Peer Selection and Socialization in Adolescent Depression: The Role of School Transitions

Previous studies have indicated homophily in depressive symptoms among adolescent friends, resulting from both peer selection and socialization processes. However, developmental differences and the role of school transitions in these processes have not been elucidated. A sample of 367 (51% female) adolescents was followed from 6th to 11th grade to investigate prospective relationships between adolescents’ and their friends’ depressive symptoms in middle school and in high school. Results revealed that students selected friends with similar levels of depressive symptoms after each school transition. Additionally, friends appeared to socialize adolescents to become more similar in depressive affect in late middle school years. These findings suggest normative selection effects after school transitions, followed by socialization effects in middle school, but not high school.     

Homophobia and the Transition to Adulthood: A Three Year Panel Study among Belgian Late Adolescents and Young Adults, 2008–2011

Studies on homophobia among adolescents routinely depart from the assumption that this attitude will be continued into adulthood. However, little research has been conducted on how the transition toward adulthood actually affects homophobia. While earlier studies relied on cross-sectional observations, the present analysis makes use of the Belgian Political Panel Survey (2008-2011), tracking 2,815 respondents (52?% female, 48?% male) between the ages of 18 and 21. A conditional change model shows that while men had substantially higher levels of homophobia than women to begin with, this difference grew even larger throughout the observation period. The discrepancy between Muslim respondents and those with other religions became larger as well. Overall, the gender and religious differences already present in adolescence had become further polarized at the end of the observation period. Friendship relations with persons with a different sexual orientation, on the other hand, significantly reduced prejudice, especially among men, while the results also show that changes in the level of homophobia are related strongly to conservative views on gender roles. We conclude that groups that already display high levels of homophobia during adolescence are likely to grow even more extreme in their views in the transition to adulthood.     

Associations Between Suicidal High School Students’ Help-Seeking and Their Attitudes and Perceptions of Social Environment

Suicide is a leading cause of death among adolescents, many of whom fail to disclose suicide concerns to adults who might help. This study examined patterns and predictors of help-seeking behavior among adolescents who seriously considered suicide in the past year. 2,737 students (50.9?% female, 46.9?% male; racial distribution 79.5?% Caucasian, 11.9?% Hispanic/Latino, and 3.6?% Black/African-American) from 12 high schools in rural/underserviced communities were surveyed to assess serious suicide ideation (SI) in the past year, disclosure of SI to adults and peers, attempts to get help, attitudes about help-seeking, perceptions of school engagement, and coping support. Help-seeking was defined as both disclosing SI to an adult and perceiving oneself as seeking help. The relationship between adolescents' help-seeking disclosure and (1) help-seeking attitudes and (2) perceptions of social resources was examined among suicidal help-seeking youth, suicidal non-help-seeking youth, and non-suicidal youth. Of the 381 (14?%) students reporting SI, only 23?% told an adult, 29?% sought adult help, and 15?% did both. Suicidal help-seekers were similar to non-suicidal peers on all measures of help-seeking attitudes and social environment perceptions. Positive attitudes about help-seeking from adults at school, perceptions that adults would respond to suicide concerns, willingness to overcome peer secrecy requests, and greater coping support and engagement with the school were associated with students' increased disclosure of SI and help-seeking. This study supports prevention strategies that change student norms, attitudes and social environments to promote help-seeking among adolescents with SI. Promising intervention targets include increasing students' perceptions of the availability and capability of adults to help them, and strengthening students' understanding of how existing resources can help them cope.     

