Peer Group Settings Research Articles

Diurnal cortisol levels at home and in out-of-home childcare between 2 and 5 years of age - Associations with child social competence - The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study

Prior research suggests that young children display higher cortisol levels in out-of-home childcare than at home. Social competence, such as prosocial or antisocial behavior, may affect stress regulation in a peer group setting. The aim of this study was to compare diurnal cortisol levels at home and in out-of-home childcare and examine the association between cortisol and child social competence. We hypothesized that differences in cortisol levels between home- and childcare day diminish along with child age from 2 to 5 years. Further, we assumed that lower prosocial and higher antisocial behavior would be positively associated with total diurnal cortisol in out-of-home childcare. A total of 108 children were drawn from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study. Four saliva cortisol samples were collected over two consecutive days (home day and childcare day) at 2, 3.5 and 5 years. Mothers reported child social competence by responding to Multisource Assessment of Child Social Competence at the age of 5. Contrary to expectations, total diurnal cortisol was not associated with child social competence. There were neither difference in cortisol levels between the home- and childcare day at the age of 5. Our earlier findings on the same study population showed higher afternoon cortisol levels during the childcare day at 2 and 3.5 years. However, such difference was no longer observed at the age of 5. More experience in out-of-home childcare, developed social competence and more matured self-regulation may explain the lack of such differences. Longitudinal analyzes are currently being examined.

Music, drama, and social development in Portuguese children.

Social competence plays a fundamental role in children's development, and in their functioning at school and in life. Social skills, as learned behaviors that allow children to positively interact with others, are important for success in both academic and peer-group settings. Children's participation in collective music and other arts education has been associated with the development of social skills. However, different measures and diverse programs adopted in various studies make it difficult to contrast study findings. Additionally, research with children from low-income families remains scarce. The aim of this study was to examine the role of music and drama education programs in primary schools on the development of social skills of Portuguese children from disadvantaged communities. Both programs were carefully designed with performing, creating, and listening activities, and were delivered by specialist and experienced teachers/performers, who used active and participatory teaching strategies. In our longitudinal design with pre- and post-evaluations, we used the Social Skills Rating System or SSRS-Teacher Form, adapted for the Portuguese population. Classroom teachers rated their students' social skills on a 3-point scale in three domains: Social skills (Cooperation, Assertion, Self-control), Behavioral problems (Externalizing problems, Internalizing problems, Hyperactivity) and, on a 5-point scale, Academic competence. Our findings suggest that participation in music and drama programs during one school year improved children's assertion and self-control, and cooperation in the drama group. Participation in the music and drama programs also appeared to serve as a protective factor by reducing externalizing, internalizing and behavioral problems. These findings are discussed in light of previous studies along with limitations and directions for future research.

"A reinstilled hope that they can change": Facilitator perspectives on a self-care and health promotion peer group program for veterans.

This study assessed the relevance, value, and effectiveness of "Taking Charge of My Life and Health" (TCMLH), a patient wellbeing peer group program for U.S. veterans focused on empowering them to identify what really matters in their lives and to work toward health goals that align with their mission, aspirations, or purpose in life. The potential of TCMLH to empower veterans to engage in self-care behaviors, make health behavior changes, and participate in health care decision making is important, as veterans are more likely than the general population to suffer from multiple chronic conditions that require ongoing self-management. We conducted individual semi-structured interviews with 19 TCMLH facilitators serving in eight U.S. Veteran's Health Administration medical centers. Data were analyzed using an inductive approach to identify salient themes in facilitators' experiences. Facilitators reported that TCMLH participants demonstrated positive attitude changes (e.g., greater confidence and hope) and behavior changes (e.g., making healthcare appointments and implementing self-care practices) by program completion. Further, findings show that mindful awareness practices, the peer group setting, Whole Health assessment tools, and goal setting tools were perceived as the most impactful program elements leading to positive health behavior change. Overall, findings suggest that this non-clinical peer group program can enhance patient wellbeing, and that there are certain program elements of TCMLH that are driving key attitudinal and behavioral changes.

