Research has shown that children, like adults, are negatively affected by exposure to stressful life events (Sandler & Mock, 1979; Garmezy, Masten, Tellegen, 1984). One such stressful event is the transition to junior high school (Simmons, Burgeson, Carlton-Ford, & Blyth, 1987), which is often complicated by the onset of puberty with its attendant biological, emotional, and social changes. Many researchers have examined the effects of school transition stress (Abramowitz, Petersen, & Schulenberg, 1984; Simmons, Carlton-Ford, & Blyth, 1987), but few have identified those protective factors which influence the effects of stress. Subjects consisted of 189 grade six children divided into two groups according to their transition status: (1) those who were being promoted to grade seven but who remained in the same school, and (2) those who were being promoted to grade seven and were transferring to a new school. Students were asked to complete the Survey of Children's Social Support, the Social Skills Rating System the Child Behavior Checklist Youth Self Report, a stress rating scale, and a two-week daily log of social initiations (Things I Do With Others), on each of three occasions: in the spring of the school year prior to the transition (T1), in the fall at the time of the school transition (T2), and in the spring of the transition year (T3) approximately one year after the first testing. After the children changed schools, they identified those students in their classroom who had been in their classroom the previous year to yield a measure of familiarity with peers at school following the transition. Parents were asked to complete the Parent Report Form of the Child Behavior Checklist at each of the three timepoints. Contrary to prediction, MANOVA results indicated that there were no significant differences between transition and no-transition subjects on measures of adjustment. Regression analyses revealed that prior levels of social competence and social support were not consistently predictive of adjustment following the school transition. However, T1 social competence predicted T2 self-reports of externalizing problems, T1 perceived social support predicted T3 parents' reports of internalizing problems, and both perceived social support and social competence at T1 predicted T3 parents' reports of externalizing problems. Moreover, when measured concurrently, perceived social support and social competence predicted self-reports of externalizing problems at T2. Stress ratings at T2 were predictive of concurrent self-reports of adjustment at T2. A comparison of subjects on extreme ends of the stress rating scale revealed that subjects who reported high levels of stress reported significantly lower levels of social support (Appraisals Scale) than did those subjects who reported low levels of stress, suggesting that stress affects appraisals of support. However, perceived support predicted concurrent levels of reported stress. It is thus unclear whether stress affects social support or social support affects perceived stress. In terms of sources of support, family support seemed most important for adjustment. The current research did not demonstrate that having a best friend was significant for adaptation. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Violence in relationships is a serious social issue in our society. However, the developmental path that leads to this specific type of aggressive behaviour is unclear. The influence of familial factors, including violence in the family, parenting practices, lack of prosocial skills, and involvement in deviant peer groups, on the development of general aggression has been widely studied. Other research suggests that attachment bonds to parents are critical in the development of aggression, providing a role model for interactions in relationships and a foundation for intimacy, social development, and empathy. Further, adult attachment patterns that develop based on bonds with parents impact on how people interact in close relationships and are considered an important factor in sexual aggression and aggression in relationships. In addition to familial risk factors, interpersonal skills deficits, personality characteristics, negative influences of peers, and sexist attitudes may be important risk factors for aggression in relationships. The first purpose of the present study was to explore risk factors for aggression in the context of relationships. The second purpose was to compare groups of nonoffenders (students), nonviolent offenders, offenders violent outside of relationships, offenders violent within relationships, and offenders violent both within and outside of relationships with respect to familial variables, attachment styles, problem-solving skills, personality styles, influences of male peers, and sexist attitudes. The results indicated that family violence in childhood, poor attachment bonds with parents, interpersonal problem-solving deficits, insecure attachment styles in adulthood, abusive personality characteristics, negative influences from male peers, and sexist attitudes are important predictors of aggression in relationships. These risk factors also differentiated nonoffenders from offenders. However, the lack of differences among offender groups on these predictors points to a more general model of criminality, consistent with results of longitudinal studies with violent and nonviolent offenders. Implications in terms of parent training and early prevention with children at risk are discussed.

