An Analysis of Specific Life Satisfaction Domains and Disordered Eating among College Students

Research has revealed that overall life satisfaction (LS) is negatively related to disordered eating. This study examined whether specific LS domains (e.g., family, friends, etc.) were more strongly associated with eating behaviors/weight perceptions (e.g., exercising to lose weight, using laxatives to lose weight, etc.) in 723 randomly selected college students analyzed separately by gender. Data were analyzed using logistic and multiple regression procedures. Results supported the hypotheses in the expected directions. College students’ weight perceptions had the strongest relationships with Satisfaction with Self and Satisfaction with Physical Appearance, and these relationships were stronger among females than males. Worrying about weight, self-described weight, and binge eating were significantly correlated with all LS domains (p < .05). Results suggest potential contributions of differentiating among the domains of LS in efforts to understand disordered eating among males and female college students. Implications for practice are discussed briefly.     

Evaluation of Support Groups for Child Abuse Prevention: Outcomes of Four State Evaluations

ABSTRACT

Parent support groups have grown in popularity as a strategy for preventing child maltreatment, but there have been few evaluations of these groups. The purpose of this paper is twofold. One goal is to identify some of the major challenges in the evaluation of parent support groups and to provide strategies for minimizing these potential difficulties. The second goal is to illustrate successful evaluations of parent support groups (i.e., the Circle of Parents® program) in four states. Three of these states used a retrospective pretest method. Outcomes indicated positive performance across all domains of functioning, as measured by a self-report questionnaire. Strengths and limitations of the evaluations are discussed, and recommendations for future evaluations are provided.     

An examination of ecological predictors of health literacy in black college students

Objective: Health literacy is a determinant of health, but disparities in health literacy persist. This study examined the influence of ecological factors on college students’ health literacy. Participants: During January 2016 a nonrandom sample of black undergraduate students (n = 298) aged 18–24 were recruited from enrollment lists at two urban universities in the Southeastern United States. Methods: Information on health literacy as well as numerous intrapersonal, social, and cultural-environment factors was obtained using an electronic questionnaire and then statistically modeled. Results: Ecological factors accounted for 28.7% of the variance in health literacy. In particular, reappraisal (B = 0.323, p < .001), suppression (B = ?0.289, p < .001), campus health education (B = 0.192, p < .05), campus tobacco culture (B = ?0.174, p < .05), and perceived norms (B = ?0.153, p < .05) directly predicted health literacy. Conclusions: Although intrapersonal factors influence health literacy, the sociocultural environment of college can also foster or hinder college students’ health literacy.     

Item-response-theory analysis of two scales for self-efficacy for exercise behavior in people with arthritis

Benefits of physical activity for those with arthritis are clear, yet physical activity is difficult to initiate and maintain. Self-efficacy is a key modifiable psychosocial determinant of physical activity. This study examined two scales for self-efficacy for exercise behavior (SEEB) to identify their strengths and weaknesses using item response theory (IRT) from community-based randomized controlled trials of physical activity programs in adults with arthritis. The 2 SEEB scales included the 9-item scale by Resnick developed with older adults and the 5-item scale by Marcus developed with employed adults. All IRT analyses were conducted using the graded-response model. IRT assumptions were assessed using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The IRT analyses indicated that these scales are precise and reliable measures for identifying people with arthritis and low SEEB. The Resnick SEEB scale is slightly more precise at lower levels of self-efficacy in older adults with arthritis.     

Children's perceptions of playfighting, playchasing and real fighting: a cross-national interview study

Playfighting and chasing can he distinguished from real fighting, hut their significance in children's development remains uncertain. This study examines playfighting and chasing from the child's, rather than the observer's, perspective, using a questionnaire given to 8 and 11 year olds in England and South Italy and 5 year olds in England. Findings were generally similar for English and Italian children. Most hoys and girls reported both liking, and taking part in, playchasing; liking and participation in playfighting was more divided, though more so for boys, with many children disliking the perceived risk of injury in playfighting. About half the children (more boys than girls) reported having been in a serious fight, often provoked by verbal abuse or accidental injury. Most children reported that they could tell playfighting from a serious fight; at 5 years, liking and taking part in playfights was a predictor of this ability, which approached ceiling by 8 and 10 years. A wide variety of cues were given which could distinguish playful and serious fighting. Findings were consistent with the practice hypothesis for playfighting. However, most children also thought that playfighting could lead to a serious fight, especially as a result of accidental injury; escalation of this kind was also thought to be more likely if the play partner was not a best friend. Both ‘honest mistakes’ and ‘cheating’ seem to be possible explanations for playfighting leading to serious fighting. Assertion or maintenance of dominance may be a function for cheating in playfighting.