A qualitative exploration of park-based physical activity in adults with serious mental illness: Insights from peers and peer counselors

Statement of the problemPark-based physical activity (PA) is associated with positive health outcomes (social support, energy, self-esteem, mood, less depression). Integrating park-based PA into peer-led mental health services is an innovative approach that can address health disparities in persons with serious mental illness (SMI). Yet, to date, few PA interventions capitalize on peer counselor (PC) capacity, and none have focused on park-based PA. The purpose of this qualitative study was to ascertain the perspectives of adults with SMI and their counselors about park-based PA to inform the development of a park-based PA intervention lead by PCs. MethodsIn Spring/Summer 2018, we conducted six 1-h focus groups (FGs) with adults with SMI, and four 1-h FGs with PCs and social workers. Using the person-based approach framework, open-ended questions elicited information regarding peer PA behavior and park use, PA participation motives/barriers, and preference for park-based PA. PCs discussed knowledge and promotion of PA in peer group settings, willingness to lead PA activities, and feedback on intervention strategies. ResultsPeer FGs averaged 49 ± 8 min. Peer data were coded into three overarching themes: current PA, motivators, and barriers. Peer counselor FGs averaged 60 ± 5 min. Data were coded into five themes: current peer group PA, barriers to peer group PA, motivators for peer group PA, PA intervention recommendations, and implementation barriers. ConclusionPeers and PCs were interested in participating/leading in outdoor PA. Social support, motivation, PA self-efficacy, health concerns, weather, transportation, and PC training are important considerations for intervention development.

Sharing Reflections on Multisource Feedback in a Peer Group Setting: Stimulating Physicians' Professional Performance and Development.

Reflecting on and using feedback are important for physicians' continuous professional development (CPD). A common format is the discussion of multisource feedback (MSF) in a one-on-one session with a trusted peer or coach. A new approach is to discuss MSF during a peer group session moderated by a professional facilitator. This qualitative study explored how physicians experience participation in these peer group sessions in the context of their CPD. Between March and July 2018, 26 physicians were interviewed about their experiences in a peer group session. These physicians represented 13 monospecialty physician groups from 5 general hospitals in the Netherlands. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed iteratively, following the interpretative phenomenological approach. Participation was experienced as a process of disclosing and sharing personal reflections with peers while striking a balance between interpersonal proximity to and distance from peers. Sharing reflections with peers rendered the feedback more meaningful, deepened collegial relationships, and created a sense of urgency for improvement. Improvement goals were mostly related to relational fine-tuning in collaboration; goals related to individual career management remained in the background. Influential factors for the perceived effectiveness of the group sessions were related to the facilitator's expertise, group size, continuity and quality of collegial relationships, personal vulnerabilities, and the context of CPD policy. Peer group sessions offered interactivity and established a clear link between individual physicians and their work environments. Sharing reflections on MSF in a peer group setting provided physicians with nuanced insight into their professional performance and fostered a community spirit that supported the implementation of intended changes. Future research should focus on the role of group dynamics and communication strategies and the application of coaching principles, such as drawing up a detailed plan of action and monitoring the follow-up process.

Exercise Is Medicine For Mental Illness: Insights From Mental Health Professionals

