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New Study!

Profiles of Bullying and Victimization in Adolescents with Special Education Needs

The purpose of the current study is to gain a better understanding of bullying/victimization experienced by adolescents with special needs and to determine why such behaviours occur. Although there is a growing interest in bullying behaviour with typically developing adolescents, very little research has investigated this problem in a special needs population. We are especially interested in adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, High Functioning Autism, or a Learning Disability.

As a participant in this study, adolescents will be asked to participate in a number of standardized tests as well as a number of experimental tasks designed to explore their cognitive, social, emotional, and linguistic behaviour, as well as their experiences of bullying/victimization. Parents will be asked to complete a few questionnaires about their child’s daily behaviour, as well as their child’s experiences with bullying and/or victimization

This study will help educators and others to better understand bullying and victimization experienced by adolescents with special needs. Moreover, the findings of this research will be helpful in developing specific bullying prevention programs for various special needs populations.

Patricia Kloosterman

Emotion and Health Research Lab

Trent University, Peterborough, ON

705-748-1011 Ext. 7644

Email:Patricia Kloosterman

Other Research Activities

The Trent Gambling/Internet Use/Video Gaming Project
The Peterborough Family Project (PFP)
Trent Academic Success and Wellness Project (TASWP)
Peterborough Sleep Assessment Project

The Trent Gambling Project

Overview:

Work on the prevalence of problem video gaming, internet use and gambling in adolescent groups has focused almost exclusively on the use of general population samples. While this is an important early step in the process of understanding the social and mental health implications of such behaviours, further research needs to extend this work to the study of at-risk populations. One population that has received sparse research attention, yet appears to be at elevated risk for addiction-related problems, are adolescents experiencing various learning difficulties. In a recent study, Parker and Khattak (2007) found that the rate of pathological gambling in older adolescents with clinical and sub-clinical levels of learning disorders was approximately double (17%) the rate found in a community-based sample from the same geographic area. As well, these researchers found that gambling related behaviours were positively related to video gaming and internet use. The main objective of the proposed research project is to examine the role of learning disabilities (LD) as risk factors for problem video gaming, internet use and gambling in adolescent youth. The questions addressed by the research will provide new knowledge on the extent of such problems in this unique population: the kinds of learning deficits and co-morbid emotional and behavioural problems that are most strongly associated with video gaming, internet use and gambling issues in this group; and the unique and shared contributions of known social-emotional and cognitive vulnerabilities to the prediction of problem video gaming ,internet use, and gambling that are specific to this study population.

Preliminary Findings:

Wood, L. M., Parker, J. D. A., Kristensen, H. A., Kloosterman, P., & Taylor, R. N. (2009, August). Addiction-related behaviors in a clinical outpatient sample of adolescents: Relationship with emotional and social competency. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Ontario.

Parker, J. D. A., Taylor, R. N., Eastabrook, J. M., Schell, S. L., & Wood, L. M. (2008). Problem gambling in adolescence: Relationships with internet misuse, gaming abuse and emotional intelligence. Personality and Individual Differences, 45, 174-180.

Schell, S. L., Wood, L. M., Parker, J. D. A., & Khattak, S. (2008, June). ADHD as a risk factor for adolescent gambling. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Wood, L. M., Taylor, R. N., & Parker, J. D. A. (2006, June). ADHD in Young Adulthood: A Risk Factor for Pathological Gambling. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Calgary, AB.

Parker, J. D. A., Wood, L. M., Bond, B. J., & Shaughnessy, P. (2005). Alexithymia in young adulthood: A risk-factor for pathological gambling. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 74, 51-55.

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The Peterborough Family Project

Overview:

The PFP is a series of individual studies that examine the development of emotional and social competencies (or abilities) in children and adolescents. One area of interest is the link between these abilities and academic achievement. Several studies also examine the relationship between emotional and social competency and the development of various psychological and behavioural problems (e.g., depression, social anxiety, impulsivity, hyperactivity, and sleep) in community based and clinical samples of children and adolescents.

Preliminary Findings:

Keefer, K., Wood, L. M., & Parker, J. D. A. (2009, June). Assessing emotional intelligence in children and adolescents: Congruence between self-report and parent ratings. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Montreal, Quebec.

Kloosterman, P. K., Wood, L. M., Reker, D., & Parker, J. D. A. (2008, June). Bullies and Victims: Does emotional intelligence play a role? Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Hogan, M. J., Parker, J. D. A., Wiener, J., Oke, A., & Wood, L. M. (2005, November). Social support and emotional intelligence: Paving the way for academic success. Paper presented at the From Research into Practice Conference 2005, Toronto, ON.

Hogan, M. J., Parker, J. D. A., Wiener, J., Oke, A., & Wood, L. M. (2005, August). Resource effective assessment strategy to identify academically at-risk students. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.

Parker, J. D. A., Saklofske, D. H., Shaughnessy, P., Huang, S. H. S., Wood, L. M., & Eastabrook, J. M., (2005). Generalizability of the emotional intelligence construct: A cross-cultural study of North American aboriginal youth. Personality and Individual Differences, 39, 215-227.

