Navigating the Self in Diverse Work Contexts

Navigating the self is critical for working in a diverse world, in which different identities interact in social space. This chapter presents five theoretical perspectives on how individuals navigate the self in diverse organizational contexts—social identity, critical identity, (role) identity, narrative-as-identity, and identity work. We review these five prominent theoretical perspectives on identity processes in diverse contexts to explicate various ways in which individuals actively participate in the co-construction of their identities in diverse contexts. As a next step in research, identity, diversity, and relationship scholars are encouraged to inquire into the generativity of proposed tactics for navigating the self in order to identify pathways for cultivating more positive identities in diverse work settings. The examination of positive relational identities is considered a promising path for further inquiry in this domain.

Live Work: The Impact of Direct Encounters in Statutory Child and Family Social Wor

The aim of this research project was to examine the impact of direct work on practitioners in the field of statutory child protection. The author’s premise was that this work was anything but straightforward and that surprisingly, given the intense scrutiny on Children’s Services following a child death, there was little research into the day-to-day practice of front line staff. The aim was to explore whether psychoanalytic theory could be useful in understanding and making sense of the social work task. Data was collected through observation and semi-structured interviews in one Local Authority Child in Need team over a period of six months. The findings indicated that practitioners experienced direct work with some individuals and families as profoundly disturbing and that this affected them physiologically as well as psychologically. These effects persisted over time and appeared very difficult for the workers to process or articulate. This could be expressed through embodied or non-verbal communication in the interview. Practitioners appeared to be ‘inhabited’ by particular clients, suggesting phenomena such as projective identification were in operation. The intensity and persistence of the impact on the practitioners appears to be directly related to the quality, nature and intensity of the psychic defences functioning for the particular client. Significantly, the research indicated that when practitioners were dealing with the negative and disturbing projections from the (adult) clients it seemed from the data that the focus on the child would slip so that the child appeared to recede from view. Symptoms experienced by the practitioners were akin to trauma and research and theory on primary and secondary trauma were considered. Other issues raised included shame, which affects the clients, practitioners and the organisation and the meaning and implications of this are explored. Links between neuroscience and projective identification are addressed as well as the role of the organisation, particularly as a container for these toxic and disturbing encounters.

School Mobility for Children in Out-of-Home Placement: Incidence, Educational Outcomes, and Tools for Mitigation

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Foreclosure Counseling with Latino Households: Policy Assumptions in a Changing Demographic Landscape

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Social Influences of Error Monitoring

Adolescence is characterized by dramatic hormonal, physical, and psychological changes, and is a period of risk for affective and anxiety disorders. Pubertal development during adolescence plays a major role in the emergence of these disorders, particularly among girls. Thus, it is critical to identify early biomarkers of risk. One potential biomarker, the error-related negativity (ERN), is an event-related potential following an erroneous response. Individuals with an anxiety disorder demonstrate a greater ERN than healthy comparisons, an association which is stronger in adolescence, suggesting that pubertal development may play a role in the ERN as a predictor of anxiety. One form of anxiety often observed in adolescence, particularly among girls, is social anxiety, which is defined as anxiety elicited by social-evaluative contexts. In adults, enhancements of the ERN in social-evaluative contexts is positively related to social anxiety symptoms, suggesting that the ERN in social contexts may serve as a biomarker for social anxiety. This dissertation examined the ERN in and its relation with puberty and social anxiety among 76 adolescent girls. Adolescent girls completed a flanker task in two different

Observed Social Problem Solving and Friendship Quality in Children with a Traumatic Brain Injury

