Journal of Genetic Psychology最新文献

Developmental trajectories of child mental health problems have often been studied in Western European and North American countries, leaving the Latin American context less explored. Using a growth mixture model (GMM), we aim to explore the variety of emotional and behavioral problems and investigate early home environment factors explaining differentiated developmental patterns in Latin American and European contexts. Two samples were selected: 5,292 children from the Chilean Longitudinal Survey of Early Childhood (ELPI) and 6,523 children from the Generation R Study in the Netherlands. The Home Observation for the Measurement of the Environment (HOME) was used to measure emotional support and early stimulation at home. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to measure emotional and behavioral problems in children at three-time points until the age of 10 years. In ELPI, we identified four trajectories: low stable (20.0%), moderate decreasing (58.6%), high stable (18.2%) and high decreasing (2.8%). In Generation R, we found three trajectories: low (50.3%), moderate (25.5%), and high stable (8.7%). In ELPI, the findings indicate that mothers of children in the most problematic categories display markedly lower emotional responses when compared to their counterparts in the low-risk group. Furthermore, these mothers provide fewer learning materials, have a lower educational level, and display higher depressive symptoms. In the Generation R Study, the high stable group was associated with more maternal depressive symptoms and fewer emotional responses. This study underscores the importance of the protective factor of family environment across cultures in promoting positive emotional child development over time.

The relationship between emotion regulation strategies (positive/negative) and peer acceptance is poorly understood. To resolve this issue, we employed two separate three-level meta-analytic models to synthesize existing research, obtaining reliable estimates of effect sizes and examining moderators. Through a systematic literature search up to May 2023, this study identified 21 eligible studies involving 3837 participants and yielding 90 effect sizes. The results revealed a significant positive association between the positive dimension and peer acceptance. Furthermore, the variables of interest did not moderate the relationship between positive emotion regulation strategies and peer acceptance. Preschooler gender and negative emotion regulation strategies variable were significant moderators of the association between negative emotion regulation and peer acceptance. In summary, emotional regulation strategies predict the development of peer acceptance in preschool children. Future research should examine how children's gender and negative emotion regulation strategies moderate this relationship.

Our willingness to care for the natural world depends, in large part, on our attitudes toward living kinds. In this study, we explored the extent to which learning facts about animals would influence children's and adults' attitudes and moral concerns for the welfare of animals. Participants' (N = 115) attitudes were assessed before and after exposure to different types of information (taxonomic and idiosyncratic) about target animals, and were presented with moral dilemmas about those animals, and an opportunity to donate to animal-related charities. Results showed that idiosyncratic facts led to significantly more positive attitude changes in adults and older children, but not in younger children. Moral judgments against the harm of animals were consistently high across groups, irrespective of information type. Biocentric reasoning was more prevalent than anthropocentric reasoning overall, and younger children showed increased biocentric reasoning, particularly when exposed to taxonomic facts and when they developed more positive attitudes. Donation behavior was also predicted by attitude change across all age groups, with younger children especially influenced by the type of information received. These results have important implications for understanding the psychological processes that underlie how children and adults think about the environment and conditions that threaten the well-being of living kinds.

The increasing prevalence of gaming and the problems associated with it have sparked interest in examining the differences between gamers and non-gamers. This study aims to investigate whether psychological variables, such as prosociality, emotional intelligence, social support, and mental health, differ among current gamers, non-current gamers, and non-gamers. A quantitative study was conducted using a convenience sample of Italian university students (N = 717, Mean_age = 22.15, SD_age = 3.49; 49.4% female). One-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs) and multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) were employed to compare the three groups. In addition, two binomial logistic regressions were conducted using statistically significant variables to identify the most important predictors of gaming initiation and gaming maintenance. Results indicate that males, particularly older males, and those exhibiting lower levels of prosociality were more likely to initiate gaming. Furthermore, being male, older, and having greater ability to assess one's own emotions were associated with a higher likelihood of maintaining gaming behavior.

With the increasing detection rate of Internet addiction in college students, the correlation between Internet addiction and emotional problems is further strengthened. Therefore, it is crucial to actively investigate the emotional mechanisms underlying college students' internet addiction to foster their healthy development. This study establishes a moderated mediation model based on the relationships among experiential avoidance, internet addiction, anxiety, and difficulty describing feelings to explore the link between experiential avoidance and internet addiction, the mediating role of anxiety, and the moderating effect of difficulty describing feelings. The study collected data from 1,591 Chinese college students across seven provinces (municipalities), utilizing measures such as the Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire, the Internet Addiction Scale, the Anxiety Subscale, and the Difficulty Describing Feelings Scale. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted to further investigate the potential emotional mechanisms behind college students' internet addiction. The results indicated that experiential avoidance significantly predicts internet addiction among college students, with anxiety mediating the relationship between experiential avoidance and internet addiction. Additionally, difficulty describing feelings moderate the relationship between experiential avoidance and anxiety. These findings further suggest that emotional disorders such as experiential avoidance, anxiety, and difficulty describing feelings are potential risk factors behind college students' internet addiction. The study recommends enhancing psychological counseling and other intervention measures in interventions for college students' internet addiction.

