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Cognitive fusion occurs when people experience their thoughts as literally true and allow them to dictate behavior. Fusion has been shown to be associated with increased symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression; however, the association between change in cognitive fusion, PTSD, and depression symptoms has been relatively uninvestigated. Our study aims to examine the associations between PTSD, depression symptoms, and cognitive fusion in Canadian veterans from pre- to post-treatment. Clients (N = 287) completed measures of PTSD symptom severity, depression symptom severity, and cognitive fusion at pre- and post-treatment. Our results supported that pretreatment PTSD and depression symptom severity were found to be negatively associated with changes in pre- to post-treatment cognitive fusion, while pretreatment cognitive fusion was not associated with changes in depression or PTSD symptoms. Furthermore, pretreatment depression symptoms predicted pre- to post-treatment changes in PTSD symptoms. However, pretreatment PTSD symptoms did not predict changes in depression symptoms. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the bidirectional associations between PTSD, depression, and cognitive fusion. Furthermore, our results are indicative of PTSD and depression symptoms playing a role in the change in cognitive fusion (e.g., defusion) and of depression playing a larger role in the maintenance of PTSD symptoms. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathological narcissism is associated with problematic interpersonal behaviours. Because of the high need for external validation in pathological narcissism, the experience of loneliness may exacerbate the relationship between pathological narcissism and interpersonal problems. Moreover, these interpersonal problems may contribute to psychological distress, potentially accounting for the association between pathological narcissism and psychological distress symptoms. The present study was aimed at examining whether loneliness moderated the association between pathological narcissism and interpersonal sensitivity, ambivalence, and aggression problems––and whether these interpersonal problems mediated the narcissism-distress association. Using self-report, cross-sectional data from a sample of 248 Canadian community members (73.5% female; average age 25.8 ± 10.5 years), significant interactions were found between pathological narcissism and loneliness––indicating moderation––in relation to interpersonal sensitivity problems, B =.07, SE =.02, t = 3.21, p =.002, and interpersonal aggression, B =.07, SE =.03, t = 2.66, p =.009. Conditional process modelling indicated significant moderated mediation––moderated by loneliness––of the relationship between pathological narcissism and distress symptoms through interpersonal sensitivity, index =.20, SE =.12, 95% CI[.02,.47], and aggression, index =.21, SE =.11, 95% CI[.02,.46]. The findings suggest that as individuals high in pathological narcissism experience more loneliness, they are more likely to evince greater sensitivity and aggressive interpersonal problems, which may in turn influence severity of distress symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Talking with others about traumatic experiences (i.e., trauma disclosure) has been associated with increased posttraumatic growth (PTG). Although this association indicates the value of disclosing, there is evidence that external pressure to disclose can hinder the benefits of trauma disclosure. The aim of the current study was to examine the influence of pressure to disclose on the association between trauma disclosure and PTG. People who had experienced a traumatic event and disclosed their trauma to a close other were recruited using Amazon's Mechanical Turk (N = 208). Participants completed measures of trauma exposure, trauma disclosure, pressure to disclose, PTG, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and response to disclosure. The results indicated that the linear association between trauma disclosure and PTG was quadratically moderated by pressure to disclose, ηp2 =.025. Pressure to disclose strengthened the positive association between trauma disclosure and PTG from low, B = 0.818 (SE = 0.267), to moderate levels of pressure, B = 2.109 (SE = 0.471). However, when pressure was high, the association between disclosure and PTG was not significant, B = −1.19 (SE = 1.327). These findings indicate that a moderate amount of pressure to disclose may facilitate the positive impact of disclosure on PTG, yet a high amount of pressure may impede the positive association between disclosure and PTG. This research furthers understanding of the nuances of trauma disclosure and how close others' involvement in disclosure can impact the process of PTG for trauma survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Patients with avoidant personality disorder (AvPD) pathology tend to have poor prognosis in psychotherapy, yet there has been little research conducted to better understand why their outcomes are limited, making it difficult to improve treatments for them. Expressive suppression is a dysfunctional emotion regulation strategy that may exacerbate avoidant tendencies, further complicating the therapeutic process. Methods: Using data from a naturalistic study (N = 34) of a group-based day treatment program, we examined whether there was an interactive effect of AvPD symptoms and expressive suppression on treatment outcome. Results: Findings revealed a significant moderating effect of expressive suppression on the association between AvPD symptoms and treatment outcome. The outcome for patients with more severe AvPD symptoms was particularly poor when they engaged in high levels of expressive suppression. Discussion: The findings suggest that the combination of significant AvPD pathology and high expressive suppression is associated with poorer responsiveness to treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Narcissistic vulnerability has been proposed as a dispositional feature that confers susceptibility