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Parent-teacher partnership is associated closely with adolescents' development. However, little is known about the association between parent-teacher partnership and Chinese high school students' development. Therefore, this study examines whether and how parent-teacher partnership (objective contacts and subjective relationship quality) relates to high school students' academic, career, and personal/social development among a national representative sample of 4,606 high school teachers from 61 high schools across 10 provinces of Mainland China. Both parent-teacher contacts and relationship were related to high school students' development across all three domains (i.e., academic, career, and personal/social development). Parent-teacher relationship was more closely related to students' developmental outcomes than parent-teacher contacts. Parent-teacher contacts were associated directly and indirectly with students' developmental outcomes via parent-teacher relationship and teacher-student relationship. Implications for future studies and practice were discussed.

Objective: The current study was designed to explore the prevalence of child sexual abuse (CSA) and its association with health risk behaviors (i.e., smoking, alcohol use, binge drinking, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt) among rural children and adolescents in China. Methods: A sample of 683 rural children and adolescents (8 to 18 years of age) completed an anonymous questionnaire which assessed experiences of CSA and 5 health risk behaviors. Data on several potential confounding factors were also collected. Results: A total of 123 (18%) respondents reported experiencing at least 1 kind of CSA before 16 years of age, with more boys reporting CSA than girls (21.5% vs. 14.2%). In addition, attending non-boarding schools, lower levels of self-esteem, and higher levels of perceived peer pressure for engagement in health risk behaviors were associated with higher rates of CSA. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that CSA experience was significantly associated with cigarette smoking (aOR = 2.14), binge drinking (aOR = 2.68), suicidal ideation (aOR = 1.69), and suicide attempt (aOR = 2.69) after controlling for several demographic and psychological factors. Conclusion: More attention should be paid to the issues of CSA among rural children and adolescents in China. Effective CSA prevention intervention needs to address the vulnerabilities of the population, increase children's and parents' awareness of CSA and ability of self-protection. (Contains 5 tables.)

Objective: To explore the relationship between peer social network positions and smoking experimentation among Chinese adolescents. Methods: Self-administered questionnaires were administered to 1040 adolescents in grades 6, 8, and 10. Paired-friendship linkages were used to assign participants into 3 mutually exclusive social network positions. Results: Overall isolates were more likely to have experimented with cigarettes than were group members or liaisons. However, among male 10th graders, more group members or liaisons had smoked than isolates. Conclusion: Smoking experimentation differs by social position, particularly among older adolescents. The association of social position with smoking experimentation could not be explained completely by traditional peer-related variables.

This study examined the reciprocal prospective associations between commitment, forgiveness, and different aspects of marital well‐being (marital satisfaction and marital instability) among Chinese newlywed couples and the gender differences in these associations. The Vulnerability‐Stress‐Adaptation (VSA) model posits reciprocal associations between adaptive processes and relationship satisfaction. However, the directionality of the associations between adaptive processes and marital satisfaction may differ from the associations between adaptive processes and marital instability in Chinese societies due to the emphasis on relationship maintenance. Based on three annual waves of data from 268 Chinese newlywed couples (Mage = 29.59, SD = 3.25 for husbands; Mage = 28.08, SD = 2.51 for wives), a cross‐lagged approach was used to examine the reciprocal associations between commitment, forgiveness, and marital satisfaction/instability. We found: (a) reciprocal associations between commitment/forgiveness and marital satisfaction (wives only); (b) reciprocal associations between forgiveness and marital instability (husbands only); and (c) wives' commitment at Wave 2 mediated the association between wives' commitment at Wave 1 and wives' marital satisfaction at Wave 3. Extending the VSA model, findings suggest different reciprocal associations between commitment, forgiveness, and different aspects of marital well‐being among Chinese newlywed couples. Results highlight the important role of culture and gender in marital relationships and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guided by the dynamic-transaction model of health, the current study investigated how the interplay between self-esteem and marital instability affects future depressive symptoms. Based on longitudinal data, the present study demonstrated that higher self-esteem was associated with lower marital instability, thus decreasing the likelihood of depressive symptoms. At the same time, an unstable marital relationship was related to lower levels of self-esteem, which in turn increased depressive symptoms. Thus, the results of the current study provided preliminary evidence regarding the effects of the personality-relationship transaction on depressive symptoms. In addition, the prospective associations between