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Direct and indirect effects of parenting and children's goals on child aggression.

This study tested a dual-mediation model of the relations among harsh parenting, hostile social information processing, and level of child aggression in a sample of 239 (150 male, 89 female) 2nd- to 4th-grade children. The theoretical model posited that harsh parenting has both direct and indirect effects on child level of aggression, with the indirect effects mediated through children's social goals. The model further posited that the impact of social goals on aggression is mediated through other social cognitive processes (i.e., attributions of hostile intent, hostile solution generation, and positive outcome expectancies for aggression). We tested the dual-mediation model with structural equation modeling and found it to be a good fit to the data. Results were consistent with the view that parenting affects children's goal orientation and that children's goal orientation affects their behavior via online processing in social situations.

Aggression↗

Analyzing forms of superego functioning as mentalizations.

The concept of mentalization seeks to understand the transformation processes of physical quantity into psychical quality through the emergence, development and organization of mental representations. Often discussed in relation to the functioning of both the id and the ego, it is here proposed that the degree of mentalization also determines the level of functioning and maturity of the hostile, self-punitive superego. Luquet's description of four layers of thought (primary mental representations, metaprimary thinking, metaconscious intuitive thinking, conscious verbal thought) serves as a guide to explore issues of the forms of thinking involved in punitive superego activity. Technical implications are also examined to suggest that three steps can be differentiated in the developing capacity to represent the superego and to become conscious of its workings. The first objective is to help the ego observe its own activity, in the face of a still, unobserved hostile endopsychic agent (Gray, 1994). The second step is to meet the form and intentions of this agent, to facilitate its mental representation and elaboration. Achievement of the final step implies a growing capacity to take some responsibility for this hostile inner agent, once its activity is comparatively more available to self-observation.

Cognition↗

Differentiating avoidant and depressive personality disorders.

The purpose of this study was to test a priori predictions about the way in which avoidant personality disorder (APD) can be differentiated from depressive personality disorder (DPD) in a clinical population. Psychiatric outpatients were administered two measures of DPD, including the SCID-II for other DSM-IV Axis II personality disorders, along with criterion measures upon which the two disorders would be differentiated. APD was found to be most strongly associated with state and trait measures of anxiety, while DPD was most strongly associated with state and trait measures of hostility. Individuals with DPD had higher mean scores on measures of hostility than those without DPD, and individuals with APD had higher mean scores on measures of anxiety than those without APD. However, DPD measures were also significantly correlated with state and trait measures of anxiety and APD with measures of depressive symptoms. Furthermore, anxiety was found to be higher in some groups of individuals with DPD than those with APD. It is concluded that the level of hostility in this DPD population appears to be an important symptom by which to differentiate the two disorders and that a reconsideration of including DPD criterion #4 -- prone to brooding and worrying -- may be justified. Furthermore, the SCID-II interview may be better at differentiating DPD and APD than a self-report measure of DPD.

Adult↗

Relationship between emotions and muscle tension in oro-alimentary behavior.

The relationship between muscular tension in the right and left masseter and orbicularis oris and different forms of hostility measured through the Gottschalk test was examined for 24 female subjects. For the muscles of the right half of the body a direct relation was noted with overt outward hostility, while on the left half of the body only the tension of the masseter was related directly to ambivalent hostility. Our hypothesis about a link between modulation of aggressive behaviors and muscles involved in functions such as chewing and biting was confirmed.

Adult↗

Perception of an adversary as a function of masculinity, sex, and aggression/empathy.

The study was designed to test whether men and women identifying with a masculine stereotype differ in their perception of a confederate (adversary) who displays either an empathetic or aggressive role in resolving a disagreement over social issues. It was hypothesized that masculine individuals would be more perceptually sensitive to aggressive cues of an adversary and make more hostile responses than nonmasculine individuals. Conversely, nonmasculine individuals were hypothesized to be more perceptually sensitive to empathetic cues of an adversary and make fewer hostile responses than masculine individuals. Results of both perceptual measures and the measure of hostility did not support the hypotheses. Nonmasculine individuals perceived the adversary more positively than masculine individuals regardless of strategy of resolution.

