Interparental conflict and adolescent dating relationships: the role of perceived threat and self-blame appraisals

In line with the cognitive-contextual framework proposed by Grych and Fincham (1990), evidence suggests that children exposed to interparental conflict (IPC) are at risk for experiencing conflict within their own intimate relationships. The mediating role of adolescent appraisal in the relation between IPC and adolescent dating behavior was examined in the current study. Specifically, it was hypothesized that self-blame and threat appraisals would mediate the relation between IPC and adolescent maladaptive dating behaviors. To examine the potential mediating role of appraisal, 169 high school students completed the Children's Perception of Interparental Conflict (Grych, Seid, & Fincham, 1992) and Child and Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory (Wolfe, Scott, Reitzel-Jaffe, Wekerle, Grasley, & Straatman, 2004). Findings suggest that self-blame appraisal partially mediated the relation between IPC and adolescent sexual aggression, and between IPC and adolescent threatening behavior. In addition, perceived threat appraisal partially mediated the relation between IPC and adolescent sexual aggression. Implications for the current findings are discussed.     

Associations between national gambling policies and disordered gambling prevalence rates within Europe

Policymakers and other interested stakeholders currently are seeking information about the comparative effectiveness of different regulatory approaches to minimising gambling-related harm. This study responds to this research gap by exploring associations between gambling policies and disordered gambling prevalence rates. We gathered information about gambling policies for thirty European jurisdictions and past-year prevalence rates for disordered gambling for twelve of these jurisdictions. We present policy trends and prevalence rates and then describe the level of association between policy and prevalence. We observe one statistically significant association between policy and prevalence: rates of sub-clinical (i.e., Level 2) disordered gambling were higher within environments that mandated less strict regulation of advertising for online gambling. Finally, we discuss the implications of our research in the context of the current process regarding the pan-European regulation of gambling. Our findings do not offer evidence for certain assumptions made in the past by the European judiciary.     

Public Opinion, Political Communication and the Internet

In contemporary society public opinion is generally mediated by the mass media, which has come to encompass the Habermasian 'public sphere'. This arena is now characterised by the conflict between market and democratic principles, by competing interests of politicians and the media. The presentation of information for debate becomes distorted. The opinion of the 'public' is no longer created through deliberation, but is constructed through systems of communication, in conflict with political actors, who seek to retain control of the dissemination of information. The expansion of the internet as a new method of communication provides a potential challenge to the primacy of the traditional media and political parties as formers of public opinion.     

Feminist histories

Shirley Fitzgerald, Rising Damp: Sydney 1870–90 Oxford University Press) Melbourne, 1987; Marilyn Lake, The Limits of Hope: Soldier Settlement in Victoria 1915–38 (Oxford University Press) Melbourne, 1987.     

Why is Sex Such a Big (Moral) Deal? Psychological Barriers to Constructive Dialogue on Sexual and Gender Diversity in Christian Communities

Issues of sexual and gender diversity (SGD) appear to generate a disproportionate amount of controversy and emotional intensity relative to other issues of moral concern, particularly among Christians. How can people with differing views stay at the table and navigate conversations and decisions about SGD without necessarily dividing or disintegrating families and churches? This article discusses some of the key psychological barriers to constructive dialogue and decisions about SGD among Christians. These barriers include the ways in which people understand and use sex/gender categories to organize their social worlds, variability in tolerance for ambiguity and change, differences in the foundations used to frame moral concerns, and particularly the ways in which emotions function to motivate and reinforce our responses to SGD. Because these psychological aspects function mostly automatically and unconsciously and interact in complex ways, awareness is a necessary first step in moving forward constructively. Specific suggestions for scholarly research as well as strategies for community leaders attempting to engage with SGD are provided.     

The Mistreatment of Others: Discrimination Can Undermine University Identification,Student Health,and Engagement

Past research documents the extent that discrimination experiences and observations can undermine people’s health and performance. In addition to discrimination’s direct consequence for targets, discrimination implicates the morality of the larger community where it occurs. Perceptions of community morality could predict community identification that, in turn, could predict health and performance. To test this serial mediation hypothesis, 615 second- and third-year university undergraduates reported the frequency of discrimination observations and experiences. Students’ perceptions of the university community’s morality mediated the relationship between discrimination and the extent that they identified with the university. In turn, university identification mediated the relationship between university morality and students’ academic engagement and mental health. However, only university morality reliably mediated the relationship between discrimination and physical health. Discrimination can affect the health and engagement of all community members, even observers who are not part of the targeted group.     

Pursuing performance and maintaining compliance: Balancing performance improvement and accountability in Ontario's public health system

This article examines the compatibility between performance improvement and compliance‐based accountability in the implementation of a new system of public health performance management in Ontario. Findings from this mixed‐method study show that only minor elements of performance improvement get incorporated into pre‐existing compliance‐based accountability structures, that reinforcement of accountability structures works to the detriment of performance improvement intentions, and that limiting managerial influence in developing performance measures and targets diminish the utility of information for improvement. The study concludes that achieving a better balance requires an alternative to top‐down decision making that goes beyond consultation to include partnership.