Positive Social Behavior Research Articles

Comparison of Quality of Life and Social Skills between Students with Visual Problems (Blind and Partially Blind) and Normal Students

This study aimed to compare the quality of life and social skills between students who are visually impaired (blind and partially blind) and normal students. The population consisted of all students with visual problems (blind and partially blind) and normal students in secondary schools in Tehran in the academic year 2013-2014. Using a multi-stage random sampling method, 40 students were selected from each group. The SF-36s quality of life questionnaire and Foster and Inderbitzen social skills questionnaire were used as research tools. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson correlation coefficient. The results showed that normal people had a better quality of life than those who are blind. There were no significant difference between the partially blind people’s quality of life and blind and normal people’s quality of life. The normal people had better social behavior than partially blind and blind people. In terms of other factors, there was no significant difference between the positive social behavior of partially blind and blind people. However, normal people had weaker negative social behavior than partially blind and blind people. The negative social behavior of partially blind people was weaker than blind people.

Development of pig welfare assessment protocol integrating animal-, environment-, and management-based measures.

BackgroundDue to increased interest in animal welfare, there is now a need for a comprehensive assessment protocol to be used in intensive pig farming systems. There are two current welfare assessment protocols for pigs: Welfare Quality® Assessment Protocols (applicable in the Europe Union), that mostly focuses on animal-based measures, and the Swine Welfare Assurance Program (applicable in the United States), that mostly focuses on management- and environment-based measures. In certain cases, however, animal-based measures might not be adequate for properly assessing pig welfare status. Similarly, welfare assessment that relies only on environment- and management-based measures might not represent the actual welfare status of pigs. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to develop a new welfare protocol by integrating animal-, environment-, and management-based measures. The background for selection of certain welfare criteria and modification of the scoring systems from existing welfare assessment protocols are described.MethodsThe developed pig welfare assessment protocol consists of 17 criteria that are related to four main principles of welfare (good feeding, good housing, good health, and appropriate behavior). Good feeding, good housing, and good health were assessed using a 3-point scale: 0 (good welfare), 1 (moderate welfare), and 2 (poor welfare). In certain cases, only a 2-point scale was used: 0 (certain condition is present) or 2 (certain condition is absent). Appropriate behavior was assessed by scan sampling of positive and negative social behaviors based on qualitative behavior assessment and human-animal relationship tests.ResultsModification of the body condition score into a 3-point scale revealed pigs with a moderate body condition (score 1). Moreover, additional criteria such as feed quality confirmed that farms had moderate (score 1) or poor feed quality (score 2), especially those farms located in a high relative humidity region.ConclusionsThe developed protocol can be utilized to assess welfare status in an intensive pig farming system. Although further improvements are still needed, this study is a first step in developing a pig welfare assessment protocol that combines animal-, environment-, and management-based measures.

The Role of Shared Family Identity and Future Time Perspective in Shaping the Outcomes of Grandparents’ Positive and Negative Social Behaviors

Scholars have begun to recognize that negative social encounters may have more profound effects on individuals than do positive social encounters. This study analyzes survey responses provided by 195 young adults regarding the kinds of positive and negative social behaviors they experience during interactions with target grandparents. Results suggest that the nature of grandchildren’s evaluations of grandparent behavior and the impact of grandparent behavior on grandchildren’s feelings of relational satisfaction are contingent on feelings of shared familial identification, although a question remains as to whether shared family identification functions as a moderator or a mediator. Results also suggested that shared family identity interacted with perceptions of grandparents’ futures as being restricted versus expansive to shape the impact of frequent positive grandparent behaviors.

Parent and adolescent intentions to disclose and links to positive social behavior.

Children's disclosure to parents as a buffer against antisocial behavior, and its parenting antecedents, have been extensively studied in recent years. The influence of parents' own disclosure on children's disclosure and positive social behavior has received little attention, however. We assessed mothers' (n = 149), fathers' (n= 105), and 12- to 14-year-old early adolescents' (n = 127) intentions to disclose about distress-related events and rule transgressions, their reasons for disclosing, and links to positive social behavior (assessed by mothers' ratings of willing compliance and by teachers' [n = 114] ratings of prosocial behavior). Parents reported that they disclosed to teach lessons or to encourage their children to disclose, whereas adolescents said they disclosed for comfort and advice. Child intention to disclose about distressing events mediated between mother (but not father) intention to disclose about these same issues and children's willing compliance, but not prosocial behavior in the classroom. Parent and child disclosure about rule transgressions were not related.

