Connections matter: Adolescent social connectedness profiles and mental well-being over time.

INTRODUCTION: This study examined profiles of social connectedness among early adolescents in grade 7 before the COVID-19 pandemic was declared (Winter 2020), and in grade 8 during the second Wave of the pandemic (Winter 2021). METHOD: Linked data from 1753 early adolescents (49% female) from British Columbia, Canada who completed the Middle Years Development Instrument survey in grades 7 and 8 were used. Participants reported on life satisfaction, depressive symptoms, and connectedness with peers and adults at home, school and in the community. We used Latent Profile Analysis to identify connectedness profiles at both time points, and Latent Transition Analysis to examine transitions in connectedness profiles over time. Multiple regression analyses examined the associations between profile membership in grade 7 and mental well-being in grade 8, and the associations between transitions in profile membership (i.e., increase vs. decrease in connectedness over time) and mental well-being. RESULTS: Connectedness in multiple domains in grade 7 was related to significantly higher levels of mental well-being in grade 8, controlling for demographics, well-being in grade 7, and COVID-related mental health worries. Well-being was highest when students felt highly connected in all domains and lowest when they felt lower levels of connection. Increases in connectedness were associated with improvements in mental well-being and decreases with a decline in well-being over time. CONCLUSIONS: Experiencing connectedness with peers and adults is critical for the mental well-being in early adolescence. Providing opportunities to connect is important in the context of major societal challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Teacher mental health and workplace well-being in a global crisis: Learning from the challenges and supports identified by teachers one year into the COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia, Canada.

The COVID-19 pandemic and related school disruptions have led to increased concerns for the mental health of teachers. This study investigated how the challenges and systemic supports perceived by teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with their mental health and workplace well-being. This cross-sectional, survey-based study was conducted in February 2021, just prior to the third wave of the pandemic in British Columbia (BC), Canada (N = 1,276). Four multivariable linear regression models examined the associations between teachers' pandemic-related challenges (pandemic-related personal stressors, teacher workload, difficulty implementing safety measures, meeting students' needs), systemic supports (education system mental health and well-being support), and four mental health (psychological distress, and quality of life) and workplace well-being outcomes (job-related positive affect, turnover intentions), adjusting for sociodemographic and school characteristics. The Pratt index (d) was used to assess the relative importance of each predictor. A thematic qualitative analysis was conducted on teachers' open-ended responses. Teachers' workplace well-being (job-related positive affect and turnover intentions) was predominantly associated with their perceptions of education system support for their mental health and well-being (d = 46%, d = 41%, respectively). The most important predictor of general mental health (psychological distress and quality of life) was the number of COVID-19 related personal stressors teachers reported (d = 64%, d = 43%, respectively). The qualitative analyses corroborated and expanded upon the quantitative findings. Understanding pandemic-related challenges and supports impacting teacher mental health and workplace well-being equips us to make evidence-informed policy decisions to support teachers now and in future school disruptions.

The effectiveness of a school mindfulness-based intervention on the neural correlates of inhibitory control in children at risk: A randomized control trial.

Interest in the applications of mindfulness practice in education is growing in the scientific community. Recent research has shown that mindfulness practice in schools may be beneficial for executive functions (EFs) which are abilities crucial for healthy development. The study of the effects of mindfulness practices on children's neural correlates of EFs, particularly inhibitory control, may provide relevant information about the impact and mechanisms of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in children. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a MBI in elementary school children on the neural correlates of inhibitory control via a randomized controlled trial. Children from two 4th grade classrooms and two 5th grade classrooms located in a school identified as having low socioeconomic status in Santiago de Chile were randomly assigned to either receive a MBI or serve as active controls and receive a social skills program. Both before and after the interventions, electroencephalographic activity was recorded during a modified version of the Go/Nogo task in a subsample of children in each group. Additionally, teachers completed questionnaires of students' EFs and students completed self-report measures. Results revealed increases in EFs assessed by questionnaires together with improved P3 amplitude associated with successful response inhibition in children who received the MBI compared to active controls. These results contribute to the understanding of the ways in which mindfulness practices can promote the development of inhibitory control together with EF improvement, factors identified as critical for children's social and emotional development and positive mental health. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: This study investigated the effects of a mindfulness-based intervention in children from a low socioeconomic status school on neural correlates of EFs. Children performed a Go/Nogo task while electroencephalographic activity was recorded and completed questionnaires before and after a MBI or an active control program. Improvements in EFs assessed by questionnaires together with an increased Nogo-P3 activity associated with successful inhibition in children who received the MBI were found. The results could contribute to understand how mindfulness practice can promote the development of inhibitory control in children from vulnerable populations.

