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This study investigated the cross-sectional relationships between reading-related affective and cognitive factors and reading skills among adolescents with and without dyslexia. Participants were 120 Chinese-speaking eighth graders, including 60 adolescents with dyslexia and 60 typically developing adolescents from Hong Kong, China. Adolescents completed questionnaires on general anxiety, reading anxiety, and reading self-concept. They were also assessed on measures of rapid digit naming, verbal working memory, word reading, reading fluency, and reading comprehension. The results showed that readers with dyslexia reported higher levels of general anxiety and reading anxiety and lower levels of reading self-concept than typical readers. They also showed difficulties in rapid digit naming and verbal working memory. Importantly, controlling for rapid digit naming and verbal working memory, reading self-concept was uniquely associated with word reading and reading fluency for readers with and without dyslexia. Furthermore, reading anxiety and reading self-concept were uniquely associated with reading comprehension for the two groups of readers. The findings point to the importance of considering affective factors when examining the reading skills of Chinese readers and the utility of targeting these factors when supporting the learning of adolescents with and without dyslexia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This paper examines the dimensionality and factorial invariance of the Chinese Family Assessment Instrument (C-FAI) using multigroup confirmatory factor analyses (MCFAs). Method: A total of 3,649 students responded to the C-FAI in a community survey. Results: Results showed that there are five dimensions of the C-FAI (communication, mutuality, conflict and harmony, parental concern, parental control), which are subsumed under two higher order factors (family interaction and parenting). Evidence of factorial invariance in terms of configuration, first-order factor loadings, second-order factor loadings, intercepts of measured variable, and intercepts of first-order latent factor, was found. Conclusions: The C-FAI is an objective measure of Chinese family functioning with high factorial validity. It can be used in family practice contexts of Chinese families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a pre- and post-test design, this study examined the changes in empathy skills, life satisfaction, and relationship quality among mainland Chinese adolescents (ages 13–15 years) and their mothers (N = 108 dyads) following an empathy training intervention. Participants completed a 20-day empathy training, including two in-person group training sessions and daily journals on assigned topics. Participants' mother-child relationship quality, mother-child conflict, life satisfaction, and empathy skills were measured three times, and selected participants were interviewed to explore their experience of the training. The research procedure followed protocols that were approved by an Institutional Review Board. ANOVAs were used to examine quantitative data and inductive analysis was used for qualitative data. The findings suggest that after the training, both adolescents and mothers reported significant benefits in mother-child relationship quality and life satisfaction. However, participants' empathy skills (i.e., perspective taking and empathic concern skills) did not change. Possible mechanisms of the observed changes included the empathy skills (e.g., perspective taking skills) learned through the training and the reciprocal nature of positive changes within the mother-child dyad. The current study suggests that empathy training may benefit adolescents and their mothers, both within the relationship and in their general life satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the factor structure, measurement invariance, criterion-related and incremental validity of the Chinese version of the Academic Grit Scale (AGS) among 723 adolescents from mainland China. Results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the single-factor model, exhibiting scalar invariance across gender and partial scalar invariance across groups (i.e., middle and high school students). The AGS total score showed internal consistency and temporal stability when used one month later. Moreover, academic grit was shown to be positively correlated with academic achievement, general grit, and dimensional student engagement. Academic grit also predicted academic achievement after isolating the effects of the related variables (i.e., general grit and student engagement) and overlapping components of academic grit and the related variables. Overall, the Chinese version of the AGS demonstrated adequate reliability and validity and was shown to be a useful tool for examining academic grit in Chinese adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examined ethnic and gender variations in early adolescents' reports of parental socialization goals among the majority Han and two Muslim ethnic minority groups (Hui and Kazakhs) in China. 1584 adolescents (mean age = 13.49; 54.6% girls) listed and ranked the five most important goals from parents. Achievement outcomes were emphasized the most across ethnicities. According to adolescents, Han (vs. Kazakh) parents emphasized relatively more on self-maximization and psychological well-being, and less on extrafamilial relationships, morality, and social contribution, with the Hui appearing to be midway between the two groups. Gender differences in perceived parental goals were mostly consistent with traditional gender roles across ethnicities. This research painted a more nuanced picture of adolescents' perceptions of parental socialization in China. Results pointed to the significance of traditional values and economic development in understanding the socialization goals of Chinese parents of different ethnicities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Figure rating scales (FRS) have been widely used to measure body dissatisfaction. In the current study, an FRS based on body mass index (BMI) and body shape of