Inclusive Socialization? The Relationships between Parents' and Their Child's Attitudes toward Students with Disabilities.

Promoting social and school inclusion of children with disabilities has been associated with their health-related quality of life. This study aimed to analyze the connection between parents and children's attitudes toward disabilities as one factor contributing to the inclusion and well-being of individuals with disabilities. Three types of disabilities-i.e., attitudes toward a child with a sensory disability (hearing), a child with an intellectual disability (Down syndrome), and a child with problems with aggressiveness and angry outbursts (behavioral problems)-were examined. A sample of 598 White Italian elementary school students (303 boys and 295 girls) aged 6 to 11 years 33tudes toward students with disabilities, rather than each parent's attitude, contributed to a better understanding of the child's attitudes toward students with disabilities. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.

Introduction to the Special Issue on "Promoting a Culture of Prevention: an International Perspective".

The primary goal of this special issue is to showcase novel, theory-driven, creative, and rigorous contributions to our understanding of the existence and development of a culture of prevention and readiness to prevent. The term "culture of prevention" is neither a set of practical guidelines nor a leading theory. Instead, it is a multidimensional term representing the general orientation and readiness of a group of people (be it a family, community, school, organization, nation, etc.) to deal with problems using a preventive, rather than a reactive, approach. The COVID-19 pandemic creates an opportunity for taking stock of the worldwide progress in creating a "culture of prevention." This special issue aims to stimulate this discourse by presenting six studies and three commentaries from international scholars focused on themes and approaches for creating a culture of prevention.

Self-Clarity and Ways of Coping Among Jewish, Muslim, and Christian Adolescents and Emerging Adults.

Existing literature supports the notion that adolescent's level of self-esteem is significantly related to negative health outcomes and that this relatedness is mediated by the adolescent's way of coping. However, the role of self-clarity, rather than the level of self-esteem, is still understudied. The current study explored the relationships between level of self-clarity and preferred ways of coping among three religious groups-Jews (N = 245), Muslim Arabs (N = 244), and Christian Arabs (N = 241), with each of these groups comprised of two age cohorts-adolescents (N = 383) and emerging adults (N = 347)-living in either mixed-religion (N = 376) or non-mixed-religion residential areas (N = 344). Study findings indicate that across religion and age-groups, lower self-clarity is associated with a higher tendency to use disengagement as a way of coping. It is suggested that interventions to promote adolescents' active coping and resilience (e.g., as part of an effort to prevent health problems) should firstly pursue the promotion of adolescents' self-clarity.

Introduction to the special section on prevention science: From generic rules to differential adaptations.

Prevention science as an interdisciplinary specialty is addressed in this introduction to the special section of the journal. The six papers that comprise the special section are briefly summarised, especially noting the global regions that are represented, that is, Europe, Middle East, New Zealand and South America. Attention to the importance of differential adaptations of prevention interventions developed in one region, country or locale but implemented in another is emphasised. The Guest Editors reflect on the importance of developing cross-national collaborations to further the advance of prevention science globally.

The distinction between exclusivity and comorbidity within NSSI.

Based on notions posited by problem behavior theory, the primary goal of the current study was to examine the possibility that adolescents who engage in NSSI are not a homogeneous group but are rather divided into 2 subgroups: (a) adolescents who exclusively engage in NSSI, and (b) adolescents who are involved in NSSI alongside other problem behaviors (e.g., drug abuse, unprotected sexual intercourse). Participants were a school sample of 436 adolescents from 6 high schools across Israel, who completed self-report questionnaires during school hours on engagement in NSSI and other problem behaviors, self-esteem, self-criticism, ego clarity, coping strategies, self-efficacy to regulate affect, and sociodemographic information. Findings indicated that 22% of the sample reported engaging in NSSI. Adolescents who reported engaging in NSSI had higher prevalence rates of involvement in other problem behaviors compared to those who did not report engaging in NSSI. However, a comparison between those who exclusively engaged in NSSI and those who were involved in NSSI alongside other problem behaviors indicated that lower ego clarity, lower self-esteem, and poorer self-efficacy to regulate affect, alongside higher self-criticism and greater use of disengagement coping mechanisms characterized exclusive engagement in NSSI. Distinct theoretical models are needed to characterize different forms of NSSI: NSSI, which is an exclusive and singular phenomenon, for which problems related to the self are prominent, versus NSSI, which is accompanied by other problem behaviors. Accordingly, the implications related to school psychologists' work in the assessment, treatment, and prevention of NSSI are suggested. (PsycINFO Database Record

The Unspoken Shift From Quality to Quantity Standards In Substance Use(r) Treatment and Prevention: A Challenge to Unfinished Intervention Business.