personality-relationship transaction and depressive symptoms was not parallel for husbands and wives. For husbands, the indirect pathway from marital instability to their own depressive symptoms via self-esteem was significant. For wives, the indirect pathway from self-esteem to their own depressive symptoms via marital instability was significant. Theoretical implications and future directions for research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study assessed how couples interdependently influence the relationship between family-of-origin triangulation and marital satisfaction across sub-samples in Stage III and Stage IV of the family life cycle. The total sample consisted of 569 couples between 24 and 49 years of age in Beijing, China. The analyses were performed in two sub-samples using the actor-partner interdependence model, a dyadic analysis technique. We found that couples in Stage III reported higher family-of-origin triangulation and less satisfaction and cohesion than couples in Stage IV. Furthermore, couples who lived with their parents or in-laws reported less affectional expression than those who lived on their own. The family-of-origin triangulation of both husbands and wives predicted marital satisfaction in the two sub-samples. Husband marital satisfaction was predicted by wife family-of-origin triangulation in the two sub-samples, whereas wife marital satisfaction was predicted by her own family-of-origin triangulation only in family Stage III. Moreover, model comparisons demonstrated that husband marital satisfaction was predicted equally by his own and his wife's family-of-origin triangulation in the sub-sample of couples in Stage III. In addition, individual marital satisfaction was equally predicted by his/her own and his/her spouse's family-of-origin triangulation in the sub-sample of couples in Stage IV. Family therapists should pay closer attention to intergenerational relationships in China, particularly in couples with young children, and should adopt culturally adapted family intervention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals with greater social capital have better health outcomes. Investment in social capital likely increases one's own social capital, bearing great implications for disease prevention and health promotion. In this study, the authors developed and validated the Social Capital Investment Inventory (SCII). Direct effects of social capital investment on perceived stress, and indirect effects through social capital were examined. 397 Participants from Beijing and Wuhan, China completed surveys. Analyses demonstrated that the SCII has a single factor structure and strong internal consistency. Structural equation modeling showed that individuals who invested more in social capital had greater bonding social capital, and subsequently less perceived stress. Results suggest that disease prevention and health promotion programs should consider approaches to encourage social capital investment; individuals may be able to reduce stress by increasing their investment in social capital. Future research is needed to provide additional empirical support for the SCII and observed structural relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A group of 124 children orphaned by AIDS (COA), who resided in two orphanages funded by the Chinese government, participated in a study investigating the efficacy of a grief-processing-based psychological group intervention. This psychological intervention program was designed to specifically help COA process their grief and reduce their psychological distress. Six sessions of group intervention focused on processing grief, reducing traumatic symptoms and psychological distress, and fostering hope about the future. At the three-month post-test, children in both groups (intervention group and control group) reported significant reduction in trauma symptoms and demonstrated similar levels of hope. However, the intervention group reported significantly increased levels of grief processing and decreased levels of trauma symptoms, depression, and threat appraisal. The intervention group also reported subjective improvements in mood, relationships, individual growth, self-confidence, and perceived social support. These outcomes supported the potential efficacy of grief-processing-based psychological intervention to reduce the psychological distress among COA. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although previous research has noted that outcome expectancies have played an important role in young people’s risk-taking behaviors, few studies have focused on the characteristics of Internet gaming outcome expectancies and their relationships with college students’ Internet gaming behaviors. This study combined self-report questionnaires and the go/no-go association task in examining the characteristics of the explicit and implicit Internet gaming outcome expectancies of 64 college students and their relationships with Internet gaming behaviors. The results indicated that Internet gaming-addicted college students explicitly reported more negative Internet gaming outcome expectancies than positive Internet outcome expectancies, while they unconsciously associated Internet games with positive and negative outcomes simultaneously in daily life. In contrast, the non-addicted group reported a neutral attribute toward Internet gaming outcome expectancies, while they implicitly associated Internet games more with negative outcomes than with positive outcomes in daily life. Moreover, explicit and implicit outcome expectancies did not exhibit significant correlations. Explicit outcome expectancies were correlated with present levels of addiction and indulgence, whereas implicit