A cross-sectional study of organized activity participation and emotional wellbeing among non-immigrant and immigrant-origin children in British Columbia, Canada.

Organized activity participation has been linked to children's emotional wellbeing. However, a scarcity of literature considers the role of immigrant background. This study's primary objective was to measure the association between organized activity participation and emotional wellbeing among a population-based sample of Grade 7 children in British Columbia, Canada. We also examined whether this relationship depended on immigration background. Our sample included 14,406 children (47.8% female; mean age = 12.0 years). 9,393 (65.2%) children were of non-immigrant origin (48.9% female; mean age = 12.1 years). 5,013 children (34.8%) were of immigrant origin (45.8% female; mean age = 12.0 years; 40.8% first-generation). Participants completed the Middle Years Development Instrument, a self-report survey measuring children's wellbeing and assets. We used odds ratios and the χ2 test to compare the organized activity participation of non-immigrant and immigrant-origin children. We used multiple linear regression to measure associations between participation and indicators of emotional wellbeing and assessed whether associations varied based on immigrant background, controlling for demographic factors and peer belonging. Participation in any activity was similar among non-immigrant and immigrant-origin children (OR1st-gen=1.06, p=0.37; OR2nd-gen=0.97, p=0.62). Immigrant generation status modified the relationship between participation and emotional wellbeing (χSWL 2=3.69, p=0.03; χDep 2=12.31, p<0.01). Beneficial associations between participation and both life satisfaction and depressive symptoms were observed among non-immigrant children only, although associations were small. We conclude that immigrant background modestly modified the association between organized activity participation and emotional wellbeing.

Early Adolescents' Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Changes in Their Well-Being.

Background: Early adolescence is a time of psychological and social change that can coincide with declines in mental health and well-being. This study investigated the psychological and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of students who responded to a survey in Grades 7 and 8 (ages 12-14) in British Columbia (BC), Canada. The objectives of this study were (i) to provide an overview on early adolescents' experiences and social-emotional well-being during the pandemic; and (ii) to examine whether changes in social experiences as well as feeling safe from getting COVID-19 at school were associated with changes in well-being outcomes over the course of a year. Methods: A sample of n = 1,755 students from a large public school district self-reported on their life satisfaction, optimism, and symptoms of sadness across two time points: First, in their Grade 7 year (pre-pandemic; January to March, 2020) and then 1 year later in their Grade 8 year (during the pandemic; January to March, 2021). In Grade 8, students also reported on pandemic-specific experiences, including changes in mental health, social relationships, and activities, as well as coping strategies and positive changes since the pandemic. Data were collected online using the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI), a population-based self-report tool that assesses children's social-emotional development and well-being in the context of their home, school, and neighborhood. Multivariable linear regression analyses were used to examine associations between pandemic-related changes in relationships and perceived safety from getting COVID-19 at school with changes in well-being outcomes. Results: Students reported a range of experiences, with a large proportion reporting moderate concerns and impacts of the pandemic, including worries about their mental health and missing school activities. Students reported significantly lower optimism, lower life satisfaction, and higher sadness compared to the previous year. Within the sample, improvements in relationships with parents and other adults at home was associated with higher well-being during the pandemic. Implications: Results from this study can inform decision making of policy-makers, educators, and practitioners working with youth, by providing information on students' experiences during the pandemic and identifying factors that may be protective for students' mental health during and beyond the pandemic.

Social context factors and refugee children's emotional health.

BACKGROUND: Refugee children face numerous challenges associated with pre-migration trauma and post-migration adaptation. Much research pertaining to refugee children's well-being focuses on psychiatric symptoms. Relatively few studies have examined how social context factors-such as perceptions of peer belonging, and support from adults at home and at school-contribute to the emotional health of refugee children. Informed by social-ecological theories emphasizing dynamic interactions between the contexts in which children develop, we examined associations between social context factors and emotional health in refugee children. METHODS: Data were drawn from a population-based data linkage in British Columbia, Canada. The analytic sample included 682 grade 4 students (Mage 9.2 years; 46.3% female) with a refugee background who responded to the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI) during the 2010/2011-2016/2017 school years. The MDI is a self-report survey of children's social and emotional competencies and social context factors completed at school. Regression analyses were used to examine associations of social context factors (school climate, supportive adults at school and at home, and peer belonging) with indicators of emotional health (life satisfaction, self-concept, optimism, and sadness). Refugee generation status (first/second) was considered through stratification and testing of interactions with social context factors. RESULTS: Perceived supportive school climate, support from adults in school and at home, and peer belonging were each independently associated with better emotional health. Results were similar for first- and second-generation children. CONCLUSION: Taken together, results suggest a unique role of the school context to refugee children's emotional health. School-based programming that promotes positive school climate can be considered as an important approach to support newcomer refugee children and their families.

