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The present research emphasizes the role of learning in response changes to infection threats and suggests a new instrument. This preliminary study aims to develop a brief tool (SITS: Sensitivity to Infection Threats Scale) that measures individuals' health sensitivity to infection threats. The present research utilized the Brief Symptom Inventory-phobic anxiety and hostility subscales and the newly developed SITS. The reliability and validity of SITS were examined through construct, divergent, and convergent validity as well as internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The underlying dimensions were explored through an exploratory factor analysis (EFA N = 142; Mage = 20.29, SDage = 2.34), and the EFA dimensions were confirmed through a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA N = 236; Mage = 20.36, SDage = 2.24). The EFA and CFA results supported a correlated four-factor model and the 20-item structure of the SITS. These four factors included Preoccupied, Avoidant, Physiological, and Cautionary Sensitivities. The overall scale and subscales had good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent and divergent validity. The SITS is a reliable scale and has the potential to deepen our understanding of human behaviour in responding to infection threats.

University students are susceptible to psychological issues due to various academic and social stressors in their lives. Decreased life satisfaction among these students can result in a wide variety of adverse outcomes, which can negatively impact their overall well-being and academic performance. The current study aims at examining the mediating role of psychological distress in the association between social support and life satisfaction. This cross-sectional study included 368 university students (F= 243, 66%; M= 125, 34%) from two public universities in Turkey. The research data were obtained utilizing the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. The findings demonstrated that social support had a positive predictive effect on life satisfaction and a negative predictive effect on psychological distress. In addition, psychological distress negatively predicted life satisfaction. Moreover, the SEM analysis indicated that psychological distress played a partial mediating role in the association between social support and life satisfaction. These results highlight the importance of addressing social support and psychological distress in interventions aimed at increasing life satisfaction among university students.

Objective: College men may be at risk for binge eating (BE) but are underrepresented in research. This study aimed to examine if body weight/shape concerns, perceived stress, and psychological distress significantly contributed to the likelihood of BE over the past 28 days. Participants: A racially/ethnically diverse sample (N = 873) of college men. Method: An anonymous online survey was administered. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the hypothesized associations for the entire sample, and exploratory analyses were conducted within each racial/ethnic group. Results: The model explained approximately 25% of the variance in BE, with body weight/shape concerns as the only significant predictor in the overall sample and for the White, Black, and Asian subsamples; none of the variables were significant among Latino men. Conclusions: Body weight/shape concerns predict BE among diverse college men. The findings have implications for future research, as well as for prevention and intervention for college men.

Children with a parent who suffers from depression are more likely to develop internalizing problems themselves. Moreover, poverty is an additional risk factor for child internalizing problems. According to models of intergenerational transmission of depression, various environmental mechanisms may account for this transmission. However, very few studies have included multiple mediators, as well as both parents in low-income samples. In this study of low-income families, we measured parental depressive symptoms, child internalizing problems, and examined three potential mediators: parent-child interaction quality, spouse's depressive symptoms, and coparenting conflict. Results indicated that the transmission of paternal depressive symptoms to child internalizing problems was entirely accounted for by these three mediators. The transmission of maternal depressive symptoms to child internalizing problems was mediated partially by coparenting conflict, but this link remained largely direct. These results underscore the need to consider both parents and coparenting conflict in clinical interventions targeting internalizing problems among preschoolers.

Bully victimization is known to cause adverse psychological outcomes; however, resilience may mitigate the more adverse effects. Little is known regarding the role played by BDNF Val66Met polymorphism in youth resilience against psychological harm caused by bully victimization. In this cross-sectional study, a community sample of 598 participants (M[subscript age] = 20.1 ± 1.4 years, 48.8% males) completed the questionnaire on bully victimization, resilience, and psychological symptoms. Salivary genomic DNA was genotyped for the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism. A path analysis was used to test the mediating role of resilience in the association between bully victimization and psychological symptoms. Furthermore, the BDNF genotype was added to the model to explore its moderating effects on the mediating role of resilience in the path with 5000 bootstrapped samplings using SPSS PROCESS Macro. Results revealed a significant indirect effect via resilience that accounted for 17.2% of the association between bully victimization and psychological symptoms. While the Val66Met polymorphism interacted with bully victimization to predict resilience scores, bully victimization was more strongly associated with poor resilience (F = 4.59, p = 0.03) in subjects with the Met/Met genotype ([beta] = -3.22, p < 0.001), as compared to participants with other genotypes ([beta] = -1.33, p = 0.051). Findings suggest a gene-environment interaction effect on psychological resilience in bully-victimized youth.