Children who have experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI) are at risk for a variety of maladaptive cognitive, behavioral and social outcomes (Yeates et al., 2007). Research involving the social problem solving (SPS) abilities of children with TBI indicates a preference for lower level strategies when compared to children who have experienced an orthopedic injury (OI; Hanten et al., 2008, 2011). Research on SPS in non-injured populations has highlighted the significance of the identity of the social partner (Rubin et al., 2006). Within the pediatric TBI literature few studies have utilized friends as the social partner in SPS contexts, and fewer have used in-vivo SPS assessments. The current study aimed to build on existing research of SPS in children with TBI by utilizing an observational coding scheme to capture in-vivo problem solving behaviors between children with TBI and a best friend. The current study included children with TBI (n = 41), children with OI (n = 43), and a non-injured typically developing group (n = 41). All participants were observed completing a task with a friend and completed a measure of friendship quality. SPS was assessed using an observational coding scheme that captured SPS goals, strategies, and outcomes. It was expected children with TBI would produce fewer successes, fewer direct strategies, and more avoidant strategies. ANOVAs tested for group differences in SPS successes, direct strategies and avoidant strategies. Analyses were run to see if positive or negative friendship quality moderated the relation between group type and SPS behaviors. Group differences were found between the TBI and non-injured group in the SPS direct strategy of commands. No group differences were found for other SPS outcome variables of interest. Moderation analyses partially supported study hypotheses regarding the effect of friendship quality as a moderator variable. Additional analyses examined SPS goal-strategy sequencing and grouped SPS goals into high cost and low cost categories. Results showed a trend supporting the hypothesis that children with TBI had fewer SPS successes, especially with high cost goals, compared to the other two groups. Findings were discussed highlighting the moderation results involving children with severe TBI.

Elsa Köhler (1879-1940): Eine fast vergessene Pionierin der Bildungsforschung

Nach der Biographie der österreichischen Pädagogin und Psychologin Elsa Köhler (1879-1940) werden in diesem Beitrag ihre Pionierleistungen bei der Grundlegung der empirischen Bildungsforschung beschrieben. Als Lehrerin war sie früh um den Einbezug des Entwicklungsstands von Schülern in die Didaktik im Sinne der Entwicklung differentieller Unterrichtsansätze bemüht. Am Psychologischen Institut der Universität Wien lernte sie bei Karl Bühler die für longitudinale Einzelfallanalysen der Entwicklung von Kindern und Jugendlichen konzipierten quantitativen und qualitativen Beobachtungs- und Protokolltechniken kennen und weitete diese Methoden als erste auf die pädagogische Situation im Unterricht, auf Schülergruppen und auf die Analyse der Entwicklung ganzer Schulklassen aus. Sie trug Wesentliches dazu bei, dass empirische Forschungsmethoden in reformpädagogische Ansätze der 1920er und 1930er Jahre Eingang fanden und machte ihre in der pädagogischen Situation durchgeführten Entwicklungsanalysen für die Entwicklungsberatung zur Optimierung der Selbststeuerung von Schülern fruchtbar. Elsa Köhler verband Grundlagenforschung mit einem starken Anwendungsbezug in den klassischen Bereichen der auf die Kindheit und das Jugendalter bezogenen Entwicklungspsychologie sowie in den Bereichen der Pädagogischen Psychologie und Pädagogik, die heute unter der Bildungsforschung subsumiert werden. Die Beschäftigung mit ihr ist von fachhistorischer Bedeutung und kann zudem auch Impulse für die moderne interdisziplinär ausgerichtete Bildungsforschung geben. (DIPF/Orig.)

Social engagement and adaptive functioning during early childhood: Identifying and distinguishing among subgroups differing with regard to social engagement

This study tested the hypothesis that social engagement (SE) with peers is a fundamental aspect of social competence during early childhood. Relations between SE and a set of previously validated social competence indicators, as well as additional variables derived from observation and sociometric interviews were assessed using both variable-centered and person-centered approaches (N = 1453, 696 girls) in 4 samples (3 U.S.A., 1 Portuguese). Directly observed SE was positively associated with broad-band measures of socially competent behavior, peer acceptance, being a target of peers' attention, and also with broad-band personality dimensions. Using individual Q-items significantly associated with SE in 3 of our 4 samples, a hierarchical cluster analysis yielded a 5-cluster solution that grouped cases efficiently. Tests on relations between cluster membership and the set of social competence and other variables revealed significant main effects of cluster membership in the full sample and within each individual sample, separately. With the exception of tests for peer negative preference, children in the lowest SE cluster also had significantly lower overall social competence, personality functioning scores than did children in higher SE clusters.

