Extending our Understanding of Social Belonging: College Students\u27 Use of Technology, Psychosocial Well-Being, and Sense of Community in University Life

Postsecondary education marks a transitional time in the lives of young adults. During this time, traditional-aged college students confront a substantial number of developmental challenges that are extraordinarily diverse and complex (Evans, Forney, & Guido-DiBrito, 1998). Erikson\u27s (1968) theory of psychosocial development posited that the major developmental task of early adulthood is to establish close intimate relationships. The development of mature interpersonal relationships (Chickering & Reisser, 1993) is a critical priority if students are to successfully integrate into their social worlds and persist to graduation. Early theoretical models proposed by both Spady (1970) and Tinto (1975, 1993) linked institutional commitment and persistence to the quality of students\u27 integration into the social environment of the campus, with social integration referring to students\u27 peer relationships and interactions with faculty. Social and academic integration into the college environment and persistence to graduation have been cited as major challenges for this population (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1980; Tinto, 1975, 1993). Social integration, or social belonging, is the central focus of this dissertation given the importance of students\u27 sense of connectedness to others during the college years. Given the seemingly ubiquitous use of technology among college student populations and the potential influence of this use on students\u27 social relationships, this quantitative study explored the associations among students\u27 use of communication technologies, perceived psychosocial well-being, and sense of community in university life. Time spent using communication technologies and motivations for use emerged as predictors of students\u27 psychosocial well-being and sense of community

The words of the body: psychophysiological patterns in dissociative narratives

Trauma has severe consequences on both psychological and somatic levels, even affecting the genetic expression and the cell\u2019s DNA repair ability. A key mechanism in the understanding of clinical disorders deriving from trauma is identified in dissociation, as a primitive defense against the fragmentation of the self originated by overwhelming experiences. The dysregulation of the interpersonal patterns due to the traumatic experience and its detrimental effects on the body are supported by influent neuroscientific models such as Damasio\u2019s somatic markers and Porges\u2019 polyvagal theory. On the basis of these premises, and supported by our previous empirical observations on 40 simulated clinical sessions, we will discuss the longitudinal process of a brief psychodynamic psychotherapy (16 sessions, weekly frequency) with a patient who suffered a relational trauma. The research design consists of the collection of self-report and projective tests, pre-post therapy and after each clinical session, in order to assess personality, empathy, clinical alliance and clinical progress, along with the verbatim analysis of the transcripts trough the Psychotherapy Process Q-Set and the Collaborative Interactions Scale. Furthermore, we collected simultaneous psychophysiological measures of the therapeutic dyad: skin conductance and hearth rate. Lastly, we employed a computerized analysis of non-verbal behaviors to assess synchrony in posture and gestures. These automated measures are able to highlight moments of affective concordance and discordance, allowing for a deep understanding of the mutual regulations between the patient and the therapist. Preliminary results showed that psychophysiological changes in dyadic synchrony, observed in body movements, skin conductance and hearth rate, occurred within sessions during the discussion of traumatic experiences, with levels of attunement that changed in both therapist and the patient depending on the quality of the emotional representation of the experience. These results go in the direction of understanding the relational process in trauma therapy, using an integrative language in which both clinical and neurophysiological knowledge may take advantage of each other

MULTIDIMENSIONAL PERFECTIONISM AND SOCIAL CONNECTIVITY AMONG YOUTH: FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS

Although traditional researchers exploring perfectionism frequently cast the construct in a negative light, a steady stream of recent studies have demonstrated that perfectionistic beliefs can yield both positive and negative outcomes. Despite this progression in the research, perfectionism remains an understudied phenomenon among youth, especially as it relates to the ways in which these individuals are perceived by others. The current study builds on the previous literature by exploring adolescent perfectionism across a variety of psychological and psychoeducational dimensions. Moreover, a unique addition to the literature offered by this study was the inclusion of peer-reports along with self-reported measures in hopes of gaining a fuller understanding of the psychosocial characteristics of perfectionistic youth. The incorporation of peer reports also allowed a novel approach to the study of perfectionism by exploring this construct through the lens of their adolescent colleagues. Self and peer reported data was drawn from a sample of 816 ninth grade students representing three separate high schools. MANOVA results revealed a number of differences between perfectionistic subtypes across both self and peer-reported data. More specifically, adaptive perfectionists rated themselves as having less anxiety and depression as compared to their maladaptive and non-perfectionistic counterparts. Adaptive perfectionists were also reported to have stronger interpersonal relationships and greater social connectivity than their peers. Moreover, both adaptive and maladaptive perfectionists reported significantly higher GPAs than non-perfectionists. Peer informant data indicated that adaptive perfectionists were rated as having the highest academic expectations followed by maladaptive perfectionists and then non-perfectionists. Contrary to expectations, no significant differences were found between cluster groupings on peer reported social withdrawnness. Findings suggest that adaptive perfectionism is associated with a range of positive psychological, psychoeducational and psychosocial outcomes. Conversely, maladaptive perfectionism appears to be related to several behaviors which may impede healthy adolescent functioning. Implications regarding the improved assessment of perfectionism and intervention strategies aimed at both students and professionals working within the school domain are discussed