The mediators of real-world executive functions in autism during the transition into adulthood are mainly unknown. This study aimed to identify the mediators for the behavioral and cognitive domains of real-world executive functions in late adolescent and young adult autistic populations. We followed up 289 autistic children (aged 11.6 ± 3.8, male 82.2%) and 203 non-autistic controls (10.7 ± 2.9, 66.5%) to their ages of 16.9 ± 4.7 and 15.8 ± 3.9, respectively. The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, comprising two global scales (Behavioral Regulation Index and the Metacognitive Index), was used to assess real-world executive functions at Time 2. Mediators of behavior regulation and metacognition were explored among a wide range of clinical correlates and parental bonding. We found that the autistic group had lower executive functions than the non-autistic group with lower behavior regulation and metacognition subscores. Several childhood factors were significant mediators. Multiple mediation analyses revealed that childhood inattention remained a significant mediator for both behavior regulation and metacognition in late adolescence, and peer problems were the specific mediators of metacognition. Our findings suggest several childhood factors may mediate real-world executive functions during late adolescence. Treating common mediators such as inattention may improve real-world executive functions in autistic individuals during adulthood.

This study aimed to assess the moderating role of gender in the relationship between childhood abuse and mental disorders in the population of a country that has been little studied. This research was designed by the correlational model, one of the quantitative research designs. 272 university students attending a state university in Turkey participated in the research. For sample selection, the convenience sampling method was used. As a result of analyses within the scope of the present study, it was concluded that gender had a moderating effect on the relationship between sexual abuse and somatisation, emotional abuse and negative self and physical neglect and hostility. This finding may help clinicians and researchers in providing optimal health services.

Adherence to COVID-19 social distancing restrictions may be challenging for adolescents, especially those concerned about social status. This study examined self-perceived popularity and reputation concerns as predictors of adherence to health guidelines and the effects of self-perceived popularity on adjustment. Adolescents (n = 1,068, 14-18 years at Time 1, M[subscript age] = 16.86 years) completed three self-report surveys across 10 months during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consistent with hypotheses, greater self-perceived popularity and concerns about peer reputation predicted less adherence, controlling for COVID-19 threat. Further, greater self-perceived popularity predicted less internalizing symptoms at Time 3. Adolescents' perceptions of their popularity may simultaneously act as a public health risk and provide social protection. Results emphasize the importance of acknowledging adolescents' social pressures and concerns regarding reputations and popularity during COVID-19.

The study examines the effect of the Post-divorce Psychological Support Program (PDPSP) on the adjustment levels of divorced individuals. The program developed by the researchers was conducted with a group of 8 divorced women. This research was designed according to a quasi-experimental method with an unequalized control group model. 55 participants were called to pre-interview, and 16 of them were selected according to the eligibility criteria. The group was divided into two randomly, group A was assigned as experimental, and group B was noted as the control group. The 11-week program (PDPSP) was applied to the experimental group, at the end of the time, the Fisher's Divorce Adjustment Scale was given to the groups again. The study revealed that PDPSP was found to be effective on the individuals' level of adjustment to divorce. Professionals working with divorced individuals can benefit from this program.

The likelihood that individuals will experience psychological problems increases during the pandemic periods, and these problems usually continue after the pandemic process is over. Regarding psychological problems, some concepts, such as hope, have a protective and accelerating role of well-being. This study aims to reveal the psychological symptoms experienced by individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic process and their relationships with hope and special areas of expectancy. 412 individuals aged 18-67, who are residing in Turkey, participated in the study. The data were collected within three months from the emergence of the first case in Turkey. Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-53), Life Domains Hope Scale (DSHS) were addressed to the participants for investigation. The results show that gender and education level significantly affect psychological symptoms and hope. That family and leisure time, among the special domains of hope, explained almost half of the variance and partially predicted psychological symptoms. Psychological symptoms increase and hope in some domains decreases with educational level increases. Women seem to have more psychological symptoms. It is necessary to conduct supportive and empowering studies for these groups. Since hope is a good predictor of psychological symptoms, all interventions that increase hope in the pandemic process will reduce psychological problems. In addition, it is recommended to investigate other protective and supportive factors that may be associated with psychological symptoms during the pandemic process.

