Psychology & Health最新文献

Objective: Pediatric asthma management is challenging for parents and guardians (hereafter caregivers). We examined (1) how caregivers mentally represent trigger and symptom management strategies, and (2) how those mental representations are associated with actual management behavior.

Methods: In an online survey, N = 431 caregivers of children with asthma rated 20 trigger management behaviors and 20 symptom management behaviors across 15 characteristics, and indicated how often they engaged in each behavior.

Results: Principal components analysis indicated 4 dimensions for trigger management behaviors and 3 for symptom management behaviors. Bayesian mixed-effects models indicated that engagement in trigger management behavior was more likely for behaviors rated as affirming caregiver activities. However, trigger management behavior did not depend on how highly the behavior was rated as challenging for caregiver, burdensome on child, or routine caregiving. Engagement in symptom management behavior was more likely for behaviors rated as affirming and common and harmless to the child, but was unrelated to how highly a behavior was rated as challenging for caregivers.

Conclusion: These results suggest that interventions might be particularly useful if they focus on the affirming nature of asthma management behaviors. However, such interventions should acknowledge structural factors (e.g. poverty) that constrain caregivers' ability to act.

Objective: This study aimed to develop, evaluate the clinical utility, and test the psychometric properties of a new tool - the Hemodialysis Distress Thermometer (HD-DT) - designed to screen self-reported psychological distress and its sources in adults receiving hemodialysis.

Methods and measures: Phase 1 focused on the process of developing and evaluating the content validity and clinical utility of the HD-DT using a stepwise mixed-methods approach; in Phase 2, the measurement properties of the European Portuguese version of the HD-DT were tested against reference measures in a cross-sectional study (n = 134 people on hemodialysis); while in Phase 3 the HD-DT was translated and culturally adapted into American English using forward-backward translation and review by a panel of experts.

Results: Qualitative findings suggested that the HD-DT was perceived by feedback panels as practical and useful for rapidly screening psychological distress in nephrology centers. The European Portuguese version of this new tool showed good test-retest reliability and high diagnostic accuracy using a cutoff point of ≥ 6 for total distress. High convergent validity was found with reference measures that assess psychological health, and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Conclusion: This study highlights the potential clinical utility of the HD-DT as an acceptable, reliable, and valid measure that can be used by health psychologists in clinical practice and research in renal care settings. Data collection to validate the American English version of the HD-DT is currently underway.

Objective: This study examined the effects of emotional arousal, emotional competence, emotion regulation (ER), and compassion on COVID-19 and flu vaccination intentions (VI) among the French population.

Design: Data were collected online from October to December 2020. Altogether, 451 participants (M_age = 35.8, SD = 16.4) were allocated to four groups. High positive (n = 104) or negative (n = 103) emotional arousal were induced into two groups using pictures and music, and compared against a control group (flu group; n = 116) and a reference group (COVID-19 group; n = 114). All groups completed questionnaires on emotional arousal, ER, emotional competence, compassion, and VI.

Results: The findings indicated a significant effect of group on VI, h²=.023, 95% CI [-.002, .09]. The Group*Gender interaction on emotional arousal was non-significant, ${\eta }_p^2$=.015, 95%CI [.000, .041]. However, emotional arousal was observed to have a significant main effect on VI, ${\eta }_p^2$=.09, 95% CI [.043, .238]. The ER type*Emotional arousal*Gender interaction on ER use was trend, ${\eta }_p^2$ = .002, 95% CI [.000, .005]. The emotional competence*ER type interaction on ER use was significant, ${\eta }_p^2$ = .028, 95% CI [.011, .049]. Only experiential avoidance mediated the relationship between emotional arousal and VI, p < .018, 95% CI [.015, .18].

Conclusion: Emotional arousal impacts VI. High emotional competence only reduces the use of dysfunctional ER strategies.

Objective: Existing literature indicates distinct pathways and the key role of shame and stigma into alcohol dependence (AD) and recovery for women. Internationally, there is a paucity of research exploring these factors from women's perspectives.

Methods and measures: Taking a critical realist epistemological position, unstructured life story interviews were analysed via narrative analysis to explore how seven women from the UK, storied shame in their recovery from AD.

Results: Shame followed a common trajectory across participants' stories, appearing as a reoccurring factor throughout AD and recovery. Participants narrated shame as gendered, contributing to a loss of personal control in defining a valued personal identity. Drinking began as a shame-management strategy but evolved into a source of shame, compounded by fears of being labelled an 'alcoholic woman'. Recovery involved reclaiming the self through de-shaming a shame-based identity and developing a positive, non-drinking identity. By evaluating 'shaming' recovery frameworks, sharing stories and reconstructing their own, participants were able to work through shame, resist pathologising identity labels and internalise esteemed 'sober' identities.

Conclusion: This research provides important insights into the intersection between shame, identity, gender and culture in women's recovery from AD. Implications for clinical practice, future research and policy are considered.

Objective: This study investigates the subjective experiences of individuals with persistent chemosensory dysfunction following COVID-19 illness. By exploring the perceptual and emotional dimensions of their altered sensory worlds, and using a realist phenomenological approach, the study aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the challenges these individuals face.

Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 patients undergoing treatment. A descriptive phenomenological approach was applied to analyse the interviews.

Results: Participants described profound emotional and sensory challenges following chemosensory dysfunction. 'Emotional Discontent' was a key theme, encompassing dissatisfaction, grief over the loss of sensory pleasure, and a sense of indifference toward food. The second theme, 'Sensory Aversion', highlighted participants' reports of discomfort and disgust toward previously enjoyable foods, which had become repellent or intolerable. The third theme, 'Perceptual Disorientation', captured the unpredictability of altered sensory experiences, with elusiveness reflecting the fleeting nature of perceptions and sensory alienation highlighting an intense disconnection from unfamiliar and unreliable senses.

