Entwicklung und Sozialisation von emotionaler Bewusstheit und Emotionsregulation in der Adoleszenz: Die Rolle des emotionalen Familienklimas

Rüth J-E. Entwicklung und Sozialisation von emotionaler Bewusstheit und Emotionsregulation in der Adoleszenz: Die Rolle des emotionalen Familienklimas. Bielefeld: Universität Bielefeld; 2020

Fragebogen zur prozessorientierten Emotionsregulationsmessung im Kindes- und Jugendalter (POEM-KJ)

Rüth J-E, Lohaus A. Fragebogen zur prozessorientierten Emotionsregulationsmessung im Kindes- und Jugendalter (POEM-KJ). Göttingen: Hogrefe; 2023

Psychometric Properties, Construct and Criterion-Related Validity

Maas L, Lohaus A, Rüth J-E. The Short Version of the Process-Oriented Emotion Regulation Measure for Children and Adolescents (POEM-CA). European Journal of Psychological Assessment. 2024.Abstract: The development of appropriate emotion regulation (ER) strategies is crucial for the healthy development of children and adolescents. Therefore, the assessment of ER skills with economic and yet valid and reliable measures that help to identify ER problems at an early stage is desirable. In this study, the psychometric properties of the short version of the Process-Oriented Emotion Regulation Measure for Children and Adolescents (POEM-CA) were examined in a sample of children and adolescents aged 7 to 18 years in primary (Sample A: N = 362) and secondary school (Sample B: N = 472). The hypothesised factor structure was replicated in both samples and scale and item characteristics were appropriate. The criterion-related validity of the POEM-CA was examined regarding well-being in both samples. As expected, more functional and less dysfunctional ER was associated with higher well-being. Additionally, associations with psychosocial adjustment were tested in Sample B. Functional ER was negatively associated with externalizing problems and positively associated with prosocial behavior. Beyond, dysfunctional ER was associated with more internalizing and externalizing problems. The findings indicate that the POEM-CA is a valid and reliable, but also economic measure that can be useful in research and practice

Cross-Informant Discrepancies and their Association with Maternal Depression, Maternal Parenting Stress, and Mother-Child Relationship

Lohaus A, Rüth J-E, Vierhaus M. Cross-Informant Discrepancies and their Association with Maternal Depression, Maternal Parenting Stress, and Mother-Child Relationship. JOURNAL OF CHILD AND FAMILY STUDIES. 2020;29(3):867-879.Objectives Children and adolescents, and their parents, often provide divergent assessments with regard to children's and adolescents' mental health. This paper addresses influential factors regarding discrepancies between mothers' and children's/adolescents' reports on externalizing and internalizing problem behavior. The focus is on maternal characteristics (maternal depression, maternal parenting stress, and maternal perception of the relationship to their child) that may contribute to the emergence of discrepancies. Methods An empirical study with 1601 children and adolescents between the ages of 10 to 16 years, and 1119 mothers, was conducted addressing temporal relationships between maternal characteristics and informant discrepancies, with repeated assessments after 6 months. Results Based on polynomial regression, maternal parenting stress and negatively evaluated mother-child relationships proved to be the most important influential variables on the emergence of informant discrepancies. In addition, the results provided evidence for bidirectional influences between informant discrepancies and maternal characteristics (especially maternal depression and negative evaluations of the mother-child relationship). All significant relationships to maternal characteristics were restricted to externalizing behavior. Conclusions Findings suggest that specific maternal characteristics, which might influence maternal interpretations, explain the occurrence of informant discrepancies regarding externalizing problems. Conversely, informant discrepancies regarding externalizing problems predicted maternal characteristics. Accordingly, a reciprocal relationship between informant discrepancies and maternal characteristics seems likely and should be the subject to future research

On Matching Item Wording of Self and Proxy Reports on the SDQ and Its Effects on Cross-Informant Discrepancies