to depression from earlier maladaptive parent-child relations. Limited research has examined narcissistic vulnerability as a mediator between perceived parental responsiveness and depressive symptoms, particularly with consideration of interpersonal motives such as needs for acceptance and belonging. A sample of 334 college undergraduates completed self-report measures of perceived parental responsiveness, narcissistic vulnerability, the need to belong, and depressive symptoms. Regression analyses using bootstrapped 99% confidence intervals tested a hypothesized moderated mediation model predicting depressive symptoms from parental responsiveness through narcissistic vulnerability as a mediator, moderated by the need to belong. Narcissistic vulnerability was found to significantly mediate the association between perceived parental responsiveness and depressive symptoms, with significant moderation by the need to belong. The mediating effect of narcissistic vulnerability was stronger as the need to belong increased. The findings indicate that narcissistic vulnerability may be an important mechanism in the link between childhood adversity and depressive symptoms, particularly when needs for acceptance from and inclusion with others are prominent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theorized to stem from experiences of childhood emotional neglect, narcissistic vulnerability has been identified as contributing to expressions of psychiatric distress such as depressive and anxiety symptoms, particularly due to shame-proneness. To investigate narcissistic vulnerability and shame as mediators between perceived childhood emotional neglect and depressive and generalized anxiety symptoms among psychiatric outpatients. Adults (N = 137) attending community mental health services completed self-report measures at intake. Mediation analyses tested the indirect effect of perceived emotional neglect on depressive and generalized anxiety symptom severity through narcissistic vulnerability; shame was added to subsequent models to examine narcissistic vulnerability and shame as sequential mediators. Perceived emotional neglect was significantly associated with narcissistic vulnerability, which in turn was linked with depressive and generalized anxiety symptoms as separate dependent variables. Indirect effects were significant in each model, indicating narcissistic vulnerability as a significant mediator. With the inclusion of shame, narcissistic vulnerability and shame were significant as sequential mediators. Narcissistic vulnerability and shame may operate as mechanisms in conferring affective symptom severity from perceived childhood emotional neglect. Narcissistic vulnerability and susceptibility to shame may thus be important treatment targets when addressing psychological distress in the context of childhood adversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subjective experience of a sense of meaning in life is an important aspect of psychological well-being. Developmental experiences that contribute to attachment security or insecurity may shape individual differences in the capacity for meaning in life. Such relations may also be influenced by difficulties in emotional processing, such as alexithymia. The present study examined attachment anxiety and avoidance as mediators of the association between perceived parental emotional support during childhood and the presence of meaning in life, as well as the moderating role of alexithymia. A sample of 245 community members completed study assessments, and correlational and regression analyses were used to examine hypothesized parallel mediation and moderated mediation models. Attachment anxiety, but not attachment avoidance, was found to significantly mediate the association between early parental support and meaning in life. Conditional process analysis further indicated alexithymia to moderate this mediation pathway, with the mediating effect of attachment anxiety becoming stronger at lower levels of alexithymia. Thus, results indicated that positive perceptions of parental support were associated with attachment security, in the form of reduced attachment anxiety, which in turn was linked with greater meaning in life. Moreover, this pathway was strongest among individuals with relatively better emotional processing abilities, or lower alexithymia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endorsement of traditional masculinity ideology is frequently associated with interference in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); however, there is little empirical basis for this association. Moreover, there is increasing attention on masculinity ideology being contextual in nature, which may have important implications for our understanding of its impact on treatment. Here, we examine how the outcome of a group-based treatment for veterans with PTSD was impacted by traditional masculinity facets held at the individual level, and among other group members. Our sample consisted of (N = 255) Canadian veteran men. Results indicated that the degree of individual self-reliance and dominance attenuated positive treatment outcomes, with respect to total PTSD symptom change and PTSD-related avoidance symptoms. Self-reliance also attenuated symptom change in negative alterations in cognitions and mood and hyperarousal clusters. Other group members' degree of masculinity did not appear to impact individual participants' pre- to post-treatment PTSD symptom change. The R2 for significant results ranged from.01-.05. This study provides evidence that, within the context of group-based treatment, an individual's endorsement of traditional masculinity ideology may impede reduction of PTSD symptomatology, but the effect of other group members' masculinity endorsement does not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study used thematic analysis to explore participants' subjective experiences of two group approaches targeting emerging adults' possible selves. Eighty-six emerging adults were randomly assigned to one of the interventions and responded to four open-ended questions following the