Children's loneliness: A comparison of rejected and neglected peer status.

Administered sociometric and loneliness questionnaires to 200 3rd-6th grade children to assess feelings of loneliness in 2 subgroups of unpopular Ss—those who were sociometrically rejected vs those who were sociometrically neglected. Data on popular, average, and controversial Ss were also collected. One-fifth of the the Ss were from low SES families, one-third were from middle SES families, and the rest were from upper middle or upper SES families. Results indicate that rejected Ss were the most lonely group and that this group differed significantly from other status groups. Neglected Ss did not differ from their higher-status peers. Overall, findings provide evidence of the utility of the distinction between neglected vs rejected status and provide support for earlier conclusions that rejected children are more at risk than are other status groups. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A typology of alcohol abusers: Correlates and implications.

Used data from 725 individuals (mean age 38.1 yrs) seeking help for alcohol-related problems who had been administered the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test; the Social Readjustment Rating Scale; the Personality Research Form; Rotter's Internal–External Locus of Control Scale; the Standard Progressive Matrices; the Vocabulary and Digit Symbol subscales of the WAIS; and measures of alcohol use, lifetime drinking history, basic personality, SES variables, and response styles to cluster analyze for types of drinkers. Analysis yielded 3 types: Type 1 Ss (early-stage problem drinkers) represented a fairly heterogeneous group, Type 2 Ss (affiliative, moderately dependent drinkers) were more socially oriented and drank on a daily basis, and Type 3 Ss (schizoid, severely dependent drinkers) were socially isolative, tended to drink in binges, and reported the most severe symptoms of alcoholism. A speculative model is proposed that consists of the 3 types superimposed on an underlying continuum of alcohol dependence; it is suggested that the model has heuristic value for stimulating further research on the etiology and differential treatment of alcohol abuse. (44 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Anomalous factor structure of the WISC—R for diabetic children.

The factor structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Revised (WISC—R) was analyzed with 95 diabetic children (aged 8–16 yrs), 97 regionally and demographically matched controls, and an age- and race-matched sample from the WISC—R standardization sample (n?=?1,405). Controls exhibited a 3-factor IQ structure, consistent with the standardization sample. Diabetic Ss exhibited a 4-factor structure, with the Perceptual Organization factor splitting in two. Picture Completion (PC) and Picture Arrangement (PA) formed a visual discrimination factor, and Block Design and Object Assembly created a spatial conceptual factor. Among the diabetic Ss, the PC and PA subtests did not act as traditional measures of nonverbal intelligence, and the performance of diabetic Ss on the visual discrimination factor may reflect mild visual atypicalities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Accuracy of knowledge of family history of cardiovascular disorders.

Compared 292 undergraduates' reports of their parents' and grandparents' histories of 6 medical disorders (atherosclerosis, heart attack, hypertension, kidney disease, migraine headaches, and stroke) with the parents' reports. Ss also completed measures assessing frequency of contact with parents, comfort in discussing health matters with parents, and importance of health to Ss; Rotter's Internal–External Locus of Control Scale; and the Health Locus of Control Scale. Results show moderate agreement concerning the parents' health, especially when reports were negative, but substantial disagreement concerning the grandparents' health. Demographic and personality variables did not predict accuracy of Ss' reports of parental hypertension, the most frequently reported disorder. Among the disorders, differences in agreement of reporting arose; the most salient condition, heart attack, had the highest agreement for both parents and grandparents. Results suggest that caution is necessary in evaluating family health information from Ss in research and from target individuals in prevention programs. (45 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Risk and resilience in early mental development.

Examined mental development scores for 2 groups of at-risk twins throughout their childhood, those classified as small for gestational age (SGA), and those twins falling below 1,750 g birthweight. The Ss were recruited as newborns—about 30 new pairs were added each year—and the total sample included 450 pairs of twins. Ss were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development at age 24 mo and the WPPSI at age 6 yrs. Results show that the SGA Ss showed only a modest deficit in IQ scores as compared to the full twin Ss, and thus these small-for-date Ss did not appear to be at special risk. The Ss below 1,750 g, however, did show a very significant deficit in IQ scores throughout childhood. When the recovery patterns were examined for this group, upper SES Ss appeared to recover completely, whereas lower SES Ss remained significantly depressed. Mother's education was significantly related to recovery from 24 mo onward, which suggests that maternal intelligence plays a prominent role in determining the level of recovery. When monozygotic Ss of markedly unequal birth weight were compared, the twins who weighed less than 1,750 g attained the same level of IQ scores at 6 yrs as did their heavier co-twins. Among these genetic replicates, the initially powerful effects of low birth weight did not exert a long-term handicapping effect on mental development. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Contact with the dominant culture and cognitive competence in Canadian Indians and Whites.