A randomized trial comparing group mindfulness-based cognitive therapy with group supportive sex education and therapy for the treatment of female sexual interest/arousal disorder.

Objective: Sexual interest/arousal disorder (SIAD) is the most prevalent sexual dysfunction in women. Our goal was to compare (a) group mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) plus sex education with (b) group supportive sex education and therapy (STEP) for women with SIAD. Method: Eight-session treatments were delivered weekly and participants completed the measures of sexual desire and arousal, sexual distress, relationship satisfaction, rumination, and global impressions of change, at baseline, immediately posttreatment, and at 6- and 12-month posttreatment. Of 148 women who consented, 70 were randomized to MBCT (mean age 39.3 ± 13.2 years) and 78 were randomized to STEP (mean age 37.9 ± 12.2 years). Results: Sexual desire and arousal significantly improved at each time point relative to baseline, with large effect sizes (d = -1.29 to -1.60), and similarly for MBCT and STEP. Sexual distress also improved at each time point with large effect sizes (d = 0.83-1.17), and more so for MBCT relative to STEP. Relationship satisfaction significantly improved (d = -0.17 to -0.20), and rumination about sex improved significantly in both arms, with medium effect sizes (d = 0.42-0.69), with both outcomes responding more to MBCT. About half the participants across both treatments reported moderate or great improvements in global indicators of desire and overall sexuality. Conclusions: Results support the efficacy of both group MBCT and group supportive sex education for improving symptoms of SIAD with 12-month retention of improvements. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

A Yoga Intervention for Young Children: Self-Regulation and Emotion Regulation.

Yoga-based interventions have been implemented in schools and demonstrated promising results on students' self-regulation outcomes. Nevertheless, there is limited literature on the effects that yoga may have for children in the early primary grades, despite the evidence demonstrating that this is an opportune period in development for early self-regulation. Few studies have focused on young children living in the context of economic difficulty, which can hinder children's development of self-regulatory skills and educational trajectories. The effects of an eight-week yoga intervention on economically disadvantaged pre-kindergarten and kindergarten children's self-regulation and emotion regulation were examined via a paired within-subjects comparison study. Nine classrooms were assigned to the yoga intervention (Treatment First, TxFirst; n = 90) or a wait-list control group (Treatment Second, TxSecond; n = 64). All children were assessed at pre-intervention (Time 1), post-intervention assessment for TxFirst (Time 2), and post-intervention assessment for TxSecond (Time 3). Children demonstrated significant predicted gains on a behavioral task of self-regulation and declines in teacher-rated submissive venting and total behavior problems. Implications for future research are discussed, with a focus on including follow-up assessments and multiple dimensions of fidelity of implementation.

Naturalistic development of trait mindfulness: A longitudinal examination of victimization and supportive relationships in early adolescence.

Scholars have only just begun to examine elements of young adolescents' social ecologies that explain naturalistic variation in trait mindfulness and its development over time. We argue that trait mindfulness develops as a function of chronically encountered ecologies that are likely to foster or thwart the repeated enactment of mindful states over time. Using data from 4,593 fourth and seventh grade students (50% female; MageG4 = 9.02; 71% English first language) from 32 public school districts in British Columbia (BC), Canada, we examined links from peer belonging, connectedness with adults at home, and peer victimization to mindfulness over time. Variable-centered analyses indicated that young adolescents with lower victimization in fourth grade reported higher mindfulness in seventh grade, and that cross-sectionally within seventh grade victimization, peer belonging, and connectedness with adults at home were each associated with mindfulness. Contrary to our hypothesis, connectedness with adults at home moderated the longitudinal association between victimization and mindfulness such that the negative association was stronger among young adolescents with high (vs. low) levels of connectedness with adults at home. Person-centered analysis of the fourth graders' data confirmed our variable-centered findings, yielding four latent classes of social ecology whose mindfulness levels in seventh grade largely tracked with their victimization levels (from highest to lowest mindfulness): (1) flourishing relationships, (2) unvictimized but weak relationships with adults, (3) moderately victimized but strong relationships, and (4) victimized but strong relationships. Overall, our findings contribute to a growing body of evidence indicating that trait mindfulness may develop as a function of ecologically normative experiences in young adolescents' everyday lives.

Screen time and extracurricular activities as risk and protective factors for mental health in adolescence: A population-level study.

This study examines adolescents' (N = 28,712; 49% female; Mage = 12.25, SDage = 0.51) recreational screen time and participation in extracurricular activities during after-school hours in association to indicators of positive (optimism, satisfaction with life) and negative (anxiety, depressive symptoms) mental health and wellbeing. Data were drawn from a population-level study with the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI) with grade 7 students in British Columbia (BC), Canada. The research was implemented in public school districts between 2014 and 2018. We found that adolescents who participated in extracurricular activities (e.g., sports, arts programs, community programs) were significantly less likely to engage in recreational screen-based activities (e.g., watching programs, browsing the internet, playing computer games) for 2 or more hours after school. Findings from Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling analyses showed that extracurricular participation was associated with higher levels of satisfaction with life and optimism, and lower levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms. In contrast, longer screen time (≥2 h/day) was associated with lower levels of satisfaction with life and optimism, and higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms; shorter screen time (<2 h/day) was associated with favorable mental health and wellbeing. For screen time, the effect was moderated by gender; the association between longer screen time and poorer mental health and wellbeing was significantly more pronounced for girls than boys. For both boys and girls, mental health and wellbeing were most favorable if they participated in extracurricular activities and reported less than 2 h of recreational screen time per day.

Benefits of Extracurricular Participation in Early Adolescence: Associations with Peer Belonging and Mental Health.

Extracurricular participation plays an important role in positive youth development. Yet, little is known about the stability and change in extracurricular participation from middle childhood to early adolescence. Also, there is a gap in knowledge about the underlying processes that drive developmental outcomes associated with extracurricular participation. The present study examined transitions in extracurricular participation from grade 4 to 7, and investigated whether shifting from non-participation to participation in activities was associated with better mental health, considering peer belonging as a mediator. Latent Class Analyses of early adolescents' (50% female) self-reports on the Middle Years Development Instrument in grades 4 and 7 (N = 10,149) revealed four clusters of extracurricular involvement at both grade levels (i.e., "no activities", "all activities", "sports only", "individual activities"). Latent Transition Analysis showed that young people were most likely to stay in the same activities cluster from grade 4 to 7. About 10% were non-participants in grade 4 and had moved to activities by grade 7. In this subgroup, moving from non-participation to both sports and to all activities was associated with better mental health over time; this pathway was fully mediated by higher levels of peer belonging. The results suggest that supporting non-participants to join extracurricular activities can have implications for their mental health. Practical implications for communities, such as removing potential barriers to involvement before the onset of adolescence, are discussed.

Measuring 8 to 12 year old children's self-report of power imbalance in relation to bullying: development of the Scale of Perceived Power Imbalance.

BACKGROUND: While power imbalance is now recognized as a key component of bullying, reliable and valid measurement instruments have yet to be developed. This research aimed to develop a self-report instrument that measures power imbalance as perceived by the victim of frequent aggressive behavior. METHODS: A mixed methods approach was used (468 participants, Grade 4 to 6). This paper describes the exploratory (n = 111) and confirmatory factor analysis of the new instrument (n = 337), and assessment of reliablity and construct validity. RESULTS: A 2-factor model represented physical and social aspects of power imbalance (n = 127: normed chi-square = 1.2, RMSEA = .04, CF1 = .993). The social factor included constructs of group and peer valued characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: This research will enhance health and education professionals understanding of power imbalance in bullying and will inform the design and evaluation of interventions to address bullying in children.

Extracurricular activity profiles and wellbeing in middle childhood: A population-level study.