Internet addiction: a systematic review of epidemiological research for the last decade

In the last decade, Internet usage has grown tremendously on a global scale. The increasing popularity and frequency of Internet use has led to an increasing number of reports highlighting the potential negative consequences of overuse. Over the last decade, research into Internet addiction has proliferated. This paper reviews the existing 68 epidemiological studies of Internet addiction that (i) contain quantitative empirical data, (ii) have been published after 2000, (iii) include an analysis relating to Internet addiction, (iv) include a minimum of 1000 participants, and (v) provide a full-text article published in English using the database Web of Science. Assessment tools and conceptualisations, prevalence, and associated factors in adolescents and adults are scrutinised. The results reveal the following. First, no gold standard of Internet addiction classification exists as 21 different assessment instruments have been identified. They adopt official criteria for substance use disorders or pathological gambling, no or few criteria relevant for an addiction diagnosis, time spent online, or resulting problems. Second, reported prevalence rates differ as a consequence of different assessment tools and cut-offs, ranging from 0.8% in Italy to 26.7% in Hong Kong. Third, Internet addiction is associated with a number of sociodemographic, Internet use, and psychosocial factors, as well as comorbid symptoms and disorder in adolescents and adults. The results indicate that a number of core symptoms (i.e., compulsive use, negative outcomes and salience) appear relevant for diagnosis, which assimilates Internet addiction and other addictive disorders and also differentiates them, implying a conceptualisation as syndrome with similar etiology and components, but different expressions of addictions. Limitations include the exclusion of studies with smaller sample sizes and studies focusing on specific online behaviours. Conclusively, there is a need for nosological precision so that ultimately those in need can be helped by translating the scientific evidence established in the context of Internet addiction into actual clinical practice

The role of self-blame and resilience in psychosocial outcomes in college students who engage in cyberbullying

Bullying behaviors (traditional and cyber) are often associated with adverse long-term consequences. As a result of an increase in technology use, traditional bullying has gradually expanded to include cyberbullying. While research in the area of cyberbullying is relatively new, current evidence suggests that cyberbullying is a pervasive problem from childhood into adulthood, and is associated with long-term detrimental effects for bullies, victims, and bully-victims. Research also suggests that self-blame, the tendency to view life events as being within an individual’s control may exacerbate the development and intensity of psychological symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression) that may result from experiencing stressful events. (Feinauer & Stuart, 1996). Resiliency has been suggested as a buffer against the development of symptoms of anxiety and depression. Resiliency has been defined as a measure of stress coping ability that encompasses personal competence, trust in one’s instincts, positive acceptance of change, control, and spiritual influences (Conner & Davidson, 2003; Masten, 2001; Rutter, 2006). The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships among cyberbullying, self-blame, resilience, and psychological well-being in college students. Participants were 543 undergraduates from a public university in the southeastern United States. Participants included 155 males and 388 females ranging in age from 18 to 30 plus years. It was hypothesized that the experience of cyberbullying (X) would negatively predict psychosocial outcomes (Y) as mediated through level of self-blame (M). Additionally, given the rationale that resilience could potentially act as a protective factor against engaging in self-blame, it was hypothesized that (W) would serve as a moderator of the relationship between cyberbullying (X) and self-blame (M). Using “Model 7” by Hayes (2013), a moderated-mediation analysis was conducted. Contrary to predictions, the overall indirect of self-blame (M) in the analysis of psychosocial outcomes (Y) regressed on Cyberbullying (X)- by-Resilience (W) interaction was not significant. However, as expected, self-blame mediated the relationship between cyberbullying and psychosocial outcomes. Results and implications of findings are discussed

Bullying in a networked era: a literature review

This research update presents an aggregation and summary of recent academic literature on youth bullying. The purpose of this document is to “translate” scholarly research for a concerned public audience, which may include but is not limited to parents, caregivers, educators, and practitioners. This translation highlights recent findings and developments in the literature and makes them accessible to the informed but non-expert reader. The document’s two guiding questions are “What is bullying?” (Section I) and “What can be done about bullying?” (Section II). Section I begins with a brief overview of key definitions and related research conversations and then addresses bullying’s prevalence, the types of individuals involved in bullying, the characteristics of individuals involved and the consequences of their involvement, and community-level dynamics related to bullying. Section II covers four areas where action has been taken to address problems associated with bullying – school policy, curricula, school climate, and parents – and ends on a note about approaches that mix or cut across these areas. The purpose is to render lessons learned from research and assessment accessible to those interested in deepening or expanding their knowledge of bullying-related issues