completion of the group program. The themes that materialized from the researchers' interpretation of the data were organized into three overarching categories. These categories included psychosocial changes (four themes), experiences that facilitated group processes (nine themes), and experiences that hindered group processes (five themes). Themes were associated with one or both interventions. The researcher's analyses of participant experiences highlighted both shared and distinct aspects of the interventions. Findings from the present inquiry provided further support for group intervention as a promising means of strengthening possible selves in emerging adulthood. Moreover, they suggest different possibilities for group counsellors to consider when offering such programming to emerging adult clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meaning in life is an important aspect of wellbeing for young adults transitioning into new roles. While research suggests young adults' quality of family environments is associated with meaning, few studies have examined mechanisms that explain how early parental support may facilitate young adults' sense of meaning. Understanding factors that contribute to the development of meaning can shape helping practices for young adults, particularly those lacking in earlier parental support. The present study explored the relationship between young adults' appraisals of childhood parental support and present meaning in life, through mediation effects of dispositional optimism and identity commitment. A sample of 120 young adults aged 18–25 completed assessments of early parental support, optimism, identity commitment, and meaning in life. Parallel mediation was used to examine the hypothesized model, controlling for neuroticism. Analyses supported the association between early parental support and meaning in life being mediated by optimism and identity commitment. The findings may inform prevention and intervention practices in support of healthy development and wellbeing among youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maladaptive schemas have been linked with increased posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Posttraumatic negative self-appraisals (i.e., posttraumatic shame and self-blame) have also been empirically supported as contributors to PTSD symptom severity following traumatic events. These associations are well known; however, the pathways between maladaptive schemas and PTSD symptoms remain largely unclear. The present study aimed to examine the mediating effects of posttraumatic negative self-appraisals (shame and self-blame) on the association between maladaptive schemas and PTSD symptom severity in patients completing a partial hospitalization program. Patients (N = 98) completed measures of early maladaptive schemas, posttraumatic shame, posttraumatic self-blame, and PTSD symptom severity at intake. Posttraumatic negative self-appraisals mediated the association between maladaptive schemas and PTSD symptom severity. When we examined the specific mediating effects of shame and blame – rather than negative self-appraisals overall – shame was a significant mediator (b =.153, 95% CI [.031,.296]), but not blame (b =.038, 95% CI [−.083,.204]). Further, posttraumatic shame mediated the association between two of the four schema domains – disconnection & rejection (b =.092, 95% CI [.030,.201]) and impaired autonomy & performance (b =.047, 95% CI [.002,.124]) – and PTSD symptom severity. These findings highlight the importance of posttraumatic shame in the association between maladaptive schemas and PTSD symptom severity. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Crisis counselors' active listening and collaborative problem‐solving helping styles have been associated with outcomes for clients in suicidal crises. These associations have been based on static conceptualizations of helping (i.e., helping style for the entire session). Our aim was to further understand how the crisis counseling helping process unfolds (i.e., helping trajectory) and helping trajectories' association with clients' outcomes. Methods: Online crisis chats (N = 269) with suicidal adults were coded for crisis counselors' helping styles (i.e., active listening and collaborative problem‐solving) and clients' outcomes (i.e., resolved or unresolved). Each talk‐turn was coded for helping style, which were used to examine helping‐style trajectories. Results: Growth‐curve models indicated that helping styles varied over the course of chats and that helping trajectories were different for resolved and unresolved chats. In resolved chats, helping styles moved from primarily active listening to primarily problem‐solving—with a deceleration in the middle of chats. In unresolved chats, helping initially moved from primarily active listening to primarily problem‐solving, but this trajectory decelerated in the middle of chats and then turned back toward primarily active listening. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that how the helping process unfolds is related to clients' outcomes. Implications for practice and research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined a hypothesised mediation model whereby features of BPD would be negatively associated with PGI, with reduced dispositional optimism--the gloomy personal outlook often expressed by BPD patients--functioning as a mediator in the relationship. Conclusion Patients with BPD features were found to have greater impairment in their motivation and ability for personal growth, which may have implications for treatment engagement and recovery. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious condition involving identity disturbance, emotion dysregulation, and interpersonal problems (Leichsenring et al. [14]). PGI may be diminished in patients with more BPD features, given research indicating that patients with BPD have pessimistic views of their personal future (Janis et al. [9]; Korn et al. [11]). [Extracted from the article]

