Loneliness, Metaperception and Peer Network Position Among Early Adolescents

The relationship between position in a peer network (liking, disliking, popular, unpopular), its perception metaperception), and loneliness were studied in a sample of 629 pupils (221 from grade 5 and 408 from grade 6 of primary school). The analyses conducted (Multiple In-dicators, Multiple Causes Models – MIMIC - and SEM) first of all showed that among boys loneliness is mostly linked to unpopularity and among girls to disliking. These results prove the existence of cross-gender differences in the “location” of the source of stress that impacts loneliness: a fixed reputation of being unpopular among boys and negative dyadic relation-ships among girls. The second noteworthy result is that the negative assessment criteria of position in the peer network hierarchy are more important than the positive ones. This pattern holds with both, boys and girls. The third important result is that etaperception mediates between position in the network and loneliness. However, this relationship only appears in the case of the disliking criterion

Loneliness, metaperception and peer network position among early adolescents

The relationship between position in a peer network (liking, disliking, popular, unpopular), its perception (metaperception), and loneliness were studied in a sample of 629 pupils (221 from grade 5 and 408 from grade 6 of primary school). The analyses conducted (Multiple Indicators, Multiple Causes Models - MIMIC - and SEM) first of all showed that among boys loneliness is mostly linked to unpopularity and among girls to disliking. These results prove the existence of cross-gender differences in the "location" of the source of stress that impacts loneliness: a fixed reputation of being unpopular among boys and negative dyadic relationships among girls. The second noteworthy result is that the negative assessment criteria of position in the peer network hierarchy are more important than the positive ones. This pattern holds with both, boys and girls. The third important result is that metaperception mediates between position in the network and loneliness. However, this relationship only appears in he case of the disliking criterion

Peer network status and depressive symptoms among early adolescents : testing the mediating effects of metaperception and loneliness

Previous research shows that deficits in social relationships increase the risk of depression. This study tests the hypothesis that among early adolescents, their status in their peer network (likeability/dislikeability) will be associated with depressive symptoms but only indirectly, through the subjective perception of this status (positive/negative metaperception) and loneliness (feeling of social isolation). Data were collected using sociometric methods and self-report scales from 388 students aged 12-13. Path analysis was applied to verify the hypothesized relationships between the study variables. The findings indicate that: (1) status in the peer network and its perception affect depressive symptoms only indirectly, through loneliness; (2) depressive symptoms depend directly on loneliness alone; (3) status in the peer network does not directly translate into loneliness - its effect is mediated by metaperception; (4) the negative dimension of the peer network status indirectly affects both loneliness and depressive symptoms more strongly than the positive one. The main limitation of the research is its cross-sectional design, which precludes definite conclusions about the direction of the relationships observed. The results obtained help to clarify the complex mechanisms through which objective status in the peer network, its subjective perception and feelings of loneliness contribute to the severity of depressive symptoms among early adolescents. On the practical side, the findings highlight the importance of developing and implementing interventions targeting both the objective and subjective aspects of social relations for the prevention of depression in this age group

Radioiodine treatment of hyperthyroidism in patients with low thyroid uptake

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to analyze the effectiveness of radioactive 131I in hyperthyroid patients with confirmed lowered iodine uptake as compared to patients with an uptake of over 30%. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 53 consecutive patients aged from 29 to 84 (mean age 60 years) suffering from hyperthyroidism caused by Graves’ disease or toxic nodular goitre. The patients were divided into 2 sub-groups: the 1st with a maximum iodine uptake of 18.7 ± 3.2% (range, 11–23%) — 24 patients; the 2nd with a maximum iodine uptake of 27.1 ± 2.1% (range, 24–30%) — 29 patients. The control group consisted of 50 patients treated with 131I with an iodine uptake of over 30%. Each patient was evaluated before, and 6 months after, treatment for fT3, fT4 and TSH with ECLIA; TRAb with RIA; ultrasound with a 7.5 MHz linear probe. The volume of the thyroid gland was determined using the Gutekunst method. All these factors underwent statistical analysis and were considered along with the results of clinical examinations. RESULTS: Clinical remission of hyperthyroidism was evident in 79.3% of both sub-groups, in total (83.3% and 75.3%, respectively). TSH was normalized in 62.3% of these patients (54.2% and 69.0%, respectively). The mean range of TSH levels increased from 0.081 microU/ml to 4.0 microU/ml after therapy; that is, from 0.087 microU/ml to 4.97 microU/ml in the 1st sub-group and from 0.076 microU/ml to 3.3 microU/ml in the 2nd sub-group. The volume of the thyroid gland was uniformly significantly lower, with a mean range of 40.5 ml before treatment and 21.7 ml afterwards. The results seen in both sub-groups were similar; only age and dose of radioiodine were slightly higher in the 1st, while mean uptake was higher in the 2nd. By comparison of these results to those of the control patients, we observed that the values of TSH, as well as thyroid volume and evidence of clinical remission, reflected those found in the control group. The mean dose of 131I was lower in the control group, that is 11.3 m Ci, as compared to the sub-groups as a whole, specifically, 15.7 mCi. The mean age of patients in the control group was slightly less than that of the study group (50.8 and 60, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: 1. The results of the treatment of patients with a low iodine uptake are similar to the results obtained in the group of patients with iodine uptake above 30% and therefore low iodine uptake should not be a contraindication for isotope I-131 therapy. 2. Additionally, we have demonstrated that a statistically significant decrease in thyroid volume is observed in all patients after the iodine isotope treatment which indirectly proves the effectiveness of the prescribed treatment, and that low thyroid iodine uptake is more frequently observed in elderly patients and in patients treated with iodine or anti-thyroid drugs

