Allison G. Dempsey

Effects of stress and coping on binge eating in female college students

Limited research exists on the association between stress, coping, and binge eating. To address this paucity, this study explores these associations in a sample of 147 female college students, an at-risk population for binge eating. We hypothesized that emotional and avoidant coping would be positively associated with stress and binge eating. Conversely, we expected that rational and detached coping would be negatively related to stress and binge eating. Furthermore, we expected these coping styles to mediate the relationship between stress and binge eating. As predicted, emotion-focused and avoidant coping were positively associated with stress and binge eating. Additionally, emotion-focused coping partially mediated the relationship between stress and binge eating. However, no association was found between stress, rational or detached coping, and binge eating. These results are discussed within the context of a negative reinforcement model of binge eating. Lastly, the importance of providing evidence-based treatment for individuals with binge eating symptomology is discussed in light of our findings.

Weight-related teasing, emotional eating, and weight control behaviors in Hispanic and African American girls

PURPOSE To assess the association among parent and peer weight-related teasing, emotional eating, and weight control behaviors in minority girls. METHODS 141 Hispanic and African American preadolescent girls (mean age = 11.1 years, SD = 1.5 years) participated. Most of the participants were of Hispanic origin, had a bicultural orientation, and were obese. Participants completed surveys assessing weight-related teasing, emotional eating, weight control behaviors, demographic, and acculturation characteristics. Body weight and height were also assessed. Hierarchical regression analyses were run to determine the associations among study variables. RESULTS Fifty-nine percent of participants reported being weight-related teased by peers and 42% participants reported weight-related teasing by parents. Weight-related teasing by parent was associated with emotional eating and binge eating, whereas peer weight-related teasing was only associated with emotional eating. CONCLUSIONS Findings demonstrated the differential association of weight-related teasing from peers and parents to emotional and binge eating in minority girls.

Patterns of Disclosure Among Youth Who Are HIV-Positive: A Multisite Study

PURPOSE Disclosure of serostatus is critical in preventing the transmission of HIV among youth. The purpose of this exploratory study was to describe serostatus disclosure in a multisite study of youth living with HIV. METHODS This study investigated serostatus disclosure and its relationship to unprotected sex among 146 youth participating in a multisite study of young people living with HIV who were sexually active within the past 3 months. RESULTS Forty percent of participants reported a sexual relationship with a partner to whom they had not disclosed their serostatus. Participants with multiple sexual partners were less likely to disclose their serostatus than those with one partner. Disclosure was more frequent when the serostatus of the sexual partner was known. Disclosure was not associated with unprotected sex. CONCLUSIONS Prevention initiatives should focus on both disclosure and condom use in this high-risk population, particularly for youth with multiple sexual partners.

Bystander Involvement in Peer Victimization: The Value of Looking Beyond Aggressors and Victims

Peer victimization has been a focus of both research and prevention program development. This construct is typically measured from the victim and aggressor perspectives. However, prevention programming often includes an additional bystander perspective. The present study evaluated whether questions regarding witnessing peer victimization constitute a unique perspective. Sixth graders receiving a bullying prevention program were surveyed regarding peer victimization from the victim, aggressor, and bystander perspectives. Factor analyses showed that items from the bystander perspective constituted a unique factor. Given the potential role of bystanders in addressing peer victimization, the bystander perspective should be included in future research and evaluation.

Relational and Overt Victimization in Middle and High Schools: Associations With Self-Reported Suicidality

Overt and relational victimization are associated with psychosocial adjustment problems, though there is a dearth of research to establish the relation between types of victimization and suicidality among middle and high school students. To further understand this association, the current study sought to differentially establish relations between overt and relational victimization and suicidality. The moderating effect of gender on these relations was also investigated. Participants were middle and high school students (N = 1,352) who completed a survey assessing overt and relational victimization and suicidal ideation and attempts as part of a district evaluation of a prevention and intervention program. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that among middle and high school students, overt, but not relational victimization, was associated with increased suicidal ideation and attempts. Gender did not moderate this association. Possible mechanisms to explain this association should be the target of further research.

