Rule Breaking Research Articles

A mixed blessing? Dual mediating mechanisms in the relationship between dopamine transporter gene DAT1 and leadership role occupancy

Trait theories of leadership have documented the role of individual characteristics in affecting leadership. Twin studies have further revealed significant genetic effects on leadership role occupancy. In the era of genomics, the current research examines how a dopamine transporter gene, DAT1, is involved in genetic influences on leadership role occupancy. Study 1 found DAT1 10-repeat allele to negatively relate to proactive personality, which in turn was positively associated with leadership role occupancy. The negative indirect effect was significant, but the overall relationship between this gene and leadership was not. In addition to replicating Study 1's findings using a nationally representative sample, Study 2 revealed another countervailing mechanism: DAT1 was positively related to (moderate) rule breaking, which was positively associated with leadership role occupancy. Consistent findings across the two studies suggest that the pathways linking specific genes to leadership are complex and a middle-ground approach is needed in such multidisciplinary investigations.

Early childhood aggression trajectories

High and stable levels of aggression and the presence of aggressive behaviour in multiple settings according to different informants are risk factors for later problems. However, these two factors have not been investigated in early childhood. The present study investigates trajectories of parent-reported child aggression from 1.5 up to 6 years of age and their association with aggressive behaviour, attention problems and rule-breaking behaviour in a different setting, as reported by the teacher. In a longitudinal population-based cohort study, parent-reported measures of aggressive behaviour were obtained using the CBCL when children were 1.5, 3, and 6 years of age (n = 4,781). Teacher-reported problem behaviour at school was assessed at age 6.5, using the TRF questionnaire (n = 2,756). Growth mixture modelling yielded three aggression trajectories, with high increasing (3.0%), intermediate (21.3%), and low decreasing (75.7%) aggression levels. Children in trajectories with higher and increasing levels of aggression showed more teacher-reported aggressive behaviour, attention problems and rule breaking behaviour. However, parent-reported aggression at age six predicted problem behaviour at school to the same extent as did the aggression trajectories, suggesting that the incremental value of trajectories is not always self-evident.

Investigating genetic and environmental contributions to adolescent externalizing behavior in a collectivistic culture: a multi-informant twin study.

Little is known about the etiology of adolescents' externalizing behavior (Ext) in collectivistic cultures. We aimed to fill this gap by investigating the genetic and environmental influences on Ext in Chinese adolescents. The etiological heterogeneity of aggression (AGG) and rule breaking (RB) was also examined. The study sample included 908 pairs of same-sex twins aged from 10 to 18 years (mean=13.53 years, s.d.=2.26). Adolescents' Ext were assessed with the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment including Child Behavior Checklist, Teacher Report Form, and Youth Self-Report. Univariate genetic analyses showed that genetic influences on all measures were moderate ranging from 34% to 50%, non-shared environmental effects ranged from 23% to 52%, and shared environmental effects were significant in parent- and teacher-reported measures ranging from 29% to 43%. Bivariate genetic analyses indicated that AGG and RB shared large genetic influences (r g=0.64-0.79) but moderate non-shared environmental factors (r e=0.34-0.52). Chinese adolescents' Ext was moderately influenced by genetic factors. AGG and RB had moderate independent genetic and non-shared environmental influences, and thus constitute etiologically distinct dimensions within Ext in Chinese adolescents. The heritability of AGG, in particular, was smaller in Chinese adolescents than suggested by previous data obtained on Western peers. This study suggests that the collectivistic cultural values and Confucianism philosophy may attenuate genetic potential in Ext, especially AGG.

Does Benevolent Leadership Increase Employee Pro-Social Rule Breaking?