Objectives: It has been shown that mindfulness-based practices are beneficial for children's cognitive and social-emotional development. In the present study, we investigated the effects of an eight-week mindfulness-based Kindness Curriculum (KC), a specially developed program for 3-6 years old preschoolers, on Executive Functions (EFs) and socio-emotional competencies. From three German kindergartens, 69 preschoolers participated. Thirty-eight children (M age = 5.30, SD = 0.80) were included in the mindfulness training group, and 31 (M age = 5.30, SD = 0.70) were in the wait-list control group. Due to the field character of the study, children were randomly assigned by kindergarten or by forming new groups of existing classes in one kindergarten. Before and after the mindfulness intervention, EFs were measured using Go/No-Go and Flanker tasks. Socio-emotional competencies were examined with an inventory for assessing socio-emotional competencies in three- to six-year-olds. The results showed a significant improvement in some aspects of emotional and social functions for the mindfulness group over the control group when the pretest results were integrated into the analysis. However, the mindfulness group showed no better performance concerning EFs (inhibition) than the control group. This study indicates improvement in some aspects of socio-emotional competencies in preschoolers through a mindfulness program. Further studies with more participants may evaluate if different forms of mindfulness training in preschool settings could enhance different aspects of preschoolers' development.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition with rising prevalence. Traditional diagnostic approaches often lack biological markers, making precision in diagnosis challenging. This study explores the role of array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (aCGH) in improving diagnostic accuracy for ASD. Five clinical vignettes of children diagnosed with ASD via DSM-5 or ADOS-2 were evaluated at a child and adolescent psychiatry clinic. Genome-wide oligonucleotide aCGH analysis was conducted using the Human Genome CGH Microarray kit (OGT), containing approximately 180,000 probes with 30-37 kb spacing based on the GRCh37 build. Fragile X syndrome was excluded using the Asuragen Amplidex PCR/CE FMR1 kit. The case series included boys aged 8-11 from diverse ethnic backgrounds (Asian, African, and Qatari), all presenting with varying degrees of ASD. Genetic analyses revealed significant chromosomal changes affecting eight genes, SHOX, HNF1B, COH1, AHNAK, DOCK8, TIAM1, TBL1XR1, and ALKBH8, highlighting diverse genetic contributions to ASD. These findings encompassed both chromosomal gains and losses, as well as variants of uncertain significance (VUS). The aCGH analyses provided valuable genetic insights, refining the diagnostic process and informing personalized management strategies for ASD. This suggests that aCGH is a useful tool in identifying clinically relevant genetic variations, particularly in settings with limited resources, where other diagnostic modalities may be less accessible.

This study examined whether intense personal feelings toward celebrities are positively correlated with women's consideration of cosmetic surgery, and whether body dissatisfaction and body shame serve as possible mediators of this relationship. A sample of 605 Chinese female undergraduates completed questionnaires on celebrity worship, consideration of cosmetic surgery, body dissatisfaction, and body shame. The results revealed a significant positive correlation between intense personal feelings toward celebrities and the consideration of cosmetic surgery. Moreover, this association was mediated both independently by body shame and sequentially by body dissatisfaction and body shame. These findings provide new insights into the relationship between celebrity worship and the consideration of cosmetic surgery.

The prevalence of short videos among college students has transformed them into a significant aspect of their daily lives. However, the extent of problematic short video usage remains an underexplored area. The current study aims to examine the relation between self-concealment and problematic short video use among students, and the mediating mechanisms of fear of missing out and online social support. A total of 718 college students took part in this survey. All participants completed the Self-Concealment Scale, Fear of Missing Out Scale, Online Social Support Questionnaire, and Short Video Addiction Scale. The results showed significant positive interrelations among self-concealment, fear of missing out, online social support, and problematic short video use (all correlation coefficients ranging from 0.12 to 0.60, ps < 0.001). Structural equation modeling demonstrated that fear of missing out mediated the relation between self-concealment and problematic short video use (indirect effect = 1.97, 95% CI [1.36, 3.12]), and a significant serial mediation of online social support and fear of missing out was also valid (indirect effect = 0.05, 95% CI [0.01, 0.16]). The findings enhance our understanding of the association between self-concealment and problematic short video use and its potential mechanisms, which will help to better understand the causes of problematic short video use among college students. It also provides a useful reference to guide people in using the internet reasonably and to prevent and intervene in the problematic use of short videos.