This study aimed to determine if Junior Eysenck Personality Inventory (JEPI) scores would differentiate between youth with and without PTSD. More specifically, the study compared JEPI Neuroticism and Extraversion scores across youth with PTSD, trauma exposed youth without PTSD, and non-traumatized youth using a three group case control design. The Children’s PTSD Inventory and unstructured DSM-IV based diagnostic interviews were utilized to determine diagnostic status. Given that prior research has indicated a relationship between neuroticism and internalizing disorders, and as PTSD is primarily an internalizing disorder, it was expected that youth with PTSD would have higher JEPI Neuroticism scores relative to trauma exposed youth without PTSD or case controls. It was further expected that JEPI Neuroticism scores of trauma exposed youth without PTSD and control subjects would not significantly differ. Finally, it was expected that JEPI Extraversion scores would not significantly differ between groups. As expected, youth with PTSD had significantly higher Neuroticism scores relative to traumatized youth without PTSD and controls. The Neuroticism scores of trauma exposed youth without PTSD and controls did not significantly differ. There were no significant differences between groups in regard to Extraversion scores. Implications for research and practice were considered.

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between life stress, emotional adjustment and family relationships in early adolescents from low-income urban areas. A non-experimental, survey research design was adopted for this study. The sample consisted of 119 early adolescents, aged between 12 and 14 years, from 3 low-income neighbourhoods on the Cape Flats.

Individuals diagnosed with schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) exhibit patterns of cognitive deficits, neuromotor disturbances, and behavior problems similar to individuals with schizophrenia, and thus SPD is thought to represent one point on the continuum of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs). Deficits in behavior, cognition, and motor functioning have been implicated as childhood precursors of SSDs and appear to also vary as a function of gender and family history of psychopathology. As such, studies of youth may help in further identification of individuals at risk for SSDs. The current study examined the prospective associations between problem behaviors, neuromotor and neurocognitive functioning, as well as SSD symptoms, at baseline and 2-year follow-up in youth meeting criteria for SPD, other personality disorders, or healthy controls. The neuromotor and neurocognitive measures were able to significantly predict SSD symptoms and behavior problems above and beyond baseline predictors. Overall, the findings provide further support for the role of subcortical motor centers operating together with prefrontal cortical areas in the regulation of higher-order cognitive functioning and in producing the psychiatric features of SSDs. Significant correlations between gender, family history of schizophrenia, and history of head injury with symptoms, behavior, cognition, and motor functioning were also found and highlight the importance of examining the effects of these variables in future investigations. In sum, the current study helped in identifying factors that predict the clinical course of schizotypy and may shed light on the disturbed neural circuitry underlying SSDs.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to determine relationships between acculturation level, generational status, and gender with acculturative stress. Acculturation level was determined by the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans-II (ARSMA-II) and acculturative stress was determined by the Societal, Attitudinal, Familial and Environmental Acculturative Stress Scale-Children's Version (SAFE-C). Subjects included 1268 Hispanic children ages 11-15. In order to validate the usefulness of the ARSMA-II with this sample, analyses were conducted between acculturation level and generational status. The Pearson product moment correlation (r=.44) and the ANOVA between the mean acculturation score and generational status were significant. However, the mean acculturation score from this study was considerably lower than the ARSMA-II score; therefore, new acculturation levels were developed to establish local adolescent norms for the ARSMA-II. All analyses involving acculturation levels were conducted using both the ARSMA-II and new acculturation levels because 300 subjects were reclassified with the new norms. Significant results were similar using both acculturation levels; however, there were more between group differences using the new acculturation levels. It was hypothesized that as acculturation level increased toward the Anglo culture, acculturative stress would decrease. The one-way ANOVA confirmed this relationship. It was also hypothesized that as generational status increased, acculturative stress would decrease. A one-way ANOVA also supported this hypothesis. In order to replicate previous findings on gender, a one-way ANOVA was conducted with acculturative stress and acculturation level. Results for both were non-significant. Overall findings indicate that generational status and acculturation level have a significant impact on acculturative stress in Hispanic children; however, gender does not seem to be a factor. Findings emphasize the importance of addressing cultural issues in the assessment, intervention, and treatment of acculturating Hispanic children. Furthermore, the ARSMA-II appears to be a useful instrument in assessing acculturation level in young adolescent Hispanics though new local adolescent norms for the ARSMA-II were developed from this study.