Action and perception: Neural indices of learning in infants

Early human development offers a unique perspective in investigating the potential cognitive and social implications of action and perception. Specifically, during infancy, action production and action perception undergo foundational developments. One essential component to examine developments in action processing is the analysis of others’ actions as meaningful and goal-directed. Little research, however, has examined the underlying neural systems that may be associated with emerging action and perception abilities, and infants’ learning of goal-directed actions. The current study examines the mu rhythm—a brain oscillation found in the electroencephalogram (EEG)—that has been associated with action and perception. Specifically, the present work investigates whether the mu signal is related to 9-month-olds’ learning of a novel goal-directed means-end task. The findings of this study demonstrate a relation between variations in mu rhythm activity and infants’ ability to learn a novel goal-directed means-end action task (compared to a visual pattern learning task used as a comparison task). Additionally, we examined the relations between standardized assessments of early motor competence, infants’ ability to learn a novel goal-directed task, and mu rhythm activity. We found that: 1a) mu rhythm activity during observation of a grasp uniquely predicted infants’ learning on the cane training task, 1b) mu rhythm activity during observation and execution of a grasp did not uniquely predict infants’ learning on the visual pattern learning task (comparison learning task), 2) infants’ motor competence did not predict infants’ learning on the cane training task, 3) mu rhythm activity during observation and execution was not related to infants’ measure of motor competence, and 4) mu rhythm activity did not predict infants’ learning on the cane task above and beyond infants’ motor competence. The results from this study demonstrate that mu rhythm activity is a sensitive measure to detect individual differences in infants’ action and perception abilities, specifically their learning of a novel goal-directed action.

Jiao Tong: A Grounded Theory of Chinese International Students' Transition to American Tertiary Education

University students are more globally mobile than ever before, increasingly receiving education outside of their home countries. One significant student exchange pattern is between China and the United States; Chinese students are the largest population of international students in the U.S. (Institute of International Education, 2014). Differences between Chinese and American culture in turn influence higher education praxis in both countries, and students are enculturated into the expectations and practices of their home countries. This implies significant changes for students who must navigate cultural differences, academic expectations, and social norms during the process of transition to a system of higher education outside their home country. Despite the trends in students’ global mobility and implications for international students’ transitions, scholarship about international students does not examine students’ experiences with the transition process to a new country and system of higher education. Related models were developed with American organizations and individuals, making it unlikely that they would be culturally transferable to Chinese international students’ transitions. This study used qualitative methods to deepen the understanding of Chinese international students’ transition processes. Grounded theory methods were used to invite the narratives of 18 Chinese international students at a large public American university, analyze the data, and build a theory that reflects Chinese international students’ experiences transitioning to American university life. Findings of the study show that Chinese international students experience a complex process of transition to study in the United States. Students’ pre-departure experiences, including previous exposure to American culture, family expectations, and language preparation, informed their transition. Upon arrival, students navigate resource seeking to fulfill their practical, emotional, social, intellectual, and ideological needs. As students experienced various positive and discouraging events, they developed responses to the pivotal moments. These behaviors formed patterns in which students sought familiarity or challenge subsequent to certain events. The findings and resulting theory provide a framework through which to better understand the experiences of Chinese international students in the context of American higher education.

Social engagement and adaptive functioning during early childhood: Identifying and distinguishing among subgroups differing with regard to social engagement

Materia Suplementar disponível em: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/dev0000142.supp

Does social–behavioral adjustment mediate the relation between executive function and academic readiness?

Research shows that executive function and social–behavioral adjustment during the preschool years are both associated with the successful acquisition of academic readiness abilities. However, studies bringing these constructs together in one investigation are lacking. This study addresses this gap by testing the extent to which social and behavioral adjustment mediated the association between executive function and academic readiness. Sixty-nine 63–76month old children, enrolled in the last semester of the preschool year, participated in the present study. Tasks were administered to measure executive function and preacademic abilities, and teachers rated preschoolers' social–behavioral adjustment. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that social–behavioral adaptation was a significant mediator of the effect of executive function on academic readiness, even after controlling for maternal education and child verbal ability. These findings extend prior research and suggest that executive function contributes to early academic achievement by influencing preschoolers' opportunities to be engaged in optimal social learning activities.