Internet Addiction among Greek University Students: Demographic Associations with the Phenomenon, Using the Greek Version of Young's Internet Addiction Test

Internet addiction (IA) is a new disorder described in 1996 by the psychologist Kimberly Young. The aim of this paper is to estimate the percentage of IA among Greek university students. Results of a sample survey among 1876 Greek university students, 18-27 years old, are presented. The questionnaire consisted of eight questions from Young’s Diagnostic Test for Internet Addiction (YDTIA) as well as an inventory including demographic factors and questions about academic performance, computer and Internet use. YDTIA had a good reliability and diagnostic accuracy, tested with Cronbach’s alpha (0.71) and sensitivity analysis. Results show that the percentage of IA (5-8 YDTIA criteria) is 11.6%, while problematic Internet users were (3-8 YDTIA criteria) 34.7%. Men were more likely to be addicted to the Internet than women, and Internet addicted students were associated with poorer academic performance. Multiple logistic regression showed that significant predictors of IA included increased hours of daily Internet use, increased hours visiting chat rooms, sex pages and blogs, male gender, divorced status, poor grades, and accessing the Internet outside of the home. The results of this study will allow health officials to recognise students who are Internet addicted or on the verge of becoming addicted and stress risk factors indicating a need for intervention in order to prevent the appearance of IA

Relationships, Health, and Spirituality among College Students: Factors of College Success

This explorative longitudinal study investigated the relationship between healthrelated quality of life (HRQL) and various social and faith factors associated with the home to college transition. Data from 347 collegians attending a Christian University were utilized for this study and results uncovered that over the course of a year, gender, time, significant emotional relationships, a psychosocial abuse history, and faith importance predicted HRQL. In addition to each having a main effect, there were unique interactions among the variables that predicted outcomes. The findings provide valuable theoretical and practical insight on what colleges and universities can do to address deteriorating collegian mental health and cultivate resiliency in their student body, particularly among incoming freshmen. Additionally, this study also synthesized several human development, social, and family science theories into a single cross-disciplinary framework. This new framework called the socio-emotional resituational framework (S.E.R.F) provides a developmental roadmap of the home to college transition as well as insight about how to facilitate optimum young adult development. SERF is divided into two parts, the conceptual theory and theory of change and each part is described and applied

Romantic involvement and adolescents' academic and psychosocial functioning in Chinese societies

© 2018 This study explores the effects of romantic involvement and dating behaviors on adolescent academic and psychosocial functioning in Chinese societies, where adolescent dating is generally discouraged and believed to generate adverse outcomes. Adolescents (male = 48.6%; MeanAge = 15.20 years) from Taiwan (N = 1081) and mainland China (N = 684) were recruited through stratified sampling to complete self-report surveys on their academic performance, depressive symptoms, self-esteem, relationship status, and gender-role beliefs. Adolescents with current or past dating experiences were also asked about specific dating behaviors, such as the onset of dating, number of relationships, and breakup experiences. Approximately one-third of Chinese adolescents surveyed (34.2%) have past or ongoing dating experience, who showed poorer academic performance compared to never-dated teens. In the full sample, single adolescents with past dating experiences reported greater depressive symptoms than those currently dating or never-dated teens. Boys with past dating experience showed higher self-esteem than their currently dating or never-dated peers, whereas single girls with past dating experience showed lower self-esteem than their currently dating or never-dated counterparts. Among adolescents with dating experience, early dating, over-dating, sexual activities, and breakup experiences can undermine their academic and psychosocial well-being. These findings have significant implications for practice and policy regarding adolescent education and mental health

Psychosocial adjustment in aggressive popular and aggressive rejected adolescents at school+

AbstractThe purpose of the present study was to compare the profiles of aggressive adolescents who differed in social status in the classroom, popular vs. rejected, with those of adolescents of average sociometric status without documented behavior problems. The characteristics compared related to intra-individual, family, school, and social domains. A sample of 457 adolescents, aged 11 to 18 years old (48% girls), participated in the study. Differences between groups were examined via a series of multivariate analyses of variance and discriminant function analyses. Results indicated that although aggressive popular adolescents revealed more academic involvement and social integration in the classroom, their levels of emotional and family adjustment were as adverse as those of aggressive rejected students. Both groups held negative attitudes towards the institutional authority of teachers together with commitment to a social image based on a rebellious and nonconformist reputation among peers. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed