Trajectories of loneliness during childhood and adolescence: predictors and health outcomes

The present study employed latent growth mixture modeling to discern distinct trajectories of loneliness using data collected at 2-year intervals from age 7-17 years (N = 586) and examine whether measures taken at age 5 years were good predictors of group membership. Four loneliness trajectory classes were identified: (1) low stable (37% of the sample), (2) moderate decliners (23%), (3) moderate increasers (18%), and (4) relatively high stable (22%). Predictors at age 5 years for the high stable trajectory were low trust beliefs, low trusting, low peer acceptance, parent reported negative reactivity, an internalizing attribution style, low self-worth, and passivity during observed play. The model also included outcome variables. We found that both the high stable and moderate increasing trajectories were associated with depressive symptoms, a higher frequency of visits to the doctor, and lower perceived general health at age 17. We discuss implications of findings for future empirical work.

The RHSET service as a regional resource: what price support?

The Rural Health Support, Education and Training (RHSET) advisory service has been a valuable tool for rural and remote organisations wishing to submit applications for health and human service grants. It has enhanced the concept of access and equity for groups in rural and remote areas. Support and networking have been strong factors in the service, which has overcome the limitations of inadequate travel and time resources for part-time project officers providing assistance to organisations seeking grants. Intending grant applicants need to be motivated and enthused to keep working on applications, particularly as there is no guarantee of an affirmative outcome. It needs to be recognised that the positive results likely to arise from a full-time regional service should not be thwarted by the lack of a small Commonwealth funding investment. There is considerable potential for the development of support services in terms of the breadth and depth of services offered to rural and remote health workers.

Children's understanding of number words

This research notes gives details of an atypical response to a 'give a number' task by a 34-month-old child. The child clearly demonstrated that he understood the word 'two' to refer to an object rather than to a quantity. This incident offers support to Fuson's (1988) theory of the functionally specific initial acquisition of number word meanings and suggests that Gelman & Meck's (1983) 'principles first' account of the development of counting gives insufficient weight to the role of language and social interaction in the development of early number understanding. The incident also shows that our knowledge of this area of development would benefit from a greater emphasis on longitudinal studies, studies of social context and studies of individual differences in the processes of acquisition.

Sibling quarrels and maternal intervention: individual differences in understanding and aggression

Individual differences in the nature and frequency of conflict behaviour between 18-24 month old children and their older siblings were investigated in a sample of 43 sibling pairs observed at home with their mothers. By 24 months, relatively mature behaviour such as conciliation, teasing, reference to social rules and justification for prohibition were observed. These behaviours were correlated with maternal and sibling reference to social rules and feelings 6 months earlier; physical aggression was correlated with earlier sibling physical aggression and maternal involvement. Sibling status and type of maternal intervention were not related to frequency and duration of sibling conflict.