This study was designed to examine: how siblings of chronically ill children cope with decreased parental availability, disruption to daily routines, and worries about the ill sibling; whether siblings cope differently with each of these three situations; what type of coping strategies siblings perceive as effective; the relation between psychological adjustment and the use of problem-focused and emotion-focused strategies; and the incremental variance in siblings' psychological functioning accounted for by siblings' coping strategies after controlling for age and gender. The study also explored how coping differs as a function of secondary appraisal and whether there are gender differences in coping. The Cognitive Appraisal Model of stress and coping guided the study. 110 participants (56 girls and 54 boys), 8--12 years old, completed the Kidcope, the Children's Depression Inventory, and the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale, and parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist. Results indicate that siblings' coping strategies explain a significant proportion of the variance in externalizing (14%) and internalizing (7%) behaviour problems after siblings' age and gender are controlled for, though coping is not related to child-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety. The most frequently used coping strategies are cognitive restructuring and wishful thinking. Other commonly utilized strategies are social support, distraction, problem solving, emotional regulation, and social withdrawal. Of these, social support is perceived as the most helpful in dealing with decreased parental availability and disruptions to routines, and cognitive restructuring as the most helpful in dealing with worries. Siblings employ significantly more emotion---than problem-focused strategies in dealing with all situations, though the use of problem---or emotion-focused coping is not related to secondary appraisal. Problem-focused coping in dealing with disruptions and worries is associated with higher parental reports of externalizing problems, whereas the use of emotion-focused coping in dealing with these two situations is associated with fewer such reports. There are no gender differences with regard to the relative use of problem---or emotion-focused coping. Research and clinical implications of these findings, as well as the insights and limitations of this study, are considered in the discussion.

According to Deci and Ryan (1985) the innate nature of the human self is proactivity and agency. Thus, human beings are intrinsically motivated to develop their potentials, pursue their interests, master their internal and external environments and relate to others in the social world. However, dissatisfaction in life and work prevails, failure at self-regulation is rampant, and one out of seven people needs psychotherapy. In an attempt to understand the discrepancy between real life examples and the theoretical portrayal of the human self as proactive and agentic, a causal model was proposed. This model posited that when the basic innate need for relatedness is not met the proactive self is impaired and as a result positive human functioning is impaired. Before this model could be tested however, the proactive self must be first defined. In the first study (N = 375) the proactive self was defined as a second-order factor composed of three lower-order factors (Intrinsic motivation, organismic integration, and self as CEO) all reflecting the notion of the self as the origin of behavior. A second-order CFA lent empirical support to the proposed definition of the proactive self. In the second study (N = 395), the definition of the proactive self was cross-validated in a second independent sample. Furthermore, SEM analyses supported and validated the model postulating causal relations among the need for relatedness, the proactive self, and positive human functioning. In the third study (N = 392) both the definition of the proactive self and the model postulating causal relations between relatedness, proactive self, and positive human functioning were cross-validated. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are addressed.