Investigating the effectiveness on educational attainment and behaviour of Commando Joe’s: A school-based, military-ethos intervention

Objective: Objectives: A military-ethos intervention can enhance engagement in learning and educational attainment. However, such programmes have typically been delivered in a residential setting. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a twelve-month, military-ethos physical activity intervention on educational attainment, attendance and behaviour. Methods: Seven primary (five intervention) and five secondary schools (four intervention) were recruited and 228 primary school (152 intervention; 9.8±0.4 yrs) and 167 secondary school pupils (97 intervention; 13.8±0.4 yrs) participated. Attainment, attendance and behaviour ratings were collected at baseline, 3-, 6- and 12-months and analysed using multilevel modelling. Results: Significant intervention effects were found at 3 months for Maths, 3 and 6 months in English, 6 months for attendance and across time for both positive social and problem behaviours. Effects were independent of sex and school level. Conclusions: Findings support the utility of the Commando Joe’s intervention as a whole-school strategy to enhance educational and behavioural outcomes. Arch Exerc Health Dis 5 (1-2): 377-385, 2015

Turning Leaf: Eco-visualization for Mobile User Engagement

Awareness of environment trends and global warming is widespread, but personal knowledge of energy consumption is not provided in real-time or in an actionable manner to individual consumers. Using recent work in eco-visualization, an innovative mobile application has been developed, depicted with a turning leaf. The illustration of individual energy use in a mobile hand held device is designed to improve awareness while encouraging personal conservation. Additional user motivation may be present, with the turning leaf symbolizing turning over a new leaf or encouraging positive social behaviors. The mobile application is illustrated, with an analysis of the motivation and behavior which would be expected from energy-aware users.

Summer Treatment Program Improves Behavior of Children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This study evaluated the effects of a behavioral summer treatment program for children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HFASD). Twenty boys (M = 9.2 years) diagnosed with HFASD participated in the 6-week program across 6 years. Detailed daily behavioral data were collected on a variety of positive and negative social behaviors. Repeated measures ANOVAs of weekly behavior frequencies indicated substantial improvements in a number of behaviors over the 6 weeks of the program, including following activity rules, contributing to a group discussion, paying attention, and less complaining/whining. Overall, results highlight the potential efficacy of treating chronic functional impairments of HFASD and associated problem behaviors in the context of an intensive behavioral summer treatment program.

Effect of Animal-Assisted Play Therapy on Facilitating Social Behavior for Children with Autism: A Preliminary Comparison Study

Abstract Despite evidence that Animal-Assisted Play Therapy increases the positive social behavior of children with autism, little is known about the mechanism of this treatment effect. In the present study, ten children with autism, aged 7-10, were randomized into two groups. One group attended 14 individual sessions of structured Animal-Assisted Play Therapy (AAPT) with a therapy dog, while the comparison group attended 14 individual sessions with a doll as the dog surrogate. Nonparametric tests showed that overall, children’s social behaviors were similar in the two treatments, with a trend toward more positive verbal behavior with AAPT. However, the AAPT group showed significantly less negative behavior toward the social object (the therapy dog) compared with the comparison group’s behavior toward the doll. The therapy dog’s unambiguous response to the children’s behavior and the dog’s role in modeling social behaviors are possible explanations for the more positive outcomes seen in AAPT.

