In 2015, the University of Southern California (USC) began a longitudinal, mixed-methods evaluation of the Thompson Scholars Learning Communities (TSLC), a comprehensive college transition program that provides students with multiple, integrated types of support. The evaluation as a whole examined whether, how, and why TSLC, as implemented at the…

This study investigated the relationships between social and emotional learning factors and course failure for 9,308 7th-9th graders. Student self-report measures of social and emotional learning (SEL) and biographical factors (ACT® Engage® Grades 6-9) were analyzed through multiple regression models with propensity score weighting techniques. The…

This paper examines the effects of mindfulness practice through "pranayama," hatha yoga, and meditation on practicing teachers in an inner city school to determine if practices of this nature could contribute to sustainable sense of self, sustainable happiness, and well-being for practicing teachers and pre-service teachers. Furthermore,…

The paper considers key risks of cultural and civilizational integration of the Russian-Ukrainian border region. Proceeding from the sociological surveys conducted, the following typical cultural and civilizational identities of the population of border regions of Russia and Ukraine are singled out: Russian, Ukrainian, Slavic, European, mondialist…

This study (N = 202; mean age = 19.52 years, SD = 1.36 years; 66.5% female) analyzed three structural equation models to determine whether ruminative brooding and negative affect, moderated by shame proneness, explained college student drinking behaviors more than a model without shame proneness. Results indicated a model including shame proneness…

Many late adolescents who transition to the college environment perceive changes in psychosocial stress. One such stressor, loneliness, has been associated with numerous health problems among adolescents and adults. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is one mechanism through which loneliness may affect health. Guided by a risk and resilience…

This exploratory study was designed to examine the beliefs of youth users of alcohol and marijuana about the connections between their substance use and dating violence perpetration. Eighteen youth (ages 14-20 years old), who were primarily of Black or Hispanic race/ethnicity, participated in in-depth interviews about times when they had…

There have been long-standing differences of opinion regarding the influence of the face relative to that of contextual information on how individuals process and judge facial expressions of emotion. However, developmental changes in how individuals use such information have remained largely unexplored and could be informative in attempting to…

This paper draws on findings from a two-year study of gender and gender transgression among school children and youth in rural Ontario, Canada conducted while running gender equity workshops for students aged 8-18 years, in which I asked participants to document what gender looked and felt like. Through writing prompts, pictures, discussion and…

This qualitative study traces different articulations of the public, emotional honesty, and economic advantage in the literacy sponsorship of detained writer Lil' Purp by "The Beat Within," a publication for incarcerated youth and adults. Findings are compared to "The Beat"'s own account of Purp's progress, revealing a set of…

Plausibility judgments rarely have been addressed empirically in conceptual change research. Recent research, however, suggests that these judgments may be pivotal to conceptual change about certain topics where a gap exists between what scientists and laypersons find plausible. Based on a philosophical and empirical foundation, this article…

The experience of academic boredom among students may be universal; in fact, almost all students complain at least occasionally about being bored in class or while studying. Despite the perceived negative influence of boredom on learning, there has been no synthesis of empirical findings underscoring how boredom relates to academic outcomes.…

Previous characterizations of rumination do not account for why a reflective style of ruminative response to negative mood, as opposed to a brooding style, is linked with greater creativity--especially when indecision is high. Moreover, less is known about ruminative responses to positive mood. The purpose of this investigation is to demonstrate…

This study was designed as a preliminary study (N = 33) to explore the effects of gender and academic achievement (Cumulative Grade Point Average-CGPA) on polytechnic students' learning outcomes when exposed to Multimedia Learning Environments (MLE) designed to induce emotions. Three designs namely positive (PosD), neutral (NeuD) and negative…

Background: Interventions aimed at reducing bullying behavior commonly target the development of empathy. Yet, few longitudinal studies have investigated how empathy levels vary with bullying and victimization over time, especially during the transition to middle school. Objective: To that end, the purpose of the present study was to: (1) examine…