Les relations avec l'entourage et l'adaptation psychosociale a l'ecole secondaire.

This study examined adolescents' relationships with their mother, their teachers, and their peers and the contribution of these relationships to the variability of their psychosocial adaptation. Two-hundred and ten students from two schools completed questionnaires. The findings showed that adolescents' levels of attachment to mothers was associated with teacher support, the adolescents' levels of self-esteem but not with attachment to friends. Attachment to friends was associated with adolescents' self-rated social skills. Teacher support was the best predictor of school belongingness. Gender and school grades moderated some of these associations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting serious delinquency and substance use among aggressive boys.

This 3.5-year prospective study examined the role of factors hypothesized by the social development model to inhibit or increase the likelihood of subsequent involvement in serious delinquency and substance use within a sample of boys identified as aggressive by teacher report at ages 10–21. A combination (ages 12–23) of the constructs of skills for prosocial involvement, school bonding and achievement, family bonding and management practices, norms against substance use, and interaction with peers and adults involved in antisocial behavior significantly discriminated between boys who were and were not involved in serious delinquent behavior and substance use at ages 13–24, although family bonding and management practices appeared to contribute little to the discriminant function. Implications of the results for preventive interventions with aggressive boys are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social relationships and motivation in middle school: The role of parents, teachers, and peers.

Adolescents' supportive relationships with parents, teachers, and peers were examined in relation to motivation at school (school- and class-related interest, academic goal orientations, and social goal pursuit). On the basis of 167 sixth-grade students, relations of perceived support from parents, teachers, and peers to student motivation differed depending on the source of support and motivational outcome: Peer support was a positive predictor of prosocial goal pursuit, teacher support was a positive predictor of both types of interest and of social responsibility goal pursuit, and parent support was a positive predictor of school-related interest and goal orientations. Perceived support from parents and peers also was related to interest in school indirectly by way of negative relations with emotional distress. Pursuit of social responsibility goals and school- and class-related interest in 6th grade partly explained positive relations between social support in 6th grade and classroom grades 1 year later. Continued research on the social origins of classroom motivation in early adolescence is needed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Childhood ADHD and Adolescent Substance Use: An Examination of Deviant Peer Group Affiliation as a Risk Factor.

Deviant peer group affiliation was evaluated as a risk factor for substance use in adolescents with childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Results showed that deviant peer affiliation mediated the relationship between ADHD and substance use, suggesting that children with ADHD are more likely than children without ADHD to become involved with deviant peers and, as a result, more likely to use substances. Moreover, the relationship between deviant peer affiliation and substance use was stronger for adolescents with ADHD, suggesting that once they are immersed in a deviant peer group, adolescents with ADHD are more vulnerable to the negative social influences of that group. This study is the first step in identifying high-risk pathways from childhood ADHD to substance use in adolescence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A multilevel perspective on gender in classroom motivation and climate: Potential benefits of male teachers for boys?

Are boys better motivated by male than female teachers in high school math, science, and English classes, and can these differences be explained by classroom climate? Using a cross-classified multilevel model with 5 levels (school, teacher, class, student, subject), the authors found little or no support for this contention. In general (except in terms of anxiety and persistence), girls were better motivated than boys, and these differences tended to generalize over student age and school subject in classes taught by both male and female teachers. Student perceptions of classroom climate were more specific to the group of students within a particular class than to the teacher who taught the class and had moderate to large effects on the motivation of individual students. The surprisingly small amounts of variance explained in motivation by student gender and age, teacher gender, school subject, and their interactions support a gender invariance and similarities model but not theoretical predictions based on gender stereotype, gender intensification, and gender matching perspectives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relation between social problems and substance use in adolescent boys: An investigation of potential moderators.

This study investigated the relation between social problems and adolescent male substance use in the context of other potential moderating variables. Two hundred eighty adolescent boys completed measures of social problems, cognitive distortions, constructive thinking, affiliation with delinquent peers, and multiple aspects of substance use. Results revealed that social problems were not directly related to most substance use variables. Cognitive distortions moderated the relation between social problems and substance use in social situations, such that the relation was significant only at high levels of cognitive distortions. Constructive thinking and affiliation with delinquent peers were both related to substance use, but neither served a moderating function. It is concluded that the widely accepted relation between social difficulties and adolescent male substance use may be better understood in the context of cognitive variables. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Contextual amplification of pubertal transition effects on deviant peer affiliation and externalizing behavior among African American children.