Effortful Control and Parents' Emotion Socialization Patterns Predict Children's Positive Social Behavior: A Person-Centered Approach

Research Findings: We examined relations of effortful control with parent emotion socialization practices and child social behavior using a person-centered approach in children ages 18 months to 5 years. A total of 76 parents (66 mothers, 10 fathers) completed questionnaires at screening and 6-month follow-up. There were no age differences in change in effortful control. K-means cluster analysis identified 2 clusters for parent emotion socialization: low-involvement parents (lower levels on emotion coaching/dismissing and positive/negative expressivity) and high-involvement parents (higher levels on all such practices). Parent socialization profile was indirectly associated with children's positive social behaviors through children's change in effortful control. These associations did not extend to aggressive behavior. Children with parents who actively engage in a variety of emotion socialization practices may increase more in regulatory capacities and engage in more positive social behavior. Practice or Policy: The present study suggests the importance of using a variety of socialization strategies with young children to foster adaptive regulatory and social behaviors.

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PO-0877 The Effect Of Perceived Emotional Abuse On Social Skills In Intermediate Grade Students: Abstract PO-0877 Table 1

Background and aims Although there is an increase in studies regarding child abuse and neglect, with studies on physical and sexual abuse taking lead, in the last ten years, there are very little studies on the long term effects of behaviour in schools that include emotional abuse. The attitudes and efforts of parents and teachers are very important in preventing such problems. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of perceived emotional abuse the children receive from parents and teachers on social skills in intermediate grade students. Methods The design of the study is descriptive. The cross sectional study was conducted with students in the 10–15 age category studying in two middle schools in Turkey between February–June 2013. The selection of the schools was determined by the reachable sample method. There was no sample selection in the study, and all of the students in the universe (n = 753) were included in the sample. Results It was also found in the study that there was an advanced relationship between the gender variable and the positive social behaviour score averages (p = 0.000), and that male students had a higher positive behaviour score average than female students. As it can be seen in [Table 1][1], children took scores below average only from the MESSY scale, while their scores from the other three scales were above average. Conclusions There is a significant relationship between the social skill levels of children aged between 10–15 years and perceived emotional abuse by parents. View this table: Abstract PO-0877 Table 1 Distributions of the MESSY, MTRS, FTRS, and PTBS Scale Score Averages of the Students (N:753) The Matson Evaluation Scale for Social Skills in Younger People (MESSY). The Perceived Teacher Behaviour Scale (PTBS). The Mother/Father-Teenager Relationships Scale (MTRS/FTRS). [1]: #T1

Diurnal and nocturnal activity budgets of zoo elephants in an outdoor facility.

The present study examined the activity budgets of 15 African elephants (1 bull, 6 cows, 2 male juveniles, 2 female juveniles, and 4 male calves) living at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park during the summers of 2010 and 2011. Onsite behavioral data (n = 600 hr) were collected for approximately 12 weeks from 0400 to 0830 and 1100 to 2400 during the 2010 and 2011 summer season. Foraging was the most common behavior state during the day followed by resting, and walking. During the evening hours, the elephants spent majority of their time foraging, resting, and sleeping. The average rate of self-maintenance behavior events (dust, wallow, etc.) increased from 0600 to 0700, 1100 to 1500, and from 1700 to 1900. Positive social behavior events (touch other, play, etc.) remained high from 0500 to 2300, with peaks at 0600, 1300, 1500, and 1900. Negative social events occurred at low rates throughout the day and night, with peaks at 0600, 1900, and 2200. The majority of positive behavior events during the daylight and nighttime hours involved the mother-calf pairs. Furthermore, the calves and juveniles initiated approximately 60% of all social events during the daytime and 57% of all social interactions at night. The results of this study demonstrate the differences between diurnal and nocturnal activity budgets of a multi-age and sex elephant herd in a zoological facility, which highlights the importance of managing elephants to meet their 24 hr behavioral needs.

In-school and social factors influencing learning among students enrolled in a disciplinary alternative school

Under the umbrella of the social cognitive theory and self-regulation of learning, this study examined the associations between free or reduced lunch, gender, deviant behavior, peer influence, school behavior, delay of gratification, academic performance, violence, and substance abuse of one hundred sixty-nine students enrolled in a disciplinary alternative high school. The results of a path analysis revealed a negative association between positive peer influence and deviant social behavior. Peer influence had an indirect and positive effect on math performance by its direct effect on school behavior and indirect effect on delay of gratification. Deviant behavior had an indirect and negative effect on math performance by its direct effect on gratification delay, violent behavior, substance abuse, and school behavior. The results suggest that positive peer associations, willingness to delay gratification, anger management, and avoiding substance abuse are important factors associated with in-school behavior and academic performance, which reflect learners' ability to engage in self-regulation while attending alternative disciplinary school settings.

