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Children (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of the Play Nicely brief intervention in diminishing both the utilization of physical punishment and the beliefs...
The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of the Play Nicely brief intervention in diminishing both the utilization of physical punishment and the beliefs that endorse such behavior among a sample of Colombian parents with children aged 2 to 6. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, the research included pretest and posttest evaluations and involved both an intervention group ( = 37) and a control group ( = 29). The assessment tools used were a scale to measure beliefs about the positive impacts of physical punishment and the Physical Assault subscale of the Spanish version of the Conflict Tactics Scale Parent-Child (CTSPC). Parents participated in a single online session, which offered eight interactive options and lasted 10 min. The results highlighted a high prevalence of physical punishment within the sample (81.8%) and established statistically significant correlations between the justification of physical punishment and its actual use. Approximately one month following the intervention, there was a significant reduction in the employment of physical punishment among the intervention group ( = 0.009), and a notable decrease in the belief that "Punishment is the best alternative to control children's behavior" ( = 0.010) was observed. Consequently, the Play Nicely intervention proved effective in curtailing the use of physical punishment among parents of young children, demonstrating both efficacy and cost-effectiveness within a brief timeframe.
PubMed: 38790603
DOI: 10.3390/children11050608 -
Biology May 2024To test the hypothesis that a sleep-like quiescent state enhances memory consolidation in the pond snail , we interposed a period in which snails experienced either a...
To test the hypothesis that a sleep-like quiescent state enhances memory consolidation in the pond snail , we interposed a period in which snails experienced either a quiescent, sleeping state or an active, non-sleeping state following escape behavior suppression learning (EBSL). During EBSL training, the number of escapes made by a snail from a container was significantly suppressed using an external aversive stimulus (punishment). After training, the snails were divided into two groups. One group of snails was allowed to move freely and to experience a sleep-like quiescent state for 3 h in distilled water. The other group was stimulated with a sucrose solution every 10 min to keep them active (i.e., non-sleeping). In the memory test, escape behavior was suppressed in the group that experienced the quiescent state, whereas the suppression was not observed in snails that were kept active. Additionally, the latency of the first escape in the memory test was shorter in the snails kept active than in those that experienced the quiescent state. Together, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that a sleep-like quiescent state enhances EBSL memory consolidation in .
PubMed: 38785818
DOI: 10.3390/biology13050336 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2024Why do people have positive or indifferent reactions to norm violations? The present research hypothesized that individuals who focus on the avoidance of negative...
Prevention regulatory focus, desired cultural tightness, civic moral disengagement, and emotional reactions to normative daily transgressions: a serial mediation model among adults in Italy.
Why do people have positive or indifferent reactions to norm violations? The present research hypothesized that individuals who focus on the avoidance of negative outcomes, for example punishments for rule violations, (i.e., a prevention focus) are hypothesized to also have a desire for rigid and clear norms (i.e., desired cultural tightness) as well as punishments for norm violations. Such norms and punishments narrow accepted behavior and, if clearly communicated, can limit rule violations. Consequently, individuals who desire higher levels of cultural tightness should be less likely to justify poor citizenship behavior (i.e., civic moral disengagement) as this behavior is antithetical to desired cultural tightness. Finally, such individuals should also be more likely to react negatively to norm violations. Data for the present study was conducted in Italy. A total of 1,181 participants were included in the analysis; participation requirements were that they be adults who were residents of Italy. Participants completed self-report measures of the prevention focus, desired cultural tightness, civic moral disengagement, and reactions to general norm violations (e.g., exceeding the speed limit, vandalism). The hypothesized serial mediation model was supported. This model can help explain why individuals can fail to react to "everyday" norm violations, as well societal-level violations (e.g., failing to respect hygienic standards during the COVID pandemic). It also calls on the need to develop mass communication approaches that can influence individuals' prevention focus on a large scale, as this can have downstream effects of reactions to such violations.
PubMed: 38784618
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1340152 -
Medicine, Science, and the Law May 2024Many legal jurisdictions offer some form of hospital diversion and disposal as an alternative to incarceration in prison for mentally disordered offenders. Such...
Many legal jurisdictions offer some form of hospital diversion and disposal as an alternative to incarceration in prison for mentally disordered offenders. Such diversion is commonly understood as offering a non-punitive alternative in terms of sentencing decisions. However, complete loss of responsibility with respect to acts of violence is rare and indicative of extreme degrees of mental disorder. This raises challenges for sentencers when considering disposal options. From the perspective of the patient and healthcare providers while hospital may be framed as non-punitive, it still involves marked loss of freedom and rights. In this essay, it is argued that failure to acknowledge the punitive element, inherent in hospital detention, risks its repression, and a false dichotomy being established with prison being seen as solely punitive and hospital as solely therapeutic. It is suggested that this division is unhelpful, even potentially harmful, and that a synthesis as solution to this dialectic opposition may be generative in terms of therapeutic work in hospitals, clarification of the role of hospitals in terms of criminal justice disposal, and greater transparency in relation to multi-agency working and the social circumstances of patients detained in secure hospitals. Further work to understand this process is suggested with a particular emphasis being placed on the experience of specific groups of patients, such as women, who may find themselves in a notably precarious state within secure care.
