The Socioeconomic Consequences of Privatization: An Empirical Analysis for Europe

This paper analyses the dynamics of poverty in Italy and compares it with that in France, Spain and the UK. For this purpose, we use transition matrices of entry and exit poverty rates and quantify true state dependence through econometric techniques. The analysis exploits the longitudinal component of EU-SILC for the period 2009–2012. Estimation of dynamic random effects probit models shows that, in all countries, after controlling for individual heterogeneity and initial conditions, there is evidence of true state dependence. In comparative terms, when not accounting for regional disparities within countries, the degree of poverty persistence is highest in Italy and lowest in the UK. If regional effects are considered, the degree of poverty persistence in Italy is of the same order of magnitude as in France and Spain, but higher than in the UK. Our findings suggest that unlike other countries, in Italy regional disparities play an important role in explaining poverty state dependence.     

Interrupting a joke validates thoughts and polarizes attitudes towards a recycling company / La interrupción de un chiste puede potenciar su efecto de validación del pensamiento y cambiar las actitudes hacia una empresa de reciclaje

Positive emotions can validate either positive or negative thoughts. Previous research has demonstrated that people use their thoughts more when they recall past episodes of happiness and when they are induced to smile. This study was designed to evaluate whether a new induction of a happy mood (a joke) can influence thought use in response to a persuasive proposal. Two versions of the same joke were compared: a version that included an interruption before the punchline and another that did not include an interruption at that point. The aim was to examine whether this interruption increased or decreased the use of previously generated thoughts towards a persuasive communication. The results indicated that the participants who were interrupted before the punchline relied more on their own thoughts in forming their attitudes than did those who were in the control group. In consequence, an interruption during a pleasant experience (e.g., a joke) increased persuasion when thoughts were positive but decreased persuasion when thoughts were negative.     

Time to first significant job for vocational graduates in Spain

In this paper we analyze the transition from vocational education to a first significant job for Spanish young people. The data comes from the Survey on Education and Labor Market Transitions, targeting various collectives who finished their non-university studies. Discrete duration models are estimated to identify the determinants of the time-to-first significant job. The main results show that, contrary to what is expected, there are no significant differences for students graduating in intermediate or in advanced vocational training. Nonetheless, vocational education is characterized by a high specialization by gender, which is translated into differences in the transition to employment. Furthermore, previous professional experience in precarious jobs does not improve access to quality employment, whereas internships performed within studies, when evaluated by the young as satisfactory, have a positive impact. Other subjective aspects, such as a high value assigned to work or family or a priority focused on achieving a stable job lead to a smoother school-to-work transition.     

Do Siblings Matter Independent of Both Parents and Friends? Sympathy as a Mediator Between Sibling Relationship Quality and Adolescent Outcomes

The study explored whether sibling affection and hostility were longitudinally associated with adolescents' prosocial, externalizing, and depressive behaviors, after controlling for parent–child and best friend relationship quality. Sympathy was examined as a possible mediator. Three hundred and eight randomly selected families completed Waves 3, 4, and 5 of the Flourishing Families Project. Multiple group comparison via structural equation modeling compared differences between girls and boys. Sibling affection (T3) was positively associated with adolescents' sympathy (T4) and prosocial behavior (T5). Sibling hostility (T3) was positively associated with adolescents' depression (T5) and externalizing behavior (T5) (for boys only), even after controlling for parent and friend relationships. Discussion focuses on the unique role of the sibling relationship on adolescent development.     

A multivariate uniformity test for the case of unknown support

A test for the hypothesis of uniformity on a support S⊂ℝ ^d is proposed. It is based on the use of multivariate spacings as those studied in Janson (Ann. Probab. 15:274–280, 1987). As a novel aspect, this test can be adapted to the case that the support S is unknown, provided that it fulfils the shape condition of λ-convexity. The consistency properties of this test are analyzed and its performance is checked through a small simulation study. The numerical problems involved in the practical calculation of the maximal spacing (which is required to obtain the test statistic) are also discussed in some detail.     

Characteristics of Mother‐Child Interactions Related to Adolescents’ Positive Values and Behaviors

The purpose of this study was to examine a theoretical model that considered accurate perception and acceptance of maternal values in relation to adolescents’ positive values and behaviors. One hundred fifty‐one mother‐adolescent dyads completed measures targeting adolescent and maternal perceptions of prosocial values and adolescent behaviors (M age of adolescent = 16.34 years). Path analysis using structure equation modeling revealed that accurate perception and acceptance of maternal values were positively related, both additively and multiplicatively, to personal values. Accurate perception and acceptance were negatively related to adolescents’ antisocial behaviors, and personal values were positively related to adolescents’ prosocial behaviors. The current study provides insight into how maternal discipline might influence adolescent behaviors indirectly through mother‐adolescent interactions.     

Adolescents' Prosocial Behavior Toward Family,Friends, and Strangers: A Person‐Centered Approach

This study examined longitudinal change in adolescents' prosocial behavior toward family, friends, and strangers. Participants included 491 mother–child dyads (average age of child at Time 1 = 11.5, 67% European American). Growth mixture modeling suggested that prosocial behavior toward family was generally stable or decreased over time, while prosocial behavior toward friends increased over time. However, findings highlighted unique developmental trajectories within subgroups of adolescents for prosocial behavior toward family and friends and found that maternal warmth and adolescent sympathy, self‐regulation, and gender consistently distinguished between groups. Discussion focuses on the need for a more multidimensional approach to prosocial development.     

Predicting Early Data Revisions to U.S. GDP and the Effects of Releases on Equity Markets

The effects of data uncertainty on real-time decision-making can be reduced by predicting data revisions to U.S. GDP growth. We show that survey forecasts efficiently predict the revision implicit in the second estimate of GDP growth, but that forecasting models incorporating monthly economic indicators and daily equity returns provide superior forecasts of the data revision implied by the release of the third estimate. We use forecasting models to measure the impact of surprises in GDP announcements on equity markets, and to analyze the effects of anticipated future revisions on announcement-day returns. We show that the publication of better than expected third-release GDP figures provides a boost to equity markets, and if future upward revisions are expected, the effects are enhanced during recessions.     

Health related quality of life of women at the sixth week and sixth month postpartum by mode of birth

Background

Health-related quality of life of women in the postpartum period may depend on the mode of birth. However, previous findings are contradictory.