For a long time, it has been held by both academics and practitioners in the field of management that the behavior of violating or breaking an organization's formal rules displayed by employees is self-interested, deviant, and detrimental to the organization. In 2006, Morrison introduced a more nuanced perspective on rule breaking, suggesting that some type of rule breaking may be motivated by positive intentions and beneficial to the organization. She further developed and empirically tested the construct of pro-social rule breaking(PSRB). The present research employed a scenario experiment and a field study to examine the effect of benevolent leadership on employee PSRB by focusing on the moderating role of organizational uncertainty and employee values(i.e. zhong-yong and power distance orientation). The scenario of the experiment described certain situation in which an employee had to decide whether or not to break a rule by placing an urgent order for a large, important customer. The study used a between-subjects design in which benevolent leadership(high or low) and organizational uncertainty(high or low) were manipulated, resulting in four versions of scenarios. Totally, 126 part-time MBA students were randomly assigned to one of the scenario versions. At the end of each scenario, participants responded to four questions which were included as checks of the organizational uncertainty and benevolent leadership manipulations. Then, they responded to five questions that assessed the likelihood that they would break the rule. Finally, respondents completed a short survey that assessed zhong-yong and power distance orientation. The results of the experiment revealed that:(1) Benevolent leadership impacted positively on employee PSRB.(2) Organizational uncertainty related positively to employee PSRB and moderated the relationship between benevolent leadership and employee PSRB, such that this relationship was weaker when organizational uncertainty was high.(3) Zhong-yong and power distance orientation had significant negative influences on employee PSRB. Meanwhile, power distance orientation also moderated the association of benevolent leadership with employee PSRB in such a way that it was stronger for employees low(versus high) in this orientation. The sample of our field study consisted of 187 employees from enterprises located in South Jiang province. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the measures were from 0.73 to 0.95, showing acceptable measurement reliabilities. Results of confirmatory factor analysis indicated the discriminant validity of the measurement was also satisfactory. Results of hierarchical regression modeling replicated most of those findings in the scenario experiment except the negative effect of zhong-yong on employee PSRB. As to the specific moderating patterns of the moderators, results from the two studies consistently showed that organizational uncertainty worked as a substitute for benevolent leadership to increase employee PSRB, while employee power distance orientation acted as a buffer or neutralizer to weaken the benevolent leadership-employee PSRB linkage.

Effect of maternal autonomy and relatedness and borderline personality disorder on adolescent symptomatology.

Several theories propose a relationship between deficits in autonomy and relatedness and the development of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Empirical work supports relationships between maternal BPD and adolescent symptomatology, as well as between maternal autonomy and relatedness and adolescent symptomatology. However, no study has examined how individuals with BPD differ from normative comparisons on autonomy and relatedness, or whether mothers' BPD mediates the relationship between their autonomy and relatedness and their adolescents' symptomatology. We sampled 28 mothers with BPD and their adolescents aged 14-17 years, as well as 28 normative comparisons matched on demographic variables. We assessed BPD as a categorical diagnosis and along a continuum of self-reported borderline features. In a videotaped problem-solving interaction, controlling for current major depressive disorder, mothers with BPD were less likely to promote and more likely to inhibit relatedness, and they were marginally more likely to inhibit but equally likely to promote autonomy with their adolescents. Mothers' total borderline features mediated the relationship between mothers' promotion of autonomy plus relatedness and adolescent internalizing and externalizing symptoms (anxious depression, withdrawn depression, somatic problems, rule breaking, and aggression) and adolescent borderline features (affective instability and self-harm). Mothers' total borderline features also mediated the relationship between mothers' inhibition of autonomy plus relatedness and adolescent internalizing and externalizing symptoms (anxious depression, withdrawn depression, somatic problems, and aggression but not rule breaking) and adolescent borderline features (affective instability and self-harm). We discuss findings in terms of light shed on BPD and the effect of maternal BPD on adolescent development.

