Scandinavian journal of psychology最新文献

Emergency dispatchers are required to remain calm and focused, managing complex and intense situations when allocating resources and providing information to first responders on site. However, despite their importance in securing public safety, the working conditions of emergency dispatchers have received marginal attention. This study addresses this gap by exploring: (1) "How do police emergency dispatchers experience their working conditions?" and (2) "Which initiatives do the emergency dispatchers suggest for reducing stress, improving the working conditions, and promoting health maintenance?" We applied qualitative content analysis to responses from 78 police emergency dispatchers to open-ended questions from an online survey. The work's demanding and intense nature is regarded as both stressful and engaging. Cumulative stress is perceived as more challenging than dramatic incidents. Noise and suboptimal technical solutions add to the burden. Lack of follow-up, understaffing and turnover may be depicted as a vicious circle that could be counterbalanced by more staff, outsourcing of redundant tasks, better technical equipment, and leadership-initiated debriefing. Although limitations apply, the results from this study are important for practitioners and researchers within the field of operative psychology and emergency dispatchers. The results can contribute to an improved work environment, work culture, training, well-being, and performance of police emergency dispatchers, which can increase job performance as well as effectiveness and, consequently, secure public safety.

Elevated psychological stress reactions among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a need to better understand their possible impact on sickness absence (SA). The study aimed to describe the relation between SA related to mental health problems and symptoms of psychological stress among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. We further aimed to identify whether latent profiles of psychological stress reactions exist within the same population. In this observational registry-based study, survey data between May 2020 and March 2021 and SA register data between May 2019 and February 2023 were collected from 1245 Swedish healthcare workers. Differences between symptoms of burnout, depression, anxiety, PTSD, sleep disturbance, lack of detachment, and lack of recovery among groups with no, few (< 90), or many (≥ 90) SA days were analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis tests. Interrelations between symptoms of psychological stress were identified using latent profile analysis. Compared to healthy participants, participants with SA days (in total 6.3%) reported more severe symptoms of psychological stress, were younger, and more likely to work as assistant nurses. Furthermore, they displayed a higher degree of previous SA (prior to the pandemic). No statistically significant differences between groups with few (< 90) and many (≥ 90) days of SA in symptoms were noted. Four latent profiles of psychological stress were identified, but they differed only in the level of experienced symptoms. We conclude that different symptoms of psychological stress are highly interrelated among healthcare workers during a crisis. Although many healthcare workers may experience elevated symptoms in relation to the crisis, it will not necessarily lead to serious mental health problems requiring SA.

This study investigated whether negative interpretations of ambiguous social information and fear of negative evaluation (FNE) mediate the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and social anxiety subtypes, specifically social interaction anxiety and performance anxiety. Sixty-six participants completed measures examining IU, social interaction anxiety, social performance anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, and negative interpretation bias in the context of ambiguous social scenarios. As expected, fear of negative evaluation mediated the association between IU and social interaction anxiety, and the relationship between IU and performance anxiety. Negative interpretation bias, as measured by a higher likelihood of having negative interpretations of ambiguous social content come to mind, mediated the association between IU and both social anxiety subtypes; however, participants' belief in those negative interpretations did not. Results of this study suggest that difficulty tolerating uncertainty about perceived negative evaluation and about the meaning and possible consequences of ambiguous social situations may be a critical element in the development, maintenance, and/or exacerbation of social anxiety. Future studies should incorporate longitudinal designs using serial moderation models to examine the complex causal relations between IU, FNE, negative appraisals of ambiguous social content, and social anxiety subtypes.