Tests of 3 different kinds of cognitive competence were administered to 49 White 1st-3rd graders, 48 Indian classmates of the Whites who lived on a reserve, and 63 Indian 1st-3rd graders attending a residential school with isolation from both White and Indian societies. The Whites surpassed both Indian groups on abstract verbal reasoning in the English language, surpassed only the residential-school group on nonverbal reasoning, and scored at about the same level as the Indian Ss on concrete nonverbal skills. The 2 groups of Indian Ss obtained similar mean scores on all 3 tests. Findings suggest a continuum of contact with the dominant White society that interacts with the cognitive competencies sampled by tests, lowest mean scores resulting from testing the components that are most strongly culture-based, in children most isolated from the dominant society. The data also raise the possibility of qualitatively different "intelligences" in the 2 racial groups. (French summary) (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Performance on Piagetian tasks of Black children of differing socioeconomic levels.

233 Black children in Grades 1–6 and from 2 socioeconomic (SES) levels, as determined by eligibility for the school lunch program and parents' occupations, were given 5 Piagetian tasks to determine if differences in SES were associated with differences in cognitive development levels. Measures of reasoning, seriation, classification, causation, and conservation were used. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that in all 5 variables the higher SES Ss performed better than lower SES Ss. The conservation measure showed distinct developmental differences between the high- and low-SES Ss. Examination of the means suggested only a small difference in developmental level between the SES groups on the other tasks. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Demographic parameters of self-disclosure to psychotherapists and others.

Administered a 42-item self-disclosure scale to 223 Ss selected at public locations. On the basis of demographic data, 180 Ss were assigned to gender, race, and SES subgroups for response analysis. Data partially support the hypothesis that SES relates to self-disclosure patterns. Analysis showed, however, that SES was not a significant determinant of reported willingness to self-disclose except in interaction with gender. Males reported greater willingness than females to discuss with clergy 1 or more of the topics presented, and similar directional differences were observed on 5 of the 6 topics (sex, emotion, family, relationship, work, and morality). Whites reported significantly greater willingness than Blacks to disclose to spouse and psychiatrist, but no differences were observed for the listener categories of close friend, clergyman, and family doctor. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Success expectancies and the probability learning of children of low and middle socioeconomic status.

Studied lower and middle SES groups each containing 16 children high and 16 low in expectancy of success, as defined by teachers' assessments of the children's general classroom successfulness. SES was not found to influence performance of a 3-choice partially reinforced discrimination learning task. However, low success-rated Ss made more maximizing responses, indicating their willingness to accept a lesser degree of reinforcement, than did high success-rated Ss. SES by Sex interactions indicated the complex determinants of children's probability learning. The findings are related to the issue of homogeneous vs heterogeneous grouping of children in schools. The effects such practices might have on children's success expectancies are discussed. (36 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Internal-external control as a determinant of the effectiveness of modeling and instructions.

Explored the relationship between locus of control and the issue of modeling and instructional effectiveness. From 132 male and female undergraduates, 24 were designated internals and 21 externals according to scores on Rotter's Internal-External Control Scale which accorded with H. L. Mirels's (1970) factor of personal internality. Ss were randomly assigned to 1 of the following conditions: (a) instructional (Ss instructed to be highly concrete in talking about their school, social, and family life experiences); (b) modeling (Ss exposed to a model who discussed each of the above topics in a highly concrete fashion); and (c) control (Ss received only general instructions to talk on the same 3 topics). All Ss then participated in a brief monologue which was scored for concreteness. Results indicate that modeling was an effective procedure. Also, as predicted, internal-modeling Ss were more concrete than the internal-instructions Ss. Findings are discussed in relation to instructional efficacy and response class. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A developmental study of balance theory in four cultural groups.

Canadian White and native Indian Ss and New Zealand White and Maori Ss from 5 age groups ranging from 5 to 14 yrs, provided missing sentiment relations for 8 hypothetical interpersonal triads. Ss' explanations for their responses were also systematically obtained. The 2 White groups and Maori Ss showed a steady increase in balanced responses and in balance-type explanations with increasing age, reaching high levels in the older groups. Balanced responses were less frequent among Indian Ss, and there was no clear developmental trend in tendency towards balance. These latter findings may be partly attributable to small Indian samples and a truncated age range. With the exception of the Indians, differences among cultural groups were small. Coherent principles of social reasoning other than balance were rare and did not differentiate among cultural groups. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

School self-acceptance among Canadian Indian, White, and Metis children.

Compared 334 Indian, 197 non-Indian, and 92 Metis students (aged 10–19 yrs) on an aspect of self-concept, school self-acceptance. A follow-up study was conducted several months later with 40 Ss. Attempts were made to overcome weaknesses in prior research by gathering validity data on the self-concept measure and controlling for extraneous factors such as social assets that could account for Indian/non-Indian differences. Support was found for the prediction that Indian Ss would have lower school self-acceptance scores than White Ss. Metis Ss resembled Indians in their school self-acceptance scores, acculturation level, and social assets, but scored closer to Whites in their childrearing scale scores. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the social assets variable was the most important predictor of school self-acceptance, although the ethnicity factor remained a significant predictor. (French abstract) (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differences in psychological distress between effective and ineffective problem solvers.