Background : Loneliness, the painful affective state that reflects perceived deficits in social relationships, is a significant health issue requiring further understanding. Individual differences in awareness and disclosure of emotional concerns may contribute to loneliness, and may do so diversely according to gender and age. The present study examined a hypothesized mediation pathway from emotional awareness abilities to loneliness through distress concealment, with moderation by gender and age, in a sample of adults attending outpatient mental health services. Methods : In a cross-sectional study design, 244 patients attending Canadian community mental health clinics completed study assessments at the commencement of care. Conditional process modeling examined interactions between gender and age and both emotional awareness and distress concealment in mediation models predicting loneliness. Results : A significant three-way interaction between gender, age, and distress concealment was observed, along with significant conditional moderated mediation. The indirect effect of emotional awareness on loneliness through the mediating effect of distress concealment was significant for young- and mid-adulthood men, but not for women or older men. Limitations : The study was limited by exclusive use of self-report assessment, and cross-sectional design precluding representation of causal sequencing over time. Conclusion : Findings suggest the pathway to loneliness from reduced emotional awareness through distress concealment to be particularly salient for younger men. Thus, intervention targeting restricted awareness and disclosure of emotional concerns should be considered in helping young men to address the pain of loneliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within-person studies of emotional disclosure have found evidence of a disclosure-discordance effect of depression, whereby the positive association between the intensity of one's emotional experience and verbal disclosure of that experience weakens with increasing depression symptoms. Because these previous studies have exclusively been naturalistic ones, we examined the disclosure-discordance effect of depression in the lab. Participants (N = 115) completed a measure of depression symptoms and viewed a series of emotionally evocative photographs. Emotion-expressive behavior while viewing each photograph was rated by judges, subjective emotional experience was assessed via self-report, and emotional disclosure just after the photograph was viewed was rated by different judges. Multilevel analyses indicated that depression symptoms moderated the association between the behavioral (i.e., facial) expression of emotion intensity and disclosure of emotion. Moderation was not supported in analyses with self-reported emotional intensity as a predictor. These findings partly supported the disclosure-discordance effect, and they inform methods of empirically examining the effect of depression symptoms on the verbal disclosure of emotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): Interpersonal problems are one of the most persistent difficulties facing those with personality disorders (PDs) and are linked with dysfunction across numerous social domains. Using an interpersonal model of PDs, we examined the indirect effects of Avoidant PD (AvPD) symptoms and social dysfunction through interpersonal problems, as well as Borderline PD (BPD) symptoms and social dysfunction. Methods: Participants were 226 adults taking part in an outpatient treatment program. Results: Using cross‐sectional data from self‐reported measures, we found that cold (b = 0.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.038, 0.176]) and overly nurturant (b = 0.04, 95% CI [0.001, 0.090]) interpersonal problems showed an indirect association between AvPD symptoms and social dysfunction. The only significant indirect association between BPD symptoms and social dysfunction was overly nurturant (b = 0.05, 95% CI [0.001, 0.120]). Conclusions: Results may aid in the development of more individualized treatments for AvPD and BPD symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Counseling Psychologist is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often experience deficits in social role functioning, which encompasses the ability to adhere to socially defined rules and norms of behaviour. Additionally, research suggests that coping styles influence the way individuals with BPD manage stress and that symptom presentation and functioning in individuals with BPD vary across genders. This study sought to explore these variables via moderated mediation, investigating the mediating influence of coping styles on the association between BPD symptoms and social role dysfunction and if these associations were further moderated by gender. Participants (N = 233) were outpatients attending a programme for personality dysfunction. Participants completed measures of BPD symptoms, coping styles and social role dysfunction. Moderated mediation indicated that for women, emotion‐oriented coping and social diversion‐oriented coping mediated the association between BPD symptoms and social dysfunction. While BPD symptoms were positively associated with emotion coping, which was positively associated with social role dysfunction, BPD symptoms were negatively associated with social diversion coping, which was negatively associated with social role dysfunction. For men, coping did not mediate the association between BPD symptoms and social role dysfunction. Our findings may indicate that social support and a healthy social network may play an important part in the ongoing social role functioning of women with BPD. From this, potential early therapeutic interventions targeting safe social engagement in times of stress may decrease the pervasive and persistent nature of social dysfunction in BPD. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: While childhood adversity is a known risk for depressive symptoms, little is known about the contributing role of individuation difficulties among young adults. The present study examined individuation difficulties and perceived social support—and their interaction—as moderators of the relationship between childhood adversity exposure and depressive symptoms. Methods: Young adults (N = 119; M = 20.8 years) completed self‐report assessments of childhood adversity, depressive symptoms, individuation difficulties, and perceived social support. Regression analyses were used to examine interaction effects regarding depressive symptom severity. Results: A significant moderated moderation effect was found whereby individuation difficulties interacted with adversity exposure as perceived social support was reduced. Thus, at high levels of individuation difficulties, young adults with exposure to childhood adversity reported elevated depressive symptoms. This effect was buffered by social support such that when individuation difficulties were high, the association between adversity and depressive symptoms decreased from low to moderate and high support. Conclusion: Individuation difficulties and social support are important factors in the development of depressive symptoms from exposure to childhood adversity among young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Absorption is a trait‐like dimension reflecting a tendency to immerse oneself in sensory and imaginative experiences. This characteristic has scarcely been investigated in group psychotherapy. The present study examined absorption in relation to clients′ experience of early group process, and as a moderator of group cohesion and improvement in psychiatric symptoms, in an integrative group treatment programme. Methods: Participants included 81 clients, who completed an 18‐week programme of intensive, integrative, group treatment for personality dysfunction. Clients completed assessments of absorption and psychiatric symptom severity, and rated three aspects of group cohesion at week 5 of the programme. Results: Absorption was significantly associated with stimulation from the group after controlling for severity of symptoms and personality dysfunction. Moderation analyses found a significant interaction effect for absorption and the stimulation component of group cohesion with regard to symptom improvement. Absorption thus had a moderating effect on the relationship between stimulation from the group and improvement in psychiatric symptoms; for clients with higher levels of absorption, stimulation from group therapy contributed significantly to reduced symptom severity at post‐treatment. Discussion: Findings suggest that absorption may be a salient personality feature to consider in group therapy for clients with personality dysfunction. Conclusion: Absorption may contribute to treatment outcome, in that clients′ absorption tendencies could interact with their enthusiasm for the group experience, thereby leading to reduced symptoms following intensive group treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on emotion reactivity among people with major depressive disorder (MDD) indicates that people with MDD show diminished reactivity to negative events as compared to non-depressed controls. This diminished reactivity may only be at the highest levels of depression symptoms, suggesting a nonlinear association between depression symptoms and emotion reactivity. Unfortunately, depression has not been examined as a continuum in this line of research; moreover, the time course of reactivity during an emotional event has not been adequately examined. Participants (N = 100) completed a measure of depression symptoms and then viewed a sadness-inducing 11-min film clip while their facial expressions were video recorded and coded separately for each minute of the film clip. Growth-curve analyses indicated a quadratic effect of depression symptoms on curves for facial expressions of sadness and happiness, such that the change in growth/decay first increased and then decreased from low to high levels of depression symptoms. This result supports the idea that the negative mood inherent in depression potentiates reactivity at lower ends of the depression continuum but that reactivity is dampened at higher levels of depression. This suggests that researchers specify the specific range of depression symptoms under investigation (e.g., mild, moderate, dysphoric, severely depressed) when studying the role of depression on emotional reactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key challenge for people who struggle with major depressive disorder (MDD) is the prevention of recurrence, given that the risk of recurrence increases significantly with each episode. Recently, it has been suggested that low levels of self-compassion may be an enduring risk factor for depression recurrence; however, surprisingly little research has examined the pathways through which self-compassion and recurrent depressive symptoms are linked. Thus, our study examined how self-compassion may be protective in the recurrence of depressive symptoms through four emotion regulation strategies associated with depression: brooding rumination, experiential avoidance, cognitive reappraisal, and acceptance. A sample of 100 participants with a history of recurrent depression were recruited using Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk). Simple and multiple mediation analyses were conducted. Results from the simple mediation models indicated that higher levels of self-compassion were associated with lower depressive symptoms through brooding rumination, experiential avoidance, and acceptance, while cognitive reappraisal did not mediate the relation. The multiple mediation model revealed that brooding rumination was the only significant mediator, when controlling for other emotion regulation strategy variables. Theoretical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: While stage of change has been shown to be a robust predictor of eating disorder treatment outcome, little attention has been paid to the role of confidence. This study sought to better understand the role of confidence and the possible interaction it may have with stage of change in promoting eating disorder symptom change. Method: Participants were adult women in inpatient treatment for eating disorders. They completed measures of motivation for