Eastabrook, J. M., Duncan, A., & Eldridge, B. (2005, June). Academic Success in Elementary School: Does EI Matter? Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Montreal, Quebec.

Parker, J. D. A., Creque, R. E., Barnhart, D. L., Harris, J., Majeski, S. A., Wood, L. M., Bond, B. J., & Hogan, M. J. (2004). Academic achievement in high school: Does emotional intelligence matter? Personality and Individual Differences, 37, 1321-1330

Shaughnessy, P. A., Saklofske, D. H., Huang, S. H. S., Richardson, S. W., & Eastabrook, J. M. (2004, June). Generalizability of the emotional intelligence construct in aboriginal youth. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, St. John’s, Newfoundland.

Wood, L. M., Duffy, J., Parker, J. D. A., & Hogan, M. J. (2004, June). Emotional intelligence and academic achievement in at-risk youth. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, St. John’s, Newfoundland

Bond, B. J., Hogan, M. J., & Parker, J. D. A. (2003, June). Emotional intelligence in children: Convergent and discriminant validity. Paper presented in a symposium on "Recent developments in the measurement of emotional intelligence" at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Hamilton, Ontario

Parker, J. D. A., & Bond, B. (2001, June). Emotional intelligence and behavioral problems in children and adolescents. Presentation at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Quebec City, Quebec.

Reker, D., & Parker, J. D. A. (2000, June). Relationships between externalizing and internalizing problem behaviours in children and adolescence. Presentation at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Ottawa, Ontario.

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Trent Academic Success and Wellness Project (TASWP)

Overview:

Academic success in post-secondary education has proven to be a complex phenomenon to study. Much of the previous research has focused on academic variables (like high-school GPA) or standardized measures of cognitive abilities (i.e., IQ). Although these variables predict small amounts of variability, researchers have become increasingly aware that we need to study a broader range of possible predictors. The TASWP uses the transition from high school to university as the background for examining the relationship between various psychosocial variables (i.e., emotional and social competency) and academic achievement and retention. The results, to date, have been compelling. The research indicates that individual levels of social and emotional competency predict academic success.

Preliminary Findings:

Wood, L. M., Parker, J. D. A., & Keefer, K. (2009, July). Emotional intelligence and postsecondary success: Examining the impact from first year to graduation. Paper presented at the International Conference on the First-Year Experience, Montreal, Quebec.

Keefer, K., Parker, J. D. A., & Wood, L. M. (2009, June). Multi-year impact of emotional intelligence on post-secondary success. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Montreal, Quebec.

Parker, J. D. A., & Wood, L. M. (2008, June). Students at risk for dropping out: Emotional intelligence and student mentoring. Paper presented at the International Conference on the First-Year Experience, Dublin, Ireland.

Keefer, K., Wood, L. M., Smith, B., & Parker, J. D. A. (2008, June). Emotional intelligence in the first year of university: Predicting early withdrawal. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Wood, L. M., Zohar, A., & Parker, J. D. A. (2008, June). Enhancing the EI of undergraduate students: Impact of a business administration program. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Parker, J. D. A., & Wood, L. M. (2008, February). Students “at risk” for dropping out: Emotional intelligence and student mentoring. Paper presented at the First Year in Focus: Thinking Through First Year Student Success Conference, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON.

Parker, J. D. A., Wood, L. M., & Keefer, K. (2007, June). Students "at risk" for dropping out: EI and student mentoring. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Ottawa, ON.

Wood, L. M., Parker, J. D. A., Rowbotham, A., Taylor, R. N., & Eastabrook, J. M. (2006, June). Teaching Emotional Intelligence: A Mentoring Program for Students At-Risk of Academic Failure. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Calgary, AB.

Wood, L. M., Zohar, A., Bates, K., & Parker, J. D. A. (2006, June). Enhancing EI in Post-Secondary Students: Impact of a First-Year Business Management Course. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Calgary, AB.

Parker, J. D. A., Hogan, M. J., Eastabrook, J. M., Oke, A., & Wood, L. M. (2006). Emotional intelligence and student retention: Predicting the successful transition from high school to university. Personality and Individual Differences, 41, 1329-1336.

Parker, J. D. A., Austin, E. J., Hogan, M. J., Wood, L. M., & Bond, B. J. (2005). Alexithymia and academic success: Examining the transition from high school to university. Personality and Individual Differences, 38, 1257-1267.

Parker, J. D. A., Duffy, J., Wood, L. M., Bond, B. J., & Hogan, M. J. (2005). Academic achievement and emotional intelligence: Predicting the successful transition from high school to university. Journal of the First-Year Experience& Students in Transition, 17, 67-78.

Parker, J. D. A., Saklofske, D. H., Wood, L. M., Eastabrook, J. M., & Taylor, R. N. (2005). Stability and change in emotional intelligence: Exploring the transition to young adulthood. Journal of Individual Differences, 26, 100-106.