213 undergraduates completed the Problem Solving Inventory. 43 Ss who scored at least 1 standard deviation (SD) above the mean were classified as ineffective problem solvers; 38 Ss scoring at least 1 SD below the mean were designated as effective problem solvers. These 81 Ss then completed the Beck Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Rotter's Internal–External Locus of Control Scale, and the Problem Check List. MANOVA and univariate tests indicated that self-appraised effective problem solvers, as compared to self-perceived ineffective problem solvers, reported less depression, less trait and state anxiety, a more internal control orientation, less frequent problems, and less distress associated with these problems. Findings suggest that self-appraised problem-solving effectiveness is strongly associated with emotional distress. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-administered relaxation training and money deposits in the treatment of recurrent anxiety.

Evaluated 2 self-administered relaxation manuals and a money deposit in the treatment of recurrent, nonphobic anxiety in 61 18–44 yr old Ss from a college population. Ss were randomly assigned to a self-monitoring-only control group or 1 of 4 active treatment conditions. Ss in active conditions received a progressive relaxation manual or a manual that called for the client to devise his or her own relaxation method and were assigned to deposit or nondeposit conditions. Improvement did not differ for the 2 relaxation procedures, but relaxation training groups improved significantly more than self-monitoring-only Ss on both self-report questionnaires and self-monitored measures of anxiety. The deposit did not produce greater amounts of relaxation practice or adherence to the program, although Ss in this condition reported being more relaxed in practice sessions and improved more on 2 pre–post measures of anxiety (including the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory). Ss' locus of control scores (Rotter's Internal–External Locus of Control Scale) were significantly related to a number of practice, adherence, and outcome variables, but Ss' ratings of the likelihood that they would practice and benefit from the program proved to be as good predictors. (36 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ethnic factors in interpersonal bargaining.

Involved 64 male Canadian postgraduate students whose 1st language was either English (EC) or French (FC) in the Prisoner's Dilemma (PD) game against a bogus O who was represented as either an EC or FC. 1/2 the Ss expected to meet O after the experiment, while the other 1/2 were assured of anonymity. As predicted, both EC and FC were more forgiving cooperation (C) following O's unilateral defection (D) toward FC 0s. Overall levels of C responses did not reveal reliable differences. Although there was a general trend toward greater disruption by FCs playing against ECs in the anonymity condition, the overall data indicate greater trustworthiness (C following CC) and repentence (C following DC) when Ss were assured anonymity. An illustration of the PD is included. (French summary) (19 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of information feedback on matrices learning for differing socioeconomic levels.

Examined the differential effect of 2 kinds of information feedback on performance when used to train matrix completion strategies. A matrices training task was administered to 120 white male Ss representing Grades 1 and 3 and low- and middle-socioeconomic status (SES) levels. After 4 enclosure-type items had been learned under 1 of 2 feedback conditions, Ss responded to a transfer set of 10 similar items. Results indicate that the 3rd-grade Ss learned more quickly than the 1st-grade Ss (p 1969-02983-001) concerning differential conceptual performance abilities characteristic of different SES levels. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Race, class, and the attributional process.

Two experiments examined the process and content of attributional thinking in Black and White children who differed in socioeconomic status (SES). In Exp I, 171 7th graders subdivided into middle-SES Black, middle-SES White, low-SES Black, and low-SES White groups imagined that they succeeded or failed at an examination, with the cause of the outcome specified. Their perceptions of the dimensional properties of causes (locus, stability, and controllability), expectancy for success, teacher evaluation, and affective reactions were reported. Similar judgments were made in Exp II, with 148 of the Ss from Exp I, in response to actual rather than hypothetical success and failure, and Ss' causal attributions for their performance were reported. Analyses revealed that Blacks did not display a less adaptive attributional pattern than did Whites following actual performance, and no differences existed in Ss' understanding of the meaning (dimensional placement) of causes. A linkage between the locus of causes and affect also was documented in all race?×?SES groups. In contrast, race and class differences occurred in Ss' perceptions of predicted stability–expectancy and controllability–evaluation causal linkages. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Vicarious anxiety: A systematic evaluation of a vicarious threat to self-esteem.

Investigated in 3 studies, Ss' state anxiety arousal in response to an in vivo vicarious threat to self-esteem. In Studies 1 and 2, a total of 70 undergraduates were exposed to a guest speaker who provided the anxiety manipulation. All Ss completed R. Hogan's empathy scale (see record 1969-12966-001), the Adult Norwicki-Strickland Internal–External Control Scale, and the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory. In addition, Ss in Study 2 also completed the Defense Mechanism Inventory. Inboth Studies, correlation and median split analyses indicated that high empathic and low trait anxious Ss reported elevated state anxiety in response to the vicarious threat. When Ss were matched on initial state anxiety, high empathy Ss were found to have experienced vicarious anxiety, whereas Ss low on empathy did not. In addition to replicating Study 1, Study 2 found that the Helplessness factor of locus of control was significantly negatively related to empathy, and the cognitive reappraisal styles of reversal (denial, reaction formation) and projection were related to state anxiety decreases. Study 3 with 14 undergraduates provided evidence for the absence of a confound. (36 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)