PURPOSE: Serious mental illness (SMI) is a major public health concern linked with adverse outcomes (premature mortality, cardiovascular disease, obesity).1,2 Physical activity (PA) has effectively reduced health risks,3-6 yet challenges exist for effective PA treatment delivery and sustainability in SMI populations.7,8 Certified peer specialists (CPSs), trained persons with lived recovery experience working in mental health settings, offer a potentially sustainable and reimbursable delivery mechanism for Exercise Is Medicine (EIM) PA interventions.9 This study examined CPSs’ insights on the feasibility and acceptability of an EIM intervention in adults with SMI delivered in peer group settings. METHODS: Qualitative data were collected Spring/Summer 2018 through 4 focus groups of 3-6 people per group. CPSs were recruited through two behavioral health facilities in Kansas (n=11) and Georgia (n= 8). Semi-structured focus group guides elicited information regarding knowledge of PA, current PA with SMI peers, role of the CPS to promote PA, and feasibility of administering a PA intervention. Audio files were transcribed verbatim and analyzed with NVivo11 using qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach.10,11 RESULTS: Focus groups averaged 49±8 minutes. Data were coded into four themes: knowledge of PA, current PA with SMI peers, role of the CPS to promote PA, and PA intervention administration. CPSs stated their knowledge of PA is general and mostly comes from personal experience or internet searches. CPSs agreed their role covers Whole Health Action Management principles including promoting and participating in PA with SMI peers. CPSs were eager to participate in a PA intervention and willing to complete PA training or certification. PA intervention administration included input on PA duration, frequency location, time of day, resources needed, motivators (e.g., buddy systems, competitions, rewards) and overcoming common SMI barriers (e.g., transportation). CONCLUSIONS: CPSs were willing to facilitate EIM interventions and offered valuable insights on current practices, program feasibility and administration. Findings will aid development of a PA intervention delivered through mental health services to address low rates of PA and reduce health disparities in adults with SMI.

Bilingual language exposure and the peer group: Acquiring phonetics and phonology in Gaelic Medium Education

Aims and objectives:This paper aims to examine the acquisition of phonetics and phonology in the context of Scottish Gaelic immersion schooling. I explore the effect of differing home language backgrounds among primary school children on the production of laterals and stop consonants.Design/methodology/approach:Acoustic analysis was performed on Gaelic and English speech data collected from children in Gaelic Medium Education in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland.Data and analysis:Word list data were collected from 18 children aged 7–11 and analyzed using measurements of formants and duration of stop phases. Half of the sample had little or no exposure to Gaelic in the home, while the other half had differing degrees of family input. Statistical analysis was conducted using Conditional Inference Trees.Findings and conclusions:This study finds that any initial differences between children who enter Gaelic Medium Education as fluent speakers and those who do not are leveled out by late primary school, at least in terms of pronunciation. I suggest that leveled varieties of minority languages can develop in pre-adolescence in peer group settings such as minority language education.Originality:This study is the first to examine phonetic and phonological acquisition in Gaelic-English bilingual children. It is one of a small number of studies to examine bilingual phonological acquisition in immersion schooling. The study supports recent research exploring the development of peer group varieties among young minority language speakers.Significance and implications:This research aims to expand traditional models that consider the extent of exposure to two languages as key in predicting phonetic and phonological production. I suggest that the impact of the peer group and the context of language use are also significant factors. Results suggest potential development of education varieties of Gaelic. These findings have implications for future revitalization strategies for minority languages across the world.

‘We always torment different people, so by definition, we are no bullies’: The problem of definitions in cyberbullying research

In this article, we investigate the power of prevailing definitions within the research field of cyberbullying. We address how these definitions, mostly deriving from developmental psychology, have had a problematic influence on the way researchers, policymakers, practitioners working with interventions, and children and young people themselves approach the challenge of understanding and preventing cyberbullying and its consequences. We analyse how the definition of cyberbullying stemming from developmental psychology is inadequate in addressing the complexities of technologically mediated exclusionary processes in educational- and peer-group settings. The dominant research paradigm has suppressed such complexity by deeming irrelevant the extensive experience with cyberbullying of many children and young people. Thus, we argue that it is necessary for the research field to refine definitional work. Research on cyberbullying needs to draw on a broad spectrum of empirical data and incorporate multiple and diverse theoretical perspectives.

