Peer influence on disruptive classroom behavior depends on teachers' instructional practice

This study investigated whether early adolescents’ disruptive classroom behavior is predicted by descriptive classroom norms for such behavior (i.e., mean level of classmates’ disruptive behaviors). We further examined whether classmates’ influence on a student’s disruptive behavior varies based on teacher’s instructional practice. Participants were 701 adolescents (M = 13.12 years; 48.8% girls) who were followed across six measurement points from Grades 7 through 9. Multilevel analyses showed that subsequent individual disruptive behavior was predicted by earlier levels of disruptive behavior in the classroom. Peer influence on disruptive behavior was lower when students perceived that their teacher’s instruction was more supportive and interesting. When students reported that their teacher used more ability differentiation (e.g., ability grouping), peer influence on disruptive behavior was higher

Below Average Midsummer to Early Autumn Precipitation Evolved Into the Main Driver of Sudden Scots Pine Vitality Decline in the Swiss Rhône Valley

The vitality of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is declining since the 1990s in many European regions. This was mostly attributed to the occurrence of hotter droughts, other climatic changes and secondary biotic stressors. However, it is still not well understood which specific atmospheric trends and extremes caused the observed spatio-temporal dieback patterns. In the Swiss Rhône valley, we identified negative precipitation anomalies between midsummer and early autumn as the main driver of sudden vitality decline and dieback events. Whereas climate change from 1981 to 2018 did not lead to a reduced water input within this time of the year, the potential evapotranspiration strongly increased in spring and summer. This prolonged and intensified the period of low soil moisture between midsummer and autumn, making Scots pines critically dependent on substantial precipitation events which temporarily reduce the increased water stress. Thus, local climate characteristics (namely midsummer to early autumn precipitation minima) are decisive for the spatial occurrence of vitality decline events, as the lowest minima outline the most affected regions within the Swiss Rhône valley. Mortality events will most likely spread to larger areas and accelerate the decline of Scots pines at lower elevations, whereas higher altitudes may remain suitable Scots pine habitats. The results from our regional study are relevant on larger geographic scales because the same processes seem to play a key role in other European regions increasingly affected by Scots pine dieback events

Ongoing toxin-positive diphtheria outbreaks in a federal asylum centre in Switzerland, analysis July to September 2022.

Two diphtheria outbreaks occurred in a Swiss asylum center from July to October 2022, one is still ongoing. Outbreaks mainly involved minors and included six symptomatic respiratory diphtheria cases requiring antitoxin. Phylogenomic analyses showed evidence of imported and local transmissions of toxigenic strains in respiratory and skin lesion samples. Given the number of cases (n = 20) and the large genetic diversity accumulating in one centre, increased awareness and changes in public health measures are required to prevent and control diphtheria outbreaks

Effects of class composition on individual problem behavior at school - what is the role of the behavior of the entire class, the “cool” ones, the “extreme”, and the personal friends?

Schulisches Problemverhalten von Jugendlichen kann Mitschüler(innen) und Lehrpersonen vor erhebliche Herausforderungen stellen und ein Entwicklungsrisiko für die betreffenden Jugendlichen bedeuten. Hinsichtlich der Ursachen für solches Verhalten zeigt die Peereinflussforschung, dass die Gleichaltrigen einen erheblichen Einfluss auf die individuelle Entwicklung von Verhaltensproblemen haben können. Der Schulklassenzusammensetzung bezüglich des Niveaus an Problemverhalten unter den Mitschüler(inne)n könnte damit eine zentrale Bedeutung für die Entwicklung von Jugendlichen zukommen. Es wurde deshalb untersucht, inwiefern sich individuelles schulisches Problemverhalten durch die Ausprägung solchen Verhaltens unter den Klassenkamerad(inn)en vorhersagen lässt. Dabei wurden die Effekte unterschiedlicher sozialer Subgruppen in der Klasse fokussiert. Insgesamt gaben 623 Jugendliche aus 7. - 9. Klassen anonym Auskunft zu ihrem schulischen Problemverhalten. Mehrebenenanalysen zeigten, dass sich individuelles Verhalten durch das mittlere Verhalten unter allen Klassenkamerad(inn)en, unter den populären Jugendlichen, den verhaltensauffälligsten Jugendlichen sowie unter den persönlichen Freunden in der Klasse statistisch vorhersagen ließ. Die Befunde werden vor dem Hintergrund von Peereinflussprozessen innerhalb von Schulklassen diskutiert. (DIPF/Orig.)The problem behavior of adolescents in school can pose considerable challenges to co-students and teachers and may constitute a developmental risk for the respective adolescent. With regard to the causes for such behavior, research on the influence of peer groups shows that members of the same age group have a considerable impact on the individual development of behavioral problems. Accordingly, the composition of school classes with regard to the level of problem behavior among co-students could be of crucial importance to the development of adolescents. Therefore, it was examined in how far individual school-related problem behavior may be predicted on the basis of the manifestation of such behavior among classmates. The focus was on the effects of different social sub-groups within the class. All in all, 623 adolescents from grades 7 to 9 anonymously answered questions on their school-related problem behavior. Multi-level analyses revealed that individual behavior may be predicted statistically through the average behavior among all classmates, among the popular adolescents, among those displaying the most behavioral problems, and among the personal friends in the class. The findings are discussed against the background of processes of peer influence within school classes. (DIPF/Orig.