Understanding the socio-contextual factors associated with self-determined motivation is crucial for addressing work-related well-being challenges. Leadership behaviors that support, thwart, or neglect employees' psychological needs play a pivotal role in shaping these motivational dynamics. Building on this understanding, this study investigated how different need-oriented leadership behaviors-supportive, thwarting, and indifferent-relate to motivation through various pathways. The study sample surveyed 353 Norwegian employees using the Tripartite Measure of Interpersonal Behaviors-Supervisor (TMIB-S) scale, Psychological Need States at Work Scale (PNSW-S), and the Multidimensional Work Motivation Scale (MWMS). In the bright path, need-supportive behaviors were associated with psychological need fulfillment, aligning with self-determined motivation. In the dark pathway, results indicated need-thwarting behaviors associated with competence frustration, which corresponded with higher introjected regulation. In the dim pathway, need-indifferent behaviors were linked to external regulation and amotivation through need unfulfillment. Cross-path analyses suggested that need frustration may be less detrimental to motivation than need unfulfillment. Our research contributes to self-determination theory and leadership literature by clarifying how three distinct pathways relate to motivation. Practically, these findings underscore the importance of understanding and addressing the nuanced roles of different leader behaviors to effectively manage and foster motivation in organizational settings.

Childhood emotional abuse is a recognized factor for long-term psychological and physical health problems, including persistent somatic symptoms. Negative self-beliefs, such as self-hate-related beliefs, may explain how emotional mistreatment contributes to physical distress in adulthood beyond general emotional difficulties. A longitudinal study was conducted with 298 help-seeking adults. At baseline, participants completed measures of childhood emotional abuse, self-hate, and general negative affectivity. Somatic symptoms were assessed two months later. Mediation analyses tested whether self-hate mediated the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and somatic symptoms while accounting for the influence of general negative affectivity, which reflects a general tendency to experience negative emotional states. Participants (M_age = 33.7, SD = 11.8) were predominantly female (63.3%) and Caucasian (84.2%). Childhood emotional abuse (M = 11.24, SD = 6.60) was significantly associated with self-hate (M = 10.35, SD = 6.13, r = 0.33, p < 0.001) and somatic symptoms (M = 13.99, SD = 6.76, r = 0.27, p < 0.001). Self-hate strongly correlated with somatic symptoms (r = 0.45, p < 0.001). Mediation analyses showed that self-hate significantly mediated the link between emotional abuse and somatic symptoms, even after accounting for general negative affectivity as a covariate (indirect effect = 0.07, 99% CI [0.03, 0.13]). These findings highlight self-hate as a key mechanism linking childhood emotional abuse to somatic symptoms. Even when controlling for broader emotional instability, self-hate remained central. Addressing these negative self-beliefs through targeted interventions may help reduce both emotional suffering and associated physical manifestations.

Perceivers rely on men's facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) as the basis of several stereotypes about men's proclivities as parents. High-fWHR men are perceived as especially prone toward disciplining their offspring. Nonetheless, such ascriptions may vary across different racial categories based on concomitant parenting stereotypes for different cultures. One such stereotype could include a proclivity toward tough love, frequently described as "tiger parenting" in the context of East Asian families among U.S. perceivers. Competing stereotypes of East Asian men's high expectations could render the ascription of this parenting style more apparent from less formidable men. Two studies tasked U.S. participants to evaluate White and Asian targets varying in fWHR based on their proclivity to discipline their children and employ tough love. In replicating previous findings, high-fWHR men were perceived as more prone to punishing their offspring. This perception was most apparent for White targets, whereas low-fWHR East Asian men were perceived as more prone to tough love (Study 1). This inference of low-fWHR East Asian men further corresponded with perceptions of them as especially competent (Study 2), an interplay between stereotypes centering around race and formidability. Findings contribute to understanding formidability stereotypes across racial categories.