Advancing Research to Inform Practice within Community "supporting interventions for young people and families’ affected by substance misuse"

Issues and trends in relation to substance misuse normally develop in the transitional phase of adolescence, as young people begin looking towards their peers for direction and are less subject to parental authority (1.2). Risk factors are predictors of the likelihood that an individual or group will be involved in activity leading to adverse consequences. Research indicates that some young people are beginning to initiate alcohol and drug use earlier than many adults suspect (3). In relation to substance misuse it is observed that risk and protection factors exist in equal measure within different context including within the individual, family, peer group, school and community settings (4.5.6). In 2015 the Adolescent Addiction Service worked with 58 young people and their families with a mean age of 15.5years, comprising new referrals, re-referrals and continuances. The majority (76%) were male and the numbers attending the service of school going age who were out of education/training at time of referral was 18% while the number of young people who had previous/current contact with CAMHS was at 60%. The extent to which substance misuse featured within families was at 36% while the incidence of parental separation was 66%. The enhancement of decision making by young people could delay or inhibit their engagement in harmful activity including substance misuse. If young people experiences substance use as enjoyable and without any negative consequences then it is likely they will not perceive risks relating to such use (7). Parental disapproval of substance misuse is a strong predictor of delayed initiation, whereas family instability and parental or sibling substance misuse, are identified as significant risk factors placing young people at greater danger of developing lifetime trajectories involving substance misuse ( 8.9). As an approach to working with young people and families within community, assessment is central to the identification of needs. The four tier model of addiction treatment intervention (10) fits with the four tier model of family support (11) distinguishing between different levels and types of support/intervention. Integrated care plans framed within the context of multi-disciplinary and inter-agency collaboration encourages protective/preventative interventions towards improving health outcomes. The Hidden Harm Action Plan identifies that not all families who encounter substance misuse will experience problems but emphasises that routine assessment will help to identify those who do. The plan describes actions that can be taken to ensure children and young people who experience compromised parenting receive the care they need. As such research ought to be viewed as a work in progress and be made available to the widest possible audience in order to inform practice and decision making at an individual level and between practitioners/agencies especially when the welfare of children is considered. Practitioner research can make a significant contribution to practice as key finding from research and practice can be updated to inform policy, practice and service plans towards addressing inequalities and focusing on improving access to health care.

Social Media and Young People’s Sexualities: Values, Norms, and Battlegrounds

This article explores how young people are making sense of sexuality in the context of social media, considering social media’s material as well as symbolic operations. Drawing on 14 focus groups ( n = 89, conducted in 2012 and 2015) with young people between 14 and 19 years of age in Dutch-speaking Belgium, this article is informed by young people’s discussions, meanings, values, and norms on sexuality and social media, situated in everyday life peer group settings. The results argue how young people are making strong value judgments about sexuality in the context of social media and how they use a sharp hierarchical system to distinguish between “good” and “bad” sexual practices in social media. Therefore, young people draw on essentialist sexual ideologies. This article discusses these value judgments not only in relation to how social media functions but also in relation to social media’s symbolic operations, namely how they are meaningful for young people’s sexualities. The role of social media is discussed in relation to broader cultural dynamics of young people’s changing sexual cultures, which are characterized by risk, resistance, individualization, and mediatization. The article concludes how young people’s consistent need for making value judgments about sexuality in the context of social media may point to a conservatism that is driven by social media’s overwhelming role in culture and society. Social media have become a crucial battleground for sexual politics; they need to be taken seriously as spaces that produce values and norms about sexuality, deciding what kind of sexualities are supported, repressed, or disciplined.

Moderating effect of peer group environment on consumer predisposition towards premium promotions: A study on young urban consumers in India

The role of peer-group environment as an influencing factor in purchase decisions is well established. This paper broadens the above premise and studies the influence of peer-group environment on an individual's promotional choice in the context of premium promotions or freebies. Two sets of college students with distinctive peer-group settings in terms of their academic pursuit and residential details have been considered for the study. Discriminant analysis shows that higher interaction and educational orientation of group members influence the customer's promotional preference. Students pursuing professionally oriented courses had a distinctively higher preference for premium-promotions that were hedonic.