The effects of the pubertal transition on behavior problems and its interaction with family and neighborhood circumstances were examined with a sample of 867 African American children 10-12 years of age. Pubertal development status, pubertal timing, and primary caregivers' parenting behaviors were significantly related to affiliation with deviant peers and externalizing behaviors. Externalizing behavior among early-maturing children was associated positively with primary caregivers' use of harsh-inconsistent discipline and negatively with nurturant-involved parenting practices. Disadvantaged neighborhood conditions were significantly associated with deviant peer affiliation. The effect of pubertal transition varied according to family and neighborhood conditions: Early-maturing children living in disadvantaged neighborhoods were significantly more likely to affiliate with deviant peers. Early-maturing children with harsh and inconsistent parents were significantly more likely to have externalizing problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Construct validation of a strategy model of student self-regulated learning.

Using student interviews, teacher ratings, and achievement test outcomes, we validated a strategy model of student self-regulated learning as a theoretical construct. Forty-four male and 36 female high school students were asked to describe their use of 14 self-regulated learning strategies in six contexts, and their teachers rated these students for their self-regulated learning during class. Factor analyses of the teachers' ratings along with students' scores on a standardized test of mathematics and English revealed a single self-regulated learning factor that accounted for nearly 80% of the explained variance and two smaller factors that were labeled Student Verbal Expressiveness and Achievement. Students' reports of using self-regulated learning strategies during a structured interview correlated .70 with the obtained teachers' rating factor and were negatively related to the Student Verbal Expressiveness and Achievement factors. Our results indicate both convergent and discriminative validity for a self-regulated learning construct. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Substance use as a robust correlate of school outcome measures for ethnically diverse adolescents of Asian/Pacific Islander ancestry.

School psychologists are generally not provided with the knowledge and skills to address both educational and psychosocial issues of Asian American and Pacific Islander students. The present study is the first of its kind in examining 36 independent (i.e., demographic, social, cultural, psychological) variables in association with four school outcomes (i.e., grade point average, absences, suspensions, and school infractions) with a large sample of Caucasian, Filipino, Native Hawaiian, Japanese, mixed/non-Hawaiian, and "other" Hawai'i high school students (N = 2,833). Given the relatively unique sample in question and the sheer number of variables, an exploratory approach was utilized with the goal of determining the most robust independent variables, with the unique inclusion of Hawaiian cultural identification. A cross-validation technique was used, whereby stepwise regressions were performed for each of two cross-validation samples; only common variables were retained in a final stepwise model for each of the four school outcomes. The results indicated that, remarkably, substance use accounted for the most variance (i.e., 8.4% -16.1 %) in the four school measures. Further analyses detailed the relationship, including the finding that smoking cigarettes regularly, accounted for the most variance compared to the other five substance use items. Further research and implications of the findings are discussed, including the need for prevention and intervention programs that incorporate substance use as a component, both within and outside of school environments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Examining the effects of academic beliefs and behaviors on changes in substance use among urban adolescents.

This study examines substance use between 10th and l2th grades in a predominantly African American sample of 785 adolescents from an urban environment. Psychological distress, academic factors, and perceptions of parents and peers are used to explain l0th-grade substance use and changes in use using hierarchical linear modeling. Results indicate that low achievement and motivation, high truancy, and perceptions of peer substance use are associated with higher 10th-grade substance use. Growth curve analyses reveal that adolescents who perceive negative school attitudes among peers are more likely to increase their cigarette and marijuana use. Among high-achieving students, low motivation is a risk factor for increased cigarette use. Implications focused on enhancing motivation, reducing truancy, and understanding adolescents' perceptions of their peers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Creativity tests and achievement in high school science.

This study investigated the relative validities of a battery of "creativity tests" and an IQ tests for predicting several indices of achievement in high school science. Criteria included grade-point average in science courses, percentile rank on the STEP Science Achievement Test, teacher rating of overall scientific potential, number of high school science courses taken, and a measure of involvement with science. Results indicated that the creativity tests did have considerable predictive validity against each criterion for each sex and that the criterion variance accounted for by the creativity tests is to a substantial degree independent of IQ. Contrary to findings of other investigators, teachers did not discriminate against highly creative pupils in their ratings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A multilevel exploration of the influence of teacher efficacy and burnout on response to student problem behavior and school-based service use.