Internalizing Symptoms: Effects of a Preventive Intervention on Developmental Pathways from Early Adolescence to Young Adulthood

This study examined the mediated and moderated effects of a universal family-focused preventive intervention, delivered during young adolescence, on internalizing symptoms assessed in young adulthood. Sixth grade students (N=446; 52% female; 98% White) and their families from 22 rural Midwestern school districts were randomly assigned to the experimental conditions in 1993. Self-report questionnaires were administered at seven time points (pre-test to young adulthood-age 21) to those receiving the Iowa Strengthening Families Program (ISFP) and to the control group. Results showed that growth factors of adolescent internalizing symptoms (grades 6-12) were predicted by ISFP condition and risk status (defined as early substance initiation). Moderation of the condition effect by risk status was found, with higher-risk adolescents benefitting more from the ISFP. Results also supported the hypothesis that the ISFP's effect on internalizing symptoms in young adulthood was mediated through growth factors of adolescents' internalizing symptoms; risk moderation, however, was only marginally significant in young adulthood. The relative reduction rate on clinical or subclinical levels of young adult internalizing symptoms was 28%, indicating that for every 100 young adults displaying clinical or subclinical levels of internalizing symptoms from school districts not offering an intervention, there could be as few as 72 displaying those levels of symptoms in school districts that offered middle school prevention programming. These findings highlight how the positive effects of family-focused universal interventions can extend to non-targeted outcomes and the related potential public-health impact of scaling up these interventions.     

Do Peers Matter in the Development of Self-Control? Evidence from a Longitudinal Study of Youth

According to Gottfredson and Hirschi??s self-control theory, child and adolescent variation in self-control results primarily from variations in parental socialization. Although much research reveals a link between parenting and self-control, many recent studies indicate that the etiology of self-control is more complex than what has been theoretically specified. In further considering this issue, the current study first presents a theoretical model that emphasizes the role that peers may play in the development of self-control, even when accounting for the influence of parents. Next, we empirically assess the extent to which peer behavior influences self-control during childhood. The data come from a sample of U.S. families (n?=?776); 48% of the subjects are male, their age was 9?years, and non-Hispanic whites represented 84% of the sample. The analysis revealed that peer behavior is significantly associated with subsequent self-control, even after accounting for differences in parental socialization, prior self-control, and other potential sources of spuriousness. The implications of the findings for theory and future research are discussed.     

Characterizing the Self-System over Time in Adolescence: Internal Structure and Associations with Internalizing Symptoms

The longitudinal effects among self and identity processes, and between these processes and internalizing symptoms, are not well understood. As a result, the present study was designed to ascertain the over-time effects among identity commitment, reconsideration of commitments, and self-concept clarity, as well as to map the interplay of these self and identity processes with anxiety and depressive symptoms in early adolescence. A sample of 923 Dutch adolescents (mean age 12.4 years at Time 1; 49.3% female) participated at each of five annual assessments. Multivariate growth curve and cross-lagged panel models indicated that the association between self-concept clarity and commitment was bidirectional, that reconsideration occurs based on problems or dissatisfaction with self-concept clarity and with identity commitments, and that self-concept clarity (but not commitment or reconsideration) temporally precedes depressive and anxiety symptoms. Results are discussed in terms of the structure of the self-system and its associations with internalizing symptoms.     

中美两国“和平崛起”之比较

国际关系中一个经久不变的现象是:当霸权国的地位受到崛起国的威胁时,它们之间的竞争有可能演变为冲突。现实主义认为这种导致战争风险的权力斗争不可避免,而"和平崛起"理念恰与现实主义这种"霸权易位、战争难免"逻辑相反。中国近十多年来一直承诺要"和平崛起",而且可能在20世纪70年代改革开放启动之时就已经奉行"和平崛起"政策。回顾历史,能够声称自己是"和平崛起"的现代大国可能只有美国。中国和美国是仅有的两个试图和平崛起的大国,考察它们各自历史经历的异同是一项有研究价值的工作。美国崛起于1865—1945年,在时间上比当今中国的崛起早一个世纪,虽然中国的崛起与美国的崛起处于不同的历史发展阶段,但如果有经验可供借鉴的话,中国可以从美国崛起之路学到哪些?本文在深入分析"和平崛起"的含义和中美"和平崛起"的案例可信度的基础上,比较当今中国的崛起过程与19世纪晚期美国崛起之路的主要相似点和不同点,得出了可供中国与国际社会参考的六条经验。     

苏维埃俄国的经济计划(续完)

