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Perfectionism is linked to a variety of mental health conditions in university students. Guided by the Perfectionism Social Disconnection Model, the purpose of the current mixed methods feasibility study was to evaluate the acceptability and potential effectiveness of a brief online intervention designed to reduce the negative consequences of perfectionism in university students. Seventy university students (83.9% female; M.sub.age = 19) reporting moderate to extreme levels of perfectionism completed the two hour 'Intentional Imperfection Program' (IIP). The IIP includes techniques to increase mindfulness, compassion for self and others, distress tolerance, and social skills. Participants completed self-report measures at baseline and at a two-week follow-up. Quantitative data showed statistically significant small to moderate reductions in self-oriented perfectionism (d = -0.48, p < .001), socially-prescribed perfectionism (d = 0.40, p < .001), hostility (r = 0.53, p < .001), rejection sensitivity (d = 0.37, p < .001), depression (r = -0.47, p < .001), and anxiety (r = -0.33, p = .010) and a small increase in perceived social support (r = -0.29, p = .023). Thematic analyses of qualitative data indicated that participants found the IIP feasible, enjoyable, and useful. A brief online intervention may be a feasible way of reducing the negative consequences of perfectionism among university students. A randomised control trial is warranted to further evaluate the efficacy of the IIP. This research was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (no. ACTRN12620000574943)., Author(s): Shanara Visvalingam [sup.1] , Hannah L. McHardy [sup.1] , Susanne J. Norder [sup.1] , Natasha R. Magson [sup.1] , Melissa M. Norberg [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.1004.5, 0000 0001 [...]

Social anxiety is a common mental disorder with an average age of onset in early adolescence. Current theories focus largely on risk factors that are present from early in life, but reasons for onset of the disorder as youth move into adolescence are rarely discussed. We recently proposed a model of the onset of certain mental disorders during the adolescent years based on characteristics of adolescent development. While this model will require longitudinal testing, the current article establishes concurrent associations between relevant variables in a cohort of 528 preadolescents (M[subscript age] = 11.2 years) at baseline. Youth with social anxiety disorder differed significantly from other youth on measures of social comparison (including physical appearance comparisons, self-rated attractiveness, and negative peer comparisons on social media) as well as positive peer connections (including self-reported school belonging, number of friends, victimization, and peer affiliation). A structural equation model showed that symptom levels of social anxiety were directly related to social comparisons and peer connections, as well as indirectly associated with pubertal development and social comparisons. This pattern was not moderated by sex of youth.

Objective: Perfectionism is linked to a variety of mental health conditions in university students. The Perfectionism Social Disconnection Model posits that perfectionistic individuals exhibit off‐putting interpersonal behaviors (i.e., rejection sensitivity and hostility), which lead to social disconnection, and in turn contribute to psychological distress. Although several longitudinal studies have found that social disconnection mediates the link between perfectionistic traits and psychological distress, less is known about how perfectionism leads to social disconnection. The present study aimed to address this gap. Methods: A sample of 877 university students completed one survey a month for three consecutive months. Results: Our random‐intercept cross‐lagged panel model results showed significant positive associations between the random intercepts of socially prescribed and self‐oriented perfectionism with rejection sensitivity, hostility, and loneliness, with stronger associations for socially prescribed perfectionism. In addition, the random intercept of other‐oriented perfectionism showed positive associations with hostility but not rejection sensitivity or loneliness. Moreover, almost all cross‐lagged paths were nonsignificant. Conclusion: Collectively, these findings indicate that although perfectionistic traits may be associated with rejection sensitivity and hostility to varying degrees at the between‐person level, these behaviors may not cause social disconnection at the within‐person level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last two decades, social capital has received increasing attention in the international literature. Despite the popularity of the construct, problems concerning definition, theoretical conceptualisation, and measurement continue to plague research and policy in this area. This investigation aimed to address this gap by developing a new social capital instrument to test the theorised nature of the construct. Utilising a sample of 1371 young Australians living in disadvantaged communities, the newly developed Social Capital and Cohesion Scale (SCCS) combined the commonalities in the current theoretical conceptualisations of social capital defining it as a multi-level, multidimensional construct consisting of trust and reciprocity across family, peer, neighbour, and institutional networks. To test the convergent validity of the scale, relations with mental health were also examined. Confirmatory factor analysis results demonstrated that the SCCS was a valid and reliable multidimensional scale, which was invariant across both regional and gender groups. Correlational analysis demonstrated that associations with depression, anxiety, and stress were consistent with past research thereby strengthening the validity of the SCCS measure

