1,721,016 research outputs found
Mindreading, peer relations, and loneliness in preadolescent girls and boys.
No full textThe approach to adolescence involves increases in mindreading or Theory of Mind (ToM), and feelings of loneliness; with studies showing girls often report higher levels of loneliness than boys. This short-term longitudinal study investigates whether boys’ and girls’ mindreading abilities, problems with classmates, and self-control skills predict loneliness. 212 sixth- (N = 66), seventh- (N = 76) eighth-graders (N = 70) from Northern Italy (124 boys and 88 girls; aged 10-14 years (M = 12.34 years, SD = 10.57 months) completed measures of ToM skills and loneliness. Two teachers rated children’s self-control and peer problems. All the measures were completed at the beginning of the school year (T1) and four months later (T2).
Across time, results showed girls (tT2(197) = -2.234, p = .027) scored higher than boys in mindreading and loneliness (tT1(188) = -2.763, p = .007; tT2(185) = -2.201, p = .030). Regression models showed for boys, T1 feelings of loneliness predicted T2 loneliness (β = .643, p < .001). For girls, T1 feelings of loneliness (β = .593, p < .001) and peer problems (β = .262, p = .024) predicted T2 feelings of loneliness. Also, girls’ concurrent ToM skills explained an additional portion of variance in their loneliness (β = .253, p = .004). Thus, girls’ relations with their peers may play a role in their feelings of loneliness, as their mindreading abilities may exacerbate instead of ameliorate their social dissatisfaction. Implications for developmental research and practice in adolescents’ mindreading and peer relations are discussed
What makes a preschooler a proficient persuader?
No full textPersuasion is a common form of social interaction, develops across the lifespan, and is shaped by practice. Preschoolers learn to persuade others as they gain an understanding of others’ beliefs and feelings, and hone their communication skills accordingly. Nonetheless, being persuasive depends in part on the ability to mentalize about others’ thoughts and feelings, show cognitive flexibility, and social competence skills such as assertiveness and cooperation. Given the lack of studies on preschoolers’ theory of mind and persuasion skills, the present study investigated cognitive and social factors that may predict effective persuasion in preschoolers, with a specific focus on executive function skills and television exposure. Ninety-five children (45 boys and 50 girls), aged between 45 and 72 months (M = 58.41 months, SD = 6.16 months) completed persuasion, language, theory of mind and executive functions tasks. Parents completed a questionnaire about their child’s television exposure, and teachers completed two questionnaires on children’s social competence and behavior. Results showed that older children obtained higher scores than younger children in persuasion, language, theory of mind and executive functions tasks. Higher levels of children’s persuasion skills were associated with age, theory of mind (first-order false-belief score only), two executive functions tasks (Grass-Snow and Whisper), prosocial behavior, cooperation and assertiveness. Logistic regression showed that cooperation and assertiveness significantly predicted persuasion. In other words, children rated as cooperative and assertive by their teachers scored high on persuasion. The gender of the child, nor the exposure to television influenced children’s mentalization, social, or persuasion skills. Such findings suggest that for both girls and boys, irrespective of television viewing, age plays main role in relations among mindreading, cognitive flexibility, social skills, and persuasion. Implications for preschool programs that promote the development of persuasion skills through a balance of combined mentalization and prosocial skills are discussed
Neurobiological Correlates of Psychosocial Deprivation in Children: A Systematic Review of Neuroscientific Contributions
No full textAlfabeto morale: un training prosociale nella scuola secondaria di II grado.
No full textIl lavoro descrive un intervento finalizzato a ridurre l'utilizzo dei
meccanismi di disimpegno morale attraverso il metodo della discussione in classe di dilemmi morali. Il campione è composto da 498 studenti di scuola secondaria di secondo grado (258 appartenenti al gruppo sperimentale e 240 a quello di controllo) ai quali è stato somministrato un questionario
sulla misura del disimpegno, prima e dopo l'intervento educativo. I
risultati ottenuti mostrano una variazione significativa per 3 meccanismi su 8 (p<.05) nel gruppo sperimentale, indicando l'efficacia del training prosociale. Sono state approfondite le differenze nell'utilizzo dei
meccanismi di disimpegno in base all'età, al sesso e alla tipologia di scuola
Sociocognitive understanding and depressive symptoms in preadolescence: the role of feelings of loneliness
No full textAn interesting association between sociocognitive understanding and depression has been documented in clinical populations, with high levels of depression apparently related to sociocognitive deficits. Yet no research has so far investigated the relationship between these two core constructs among typically developing populations. The aim of the present research was to explore if and how sociocognitive understanding and depressive symptoms are related during preadolescence. A sample of 326 students, aged 8 to 15 years, was administered a sociocognitive understanding task and a verbal ability task, followed by self-report questionnaires on depressive symptoms, perception of loneliness/social dissatisfaction and socioeconomic status. Results showed that sociocognitive understanding and depressive symptoms were significantly related both in boys and in girls, rs > .15, ps < .05, even after controlling for verbal ability and socioeconomic status. Moreover, t-tests showed significant gender differences, with boys reporting lower scores compared to girls, in depressive symptoms, t = -2.32, p = .021, and feelings of loneliness, t = -2.85, p = .005. In order to test if feelings of loneliness mediated the association between sociocognitive understanding and depressive symptoms, analyses were conducted using Hayes’ (2013) PROCESS computational tool. Only among girls, loneliness mediated both the effect of sociocognitive understanding on depressive symptoms (point estimate for the indirect effect = -0.3259; 95% CI = -0.6176 to -0.0480), and the effect of depressive symptoms on sociocognitive understanding (point estimate = -0.0342; 95% CI = -0.0621 to -0.0098). Theoretical and practical implications of the present findings are discussed
Punizioni fisiche inferte dai genitori e sintomi esternalizzanti manifestati da bambini e preadolescenti: una rassegna qualitativa della letteratura
No full textPunizioni fisiche inferte dai genitori e sintomi esternalizzanti manifestati da bambini e preadolescenti: una rassegna qualitativa della letteratura.
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