PubMed: 38778701
DOI: 10.1177/00258024241256423 -
Journal of Affective Disorders Aug 2024Freud proposed that excessive self-blame-related motivations such as self-punishing tendencies play a key role in depression. Most of the supporting evidence, however,...
BACKGROUND
Freud proposed that excessive self-blame-related motivations such as self-punishing tendencies play a key role in depression. Most of the supporting evidence, however, is based on cross-sectional studies and questionnaire measures.
METHODS
In this pre-registered (NCT04593537) study, we used a novel Virtual Reality (VR) task to determine whether maladaptive self-blame-related action tendencies prospectively identify a subgroup of depression with poor prognosis when treated as usual over four months in primary care. Ninety-eight patients with depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 ≥ 15), screening negatively for bipolar and alcohol/substance use disorders, completed the VR-task at baseline (n = 93 completed follow-up).
RESULTS
Our pre-registered statistical/machine learning model prospectively predicted a cross-validated 19 % of variance in depressive symptoms. Contrary to our specific predictions, and in accordance with Freud's observations, feeling like punishing oneself emerged as prognostically relevant rather than feeling like hiding or creating a distance from oneself. Using a principal components analysis of all pre-registered continuous measures, a factor most strongly loading on feeling like punishing oneself for other people's wrongdoings (β = 0.23, p = 0.01), a baseline symptom factor (β = 0.30, p = 0.006) and Maudsley Staging Method treatment-resistance scores (β = 0.28, p = 0.009) at baseline predicted higher depressive symptoms after four months.
LIMITATIONS
Patients were not assessed with a diagnostic interview.
CONCLUSIONS
Independently and apart from known clinical variables, feeling like punishing oneself emerged as a distinctly relevant prognostic factor and should therefore be assessed and tackled in personalised care pathways for difficult-to-treat depression.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Adult; Prognosis; Middle Aged; Virtual Reality; Depression; Interpersonal Relations; Prospective Studies; Motivation; Guilt; Depressive Disorder; Machine Learning
PubMed: 38777276
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.05.098 -
Psychology, Health & Medicine Jul 2024Violence against young children is known to have detrimental short and long-term effects. Yet, few studies investigate the prevalence of violence against young children,...
Violence against young children is known to have detrimental short and long-term effects. Yet, few studies investigate the prevalence of violence against young children, particularly very young children under the age of 2 years. This paper reports on the prevalence of violence against young children in Jamaica using data obtained from the JA KIDS birth cohort study that undertook pre-enrolment of pregnant mothers in the antenatal period and followed full or sub-samples of parents and children at 9-12 months, 18-22 months and 4-5 years. Violence in pregnancy was experienced by 6.1% of pre-enrolled mothers. As many as 43.1% of Jamaican children ages 9-12 months were shouted at, and almost 30% were slapped. Physical and emotional violence increased with age, and by 4-5 years, approximately 90% of children experienced physical and emotional violence. Non-violent methods, primarily explaining and reasoning with children, were also reported by more than 95% of parents at 4-5 years. Corporal punishment was the most common form of violence experienced, but young children also witnessed hurtful physical and emotional violence between mothers and their partners and lived in communities in which there were violent events. Strategies to reduce young children's experiences as victims and witnesses of violence are discussed.
Topics: Humans; Jamaica; Female; Infant; Child, Preschool; Male; Adult; Prevalence; Child Abuse; Pregnancy; Violence; Punishment; Mothers
PubMed: 38776979
DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2024.2342585 -
Journal of Personality Assessment May 2024The Approach-Avoidance Temperament Questionnaire (ATQ) is a well-established measure assessing heightened sensitivity and reactivity to reward/positive stimuli (approach...
The Approach-Avoidance Temperament Questionnaire (ATQ) is a well-established measure assessing heightened sensitivity and reactivity to reward/positive stimuli (approach temperament) and to punishment/negative stimuli (avoidance temperament). These basic dimensions of personality are believed to be important for understanding the etiology and maintenance of anxiety and depressive disorders. Despite the ATQ's potential utility in clinical psychology research, its psychometric properties and factor structure have yet to be examined in a psychiatric sample. The aims of the present study were to 1) conduct confirmatory factor analysis to replicate the ATQ's factor structure in individuals diagnosed with an anxiety or depressive disorder ( = 244), 2) assess internal consistency and convergent and divergent validity, and 3) explore differences in approach and avoidance temperaments in individuals with versus without a diagnosis of anxiety or depression. Results confirmed the original two-factor structure of the ATQ in a clinical sample, with approach and avoidance temperaments representing orthogonal dimensions. The measure demonstrated strong internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity, and predictive validity. Individuals with anxiety and depression scored higher on avoidance items and lower on approach items compared to those without clinical diagnoses. This study supports the use of the ATQ in clinical populations.