This three-wave panel study examined the prospective and bidirectional relationships between parental control of social media use, and parents' and adolescents' perceived time spent on social media over a 2-year period. Adolescents (52% males, T1: M age = 12.19, SD = 0.52) and one of their parents (96% mothers, T1: M age = 45.26, SD = 4.28) completed annual surveys (T1: N = 498, T2: N = 477 and T3: N = 440). Data were analysed using cross-lagged panel models. More adolescent time spent on social media predicted small decreases in parental control 1 year later, but parental control did not predict adolescent time on social media. More parental time spent on social media predicted small increases in adolescent time spent on social media 1 year later, but adolescent use did not predict parent use. Examining factors related to parental use, rather than restriction, may be more effective to reduce adolescents' social media use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explored gender and cross-cultural similarities and differences in the motivational profiles of Indigenous Papua New Guinean (PNG) and Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Secondary students (N = 1,792) completed self-report motivational measures. Invariance testing demonstrated that the Inventory of School Motivation (McInerney, Yeung, & McInerney, 2001) measure was invariant across both gender and Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups. Structural equation modelling (SEM) results explicated that males were significantlMeay more performance orientated than females in all three groups examined; however, the disparity between genders was most apparent in non-Indigenous Australians. Diverging from previous findings with non-Indigenous students, the current study found that PNG and Australian Indigenous males endorsed mastery goals more strongly than Indigenous females. In contrast, non-Indigenous females were more mastery orientated than non-Indigenous males. Finally, the two Indigenous groups endorsed social goals more strongly than the non-Indigenous Australians. The current findings highlight the importance of assessing gender and group differences, as broad statements relating to student motivation do not appear to be applicable in all cultural contexts.

This study addresses the gap in the research for sound multidimensional assessment of social capital and its relationship with risk-taking behaviour among youths living in disadvantaged communities. Social capital and adolescent risk-taking outcomes were studied cross-sectionally in 1371 secondary students living in two disadvantaged communities within Australia. First, a multidimensional measure of social capital was developed and tested using confirmatory factor analysis. Then, the associations between social capital and a range of youth risk-taking behaviours were examined using structural equation modelling across five-year groups (Grades 7–12). With a few exceptions, higher levels of social capital and belongingness within the school and community were generally associated with decreases in smoking, alcohol and drug consumption, and physical violence. Some outcomes were more strongly associated with family and peer social capital, while others associated more with neighbour and community social capital, indicating that attempts to build social capital need to be targeted across the whole community. This study supports the notion that social capital can be measured empirically and is beneficial in alleviating many of the detrimental health outcomes commonly associated with risk-taking behaviours during adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last two decades, social capital has received increasing attention in the international literature. Despite the popularity of the construct, problems concerning definition, theoretical conceptualisation, and measurement continue to plague research and policy in this area. This investigation aimed to address this gap by developing a new social capital instrument to test the theorised nature of the construct. Utilising a sample of 1371 young Australians living in disadvantaged communities, the newly developed Social Capital and Cohesion Scale (SCCS) combined the commonalities in the current theoretical conceptualisations of social capital defining it as a multi-level, multidimensional construct consisting of trust and reciprocity across family, peer, neighbour, and institutional networks. To test the convergent validity of the scale, relations with mental health were also examined. Confirmatory factor analysis results demonstrated that the SCCS was a valid and reliable multidimensional scale, which was invariant across both regional and gender groups. Correlational analysis demonstrated that associations with depression, anxiety, and stress were consistent with past research thereby strengthening the validity of the SCCS measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]