The relation between childhood obsessive–compulsive symptoms and perfectionism from a five-factor model personality perspective

Accumulating research evidence suggests that perfectionism is a multidimensional personality characteristic with both adaptive and maladaptive dimensions. Despite the bulk of research on linking maladaptive perfectionism with obsessive–compulsive symptoms among adults, such research among children has been limited, as well as research on the adaptive part of perfectionism. Therefore, the present study examines in 193 adolescents (66.5% girls; 11–19 years old) the relation between child rated obsessive–compulsive symptoms and both adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism dimensions, measured from a traditional perspective (Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale; child rated), as well as a Five-Factor Model personality perspective (Hierarchical Personality Inventory for Children and Dimensional Personality Symptom Item Pool; mother rated). The results show that specific childhood obsessive–compulsive symptoms are more related to perfectionism compared to others. Further, obsessive–compulsive symptoms are related to perfectionism, especially the maladaptive dimensions. Implications for including (maladaptive) personality measures in the assessment of perfectionism and obsessive–compulsive symptoms will be discussed

'The Picture in my Head is my Reward'* The Mental Mapping of a Queer Urban Perspective

Urban space is a productive force reflecting and affecting human interaction both with other humans and with their environment (Lefebvre). Traditionally the urban scheme is envisioned to control and order ‘nature’ and social interaction, and to sustain the power of a dominant group (Foucault). Yet due to the complexity of the post-capitalist city, this urban realm is not a smooth surface. Sometimes temporary cracks form, where space is opened up for creating alternative orderings (Hetherington 40). Because of their ambivalence, these spaces do not clearly belong to anyone, and can easily be claimed. It is this type of place that queers and other minority groups have often repurposed and appropriated to their needs. With our photographs we hope to visualize these fragments in the urban environment, where the imposed order suddenly stops, and where organic (over-) growth takes over. Here nature reclaims temporarily unused urban space and thus disrupts the idea of a human-constructed and human-controlled landscape and the idea of ‘city’ in a dualistic relation with ‘nature.’ In this sense, our photographs represent a queer version of urban typologies like ‘park’ or ‘garden’

Psychopathic traits in the interpersonal context:Is the effect of psychopathic traits on prosocial behavior mediated by peer problems?

Psychopathic traits are often investigated within the individual, while most traits come to expression within the interpersonal context. Low social communion might even be an important overlooked core feature of psychopathy. This raises the question how psychopathic (i.e., Grandiose-Manipulative, Callous-Unemotional, and Irresponsible-Impulsive) traits affect the tendency to show prosocial behavior, and whether peer problems explain this relationship. Besides, the effects of gender on these subrelations are explored. In total, 541 community adolescents and emerging adults (26.4 % men; 16-25 years old, M age = 21.7, SD age = 2.50) completed questionnaires, measuring psychopathic traits, prosocial behavior, and peer problems. The relationship between psychopathic traits and prosocial behavior was investigated with three separate moderated mediation regression analyses (for Grandiose-Manipulative, Callous-Unemotional, and Impulsive-Irresponsible traits separately) including peer problems as mediator and gender as moderator. Significant direct negative effects of Grandiose-Manipulative and Callous-Unemotional traits on prosocial behavior were found, though not for Impulsive-Irresponsible traits. Peer problems did not mediate this relation and gender was no moderator. The significant moderation effect indicated that only for women a significant direct positive effect of Callous-Unemotional traits on peer problems was found, but not for men nor other psychopathic traits. More gender differences were found with men (vs. women) scoring significantly higher on all three psychopathic traits and lower on prosocial behavior. Implications of psychopathic traits within the interpersonal context are discussed and future research could further investigate how this relationship can be explained, for example by including different types of measures and other potential mediators (e.g., empathy). </p