Adolescent↗

Relationship between cognitive style and emotional behavior.

In this research we examined the relationships among cognitive styles using the categorization of Bion and styles of modulation of emotional behavior (hostile content) explored with the Gottschalk, et al. method applied to the speech of 20 female and 10 male undergraduate students whose ages ranged from 20 to 35 years. Their verbalization was produced in a standard stimulus situation of 3 minutes duration. Analysis indicated a relationship between hostile attitude and cognitive styles. In particular, those who were relatively less hostile presented higher frequencies of processes classified by Bion as D2, which are characterized by an attitude of expectancy and waiting, with a tendency to defend internal psychological themas.

Adult↗

Social desirability and alexithymia.

We examined the influence of alexithymia on social desirability among 215 Japanese college students. Alexithymic-scoring students who showed a lack of communicating their feelings to other people were likely to indicate higher scores on hostility and lower scores on social desirability. The scores on hostility were negatively correlated with those on social desirability. Recent studies have shown that alexithymia is positively correlated not only with neurotic and psychotic conditions but also with neuroticism. Unfavorable expression of hostile feelings by alexithymic-scoring students may be related to their lower scores on social desirability.

Adolescent↗

Expression of unfavorable emotions in Japanese college students with alexithymic characteristics.

We examined the association of alexithymic characteristics and the expression of unfavorable feelings such as anger and hostility in a sample of 489 Japanese college students. Analysis suggested that alexithymic college students are prone to indicate not only emotional instability but also cynical hostility and anger. On the contrary, alexithymic college students indicated significantly higher scores on Anger-in and Anger Control, which may be related to Japanese sociocultural aspects. In particular, Anger Control was stronger in the men who were alexithymic, suggesting that they may unconsciously struggle for the suppression or control of unfavorable feelings such as anger and hostility to stabilize their inner emotions.

Adolescent↗

Cognitive and personality factors associated with assaultive and domestic offenders.

An evaluation of domestic assaultive (n=46), general assaultive (n= 23) and nonassaultive (19 property offenders) groups was performed to compare cognitive (Test of Nonverbal Intelligence), personality (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory), aggression (Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory), and criminal sentiments (Carlson Psychological Survey). Analysis showed minimal significant differences amongst the groups. A significant difference was found for the Verbal Hostility subscale of the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory. The domestic assaultive offenders were similar to the general assaultive and nonviolent offenders, with a greater disparity for the control group. Furthermore, a significant difference was noted for the Hypochondriasis scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. The general assaultive and control (n = 15) groups had similar scores, with the greatest difference found for nonviolent offenders who were least anxious. Discriminant analysis showed group membership could be identified for 89.1% of the domestic assaultive group.

Adult↗

A pilot open randomized trial of valproate and phenobarbital in the treatment of acute alcohol withdrawal.

The authors conducted a randomized, open comparison of the GABAergic anticonvulsant sodium valproate (divalproex sodium; Depakote) and phenobarbital as an active control in the management of acute withdrawal from alcohol. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to assess treatment effects in the first 37 inpatients, evaluating mood, hostility, and subjective and objective measures of withdrawal at index, 3, and 5 days of detoxification. Subjective and objective ratings of abstinence symptoms and subjective mood disturbance decreased significantly in intensity in both groups over 5 days, but there were no significant treatment differences nor treatment by time interactions. Hostility scores did not differ overall, but a group by time effect was observed (F = 5.42, df = [1,13], P < 0.05), with phenobarbital subjects reporting less hostility/aggression than those in the valproate group. There were no withdrawal-related seizures or other acute sequelae. This study offers pilot confirmation that sodium valproate is as effective as phenobarbital in the management of acute alcohol withdrawal, but it is unclear whether valproate offers a clinical advantage with respect to stabilizing changes in mood and interpersonal hostility during detoxification.

Adult↗

Conceptual priming in a generative problem-solving task.