Cette étude a pour but d'étudier des facteurs prédisposant les adolescents à l'adoption de comportements délinquants et parasuicidaires. Un modèle de-prédiction a été formulé a cette fin. La théorie de la frustration (Cohen, 1955; Cloward & Ohlin, 1960; Merton, 1937, 1958) et les travaux sur la théorie générale de la frustration (Agnew, 1992; Agnew & White; Paternoster & Mazerolle, 1994) ont servi de base à l'élaboration du modèle. La frustration, dans la présente étude, est évaluée par le biais des privations relatives intrapersonnelle, personnelle et collective, résultant de désavantages sociaux et temporels. Un total de 767 élèves du secondaire, issus de deux régions du Québec plus particulièrement marquées par la déviance juvénile (l'Abitibi et l'Outaouais), ont participé à l'étude. Le modèle, vérifié par le biais d'analyses d'équations structurales, révèle que la privation relative intrapersonnelle est un élément déclencheur du processus menant vers l'adoption des comportements parasuicidaires. Ces comportements sont directement prédits par les sentiments dépressifs. Les résultats démontrent de plus, que la privation relative personnelle est associée à une baisse de l'identification aux parents. Cette dernière, joue un rôle indirect dans la prédiction des comportements parasuicidaires et délinquants. Il ressort également que la privation relative collective est une variable médiatrice dans la prédiction de l'adoption de comportements délinquants. Ces derniers, sont directement prédits par l'association aux pairs délinquants et l'éloignement des valeurs conventionnelles. Finalement, les résultats révèlent que la privation relative intrapersonnelle est reliée à la privation relative personnelle, qui à son tour, est associée à la privation relative collective. Les implications pratiques et théoriques des résultats sont discutées.

To date, power exertion strategies in intimate relationships have been studied primarily using R-methodology techniques (e.g., Falbo, 1977; Fablo and Peplau, 1980). These studies have most often produced a two-dimensional model of power exertion strategies. The model used by Falbo and Peplau (1980) is composed of two bidirectional dimensions consisting of a laterality dimension (bilateral to unilateral) and a directness dimension (direct to indirect). The aim of the present study was to determine whether using an alternative methodology developed to measure operant subjectivity, namely Q-methodology, would provide similar results to those found using R-methodology. Nonviolent, heterosexual couples who had been married or living together for at least six months were recruited for the present study. Fifty-four participants (27 couples) completed three computerized Q-sorts based on the perceived usage of 60 power-exertion strategies from the self, partner and ideal-perspectives. In addition, couple members completed self-reports designed to measure intimacy (Miller Social Intimacy Scale - Miller and Lefcourt, 1982), relationship adjustment (Dyadic Adjustment Scale - Short Form - Spanier, 1976 and Hunsley, Pinsent, Lefebvre, James-Tanner, and Vito, 1995), impression management (Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding Impression Management Subscale - Paulhaus, 1991), psychological reactance (Hong's Psychological Reactance Scale - Hong and Page, 1989), dominance (General Population Dominance Scale - Roy, 1981), machiavellianism (MACH IV - Christie and Geis, 1970), sex-role egalitarianism (Sex-role Egalitarianism Scale - Short Form - King and King, 1994), and perspective-taking (Self-dyadic Perspective Taking Scale and Other-dyadic Perspective Taking Scale - Long and Andrews, 1990). Frameworks derived from the Q-sort data indicate that participants actively use the dimensions of laterality and directness to describe their own and their partners' use of power exertion strategies in their intimate relationships. When asked to describe the "ideal partner", participants used only the dimension of laterality. Overall, participants reported using significantly more bilateral and direct strategies in comparison to unilateral and indirect strategies. When describing their own power exertion strategies, women and those with lower levels of psychological reactance were more likely to exclusively use the bilateral/lateral dimension. In comparison, men and those individuals with higher levels of psychological reactance were more likely to exclusively use the directness dimension. When describing their partners' use of power exertion strategies, those individuals using primarily the bilateral/unilateral dimension were more likely to have higher levels of social desirability, higher levels of perspective-taking, lower levels of psychological reactance, and lower levels of machiavellianism, in comparison to those individuals who primarily used the direct/indirect dimension.

At present, we are increasingly both the object of surveillance and the observers of images gathered through various surveillance practices. Although camera surveillance is a situational crime prevention (SCP) practice that is expected to deter criminal incidents and victimization, there is the potential for these panoptic technologies to produce more widespread and subtle social control effects. Contemporary liberal-based governments have constructed new modes of governance that delegate responsibility for risk-management to their populaces in specific ways. The use of camera surveillance is an extension of such a mode of governance that encourages individuals to identify with and adopt the preventive rationalities that underlie the use of these technologies. Consequently, camera surveillance practices have the potential to encourage individuals to monitor their own thinking and conduct and govern themselves in accordance to what is deemed to be appropriate behaviours. This thesis undertakes to explore the potential social control effects of current camera surveillance practices.

