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Unemployed people constitute a stigmatized group. They are perceived as lazy hucksters who could find a job if they just really tried. The aim of the present work was to identify mechanisms underlying this negative perception of unemployment in the context of intergroup relationships. Specifically, we focused on the influence of meritocratic beliefs on the tendency to attribute unemployment to the unemployed individuals themselves. In three experimental studies, participants had to explain the situation of a person presented either as 'working' or as 'looking for a job'. Before this task and in an ostensible unrelated study, meritocratic beliefs were measured. Results showed that participants high in meritocratic beliefs explained unemployment less externally and more internally than participants low in meritocratic beliefs. Interestingly, these differences in causal attributions between high and low meritocratic believers appeared specifically for unemployment in Studies 1 and 2. Taken together, these results suggest that high meritocratic believers tend to consider that unemployed individuals are responsible for their unfortunate situation and have only themselves to blame. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japan's remuneration systems are moving away from seniority‐based pay towards individual performance‐based pay. We tested how the latter system works within the Japanese cultural context and whether the operation and functioning of the system reflects general psychological tendencies found in Japan. Japanese (Study 1 n = 197; Study 2 n = 235) and European American (Study 1 n = 201; Study 2 n = 186) participants read vignettes that described workplace success centred on a focal employee and including a team. Participants attributed contribution and rewards (financial and status) to a range of agents and factors with graded levels of focus, from the focal employee having the greatest and luck having the least. In general, we found that Japanese participants attributed greater contribution and reward to less focal agents and factors while European American participants attributed greater contribution and reward to more focal agents, in addition to some specific differences between the tasks and reward types. We discuss implications for more nuanced theorizing of the interaction between institutional systems and psychological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, 43 obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) patients receiving cognitive‐behavior therapy (CBT)/exposure and response prevention (ERP) in an intensive residential treatment program responded to an open‐ended question about causal attributions (i.e., personal explanations for the etiology of their OCD) at baseline and the Yale‐Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (Y‐BOCS) at baseline and treatment discharge. Baseline self‐reported responses about causal attributions were qualitatively coded to derive predictors (biological/genetic, environmental, psychological, and interactional attributions). Predictors were entered into a binary logistic regression with Y‐BOCS responder status (at least partial response [≥25% pre‐post reduction] vs. no response) as the outcome. After controlling for length of stay and number of comorbid psychiatric diagnoses, only biological/genetic attributions uniquely predicted increased odds of treatment response, odds ratio = 10.04, p = 0.03. Biological/genetic attributions may reduce self‐blame for symptoms or increase expectancy violation likelihood during treatment, thereby improving odds of response. Clinicians should assess OCD patients' causal attributions as part of routine clinical care to hopefully optimize treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Numerous facets of public and internalized mental illness stigma have been established. This study focuses on the stigma of being associated with someone with depression and cultural differences between a Western and an Eastern culture. The aim was to compare White British and South Asians living in the United Kingdom regarding their causal explanations for depression, stigma towards people with depression and stigma by association. Design: A cross‐sectional design. Methods: White British and South Asians (N = 137) in the United Kingdom completed a survey measuring attributions about the aetiology of depression, discriminatory potential towards people with depression and stigma by association. Results: Results revealed that South Asians attributed greater supernatural, moral and psychosocial causes to depression, while White British endorsed greater biological beliefs. South Asians reported a greater discriminatory potential towards people with depression (lower willingness for closeness, greater desire for social distance) than White British. They also indicated greater affective, cognitive and behavioural stigma by association. Stigma by association mediated the relationship between cultural group and willingness for closeness as well as desire for social distance. Perceived dangerousness was a mediator for willingness for closeness. Conclusions: These findings suggest that a greater consideration of the role of culture in the understanding of mental health is important to combat stigma towards individuals with depression and those close to them across Western and Eastern cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nicaragua is one of the countries with the lowest levels of development in Latin America, with a collectivist culture, where information on people in a homeless situation is very limited. The study examines a sample of people living homeless in the city of León (Nicaragua), their level of overall happiness, their future expectations, their perception of the evolution of their situation, their causal attributions of homelessness, and the aspects they believe are most important for overcoming their situation. Forty‐one of the 68 homeless people contacted in León (Nicaragua) responded to a structured interview. The results show that the interviewees reported very low levels of overall happiness, although their future expectations were positive. The interviewees attributed homelessness situation (their own and other people's) primarily to individualistic causes and problems in family relationships, and they had a tendency to