Antisocial Behaviour in Malaysian Adolescents: Assessing Measurement Equivalence Across Gender Differences

It is unclear whether group differences reported in literature emerged based on true differences or due to measurement bias across gender. The present study aimed to assess the measurement equivalence of three constructs (physical aggression, social aggression, and rule breaking) derived from Subtypes of Antisocial Behaviour (STAB) measure across gender. A sample of 1191 school-going adolescents (41.80 % males and 57.70 % females) was used to test seven types of equivalence: configural, metric, scalar, latent variances, latent mean, latent covariances, and functional equivalence. Physical aggression demonstrated configural invariance, invariance of latent variance, invariance of latent covariance, and functional equivalence, but not metric and scalar invariances. Social aggression and rule-breaking constructs demonstrated equivalence at all levels. Females scored lower on physical aggression, social aggression, and rule breaking compared to males, indicating true gender differences in antisocial behaviour. Assessments of measurement equivalence should be conducted before drawing substantive inferences about gender differences in antisocial behaviour among adolescents.

Disclosure and Monitoring as Predictors of Mother–Adolescent Agreement in Reports of Early Adolescent Rule-Breaking Behavior

The current study tested whether greater monitoring by mothers and greater disclosure by early adolescents was linked to greater agreement in mothers’ and adolescents’ reports of rule-breaking behavior. In doing so, the article demonstrated how polynomial regression analyses can be used to test hypotheses in which informant discrepancies serve as the dependent variable. Data were obtained from 218 mother–adolescent dyads (M adolescent age = 11.5 years, 51% female, 49% European American, 47% African American). Mothers and early adolescents provided reports of their perceptions of maternal monitoring (i.e., solicitation and control through rules), adolescent disclosure, and adolescent rule-breaking behavior. Polynomial regression models tested monitoring and disclosure as moderators of the association between mothers’ and adolescents’ reports of the adolescents’ rule-breaking behavior. Mothers’ reports of rule-breaking behavior were more strongly associated with adolescents’ reports of their own rule-breaking behavior when mothers reported engaging in more solicitation or control through rules. There was less agreement in mothers’ and adolescents’ reports of rule breaking when adolescents reported that their mothers engaged in more solicitation. Adolescent disclosure did not moderate agreement in reported rule-breaking behavior. Greater monitoring by mothers may reduce the discrepancy in mother–adolescent reports of rule-breaking behavior. Findings also demonstrate the greater validity of polynomial regression approaches over difference scores when testing hypotheses with informant agreement as the outcome.

Developmental pathways from childhood aggression-disruptiveness, chronic peer rejection, and deviant friendships to early-adolescent rule breaking.

Childhood aggression-disruptiveness (AD), chronic peer rejection, and deviant friendships were examined as predictors of early-adolescent rule-breaking behaviors. Using a sample of 383 children (193 girls and 190 boys) who were followed from ages 6 to 14, peer rejection trajectories were identified and incorporated into a series of alternative models to assess how chronic peer rejection and deviant friendships mediate the association between stable childhood AD and early-adolescent rule breaking. There were multiple mediated pathways to rule breaking that included both behavioral and relational risk factors, and findings were consistent for boys and girls. Results have implications for better understanding the influence of multiple social processes in the continuity of antisocial behaviors from middle childhood to early adolescence.

Children with behavioral problems and motor problems have a worse neurological condition than children with behavioral problems only

BackgroundSome evidence suggests that children with specific behavioral problems are at risk for motor problems. It is unclear whether neurological condition plays a role in the propensity of children with behavioral problems to develop motor problems. AimsTo examine the relation between behavioral problems, motor performance and neurological condition in school-aged children. Study designCross-sectional study. Subjects174 children (95 boys) receiving mainstream education and 106 children (82 boys) receiving special education aged 6 to 13years (mean 9y 7m, SD 1y 10m). Outcome measuresBehavior was assessed with questionnaires: the parental Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Teacher's Report Form (TRF). Motor performance was assessed with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC). MABC-scores ≥5th percentile were considered as age-adequate and scores <5th percentile indicated definite motor problems. Neurological condition was assessed in terms of Minor Neurological Dysfunction (MND). ResultsThe majority of specific behavioral problems were associated with definite motor problems, except somatic complaints and rule breaking behavior. Children with externalizing problems, according to the CBCL or TRF, and motor problems had more often MND than children with externalizing problems only. The same holds true for internalizing problems according to the CBCL. ConclusionsThe present study demonstrated that various forms of behavioral problems were associated with motor problems. Especially children with motor and behavioral problems showed MND.