Interpreting unproblematic high achievement in mathematics: towards theoretical reflexivity

ABSTRACTThis article contributes to the long-running discussion about the gendering of mathematics learning by exploring the social biographies of six exceptionally high-attaining mathematics students, four women and two men. In contrast to some prior studies, these students appeared to feel no need to downplay being ‘good at maths’ in order to maintain social credibility with their socially privileged peers. I attempt to make sense of their stories from two theoretical standpoints: (1) a post-structuralist approach that emphasises discourses that position mathematics as masculine and (2) an approach, based on Bourdieu, that asks how mathematics is valued in different school and peer group settings. I show how, as I worked with the data, my emphasis moved from the former to the latter, and suggest that research in gender and education has much to gain from theoretical reflexivity alongside personal and methodological reflexivity.

Predicting South Korean University Students’ Happiness through Social Support and Efficacy Beliefs

This study investigated the adversity and coping experiences of 198 South Korean university students and takes a cultural lens in understanding how social and individual factors shape their happiness. Hierarchical linear regression analyses suggest that Korean students’ perceptions of social support significantly predicted their happiness, particularly in their closer social circles. Additionally, their happiness was significantly shaped by their beliefs in their abilities to overcome difficult experiences, but not by their beliefs in maintaining their relationships. Findings demonstrate the importance of better preparing close family and friends to recognize and respond to warning signs, as well as exploring ways to build students’ internal coping assets within family and peer group settings.

Preschoolers’ Causal Reasoning During Shared Picture Book Storytelling: A Cross-Case Comparison Descriptive Study

This study investigates how shared picture book storytelling within a peer-group setting could stimulate causal reasoning in children aged 4 ½ to 6 years. Twenty-eight children from preschool classes of three schools were allocated to one of six groups (four to five children per group). Each group participated in six storytelling sessions over a period of 2 weeks. During these sessions, the children freely generated stories from stimuli in two picture books. Storytelling discourse was analyzed in the groups that showed the lowest and the highest pre- to postintervention improvement on a series of causal reasoning tasks. In the most-improving group, discourse was distinguished by detailed interpretations of perceptual features, causal explanations, and explicit justifications of statements. The least-improving group was distinguished by “superficial” talk (i.e., labeling perceptual features, simple inferences, uncritical acceptance of statements, and disagreements). These types of discourse could be related to time spent on storytelling. The findings generate hypotheses for future research on stimulating causal reasoning in early childhood education.

Peer Group Mentoring Relationships and the Role of Narrative

Mentoring, an established practice in many disciplines, provides benefits to both individuals and organizations. Academic libraries recognize the usefulness of mentoring, and many provide such programs within their organization, ranging from formal one-on-one pairings to mentoring groups. Although literature describing a variety of mentoring systems is available, the role of personal and collective narrative in transferring knowledge within mentoring situations is not well known. This article examines the intentional use of narrative in mentoring new academic librarians in a peer group setting. Discussion suggests group mentoring based on narrative is an effective and efficient alternative to traditional mentoring.

Dutch adolescent private drinking places: Prevalence, alcohol consumption, and other risk behaviors

The aim of this research was to explore the increasingly popular Dutch health phenomenon of ‘gathering in private peer group settings (barracks)’, with a focus on the prevalence and characteristics of barracks, alcohol consumption, and other (risk) behaviors of their visitors. Three studies were conducted. The first consisted of field research in which 51 barracks were visited and group-interviews were held. The second was an Internet study in which 442 barracks' websites were analyzed using content analysis. The third consisted of a questionnaire completed by 1457 adolescents, aged 15–17, in order to explore differences in behavior between barracks visitors and non-visitors. There was wide variation in barracks' characteristics and culture. Barracks' members and visitors also organize diverse activities that are publicly shown on the websites. Barracks are associated with various legal issues, such as alcohol sales to minors, lack of parental supervision, and illicit drug use. Barracks' visitors drink alcohol more frequently, drink more alcohol per occasion (up to fifteen bottles of beer a night), and have been drunk more frequently than non-visitors. Policymakers must be aware of the barracks phenomenon and use their powers in adjacent political and legal areas (such as in binge drinking, illicit drug use, and public safety) to intervene and create solid, responsible, and tailor-made policies.