There is an increasing concern about teacher factors, such as burnout or low efficacy, which have been hypothesized to influence student outcomes like achievement or discipline problems. The current study examined how burnout and efficacy relate to student disciplinary actions (e.g., referrals to the principal and suspensions) and referrals for school-based support services (e.g., student support and special education), while adjusting for school-, teacher-, and student-level variables. Data were collected during the fall and spring of a single school year from 491 teachers regarding 9,795 students at 31 elementary schools. Contrary to expectations, having low teacher efficacy in the fall was associated with a reduction in student referrals to the student support team. Also unexpectedly, teachers with high burnout in the fall were less likely to have students who received an out-of-school suspension by the spring. These findings enhance our understanding of the teacher factors that influence student outcomes and may inform the development of screenings and teacher-targeted interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Feedback to teachers on student engagement as a consultation tool.

Estimated the time 3 academically delayed mainstreamed students (aged 8–9 yrs old) and their peers spent participating in their classroom assignments, using the Planned Activity Check (PLAC) observation and recording system. Teachers used the information to modify instructional strategies as they saw fit. As the feedback phase continued, despite no major increases in teacher attention, the mainstreamed Ss consistently improved their participation to close to 100%. The strategy proved practical as well as effective because teachers could use their own expertise to solve the problems that were revealed by the PLAC data. This method may be broadly used by school psychologists and educators concerned with increasing levels of student participation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of ageing on pancreatic hyperplasia after 90% proximal small bowel resection

PURPOSE: A longitudinal study to ascertain the attitudes toward, and habits of, substance use among a single class of medical students. METHOD: A single class from a northeastern medical school was surveyed in both its first year (February 1991, 176 students) and its third year (May 1993, 170 students). The students were asked to report how frequently during the prior year they had used drugs or alcohol, and whether their use of each substance had increased, decreased, or remained the same since entering medical school; to identify any family members with histories of alcohol or drug problems; and to report any incidence during the prior year of ten behaviors associated with substance dependence. The students were also asked to indicate their agreement or disagreement with 11 attitudinal statements. Additional attitudinal items asked the students to identify three major deterrents to the abuse of drugs and alcohol, and what they had done if they had become aware of a classmate with a drug or alcohol problem. Chi-square analysis and two-tailed t-tests were used to compare data from the two surveys. RESULTS: The response rates in the first and second surveys were 96.9% and 81.8%, respectively. Use of licit and illicit substances was comparable to that of chronological peers and prior national studies of medical trainees. Most of the students admitted to using alcohol at least once in the prior year (91.8% and 95%, respectively). In both years marijuana was the illicit drug used most often. Although there was a slight increase over time in the use of benzodiazepines (2.4% to 5.8%) and a decrease in the use of marijuana (29.4% to 21.7%), these changes were not significant. Few of the students in their third year reported using any substance other than alcohol more than once a month. In general, a greater percentage of the students reported a decrease rather than an increase in the use of a substance since entering medical school; the primary exception was for wine. As they progressed in their training, the students became less concerned about the effect of substance use on their performance and more likely to be embarrassed about admitting to an addiction. Although in each year a few of the students appeared to be at risk for substance dependence (8.9% and 3.5%, respectively), no student came to the attention of the administration because of problems related to substance use. While most of the students were unaware of any classmate who had a problem, half of those who were aware had done nothing, and the balance had rarely sought assistance from the faculty or administration. CONCLUSION: Although there was no evidence that substance use was a major problem, a few of the students appeared to be at risk for drug or alcohol dependence. Appropriate intervention, support, and referral systems should be identified for the few who may be at risk, and increased educational efforts are needed to help all students address this issue with their peers and, ultimately, with their patients.     

Identifying Shared Environmental Contributions to Early Substance Use: The Respective Roles of Peers and Parents.

Although behavior genetic studies have suggested that early substance use is primarily environmentally mediated, no study has sought to identify the specific sources of environmental variance. Using data obtained from multiple informants, this study assessed the contributions of peer deviance and parent-child relationship problems to substance use in 14-year-old male and female twins (N = 1,403) drawn from the Minnesota Twin Family Study (MTFS). All three phenotypes were influenced primarily by shared environmental variance (average c2 = .51), as was the overlap among them. Moreover, peer deviance and parent-child relationship problems accounted for approximately 77% of the variance in early substance use. Findings also indicated that peer deviance, but not parent-child relationship problems, accounted uniquely for variance in early substance use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Maternal stress and emotional status during the perinatal period and childhood adjustment.

