Childhood maltreatment is linked to larger preferred interpersonal distances towards friends and strangers across the globe

Childhood maltreatment (CM) is thought to be associated with altered responses to social stimuli and interpersonal signals. However, limited evidence exists that CM is linked to larger comfortable interpersonal distance (CID) - the physical distance humans prefer towards others during social interactions. However, no previous study has investigated this association in a comprehensive sample, yielding sufficient statistical power. Moreover, preliminary findings are limited to the European region. Finally, it is unclear how CM affects CID towards different interaction partners, and whether CID is linked to social functioning and attachment. To address these outstanding issues, adults (N = 2986) from diverse cultures and socio-economic strata completed a reaction time task measuring CID towards an approaching stranger and friend. Higher CM was linked to a larger CID towards both friends and strangers. Moreover, insecure attachment and less social support were associated with larger CID. These findings demonstrate for the first time that CM affects CID across countries and cultures, highlighting the robustness of this association.

THE VALIDITY OF AN UNOBTRUSIVE MEASURE OF SOCIAL IDENTITY

A simple method of measuring social and national identity (SIM) is described based on the mapping of social category placements in a defined field. The meaning of placements was investigated using judgments of similarity, attraction, closeness and trust for interpersonal groups and similarity, attraction of life style and trust for national groups. The validity and reliability of the measure of rank ordered distance placements was established. The utility of the measure when applied to social groups is demonstrated in the contexts of an emerging group, in an organizational setting and with national stereotypes. The measure is easy to apply and could be useful in research where a relatively unobtrusive measure of interpersonal, social or cross-cultural conflict is sought.

Interpersonal Distance and Coping in Children With HIV and Cancer

We compared interpersonal distance and coping among two groups of pre-school pediatric patients diagnosed with either HIV or cancer and a third group of healthy children. In comparison to the children with cancer, children with HIV indicated greater mother-child interpersonal distance--a finding that correlated with mothers' reports of social withdrawal. Other notable findings included increased father-child distance in the HIV population and mother-child discrepancies of perceived interpersonal distance. In addition, seven of the children with HIV indicated that the adults turn away--a finding that correlated with the children's knowledge of their illness. We also explored the possible role of protective communication in the pediatric HIV population.

Utilization of appropriate projective techniques in assessing preschool children's personal space and body orientation

65 preschool children were assessed for use of personal space and body orientation with a model-room projective technique and video tapes of behavior in the actual setting. Correlations were computed to express the relationship between the projected and observed physical distance and body-orientation scores. In the case of distance and body-orientation variables, zero correlations were obtained between the projective measures and the means of observed measures obtained by time sampling the video recordings.

An Improved Technique for Interpersonal Projective Assessment

An improved technique for projective assessment of interpersonal relations was developed for use with children. The poor quality of available grids and human figures necessitated the development of a model grid and contemporary scale-sized human figures. A scale model of a “family” room was created utilizing a metal kitchen counter-top mat marked with thin plastic tape in 2.5-cm. squares. Heavy mat board was cut and joined at each corner to form moveable walls for the room. Human figures were cut from sewing pattern books, glued to mat board, and stabilized with a cork and magnetic tape base. It was proposed that the model and figures could be used for other projective situations such as play therapy and sociometric analysis.