Sitarenios, G., Wood, L. M., Randazzo, M., & Eli, M. (2005, June). Predicting success in college using emotional intelligence. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Montreal, Quebec.

Wood, L. M., Parker, J. D. A., & Taylor, R. N. (2005, June). College Achievement Inventory: A new EI measure for student success. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Montreal, Quebec.

Parker, J. D. A., Summerfeldt, L. J., Hogan, M. J., & Majeski, S. A. (2004). Emotional intelligence and academic success: Examining the transition from high school to university. Personality and Individual Differences, 36, 163-172.

Parker, J. D. A., Duffy, J., Wood, L. M., & Bond, B. J. (2004, June). Emotional intelligence and achievement: A multi-site longitudinal study. Paper presented in a symposium on "Emotional intelligence: Implications for educational psychology" at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, St. John’s, Newfoundland.

Hogan, M. J., Bond, B. J., Majeski, S. A., & Parker, J. D. A. (2003, August). Academic success: The impact of emotional intelligence. Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Ontario.

Hogan, M. J., Bond, B. J., Majeski, S. A., & Parker, J. D. A. (2003, June). Social and emotional competencies and academic success. Paper presented in a symposium on "Recent developments in the measurement of emotional intelligence" at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Hamilton, Ontario.

Parker, J. D. A. (2002, June). Emotional intelligence and academic success: Examining the transition from high school to university. Invited address at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Vancouver, B.C.

Parker, J. D. A., Summerfeldt, L. J., Hogan, M. J., & Majeski, S. (2001, June). Emotional intelligence and academic achievement. Presentation at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Quebec City, Quebec.

Reker, D., Parker, J. D. A., & Summerfeldt, L. J. (2001, August). Emotional intelligence and the transition from high-school to university. Presentation at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco, California.

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Peterborough Sleep Assessment Project

Overview:

The Peterborough Sleep Assessment Project was started in 1999 at Trent University because of the need for a reliable and valid instrument to assess the core symptoms of sleep disorders in adults. To date, based on research with various clinical and non-clinical adult samples, Dr. Parker and his research team have developed a reliable and valid self-report instrument for assessing symptoms associated with a cross-section of sleep disorders in adults (Sleep Problems Inventory; SPI). The SPI also contains sleep hygiene scales that assess problems associated with substance abuse and other life-style issues associated with disrupted sleep schedules in adults. The SPI is currently being adapted for use with adolescent populations.

Preliminary Findings:

Bauermann, T. M., Wood., L. M., & Parker, J. D. A. (2005, June). Poor sleep hygiene: Impact on daytime sleepiness and academic performance. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Montreal, Quebec.

Bauermann, T. M., Parker, J. D. A., Majeski, S. A., & Wood, L. M. (2004, May). Adult ADHD and sleep disorder symptoms. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Sleep Society, Quebec City, Quebec.

Parker, J. D. A., Bauermann, T. B., & Majeski, S. A. (2003, August). ADHD and sleep problems in adults. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Ontario.

Parker, J. D. A., Majeski, S. A., & Bauermann, T. B. (2003, June). ADHD and sleep problems in a community based sample of adults. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Hamilton, Ontario.

Bauermann, T. M. Parker, J. D. A, Smith, C., Ross, D. J., Kassel, R. N., & Wright, R.M. (2002, June). Confirmatory factor analysis of the Sleep Problems Inventory (SPI). Presentation at the American Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) annual meeting, Seattle, Washington, June.

Bauermann, T. M., Parker, J. D. A., & Taylor, G. J. (2002, June). Alexithymia and sleep disorder symptoms. Presentation at the American Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) annual meeting, Seattle, Washington.

Bauermann, T., Parker, J. D. A., & Smith, C. (2001, August). The development of a multidimensional self-report instrument for sleep disorders. Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco, California.

Parker, J. D. A., Bauermann, T. M., & Smith, C. T. (2000). Alexithymia and impoverished dream content: Evidence from REM sleep awakenings. Psychosomatic Medicine, 62, 486-491.

Bauermann, T., Parker, J. D. A., & Smith C. (2000, June). The Sleep Problems Inventory (SPI): Towards the development of a multidimensional self-report instrument. Paper presented at the American Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) annual meeting, Las Vegas, Nevada.

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The Trent Gambling Project

Overview:

The Trent gambling project examines the relationship internalizing and externalizing behaviours, emotional and social competency, addiction and gambling behaviours in adoelscents and young adults. Research in this area is important as there are a number of negative consequences associated with problem gambling in adolescent and young adults. Research has shown that adolescents and young adults who are problem or pathological gamblers are greater risk-takers, have an increased risk of substance abuse, are more likely to be involved in delinquency and crime, and have poor interpersonal relationships. There is also empirical evidence to suggest that there is a negative association between gambling behaviour and academic achievement.

Preliminary Findings:

Parker, J. D. A., Wood, L. M., Bond, B. J., & Shaughnessy, P. (2005). Alexithymia in young adulthood: A risk-factor for pathological gambling. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 74, 51-55.

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Last update: 18.11.2007