Genetic variation in GABRA2 moderates peer influence on externalizing behavior in adolescents.

BackgroundGenetic predisposition and environmental influences are both important factors in the development of problematic behavior leading to substance use in adolescence. Involvement with delinquent peers also strongly predicts adolescent externalizing behavior. Several lines of evidence support a role of GABRA2 on externalizing behavior related to disinhibition. However, whether this genetic association is influenced by the environment such as peer behavior remains unknown.MethodsWe examined the moderating role of GABRA2 genetic variation on the socialization model of delinquent peer affiliation (at ages 12–14 years) on externalizing behavior (at ages 15–17 years) in the Michigan Longitudinal Study (MLS) adolescent sample.The sample consisted of 244 adolescents (75 females and 152 with at least one parent with a DSM-IV lifetime alcohol dependence/abuse diagnosis). Peer delinquent activity reported by the participant and teacher-reported adolescent externalizing behavior (Teacher Report Form (TRF) were assessed.ResultsNo main effect of the GABRA2 SNP rs279826, which tags a large haplotype, on externalizing behavior was observed. However, there was a statistically reliable GABRA2 × peer delinquency interaction. The effect of peer delinquent involvement on externalizing scores and the rule breaking subscale is significantly stronger for those with the GG genotype compared to A-carriers, whereas there was no effect of genotype on externalizing in the absence of peer delinquent involvement. No interaction was observed for the aggression subscale.ConclusionOur results suggest that the genetic effect of GABRA2 on externalizing behavior, more specifically on rule breaking is, at least in part, due to its effect on susceptibility to environmental exposure (i.e., peer delinquency).

The character strengths of class clowns.

Class clowns traditionally were studied as a type concept and identified via sociometric procedures. In the present study a variable-centered approach was favored and class clown behaviors were studied in the context of character strengths, orientations to happiness and satisfaction with life. A sample of 672 Swiss children and adolescents filled in an 18 item self-report instrument depicting class clown behaviors. A hierarchical model of class clown behaviors was developed distinguishing a general factor and the four positively correlated dimensions of “identified as a class clown,” “comic talent,” “disruptive rule-breaker,” and “subversive joker.” Analysis of the general factor showed that class clowns were primarily male, and tended to be seen as class clowns by the teacher. Analyses of the 24 character strengths of the VIA-Youth (Park and Peterson, 2006) showed that class clowns were high in humor and leadership, and low in strengths like prudence, self-regulation, modesty, honesty, fairness, perseverance, and love of learning. An inspection of signature strengths revealed that 75% of class clowns had humor as a signature strength. Furthermore, class clown behaviors were generally shown by students indulging in a life of pleasure, but low life of engagement. The four dimensions yielded different character strengths profiles. While all dimensions of class clowns behaviors were low in temperance strengths, the factors “identified as the class clown” and “comic talent” were correlated with leadership strengths and the two negative factors (“disruptive rule-breaker,” “subversive joker”) were low in other directed strengths. The disruptive rule breaking class clown was additionally low in intellectual strengths. While humor predicted life satisfaction, class clowning tended to go along with diminished satisfaction with life. It is concluded that different types of class clowns need to be kept apart and need different attention by teachers.

The role of bicultural stress and perceived context of reception in the expression of aggression and rule breaking behaviors among recent-immigrant Hispanic youth.