Tamarindus indica L. : a review of traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica, Fabaceae), a tropical fruit found in Africa and Asia is highly valued for its pulp. Tamarind fruit pulp has a sweet acidic taste due to a combination of high contents of tartaric acid and reducing sugars. The pulp is used for seasoning, in prepared foods, to flavour confections, curries and sauces, and as a major ingredient in juices and other beverages. Commercial tamarind-based drinks are available from many countries. Vitamin B content is quite high; carotene and vitamin C contents are low. Presence of tannins and other dyeing matters in the seed testa make the whole seed unsuitable for consumption, but they become edible after soaking and boiling in water. Tamarind kernel powder is an important sizing material in textile, paper and jute industries. Seeds are gaining importance as an alternative source of proteins, and are besides rich in some essential minerals. Seed pectin can form gels over a wide pH range. Leaves and flowers can be eaten as vegetables, and are prepared in a variety of dishes. They are used to make curries, salads, stews and soups. Tamarind leaves are a fair source of vitamin C and α-carotene; mineral content is high, particularly P, K, Ca and Mg. Anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-fungal activity has been documented from several plant parts. Tamarind is also extensively used in traditional medicine. The traditional uses, its phytochemistry and pharmacognosy is reviewed to provided with a particular orientation to its value in sub-Sahara Africa

Adansonia digitata L. : a review of traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology

Baobab (Adansonia digitata L., Malvaceae) is a multi-purpose tree species native to Africa. Its fruit pulp has very high vitamin content (~ ten times that of orange), and can be used in seasoning, as an appetizer and to make juices. Seeds contain appreciable quantities of crude protein, digestible carbohydrates and oil, whereas they have high levels of lysine, thiamine, Ca and Fe. They can be eaten fresh or dried, ground into flour and thus added to soups and stews. Processing eliminates a number of anti-nutritional factors present in the seed. Baobab leaves are superior in nutritional quality to fruit pulp, and contain significant levels of vitamin A. The leaves are a staple for many populations in Africa, and are eaten fresh or dried. Several plant parts have interesting anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and baobab has been used extensively since ancient times in traditional medicine