Three experiments explored how participants solved a very open-ended generative problem-solving task. Previous research has shown that when participants are shown examples, novel creations will tend to conform to features shared across those examples (Smith, Ward, & Schumacher, 1993). We made the shared features of the examples conceptually related to one another. We found that when the features were related to the concept of hostility, participants' creations contained hostile features that were not part of any of the examples. These results suggest that participants will design novel entities to be consistent with emergent properties of examples shown to them. We also found that a mild hostility prime from unscrambling sentences had a similar conceptual effect. Together, the two effects suggest that conceptual priming of generative cognitive tasks will influence the cognitive aspects of the creative process.

Analysis of Variance↗

Association of perceived family criticism with health behaviors.

BACKGROUND: Criticism from family members has been implicated in psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression, and eating disorders. Perceived family criticism has also been linked to primary health care use. In our study, we examined the association between perceived family criticism and health behaviors, as well as the potential mediating role of negative affect. METHODS: A questionnaire was mailed to patients receiving care at a family medicine center. Perceived family criticism was measured using the Family Emotional Involvement and Perceived Criticism Scale. Diet, regular exercise, smoking status, and levels of depression, hostility, and physical health were also assessed through self report. RESULTS: Nine hundred twenty-two (62%) active family medicine patients responded to our questionnaire. Complete data were available for 875 patients. In univariate analysis, a high level of perceived family criticism was associated with various demographic characteristics, poorer physical health, negative affect, higher fat intake, lack of exercise, and smoking. In multivariate analysis, the association between a high level of perceived criticism and health behavior was independent of demographic characteristics and physical health, for example, high-fat diet (odds ratio [OR] = 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11 - 1.95), no regular exercise (OR = 1.37; 95% CI, 1.02 - 1.84) and current smoking (OR = 1.38; 95% CI, 1.00 - 1.90). None of these associations was statistically significant after controlling for depression and hostility. CONCLUSIONS: A high level of perceived family criticism is associated with adverse health behaviors. This association appears to be explained by resultant depression and hostility.

Affect↗

Maternal expressed emotion and adjustment in children with epilepsy.

Epilepsy in childhood may alter family relationships but the relevance of these changes for the increased rates of psychopathology has been little investigated. This study uses maternal expressed emotion (EE) to examine family relationships of children with epilepsy and the association with high risk for psychiatric disorder. EE was assessed using the Camberwell Family Interview carried out with the mothers of 22 schoolchildren with chronic epilepsy who were attending a general hospital outpatient clinic. Sixteen of these children had similarly aged healthy siblings who served as controls. High risk for psychiatric disorder in the children and mothers was assessed using behavioural, mood, and self-esteem questionnaires completed by mothers, teachers, and children. It was found that mothers showed significantly more emotional overinvolvement and a trend for more hostility towards their children with epilepsy than towards sibling controls. For the 22 children with epilepsy, maternal emotional overinvolvement was not associated with child behavioural deviance. High levels of criticism and, to a lesser extent, hostility did show associations with child behavioural deviance, and the strongest links were between maternal criticism and maternal rated antisocial and overactive behaviour in the child. Fewer positive comments by mothers towards the children were associated with child emotional symptoms and lower self-esteem in a number of areas. This study suggests that further research could consider the appropriateness of psychological intervention for families in which mothers are critical and hostile and whose children show antisocial behaviour.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Aggression toward female partners by at-risk young men: the contribution of male adolescent friendships.

Deviancy training was examined as a risk factor for physical and psychological aggression toward a female partner among boys and young men in the Oregon Youth Study. Hostile talk about women during videotaped male friendship interactions was hypothesized to indicate a process by which aggression toward women is reinforced within male peer networks. Both antisocial behavior and hostile talk were predicted to be associated with later aggression toward a female partner. Prospective developmental models were tested from 9-10 years of age through young adulthood. Findings indicated that the relation of deviant peer association in adolescence and later aggression toward a partner was mediated by antisocial behavior; observed hostile talk about women with male peers explained additional variance in aggression toward a partner.

Adolescent↗

Internalized racism, body fat distribution, and abnormal fasting glucose among African-Caribbean women in Dominica, West Indies.