The Inclusion of other-sex peers in peer networks and sense of peer integration in early adolescence : a two-wave longitudinal study

The main goal of the analysis presented in this paper is to examine the dynamics of including other-sex peers in the peer networks of early adolescents, aged 11 (at T1) and 13 (at T2), and the relationship between sex heterophily and changes in the sense of peer integration. The analysis was conducted using the Latent Difference Score (LDS) model with data from a representative nationwide longitudinal study in Poland (n = 5748). With reference to the dynamics related to the heterophilic process, the research confirmed that at the beginning of grade 5 of primary school, heterophily is still relatively rare, yet towards the end of early adolescence, there is a gradual shift, more strongly in girls, towards breaking through the strictly same-sex segregation and embarking on heterophilic relationships. Importantly, the LDS model-even when controlling for different measures of peer network—showed significant and positive (among both girls and boys) relations between establishing cross-sex relationships and the sense of peer integration. The results indicate that the appearance of the opposite sex in the peer network between grades 5 and 6 will improve the sense of peer integration. The findings are discussed in relation to results from other studies in the field

Gender, evaluation of the quality of friendship relations and loneliness of early adolescents

Celem prowadzonych analiz było zweryfikowanie znaczenia jakości przyjaźni dla samotności młodych adolescentów z uwzględnieniem różnic międzypłciowych. Przeprowadzone analizy (n=629 uczniów V i VI klas szkół podstawowych) wskazują, że: (1) jakość relacji przyjacielskich (przy kontroli informacji o liczbie przyjaciół i poziomie lubienia przez rówieśników oraz płci przyjaciela) jest wyższa w przypadku dziewcząt niż chłopców; (2) wyższa jakości relacji przyjacielskich obniża poziom samotności; (3) siła efektu jakości przyjaźni na samotność wśród uczniów i uczennic jest praktycznie identyczna; (4) jednocześnie, o ile posiadanie przyjaciela płci przeciwnej nie wpływa znacząco na poziom samotności wśród dziewcząt, to wzmaga - samotność chłopców. Artykuł rozważa znaczenie uzyskanych wyników

Selekcja na progu szkoły ponadgimnazjalnej: merytokracja czy statusowy determinizm?

The article presents the results of analyses of the impact of the socioeconomic status (SES) of the student’s family on the selection processes at the threshold of upper secondary school. It was checked whether SES affects these processes only through the results of the lower secondary school examination or there is a direct impact of this factor. The data used came from the nationwide survey of upper secondary school students, which was a Polish extension of OECD’s PISA study. The results of path modeling prove that there is a direct impact of status factors on the selection processes and its strength is similar to the SES effect mediated by the results of the lower secondary school (gimnazjum) examination

Depressive symptoms and loneliness among early adolescents : a psychometric network analysis approach

Background: Previous studies demonstrate a high prevalence of depression and loneliness among adolescents. Although they often co-occur, the relationship between symptoms of depression and loneliness remains poorly understood. This study investigates: (a) the symptoms of depression that are connected to loneliness; (b) the role played by loneliness in the network of depression symptoms; and (c) whether the method used to measure loneliness (single-item direct or multi-item indirect) affects the relationship of loneliness with depressive symptoms. Methods: Participants were 496 Polish adolescents (50.8% girls) aged 11 to 13, who completed: (a) the 10-item Major Depressive Disorder subscale of the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale; (b) the 11-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (indirect loneliness), and (c) a single direct question evaluating loneliness: ‘I’m lonely’. Networks were estimated using a Gaussian Graphical Model. Results: Loneliness shows a direct relationship with three affective symptoms of depression: sadness, worthlessness, and anhedonia, which mediate relationships with somatic symptoms. In contrast to previous studies, loneliness has the lowest level of centrality among all elements of the network. The method used to assess loneliness did not significantly affect the connections between loneliness and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Loneliness and depression overlap since they are formed by the same cognitive biases and deficits in emotion regulation but differ in the level of generality. In loneliness, they have an interpersonal context, while symptoms of depression can be intrapersonal. This helps us to understand why cognitive interventions, as compared to those which are social, are more effective in reducing loneliness