consider both themselves and other people living homeless responsible for their homelessness. The results are compared to the data obtained using similar methodologies and instruments for people living homeless in Madrid (Spain) and trash pickers in León (Nicaragua)—two groups in situations of extreme poverty and social exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While eating disorders were historically considered to be a result of psychological or environmental causes, current evidence suggests that eating disorders are the product of complex gene–environment interactions wherein heritable vulnerabilities are activated by multiple exposures to environmental stimuli over the lifespan. Despite the fact that this integrated biopsychosocial etiological view of eating disorders is accepted among many professionals in the eating disorder field, evidence suggests that the general public and some clinicians are susceptible to dualist, or reductionist, views of psychopathology. Currently, little is known about (a) the prevalence of reductionist biological views of eating disorder etiology in those with eating disorders (this view attributes the cause of eating disorders to predominantly biological factors but does not acknowledge psychosocial factors as important contributors), (b) the effects of reductionist biological views on clinical outcomes, and (c) the most effective methods for modifying these views. In this article, we present the results of a preliminary investigation on the relationship between perceived causes of eating disorders and the attitudes and behaviors of those with eating disorders. We then go on to propose specific avenues for further research on uncovering the effects of reductionist biological views of eating disorder etiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Tools have been developed to assess the existence and intensity of fatalistic beliefs. Causal attributions of cancer, referring to the foundation for fatalistic views of cancer as being predetermined or reflecting an unavoidable death, are lacking. The aim was to develop and validate the Fatalistic Causal Attributions of Cancer Questionnaire, a measurement tool for studying the causal attributions of cancer. Methods: Three‐phase study. Phase I: Item extraction and development based on focus groups (N = 30) and assessment of content validity. Phase II: Assessment of quality of items and construct validity (exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and convergent validity) of data from 252 participants (aged 50–75). Phase III: Confirmatory factor analysis and assessment of the discriminant validity and reliability of the questionnaire with 127 online respondents (aged 20–70). Results: In Phase I, an initial questionnaire was constructed. In Phase II, four factors were identified: Belief in divine providence, belief in personal resilience as a protective factor, belief in chance or luck, and belief in inevitable environmental or genetic factors. The factorial structure of an 18‐item version that emerged in the confirmatory factor analysis had good fit indexes and reliability measures. In Phase III, the 18‐item questionnaire and its factorial structure and reliability were confirmed. Conclusion: The findings show acceptable psychometric properties for the questionnaire. We suggest that this questionnaire should be used with an existing questionnaire that assesses the intensity of fatalistic perceptions for a more comprehensive assessment of fatalism in research and in promoting adherence to screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three experimental studies with different participant pools examined the effects of displays of empathic anger – anger that is caused by witnessing or learning of harm done to another person – on perceptions of men and women in leadership positions. In contrast to prior work, which focused on expressions of anger regarding personal failure and found double standards that favour men, the results in this study show that displays of empathic anger were significantly more beneficial for female leaders. In particular, female leaders who expressed anger about a harm done to a subordinate were perceived as possessing more agentic and communal characteristics, and as being more effective in their position, than their male counterparts. Moreover, the results showed that this effect was driven by observers' tendency to attribute empathic anger expressed by female compared with male leaders more strongly to internal reasons like the leader's personality. Consistent with these findings, the different perceptions of male and female leaders were no longer present when attributions for the displays of empathic anger were clearly internal. Practitioner points: To be effective leaders, female managers need to show qualities like determination and confidence, but unlike male leaders, they often find it difficult to do so without simultaneously been judged as lacking important attributes like warmth and kindness.The results in this study suggest that female leaders can overcome this problem by expressing anger about a harm done to others, which causes observes to judge them even more positively than male leaders who engage in the same behaviour.Overall, whereas female leaders should generally avoid expressing anger about a personal harm for which they are judged very negatively, they should not be reluctant to display anger about harm done to other members of organization when they have the opportunity to do so. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: In common clinical practice, potentially traumatic life events and the possible attribution of such events to fibromyalgia often go undetected. Having demonstrated in a previous study that hypnosis facilitates the exploration of such events, we now aim to explore and classify the content of these events and to determine whether there is an association between the type of event, the state of consciousness in which the patient verbalized it, and possible causal attributions of the disorder. Method: Thirty‐two women (age 52 ± 7 years) suffering from fibromyalgia and receiving care in a primary healthcare center participated in the same semi‐structured interview twice: once in a wakeful state and once under hypnosis. They answered two questions: what other events in your life coincided with the onset of fibromyalgia? Are those events related to your fibromyalgia in any way? To counteract biases related to order or recall, the order of the two interviews was randomized with a 3‐month period in between. Results: The patients verbalized 23 different types of events, which we classified into eight categories, mostly psychosocial events. Although the relationship between the three variables was not statistically significant, two of the bivariate associations predicted (type of event and state of consciousness; and state of consciousness and causal attribution) were confirmed (χ2, P values of.01 and <.001 respectively). Conclusion: Potentially traumatic life events could remain undetected in primary healthcare consultations and hypnosis could prove a useful tool for their detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: Major depression is increasingly viewed in the United States public as a medical disorder with biological and psychosocial causes. Yet little is known about how causal attributions about depression vary among low‐income racial minorities. This study examined beliefs about causes of depression and their demographic, clinical and treatment correlates in a lower income African American sample. Method: Volunteers (N = 110) aged 24–79 years, who participated in a family study of depression, completed a 45‐item questionnaire on their beliefs about the causes of depression. We used multidimensional scaling (MDS) to cluster items into causal domains and multivariate regression analyses to test associations of causal domains with demographic and clinical characteristics and treatments received. Results: Three causal domains, conceptualized as Eastern culture/supernatural (ECS), Western culture/natural/psychosocial (WCN‐P), and /neurobiological (WCN‐N) attributions, were derived from MDS clusters. WCN‐P was most commonly endorsed (50%–91%) and ECS least endorsed as causes of depression (10‐44%). This pattern held across gender, age, educational levels, and diagnostic category. WCN‐N items were moderately endorsed, with some distinction between genetic causes and other biological causes. WCN‐N was positively associated with medication as opposed to other forms of treatment (B = 1.17; p = .049). Conclusion: Among low‐income African Americans, beliefs about causes of depression are varied but broadly consistent explanatory models that include a combination of psychosocial causes with genetic/biological contributions. For certain individuals, supernatural and natural causal attributions may coexist without dissonance. Causal attributions may be associated with types of treatment accepted and have implications for treatment compliance and adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the association between cancer causal attributions, fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) and psychological well‐being and the possible moderating effect of optimism among women with a previous diagnosis of breast cancer. Participants (N = 314) completed an online self‐report assessment of causal attributions for their own breast cancer, FCR, psychological well‐being and optimism. Simultaneous multiple regression analyses were conducted to explore the overall contribution of causal attributions to FCR and psychological well‐being separately. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were also utilised to examine the potential moderating influence of dispositional optimism on the relationship between causal attributions and FCR and psychological well‐being. Causal attributions of environmental exposures, family history and stress were significantly associated with higher FCR. The attribution of stress was also significantly associated with lower psychological well‐being. Optimism did not moderate the relationship between causal attributions and FCR or well‐being. The observed relationships between causal attributions for breast cancer and FCR and psychological well‐being suggest that the inclusion of causal attributions in screening for FCR is potentially important. Health professionals may need to provide greater psychological support to women who attribute their cancer to non‐modifiable causes and consequently continue to experience distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is currently a first-line treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Even though the results from trials are promising, there is variability in patient outcomes. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of patients with CFS who undertook CBT at a specialist service for CFS.Design: This was a qualitative study.Methods: Thirteen patients with CFS, approaching the end of CBT, participated in semi-structured interviews. In addition, participants were asked to rate their satisfaction with CBT and perceived level of improvement. The data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.Results: The majority of participants were satisfied with treatment and reported marked improvements. This was evident from the ratings and corroborated by the qualitative data, yet recovery was in general incomplete. Participants often disclosed mixed feelings towards CBT prior to its start. Behavioural aspects of treatment were found useful, while participants were more ambivalent towards the cognitive aspects of treatment. The tailored nature of CBT and therapist contact were important components of treatment, which provided participants with support and validation. Engagement and motivation were crucial for participants to benefit from CBT, as well as the acceptance of a bio-psychosocial model of CFS. Illness beliefs around CFS were also discussed throughout the interviews, possibly impeding engagement with therapy.Conclusions: The results suggest that various factors may moderate the effectiveness of CBT, and a greater understanding of these factors may help to maximize benefits gained from CBT. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? CBT is effective in reducing CFS symptoms, but not all patients report marked improvements following treatment. Predictors of outcome have been explored in the literature. Few studies have looked at the experience of adult patients with CFS who have had CBT. What does this study add? Findings provide insights as to why variability in CBT-related improvements exists. Beliefs about CFS and CBT may shape engagement and consequently contribute to post-treatment outcomes. Flexibility and sensitivity are necessary from therapists throughout treatment to ensure full engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Contact is seen as a key route to tackling stigma and discrimination. Contact theory states that the quality and type of contact, as well as circumstance of the contact experience, influence the effect of contact on prejudice. The majority of research in intellectual disabilities though has focused on contact as present or absent only. Method A total of 1264 adult members of the UK general population completed measures of symptom recognition, social distance (as measure of external stigma) and causal beliefs in response to a diagnostically unlabelled vignette, depicting someone with intellectual disabilities. Results A nuanced contact variable, including frequency of contact and closeness and nature of the contact relationship, explained more of the variance in social distance, compared to the binary variable (contact as present or absent). Only the closeness of the relationship was individually predictive though, and the models explained only relatively small amounts of the variance. Structural equation modelling of contact, recognition, social distance and causal beliefs demonstrated that the model including the nuanced variable was an adequate fit for the data. Conclusions Future research aimed at increasing our understanding of intellectual disability stigma should avoid assessing contact as a binary variable only, but consider other factors, particularly the closeness of contact relationships. Anti-stigma interventions may benefit from focussing on causal attributions as a method of reducing stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Children with intellectual disabilities have high rates of behaviour problems. This study explored parents' causal beliefs and attributions for general problematic child behaviour in children with different aetiologies of intellectual disabilities. Materials and Methods Ten parents of children with intellectual disabilities participated in interviews about their child's problematic behaviour. Results Thematic analysis using NVivo revealed that parents viewed their child's problematic behaviour not only as caused by the child's intellectual disabilities but also by other causes unrelated to the intellectual disabilities, as well as by aspects of the social environmental context. Some causes were viewed as stable and uncontrollable and others as unstable and controllable. In addition, parents showed a strong sense of responsibility for child behaviour. Conclusions Parents of children with intellectual disabilities do not solely interpret their child's problematic behaviour through the intellectual disabilities but incorporate the environment and causes and attributions that are not related to the intellectual disabilities, which may help to promote more effective parenting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Associations between parental expressed emotion ( EE) or parental attributions and the problem behaviours of children with intellectual disability ( ID) have been explored in ID research. However, a more detailed examination of the attributional model of EE has not been reported. In the present study, we partially replicated and extended research focused on mothers of typically developing children with behaviour problems. Methods Twenty-seven mothers of children with ID and behaviour problems aged 4-9 years were interviewed about their most problematic behaviours exhibited by their child, and completed a Five Minute Speech Sample. Interview transcripts and speech samples were coded for maternal EE and spontaneous causal attributions regarding the child's behaviour problems. Data were also collected on maternal well-being, and the child's behaviour problems. Results Mothers typically made attributions that were internal to the child, controllable by the child, personal to the child and stable for the child. Maternal attributions of being able to control the child's behaviour were associated with high maternal criticism and low warmth. Maternal depression was more strongly associated with the child's behaviour problems when mothers were coded as high in criticism or low in warmth. Conclusions Patterns of maternal attributions about their child's behaviour problems and their consequences for maternal well-being and maternal-child relationships require more research attention. Implications for practice are discussed, including the potential for maternal attributions to be incompatible with the focus of positive behaviour supports offered to families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The purpose was to examine the prevalence of fear of recurrence (FoR) in long-term testicular cancer survivors (TCSs) and the association between FoR and causal attributions of cancer. Methods Testicular cancer survivors were sampled from a clinical register and were sent a questionnaire assessing FoR, depression using Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), physical symptoms (ototoxicity, neuropathy, and Raynaud-like phenomena), and causal attributions of testicular cancer. Results There were 316 TCSs who completed the questionnaires (response rate, 65%). The mean age was 47.6 years (standard deviation ( SD) = 10.9), and the mean time since diagnosis was 12.0 years ( SD = 3.0). Among the TCSs, 27.9% reported FoR. Univariate analyses revealed that FoR was associated with a BDI-II sum score of ≥19 (odds ratio ( OR) = 7.07, p < 0.001) and attributing the cancer disease to psychological stress ( OR = 2.57, p = 0.002). A multivariate analysis revealed associations between FoR and attributing the cancer disease to psychological stress ( OR = 2.35, p = 0.010) and a BDI-II sum score ≥19 ( OR = 5.82, p = 0.002). Conclusions Fear of recurrence is prevalent in long-term TCSs. The observed relationship between FoR and a psychological causal attribution is probably complex and the direction of causality may be twofold: attributing the disease to a factor that is perceived as uncontrollable in nature could induce loss of control, and high levels of FoR may increase the need to gain control over the situation by pointing out factors that could be responsible for the disease such as psychological stress. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper addresses the causal attribution theory, an old and well-established theme in social psychology which denotes the everyday, commonsense explanations that people use to explain events and the world around them. The attribution paradigm is considered one of the most appropriate analytical tools for exploratory and descriptive studies in social psychology and organizational literature. It affords the possibility of describing accident processes as objectively as possible and with as much detail as possible. Causal explanations are vital to the formal analysis of workplace hazards and accidents, as they determine how organizations act to prevent accident recurrence. Accordingly, they are regarded as fundamental and prerequisite elements for safety management policies. The paper focuses primarily on the role of causal attributions in occupational and industrial accident analyses and implementation of safety interventions. It thus serves as a review of the contribution of attribution theory to occupational and industrial accidents. It comprises six sections. The first section presents an introduction to the classic attribution theories, and the second an account of the various ways in which the attribution paradigm has been applied in organizational settings. The third and fourth sections review the literature on causal attributions and demographic and organizational variables respectively. The sources of attributional biases in social psychology and how they manifest and are identified in the causal explanations for industrial and occupational accidents are treated in the fifth section. Finally, conclusion and recommendations are presented. The recommendations are particularly important for the reduction of workplace accidents and associated costs. The paper touches on the need for unbiased causal analyses, belief in the preventability of accidents, and the imperative role of management in occupational safety management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Research suggests individuals possess multifaceted cognitive representations of various diseases. These illness representations consist of various beliefs, including causal attributions for the disease, and are believed to motivate, guide, and shape health-related behavior. As little research has examined factors associated with beliefs about cancer causation, this study examined the relationship between personal and family history of cancer and beliefs about the causes and prevention of malignant disease. Methods: Data were obtained from 6369 adult respondents to the 2003 Health Information National Trends Survey, a national population-based survey. Information about personal and family history of cancer and beliefs regarding cancer causation and prevention was obtained. Results: Results showed both a personal and family history of cancer were associated with differences in beliefs about the causes of cancer. In general, a personal history of cancer was not significantly linked to causal attributions for cancer relative to those without a personal history. In contrast, a family history of cancer tended to increase the likelihood a respondent viewed a particular cause as increasing cancer risk. Thus, personal and vicarious experience with cancer had dramatically diverging influences on attributions of cancer causation, which may be due to differing self-protection motives. Conclusion: Results support the belief that illness representations, in this case the causal belief component, are influenced by both personal and vicarious experience with a disease and also suggest illness representations may influence receptivity to messages and interventions designed to increase appropriate cancer risk reduction behavior. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite expanding knowledge regarding the genetics of melanoma, there have been few attempts to define the psychosocial experiences of individuals with a family history of this disease. This study explored the ways in which individuals at varying levels of risk perceive, and respond to, melanoma. Forty semi-structured interviews were undertaken with affected (n = 20) and unaffected (n = 20) individuals with or without a family history of melanoma. Data were analysed for potential thematic differences between risk groups, genders, and intentions to pursue genetic testing for melanoma risk. Overall, participants with a family history were in acceptance of their increased risk status and had developed ways of coping without major disruption to their daily lives. However, some participants expressed ambiguity regarding the causes of melanoma and the effectiveness of health behaviours such as sun protection. Major thematic patterns identified for those intending to pursue genetic testing were: negative emotional associations with melanoma; an emphasis on screening and sun avoidance, but not sun protection; and heightened perceptions of personal susceptibility to melanoma. In contrast, thematic patterns identified for those likely to decline testing were: ready access to stories of melanoma survival; and an emphasis on the causal role of sun exposure, whilst still believing that genetic factors may contribute to melanoma susceptibility. Compared to males, females reported a greater tendency to completely avoid the sun in order to reduce their melanoma risk. The data provide preliminary evidence for the importance of identifying misconceptions that may impede informed decision-making about genetic testing for melanoma risk. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite rapid advancements in molecular genetics research, little is known about the psychological experiences of individuals with a family history of melanoma. The present study aimed to identify factors contributing to psychological distress among affected and unaffected individuals with a strong family history of melanoma. A total of 121 adults who had recently been informed of the identification of a family-specific mutation in the CDKN2A melanoma susceptibility gene, completed a self-report questionnaire assessing cancer-specific and generalized distress, and a variety of potential predictors. Having a personal history of melanoma (OR = 3.37, p = 0.033), perceiving greater family implications of melanoma (OR = 2.52, p < 0.0001), and the tendency to monitor for threatening information (OR = 3.12, p = 0.008) were associated with melanoma-specific distress. Being childless ( β = 2.09, p = 0.007), perceiving sun exposure as an important cause of melanoma ( β = 1.15, p = 0.015), and perceiving greater family implications of melanoma ( β = 1.02, p = 0.002) were associated with greater generalized anxiety, while monitoring moderated the relationship between endorsement of a genetic model of melanoma and generalized anxiety (p = 0.005). As in other common familial cancers, distress was relatively uncommon in this familial melanoma cohort, even after notification of the presence of a family mutation. Participants do not contemplate their melanoma risk in isolation, but evaluate their risk vis-à-vis the experiences of their relatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This study examined the responses of care managers and direct care staff to vignettes of inappropriate sexual behaviour by a man with an intellectual disability. The aim was to test the theory that helping behaviour is determined by emotional responses (positive and negative emotional reactions, and optimism), which in turn are determined by causal attributions (respectively: controllability and stability of the incident depicted in the vignette). Method The vignettes varied in response topography and the age of the victim. Regression analysis was used to examine the relationships between causal attributions, emotional responses, and willingness to invest extra time and effort in the service user's care. Results No support was found for the pathway: low controllability → increased sympathy and/or decreased negative emotions → increased helping. However, strong support was found for the pathway: low stability → high optimism → increased helping, particularly in direct care staff. High levels of sympathy were also associated with increased helping, the effect again being mediated by feelings of optimism. Conclusions The data provide support for one (but not the other) strand of attribution theory as applied to inappropriate sexual behaviour. The discussion considers the discrepancy between the present data and the far less encouraging literature on attribution theory as applied to challenging behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Pharmacogenetic smoking cessation interventions would involve smokers being given information about the influence of genes on their behaviour. However, attributing smoking to genetic causes may reduce perceived control over smoking, reducing quit attempt success. This study examines whether attributing smoking to genetic influences is associated with reduced quitting and whether this effect is mediated by perceived control over smoking. Design Cohort study. Participants A total of 792 smokers, participating in a trial of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)-assisted smoking cessation. Participants were informed that the trial investigated relationships between genetic markers and smoking behaviour, but personalized genetic feedback was not provided. Setting Primary care in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, UK. Measurements Perceived control over smoking and perceived importance of genetic factors in causing smoking assessed pre-quit; abstinence 4, 12, 26 and 52 weeks after the start of treatment. Findings A total of 515 smokers (65.0%) viewed genetic factors as playing some role in causing their smoking. They had lower perceived control over smoking than smokers who viewed genetic factors as having no role in causing their smoking. Attributing smoking to genetic causes was not associated significantly with a lower probability of quit attempt success. Conclusions Attributing smoking to genetic factors was associated with lower levels of perceived control over smoking but not lower quit rates. This suggests that learning of one's genetic predisposition to smoking during a pharmacogenetically tailored smoking cessation intervention may not deter quitting. Further research should examine whether the lack of impact of genetic attributions on quit attempt success is also found in smokers provided with personalized genetic feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The current study examined the perceptions about an individual with anorexia nervosa (AN) relative to perceptions about a healthy person and a person with another mental or nonmental illness. Method: Ninety-one participants recruited from the community completed questionnaires targeting perceptions about 4 individuals: a healthy person, a person with asthma, a person with schizophrenia, and a person with AN. Results: Evaluations of personal characteristics were most negative for persons with AN. Participants believed the person with AN was most to blame for his/her condition, was best able to pull him/herself together if he/she wanted to, and was most acting this way for attention and that biological factors were least relevant in developing the illness. Conclusion: Negative perceptions of a person with AN fell into stigma categories of self-attribution and responsibility. These attitudes may contribute to reluctance to seek treatment among individuals with AN. © 2006 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Int J Eat Disord, 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boys with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) demonstrate disruptive behaviour at significantly higher rates compared to girls. Disruptive behaviour often develops as a result of negative interaction patterns within the caregiving relationship. Given the importance of parental cognitions as mediators of parental behaviour, the consideration of parent and child sex in the investigation of causal attributions regarding AD/HD may, at least partially, explain sex differences in the prevalence of disruptive behaviour among children with AD/HD.To examine the effect of parent and child sex on parental causal attributions and reactions about AD/HD and to investigate the interrelationships between these variables.Three hundred and seventeen mothers and 317 fathers of boys and girls aged 4–6 years and enrolled in kindergartens in Athens.A Greek version of the Parental Account of the Causes of Childhood Problems Questionnaire was used, which followed a vignette about a hypothetical child displaying symptoms of AD/HD. Half of the participants received a male and another half received a female version of the vignette.The child's sex greatly influenced parents’ causal attributions about AD/HD. Higher