This correlational research investigated the social and psychological determinants of physical education teachers' interpersonal style. This thesis was based on the theoretical framework from Deci and Ryan's (1985, 1991) Cognitive Evaluation Theory (CET). This research was examining the influence of (a) the teachers' perceptions of their working climate, (b) teachers' own motivation toward physical activity, (c) teachers' own motivation toward their career, and (d) teachers' perceptions of their students' motivation towards physical activity on the physical education teachers interpersonal style (autonomy supportive versus controlling interpersonal style). 48 physical education teachers from two school boards in the Ottawa region decided to fill out a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using multiple regression in order to find relationships between the determinants of interpersonal style and physical education teachers' interpersonal style. The findings from this research revealed that one hypothesis out of four was supported. The limitations of the study are discussed and future research ideas are provided.

Marital distress and depression are strongly related, making the study of depression within a marital context particularly interesting. Causal models suggest that men's depressive symptoms precede marital dissatisfaction, whereas women's depressive symptomatology follows marital dissatisfaction. Few such models have integrated husbands' and wives' variables in a single model. The present study tested a model that predicted depressive symptoms in married women using marital dissatisfaction, self-silencing, and husbands' depressive symptoms. Jack's (1991) theory predicted that self-silencing would be more likely to occur in women for whom the marital role was central to the self-concept. A community sample of eighty-five couples completed the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale. A measure self-image complexity was included to determine the extent to which subjects defined themselves in terms of their marital relationships. A "domino effect" was supported in predicting women's, but not men's, depressive symptoms: depressed husbands tended to be dissatisfied with their marriages, which increased the likelihood that their wives would also be dissatisfied, which was related to the women's vulnerability to depressive symptoms. Silencing one's needs and feelings within relationships was also associated with an increase in women's depressive symptoms, and was particularly likely to occur when the husbands reported depressive symptoms. Contrary to Jack's (1991) self-silencing theory, silencing was less likely to occur in women who defined themselves in terms of their marital relationships. This finding is in agreement with research examining relationships between conflict management techniques and particular attachment styles. Individuals who are preoccupied with their relationships, who are likely to define themselves in terms of those relationships, tend not to silence their needs and feelings. In contrast, individuals who avoid closeness in relationships, who are unlikely to define themselves in relationship terms, tend to withdraw from conflict and censor their feelings in interactions with their partners. Further research is needed in order to clarify the association between the centrality of relationships to one's sense of self and the silencing of needs and feelings within those relationships.

Recent years have shown a marked growth in the literature examining the interpersonal context of depression. One area about which relatively little is known, however, concerns the relational correlates of depression in men. The present study examined the relationship between men's recollections of childhood experiences, their perceptions of their current marital relationship, and self-reported depressive symptomatology. A community sample of men completed the following self-report measures: (1) the Beck Depression Inventory; (2) the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire; (3) the Conflict-Tactics Scale (modified version); (4) the Revised Adult Attachment Scale; (5) the Level of Expressed Emotion scale (tolerance subscale). Analyses showed that self-reported childhood parental rejection, childhood physical abuse, insecure adult attachment and spousal intolerance were all positively correlated with self-reported depressive symptoms at the zero-order level. There was no evidence of moderating relationships between childhood and adulthood variables in predicting depressive symptoms. Path analysis supported the mediating hypothesis that reported maternal rejection in childhood contributes to reported attachment difficulties in adulthood, which are subsequently related to reported depression levels. In contrast, reported paternal rejection was found to be directly associated with reported depressive symptoms in adulthood. The findings underscore the importance of the interpersonal context in understanding men's emotional functioning.