In this study, mindful attention awareness (MAA) and cognitive flexibility (CF) were considered as structures that protect the mental health of teacher trainees. The main purpose of the study is to examine the relationships between mindful attention awareness, cognitive flexibility levels, and mental symptoms of teacher trainees. The sample is consisted of 396 teacher trainees from Turkey. Data were collected by Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, Brief Symptom Inventory. The model was predictive associational survey model. Data analyses were made by Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple linear regression techniques. Significant negative correlations were found between mental symptoms and both mindful attention awareness and cognitive flexibility, especially its control sub-dimension. As a result of regression analysis mindful attention awareness and cognitive flexibility control sub-dimensions together explain 31% of mental symptoms. MAA co-operates with CF as mental health protective structures, and the growth of mindful attention awareness creates positive effects on cognitive flexibility.

Experiences of contact between adopted persons and birth family members have implications for psychological adjustment of adopted persons. The current study utilizes four contact trajectory groups, spanning from middle childhood to young adulthood and encompassing three aspects of birth family contact in predicting psychological adjustment and adoption-related outcomes in adopted young adults. Data come from a longitudinal study of adoptive families in which adopted persons were domestically adopted in infancy by same-race parents in the United States. Adopted young adults in the group characterized by sustained high levels of contact and satisfaction with contact over time ("Extended Contact") displayed lower levels of psychological distress and higher levels of psychological well-being than adopted persons in the group characterized by contact that increased over time but remained limited ("Limited Contact"). Generally, adopted persons within the group characterized by consistent lack of contact ("No Contact") and the group characterized by contact that was initially present but ended ("Stopped Contact") did not differ in distress and well-being from those in the "Extended Contact" group. No group differences were found on adoption dynamics and identity; however, young adults in the "Extended Contact" group generally reported more positive relationships with their birth mothers than those in the other groups. Findings are discussed in the context of heterogeneity in contact experiences and implications for policy and practice.

Despite the high prevalence of and documented impairment associated with pediatric anxiety disorders, less than half of youth access mental health services. This study examined (a) the utilization of eight school services and supports (e.g., seen a school counselor for a mental health reason, placement in a special class for a behavior or emotional difficulty) and (b) demographic (gender, age) child clinical (anxiety severity and impairment) and family (parent psychopathology, caregiver strain) predictors of service utilization. Participants included 208 anxious youth between ages 6 to 18 years (M = 10.92, SD = 3.29, 51% male, 64% White) who were enrolled in a school-based randomized controlled trial for anxiety treatment; only baseline data were used for this study. Parents, children, teachers and independent evaluators completed measures of the above predictors. Results indicated that less than half (48%) of youth received school services for anxiety. Several predictors of higher total service utilization were identified. Youth with comorbid externalizing behaviors were more likely to be referred for and receive school-based services. Consistent with published data in community samples, less than half of anxious youth received needed services. Results suggest a need for improvements in school assessments and service referral mechanisms for students with anxiety. [For the corresponding grantee submission, see ED608019.]

Research has documented both stable and nonstable trajectories of depressive symptoms across young adulthood, but has not explored the mechanisms that might explain change in level of depressive affect over time. To explore this question, the current study draws on data from an Israeli longitudinal study of 205 young adults who reported their depressed symptoms four times from ages 23 to 35 years. Employing a latent profile analysis (LPA), three distinct trajectories of depressive symptoms were identified: stable low, moderate and decreasing, and stable high. To understand how stability and change in the course of depressive symptoms across time aligns with career development, 60 participants (20 from each profile), who had completed in-depth career development history interviews at age 29, were randomly selected. Subjecting the interviews to qualitative analysis showed that participants belonging to the stable low depressive symptoms trajectory were more likely to be intrinsically motivated, having the capacity to learn from their experiences, which resulted in a more successful career pursuit. In contrast, participants who consistently exhibited a high level of depressive affect were more likely to lack motivation, tended to feel at a loss, and were less likely to know what they want to do with their lives. Participants who were identified as belonging to the moderate and decreasing trajectory were more likely to describe the lack of a clear view of their future career plans. However, due to encouragement from significant others, they eventually found their niche. Conceptually, findings underscore the importance of understanding career factors that could covary with stability or change in the level of depressive symptoms during young adulthood.