A common flaw when dealing with substance use and misuse is the over-inclination to (re)-act; a reflexive "knee-jerk" and not a well-planned act which is theoretically and empirically informed. It seems that a shift from quantity-driven standards back to quality-driven standards would be best achieved by encouraging politicians, stock holders, and decision makers to question more, before financially supporting any prevention intervention.

Should adjustment disorder be conceptualized as transitional disorder? In pursuit of adjustment disorders definition.

BACKGROUND: The DSM classification of an adjustment disorder is frequently criticized for not being well differentiated from other disorders. AIMS: A possible reason for this is the vague definition of the term adjustment in social science literature. Hence, the current paper discusses the definition of adjustment and its implications for understanding maladjustment. METHOD: Differential definitions of the terms adjustment, adaptation, socialization and coping are outlined, leading to the proposition that each one of them represents a different type of demand that is imposed on an individual who encounters a transitional event. Moreover, the four types of demands might be the possible sources of maladjustment. CONCLUSION: Helping people in transition requires an identification of the source, or combination of sources, that have led to the adjustment problem first, followed by the implementation of an adequate helping approach.

Adolescents' over-use of the cyber world--Internet addiction or identity exploration?

In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the Internet can serve as a valuable tool assisting adolescents in pursuing the developmentally-related need for self concept clarity. Participants in the study were 278 adolescents (48.5% girls; 7th-9th graders) who completed questionnaires relating to their levels of Internet use, Internet addiction, ego development, self consciousness, self-concept clarity, and personal demographic data. The study results support the general notion that adolescents' level of self-clarity is negatively related to Internet addiction and over-use. Hence, it is suggested that future studies on adolescents' Internet over-use should use qualitative rather than quantitative conceptualization and measurements in order to properly explore such a behavior and its, either positive or negative, implications. A differentiation is proposed between over-users, heavy users, and addicted users. Namely, over-users and heavy users utilize the Internet for age-related and modern-life-related purposes, and hence should not be labeled as addicted. Implications for the measurement, definition, and treatment of Internet over-use are suggested.

A multidimensional approach to explore cross-cultural differences in coping behavior: comparing Druze and Jews in Israel.

Assuming that culture is a multidimensional variable, the current study explored the possibility that the interactions between ethnicity and other culture-related variables--rather than ethnicity alone--will better describe differences in coping behavior. In the study, cross-cultural differences among Israeli Jews and Israeli Druze in the use of various ways of coping were examined while also taking into account respondents' gender, age, self-esteem, sense of coherence, national identification, and religiosity. Comparing Israeli Jews and Israeli Druze, results indicate significant differences in levels of religiosity and coherence. Referring to coping behavior, findings show that differences in ways of coping could be attributed mainly to gender differences rather than ethnic differences Thus, at least in the case of comparing Israeli Jews vs. Israeli Druze, religiosity and gender are powerful determinants of coping behavior, while ethnicity has only a limited contribution in explaining variance in a preferred way of coping. It is suggested that ethnicity has a moderating role in shaping coping behavior, as it might influence person's self-perception and level of emotionality, which in turn shape the person's ways of coping. Future explorations among various age and ethnic groups are needed to enable generalization of the current study findings.

From acquaintance to engagement: support in confronting primary prevention hassles.

For many students the importance of primary prevention is unquestionable. However, once they are exposed to the large number of problems that prevention practitioners and prevention scientists face, their preliminary enthusiasm decreases. It is suggested that in order to keep students' positive attitude toward primary prevention and to empower them professionally, exposure to six components is needed (e.g., personalizing prevention), resembling a relapse prevention activity.

The paradox of realism and "authenticity" in entertainment-education: a study of adolescents' views about anti-drug abuse dramas.

The successful use of drama as a vehicle to influence health-related attitudes and behaviors is credited to its ability to elicit an emotional experience and identification among audience members. This study investigated the views of adolescents regarding an entertainment-education (EE) component of their school's anti-drug program - a live performance of a professionally produced anti-drug abuse drama. The analysis draws mainly on data collected from 64 focus groups, conducted in 24 schools across Israel, and open-ended responses to questionnaires administered to more than 1,700 adolescents. The adolescents were generally entertained by the anti-drug abuse drama and moved by its "authenticity," which emerged as a central construct in this study. Yet only a fraction identified with the characters and many remained unwilling to "tell" on a friend who uses drugs. Drawing on these findings, implications to EE theory and practice are discussed, particularly as they relate to the drama's perceived realism or "authenticity," and its unintended effects.

Mentoring at-risk preschoolers: lessons from the A.R.Y.A. Project.

The A.R.Y.A. ("Advancement of Resilience at a Young Age") Project addresses at-risk 4-year-old kindergarten children in a trial to promote their resilience. The project is implemented by mentors, who strove to establish in the children an internal assumption that it is worthwhile to pursue a way to change unpleasant events, even if previous efforts were fruitless. Following a short description of the A.R.Y.A. project, several lessons on mentoring preschoolers are delineated and discussed.