MEDIATING ROLE OF DISSOCIATION SYMPTOMS BETWEEN ADOLESCENT COMPULSIVE INTERNET USE ACROSS TIME

The aim of this study was to examine adolescent compulsive internet use (CIU) across a one-year period, to examine associations with symptoms of depression, anxiety and dissociation, as well as to analyze the potential mediating effect of dissociation symptoms.  Previous studies have indicated that dissociation might serve as a coping strategy and/or as a consequence of problematic internet use. Participating in the study were 80 adolescents (39 girls and 41 boys), ages from 12 to 18 (mean age 14.90 years) at the time of the first measurement.  At Time 1 and one year later at Time 2 measurement points the participants completed the Trauma Symptom Checklist (Briere, 1995) and items from the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (Meerkert, VanDen Eijnden, Vermulst, Garretsen, 2009).  Correlation analyses showed associations between CIU and the adolescents’ ratings of anxiety, depression and dissociation at Time 1 and Time 2.  Mediation analysis indicated partial mediation of dissociation symptoms between CIU at Time 1 and Time 2.  A comparison of these relationships across time provides opportunity to discuss possible directions of causality and implications of bidirectionality between dissociative tendencies and adolescent prolonged, compulsive internet use.

PRESCHOOL CHILD’S MOTHER’S PARENTING PRACTICES AND ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT WITH CHILD’S DIGITALLY-BASED ACTIVITY IN RELATION TO CHILD’S PROSOCIAL OR PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIOR

The aim of this research was to examine preschool children’s prosocial behavior as well as internalizing and externalizing problems in relation to their mothers’ parenting practices and active involvement with their child in the use of various digital technologies (television, computer, telephone, play stations), time spent and content of the child’s activities. Participating in the research were the mothers of 120 preschool children, aged 5 – 6 years old, 50 girls and 70 boys.  Mothers completed the Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach Rescorla, 2000), prosocial behavior scale of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman, 1997), Block‘s Child Rearing Practices Report (Block, 1981), as adapted by Aunolo and Nurmi (Aunola Nurmi, 2004) and also answered questions regarding the child’s time spent with digital technologies, the content of their activity (drawing, puzzles, games, etc.), and the mother’s degree of active involvement with her child during these activities.  Results showed that mother’s active involvement with child’s digitally-based activity was associated with emotionally warm parenting, as well as with higher child’s prosocial behavior ratings. Regression analysis showed that lover mother’s involvement and punishment orientation in parenting was predictive of externalizing behavior ratings for boys. Results are discussed in relation to practical implications for parent-child relationships

RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF THE LATVIAN VERSION OF THE COMPUTERIZED EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS TEST “EXAMINER” IN A STUDENTS SAMPLE: RESULTS OF THE PILOT STUDY

The aim of this pilot-study was to assess reliability and validity of the Latvian version of the computerized executive functions test EXAMINER (Executive Abilities: Measures and Instruments for Neurobehavioral Evaluation and Research) in a sample of high school students and university students. The adaptation procedure included translation of the instructions and technical configuration of the test’s computerized version. The Latvian version of the EXAMINER includes tasks that measure executive functions of inhibition, set shifting and working memory updating. Participants included two sub-groups: 22 (14 males, 8 female) students from high school and 39 students (11 males, 28 female) from university.  Results showed statistically significant differences between both sub-groups on most of the EXAMINER tasks. The main tendency was that the high school students showed faster reaction time, but made more mistakes. Results also showed good reliability for most of the EXAMINER tasks and good criterion validity. Potential improvements of the test and its potential use in schools and clinics are discussed

The Generalizability of Older Adult Self-Report (OASR) Syndromes of Psychopathology Across 20 Societies

OBJECTIVES: As the world population ages, psychiatrists will increasingly need instruments for measuring constructs of psychopathology that are generalizable to diverse elders. The study tested whether syndromes of co-occurring problems derived from self-ratings of psychopathology by US elders would fit self-ratings by elders in 19 other societies. METHODS/DESIGN: The Older Adult Self-Report (OASR) was completed by 12,826 60- to 102-year-olds in 19 societies from North and South America, Asia, and Eastern, Northern, Southern, and Western Europe, plus the US. Individual and multi-group confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) tested the fit of the 7-syndrome OASR model, consisting of the Anxious/Depressed, Worries, Somatic Complaints, Functional Impairment, Memory/Cognition Problems, Thought Problems, and Irritable/Disinhibited syndromes. RESULTS: In individual CFAs, the primary model fit index showed good fit for all societies, while the secondary model fit indices showed acceptable to good fit. The items loaded strongly on their respective factors, with a median item loading of .63 across the 20 societies; and 98.7% of the loadings were statistically significant. In multi-group CFAs, 98% of items demonstrated approximate or full metric invariance. Fifteen percent of items demonstrated approximate or full scalar invariance and another 59% demonstrated scalar invariance across more than half of societies. CONCLUSIONS: The findings supported the generalizability of OASR syndromes across societies. The seven syndromes offer empirically-based clinical constructs that are relevant for elders of different backgrounds. They can be used to assess diverse elders, and as a taxonomic framework to facilitate communication, services, research and training in geriatric psychiatry. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Syndromes of self-reported psychopathology for ages 18-59 in 29 societies

