Socialization in the Context of Risk and Psychopathology: Maternal Emotion Socialization in Children of Incarcerated Mothers

Children of incarcerated mothers are at increased risk for psychological, social, and emotional maladaptation. This research investigates whether perceived maternal socialization of sadness and anger may moderate these outcomes in a sample of 154 children (53.9 percent boys, 61.7 percent Black, M age = 9.38, range: 6–12), their 118 mothers (64.1 percent Black), and 118 caregivers (74.8 percent female, 61.9 percent grandparents, 63.2 percent Black). Using mother, caregiver, and child report, seven maternal socialization strategies were assessed in their interaction with incarceration‐specific risk experiences predicting children's adjustment. For sadness socialization, the results indicated that among children reporting maternal emotion‐focused responses, incarceration‐specific risk predicted increases in psychological problems, depressive symptoms, increased emotional lability, and poorer emotion regulation. For children who perceived a problem‐focused response, incarceration‐specific risk did not predict outcomes. There were no significant interactions with incarceration‐specific risk and perceived maternal anger socialization strategies. These results indicate a critical need to examine how socialization processes may operate differently for children raised in atypical socializing contexts.     

Parent Characteristics and Early Coparenting Behavior at the Transition to Parenthood

This study examined parent characteristics as correlates of coparenting behavior in 57 primiparous couples. Parents' negative emotionality and perceptions of maternal acceptance in childhood, mothers' beliefs about fathers' roles, and observed marital behavior and family socioeconomic status were assessed during the third trimester of pregnancy, and coparenting behavior was observed at 3.5 months postpartum. Couples who exhibited high‐quality marital interaction showed higher supportive coparenting behavior, but couples who showed lower quality marital interaction demonstrated higher supportive coparenting behavior when mothers held more progressive beliefs about fathers' roles. Couples showed more undermining coparenting behavior when family socioeconomic status was lower and when fathers were higher on negative emotionality. Greater perceived maternal acceptance in childhood was only associated with lower levels of undermining behavior when prenatal marital interaction was high in quality. Thus, the characteristics of both parents, especially in combination with preexisting marital behavior, are important determinants of coparenting behavior.     

Contingencies of Self‐worth in Early Adolescence: The Antecedent Role of Perceived Parenting

Contingent self‐esteem (i.e., the degree to which one's self‐esteem is dependent on meeting particular conditions) has been shown to predict a wide range of psychosocial and academic problems. This study extends previous research on contingent self‐esteem by examining the predictive role of perceived parenting dimensions in a sample of early adolescents (N = 240; age range 11–15 years). Additionally, the effect of perceived parenting on contingent self‐esteem is compared with its effect on global self‐esteem. Our main findings showed that both responsiveness and psychological control were unique predictors of global self‐esteem whereas only psychological control uniquely predicted contingent self‐esteem. Although the effect of responsiveness on global self‐esteem was increased when combined with high levels of behavioral control, this effect did not depend on the level of psychological control. The effect of psychological control on contingent self‐esteem, however, generally increased when combined with high levels of responsiveness.     

The Role of Emotional Reactivity,Self‐regulation,and Puberty in Adolescents' Prosocial Behaviors

This study was designed to examine the roles of emotional reactivity, self‐regulation, and pubertal timing in prosocial behaviors during adolescence. Participants were 850 sixth graders (50 percent female, mean age = 11.03, standard deviation = .17) who were followed up at the age of 15. In hierarchical regression models, measures of emotional reactivity, self‐regulation, pubertal timing, and their interactions were used to predict (concurrently and over time) adolescents' prosocial behaviors in the home and with peers. Overall, the findings provide evidence for pubertal and temperament‐based predictors of prosocial behaviors expressed in different contexts. Self‐regulation was positively related to both forms of prosocial behavior, concurrently and longitudinally. Emotional reactivity showed moderately consistent effects, showing negative concurrent relations to prosocial behavior with peers and negative longitudinal relations (4 years later) to prosocial behavior at home. Some curvilinear effects of temperament on prosocial behaviors were also found. Effects of pubertal timing were found to interact with gender, such that boys who were early maturers showed the highest levels of prosocial behavior at home concurrently. Discussion focuses on the role of temperament‐based mechanisms in the expression of prosocial behaviors in different contexts in adolescence.     