Social environment and weather during early life influence gastro-intestinal parasite loads in a group-living mammal.

Conditions experienced during early life have been frequently shown to exert long-term consequences on an animal's fitness. In mammals and birds, the time around and shortly after weaning is one of the crucial periods early in life. However, little is known about how social and abiotic environmental conditions experienced around this time affect fitness-related traits such as endoparasite loads. We studied consequences of social interactions and rainy weather conditions around and after weaning on gastro-intestinal nematode loads in juvenile European rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus. Infestations with the gastric nematode Graphidium strigosum and with the intestinal nematode Passalurus ambiguus were higher in animals experiencing more rain during early life. This might have been due to the higher persistence of nematodes' infective stages outside the host body together with the animals' lower energy allocation for immune defence under more humid and thus energetically challenging conditions. In contrast, infestations with P. ambiguus were lower in animals with more positive social interactions with mother and litter siblings. We propose that social support provided by familiar group members buffered negative stress effects on immune function, lowering endoparasite infestations. This is supported by the negative correlation between positive social behaviour and serum corticosterone concentrations, indicating lower stress in juveniles which integrated more successfully into the social network of their group. In conclusion, the findings offer a pathway showing how differences in the abiotic environment and social life conditions experienced early in life could translate into long-term fitness consequences via the effects on endoparasite loads.

Oxytocin promotes social bonding in dogs.

Recent evidence suggests that enduring social bonds have fitness benefits. However, very little is known about the neural circuitry and neurochemistry underlying the formation and maintenance of stable social bonds outside reproductive contexts. Oxytocin (OT), a neuropeptide synthetized by the hypothalamus in mammals, regulates many complex forms of social behavior and cognition in both human and nonhuman animals. Animal research, however, has concentrated on monogamous mammals, and it remains unknown whether OT also modulates social bonds in nonreproductive contexts. In this study we provide behavioral evidence that exogenous OT promotes positive social behaviors in the domestic dog toward not only conspecifics but also human partners. Specifically, when sprayed with OT, dogs showed higher social orientation and affiliation toward their owners and higher affiliation and approach behaviors toward dog partners than when sprayed with placebo. Additionally, the exchange of socio-positive behaviors with dog partners triggered the release of endogenous OT, highlighting the involvement of OT in the development of social relationships in the domestic dog. These data provide new insight into the mechanisms that facilitate the maintenance of close social bonds beyond immediate reproductive interest or genetic ties and complement a growing body of evidence that identifies OT as one of the neurochemical foundations of sociality in mammalian species.

An investigation of peer interaction in the preschool inclusive classrooms

Four children with Down syndrome who were attending a full-time inclusive class and the other normally developing children in the same class were taken as the sample of this study which aims to investigate the peer interaction in the pre-school classrooms in which mainstreaming education is followed. Unstructured observations were done during the free time activities that the children are least guided by the teacher. Observations took 40 minutes for five days in each classroom. As a result, positive social communication behaviors were observed more than the negative ones between the children receiving mainstreaming education and the normally developing children. The children with special needs showed irritation and anger after getting excluded from the games, being seen inadequate, being criticized and not sharing the material. The normally developing children were usually unresponsive to the negative behaviors of the children with special needs. It was observed that the normally developing children helped and let the children with special needs join the game when they saw them adequate, however, they did not want to take them into activities at which they thought the children with special needs were inadequate.

Inhaled oxytocin increases positive social behaviors in newborn macaques.