A psychosocial approach to predicting self-injurious behavior (SIB) may allow for more accurate predictions and enhance intervention for individuals who engage in SIB. We examined psychosocial predictors of SIB within and between two populations: individuals with traits of borderline personality disorder (BPD; N = 60) and college students (N = 116). All participants met the inclusion criteria of engaging in SIB at least once in the past year. All participants completed measures of psychological distress, social functioning, and SIB. Methods of SIB did not vary across samples, but SIB rates did. Psychological distress and population type (BPD or student) predicted SIB, whereas social factors did not. Additionally, we found a significant interaction wherein psychological distress was more related to SIB in individuals with traits of BPD. Accordingly, we recommend that counselors consider population and psychological distress when assessing SIB risk in clients.

Exposure to microaggressions can have detrimental impacts on the mental health of LGBTQ + emerging adults. Positive social relationships are a well-documented protective factor that help to buffer the impact of adversity on mental health in this population. However, the role of social relationships with pets has received minimal attention in research on LGBTQ + mental health, despite the high prevalence of pets in U.S. households. This cross-sectional study examined whether the association between interpersonal microaggressions and depressive symptoms among LGBTQ + emerging adults varied as a function of attachment to pets across three domains: love, emotion regulation, and personal growth. We recruited 163 LGBTQ + emerging adults (18-21 years) who lived with a cat and/or dog within the past year (98.8% sexual minority, 47.2% gender minority, 37.4% racial/ethnic minority). We found that love and emotion regulation significantly moderated the positive association between interpersonal microaggressions and depressive symptoms. Specifically, this association was only significant when love and emotion regulation were at moderate or high levels. These findings have important implications for practice with LGBTQ + pet owners, as it suggests that high levels of pet attachment may amplify the relation between interpersonal microaggressions and depressive symptoms.

In this paper we paper evaluate the effectiveness of eight sessions of cognitive analytic therapy (CAT) for treating obsessive morbid jealousy (OMJ), using a mixed-methods A/B with followup single-case design. Ideographic jealousy measures were collected throughout baseline (2 sessions), treatment (6 sessions) and follow-up phases (one session), creating a 160-day time series. Nomothetic measures were completed at assessment, end of treatment and at followup. A structured qualitative interview was completed. Significant reductions to idiographic jealousy measures occurred during the treatment phase, with these gains maintained over followup. The intensity of the jealousy shifted from moderate to mild and this change was attributed to CAT. Methodological issues and future directions for the treatment of OMJ are discussed.

Objective: The present study focuses on factors that predict sexual risk behaviors and sexual health screening behaviors in a sample of university students in Lebanon. Participants: A convenience sample of 250 undergraduate students was recruited at a private university in Beirut, Lebanon. Methods: Students completed measures of religiosity, psychological distress, contraceptives usage, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/sexually transmitted infections (STI) screening, and sexual risk behaviors. Results: Religiosity was negatively associated with a range of risky sexual behaviors whereas psychological distress was positively associated with these behaviors. Sex under the influence of alcohol/drugs, discussing methods of contraception, and engaging in sexual activities later regretted had significant effects on having had condomless vaginal sex. Gender (being female) and sex under the influence of alcohol had significant effects on STIs screening. Conclusion: Interventions that focus on managing drug and alcohol use in students, unwanted pregnancy, religion, stigma related to screening, and sexual health education are recommended.

Academic performance among university students is a fundamental factor in the analysis of quality of higher education. Despite the large volume of research on academic performance, there are no conclusive results regarding the influence of some variables on it. While some studies find differences attributable to gender, age, or psychological factors, such as coping strategies, others conclude that they are inexistent or insignificant. This article seeks to deepen about how these variables influence the academic performance of trainee primary-school teachers. Educational improvements in a society are only possible if teacher training guarantees a high qualification of its teachers. In this article we analyze academic progress in a sample of 136 students and the effect of gender, age and coping strategies and psychological symptoms. From the data analysis it can be concluded that all the analyzed variables cause differences in academic performance in teacher students. Therefore, it will be necessary to establish improvement plans for this degree that meet these conditions.