ratings of intentionality were conferred to boys with AD/HD than girls and these attributions were related to stricter responses towards boys. In contrast, parents who considered biological dysfunction as underlying AD/HD, they mostly did so in the case of girls. Minimal effect of parent sex on causal attributions was found.Because causal attributions of intentionality relate to the response of more strictness and such attributions are more prevalent for boys than girls, then these perceptions about the aetiology of AD/HD in boys may be at the basis of negative interaction patterns. The increase of such interaction patterns may place boys at a more vulnerable position towards the development of secondary behaviour problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the responses of care managers and direct care staff to vignettes of inappropriate sexual behaviour (ISB) by a man with an intellectual disability. The aim was to identify psychological factors that influenced their assessment of risk and the perceived need for risk management strategies.The vignettes varied in response topography and the age of the victim. Regression analysis was used to examine the effect of three sets of psychological factors (causal explanations, causal attributions and emotional responses) on perceptions of risk, seriousness and appropriate service level responses to the ISB, and the inter-relationships between these outcome variables.Behaviours involving intimate sexual contact or a child victim were rated as more serious, and more in need of supervision and management, than vignettes describing non-contact behaviours or in which the victim was another adult with an intellectual disability. Levels of concern were generally lower for care managers than for direct care staff. The study cast little light on how care staff make decisions concerning the risk of recurrence of ISB. For care managers, high levels of concern were associated with the perception that the ISB was sexually motivated or was triggered by a negative emotional state, and with high levels of anger. Care managers appeared to make decisions about the appropriate intensity of service response based on an evaluation of the seriousness of the ISB, which was informed by the topography of the ISB and the identity of the victim. For direct care staff, high levels of concern were associated primarily with the perception that the cause of the behaviour was poor management; other factors associated with high levels of concern were the perception that the ISB was sexually motivated, and attributions that the ISB was controllable and stable. The central constructs in the decision making of direct care staff appeared to be the perceptions that, for it to have occurred, the behaviour must have been badly managed, and that offences against children require a response.These differing approaches to decision making by care managers and care staff may lead to conflict in the implementation of care plans for men with intellectual disabilities who display ISB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Framing studies typically are concerned with how people's opinions are affected by opposing ways of presenting, or framing, an issue or event. This paper investigates whether different frames also lead to different patterns of emotional response. Cognitive appraisal models of emotion suggest that frames can alter emotional reactions. An experiment compared students’ emotional responses to versions of a newspaper article that emphasized underlying social conditions as the cause of the 1992 Los Angeles riots (situational frame) or emphasized irresponsibility and criminality on the part of the rioters (dispositional frame). Few systematic framing effects were found when examining whether respondents reported experiencing a particular emotion. However, consistent with recent work showing that predispositions mediate the effect of frames on opinion, frames altered the relationship between predispositions and emotion. Patterns suggestive of framing effects also emerged in an examination of the content of people's emotional reactions. The findings are consistent with the claim that framing affects emotional responses, reinforce the claim that framing effects depend on individual predispositions, and underscore the importance of accounting for the content of people's emotional responses in the study of emotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

kärner a., dahlgren m.a. & bergdahl b. (2004) Journal of Clinical Nursing 13, 167–176 Coronary heart disease: causes and drug treatment – spouses’ conceptions Spouses are important in the rehabilitation process of their partner after coronary heart disease event. Their knowledge and attitudes have an impact on their support to the partner concerning lifestyle changes and drug treatment after an event. To explore spouses’ conceptions concerning causes of coronary heart disease and drug treatment 1 year after the partner's cardiac event. Qualitative with an empirical and inductive approach. Semi-structured interviews with strategically selected spouses (17 women and eight men) were taped. The transcripts were analysed within the phenomenographic framework. Spouses’ conceptions about causes of coronary heart disease and its treatment consisted of correct facts, as judged on a lay level, less elaborated conceptions and misconceptions. Among causes of coronary heart disease, the spouses were most knowledgeable about fat intake. They knew less about contributions from inactivity, stress and smoking. Ambivalent feelings were expressed about benefits vs. side effects of drugs. The treatment was conceived as necessary for the heart, but harmful for other organs. Men and women were evenly distributed in most of the derived categories. More women than men considered stress as a cause of coronary heart disease and also misconceived physical exercise to cause the disease. A variation of spouses’ conceptions was revealed about causes of coronary heart disease and drug treatment. There was a lack of understanding concerning important parts of cardiac rehabilitation activities. These misconceptions may have implications by influencing their partner's co-operative behaviour. Spouses’ pre-existing conceptions of coronary heart disease and its treatment should be considered in the rehabilitation process of their partner. Couples with misconceptions