Early caregiver-infant interactions are critical for infants' socioemotional and cognitive development. Several hormones and neuromodulators, including oxytocin, affect these interactions. Exogenous oxytocin promotes social behaviors in several species, including human and nonhuman primates. Although exogenous oxytocin increases social function in adults--including expression recognition and affiliation--it is unknown whether oxytocin can increase social interactions in infants. We hypothesized that nebulized oxytocin would increase affiliative social behaviors and such effects would be modulated by infants' social skills, measured earlier in development. We also hypothesized that oxytocin's effects on social behaviors may be due to its anxiolytic effects. We tested these hypotheses in a blind study by nebulizing 7- to 14-d-old macaques (n = 28) with oxytocin or saline. Following oxytocin administration, infants' facial gesturing at a human caregiver increased, and infants' salivary oxytocin was positively correlated with the time spent in close proximity to a caregiver. Infants' imitative skill (measured earlier in development: 1-7 d of age) predicted oxytocin-associated increases in affiliative behaviors--lip smacking, visual attention to a caregiver, and time in close proximity to a caregiver--suggesting that infants with higher propensities for positive social interactions are more sensitive to exogenous oxytocin. Oxytocin also decreased salivary cortisol, but not stress-related behaviors (e.g., scratching), suggesting the possibility of some anxiolytic effects. To our knowledge, this study provides the first evidence that oxytocin increases positive social behaviors in newborns. This information is of critical importance for potential interventions aimed at ameliorating inadequate social behaviors in infants with higher likelihood of developing neurodevelopmental disorder.

Effect of Cyberprogram 2.0 on Reducing Victimization and Improving Social Competence in Adolescence //Efecto del Cyberprogram 2.0 sobre la reducción de la victimización y la mejora de la competencia social en la adolescencia

El estudio tuvo como objetivos diseñar un programa para prevenir y reducir el ciberbullying, implementarlo durante un curso escolar, y evaluar experimentalmente sus efectos en conductas de victimización por bullying "cara-a-cara" y en diversas conductas sociales. Se utilizó una muestra de 176 adolescentes, de 13 a 15 años, 93 experimentales y 83 de control. El estudio utilizó un diseño de medidas repetidas pretest-postest con grupo de control. Antes y después del programa se administraron dos instrumentos de evaluación. Los ANCOVAs pretest-postest confirmaron que el programa estimuló una disminución significativa de la victimización y un aumento de las conductas sociales positivas (conformidad social, ayuda-colaboración, seguridad-firmeza, liderazgo prosocial). La intervención disminuyó significativamente más algunas conductas sociales negativas en las mujeres, aunque en el resto de las variables el cambio fue similar en ambos sexos. El debate se centra en la importancia de implementar programas para fomentar el desarrollo socioemocional y prevenir la violencia.

The Importance of Rural, Township, and Urban Life in the Interaction between Social and Emotional Learning and Social Behaviors

Whether an individual lives in a rural or urban setting may have direct impact on a wide variety of psychological patterns adopted by students. In this study, the effects of positive and negative social behaviors on the relation- ship between social and emotional learning needs and skills gaps of students who reside in both rural and urban areas have been examined. The participants of this research consist of 348 female and 319 male students, forming a total of 667 middle school students living in the province of Canakkale, Turkey as well as in its sur- rounding areas. The Matson Social Skills Evaluation Scale, the Social-emotional Learning Scale, the Social and Emotional Learning Skills Scale, and personal information form were used to collect data for this research. The Baron and Kenny's approach and the Sobel test were followed during the examination of the model created in the data analysis process. The mediator test examined the effects of positive and negative social behaviors in relationship to students' level of social and emotional learning needs and social and emotional learning skills. As a result of this test, it was found that both positive and negative social behaviors exert partial mediation ef- fects over students living in rural and urban areas of the province of Turkey researched.

English

Increasing serotonin decreases quarrelsome behaviours and enhances agreeable behaviours in humans. Antidepressants, even those whose primary action is not on serotonin, seem to increase serotonin function. We suggest that antidepressants act in part by effects on social behaviour, which leads to a gradual improvement in mood. We review the evidence supporting the idea that antidepressants may be moving behaviour from quarrelsome to agreeable. The more positive social responses of interaction partners would initiate a cycle of more positive social behaviour, and this iterative process would result in a clinically significant improvement in mood.