Adolescent aggression and delinquency impede healthy adjustment in early adulthood and may have particularly serious long-term consequences for minority youth. Therefore, prevention research should examine these behaviors within a sociocultural framework among newer immigrant samples to determine whether, and how, adaptation to life in the US affects these behaviors. This study investigated the role of two sociocultural variables-bicultural stress and negative context of reception-on changes in aggression and rule breaking behaviors over two time points among recently immigrated Hispanic adolescents residing in Los Angeles (N = 136) and Miami-Dade (N = 142) counties. Linear stepwise regression models were used to assess the associations between predictors and behavioral outcomes. Bicultural stress and negative context of reception both had independent associations, above and beyond parental involvement and delinquent peer associations, with changes in aggressive and rule-breaking behavior during the first year of high school. These findings suggest that social, cultural, and interpersonal processes all influence deviant behaviors in recent-immigrant Hispanic populations. We discuss the implications of these finding for prevention and intervention research and practice. We also recommend that future research continue to examine the role of these factors over the course of adolescence and consider sociocultural influences when designing behavioral interventions for Hispanic immigrant populations.

Moral Identity and Adolescent Prosocial and Antisocial Behaviors: Interactions with Moral Disengagement and Self-regulation.

Moral identity has been positively linked to prosocial behaviors and negatively linked to antisocial behaviors; but, the processes by which it is linked to such outcomes are unclear. The purpose of the present study was to examine moral identity not only as a predictor, but also as a moderator of relationships between other predictors (moral disengagement and self-regulation) and youth outcomes (prosocial and antisocial behaviors). The sample consisted of 384 adolescents (42% female), ages 15-18 recruited from across the US using an online survey panel. Latent variables were created for moral identity, moral disengagement, and self-regulation. Structural equation models assessed these latent variables, and interactions of moral identity with moral disengagement and self-regulation, as predictors of prosocial (charity and civic engagement) and antisocial (aggression and rule breaking) behaviors. None of the interactions were significant predicting prosocial behaviors. For antisocial behaviors, the interaction between moral identity and moral disengagement predicted aggression, while the interaction between moral identity and self-regulation was significant in predicting aggression and rule breaking. Specifically, at higher levels of moral identity, the positive link between moral disengagement and aggression was weaker, and the negative link between self-regulation and both antisocial behaviors was weaker. Thus, moral identity may buffer against the maladaptive effects of high moral disengagement and low self-regulation.

The Consequence of Being a Target of Suspicion: Potential Pitfalls of Proactive Policing

During the latter half of the 20th century a new model of policing developed in the United States which continues to dominate American policing today. It has two key features. First, it proactively attempts to prevent crime through the widespread use of police stops and arrests for minor crimes. Second, it imposes policing policies and practices upon communities instrumentally via the threat or use of various legal sanctions. Data from a national survey indicate that this approach to policing does not lower fear of crime; increase the perceived risk of punishment for rule breaking; or strongly impact perceptions of disorder. On the other hand, it has damaged the social bonds between the police and the community; undermined police legitimacy and led to declines in public willingness to cooperate with the police. This paper examines how such policies developed, why they are problematic, and how a focus on building popular legitimacy would be more desirable.

Rule breaking mediates the developmental association between GABRA2 and adolescent substance abuse.

This study's primary aim was to examine age-specific associations between GABRA2, rule breaking, problematic alcohol use, and substance abuse symptomatology. The secondary aim was to examine the extent to which rule breaking mediates the GABRA2-substance abuse relationship. A sample (n=518) of primarily male (70.9%) and White (88.8%) adolescents from the Michigan Longitudinal Study was assessed from ages 11-18. Age-specific effects of GABRA2 on rule breaking, problematic alcohol use, and substance abuse symptomatology were examined using nested path models. The role of rule breaking as a mediator in the association between GABRA2 and substance abuse outcomes was tested using prospective cross-lagged path models. GABRA2 is significantly (p<0.05) associated with rule breaking in mid- to late-adolescence, but not substance abuse symptomatology across adolescence. GABRA2 effects on problematic alcohol use and substance abuse symptomatology operate largely (45.3% and 71.1%, respectively, p<0.05) via rule breaking in midadolescence. GABRA2 represents an early risk factor for an externalizing pathway to the development of problematic alcohol and drug use.