outcome expectancies were related to the length of time that an individual maintained Internet gaming behavior. Our findings have clinical implications. The findings can be applied to the diagnosing and intervention of Internet gaming addicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is helpful for professional organizations, policy makers and regulators, third-party payers, and clients to have access to empirical data about family therapists and the practice of family therapy. Nevertheless, there is no such data available in China. This study attempts to fill this gap by profiling Chinese family therapists. A questionnaire was designed and delivered to family therapists and trainees. A total of 117 questionnaires were collected and analyzed. The findings show that the majority of Chinese family therapists are female, in the age range of 31-40 years, hold master's degrees, and attend continuous training programs that last 20-40 days over 2-3 years and short-term workshops for family therapy training. They are mainly motivated by the need for personal growth in their career choice. Most of them work in the institutional setting. They have worked in the counseling field for 6.6 years on average, and they have practiced family therapy for an average of 3.4 years. They perform counseling for 9.2 h per week, and 4 h involve working with families. They received an average of 30.6 h of family therapy supervision in the past year. They mainly see individuals and families with adolescents, and their approach is eclectic. This paper compares the findings in China with findings from North America, discusses possible reasons for differences in the findings, and provides suggestions for future development and studies of family therapy in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the recognized importance of HIV testing in prevention, care and treatment, HIV testing remains low in China. Millions of female sex workers (FSW) play a critical role in China's escalating HIV epidemic. Limited data are available regarding HIV testing behavior among this at-risk population. This study, based on a cross-sectional survey of 1,022 FSW recruited from communities in Southwest China, attempted to address the literature gap. Our data revealed that 48% of FSW ever took HIV testing; older age, less education, working in higher-income commercial sex venues and better HIV knowledge were associated with HIV testing. Those who never took HIV testing were more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors including inconsistent condom use with clients and stable partners. A number of psychological and structural barriers to testing were also reported. We call for culturally appropriate interventions to reduce HIV risks and promote HIV testing for vulnerable FSW in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internet addiction among college students has become a serious problem in China. This pilot study involved the development of an online expert system named Healthy Online Self-helping Center (HOSC) as an intervention tool to help those who wish to reduce online usage. The study also explored the effectiveness of HOSC for college students' Internet addiction behavior. Participants ( N = 65) were recruited from a university in Beijing, and were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: using HOSC within a laboratory environment, using HOSC within a natural environment, using a noninteractive program, and a control group. All the participants were asked to answer questionnaires at the baseline and at the 1-month follow-up. The questionnaires included the participants' online hours per week, the legitimate ratio of Internet usage, online satisfaction, and the Young's Diagnostic Questionnaire. The results revealed that HOSC under both natural and laboratory environments could effectively reduce the participants' online hours per week as well as their Young's Diagnostic Questionnaire score, and improve online satisfaction at a 1-month follow-up. Participants using a noninteractive program also had similar results. The article concludes with a discussion of the limitations of the study, as well as the implications of the findings and future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies suggested a rapid increase of HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China in recent years, from 0.4% in 2004 to 5.8% in 2006. However, some MSM had never been tested for HIV. In order to expand the accessibility to HIV testing, understanding HIV-testing behavior and barriers among MSM is important. Using data collected from 307 young migrant MSM (aged 18-29 years) in 2009 in Beijing, we aimed to identify psychological and structural barriers to HIV testing. MSM were recruited through peer outreach, informal social networks, Internet outreach, and venue-based outreach. Participants completed a confidential self-administered questionnaire. Results show that about 72% of MSM ever had an HIV test. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the HIV-testing behavior was associated with sexual risk behaviors (e.g., multiple sexual partners and inconsistent condom use for anal sex) and history of sexually transmitted diseases. Eighty four MSM (28%) who never had an HIV test reported that the psychological barriers mainly were perceived low risk of HIV infection and fears of being stigmatized. The structural barriers reported inconvenience of doing test and lack of confidentiality. Future HIV prevention programs should be strengthened among MSM to increase their awareness of HIV risk. Efforts are needed to increase access to quality and confidential HIV testing among MSM and reduce stigma against MSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]