. Using concurrent and longitudinal multilevel models, greater sexting at one time point than one's average (within-person) was only associated with lower levels of group belongingness within the same year. For girls only, text-based sexting more than others on average (between-person) was related to increased externalizing symptoms and borderline personality disorder features, as well as decreased life satisfaction, group belongingness, self-perceived social competence, and global self-worth. No within-person differences by gender emerged, nor did longitudinal associations. Future studies and intervention efforts should examine when and why higher sexting might be related to psychosocial problems among girls.

The impact of student-athlete social identity on psychosocial adjustment during a challenging educational transition

Student-athletes in their first-year transition to university experience many psychological and social stressors as they balance multiple commitments. Our study examined whether a student-athlete social identity affected psychosocial adjustment as students transition to postsecondary, and whether it acted by reducing stress to foster academic adjustment. Student-athletes enrolled in an introductory psychology course at a Canadian university (n = 331) were recruited. We assessed whether a relationship existed between student-athlete social identity and key academic indicators of psychosocial adjustment (perceived control, perceived stress, learning-related anxiety); and whether ratings of perceived stress mediated the relationship between student-athlete social identity and psychosocial adjustment measures five-months later. Our findings revealed that student-athlete social identity (a) predicted psychosocial adjustment later in the course; and (b) indirectly enhanced academic control and lowered negative emotions via reductions in perceived stress. This study offers insights on how social identities may promote positive adjustment during the critical transition to university.

Self-rated mental and physical health are prospectively associated with psychosocial and academic adjustment to college

Objective To examine prospective associations between physical and mental self-rated health (SRH), college generation status and college adjustment among first-year college students. Participants and methods: Eighty-seven first-year college students (41 first-generation college students) reported their SRH when starting college, and then, reported on psychosocial and academic adjustment and health behaviors midway through each semester. Results: Better physical and mental SRH were associated with better psychosocial adjustment in both semesters and academic adjustment in the fall but were generally not predictive of health behaviors. Specifically, better physical SRH was associated with less loneliness (fall: B = −.192, p = .048; spring: B = −.233, p = .008) and fewer anxiety symptoms in both semesters (fall: B = −.236, p = .011; spring: B = −.210, p = .014) and fewer depressive symptoms (fall: B = −.134, p = .016) and more fall semester credits (B = .965, p = .002). Better mental SRH was associated with greater sense of belonging (fall: B = .317, p < .001; spring: B = .242, p = .009), less loneliness (fall: −.210, p = .008; spring: B = −.181, p = .012), and fewer anxiety symptoms (fall: −.193, p = .011; spring: −.195, p = .006) in both semesters and higher fall semester grade point average (B = .129, p = .032). Independent effects of physical and mental SRH are also discussed. Largely, college generation status did not matter for college adjustment within this sample. Conclusions: Physical and mental SRH when starting college may be important indicators of psychosocial adjustment over the first year and academic adjustment in the fall.

Does Dyadic Coping Predict Couples' Postpartum Psychosocial Adjustment? A Dyadic Longitudinal Study.

The way couples jointly manage pregnancy-related demands may prevent both members from experiencing psychosocial maladjustment after childbirth. This study examined (a) changes in dyadic coping (DC) and indicators of psychosocial adjustment [depressive and anxiety symptoms and quality of life (QoL)] from the second trimester of pregnancy (T1) to 6 weeks postpartum (T2), (b) the actor and partner effects of DC at T1 on couples’ adjustment at T2, and (c) whether changes in DC over time would be associated with changes in the adjustment of both women and their partners. This study adopted a prospective quantitative dyadic longitudinal design. A total of 303 couples from Portugal answered self-report questionnaires assessing DC, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and QoL at T1, of which 290 were contacted at T2 to complete the same measures (n = 138 couples returned the questionnaires). Results showed that first-time fathers’ QoL and both first and experienced fathers’ stress communication decreased over time, as did common DC (i.e., the way couples cope together with stress) perceived by both partners. First-time mothers reported higher increases in negative DC. The more positive DC the women provided to men at T1, the higher the internalizing symptoms of women at T2; the more the women communicated stress at T1, the higher the internalizing symptoms of men at T2. Both partners’ common DC at T1 positively predicted their QoL at T2. The larger the decrease in common DC over time, the greater the increase in internalizing symptoms of couples and the greater the decrease in their QoL. These findings suggest that DC strategies should be considered into the psychosocial care of couples becoming parents, as a relevant coping resource that partners could use to help each other in situations of stress. More than (exclusively) encouraging the men’s role as support providers, couples should be encouraged to reserve time for one another, to discuss each other’s concerns, and to seek for solutions as a team. These strategies should be promoted before, and fostered after, childbirth. Likewise, clinicians should be aware that partners might not feel equally comfortable with specific DC strategies and then should be carefully addressed among couples.