Temperament as a Moderator of the Effects of Parental Depressive Symptoms on Child Behavior Problems

Parental depressive symptomatology has consistently been linked to child maladjustment, but these effects are not universal. This investigation examined the role of child temperament as a moderator of the effects of parental depression on behavior problems in five‐year‐old children. Parents reported on their own depressive symptoms, and both parents and teachers reported on child behavior. Temperament was assessed by both parent‐report and structured observation. Results indicated significant associations between behavior problems and both depressive symptoms (maternal and paternal) and child temperament (effortful control and negative affect). Child surgency moderated the effects of both maternal and paternal depressive symptoms on child behavior problems. Child negative affect and incongruous negative emotionality moderated the effects of maternal depressive symptoms on child behavior problems. These findings point to the importance of examining multiple factors within the family system to further understand the processes of child development.     

The Experience of Higher Education from the Perspective of Disabled Students

This article describes the findings and examines the issues arising from a small-scale investigation into the experience of higher education from the perspective of disabled students at a university in the United Kingdom, and makes recommendations for policy and practice. Methodology involved semi-structured interviews with participants to reveal individual experience and analysis of relevant documentation from the university to examine the rhetoric underlying their experience. Factors that create a positive experience for disabled students, and those which effect discriminatory practice and marginalisation are identified. The implications of the findings for policy and practice are discussed, and conclusions drawn including: the need for a central policy which supports the philosophy of an accessible learning environment for all students; central co-ordination to implement the policy with practical guidelines to departments; ongoing monitoring and evaluation procedures which involve disabled students; staff training and awareness; student advocacy.     

Member Perspectives on the Role of BDSM Communities

Bondage-discipline/Dominance-submission/sadomasochism (BDSM) is an often misunderstood and misrepresented social phenomenon warranting further discourse and study. Community-based research that engages member perspective can assist in understanding socially marginalized experiences. The current study examined the role, meaning, and function of BDSM communities from the perspective of self-identified members. Seven nominal group technique workshops were conducted representing a variety of practitioner experiences and identities. Workshops involved 48 participants and resulted in the generation of 133 unique terms describing the role of BDSM communities in their lives. Terms were coded using a five-step procedure involving both academic and community members. A total of 15 categories were identified and included domains such as acceptance, sexual expression, friendship, safety, and sharing of educational knowledge. Results underscore the multifaceted nature of the role of such communities. While results consisted of mostly positive features, participants also identified certain negative aspects, such as conflict among members. Results from the study provide a succinct, member-derived, structured inventory of the role of BDSM communities that can serve to validate and synthesize existing research, improve dissemination of community voice around BDSM, and inform future research. We conclude with a discussion of the study’s implications for sex education, clinical practice, and community dissemination.     

THE RHETORIC OF DEMOCRACY IN INTERNATIONAL ON-LINE EDUCATION

On-line education has been heralded as the next democratizing force in education, particularly in higher education (Daniel 1996; Jones 1997). By opening access to populations which have not had access either because of geographical location, job status, or physical handicap, the rhetoric of on-line education suggests that this new technology will democratize education, breaking down the elitist walls of the ivory tower. However, it is not at all clear that the reality of implementing distance learning solutions have in fact any potential, much less actual value for democratizing higher education. Much the opposite, founded on the myth of the meritocracy, on-line education has the potential to exacerbate already intractable views of individual achievement through education as rectifying failures to meet disadvantaged populations' needs. This paper presents several cases of international on-line education and the rhetoric that surrounds its introduction. In some cases we are able to share stories of implementation of distance learning programmes or governmental promises made to those interested in distance learning. In each case, we attempt to tell a story that sheds light on the ways in which the noble goals of democracy are and aren't met in the harsh reality of on-line learning.