Distinct profiles of reactive and proactive aggression in adolescents : associations with cognitive and affective empathy

Background: Aggression comprises a heterogeneous set of behavioral patterns that aim to harm and hurt others. Empathy represents a potential mechanism that inhibits aggressive conduct and enhances prosocial behavior. Nevertheless, research results on the relationship between empathy and aggression are mixed. Subtypes of aggressive behavior, such as reactive and proactive aggression might be differently related to empathy. The aim of the present study was to investigate the interrelations of cognitive and affective empathy with reactive and proactive aggression. Methods: We recruited a sample of 177 (33% female, M age 15.6) adolescents from socio-educational and juvenile justice institutions and a community sample of 77 (36% female, M age 13.1) adolescents from secondary schools. Using bivariate correlation analysis and hierarchical multiple regression analysis, we firstly investigated associations between cognitive and affective empathy and reactive and proactive aggression. Subsequently, we performed cluster analysis to identify clusters of adolescents with meaningful profiles of aggressive behavior and compared derived clusters on measures of empathy. We applied the Basic Empathy Scale and the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire. Results: Bivariate analysis and hierarchical regression analysis showed that cognitive and affective empathy were negatively associated with proactive aggression, but not with reactive aggression. Cluster-analysis revealed three clusters of adolescents with distinct aggression profiles: a cluster with elevated scores on reactive and proactive aggression, a clusters with high scores on reactive aggression only, and a low aggression cluster. Cluster comparisons revealed that the reactive-proactive aggression cluster showed significantly lower scores on cognitive and affective empathy than both other clusters. Results further indicated that within the reactive-proactive aggression cluster, girls did not differ significantly from boys in empath Conclusions: The present study extends previously published findings, and possibly explains conflicting results in prior research. Our results indicated that cognitive and affective empathy are reduced in adolescents with high levels of reactive and proactive aggression. Our study may contribute to the development of tailored clinical interventions for different aggression clusters

Belastungen und Schutzfaktoren bei pädagogischen Mitarbeitenden in der stationären Kinder- und Jugendhilfe

Knapp 80% der Kinder und Jugendlichen, die in der Schweiz in der stationären Kinder- und Jugendhilfe untergebracht sind, haben mindestens ein traumatisches Ereignis erlebt. Fast 75% erfüllen die Kriterien für eine psychiatrische Diagnose. Diese Beeinträchtigungen führen zu schwierigen Interaktionen und Grenzverletzungen gegenüber pädagogischen Mitarbeitenden und zu Belastungsreaktionen. Diese wirken sich negativ auf die Kontinuität und Qualität der pädagogischen Betreuung aus. Bislang liegen kaum Studien zu Belastungen bei pädagogischen Mitarbeitenden vor, obwohl die Kinder und Jugendlichen aufgrund ihrer Vorgeschichte und ihrer vielfältigen Psychopathologie besonders auf kontinuierliche Beziehungen und gesunde Bezugspersonen angewiesen sind. Die vorliegende Dissertation entstand im Rahmen eines Modellversuchs zu Traumapädagogik. Der Kern der Traumapädagogik ist die Schaffung eines „sicheren Ortes“ sowohl für die Kinder und Jugendlichen als auch für die Pädagogen und Pädagoginnen. Als Grundlage dafür braucht es eine Umgebung, die durch Wertschätzung, Transparenz, Partizipationsmöglichkeiten und Freude geprägt ist. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde eine Stichprobe von 319 pädagogischen Mitarbeitenden in der stationären Kinder- und Jugendhilfe mittels Fragebögen untersucht. Es wurden Grenzverletzungen und bedrohliche Ereignisse sowie Belastungsreaktionen erfasst. Ausserdem wurden Aspekte von Arbeitszufriedenheit sowie Kohärenzgefühl, Selbstwirksamkeit und Selbstfürsorge untersucht. Es zeigte sich, dass 91% aller Mitarbeitenden in den vergangenen drei Monaten Grenzverletzungen und andere berufliche Belastungen erlebt hatten. Am häufigsten wurden Beschimpfungen, verbale Drohungen und tätliche Angriffe berichtet. Die Befragten zeigten deutliche Symptome von posttraumatischer Belastung und sekundärer Traumatisierung. Bei knapp einem Fünftel der Stichprobe fand sich eine Burnout-Gefährdung. Folgende Aspekte von Arbeitszufriedenheit korrelierten negativ mit Belastungssymptomatik: Unterstützung durch Vorgesetzte, Partizipation und Transparenz, Kommunikation und Unterstützung im Team, Freude an der Arbeit sowie institutionelle Strukturen und Ressourcen. Kohärenzgefühl wies einen negativen Zusammenhang mit allen Formen von Belastung auf und Selbstfürsorge korrelierte negativ mit posttraumatischer Belastung. Aus den Erkenntnissen werden Implikationen für die Praxis und Empfehlungen für Kinder- und Jugendhilfeeinrichtungen abgeleitet