Chinese adolescents (C-BMI-FRS) was developed and validated. The perceived actual figure chosen from C-BMI-FRS by 2,237 Chinese adolescents aged 15–18 years old correlated strongly with BMI (r =.83 in girls and r =.80 in boys). Additionally, there was a strong relation between actual and ideal figure discrepancy (AID) scores and measures of body satisfaction (r = −.54 in girls, r = −.28 in boys) and eating disorder symptoms (r =.54 in girls, and r =.52 in boys). There also were moderate associations of AID scores with self-esteem (r = −.16) and negative affect (r =.18) in girls. Test–retest reliability over an 8- to 10 -week interval exceeded.57 for actual figure, ideal figure, and AID scores. Overall, findings support the utility of C-BMI-FRS as a measure of body dissatisfaction among Chinese adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Recent literature has pointed out the seriously unmet treatment needs of delinquent youth with mental health problems in Hong Kong. This study pioneers to systematically develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a structured low-intensity cognitive behavioral intervention (LICBI) to concurrently address mental health issues and delinquent behaviors among Hong Kong Chinese youth. Method: A quasi-experimental controlled design was adopted with three assessments at baseline, postintervention, and 6-week follow-up. One hundred and eighty participants were recruited to the LICBI and 123 to the control group. Results: Multilevel modeling analyses showed that the LICBI might be effective in improving mental health–related factors (impulsivity, self-esteem, negative emotions, and loneliness) and delinquent behaviors. A mediation analysis suggested that LICBI might reduce participants' delinquent behaviors through reducing their impulsivity and enhancing their self-esteem. Discussion: The results provide preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of LICBI for Chinese delinquent youth in a community social service setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the changes in career decision-making self-efficacy (CDSE) and vocational identity (VI) and their reciprocal associations among 1,026 senior high school students, comprising 493 from Hong Kong (age in 10th grade: M = 16.31, SD = 0.65; 238 girls) and 533 from Shanghai (age in 10th grade: M = 16.50, SD = 0.56; 237 girls). They completed measures for assessing their CDSE and VI annually from 10th to 12th grades. Latent growth curve analyses indicated that both CDSE and VI significantly increased over time in the Hong Kong sample. Cross-lagged path analyses indicated that the reciprocal positive effects between CDSE and VI over time were supported in both samples. These findings indicated that CDSE and VI are generally dynamic and interrelated dimensions for Chinese adolescents' career development with some regional differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to adapt the Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale–Second Edition (RCMAS-2) into Mandarin and to examine its psychometric properties among Chinese adolescents. The participants included 436 Chinese students in Grades 7 to 12 who were administered the Chinese version of the Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS-2-C). Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were performed to examine the factor structure of the RCMAS-2-C. Results indicated a modified four-factor model (Worry and Social Anxiety factors combined, Physiological Anxiety, Defensiveness I, and Defensiveness II factors) provided an adequate model fit to the data. Categorical omegas were computed and ranged from .68 to .90 for the RCMAS-2 scale scores. Convergent evidence of validity for the RCMAS-2-C anxiety scores was also found. Implications of the findings of the study for clinicians and researchers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of Low Self-Control (LSC) has been a major focus of criminological theories since the publication of Gottfredson and Hirschi’s work in 1990. Although there is an increasing amount of literature devoted to exploring the precise theoretical construct of LSC, no consensus has been reached on the factorial structure of Grasmick et al.’s LSC measures. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factorial dimensionality of Grasmick et al.’s LSC measures in the Chinese setting. The data for this study come from three distinct samples collected in a Chinese province with a population of 47 million. The three samples represent high school students, troubled teens incarcerated in jail, and adjudicated juvenile offenders in prison in this province. Confirmatory factor analyses are utilized to conduct the factorial structure tests. Results provide strong support for a second-order or hierarchical model of LSC across the three groups. The key findings are discussed in terms of methodological, theoretical, and cultural dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent attachment to formal and informal institutions has emerged as a major focus of criminological theories since the publication of Hirschi's work in 1969. This study attempts to examine the psychometric equivalence of the factorial structure of attachment measures across nations reflecting Western and Eastern cultures. Twelve manifest variables are used tapping the concepts of adolescent attachment to parents, school, and neighborhood. Confirmatory factor analysis is used to conduct invariance test across approximately 3,000 Chinese and U.S. adolescents. Results provide strong support for a three-factor model; the multigroup invariance tests reveal mixed results. While the family attachment measure appears invariant between the two samples, significant differences in the coefficients of the factor loadings are detected in the school attachment and neighborhood attachment measures. The results of regression analyses lend support to the predictive validity of three types of attachment. Finally, the limitations of the study are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Agnew’s general strain theory, repeated strains can generate crime and delinquency by reducing social control and fostering social learning