Scheikundetoetsing in klas 3 en klas 4 en Profielkeuze

Dit onderzoek is gedaan naar aanleiding van problematiek die zich voordoet op het Commanderij College in Gemert. Op deze school zijn er problemen met de doorstroompercentages van klas 4 naar klas 5 op zowel havo als vwo. Er zijn verschillende ideeën over hoe het komt dat de doorstroompercentages van klas 4 naar klas 5 tegenvallen. Twee van deze ideeën worden in dit onderzoek (gedeeltelijk) onder de loep genomen. Allereerst is er gekeken naar het verschil in toetsing in klas 3 en klas 4. Om het onderzoek behapbaar te maken, is hierbij specifiek gekeken naar het vak scheikunde. Er wordt op het Commanderij College gedacht dat het niveau van de toetsing in klas 3 te laag is, waardoor leerlingen met te hoge cijfers overgaan naar klas 4. Vervolgens komen leerlingen in klas 4 in de problemen, omdat het niveau in deze klas een stuk hoger ligt dan in klas 3. Om ervoor te zorgen dat er een vast niveau in klas 3 en klas 4 gewaarborgd wordt, is het Commanderij College gestart met het invoeren van de RTTI-methode voor toetsing. De RTTI-methode voor toetsing is een methode waarmee toetsvragen geclassificeerd kunnen worden in vier niveaus. Het classificeren van de toetsvragen van een toets in deze vier niveaus geeft meer inzicht in hoe leerlingen presteren op deze verschillende cognitieve niveaus. Als tweede is er gekeken naar de profielkeuze die leerlingen maken in klas 3. Gedacht wordt dat leerlingen wellicht kiezen voor vakken die ze eigenlijk niet aankunnen en hierdoor niet slagen in klas 4. Om deze reden is er door middel van interviews nagegaan hoe leerlingen op het Commanderij College hun profielkeuze maken, welke informatie ze hierbij krijgen en hoe ze geïnformeerd worden over waar hun capaciteiten liggen. Aan de hand van interviews met de scheikunde vakdocenten zijn criteria opgesteld voor toetsing volgens de RTTI-methode. Deze criteria moeten een doorlopende lijn waarborgen en daarnaast een hulpmiddel zijn waarmee gemakkelijk gedetermineerd kan worden of een leerling het vak in de bovenbouw aankan. Met behulp van de in het interview opgestelde criteria zijn de toetsen die de afgelopen vijf jaar afgenomen zijn in klas 3 en klas 4 geanalyseerd. De toetsanalyse die in dit onderzoek uitgevoerd is, toont aan dat de toetsen in klas 3 op zowel havo- als vwo-niveau aanzienlijk minder vragen stellen op de RTTI-niveaus T2 en I. Hierdoor zijn de toetsen dan ook mogelijk onvoldoende geschikt om als basis te dienen voor de determinatie van leerlingen. Daarnaast heeft de toetsanalyse uitgewezen dat de lijn vanaf het begin van klas 3 tot het eind van klas 4 een stuk steiler is dan de lijn zoals die gewenst wordt door de vakdocenten. Dit is te wijten aan het beginniveau in klas 3, dat veel lager ligt dan het gewenste niveau. Dit heeft als gevolg dat het niveau in heel klas 3 lager is dan gewenst. Klas 4 scheikundetoetsen voldoen wel aan de gestelde criteria, waardoor het niveau in klas 4 dus hoger ligt. Dit zorgt voor een groot verschil met klas 3. Daarom kan ook dit punt gezien worden als een mogelijke reden voor de slechtere prestaties en de mindere doorstroompercentages in klas 4. Interviews met mentoren, vakdocenten, ouders en leerlingen hebben uitgewezen dat leerlingen en ouders over het algemeen tevreden zijn over de informatie die zij krijgen met betrekking tot de profielkeuze en de capaciteiten van de leerling. Er is echter één punt in de informatievoorziening over de capaciteiten van de leerling wat minder enthousiasme oplevert. Dit is de zogenaamde 1, 2, 3, 4-beoordeling. In klas 3 worden alle leerlingen voor ieder vak voorzien van een advies over de haalbaarheid van het vak in de bovenbouw. Dit gebeurt op basis van een beoordeling met een 1, 2, 3 of 4. Hierbij staat 1 voor 'zeker doen', 2 voor 'dit vak is haalbaar', 3 voor 'twijfel over de haalbaarheid van het vak' en 4 voor 'af te raden'. Dit advies wordt gegeven door de vakdocenten op basis van de resultaten die gehaald worden op toetsen en de algemene indruk van een leerling in klas 3. Deze beoordeling wordt door de betrokkenen vaak gezien als overbodig. Het advies is dan ook om deze beoordeling optioneel te maken voor leerlingen die daar behoefte aan hebben

Grandiose and vulnerable narcissism, identity integration and self-control related to criminal behavior

BACKGROUND: Although systematic research on narcissism has been conducted for over 100 years, researchers have only recently started to distinguish between grandiose and vulnerable narcissism in relation to criminal behavior. In addition, there is some evidence suggesting that identity integration and self-control may underlie this association. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop a theory-driven hypothetical model that investigates the complex associations between grandiose and vulnerable narcissism, identity integration, self-control, and criminal behavior using structural equation modeling (SEM). METHODS: The total sample (N = 222) included 65 (29.3%) individuals convicted of criminal behavior and 157 (70.7%) participants from the community, with a mean age of 37.71 years (SD = 13.25). Criminal behavior was a grouping variable used as a categorical outcome, whereas self-report questionnaires were used to assess grandiose and vulnerable narcissism, self-control, and identity integration. RESULTS: The overall SEM model yielded good fit indices. Grandiose narcissism negatively predicted criminal behavior above and beyond the influence of identity integration and self-control. In contrast, vulnerable narcissism did not have a direct significant effect on criminal behavior, but it was indirectly and positively associated with criminal behavior via identity integration and self-control. Moreover, grandiose narcissism was positively, whereas vulnerable narcissism was negatively associated with identity integration. However, identity integration did not have a direct significant effect on criminal behavior, but it was indirectly and negatively associated with criminal behavior via self-control. Finally, self-control was, in turn, negatively related to criminal behavior. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that both subtypes of narcissism should be carefully considered in clinical assessment and current intervention practices. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40359-021-00697-1