We report on a study of the correlates of attitude to global warming (GW). We build on prior research on the role of demographic variables, personality, and political orientation in predicting attitude to GW. We argue dispositional optimism should increase willingness to treat GW seriously, via its impact on active coping behaviors and reducing cognitive avoidance in the face of anxiety, and that there should be an interactive effect of optimism with political orientation. We draw on an existing data set (N = 819) of adult respondents. We use correlation and regression analysis to examine the association between demographic variables, personality traits, optimism, political orientation and GW attitude. We use moderated regression to test for an interactive effect between political orientation and optimism on GW attitude. We find a significant inverse association between (more right-wing) political orientation and GW attitude, and a positive association between education and GW attitude. We find personality effects, the strongest of which is an inverse association between Competitiveness and GW attitude. As hypothesized, we find that optimism is positively associated with GW attitude and that this association is stronger for more right-wing political orientation. We draw conclusions for the efficacy of approaches to communicating about climate change to different groups. We consider limitations of the research and implications for future research.

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy-Toddler (PCIT-T) and Circle of Security-Parenting (COS-P) are two attachment-based early parenting programs with emerging evidence bases. Most of the research has, however, been quantitative in nature. Understanding caregiver perspectives and acceptability of the programs is therefore needed. This study aimed to address this gap in research by examining perspectives of parents who participated in PCIT-T or COS-P at an Australian community-based child behavior clinic for treatment of toddler behavior problems. Twenty-nine mothers were purposively recruited to participate in a semi-structured post-program interview (COS-P: n = 10; PCIT-T: n = 19). Data were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis approach. Results of thematic analysis showed that parents in both groups experienced a range of positive gains (for the toddler, themselves as a parent, and for relationships). Participants in both groups identified the clinician as a key facilitator of positive program outcomes, and time commitment as a barrier. For the COS-P group, the group process and treatment journey were identified as facilitators, and inconsistent attendance from group attendees was a barrier. The PCIT-T group viewed the live coaching and the manualized protocol as facilitators. Results suggest that both COS-P and PCIT-T are viewed positively by parents and identify several parent-identified facilitators/barriers.

Because of the limited success at fostering sustained weight loss through behavioral changes, surgical and pharmaceutical interventions are increasingly relied upon. Better accommodating key constructs within health behavior-change theory might be necessary for improving success through behavioral means. Women with obesity (N = 73) participated in a 6-month theory-informed and community-based weight-loss program. They demonstrated significant within-group improvements in self-regulation and self-efficacy related to exercise and eating, dietary behaviors, cardiovascular exercise, and weight over 12 months. Paths from early changes in self-regulation, to early changes in behavior, to longer-term changes in self-efficacy and further behavioral changes were significant for both cardiovascular exercise and dietary behavior changes. Similar paths, but initiating from self-efficacy change, were not significant. Reductions in weight over both 6 months (-6.0%) and 12 months (-5.5%) were significantly predicted by the changes in cardiovascular exercise and dietary behaviors. Findings suggested that an initial emphasis on self-regulatory skill development will promote self-efficacy and weight-loss behaviors.

This study's primary aim was to evaluate the efficacy of an internet-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (IACT) program modified to include interoceptive exposure for treating panic disorder with or without concurrent agoraphobia. Its secondary aim was to examine whether therapist- and client-rated working alliances were related to treatment outcomes. This randomized controlled trial included 79 participants, assigned to either a treatment group (n = 40) or a waitlist control group (n = 39) over 10 weeks. The study investigated the effects on panic disorder and quality of life, as well as the relationship between working alliances (rated by therapists and clients) and treatment outcomes. At post-treatment, there was a significant between-group treatment effect on panic disorder symptoms, with an observed effect size of d = 0.92. The model-predicted effect size based on the multilevel model was d_GMA-raw = 0.86. Furthermore, 43% of participants no longer met the diagnostic criteria. Participants with concurrent agoraphobia exhibited higher initial panic symptom scores and were less likely to be diagnosis-free post-treatment. However, they still experienced significant and large treatment effects, with an observed effect size d = 1.22 and d_GMA-raw = 0,99. There was no significant between-group difference in quality-of-life measurements. The therapist-rated working alliance was associated with treatment outcome, but no significant relationship was found for the client-rated alliance. Overall, the study suggests that interoceptive exposure-modified IACT is an effective treatment for panic disorder and shows promise for patients with concurrent agoraphobia.