of crime. Using a sample of 615 middle- and high-school students in China, this study examines how social control and social learning variables mediate the effect of repeated strains in school and at home on delinquency. The findings from an integrated model support Agnew’s mediating argument in a non-Western society. Repeated negative treatment by teachers promotes delinquent behavior both through weakened conventional bonds and beliefs and through heightened association with delinquent peers. Repeated negative treatment by parents affects delinquency only through weakened conventional bonds. The prominent role of school experiences in the lives of Chinese adolescents is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study examines the role of salient external factors (family, peer and school caring relations) and internal factors (goals and aspirations, problem solving and self-efficacy, empathy, and self-awareness) in protecting adolescents experiencing interpersonal problems and academic pressure from depression. A total of 1,297 eighth and ninth grade students in Shandong province of Eastern China completed self-report measures. Results of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that interpersonal problems and academic pressure predicted depression positively. Peer caring relationships, home caring relationships, goals and aspirations, problem solving and self-efficacy, and self-awareness predicted depression negatively, but empathy did so positively. The interactions of home caring relationships with interpersonal problems, peer caring relationships with academic pressure, and self-awareness with academic pressure were negatively associated with depression. The relationships between interpersonal problems and depression, and academic pressure and depression, were less apparent for adolescents who had higher levels of peer caring relationships, home caring relationships, and self-awareness. The results suggest that school psychologists and counselors should note and build upon positive strengths while providing intervention services for adolescents experiencing depression related to interpersonal problems and academic pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although scholarly interest in empirically assessing Gottfredson and Hirschi’s (1990) self-control theory continues to grow, there is little research available on evaluating its utility in China. The current study examines the power of self-control theory as an explanation of juvenile minor risky behavior as well as minor delinquent behaviors in China, while simultaneously considering the role of social bonds. The data were collected from a probability sample of 7th, 8th, and 9th graders in Hangzhou, China (N = 1,043) using the second International Self-Report Delinquency (ISRD-2) survey instrument. The results from the logistic regression analyses show that self-control is associated with both measures of Chinese youth deviance in the expected direction, suggesting that the youth with low self-control have a higher likelihood to report minor risky and delinquent behavior. The effects of self-control remain when controlling for social bonding measures. Among the social bonding factors, beliefs (pro-violence attitude) and family bonding were found to be the significant predictors of risky behavior and minor delinquency, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: As there are few studies examining the relationship between subjective and objective outcome evaluation findings, this study investigated the linkage between these two types of outcomes in the Chinese culture. Method: In an experimental study, 3,298 Chinese secondary school students responded to the Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale assessing objective outcome (CPYDS) at pretest and posttest. They also responded to the Chinese Subjective Outcome Scale (CSOS) assessing subjective outcome at posttest. Results: The CSOS total and subscale scores were significantly correlated with posttest CPYDS scores and difference scores; they also predicted changes in CPYDS scores across time. Conclusions: The present findings demystify the common belief that findings based on the client satisfaction approach are unrelated to objective outcome evaluation findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child maltreatment is a substantial public health problem worldwide. Although extensively studied in Western countries, until recently little systematic research had been published about the situation in the world's most populous nation and ethnic diaspora. In this review, we examine trends from community-based research with Chinese young people and parents in mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia. It is clear that many Chinese adolescents experience a substantial burden from various forms of maltreatment and the psychological and behavioral correlates are similar to those found in other cultures. However, the research reveals a large gap between this reality and Chinese adults' perceptions about emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Comprehensive awareness programs are needed to close this information gap and thereby mobilize support for prevention and care initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: This article describes the development and initial validation of the 90-item Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale (CPYDS), which contains items related to 15 aspects of positive youth development. Method: Adolescents with well adjustment (N = 162) and poor adjustment (N =160) responded to the CPYDS. Results: The findings showed that the CPYDS measures possess acceptable internal consistency and were able to discriminate the two groups. Although the CPYDS measures were positively related to thriving, life satisfaction, and perceived academic achievement, they were negatively related to substance abuse, delinquency, and behavioral intention to engage in problem behavior Conclusions: The CPYDS can be used as a global measure of positive youth development in Chinese adolescents, but its dimensionality and subscales should be further examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]