Private peer group settings as an environmental determinant of alcohol use in Dutch adolescents: Results from a representative survey in the region of Twente

This study supports the hypothesis that the drinking setting can be an environmental risk factor for hazardous alcohol use. In a survey of Dutch adolescents (n=1516), alcohol consumption and participation in private peer group settings (PPSs), environments where adolescents meet and drink alcohol without direct adult supervision, were measured. After controlling for demographic variables, adolescents visiting PPSs as compared to non-visitors, appeared to have a significantly higher lifetime prevalence of alcohol use, average weekly consumption, and frequency of heavy episodic drinking. Moreover, accounting for school clustering, the frequency of PPS visits was associated with increased alcohol consumption.

Medical educators’ social acts of explaining passing underperformance in students: a qualitative study

Passing underperformance in students is ubiquitous across health and social care educators and is intimately related to the subsequent welfare of patients: underperforming students may become underperforming practitioners. This paper aims to examine how medical educators construct passing underperformance through an analysis of their social act of explaining such behaviours in peer-group settings. Ten focus groups were conducted with 70 medical educators across two UK schools with different curricular/assessment styles (England, Scotland). A qualitative content analysis of how educators explained their behaviours of passing underperformance was undertaken using the psychological concepts of proximality and distalness according to: (1) Malle's F.Ex. coding framework for behavioural explanations, and (2) participants' use of pronouns. 149 explanations of passing underperformance were identified: 72 for participants' own behaviour, 77 for others' behaviour. When explaining their own behaviour, participants used the proximal pronoun I 37% (n = 27) of the time and the distancing pronouns we/you 51% (n = 37) of the time. More Causal History of Reasons (38%; n = 27) and Enabling Factors (29%; n = 21) than Reasons (33%; n = 24) were cited. A similar pattern was found for explaining others' behaviour. Thus, medical educators used linguistic form, explanation mode and informational content within peer-group discussions to distance themselves from intentionality for their action of passing underperformance and highlighted desirable characteristics of themselves and medical educators in general. Faculty development programmes should develop assessors' awareness of how implicit factors within their talk can legitimise a culture of passing underperformance and explore the steps for cultural change.

Autonomía, conformidad y rebelión: movimientos y culturas juveniles en Alemania en el periodo de entreguerras

This article explores continuities and discontinuities between youth movements and youth cultures of the Weimar period and those during the Nazi era. A diverse spectrum of youth organizations in Weimar Germany provided millions of young people with leisure opportunities along with the chance to pursue common interests and ideas in a peer group setting. After 1933, the Nazi regime destroyed the pluralism of Weimar youth culture while seeking to adopt some features of pre-1933 youth movements in its drive to enforce conformity on an entire younger generation. In turn, this drive provoked a range of defiant responses from young people who sought to subvert and evade the Hitler Youth and assert their autonomy by drawing on elements of pre-1933 youth culture.

Assessment of competencies in physicians-in-training through the delivery of a community-based health curriculum using distance learning

Academic physicians must master the elements of curriculum development and evaluation specific to defined competencies in postgraduate medical education. Six fellows in primary care medicine, working as a peer group with a faculty mentor, designed and evaluated a distance-learning project that included resident physicians. Professionalism, interpersonal skills and systems-based medical practice skills were measured with original instruments designed by the peer group. By the process of evaluation and revision in a peer-group setting and with mentorship from program faculty, experiential learning enhanced the training of future academic physicians. This paper describes the background, process and statistical results of their work.