Vierhaus M, Rüth J-E, Buchberger ES, Lohaus A. Zur Angleichung von Itemwortlauten bei SDQ-Fremd- und Selbstbericht und deren Auswirkung auf Beurteilungsdiskrepanzen . DIAGNOSTICA. 2018;64(4):169-179.This study compared the German self and proxy report versions of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in order to analyze discrepancies between the informants. We compared the original scales with modified scales, which contained more closely matched item wordings. In a sample of 217 mother-child-dyads the original item versions were applied, while 276 dyads were asked to provide reports based on the modified versions. For the self as well as for the proxy reports, the results showed partial measurement invariance between the original and the modified versions of the questionnaire. Moreover, the informant discrepancies between the self and proxy reports were lower for the modified version regarding the means as well as the correlations between self and proxy reports. The results underline the significance of item wordings for questionnaire results in general and, in particular, for the emergence of informant discrepancies

Levels of Stress Experiences and Stress Symptomatology in Children and Adolescents: A Comparison of Cohorts from 1996, 2006, and 2018

Hartmann S, Lohaus A, Rüth J-E, Eschenbeck H. Stresserleben und Stresssymptomatik bei Kindern und Jugendlichen. Ein Vergleich von Kohorten aus 1996, 2006 und 2018. Zeitschrift für Entwicklungspsychologie und Pädagogische Psychologie . 2022;54(1):15-26.This study examines whether the levels of stress experience and physical stress symptomatology have changed in children and adolescents over the past 20 years. The study uses data from 4,450 third- to sixth-grade students (aged 6 to 14 years) based on norm data collected in 1996 on the Stress and Coping Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (Cohort 1, n = 960, 49 % male), 2006 (Cohort 2, n = 1324, 49 % male), and 2018 (Cohort 3, n = 2166, 50 % male). An examination of the measurement invariance using confirmatory factor models showed partial scalar invariance for both scales, which is the prerequisite for conducting latent mean comparisons. The comparisons do not indicate a significant change over time for either the level of stress experience or physical stress symptomatology. Furthermore, the invariance analyses reveal that the structure of the included constructs on stress experience and stress symptomatology remained stable over time.Abstract Zusammenfassung. Diese Studie untersucht, ob sich das Ausmaß des Stresserlebens und der physischen Stresssymptomatik bei Kindern und Jugendlichen in den vergangenen 20 Jahren verändert hat. Grundlage bilden die Daten von 4450 Schülerinnen und Schülern der dritten bis sechsten Klassenstufe (Altersbereich: 6 bis 14 Jahre), die im Rahmen der Normierung des Fragebogens zur Erhebung von Stress und Stressbewältigung im Kindes- und Jugendalter (SSKJ) in den Jahren 1996 (Kohorte 1, n = 960, 49 % männlich), 2006 (Kohorte 2, n = 1324, 49 % männlich) und 2018 (Kohorte 3, n = 2166, 50 % männlich) erfasst wurden. Die Überprüfung der Messinvarianz anhand konfirmatorischer Faktorenmodelle zeigte für beide Skalen partielle skalare Invarianz, wonach die Voraussetzung für die Durchführung latenter Mittelwertvergleiche erfüllt ist. Die Vergleiche weisen bei beiden Skalen nicht auf eine bedeutsame Veränderung über die Zeit hinweg hin. Gleichzeitig lassen die Invarianzanalysen erkennen, dass die Struktur der erhobenen Konstrukte über die Zeit stabil war

Emotionale Kompetenz

Holodynski M, Rüth J-E. Emotionale Kompetenz. In: Lohaus A, Domsch H, eds. Psychologische Förder- und Interventionsprogramme für das Kindes- und Jugendalter. Psychotherapie: Praxis. Berlin: Springer; 2021: 241-257

Personal Resources, Well-Being, Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms of Youth in Out-Of-Home Care