This study examined profiles of participation in extracurricular activities (ECAs) in 4th grade children (N = 27,121; Mean age = 9.20 years; SD = .54; 51% male) in British Columbia, Canada. Latent class analyses were used to establish activity profiles and determine class membership; ANCOVA was used to investigate differences in mental wellbeing (optimism, life satisfaction, self-concept) and perceived overall health between groups. Data came from a cross-sectional, population-level child self-report survey (i.e., the Middle Years Development Instrument) implemented with 4th grade children in public schools. We found four distinct ECA profiles: participation in "All Activities", "No activities", "Sports" (i.e., individual and team sports), and "Individual activities" (i.e., educational programs, arts/music, individual sports). Wellbeing and health scores were highest for children in the "All Activities" and the "Sports" clusters, and lowest for those in "No Activities" and the cluster reflecting individual activities (i.e., "Individual activities"). Results are discussed in the context of previous research, and with respect to practical relevance.

Preadolescent children's perception of power imbalance in bullying: A thematic analysis.

Bullying in schools is associated with an extensive public health burden. Bullying is intentional and goal oriented aggressive behavior in which the perpetrator exploits an imbalance of power to repeatedly dominate the victim. To differentiate bullying from aggressive behavior, assessment must include a valid measure of power imbalance as perceived by the victim. And yet, to date, there remains no agreement as to how to most accurately measure power imbalance among preadolescent children. This qualitative study explored children's (age 9 to 11) understanding of power imbalance through thematic analysis of focus group discussions. Subthemes that emerged as influencing power imbalance include: age of victim, peer valued characteristics, and group membership and position. Subthemes of empathy and peer valued characteristics emerged as protecting against the negative impact of power imbalance.

Positive mental health and supportive school environments: A population-level longitudinal study of dispositional optimism and school relationships in early adolescence.

OBJECTIVES: The present study examined the degree to which early adolescents' relationship experiences in school (i.e., peer group belonging, peer victimization, and supportive relationships with adults)-at the individual level and at the school-level-were associated with their dispositional optimism, concurrently and over time. METHOD: Self-report data from over 4000 4th and 7th graders were obtained via a population-level measure designed to assess students' supportive relationships, well-being, and resilience (i.e., the Middle Years Development Instrument). An indicator for family income (SES) was obtained through tax filer information. RESULTS: Multilevel modeling revealed that in Grade 4, greater peer belonging, fewer experiences of peer victimization, and higher levels of adult support in school were linked to higher optimism, above and beyond the effects of sex, age, English as a Second Language (ESL), and SES. Additionally, school-wide levels of peer belonging and adult support (i.e., indicators of a supportive social school climate) were significant positive school-level predictors of optimism. Longitudinally, school-wide peer belonging in Grade 4 was associated to increases in students' optimism from 4th to 7th grade. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that positive relationship experiences in school are key contributors to positive mental health, over and above the absence of negative relationship experiences (i.e., victimization). These findings also suggest that being embedded in a school with a positive social relational climate contributes to students' current and future positive mental health, over and above individual relationships with peers and adults. The present research extends previous research by identifying contextual assets that are linked to dispositional optimism and can be applied in the context of school-based intervention programs to promote positive mental health in schools.

The Satisfaction with Life Scale adapted for Children: Measurement invariance across gender and over time.

This paper examined measurement invariance (MI), both across gender and over time, of the Satisfaction With Life Scale adapted for Children (SWLS-C). Adapted from the adult SWLS, the SWLS-C is a self-report measure for children and adolescents to assess their life satisfaction. The sample comprised elementary school students in British Columbia, Canada (n = 4,026) who responded to the SWLS-C in Grade 4 (M(age) = 9.3, SD = 0.6; 48.9% girls) and approximately 3 years later in Grade 7. We examined MI regarding gender, time, and both gender and time (i.e., interactional invariance) using Clustered Repeated Measures Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis with a mean- and variance-adjusted weighted least squares (WLSMV) estimation. Residual invariance by gender was supported at Grades 4 and 7; scalar invariance was supported longitudinally for each gender and overall. In the "interactional" model, including gender and time, analyses indicated scalar MI, but not residual MI. Analyses of latent factor means indicated that SWLS-C scores significantly decreased for both girls and boys from Grade 4 to Grade 7. The decrease was more pronounced for girls, but gender differences at either age were not significant. The pattern of observed mean scores differed, as it indicated no significant decrease for boys' SWLS-C scores, but significant gender differences at both time points. However, given the lack of residual invariance, comparisons of observed SWLS-C mean scores across gender and over time may be compromised. The different results for latent and observed mean SWLS-C scores highlight the importance of routinely conducting MI analyses for group comparisons. (PsycINFO Database Record

A population-based analysis of life satisfaction and social support among children of diverse backgrounds in British Columbia, Canada.

