درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a peer-family connection program in enhancing social belonging and reducing risk behaviors among adolescents. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 30 adolescents aged 13–16 from Hungary, who were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n = 15) or a control group (n = 15). The intervention group participated in a seven-session, school-based Peer-Family Connection Program designed to improve interpersonal communication, emotional regulation, and relational bonding with peers and caregivers. Sessions were conducted weekly, lasting 45–60 minutes each. Social belonging and risk behavior were measured using validated standardized tools at pre-test, post-test, and five-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni post-hoc tests in SPSS-27. Findings: Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant interaction effect between time and group for both social belonging (F(2, 56) = 17.08, p < .001, η² = .39) and risk behavior (F(2, 56) = 14.57, p < .001, η² = .34), indicating that the intervention group improved significantly over time compared to the control group. Bonferroni post-hoc analysis showed significant improvements in social belonging from pre-test to post-test (p < .001) and from pre-test to follow-up (p < .001), with no significant decline between post-test and follow-up. Similarly, risk behavior significantly decreased from pre-test to post-test (p < .001) and remained reduced at follow-up (p < .001), with no significant difference between post-test and follow-up. Conclusion: The Peer-Family Connection Program demonstrated sustained effectiveness in increasing adolescents’ social belonging and reducing their engagement in risk behaviors. These findings support the integration of relational interventions involving both peers and caregivers as a means to promote healthy adolescent development.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the individual, relational, and contextual factors that shape how parents respond to their children’s negative emotions. Methods and Materials: A qualitative design was employed to capture the lived experiences of parents in managing children’s emotional challenges. Twenty-two parents from Chile participated in semi-structured interviews, focusing on their perceptions, attitudes, and practices when responding to children’s negative emotions such as sadness, anger, and frustration. Participants were recruited through community centers and parenting networks, ensuring diversity in socio-demographic backgrounds. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis with the support of NVivo 14 software. Data collection continued until theoretical saturation was reached. Trustworthiness was ensured through peer debriefing, reflexive memos, and constant comparison during coding. Findings: Analysis revealed four overarching themes. (1) Emotional awareness and regulation in parents highlighted recognition of children’s emotions, self-regulation strategies, empathy, cultural norms in emotional expression, and awareness of emotional contagion. (2) Parenting beliefs and attitudes encompassed views on discipline, developmental understanding, attitudes toward emotional expression, emotion-coaching roles, intergenerational patterns, and moral or religious values. (3) Contextual and social influences included family environment, societal expectations, work–life balance, socioeconomic challenges, peer and social networks, and media exposure. (4) Coping strategies in responding to children’s negative emotions featured immediate reactions, long-term approaches, distraction and redirection, seeking external support, and communication techniques. Illustrative quotations underscored the variability and complexity of parental practices. Conclusion: The findings suggest that parents’ responses to children’s negative emotions are multifaceted, shaped not only by individual self-regulation and beliefs but also by cultural expectations, social contexts, and available coping resources. These insights underscore the need for interventions that support parental emotional awareness, resilience, and communication skills, while addressing contextual stressors to promote more adaptive emotion socialization.

Objective: The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of attachment-based play therapy and parent-child relationship-based play therapy on internalizing and externalizing behavioral disorders in children with learning disabilities. Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a control group. A total of 45 children with learning disabilities were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to three groups: attachment-based play therapy, parent-child relationship-based play therapy, and a control group. The study used the Achenbach and Rescorla (2001) Behavioral Disorders Questionnaire to measure internalizing and externalizing behaviors at each stage. Both experimental groups received nine 60-minute therapy sessions. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and ANCOVA to compare the effectiveness of the interventions. Findings: The findings indicated that both attachment-based play therapy and parent-child relationship-based play therapy significantly reduced internalizing and externalizing behavioral disorders in children with learning disabilities, with large effect sizes (η² = 0.864 and η² = 0.773, respectively). Repeated measures ANOVA and ANCOVA confirmed the interventions' effectiveness (p < 0.001), and Bonferroni post-hoc tests revealed significant differences between the experimental groups and the control group, but no significant differences between the two experimental groups. The positive effects were sustained over time, demonstrating the long-term efficacy of both therapeutic approaches. Conclusion: Both attachment-based play therapy and parent-child relationship-based play therapy effectively reduce internalizing and externalizing disorders in children with learning disabilities, with lasting effects over time.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the mediating role of family cohesion in the relationship between family economic hardship and adolescent risk-taking. Methods and Materials: A descriptive correlational research design was employed with a sample of 520 adolescents recruited from secondary schools in India, determined through Morgan and Krejcie’s sample size table. Data were collected using standardized self-report instruments: the Adolescent Risk-Taking Questionnaire (ARQ), the Economic Hardship Questionnaire (EHQ), and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES IV). Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS-27 and AMOS-21. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to determine associations among variables, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was performed to test the hypothesized mediation model. Model fit was evaluated using Chi-square, χ²/df, GFI, AGFI, CFI, TLI, and RMSEA indices. Findings: Results indicated that family economic hardship was positively correlated with adolescent risk-taking (r = .42, p = .001) and negatively correlated with family cohesion (r = −.40, p = .001). Family cohesion was inversely related to adolescent risk-taking (r = −.36, p = .002). The SEM analysis demonstrated adequate model fit (χ²/df = 2.17, GFI = .93, AGFI = .90, CFI = .95, TLI = .94, RMSEA = .048). Direct paths showed that family economic hardship significantly predicted adolescent risk-taking (β = .38, p = .001) and negatively predicted family cohesion (β = −.41, p = .001). Family cohesion negatively predicted adolescent risk-taking (β = −.29, p = .002). The indirect effect of economic hardship on risk-taking via cohesion was significant (β = .12, p = .006), supporting the mediation hypothesis. Conclusion: Findings highlight that family cohesion partially mediates the link between economic hardship and adolescent risk-taking. Strengthening family cohesion may buffer adolescents from the adverse effects of financial strain and serve as a practical target for interventions aimed at reducing risk behaviors.

  Objective: Corruption in higher education institutions poses a significant threat to students' ethical standards and spiritual well-being. In Taraba State, Nigeria, concerns have been raised about increasing incidences of unethical behaviors among academic staff and students. The study aimed to examine the influence of corrupt practices on the moral and spiritual development of students in tertiary institutions in Taraba State. Methods: A descriptive survey research design was employed. The study population consisted of approximately 17,000 students. Using purposeful sampling, 200 students were selected based on their accessibility, willingness to participate, and relevance to the study’s focus. Data were collected using a structured instrument titled Corrupt Practices, Students’ Moral and Spiritual Development Questionnaire (CPSMDQ) , which demonstrated a reliability coefficient of 0.69 based on the Cronbach alpha method. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used to address the research questions, and the Chi-square test was applied to test the hypothesis at the 0.05 level of significance. Results: Findings indicated a high prevalence of corrupt practices such as examination malpractice and sexual harassment. These behaviors significantly compromised students’ moral and spiritual development, contributing to the erosion of traditional values, reduced appreciation for diligence and creativity, and increased involvement in prostitution and sexual exploitation. Conclusion: Corruption has a detrimental impact on the moral and spiritual growth of students in higher institutions. The study recommends that SERVICOM and institutional anti-corruption units be empowered and supported to investigate, monitor, and sanction corrupt practices within academic environments