Validation of the Arabic and Hebrew versions of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS)

IntroductionThe Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS; Crocetti, Rubini, & Meeus, 2008) is a self-report scale that can be applied to measure three identity processes (commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment) in specific domains. The current study was aimed at testing the applicability of the U-MICS in two new languages: Arabic and Hebrew. Specifically, we (a) tested the fit of the three-factor structure; (b) examined measurement invariance of the Arabic and Hebrew versions; and (c) investigated convergent validity by relating the identity processes (commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment) to multiple indicators of psychosocial adjustment (self-esteem, prosocial behaviors, and delinquency). MethodsParticipants were 314 Arab and 386 Jewish adolescents living in Israel (N = 770; 54.7% girls; Mage = 13.79, SDage = 0.51, age-range = 12–15). Assessments of identity processes, self-esteem, and delinquency were collected using self-report measures, while prosocial behaviors were measured through peer nominations. ResultsThe results highlighted that (a) the three-factor model fit the data excellently in the total sample as well as in Arab and Jewish samples; (b) hierarchical levels of measurement invariance (configural, metric, and scalar), as well as invariance of covariances, could be clearly established; and (c) convergent validity was demonstrated by showing meaningful associations between identity processes and indicators of psychosocial functioning. ConclusionsThis study indicates that the U-MICS is a reliable instrument for assessing identity processes in Arabic and Hebrew-speaking adolescents.

Ajuste psicosocial de adolescentes agresores a través del teléfono móvil y de internet

El presente estudio tiene como objetivo principal analizar el perfil psicosocial de adolescentesagresores de cyberbullying, teniendo en cuenta los siguientes indicadores de ajuste psicosocial:satisfacción con la vida, reputación social no conformista y conductas antisociales dentro y fueradel contexto escolar. La muestra está formada por 896 estudiantes españoles (49.7% chicos y50.3% chicas), de edades comprendidas entre los 11 y los 19 años (M = 13.9, DT = 1.5). Seencuentran diferencias significativas entre los grupos de ciberagresores y no agresores; losciberagresores severos, seguidos de los cibereagresores ocasionales, muestran el ajuste psicosocial más conflictivo en todas las variables analizadas, y los adolescentes no agresores el ajuste más adaptado. Estos resultados proporcionan información relevante sobre la importancia del ajuste psicosocial en la prevención e intervención del ciberacoso.

A controlled study of the Collaborative Care Skills Workshops versus Psycho-educational Workshops among Spanish caregivers of relatives with an eating disorder.

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that a negative reaction to the illness would be reduced through the "Collaborative Care Skills Workshops" programme among Spanish caregivers of relatives with an eating disorder. Caregivers were randomly allocated to either the skill-based workshops (n=32) or psycho-educational workshops (n=31), and assessments were carried out over time (T0 vs. T1 vs. T2 ). There were no significant differences between interventions on primary or secondary caregiver outcomes or among the patients themselves. However, caregivers in both interventions showed greater improvement at T2 on accommodating and enabling behaviours and an improvement at T1 in terms of psychological distress and appraisals towards the caregiving experience. Eating pathology, psychological distress, and some indices of psychosocial adjustment were significantly lower among the patients following both interventions (T1 ). Overall, both interventions may be able to help caregivers and patients to decrease their psychological distress. HIGHLIGHTS: Involvement of family members in the treatment could be the best resource for aiding in their relative's recovery. This is the first controlled study to test the effectiveness of the Collaborative Care Skills Workshops in Spanish caregivers. Both interventions could be implemented as both help Spanish caregivers and patients.