An emerging literature suggests that maternal distress during the prenatal and perinatal period may adversely affect offspring development. The association between maternal stress and emotional status in the perinatal period (defined as 1 month after birth) and adjustment of first-grade children was examined in 948 mother-child dyads from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care using hierarchical multiple regression. Maternal demographic characteristics, including maternal education and income, accounted for 4% of the variance in Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) externalizing scores when children were in first grade. Maternal stress and emotional status at 1 month accounted for an additional 4% of the variance in CBCL externalizing t scores; statistically significant contributions were made by maternal depression and perceived social support. Maternal depression and parenting stress at 1 month made statistically significant contributions to CBCL internalizing scores at first grade. These findings contribute to a growing body of literature indicating that perinatal maternal adjustment is associated with children's emotional and behavioral functioning years later. Implications for school psychologists' involvement in prevention, assessment, and intervention practices are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Les liens entre I'autonomie de I'adolescent, la collaboration parentale et la réussite scolaire.

Examined differences in adolescents' levels of autonomy as a function of parenting and parental involvement practices and yearend averages. The construct of autonomy addresses the adolescents' psychosocial maturity. Using data from 872 adolescents living in Quebec, the authors found that: (a) adolescents' autonomy and, more specifically, work orientation followed by self-reliance and identity, individually contributed to the prediction of school grades; (b) parental warmth, supervision, psychological autonomy granting and affective support show a positive relationship with work orientation; parent-adolescent interactions on daily school matters are negatively related to autonomy, work orientation and identity; (c) autonomy, and mainly, work orientation and self-reliance act as mediators between parenting, parental involvement and school grades. Thus, adolescents who perceive their parents as expressing warmth and affective support, as monitoring adequately, and as encouraging them to express individuality within the family are more likely to work harder, to experience satisfaction in well-done work, to show initiative, and to succeed better than their peers. Longitudinal studies are needed to examine the possible reciprocal relation between adolescents' autonomy and parenting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multimethod comparison of similarity in school adjustment of siblings and unrelated children.

Examined similarities among 45 sibling pairs in Grades 2–5 in their social and academic adaptation to the school setting. Measures included teacher ratings and ranking of academic skills, social behavior, and peer acceptance; peer sociometric ratings; and direct observations on the playground with peers and in the classroom with teachers and peers. Comparisons were made with randomly selected, unrelated S pairs matched on sex, grade, and classroom. Significant correlations were found only among sibling pairs on peer ratings of social preference, teachers' judgments of academic competence, popularity, social behavior and school adjustment, positive behavior with peers on the playground, and teachers' disapproving behavior in the classroom. Results underscore the need for more multiagent and multimethod research on sibling concordant–discordant adjustment regardless of theoretical orientation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relations of social goal pursuit to social acceptance, classroom behavior, and perceived social support.

Relations of social goal pursuit to (1) social acceptance by teachers and peers, (2) prosocial and irresponsible classroom behavior, and (3) perceived support from teachers and peers were examined. Ss were 475 6th and 7th graders. Students' pursuit of academic prosocial goals (to help classmates with academic problems) was related positively to peer acceptance. Pursuit of academic responsibility goals (adhering to classroom rules) was related negatively to peer acceptance but positively to teacher acceptance. These findings reflected in part, significant relations between social goal pursuit and displays of social behavior. Perceived support from teachers and peers was also related positively to social goal pursuit, although findings differed as a function of type and source of support. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predictors of parenting stress among gay adoptive fathers in the United States.

The authors examined correlates of parenting stress among 230 gay adoptive fathers across the United States through an Internet survey. As with previous research on adoptive parents, results showed that fathers with less social support, older children, and children who were adopted at older ages reported more parenting stress. Moreover, gay fathers who had a less positive gay identity also reported more parenting stress. These 4 variables accounted for 33% of the variance in parenting stress; effect sizes were medium to large. Our results suggest the importance of social support and a positive gay identity in facilitating successful parenting outcomes among gay adoptive fathers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)