Cyberbullying among gifted children

Peer victimization, or bullying, is a phenomenon that has received increasing global attention, and the use of technology, or cyberbullying, to bring about acts of bullying has certainly increased as access to various technological tools has escalated. While it is unclear whether this attention is a function of actual increases in cyberbullying or is simply a function of the fact that the same boom in technological access also enables more rapid reporting of such incidents, the reality remains the same: a number of young people use cyberspace as a means for attacking peers. An examination of the literature pertaining to cyberbullying serves as a backdrop for considering cyberbullying and its particular effects on gifted and talented students, and a call for increasing research efforts in this arena is issued.

Developmental trajectories for young children with 16p11.2 copy number variation

Copy number variation at 16p11.2 is associated with diverse phenotypes but little is known about the early developmental trajectories and emergence of the phenotype. This longitudinal study followed 56 children with the 16p11.2 BP4‐BP5 deletion or duplication between the ages of 6 months and 8 years with diagnostic characterization and dimensional assessment across cognitive, adaptive, and behavioral domains. Linear mixed modeling revealed distinct developmental trajectories with deletions showing VIQ gains but declines in motor and social abilities while duplications showed VIQ gains and steady development across other domains. Nonparametric analyses suggest distinct trajectories and early cognitive abilities for deletion carriers who are ultimately diagnosed with intellectual disability and developmental coordination disorder as well as distinct trajectories and early social communication and cognitive abilities for duplication carriers diagnosed with ASD and intellectual disability. Findings provide predictions for patient developmental trajectories, insight into mean functioning of individuals with 16p11.2 at early ages, and highlight the need for ongoing monitoring of social and motor functioning and behavioral symptomatology to improve treatment planning.

Race and Ethnicity in School Psychology Publications: A Content Analysis and Comparison to Publications in Related Disciplines

Previous research has examined the quantity and types of diversity-related research in the field of school psychology, revealing gaps in the literature. Extension of this line of research with current data and comparison to related disciplines is needed. This study used content analysis to address these issues, with a specific focus on the racial and ethnic dimension of diversity. Specifically, this study examined and compared the quantity and types of peer-reviewed journal articles related to race/ethnicity within school psychology, special education, and professional school counseling. Three journals from each of these three disciplines from 2008–2010 were identified and coded using systematic procedures, and data were analyzed descriptively. Of the three professions, school psychology journals devoted the least amount of coverage to race/ethnicity-related issues with professional school counseling journals publishing over twice the amount of articles on race/ethnicity in the same time period. Additional results, interpretations, implications, and limitations are provided.

Parental report of vaccine receipt in children with autism spectrum disorder: Do rates differ by pattern of ASD onset?

A contentious theory espoused by some parents is that regressive-onset of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is triggered by vaccines. If this were true, then vaccine receipt should be higher in children with regressive-onset ASD compared with other patterns of onset. Parental report of rate of receipt for six vaccines (DPT/DTaP, HepB, Hib, polio, MMR, varicella) was examined in children with ASD (N=2755) who were categorized by pattern of ASD onset (early onset, plateau, delay-plus-regression, regression). All pairwise comparisons were significantly equivalent within a 10% margin for all vaccines except varicella, for which the delay-plus-regression group had lower rates of receipt (81%) than the early-onset (87%) and regression (87%) groups. Findings do not support a connection between regressive-onset ASD and vaccines in this cohort.

Peer Victimization and Social Anxiety: An Exploration of Coping Strategies as Mediators

This study examined the relationship between recalled peer victimization, coping styles, and current social anxiety. College students (N = 298, 87.9% female) completed a demographic questionnaire, the Recalled Victimization Questionnaire- Revised (RVQ-R), the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation (BFNE), and the Coping Styles Questionnaire (CSQ). Three separate linear regression analyses were performed to test for mediation of coping style on the relationship among peer victimization and symptoms of social anxiety. Emotional coping was confirmed as a partially mediating variable between peer victimization and social anxiety through Sobel’s (1982) test for mediation. The results of this mediational analysis emphasize the importance of focusing on coping strategies among adolescents who experience peer victimization.