本刊2012年第3期刊载了20世纪上半期俄罗斯著名经济学家鲍里斯·布鲁兹库斯(Boris D.Brutzkus)的《苏维埃俄国的经济计划》一书上卷1—6章,2013年第1期刊出该书上卷第7—10章及下卷第1—2章,2014年第1期刊出了下卷第3章1—3节。本期刊出该书下卷第3章第4—6节及第四章。至此,全书连载完毕。鲍里斯·布鲁兹库斯,1874年10月生于立陶宛,1908年在彼得堡农学院任教,1918年任彼得堡农业研究所教授,作为俄罗斯一流的农业问题权威,1922年任农业人民委员部彼得格勒省农业计划委员会主席。还在苏俄处于战时共产主义时期的1920年,他不断发表演讲批评苏俄的共产主义试验。1921年底将演讲内容整理成文,以《社会主义制度下的国民经济问题》为题,在俄国技术协会第十一部(工业经济部)创办的《经济学家》杂志上连载。杂志的立场和观点受到列宁、季诺维也夫等布尔什维克领导人激烈指责,杂志被查封,布鲁兹库斯和杂志编辑部其他大部分成员被捕并被驱逐出境。布鲁兹库斯被驱逐后去了德国,任柏林俄语学院教授。他和一些被驱逐的俄国学者一道创办了"俄罗斯科学研究所",继续从事苏维埃俄国经济问题研究。德国纳粹上台后,"俄罗斯科学研究所"宣告解散,布鲁兹库斯谢绝英国伯明翰大学的邀请,前往耶路撒冷的希伯莱大学任教。大战爆发前患肺癌去世。在社会主义思想史上,布鲁兹库斯的《苏维埃俄国的经济计划》一书第一次结合社会主义建设的亲身体验系统地批评了计划经济体制,论证了市场经济必然性与合理性。冯·哈耶克把布鲁兹库斯与冯·米瑟斯和马克斯·韦伯并列为20世纪早期确定了社会主义经济学研究核心问题的开拓者,认为他们对计划经济体制的批评显示了非凡的预见。种种原因,中文读者对布鲁兹库斯了解甚少。本刊1997年第1期发表的俄罗斯经济史专家列·希罗格罗德的文章《论布鲁兹库斯及其专著〈社会主义制度下的国民经济问题〉》,中央编译局张文成教授在《当代世界与社会主义》2002年第2期上的文章《计划经济体制命运的预言者?——布鲁兹库斯及其〈苏维埃俄国的经济计划〉一书》,可能是对布鲁兹库斯作系统介绍的仅有的两篇中文文献。刊发《苏维埃俄国的经济计划》一书,望能有助于学界对这位思想家的研究。本译文根据George RoutledgeSons,Ltd.1935年版译出。     

俄罗斯精英共识与地区经济发展——鞑靼斯坦共和国的经验

国际经验表明,地区发展可以成为大国经济增长的助推器。在俄罗斯经济发展模式需要转型的背景下,俄罗斯高等经济大学的研究团队对鞑靼斯坦共和国的发展管理模式进行了分析。从21世纪第一个十年中期起,鞑靼斯坦共和国的发展管理模式,在俄罗斯就被视为实践典范。当前在鞑靼斯坦共和国已经形成了独特的投资环境,与俄罗斯其他地区相比,其突出特点在于,地方政府的政策可预见度高,且能够为地区重点项目的投资者提供切实保障,地区商业支出与投资风险低。鞑靼斯坦共和国主要精英群体在利益方面相互协调,在地区发展重点与实现路径上具备共识,这在过去是而且也将持续是鞑靼斯坦共和国发展的重要优势。鞑靼斯坦共和国能否建立起在亚洲国家成功运作的追赶型发展模式,这将取决于当地精英能否找到应对近期地区新挑战的共识性对策,同时也取决于俄罗斯联邦层面的地区政策架构。封闭性的固定资产所有制结构,以及劳动报酬水平落后,是鞑靼斯坦共和国面临的主要发展障碍。