Parent-Adolescent Relationship Enhancement Training: A Response to Adolescents Risk Behaviors in Kerala, India

Recent findings revealed that the causes of adolescent involvement in risk behaviors are lack of love, support, warmth and acceptance from their parents (Newby S Deepshikha & Bhanot, 2011).Aggressive behaviors were most common among adolescents in the early ages; their aggression is mostly against family, school property, classmates, and teachers. Hitting, pushing, spreading rumors, engaging in school fights, excluding a peer from a group, poor control of emotions, social withdrawal, and hitting a peer to get money were some of the common aggressive behaviors (Rew, Horner, & Brown, 2011;Yeh, 2011). Rule breaking behaviors were considered as the next level of risk behavior. Adolescents were breaking the normal expectations of the family, school, and society and were violating clearly defined regulations. Selfinjurious behavior such as burning the skin, limb hitting and bruising, head banging, picking at wounds, peeling the skin, deep biting, severe skin scratching, were found to be increasing tremendously among adolescents (Ohlemeyer & Wildeisen, 2005).Adolescents who experience lack of normal parental love, care, and warmth develop negative perception about themselves, their family, and their parents (Okorodudu & Nwamaka, 2010). Having unstable and unaccepting familial contexts would be like pouring oil on this burning flame (Saxena, Srivastava & Naithani, 2011).As a result of it the adolescents would develop the tendency to engage in aggressive, rule-breaking, and self-destructive behaviors(Bolognini, Plancherel, Laget, & Haifon, 2003).These were fostered by their belief that others were interfering with their independence and autonomy (Zhang & Arvey, 2009).In Asian culture parents use more punishments and exercise higher control and authority to coax the best performance from their children, which make the children rebellious and delinquent (Okorodudu & Nwamaka, 2010). There is also much evidence to prove that parental unpreparedness to deal with transitional changes that adolescents were going through lead to an affectionless style of parenting (McKinney, Donnelly & Renk, 2008). This would lessen the emotional bonding between parents and adolescents, causing the adolescents to internalize and externalize different problems (McKinney, & Renk, (2011).Adolescence is a challenging period for parents and teenagers (Coley, Votruba-Drzal, & Schindler, 2009). It is a warning to the elders to prepare their children for adaptation and to help them develop the capacities and skills they need to cope with the changes they are going through(Bolognini, Plancherel, Laget, & Halfen, 2003) . During this time parental reaction to adolescent transitions would depend on how prepared the parents were (Spring, Rosen & Matheson (2002). Lack of parental awareness about the external and internal changes experienced by the adolescents during their transition could cause breakdown in their relationship (Shearer, Crouter, & McHale, 2005).In such a situation, parental education would help the parents to develop the skills needed to relate with their adolescents (Bunting, 2004) .A family-based and attachment-focused intervention program would help to improve family unity, communication, and coping skills (Accordino, Keat II & Guemey, 2003). It will also support the development of a healthy adjustment between adolescents and their parents (Moretti, Holland,& Moore, 2002). According to Moss et al. (2012) an attachment-based intervention program is more effective in reducing internal and external behavioral problems among adolescents because it is based on improving parental sensitivity and child security. …

The Effects of Transformational Leadership on Employee’s Pro-social Rule Breaking

The construct of pro-social rule breaking occupies an important, but largely neglected position within exi-sting frameworks of organizational deviance Pro-social rule breaking (PSRB) is a form of constructive de-viance characterized by volitional rule breaking in the interest of the organization or its stakeholders.Usi-ng survey data collected from 252 employees in different organizations in China,the researchers empirically examines the relationship between transformational leadership and employee’s pro-social rule breaking and the mediating role of job autonomy. Results indicate that transformational leadership is positively rel-ated to pro-social rule breaking,job autonomy fully mediates the relationships between transformational le-adership and employee’s pro-social rule breaking. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. A set of future research directions are offered.