Online counseling is a mental health intervention between the counselee and the counselor using digital technologies computers or smartphones. A growing number of counselors have been providing counseling via the Internet. However, there are mixed findings regarding the effectiveness of online counseling when compared traditional face-to-face counseling and other modalities. Thus, the main purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of online individual counseling compared to faceto-face counseling, and a control group regarding subjective well-being. To that end, a total of 60 college students were assigned to one of the three groups (21 online, 24 face-to-face, and 15 control). The instruments of the study were the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and the Brief Symptom Inventory. In order to examine the effectiveness of online counseling comparing to face-to-face counseling and control group, Mixed design (split-plot) ANOVA was employed. The findings of mixed ANOVA revealed that there was no significant interaction effect for the subjective well-being of the participants in different groups indicating that the three groups did not differ regarding subjective well-being scores measured over three times (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up). Nevertheless, the main effect for the group was significant indicating that the scores of the participants in the face-to-face counseling group regarding positive and negative affect changed significantly. Findings and implications were discussed regarding the relevant literature and some suggestions were offered.

The purpose of the current study was to explore whether selfcompassion predicted psychological distress over and above childhood maltreatment and attachment orientation in high-risk youths. Fifty-one youths (31 males, 20 females) aged 17 to 24, recruited from a community non-profit organization in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, were administered validated measures of childhood maltreatment, attachment orientation, self-compassion, and psychological distress. Results indicated that self-compassion was inversely associated with childhood maltreatment, attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and psychological distress. However, results did not support the hypothesis that self-compassion was a significant predictor of psychological distress over and above attachment anxiety and childhood maltreatment in high-risk youths. Our results indicated that self-compassion is not well developed in street-involved youths and may be a vital intervention target to heal negative internalized views of the self, while maintaining vigilance to threats inherent in the street environment.

The perception of being ostracized in a foreign country is a great obstacle that may lead to international students' strain. The present study aimed to understand ostracism from the perspective of adult attachment. We proposed a moderated mediation model in which attachment anxiety was hypothesized as an antecedent of ostracism and as a moderator of the ostracism -- strain links. Participants were 119 international students enrolled at a large public university in U.S. Results largely supported the model, which showed that the attachment anxiety exaggerate the harmful effects of perceived ostracism on depression and physical symptoms. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.

This study examines the role of human-animal interaction (HAI) in relations between sexual and gender minority (SGM) stress, personal hardiness, and psychological stress during emerging adulthood. Data for the current sample reflect 136 SGM emerging adults between the ages of 18 to 21 years who reported living with a companion animal in the past year (37.5% racial/ethnic minority, 49.2% transgender or gender -expansive, 98.5% sexual minority). Mediation was tested using structural equation modeling with a bootstrapping approach. We found evidence of an indirect effect of microaggressions on personal hardiness. Specifically, increases in microaggressions were associated with increases in HAI; in turn, increases in HAI were associated with higher levels of personal hardiness. No other statistically significant indirect effects were identified in our model. We discuss the implications of these findings for enhancing community capacity to empower and facilitate successful coping among SGM emerging adults.

This study utilized latent profile analyses to identify unique configurations of children's family-based social experiences during the first 3 years of life and examine differences across profiles with respect to developmental outcomes at 36 and 48 months of age. Seven family process variables were used: maternal emotional functioning, maternal sensitivity, negative controlling parenting, cognitive stimulation, corporal punishment, adult-adult aggression, and household disorganization. Data were collected by the Family Life Project (N = 1,087), a longitudinal study of families living in low-wealth, nonurban areas, for whom the biological mother was the child's primary caregiver from 6 to 36 months of age. On average, mothers were 26 years of age at 2 months of child age. Approximately 36% of the families lived below the federal poverty limit, and 41% identified as Black; 49% of children were female. Latent profile analyses identified four groups: (a) positive exposure (b) average exposure, (c) problematic adult functioning, and (d) problematic parenting. Comparisons indicate that children in the positive exposure profile had the highest levels of socioemotional and cognitive outcomes compared to overall profiles. Children in the problematic adult functioning and problematic parenting profiles had the most problematic child outcomes, with children in the problematic parenting profile scoring lowest overall. Results indicate that there is configural heterogeneity in family-based social experiences at the highest levels of risk and that exposures to problematic parenting may be more consequential for later child outcomes than exposures to problematic adult functioning in the absence of compromised caregiving.