Ethics in couple and family psychotherapy

In couple and family therapy, the focus is on relationships, interactions, and the dynamics within the system. The therapist should strive to maintain a balanced and trustful relationship with all members of the system, and at the same time do justice to their individual wishes and perspectives. Couples and families usually present themselves with conflicts of interest that they have failed to resolve. Dealing with conflicts of interest is therefore an important element of couple and family therapy. The existing ethical guidelines, defined by psychological professional associations and medical ethics experts, are not specific enough at representing the complexities which family and couple therapists are confronted with. As an alternative to the ethical guidelines, Beauchamp and Childress (2008) have worked out general ethical principles: respect for autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice. In this chapter, a number of ethical problems in couple and family therapy are discussed against the backdrop of these principles. Problems in family and couple therapy can be addressed based on the question who of the system members carries more blame and who can execute more control. Four models of help, i.e., the medical model, the compensatory model, the enlightenment model, and the moral model, are presented with regard to this question. Finally, it is argued that ethical issues in couple and family therapy are relational and context-dependent. They must therefore be resolved in the encounter with each other

Distinct profiles of reactive and proactive aggression in adolescents: associations with cognitive and affective empathy

Background: Aggression comprises a heterogeneous set of behavioral patterns that aim to harm and hurt others. Empathy represents a potential mechanism that inhibits aggressive conduct and enhances prosocial behavior. Nevertheless, research results on the relationship between empathy and aggression are mixed. Subtypes of aggressive behavior, such as reactive and proactive aggression might be differently related to empathy. The aim of the present study was to investigate the interrelations of cognitive and affective empathy with reactive and proactive aggression. Methods: We recruited a sample of 177 (33% female, M age 15.6) adolescents from socio-educational and juvenile justice institutions and a community sample of 77 (36% female, M age 13.1) adolescents from secondary schools. Using bivariate correlation analysis and hierarchical multiple regression analysis, we firstly investigated associations between cognitive and affective empathy and reactive and proactive aggression. Subsequently, we performed cluster analysis to identify clusters of adolescents with meaningful profiles of aggressive behavior and compared derived clusters on measures of empathy. We applied the Basic Empathy Scale and the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire. Results: Bivariate analysis and hierarchical regression analysis showed that cognitive and affective empathy were negatively associated with proactive aggression, but not with reactive aggression. Cluster-analysis revealed three clusters of adolescents with distinct aggression profiles: a cluster with elevated scores on reactive and proactive aggression, a clusters with high scores on reactive aggression only, and a low aggression cluster. Cluster comparisons revealed that the reactive-proactive aggression cluster showed significantly lower scores on cognitive and affective empathy than both other clusters. Results further indicated that within the reactive-proactive aggression cluster, girls did not differ significantly from boys in empath Conclusions: The present study extends previously published findings, and possibly explains conflicting results in prior research. Our results indicated that cognitive and affective empathy are reduced in adolescents with high levels of reactive and proactive aggression. Our study may contribute to the development of tailored clinical interventions for different aggression clusters

Verbal and physical client aggression : a longitudinal analysis of professional caregivers' psychophysiological stress response and burnout

Objective: We investigated the impact of verbal and physical client aggression on risk of developing high hair cortisol concentration (HCC) as an indicator of chronic stress exposure and burnout in a Swiss population of professional caregivers working in youth residential care. Method: Participants (n = 121; 62.0% women) reported on client aggression and burnout symptoms and provided hair samples at four annual sampling points. HCC was determined in the first 1.5 cm hair segment. Sociodemographic variables, private stressors, burnout symptoms, and HCC were compared between participants reporting either 'no aggression', 'verbal' aggression, or 'verbal + physical' aggression. Cox proportional hazards regressions were calculated to compute hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between client aggression and risk of high HCC or burnout over the course of three years. Results: Professional caregivers reporting 'verbal + physical' aggression had higher HCC, more cognitive burnout symptoms, and greater burden in interpersonal domains. Both 'verbal' and 'verbal + physical' aggression were positively associated with burnout risk (verbal: HR = 1.83; 95% CI = 1.27-2.65; verbal + physical: HR = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.56-3.84). 'Verbal + physical' aggression was positively associated with risk of high HCC (HR = 1.58; 95% CI = 1.07-2.36). Conclusions: This longitudinal analysis suggested that psychophysiological stress response is primarily associated with combined verbal and physical aggression. The emotional wearing-down associated with verbal aggression should however not be disregarded. Our exploratory findings could have implications for youth welfare policy, clinical child psychiatry, and future research

The influence of sense of coherence, self-care and work satisfaction on secondary traumatic stress and burnout among child and youth residential care workers in Switzerland

The present study aimed to investigate the incidence of post-traumatic and secondary traumatic stress as well as burnout symptoms among child and youth welfare workers in residential care in Switzerland and to assess the predictive value of sense of coherence, self-care, and job satisfaction. A sample of 319 child welfare professionals in Swiss child and youth residential care was assessed using questionnaires that addressed sense of coherence, perceived collective efficacy, self-care, and work satisfaction, as well as symptoms of traumatic stress and burnout. Linear regression analyses were conducted to determine the influence of sense of coherence, self-care and job satisfaction on symptoms of burnout and traumatic stress. Enhancing sense of coherence, work-related self-care and work satisfaction could reduce stress symptoms and increase the well-being of child and youth welfare staff. The authors discuss how child and youth residential care institutions could improve these factors among their staff