No description available.

Effective citizenship practice in the United States has several important characteristics, which can provide the foundation for young people to access opportunity in employment and education. A continuum of policies, programs, and strategies meant to alleviate poverty have central themes of providing education and vocational opportunities, and yet large numbers of young minority people remain disenfranchised with no chance to succeed. There is even greater loss in the population of African American males who otherwise could achieve stable and strong economic life styles. Large unemployment and under-employment of African American males is documented through U.S. data sources where declining rates of labor force participation of black males is starkly evident (U.S. Census 2000). Geographic influences for minority youth also increase limited access to educational and employment opportunities (Slack & Jenson, 2002). What is clear is that minority youth are faced with a disproportionately difficult access to educational and employment opportunities as a result of diminished community social support, which should be the encouraging force in directing their goal achievements. Resiliency, as a strengths-based perspective, gained convincing prominence through the 1970s and 1980s. Initiative, self-control, self-esteem, and attachment are four protective factors of resiliency. Risk and protective factors are vital for intervention practices with individuals, families and communities. This study utilized protective factors that promote the skills and abilities necessary for encouraging resiliency and creating effective citizenship. iii Resiliency and the awareness of citizenship practices may bolster African American male youth successes in educational and employment opportunities. Youth who consistently and routinely engage in employment can increase the well-being of themselves, their families, and their communities. This study utilized a self-administered survey design to obtain responses from rural African Americans male youth, between the ages of 12 and 19 inclusive, to determine their resiliency skills and their awareness of citizenship practices (p=.005, one-tailed). In a pre-post test for significance, participants were asked to take a citizenship practices survey after the viewing of the video. This paired t-test displayed statistically significant results (p= .0015, t= 2.998, df =98). It is important to examine resiliency in rural African American male youth and how that resiliency interacts with the awareness of citizenship practices. There is little known about how rural African American, male youth perceive effective citizenship based on their level of resiliency. African American youth are better served toward successful employment and education through programs that are designed to increase citizenship practices awareness. There is reason to believe that citizenship practices, by way of training and community affirmation, with an infusion of resiliency skill techniques modeling, could open the doors wider for African American male youth who, for some, suffer from poverty, but for most suffer from the lack of free and open educational access which inhibits viable entry level employment opportunities.