The current study pursued a scale development process to understand spirituality among Chinese college students. From definition to item development, Chinese college students' view and experiences were used as the bases. The validation process involved 1,207 college students from five different provinces, autonomous regions, and direct-controlled municipalities in China. Item factor analysis and structural equation modelling were performed. The study resulted in a Xin-Yang scale (Xin-Yang [characters omitted] is deemed as a conceptually similar concept to spirituality in Western cultures and is familiar to the Chinese college students), consisting of three factors: characteristics, mental guidance, and relationship to others. Satisfactorily, psychometric qualities were established. Furthermore, for Chinese college students, Xin-Yang [characters omitted] is shown to be significantly and positively correlated with life satisfaction, self-esteem, and self-efficacy, and negatively with psychological symptoms. In addition, Xin-Yang [characters omitted] is significantly and positively correlated with a Western spirituality measure. Limitations and implications were discussed.

Background: There is a high prevalence of challenging behaviors (CB) in adults with intellectual disability (ID), which lead to negative personal outcomes and diminished quality of life. Emerging evidence suggest attachment theory could be useful to address CB in adults with ID and lower the negative impact on their social environment. Methods: A scoping review of empirical research on attachment and CB in adults with ID was carried out through Medline, Scopus and Psycinfo databases. One thousand and thirty-five articles were found, 58 articles were screened and seven were included. Results: There was very limited research on this topic. The main findings were that attachment problems could be positively linked to CB but also to psychological difficulties such as depressive affects and maladaptive coping. Furthermore, it seems that attachment-based interventions may represent an evidence-based strategy to help reduce CB and improve psychological functioning in people with ID and sensorial impairments. Conclusions: Although preliminary data suggest association between insecure attachment and CB in adults with ID, further research is needed in order to validate and specify these associations. Clinical and empirical future directions are discussed.

The main objective of this study was to explore the associations between character strengths and internalising and externalising problems. One thousand, one hundred thirty-eight adolescents, completed the 96-item VIA Inventory of Strengths for Youth, Youth Self Report, and Brief Symptom Inventory. Using latent class analysis, we extracted six latent groups: (1) Externalising and Internalising Problems (EIP; 11.1%), (2) Internalising Problems (IP; 15.6%), (3) Externalising Problems (EP; 12.5%), (4) At-risk for Externalising Problems (R-EP; 16.1%), (5) At-risk for Internalising Problems (R-IP; 27.3%) and (6) Healthy Subjects (H-S; 17.5%). General linear models on the BSI scores showed that those in EIP reported the most severe symptoms on all the BSI scales and those in H-S had the lowest scores. We concluded that character strengths take part in the etiology of externalising and internalising disorders.

The aim of this study is to assess adolescent refugees' psychological distress and examine how reliably caseworkers can assess distress through a proxy-report instrument. The distress of 102 unaccompanied refugees between 16 and 21 years of age housed in youth welfare accommodations in Germany was assessed by self-report using the Brief Symptom Checklist and by proxy-report through the Child Behavior Checklist. Independent of residence status, the self and proxy ratings reveal that more than half of the refugees suffer from increased levels of psychological distress, particularly from anxiety and somatisation. There was a moderate positive correlation between the total scales of the two instruments. The high number of clinically meaningful distress poses a great challenge to caseworkers in facilities for unaccompanied refugees. The Child Behavior Checklist can be a suitable measure to detect clinically meaningful problems, but its validity seems to depend on a good relationship between caseworker and refugee.

Objective: Informed by the contextual behavioral science (CBS) model of behavioral health, the present cross-sectional study examined whether mindful awareness moderated the associations between psychological inflexibility and four distress variables. Participants: Cross-sectional data were collected from 402 ethnically diverse undergraduate college students from September 2015 to October 2015. Methods: Participants competed an online self-report survey. Results: Mindful awareness moderated the associations between psychological inflexibility and distress variables, with stronger associations for somatization and anxiety, and weaker associations for general distress and depression. Specifically, the strength of the positive associations between psychological inflexibility and these distress variables were substantially greater among those low in mindful awareness. Conclusion: These findings suggest that a greater degree of mindful awareness may buffer the effects of psychological inflexibility on distress variables, particularly somatization and anxiety. Theoretical and applied implications as well as limitations of the study are discussed.