This study tested the multi-society generalizability of an eight-syndrome assessment model derived from factor analyses of American adults' self-ratings of 120 behavioral, emotional, and social problems. The Adult Self-Report (ASR; Achenbach and Rescorla 2003) was completed by 17,152 18-59-year-olds in 29 societies. Confirmatory factor analyses tested the fit of self-ratings in each sample to the eight-syndrome model. The primary model fit index (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation) showed good model fit for all samples, while secondary indices showed acceptable to good fit. Only 5 (0.06%) of the 8,598 estimated parameters were outside the admissible parameter space. Confidence intervals indicated that sampling fluctuations could account for the deviant parameters. Results thus supported the tested model in societies differing widely in social, political, and economic systems, languages, ethnicities, religions, and geographical regions. Although other items, societies, and analytic methods might yield different results, the findings indicate that adults in very diverse societies were willing and able to rate themselves on the same standardized set of 120 problem items. Moreover, their self-ratings fit an eight-syndrome model previously derived from self-ratings by American adults. The support for the statistically derived syndrome model is consistent with previous findings for parent, teacher, and self-ratings of 11/2-18-year-olds in many societies. The ASR and its parallel collateral-report instrument, the Adult Behavior Checklist (ABCL), may offer mental health professionals practical tools for the multi-informant assessment of clinical constructs of adult psychopathology that appear to be meaningful across diverse societies

Vaikų patirtos prievartos ir jų traumavimo laipsnio ryšys

This study was designed to look at levels of incidence of child emotional, physical and sexual abuse, associated risk factors and trauma symptoms in a crosscultural comparison between two Baltic countries. Six hundred six chilren ages 10-14 from Latvia (306), Lithuania (300) participated in the study. They were assessed by questionnaires concerning experience of emotional, physical or sexual abuse. The children also responded to questionnaire items concerning parental risk-factors and trauma symptoms: depression, anxiety, anger, PTSD, dissociation, sexual concerns and psychosomatic complaints. Levels of reported incidence of emotional, physical and sexual abuse differed by country, as did levels of reported trauma symptoms. Incidence of emotional and physical abuse differed by region, with higher levels of abuse reported in the rural regions. In both countries generally similar levels of high association between emotional/physical abuse and trauma symptoms were found. Children who had experienced abuse possess more traumatic symptoms rather than those who had not experience the abuse; self assessment of children who experience abuse is lower; there are substantial differences between data from Lithuania and from Latvia, children in Lithuania much more often dream and fantasize and tend to dissociate themselves from unpleasant experience.Straipsnyje analizuojamI vaikų patirtos prievartos (fizinės, emocinės, seksualinės) situaciniai psichologiniai padariniai. Buvo tirta 300 įvairių Lietuvos vietovių vaikų (amžius 10-11 ir 13-14 metų). Lietuvoje mažiau nei pusė vaikų (43 proc.) patiria prievartą, dažniausiai emocinę. Gauti rezultatai parodė, kad vaikų patiriama prievarta turi ryšį su trauminiais požymiais - šie vaikai jų turi daugiau negu prievartos nepatyrę. Patyrusių prievartą vaikų savęs vertinimas yra menkesnis. Gauti tyrimo duomenys buvo palyginti su analogiško tyrimo Latvijoje duomenimis. Fizinės prievartos atvejų skaičius panašus abiejose šalyse, lietuvių vaikai patiria daugiau emocinės prievartos, o latvių - seksualinės. Lietuvių vaikai, patyrę prievartą, dažniau turi disociacinių požymių. Prievartą patyrusių ir jos nepatyrusių lietuvių vaikų savęs vertinimas blogesnis negu latvių

Parenting dimensions in relation to pre-schoolers' behaviour problems in Latvia and Lithuania

The aim of the present study was to examine associations between parenting and child behaviour problems in two neighbouring countries with subtle, yet apparent cultural differences. Participants were mothers and fathers of preschool-age children from Latvia and Lithuania. Parents completed a measure of child-rearing attitudes and reported on their child’s internalizing and externalizing behaviours. In both countries, parental warmth was negatively associated with child behaviour problems, and punishment orientation was positively associated. There were differences by country in the association of paternal psychological control and behaviour problems, and in the interactions of parenting dimensions, specifically maternal warmth and punishment orientation. Possible differences in the meaning attributed to parenting practices imply considerations for parent training programs. </jats:p