Mount Saint Vincent University

A consequence of the proliferation of online communication is the concerning presence of antisocial behavior observed in virtual spaces. Research suggests the cognitive component of empathy is hindered by features of electronic communication which facilitates antisocial behaviors online. Investigations into how features of online communication inhibit cognitive empathy are lacking, and findings on moral disengagement and antisocial behavior have yet to be integrated with studies on cognitive empathy and electronic communication. The current study explores these relationships. One hundred and three undergraduate students completed several measures including the Online Moral Disengagement Scale, Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy, and Online Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior Scale. Results showed a positive correlation between compulsive internet use and online moral disengagement, as well as a negative correlation between cognitive empathy and moral disengagement online. It was hypothesized that online moral disengagement would mediate the relation between cognitive empathy and antisocial behavior online but this mediation was not supported. However, a moderated relationship was revealed between cognitive empathy and moral justification, by liberalism. This moderation can be explored further and built upon by future research to deepen our understanding of how political ideology relates to virtual behavior. Furthermore, the findings concerning components of empathy and moral disengagement, and their role within the perpetration of antisocial conduct online, can inform future research as well as interventions focused on fostering prosocial behavior online and curbing cyberaggression.

Social media platforms such as Pinterest are a popular medium for locating and consuming health and mental health information, as well as educational resources to assist struggling learners. Despite parents and educators being frequent consumers of education-related information on Pinterest, no studies to date have explored the accuracy of intervention information for dyslexia on Pinterest-linked web pages, meaning that the extent to which it aligns with evidence-based practice and the science of reading is unclear. This study reviewed online information about interventions for dyslexia from 41 Pinterest-linked web pages to evaluate accountability, presentation, alignment with evidence-based practice, and readability using a set of standardized criteria. The quality of intervention information was generally poor, with websites meeting less than 10% of the standardized criteria. Further, most information was published by unspecified authors or authors without formal experience providing evidence-based interventions for dyslexia. Most sites also neglected to reference their sources or recommend follow-up with a professional. These findings suggest that psychologists should be steering educators away from Pinterest as a resource and towards more reliable websites. Possibilities for future research, and practical implications for school psychologists are discussed.

Rural-urban health disparities in the United States are large and persistent, yet most surveillance efforts focus on mortality and disability. Monitoring rural-urban trends in pain, a major but overlooked indicator of population health, remains understudied. Given changes in demographics and resources of urban, suburban, and rural areas since the turn of the 21st century, which may have altered place-based differences in pain prevalence. Using nationally representative data from the Health and Retirement Study of 35,230 adults aged 55 and older (n = 206,600 person-wave observations), we estimated pain prevalence and trends across urban, suburban, and rural areas from 1998 to 2022. We assessed variation by age, sex/gender, race and ethnicity, and census region. Over 24 years, pain prevalence increased by 70 % (Prevalence Ratio [PR] = 1.70, 95 % Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.64, 1.75) and was consistently highest in rural areas and lowest in urban areas. However, pain prevalence rose most sharply in suburbs as compared to both rural and urban areas (suburban and time interaction vs. rural areas: PR = 1.08, 95 % CI: 1.00, 1.17). Suburban pain prevalence was similar to urban levels in 1998 but converged with that of rural levels by 2022. Stratified analyses revealed broadly similar patterns across demographic and regional groups, with particularly rapid increases among suburban populations in the South. These findings highlight nationwide increases in chronic pain, with suburban areas emerging as new "hotspots" alongside rural areas. Given that pain is a leading cause of disability and functional decline, monitoring place-based trends is essential for addressing this growing public health concern.