Dunkel S, Rüth J-E, Wiemann A-K, Werner A, Konrad K, Lohaus A. Personal Resources, Well-Being, Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms of Youth in Out-Of-Home Care. European Journal of Health Psychology. 2024;31(2):56-66.Abstract: Background: Many youth living in out-of-home care have higher rates of mental health problems and more negative developmental outcomes than youth who live in their biological families. Aims: While previous studies have focused primarily on risk factors that increase the likelihood of behavioral problems, this study focuses on resources that contribute to positive development. Method: As part of the EMPOWERYOU research project, youth aged 11–18 years living in out-of-home care ( n = 79, living in foster and adoptive families and residential groups) and living with their biological families ( n = 71) participated in an online survey. Youth reported on their personal resources, internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and well-being. Results: Youth in out-of-home care reported significantly fewer personal resources, less well-being, and more internalizing and especially externalizing symptoms than youth growing up in their biological families. Path analysis results showed that high self-esteem and high self-control were associated with less externalizing symptoms. Lower empathy/perspective-taking and more self-esteem were associated with less internalizing symptoms. More optimism was associated with increased well-being. These relationships were independent of family placement as there was no moderating effect for placement type. Limitations: Potential limitations arise from focusing solely on self-report and using of a cross-sectional design. Conclusion: The results highlight the relevance of promoting the personal resources of youth in out-of-home care. Since the path analysis did not reveal moderation by family placement, possible interventions do not need to be specified for them, but (already existing) effective interventions can be used

Coping of Young Refugees in Germany Relations to Gender, Age, and Gender Role Attitudes

Nilles H, Kerkhoff D, Demir Z, et al. Coping of Young Refugees in Germany Relations to Gender, Age, and Gender Role Attitudes. European Journal of Health Psychology. 2022;29(1):15-25.Background: Coping is considered to have an important influence on well-being, especially in adolescent refugees dealing with a high amount of stress. In addition, gender differences in coping are a common topic for research and are often attributed to differences in socialization between boys and girls. Aims: The study aims at clarifying the gender differences in coping strategies used by non-Western adolescents. Additionally, associations with aspects of socialization, in particular Gender Role Attitudes (GRA), on gender differences are investigated. Method: Refugees from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan (N = 106, 55% male) aged 11-18 years completed questionnaires in schools or housing facilities. Associations between gender, GRA, coping strategies, and well-being were investigated using moderation and regression analyses. Results: Gender differences found in previous literature could, in part be replicated. Refugee girls reported more anger-related emotion regulation than boys did. However, GRA did not show any connections to coping strategies. Limitations: Most limitations result from low reliabilities and possible biases due to the use of self-reports. Conclusion: The more frequent use of anger-related emotion regulation as the only gender difference replicated in this study highlights the importance of research with refugee samples to prevent over-generalization of previous results from Western cultures

Well-Being and Resources of Minors With Refugee Background in Comparison to Minors With Migration or Native Background

Schmees P, Braig J, Nilles H, et al. Well-Being and Resources of Minors With Refugee Background in Comparison to Minors With Migration or Native Background. European Journal of Health Psychology. 2022;29(1):3-14.Background: Studies on the health of minors with refugee background (RM) often focus on symptoms and risks. In contrast to these deficit-oriented approaches, the present study examined well-being and resources of RM. Aims: The aim was to get an overview of the extent to which RM differ from both minors with migration (MM) as well as native (NM) background regarding well-being and resources. In addition, the study sought to identify resources of RM that are significant for well-being. General personal and social resources, religious identity and practice as well as multicultural resources (bilingualism, ethnic identity) were examined. Method: The study was conducted in Germany with minors aged 8-16 years. RM (n = 209), MM (n = 535) and NM (n = 858) completed questionnaires. Comparative analyses and multiple regression analyses were computed. Results: RM showed lower well-being and fewer social resources than MM and NM. For personal resources, the group differences were less consistent. Personal and social resources predicted the well-being of minors. While multicultural resources were not significant, especially the resources sense of coherence, integration into peer group, and religious identity positively predicted the well-being of RM. Limitations: The group of MM is very heterogeneous. Further studies should differentiate the group of MM more precisely. Conclusion: The differences in well-being among RM, MM and NM can largely be explained by differences in resources. Religious identity is an important available resource for RM. Sense of coherence and integration into peer groups should be given special attention in health promotion for RM