should be given the opportunity to increase qualitatively their knowledge starting from their point of view rather than from that of the professional perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This was an initial study seeking to examine the relationship between Expressed Emotion (EE), spontaneous causal attributions and depression in mothers of children referred for problem behaviour. Method: Sixty-one mothers were interviewed using the Camberwell Family Interview (CFI). The CFI was coded for maternal EE and spontaneous causal attributions regarding the child's behaviour. Self-report measures of child problem behaviour and maternal depressive symptoms were also completed. Results: Consistent with previous research, high EE mothers, compared to low EE mothers, were more likely to make attributions that judged the cause of problem behaviour to be personal to and controllable by the child and also made more 'child-blaming' attributions than low EE mothers. Mothers' scores on the Beck Depression Inventory were found to be associated with 'child-blaming' attributions and higher levels of EE. Regression analyses did not support the hypothesised role of attributions as a mediator between depression and EE but did identify EE as a potential mediator in the relationship between maternal depressed mood and ratings of child problem behaviour. Conclusions: These results indicate the relevance of both EE and attributions in mothers of children with problem behaviour and suggest that maternal depressed mood is an important factor which is related to both of these. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Goal planning is an integral part of the role of the key worker in services for people with intellectual disability. The present study investigated the effect of the Weiner stability–expectancy principle on unexpected outcomes in goal planning. Four hundred and twenty-two actual goal attainment scales were constructed, with each scale describing the key workers' expected levels of outcome. Two hundred and twenty-six (54%) unexpected outcomes, both successful and unsuccessful, were then rated by key workers to provide a causal explanation for each outcome. These explanations were then grouped according to whether the attributions represented stable or variable causes. Finally, key workers were asked to provide a new expectancy rating to forecast future goal attainment. Two predictions from Weiner's model were confirmed by statistical analysis: (1) that success attributed to stable factors would lead to higher revised forecasts of goal attainment than success attributed to variable factors; and (2) that failure attributed to stable factors would lead to lower revised forecasts of goal attainment than failure attributed to variable factors. The results of the present study confirm that stability attributions do alter key workers' revised forecasts of goal attainment. The results are discussed in terms of the possible consequences for key worker behaviour, such as goal abandonment, differential treatment of service users and the need for a knowledgeable approach to performance appraisal by managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses an experiment to examine the separate and combined effects of managers' loss aversion and their causal attributions about their divisions' performance on tendencies to make goal-incongruent capital budget recommendations. We find that managers' recommendations are biased by their loss aversion. In particular, managers of high-performing divisions are more likely than managers of low-performing divisions to propose investments that maximize their division's short-term profits at the expense of the firm's long-term value. We also find that managers' recommendations are biased by their causal attributions. In particular, managers are more likely to propose investments that maximize their division's short-term profits at the expense of the firm's long-term value when they attribute their division's performance to external causes (e.g., task difficulty or luck) rather than to internal causes (e.g., managerial ability or effort). Further, the effects of causal attributions are greater for managers of high-performing divisions than for managers of low-performing divisions. The study's findings are important because loss aversion and causal attributions are often manifested in firms. Thus, they may bias managers' decisions, which in turn may be detrimental to the firms' long-term value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in beliefs and attitudes that accompany Minnesota Model (MM) treatment are examined in terms of Brickman et al.'s Compensatory Model of coping, and Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour. Questionnaires were completed both on intake and at discharge, by 61 patients who successfully completed treatment at a residential MM facility. The questionnaires measured the patients' attributions of responsibility for the cause of, and for recovery from, their addictions, and their beliefs about outcomes, normative pressures and personal control with respect to their abstinence. It is shown that between intake and discharge there is marked reduction in the patients' feelings of personal responsibility for their addiction, whilst their sense of personal control over their recovery increases significantly. In general, the patients' evaluations of recovery were more favourable on discharge than on intake, although little change was observed in the overall level of perceived normative pressure, or in the importance of taking a range of practical steps to facilitate recovery. When viewed in relation to Brickman et al. and Ajzen's models, these finding place the MM in a favourable light. The results of this study are considered in relation to changes that might be expected among patients undergoing other forms of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between causal attributions made by adolescent survivors of the Jupiter cruise ship sinking, and post-traumatic symptomatology in the year following disaster. Evidence is presented that more internal causal attributions for negative and uncontrollable events during the incident are associated with greater post-traumatic stress one year later. The findings are discussed with reference to an attributional model of shame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]