Indicadores do perfil profissional do psicólogo escolar das equipes especializadas de apoio à aprendizagem da Secretaria de Educação do DF

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Psicologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Processos de Desenvolvimento Humano e Saúde, 2016.

The Impact of Friends on Newly Immigrant Children’s Emotional and Behavioral Adjustment

Immigration disrupts an individual’s support network; however, the stresses of the immigration process increase the need for social support. The presence of social support becomes essential for immigrant children and adolescents to cope with these important transitional circumstances. Friends are both sources of social support and models for behavior. Furthermore, friendship networks are known to have a significant influence on youths’ functioning. Literature suggests that peer relations become more important in adolescence and friend support is related to child and adolescent well-being. Thus, friend relationships may be particularly important for immigrant youths who experience disruption in their friendship networks during the process of migration to another country. In addition to friendship networks and support, friend characteristics also need to be taken into consideration as important factors for immigrant youth adjustment. My study involved analyses of the effects of friend support and friend problem behaviors on emotional and behavioral functioning for elementary, middle, and high school age newly immigrant children and adolescents. Immigrant children and adolescents (N = 503) were interviewed at schools by interviewers fluent in participants’ languages. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analyses revealed that friend support and friend problem behaviors were related to children’s self-esteem and externalizing behaviors. In addition, friend problem behavior alone predicted children’s psychological symptoms and depression scores. Furthermore, age/grade was found to be a moderator for the relation between friend problem behavior and immigrant youth behavioral adjustment such that compared to elementary and high school cohorts, middle school youths showed more externalizing behaviors when they had friends performing problem behaviors. Results supported the idea that both friend support and friend behavior are related to newly immigrant youths’ emotional and behavioral adjustment. This study informs further research and interventions concerning the development of programs to facilitate immigrant youths’ adjustment by revealing friendship factors related to their adaptation.

Romantic relationships and adjustment in early adulthood: The role of cross-sex experience in the context of social norms and support

Attachment and interpersonal theory suggest a sequential pattern of relationships beginning in the earliest stage of development and progressing to social and eventually romantic relationships. Theoretically, cross-sex experiences have an important role in the progression of interpersonal relationships. Despite the prevalence of these theories about the nature of romantic relationship development, the linkage of cross-sex experience (CSE) to romantic relationships has not been established. Indeed, it is an intuitive assumption, especially within Western society and these theories do not consider socio-cultural factors that may influence CSE and relationship satisfaction. This study addresses the varying contextual factors that may contribute to relationship satisfaction and adjustment, aside from CSE, and is divided into two parts. Study 1, addresses CSE, relationship satisfaction, and adjustment in a unique population, ultra-Orthodox Jews. Among this population, social or romantic CSE is limited and sexes are effectively segregated. Study 2, expanded the study to a larger sample of U.S. college students, to assess the linkage of CSE to romantic relationship satisfaction in a more typical Western population. It included social norm and support variables to address the contextual nature of relationship development and satisfaction. Results demonstrated clear differences in the relation between CSE and relationship satisfaction in the two samples. In the first sample CSE was unrelated to relationship satisfaction; nevertheless, relationship satisfaction was associated with adjustment as it is for more typical populations with greater CSE. These results suggested the importance of specifying how social norms and social support relate to CSE, relationship satisfaction and adjustment. The results from the second sample were consistent with the theoretical framework upon which the social/romantic literature is based. CSE was directly connected to relationship satisfaction. As anticipated, CSE, relationship satisfaction, and adjustment also varied as a function of social norms and support. These findings further validate the influence of socio-cultural factors on relationship satisfaction and adjustment. This study contributes to the romantic relationship literature and broadens our understanding of the complex nature of interpersonal and romantic relationships.^