Regulação das emoções na infância: Delimitação e definição

Este artigo faz uma revisão conceptual e teórica da regulação das emoções, assim como de estudos empíricos associados a correlatos e indicadores de ajustamento psicossocial. No âmbito da Psicologia do Desenvolvimento, este artigo pretende contribuir para a clarificação da definição e delimitação da regulação das emoções na infância. Começamos por fazer uma resenha histórica do seu estudo; de seguida, procuramos delimitar o conceito de outros que lhe são contíguos (e.g., coping e inteligência emocional), para, depois, apresentar uma definição em função de várias problemáticas relevantes ao tema (e.g., regulação das emoções e regulação emocional; autorregulação e regulação externa das emoções).

Facebook: Risks and Opportunities in Brazilian and Portuguese Youths with Different Levels of Psychosocial Adjustment

This study aimed to assess the risks and opportunities associated with Facebook usage and to explore the moderating role of psychosocial (mal)adjustment, nationality and age in these relationships. This correlational study involved a sample of 452 Brazilian and 500 Portuguese youths, aged between 14 and 20 years. Results showed that these youths spent a daily average of 61-120 minutes on Facebook, three to four times per week, displaying a positive attitude towards its use. These characteristics were most notable in the Brazilian youths [t(950) = 5.64, p < .001; t(950) = -5.07, p < .001; and t(950) = - 6.85, p < .001, respectively]. The Portuguese youths ran more risks than the Brazilians [t(950) = 6.36, p < .001], but both youths equally enjoyed the opportunities. In the case of the Portuguese youths, the risks and opportunities were moderated by the frequency of use, in other words "the higher the usage, the more risks and opportunities" (β = -.235 p < .001and β = -.167, p < .001, respectively). The psychosocial adjustment indicators did not moderate the effects of Facebook usage habits in risks and opportunities. The less psychosocially adjusted youths were those who ran more risks and also made the most of the opportunities. The results are discussed in light of the role of psychological, socio-cultural and developmental factors.

Ability emotional intelligence and its relation to aggression across time and age groups.

Emotional Intelligence (EI) has been associated with several indicators of psychosocial adjustment, including aggressive behavior, but the relevant research has been mostly cross-sectional, focused on adults, and limited to trait EI measures (García-Sancho, Salguero & Fernández-Berrocal, 2014; Mayer, Roberts & Barsade, ). The present work explored the relationship between Ability Emotional Intelligence (AEI) and aggression in both adults and adolescents using cross-sectional and longitudinal designs. We conducted two studies. Study 1 aimed to provide preliminary evidence about the relationship between AEI and aggression in adults. As literature has shown personality traits act as a strong predictor of aggression, study 1 also examined the potential incremental validity of AEI beyond personality traits in 474 undergraduate students (M=22.76, SD=5.13). The results indicated AEI explains a significant amount of unique variance for physical aggression, but not for verbal aggression after controlling personality traits. Study 2 aimed a longitudinal analysis of the relationship between EI and aggression in 151 adolescents (M=14.74, SD=0.84). AEI predicted physical aggression over time, but it did not predict verbal aggression. Results from both studies suggest a negative and significant relationship between AEI and physical aggression, however contrary our expectations, it did not for verbal aggression. These results highlight the important explanatory role of emotional abilities in physical aggressive conducts and the implications of these findings are discussed.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS AND PSYCHOSOCIAL ADAPTATION DURING ADOLESCENCE

This study examines associations between different aspects of romantic involvement and psychosocial adaptation during adolescence. 901 students (432 boys, 469 girls) aged 12 to 17 years, who have been involved in at least one romantic relationship, answered questionnaires aimed at measuring ten parameters of romantic involvement (interest, age at the time of the first romance, average age of the partners, number of romantic relationships, number of broken hearts, average duration of relationship, duration of a recent, more significant relationship, time spent each week out of the school in this relationship, current romantic status, sexually active or not) and four indices of psychosocial adjustment (performance at school, body image, self-esteem, behavioural problems).