Outcome of a school-based intervention to promote life-skills among young people in Cambodia

BackgroundMost of the school-based interventions to prevent suicide are from high income countries and there is a need for evidence based interventions in resource-poor settings. The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcome of a school based intervention to reduce risk factors for suicide among young people in Cambodia by promoting life skills. MethodSix classes were randomly selected from two schools each, one designated as experimental and the other as control school, respectively. In experimental school 168 young people (M=92, F=76) received 6 sessions of life skills education and in the control school 131 students (M=53, F=78) received three general sessions on health. We looked at the pre-post differences on Life-Skills Development Scale Adolescent Form (LSDS-AF)- and Youth Self-Report (YSR) questionnaire to measure the effect size (ES) from the intervention after 6 months. We analyzed the data by stratifying for gender and for those who reported more severe suicidal expressions at baseline (high-risk group). ResultsThe girls showed improvement in Human Relationship (ES=0.57), Health Maintenance (ES=0.20) and the Total Life Skills Dimensions (ES=0.24), whereas boys with high-risk behavior improved on Human Relationship (ES=0.48), Purpose in Life (ES=0.26) and Total Life Skills Dimensions (ES=0.22). Effect size for YSR-syndrome scores among all individuals showed no improvement for either gender. Among high-risk individuals boys had a small to moderate effect size from intervention on Withdrawn/Depressed (ES=0.40), Attention problems (ES=0.46), Rule breaking behavior (ES=0.36), Aggressive behavior (ES=0.48) and Externalizing syndrome (ES=0.64). ConclusionPromoting life skills in schools may enhance the overall mental health of young people, indirectly influencing suicide, particularly among boys with high-risk behavior in Cambodia.

The Effect of Emotional Intelligence Training on Behavior Problems of Boys with Externalized Behavior Disorder in Elementary Schools

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of emotional intelligence on the behavior problems of boys with Externalized behavior disorder in Primary Schools. Method : This quasi-experimental study was conducted along with a pre-test, post-test, with a control group and a follow-up test. For sampling, 40 students identified with Externalized behavioral problems through the Teacher Report Form (TRF) and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) were chosen and randomly divided into two groups (20 in the experimental group and 20 in the control group). The experimental group received emotional intelligence training program in 17 sessions (2 sessions per week, 60 minutes per session) and the control group received no training beyond their regular school program. After two months, in order to examine the stability (durability) of training effect, the follow-up test was conducted. Finally, the data obtained were analyzed using the statistical method of generalized estimating equations. Results : The results showed that the intervention program had created a significant difference between the scores of the experimental and control group (p<0.001) and the rate of behavioral problems (aggression, rule breaking) occurrence has dropped. This was true for the follow-up results too. Conclusions : It can be concluded that Emotional Intelligence Training decreases the behavior problems of boys with Externalized behavior disorder and helps to prevent high occurrence of these problems.

Relación entre el tiempo de uso de las redes sociales en internet y la salud mental en adolescentes colombianos.

El objetivo de esta investigación es determinar si hay diferencias entre grupos de adolescentes de grado 7° de la ciudad de Bogotá, con diferentes tiempos de uso de las redes sociales en problemáticas de tipo internalizante, externalizante, la soledad percibida, el funcionamiento familiar y el sexo. El estudio con diseño ex post facto valoró el efecto del tiempo de uso de redes sociales a tres niveles (bajo, medio y alto) a través de un cuestionario socio demográfico diseñado para tal fin: el LSRQ, el FACES III, CDI y el YSR. Participaron 96 estudiantes con un rango de edades entre los 11 y 15 años. Se encontró que entre los participantes con un elevado tiempo de uso de las redes sociales, eran mayores los problemas de tipo externalizante (conducta agresiva, ruptura de reglas y problemas de atención). Se discute la necesidad de que en futuras investigaciones se enfaticen los factores positivos que para el desarrollo de los adolescentes puede tener el uso de las redes sociales a través de Internet.