Total and differential cross sections of η-production in proton–deuteron fusion for excess energies between Qη = 13 MeV and Qη = 81 MeV

New data on both total and differential cross sections of the production of η mesons in proton–deuteron fusion to He3η in the excess energy region 13.6MeV≤Qη≤80.9MeV are presented. These data have been obtained with the WASA-at-COSY detector setup located at the Forschungszentrum Jülich, using a proton beam at 15 different beam momenta between pp=1.60GeV/c and pp=1.74GeV/c. While significant structure of the total cross section is observed in the energy region 20MeV≲Qη≲60MeV, a previously reported sharp variation around Qη≈50MeV cannot be confirmed. Angular distributions show the typical forward-peaking that was noted earlier. For the first time, it is possible to study the development of these angular distributions with rising excess energy over a wide interval

The ‘land in-between’: A comparative European study of the victimisation of young people travelling to and from school

This article draws upon the initial results of a survey of school students from eight European countries regarding their experiences of victimisation and offending while travelling to and from school. This is the first such comparative survey to be undertaken. This article provides evidence from the research that travel between the perceived safety of home and school is a risky activity for a significant proportion of young people across Europe. Utilising the notion of anti-social behaviour as the most useful measure for comparative research of victimisation of young people, this article suggests that almost one-fifth of the young people are regularly subjected to behaviour they consider anti-social. However, the majority of young people show surprisingly high levels of self-confidence and security. The key is the existence of friendship groups, which provide security from victimisation, and if something negative does occur, the friendship group also provides a place to share concerns. Teachers, police officers, youth workers and even parents are far less important in dealing with incidents of anti-social behaviour. This article concludes by arguing that this points to a move away from increasing 'formal' interventions, such as CCTV, adults travelling on buses with young people, or police officers outside schools, towards supporting the, already existing, informal methods used by young people to limit the possibility of victimisation

Bullying in schools and in cyberspace: Associations with depressive symptoms in Swiss and Australian adolescents

Cyber-bullying (i.e., bullying via electronic means) has emerged as a new form of bullying that presents unique challenges to those victimised. Recent studies have demonstrated that there is a significant conceptual and practical overlap between both types of bullying such that most young people who are cyber-bullied also tend to be bullied by more traditional methods. Despite the overlap between traditional and cyber forms of bullying, it remains unclear if being a victim of cyber-bullying has the same negative consequences as being a victim of traditional bullying. The current study investigated associations between cyber versus traditional bullying and depressive symptoms in 374 and 1320 students from Switzerland and Australia respectively (52% female; Age: M = 13.8, SD = 1.0). All participants completed a bullying questionnaire (assessing perpetration and victimisation of traditional and cyber forms of bullying behaviour) in addition to scales on depressive symptoms. Across both samples, traditional victims and bully-victims reported more depressive symptoms than bullies and non-involved children. Importantly, victims of cyber-bullying reported significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms, even when controlling for the involvement in traditional bullying/victimisation. Overall, cyber-victimisation emerged as an additional risk factor for depressive symptoms in adolescents involved in bullying

Divergence in self- and peer-reported victimization and its association to concurrent and prospective adjustment

Item does not contain fulltextPrevious studies on victimization have either used self-reports of peer-reports, but correspondence between these measures is low, implying that types of victims may exist that differ in convergence between self- and peer-reported victimization. Importantly, the very few studies that do exist on such types were cross-sectional, and did not address the stability nor predictive validity in terms of adjustment of these types. Using a person-centered approach, the present study identified types of victims that were either convergent or divergent in self- and peer-reported victimization, and examined how these types differed in concurrent and prospective adjustment. Participants were 1,346 adolescents (50 % girls, mean age 14.2) who were followed for 1 year. Using Latent Profile Analysis, we identified two convergent types (self-peer identified victims and non-victims) and two divergent types (self-identified and peer-identified) of victims. The types were highly stable over time. Self-peer identified victims were not only concurrently but also prospectively the least well adjusted. Self-identified victims showed lower levels of emotional adjustment but did not show problems on social adjustment. On the other hand, peer-identified victims were at risk for social but not emotional maladjustment. The findings corroborate previous studies that suggest that self-reported victimization is related to emotional problems, while peer-reported victimization is more indicative of social problems. The findings also suggest that using self-reports or peer-reports only may lead to incomplete conclusions about victims' adjustment on different domains.22 p

“FearNot!” : a computer-based anti-bullying-programme designed to foster peer intervention

Bullying is widespread in European schools, despite multiple intervention strategies having been proposed over the years. The present study investigates the effects of a novel virtual learning strategy (“FearNot!”) to tackle bullying in both UK and German samples. The approach is intended primarily for victims to increase their coping skills and further to heighten empathy and defence of victims by non-involved bystanders. This paper focuses on the defender role. Applying quantitative as well as qualitative methodology, the present study found that “FearNot!” helped non-involved children to become defenders in the German sub-sample while it had no such effect in the UK sub-sample. German “New Defenders” (children who are initially uninvolved but are nominated as defenders by their peers after the intervention period) were found to be significantly more popular at baseline, and to show more cognitive empathy (Theory of Mind) for the virtual victims as compared to permanently non-involved pupils. Moreover, gender interacts with becoming a defender in its effects on affective empathy, with emotional contagion being particularly associated with New Defender status among girls. The findings are discussed in relation to previous research on anti-bullying intervention strategies and cultural differences in bullying prevalence rates and intervention outcomes