Análisis psicométrico de la Escala de Ajuste Escolar Percibido por el Profesor (PROF-A)

Teachers’ perception of their students’ school adjustment can be an important indicator of psychosocial well-being and provide useful information for the development of interventions to improve their psychosocial adjustment. This is the reason why it is essential within the school adjustment to consider not only students’ academic achievement but also their level of social integration in the classroom, the quality of their relationship with the teacher, and the level of family involvement in their education. The objective of this research is to provide a reliable instrument for measuring a full school adjustment and analyze its relationship with two important indicators of psychosocial adjustment, self-concept and attitudes toward authority. This study involved 87 teachers who assessed the school adjustment of students (N = 2378 adolescents) using the PROF-A scale. Findings show that this scale consists of four factors, social integration, academic competence, family involvement, and teacher-student relationship, showing significant positive correlations with self-concept and positive attitudes toward authority.

Psychological profile of adolescent cyberbullying aggressors / Perfil psicosocial de adolescentes agresores de cyberbullying

The aim of this study was to analyse adolescent cyberbullying aggressors’ psychosocial profiles, taking into account the psychosocial adjustment indicators of life satisfaction, non-conforming reputation, antisocial behaviours at school and antisocial behaviours in the community. The sample was made up of 877 Spanish students (48.6% boys and 51.4% girls) aged 11 to 17 (M = 13.8, SD = 1.4). Three groups of adolescents were distinguished: severe cyberbullies, occasional cyberbullies and non-aggressor adolescents. Analysis of covariance results indicated differences between the two cyberbullying groups and non-aggressor adolescents. The severe cyberbullies, followed by occasional cyberbullies, showed the least adaptive psychosocial profiles, while non-aggressor adolescents obtained the most adaptive profiles. We also discuss the practical implications of these results.

Cumulative childhood risk and adult functioning in abused and neglected children grown up.

This paper examines the relationship between childhood exposure to cumulative risk and three indicators of psychosocial adjustment in adulthood (educational attainment, mental health, and criminal behavior) and tests three different models (linear, quadratic, and interaction). Data were collected over several time points from individuals who were part of a prospective cohort design study that matched children with documented cases of abuse and/or neglect with children without such histories and followed them into adulthood. Hierarchical multiple regressions compared linear and quadratic models and then examined potential moderating effects of child abuse/neglect and gender. Exposure to a greater number of childhood risk factors was significantly related to fewer years of education, more anxiety and depression symptomatology, and more criminal arrests in adulthood. The relationship between cumulative risk and years of education demonstrated a curvilinear pattern, whereas the relationship between cumulative risk and both mental health and criminal arrests was linear. Child abuse/neglect did not moderate these relationships, although there were direct effects for both child abuse/neglect and gender on criminal arrests, with more arrests for abused/neglected individuals than controls and more for males than females. Gender interacted with cumulative risk to impact educational attainment and criminal behavior, suggesting that interventions may be more effective if tailored differently for males and females. Interventions may need to be multifaceted and designed to address these different domains of functioning.

Electronic gaming and psychosocial adjustment.

The rise of electronic games has driven both concerns and hopes regarding their potential to influence young people. Existing research identifies a series of isolated positive and negative effects, yet no research to date has examined the balance of these potential effects in a representative sample of children and adolescents. The objective of this study was to explore how time spent playing electronic games accounts for significant variation in positive and negative psychosocial adjustment using a representative cohort of children aged 10 to 15 years. A large sample of children and adolescents aged 10 to 15 years completed assessments of psychosocial adjustment and reported typical daily hours spent playing electronic games. Relations between different levels of engagement and indicators of positive and negative psychosocial adjustment were examined, controlling for participant age and gender and weighted for population representativeness. Low levels (<1 hour daily) as well as high levels (>3 hours daily) of game engagement was linked to key indicators of psychosocial adjustment. Low engagement was associated with higher life satisfaction and prosocial behavior and lower externalizing and internalizing problems, whereas the opposite was found for high levels of play. No effects were observed for moderate play levels when compared with non-players. The links between different levels of electronic game engagement and psychosocial adjustment were small (<1.6% of variance) yet statistically significant. Games consistently but not robustly associated with children's adjustment in both positive and negative ways, findings that inform policy-making as well as future avenues for research in the area.