PURPOSE: The Satisfaction With Life Scale adapted for Children (SWLS-C) is a self-report measure of children's quality of life and has exhibited sound psychometric properties. In light of increasing ethno-cultural diversity, it is important to understand child life satisfaction across diverse subgroups. Employing children's language background as a proxy for cultural background among children in British Columbia, Canada, we examined (a) the cross-cultural measurement equivalence of the SWLS-C; and (b) cross-cultural relations of peer support and adult support with SWLS-C. METHODS: Participants were 20,119 children (Mage 9.2; 50.2% boys) who provided data as part of a self-report child health survey (the Middle-years Development Instrument). Measurement equivalence across eight language/cultural background groups was tested via multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. Multi-level analyses were used to compare: a) SWLS-C means; and b) associations of peer support and adult support with SWLS-C scores, by language/cultural background. RESULTS: Findings supported strict measurement equivalence between the English language/cultural background group and all other language/cultural background groups for the SWLS-C. Relative to the English language background group, SWLS-C means differed for several language/cultural background groups. Within every language/cultural background group, however, peer and adult support scale scores were significant positive correlates of SWLS-C scores. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided evidence for measurement equivalence of a life satisfaction measure across children from diverse language/cultural backgrounds and identified between-group differences in the level of child life satisfaction that were generally consistent with prior theory and findings. Moreover, results provided evidence of promotive associations of adult support and peer support with life satisfaction among diverse groups of children.

The Factors That Influence and Protect Against Power Imbalance in Covert Bullying Among Preadolescent Children at School: A Thematic Analysis.

In this article, the perceptions of preadolescent children (ages 9-11) regarding factors that influence and protect against power imbalance associated with covert aggression and bullying are explored. In aggression research, the term covert has been typically used to describe relational, indirect, and social acts of aggression that are hidden. These behaviors contrast with overt physical and verbal aggression. Children have previously conveyed their belief that covert aggression is harmful because adults do not see it even though children, themselves, are aware. We used focus groups to explore children's understanding of covert aggression and to identify children's experience and perception of adult support in relation to bullying. Thematic analysis supported the definition of covert aggression as that which is intentionally hidden from adults. Friendship, social exclusion, and secret from teacher were identified as factors that influence power imbalance, while support from friends and adult support protected against power imbalance.

Afternoon cortisol provides a link between self-regulated anger and peer-reported aggression in typically developing children in the school context.

Aggression jeopardizes positive development in children and predicts social and academic maladjustment in school. The present study determined the relationships among anger dysregulation (a marker of emotion regulation), cortisol activity (a biomarker of stress), and peer-nominated aggression in typically developing children in their everyday classroom setting (N = 151, Mean age = 10.86, SD =.74). Salivary cortisol was collected at 09:15, 11:45, and 14:45 hr across 4 consecutive days. Children provided self-reports of anger regulation; peers reported proactive and reactive aggressive behaviors. Hierarchical linear regression analyses, followed by a bootstrapping analysis identified basal afternoon cortisol as a significant mediator between anger regulation and peer-reported aggression. More dysregulated anger significantly predicted lower afternoon cortisol, which in turn predicted increased peer-reported aggression. These results align with previous research on links among hypocortisolism, emotional regulation, and behavior, and suggest a possible meditational pathway between emotion and behavior regulation via decreased afternoon cortisol levels.

Cultivating teacher mindfulness: Effects of a randomized controlled trial on work, home, and sleep outcomes.

The effects of randomization to a workplace mindfulness training (WMT) or a waitlist control condition on teachers' well-being (moods and satisfaction at work and home), quantity of sleep, quality of sleep, and sleepiness during the day were examined in 2 randomized, waitlist controlled trials (RCTs). The combined sample of the 2 RCTs, conducted in Canada and the United States, included 113 elementary and secondary school teachers (89% female). Measures were collected at baseline, postprogram, and 3-month follow-up; teachers were randomly assigned to condition after baseline assessment. Results showed that teachers randomized to WMT reported less frequent bad moods at work and home, greater satisfaction at work and home, more sleep on weekday nights, better quality sleep, and decreased insomnia symptoms and daytime sleepiness. Training-related group differences in mindfulness and rumination on work at home at postprogram partially mediated the reductions in negative moods at home and increases in sleep quality at follow-up. (PsycINFO Database Record