The identities are forged dynamically in daily life amid the socio-psychological and political conditions. In this work, we adopt the theoretical perspective of social psychology, which considers social identity as a part of self-enunciation related to the perception of belonging to social groups, along with emotional meanings associated with that membership. This paper examines the dynamics of content creation and identity among resident students of UFS University through two studies: the first following a script mixed with questionnaire and interview, and the second through meetings in the form of focus groups. The study I aimed at investigating how university residents processed their identity constructions and specifically to verify the identity dimension which would be more evident - the individual or collective - what is the importance of (being a resident) for said building identity; the level of satisfaction associated with social belonging; which representations residents have of their social belonging and, finally, what meta-stereotypes in relation to group membership are apprehended by residents in the university context. The results indicated the large capacity of the participants in constructing self-concept meanings for themselves on the individual dimension, rather than consideration of possible dimensions of collective identities. Little emphasis was also noticed on self formulations of survey participants regarding the identity category "resident / university resident", and this, plus low prevalence, is also little protruding between them. Moreover, for those who associate their identities to the recognition of social belonging, the level of satisfaction regarding their identities is ambivalent. We also verified that there is among the surveyed a representational framework regarding the social belonging that does not favor the production of identity linked to the group of resident students; this frame also includes the seizure of meta-stereotypes toward the group produced in the university context. The study II aimed to verify whether, in contexts where possibly belonging to the social group of university residents structures political positions, participants turn to the social belonging "university resident" with a higher prevalence in the promotion and projection of their statements. The results indicated that, in specific situations, university residents now use the social category to which they belong in their identity constructions with the goal of legitimizing the demands and garner resources (material and symbolic) for the group. The recognition of social contexts in which the identity dynamics are processed, the perception of stereotypes and discrimination that arise from the establishment of an undervalued social identity causes individuals not to edit their identity belongings, whereas in times of struggles for better conditions for group membership, the affirmation of social identity is needed in legitimizing the claims related to the well being of the group. / As identidades se forjam dinamicamente no cotidiano dos indivíduos, em meio às condições sociopsicológicas e políticas. Neste trabalho, adotamos a perspectiva teórica da psicologia social, que considera a identidade social como uma parcela da autoenunciação de si relacionada à percepção de pertença aos grupos sociais, juntamente com significados emocionais associados a essa pertença. Este trabalho analisa as dinâmicas de constituição e conteúdos identitários entre estudantes residentes universitários da Universidade Federal de Sergipe por meio de dois estudos, o primeiro seguindo um roteiro misto de questionário com entrevista e o segundo através de encontros na modalidade de grupo focal. O estudo I teve por objetivo principal investigar como os residentes universitários processavam as suas construções identitárias e especificamente verificar qual a dimensão identitária seria mais evidenciada - a individual ou a coletiva - qual a importância do (ser residente) para as referidas construções identitárias; qual o nível de satisfação associado à pertença social; quais as representações que os residentes têm de sua pertença social e por fim, quais metaestereótipos em relação ao grupo de pertença são apreendidos pelos residentes no contexto universitário. Os resultados indicaram a grande capacidade dos participantes em significar para si um autoconceito ligado à dimensão individual, em detrimento da possível consideração da dimensão coletiva das identidades. Foi notado também, pouco destaque nas formulações de autoconceito dos participantes da pesquisa relacionado à categoria identitária residente/residente universitário , sendo que a mesma, além de pouco prevalente é também pouco saliente entre os mesmos. Além do mais, para aqueles que associam suas identidades ao reconhecimento do pertencimento social, o nível de satisfação em relação às suas identidades é ambivalente. Verificamos também que há entre os pesquisados um quadro representacional em relação à pertença social que não favorece a produção identitária vinculada ao grupo dos residentes universitários, esse quadro inclui ainda a apreensão dos metaestereótipos em relação ao grupo produzidos no contexto universitário. O estudo II teve por objetivo verificar se em contextos onde possivelmente o pertencimento social ao grupo dos residentes universitários estrutura posicionamentos políticos, os participantes recorreriam à pertença social residente universitário com maior prevalência no fomento de suas declarações. Os resultados indicaram que, em situações específicas, os residentes passam a usar a categoria social ao qual fazem parte nas suas construções identitárias com o objetivo de legitimar as demandas e angariar recursos (materiais e simbólicos) para o grupo. O reconhecimento dos contextos sociais, nos quais, as dinâmicas identitárias se processam, a percepção dos estereótipos e da discriminação que advêm do estabelecimento de uma identidade social pouco valorizada faz com que os indivíduos não editem suas pertenças identitárias, ao passo que nos momentos de disputas por melhores condições para o grupo de pertença, a afirmação da identidade social se faz necessária na legitimação das demandas relacionadas ao bem estar do grupo.

This study was undertaken to determine the extent of aggressive behaviour exhibited by secondary school learners. Many factors were considered when investigating the problem of aggressive behaviour. The problem was traced from the theorists' perspectives and factors related to the family, school and community. An extensive literature review showed that the above factors contribute to aggressive behaviour among adolescents. In order to support or reject the findings of the literature study, quantitative (questionnaire) research and qualitative research (interviews) were conducted. The results of the quantitative research concerning learners' aggressive behaviour in secondary schools were analysed and interpreted while at the same time a deeper understanding of aggressive behaviour was revealed through qualitative research. The results of the empirical research indicated that the more negative the family climate, school climate, community climate or influence of friends are, or the more negative the emotional self-concept of the adolescent is, the more aggressive the adolescent is, and vice versa. Based on these findings recommendations for the implementation of prevention programmes were made. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Socio-Education)

This study was undertaken to determine the extent of aggressive behaviour exhibited by secondary school learners. Many factors were considered when investigating the problem of aggressive behaviour. The problem was traced from the theorists' perspectives and factors related to the family, school and community. An extensive literature review showed that the above factors contribute to aggressive behaviour among adolescents. In order to support or reject the findings of the literature study, quantitative (questionnaire) research and qualitative research (interviews) were conducted. The results of the quantitative research concerning learners' aggressive behaviour in secondary schools were analysed and interpreted while at the same time a deeper understanding of aggressive behaviour was revealed through qualitative research. The results of the empirical research indicated that the more negative the family climate, school climate, community climate or influence of friends are, or the more negative the emotional self-concept of the adolescent is, the more aggressive the adolescent is, and vice versa. Based on these findings recommendations for the implementation of prevention programmes were made. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Socio-Education)