Conclusion: Chemosensory dysfunction following COVID-19 disrupts embodied relationship with food, creating profound emotional challenges. Eating becomes a post-pleasure experience, shifting from a source of enjoyment to a merely functional act. Addressing this requires person-centered interventions that acknowledge the sensory and emotional dimensions of the condition.

Objectives: To systemically explore parent and clinician experiences of type-1 diabetes (T1D) diagnosis at a large UK hospital. To use those experiences to collaboratively create an action plan to improve support for parents and clinicians.

Materials and methods: A participatory action research framework was used to support collaboration between researcher, parents, and clinicians. Data was collected via semi-structured focus groups. Data was analysed using thematic analysis and refinement of themes/findings was supported through reflective groups with participants.

Results: Six themes were identified from parents and clinicians experiences: (1) The limits and pressures on clinicians and the system (2) Parents' emotional lens at diagnosis; (3) The power of knowledge (4) Difficulties with communication and transparency (5) Conditions for learning, adjusting, and forming relationships (6) Sharing experiences & gaining support. An action plan was created to address the needs identified.

Conclusion: The task of diagnosis of T1D in childhood is complex and requires sharing/processing life-altering news and transferring large amounts of information. There is a connection between systemic difficulties (e.g. staff knowledge and communication) and parental distress at diagnosis. Collaboration between clinicians and patients was helpful in identifying actionable improvements to a complex process and system.

Objective: Establishing to what extent everyday behaviors are habitual will help intervention developers understand whether and which specific behaviors can become habitual or may require habit disruption to enable adoption of desired behaviors. Previous estimates of the prevalence of habit in everyday life have not distinguished between habitual instigation, whereby habit triggers action selection of a target action, and habitual execution, whereby habit facilitates smooth performance of action.

Methods and measures: Participants (N = 105) from the UK and Australia completed an ecological momentary assessment study, in which they self-reported their current behavior, and to what extent that behavior was habitually instigated, habitually executed and intentional, 6 times daily over 7 days.

Results: Most observed behaviors were habitually instigated (65%), habitually executed (88%), and aligned with intention (76%). Whether a person's behavior was generally habitual or aligned with intention did not vary as a function of demographics. Exercise behaviors were more commonly habitually instigated, and less habitually executed, than other action types.

Conclusion: Our findings illustrate the pervasive influence of habit on everyday life. We recommend that techniques conducive to forming new habits and disrupting old habits be built into behavior change interventions to maximize effectiveness.

Objective: This study examines the bidirectional dynamics of social support, role stress, and anxiety among middle-aged women, highlighting their interactions at both within-person and between-person levels over time.

Methods and measures: Using a nationally representative sample of 2,614 middle-aged women from the Longitudinal Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, data from four waves (1999-2004) were analyzed. Social support, role stress, and anxiety were assessed using validated scales, and Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Models (RI-CLPM) were employed to explore longitudinal relations.

Results: Results revealed negative bidirectional relations between social support and role stress, with high role stress reducing social support over time. Social support generally decreased anxiety but inconsistencies emerged where inadequate support exacerbated anxiety. Role stress and anxiety demonstrated strong positive bidirectional associations, highlighting a reinforcing cycle across waves. Between-person analyses affirmed consistent patterns of negative associations between social support and anxiety and positive associations between role stress and anxiety.

Conclusion: The findings underscore the complex interplay of social support, role stress, and anxiety, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions that prioritize the quality and appropriateness of social support to reduce stress and anxiety. These insights inform strategies to enhance the mental health of middle-aged women.

Objectives: Previous studies and theories have shown a bidirectional association between body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) symptoms, body image inflexibility, and appearance-related safety behaviors. Most previous studies are cross-sectional studies, lacking longitudinal studies. We aimed to explore the roles of body image inflexibility and appearance-related safety behaviors in BDD symptoms through a longitudinal study.

Methods and measures: A questionnaire-based method was employed to conduct three follow-up measurements with a three-month interval among 325 female college students in China.

Results: Cross-lagged panel model (CLPM) revealed that there are bidirectional associations between BDD symptoms and body image inflexibility, between BDD symptoms and avoidance behaviors, and between avoidance behaviors and body image inflexibility to some extent. The random intercept cross-lagged model (RI-CLPM) showed that at the within-individual level, avoidance behaviors at T1 can positively predict body image inflexibility at T2.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that the chronicity of BDD arises from the dynamic association between the trait vulnerability of body image inflexibility and the process of behavioral reinforcement. The treatment of BDD needs to block avoidance behaviors and modify such trait vulnerability.

Objective: Both affectively-charged and reflective motivation may be necessary to sustain recommended physical activity (PA) guidelines, especially in contexts with tempting alternatives. However, our understanding of how different sources of motivation facilitate PA across contexts is limited. This paper presents a novel value-based model that specifies how affectively-charged and reflective motivation interact to support PA decisions based on available alternatives at a given decision point.

Methods and measures: Two scenario studies tested model assumptions by examining one's general intrinsic motivation for PA (form of affectively-charged motivation), and the reasons one would think of to motivate their PA when faced with alternatives with varying levels of temptingness.

Results: In less tempting scenarios, intrinsic motivation was positively associated with selection of affective reasons (Study 1). In more tempting scenarios, instrumental reasons were generally selected, although the specific type of reason differed based on intrinsic motivation (Study 2).

Conclusion: Findings suggest that instrumental reasons, which motivate behavior through reflective processes, may be particularly important for people when faced with highly tempting alternatives or if they do not find PA to be intrinsically rewarding. More research is needed to determine whether these patterns of motive selection effectively facilitate behavior.