PubMed: 38776435
DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2024.2350466 -
Journal of Sex Research May 2024This mixed-methods study examined awareness and perceived legitimacy of the #MeToo movement and how #MeToo changed perceptions of sexual assault and consent, as well as...
"I Didn't Realize How Common it Was:" A Mixed-Methods Study Examining Changes in Perceptions of Sexual Assault, Sex and Consent, and Sexual Behavior as a Function of the #Metoo Movement.
This mixed-methods study examined awareness and perceived legitimacy of the #MeToo movement and how #MeToo changed perceptions of sexual assault and consent, as well as sexual interactions, in the United States. Adults residing in the U.S. were recruited through CloudResearch to complete an online survey in 2021. Quantitative data from 680 participants ( age = 45.8, 60% women, 77.4% White) indicated moderate awareness and perceived legitimacy of the #MeToo movement; Black, LGBQ+, and more politically liberal respondents had greater #MeToo awareness while younger, more liberal respondents, and those with greater rejection of rape myths rated #MeToo more legitimate. Among 354 participants ( age = 45.0, 65.3% women, 76.4% White) who answered at least one open-ended question with regard to changes resulting from the #MeToo movement, thematic analysis revealed nine primary themes: (1) Describing change; (2) Change in understanding; (3) More cautious; (4) Wrong or requires reporting/punishment; (5) Gendered social norms; (6) Easier to talk about; (7) #MeToo rhetoric; (8) Consequences for survivors, and (9) Empowerment. Several sub-themes were identified among the primary themes and implications for sexual assault prevention and response were discussed. The study findings are contextualized by social constructionism, with a particular focus on gender-based power dynamics, contributing to a growing literature documenting the cultural impact of the #MeToo movement.
PubMed: 38776222
DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2024.2352555 -
Psychopharmacology May 2024Nicotine dependence is highly comorbid with opioid use disorders (OUDs). The use of nicotine-containing products increases the propensity to misuse prescription opioids...
RATIONALE
Nicotine dependence is highly comorbid with opioid use disorders (OUDs). The use of nicotine-containing products increases the propensity to misuse prescription opioids and addressing both nicotine and opioid use simultaneously is more efficacious for treatment of OUDs than treating opioid use alone.
OBJECTIVES
Given this extreme comorbidity, further elucidation of the effects of nicotine as a factor in promoting vulnerability to development of OUDs is needed. Here, we sought to further explore the effects of nicotine administration on operant self-administration of remifentanil (RMF), a fast-acting synthetic µ-opioid receptor agonist, using a heterogenous seeking-taking chain schedule of reinforcement in unpunished and punished conditions.
METHODS
Male and female rats received nicotine (0.4 mg/kg) or saline prior to operant self-administration sessions. These sessions consisted of pressing a 'seeking' lever to gain access to a 'taking' lever that could be pressed for delivery of 3.2 µg/kg RMF. After acquisition, continued drug seeking/taking was punished through contingent delivery of foot-shock.
RESULTS
Nicotine, relative to saline, increased RMF consumption. Furthermore, nicotine treatment resulted in significantly higher seeking responses and cycles completed, and this effect became more pronounced during punished sessions as nicotine-treated rats suppressed RMF seeking significantly less than controls. Nicotine treatment functionally reduced the efficacy of foot-shock punishment as a deterrent of opioid-seeking.
CONCLUSIONS
Nicotine administration enhanced both appetitive and consummatory responding for RMF and engendered a punishment-insensitive phenotype for RMF that was less impacted by contingent administration of foot-shock punishment. These findings provide further support for the hypothesis that nicotine augments vulnerability for addiction-like behaviors for opioids.
PubMed: 38775944
DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06613-w -
Continuity in Education 2024For some children and young people (CYP) with long-term physical health conditions (LTPHCs) attending school can be difficult. There is a lack of evidence documenting...
For some children and young people (CYP) with long-term physical health conditions (LTPHCs) attending school can be difficult. There is a lack of evidence documenting their school attendance experiences, how schools manage absence for these children, and subsequent effects. This study utilised an existing dataset from eighty-nine 11-18-year-olds in mainstream secondary schools in the United Kingdom across 11 LTPHCs that provided first-hand accounts about the children's experiences of school. Data pre-coded "attendance" were subject to thematic analysis to explore issues emerging. Findings showed attendance patterns varied, with some CYP missing little and others significant amounts of education. Children with LTPHCs wanted to attend school and did their best to navigate education alongside health. School systems for attendance were inconsistent and adversarial. Remedial and supportive action emerged as lacking, and children felt it was their personal responsibility to make up for lost time and missed work when absent. Decisions on whether they attended school, coupled with practices promoting high attendance had detrimental consequences for CYP with LTPHCs educationally, emotionally and socially. Overall, children with LTPHCs felt punished, stigmatised, unfairly treated, unequal and excluded. Results have implications for education, health, and policy practitioners to better plan and target attention so that the LTPHC cohort are treated sensitively and equitably and afforded their entitlement to education when they cannot go to school for health reasons often outside of their control.
PubMed: 38774601
DOI: 10.5334/cie.111