The current study examined the relationship of internalized racism to glucose intolerance in a population of Afro-Caribbean women aged 18 to 55. Also of interest was whether this relationship would be differentially influenced by the type of body fat distribution or confounded by the level of hostility. A total of 244 women were selected from a systematic sample of households on the island of Dominica, West Indies. Demographic data together with information on internalized racism were collected by questionnaire. Anthropometric information and fasting blood glucose were also measured. Women with high levels of internalized racism exhibited an increased risk of elevated fasting glucose compared to those with low levels of internalized racism (odds ratio (OR) = 2.4; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1-5.5). There was no difference in mean body mass index (BMI) by level of internalized racism. However those with high internalized racism had a significantly larger waist circumference after adjusting for age, education, hostility, and elevated fasting glucose status. In multivariate analyses controlling for age, education, hostility, and either weight or BMI, internalized racism remained independently associated with elevated fasting glucose. However, once waist circumference was included in the model, the relationship of internalized racism to elevated fasting glucose was not statistically significant. This study demonstrates a significant relationship between internalized racism and abnormal levels of fasting glucose which may be mediated through abdominal fat. The exact nature of the relationship of internalized racism to glucose intolerance may be an important area of future study.

Adolescent↗

[Oral and written affective expression in children of low socioeconomic status].

Descriptive data on affective expression of 58 children (33 girls and 25 boys) of low socioeconomic status (Graffar index), with ages between 8 and 12 are presented. Intelligence was assessed by means of Raven Progressive Matrixes Test, all subjects exhibiting mean level. Evaluated were the six forms of anxiety and the four hostility forms defined by the Gottschalk method of verbal content analysis. Hope scores, positive and negative, were also obtained from the same verbal samples. The oral sample consisted in speech produced spontaneously during 5 minutes, in response to a standard instruction, and the written sample consisted in brief stories produced under standardized conditions during 15 minutes. The most frequently expressed form of anxiety was separation anxiety, while the most frequently expressed form of hostility was directed outwards covert hostility. "Positive" hope was expressed more frequently than "negative" hope. Data are discussed in terms of their contribution to the establishment of population norms in Spanish-speaking populations for the psychological constructs explored. It is concluded that the method of content analysis of verbal behavior may represent a useful tool for the study of child psychology in different contexts.

Anxiety↗

Social adjustment and symptomatology in two types of homeless adolescents: runaways and throwaways.

Previous research on homeless adolescents has largely ignored the distinction between those who have left home on their own volition (runaways), and those who have been forced to leave (throwaways). Fifty-two homeless adolescents in Brisbane, Australia, were assessed to compare male and female runaways and throwaways for social adjustment and symptomatology. Differences for social adjustment (antisocial tendencies and aggression) and symptomatology (social isolation and depression) were predicted. Results indicated that male runaways were significantly more hostile than male throwaways (p less than .001), and significantly more socially isolated than female runaways (p less than .025). Female throwaways, however, were significantly more hostile than male throwaways (p less than .025) and female runaways (p less than .025). Yet homeless males overall had a significantly stronger urge to act out hostility than homeless females (p less than .025). In addition, female throwaways were significantly more antisocial than male throwaways (p less than .001). There were no significant differences for depression. A theory of inner social control (Hirschi, 1969), postulating absence of bonding in earlier socialization, was supported.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Smoking habit and psychometric scores: a community study.

During the Milton health survey subjects completed a psychometric inventory consisting of the 48 questions of the Middlesex Hospital questionnaire (MHQ) and 26 from the hostility and direction of hostility questionnaire (HDHQ) designed to examine nine psychological dimensions. The 1209 subjects were classified into smoking categories and the scores for each psychometric trait were calculated. Women scored higher than men and heavy smokers scored higher than "never smokers". The psychometric traits and the scores of the four smoking categories after correcting for age and Quetelet's index showed statistically significant differences by analysis of variance in respect of somatic anxiety and depression for both men and women; and free-floating anxiety, phobic anxiety, hysteria, acting out hostility, self criticism and guilt in women. For somatic anxiety the increase in score almost exactly paralleled the increasing quantity of tobacco consumed.

Adolescent↗