change, which assessed precontemplation, action, confidence and internality (changing for oneself vs. others) and eating disorder symptom severity at pretreatment (N = 159) and posttreatment (n = 59). Only treatment completer analyses were used. Results: Precontemplation and confidence had significant effects on pretreatment and posttreatment symptom severity, while action only had a significant effect on pretreatment symptoms. Confidence was shown to moderate relations between both measures of stage of change (i.e., precontemplation and action) and symptoms posttreatment. Follow‐up analyses indicated that high precontemplation was associated with poor outcome, irrespective of confidence, however, low precontemplation was associated with better outcome at high levels of confidence. The interaction between confidence and action was also significant at very high levels of confidence. That is, among individuals who had high action at baseline, those with low confidence had significantly poorer outcomes relative to those with high confidence. Discussion: Findings indicate that stage of change and confidence are both important prognostic factors and suggest that early behavior change in the absence of confidence may not guarantee best outcomes in inpatient eating disorder treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Traumatic Stress is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study examined vocational identity as a mediator of the relationship between occupational engagement (i.e., participation in a breadth of activities and interactions) and academic major satisfaction. Furthermore, the authors evaluated whether satisfaction with academic major related to academic success (i.e., grade point average). The mediational model was tested in a sample of undergraduate students ( N = 215). Results indicated that occupational engagement significantly predicted academic major satisfaction and that vocational identity fully mediated that relationship. These findings support occupational engagement as an important contributor to adaptive career decision making and encourage research on occupational engagement as an intervention point for career counselors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While research evidence has consistently demonstrated the link between social relationships and psychological distress, there is debate over the strength of perceived emotional support compared with perceived negative interaction on psychological distress and whether the relation between social relationships and psychological distress is direct or moderating. In this study, we examined the relation between partner emotional support, partner negative interaction, and trauma on psychological distress. Our sample of married or romantically partnered people was drawn from a nationally representative U.S. data set (N = 5,383). The direct effects of romantic partner emotional support and romantic partner negative interaction on psychological distress were evaluated and compared. Further, we evaluated the moderating effects of partner emotional support and partner negative interaction on the relation between trauma history and psychological distress. Hierarchical regression models revealed that (a) people exposed to trauma experienced greater psychological distress, (b) partner emotional support was linked with reduced distress, (c) partner negative interaction was linked with increased distress, (d) partner negative interaction accounted for more variance in psychological distress compared with partner emotional support, and (e) neither partner emotional support nor partner negative interaction moderated the relation between trauma and distress. These findings indicate that partner negative interaction has a stronger relation with psychological distress than partner emotional support. Further, they support the direct effects of social relationships on psychological distress over the moderating effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined parental reactions to adolescents’ suicide attempts and the association of reactions with future suicidal self-directed violence. Participants were 81 mothers and 49 fathers of 85 psychiatric inpatient adolescents. Maternal hostility and paternal anger and arguing predicted future suicide attempts. From pre- to post-attempt, mothers reported feeling increased sadness, caring, anxiety, guilt, fear, and being overwhelmed; fathers reported increased sadness, anxiety, and fear. Findings have clinical implications; improving parent-child relationships post-suicide attempt may serve as a protective factor for suicide. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Occupational Engagement Scale–Student (OES-S)—a 9-item measure of occupational engagement in college students—was developed and initial validity evidence is presented. Using two samples of college students, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the measure’s unidimensionality. Criterion validity was supported via the OES-S predicting (a) vocational identity, (b) academic major satisfaction, (c) gains in personal development, (d) gains in vocational competence, and (e) gains in general education. Implications for practice, theory, and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Military-related trauma and veteran status have been linked with posttraumatic stress symptoms, depressive symptoms, and other personal and interpersonal difficulties. While many treatment evaluations for people with posttraumatic stress exist, few veteran populations or group formats have been evaluated. This report presents an evaluation of the Veterans Transition Program (VTP)-a group-based treatment for veterans who experienced a military-related trauma that is negatively impacting their lives. Fifty-six veterans attended the VTP; all attended every session and completed pre- and post-tests assessing posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms. Significant pre- to post-test improvement was found on all scales. These findings demonstrate the potential benefit of the VTP and encourage further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]