Cross-national associations between parent and peer communication and psychological complaintsThe final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00038-009-5415-7 Carmen Conclusions:We conclude that our findings are consistent with the continuity hypothesis and against the compensating or moderating one.

Aunque la relación entre empatía y prosocialidad viene siendo estudiada desde hace años prevalece aún una importante indefinición conceptual e incluso de resultados. Este trabajo pretende aportar algo de luz a la relación entre ambos conceptos y otras variables del contexto social en una muestra de adolescentes. Un total de 513 adolescentes, 221 chicos y 292 chicas de edades comprendidas entre los 13 y los 19 años cumplimentaron un cuestionario que incluía medidas sobre empatía, conducta prosocial, y aspectos relacionados con las variables familiares y de relación con los iguales. Entre los resultados obtenidos podemos destacar la relación existente entre conducta prosocial y empatía disposicional, y entre estas dos variables y las relaciones con la familia y con el grupo de los iguales. Así mismo, y en concordancia con abundante literatura científica, hallamos mayores niveles de prosocialidad y empatía en las chicas que en los chicos.

The main objective of this study was to learn whether emotional autonomy is truly part of a developmental stage for Spanish adolescents and young adults or if it is an indicator of difficult family relationships. Using a longitudinal design, a sample of ninety young people was followed for ten years, from their initial adolescence until their first years of adulthood. At four observation points, the participants completed various questionnaires to evaluate their emotional autonomy, the cohesion in their family relationships and their life satisfaction. There were no gender differences in the development of emotional autonomy. Family cohesion and life satisfaction showed significant negative associations with emotional autonomy and these associations became more pronounced as participants moved from adolescence into adulthood. Based on our results, emotional autonomy from parents does not seem to be a developmental stage taking place during adolescence, but rather, an indicator of difficult family relationships.

Objective-Because the potential for electronic media communication (EMC) has increased greatly, it is of interest to describe trends in EMC between adolescents and their friends and to investigate whether EMC facilitate or supersede face-to-face contacts among peers.Methods-Answers of 275,571 adolescents concerning contacting friends by means of the phone, text messages, and the internet (i. e. EMC), the number of close friends, and the number of afternoons and evenings per week spent out with friends were analysed by means of χ 2 -tests and multiple regression.Results-In 2006, between more than one third (11-year olds) and nearly two thirds (15-year olds) communicated electronically with their friends daily or nearly daily. From 2002 to 2006, EMC increased in almost all participating countries. Particularly high increases were found in Eastern Europe. Across countries, the higher the frequency of EMC the higher the number of afternoons and evenings spent with friends. Conclusion-The results are surprisingly consistent across the 31 countries and suggest that EMC among adolescents facilitate rather than supersede face-to-face peer contacts.

Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rcye20 Los adolescentes españoles y sus familias: calidad en la comunicación con el padre y con la madre y conductas de riesgo relacionadas con el consumo de sustancias adictivas (2006) Los adolescentes españoles y sus familias: calidad en la comunicación con el padre y con la madre y conductas de riesgo relacionadas con el consumo de sustancias adictivas, Cultura y Educación: Culture and Education, 18:3-4, 345-362To link to this article: http://dx.