An attachment-based, psychotherapeutic parent education course was created for incarcerated mothers and fathers to help improve their ability to provide positive parenting and a more stable home environment for their children. The current study assessed the effects of this parenting curriculum on parents' reported tendencies to be abusive, their sense of efficacy and satisfaction as a parent, their psychological distress, and their knowledge of child development and positive child guidance. Results of pre-post assessments showed a significant improvement in parents' reported sense of efficacy and satisfaction in the parenting role; their knowledge, skills, and behavior as a parent; their understanding of child development; their knowledge of alternatives to using corporal punishment; establishing appropriate parent-child boundaries; and they were less likely to view their child's independence as a threat. Females showed a significant decrease in distress symptoms. Results are discussed in terms of the need for effective, high-quality parent education as an important component of intervention programs that aim to improve the developmental outcome for children of incarcerated parents.

The qualities of artists and musicians have attracted the attention of personality psychologists and researchers studying creativity. Artistic activities are considered by some to be therapeutic, and may offer a buffer effect on psychological health. On the other hand, research has occasionally revealed a positive relationship between creativity and psychological disorders when it comes to artistic activities. This study aims to investigate the personality traits and psychological symptoms of art and music students, and to make comparisons between different fields of art. The present research was planned as a descriptive and comparative study. The participants consisted of 245 university students (79 male, and 166 female), including 120 music and 125 art students. The Big Five Inventory, the Brief Symptom Inventory, and a Personal Information Form were administered to all participants. The Mann-Whitney U test, a descriptive analysis method, was used to test if students from the two fields of art differed according to their personality traits and psychological symptoms. The results showed that the students from both fields of art had a similar range of scores for the five domains of personality traits: extroversion, openness to new experiences, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism. The study revealed that neuroticism in the music students and conscientiousness in art students were found to be significantly higher. As for psychological symptoms, the music students' scores on total symptom disorder, anxiety, and negative self-concept factors were found to be significantly higher than that of art students. The results of the study were discussed by drawing upon relevant literature.

The aim of this study is to investigate the moderating effects of attachment styles and gender on the predictive strength of marital adjustment on psychological symptoms among Turkish married individuals. Correlational model was used and the sample consisted of 178 married individuals. The data was gathered through online survey. The Turkish form of Brief Symptom Inventory (BFI) was used to measure psychological symptoms. The Turkish form of Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) was used to measure marital adjustment and the Turkish form of Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ) was used to measure attachment styles. The hypothetical model was formed and tested through path analysis technique of structural equational modeling. Results showed that secure, dismissing and fearful attachment styles and gender moderated the predictive strength of marital adjustment on psychological symptoms. It was found that the relationship between marital adjustment and psychological symptom is stronger among individuals who have secure attachment style.

Perfectionism is a multidimensional personality construct salient for international students; they are known to be likely high achievers in their home country and face several acculturative challenges after crossing national borders. This study examined whether perfectionist types changed during cross-national transitions in a sample of 227 Chinese international students studying in the U.S. Individuals were classified into different types of perfectionists--adaptive, maladaptive, and non- perfectionists. Results indicated that 40% of the participants' perfectionist types changed during their cross-national transition. After studying in the United States, more non-perfectionists became perfectionists than perfectionists that turned into non-perfectionist. Acculturative stress predicted the direction of shift; nonperfectionists who perceived higher levels of acculturative stress were more likely to change into maladaptive perfectionists than adaptive perfectionists.

This study examined the role of self-esteem as a mediator in the relationships between optimism and psychological resilience on depressive symptoms in university students. A total of 494 undergraduate students, comprising of 253 female and 241 male participated in this study. Participants' ages ranged from 18 to 30 (M = 20.85, SD = 1.57). Instruments measuring optimism, psychological resilience, self-esteem and depression were administered to university students from different faculties and departments. Application of a structural equation model to the obtained data resulted in a direct relationship between optimism and psychological resilience with symptoms of depression. In addition, it was determined that self-esteem is a full mediator between psychological resilience and depressive symptoms. The mediator role of self-esteem between optimism and depressive symptoms; however, did not reach statistically significant levels. The findings are discussed within the self-esteem, optimism, and resilience in an individual's mental health context.

The aim of this research was to adapt "Brief Symptom Inventory" developed by Derogatis (1983) into Azerbaijani language. Data were collected from 309 college students to determine psychometric properties of inventory. Samples in the study have been selected separately. The package programs of SPSS 18.0 and Lisrel 8.80 were used for the analysis of the data. The Cronbach's Alpha (a) internal consistency coefficient was calculated for the scale (a=0.95) and for each subscale: "Somatization" (a = 0.80), "Obsessive-Compulsive" (a = 0.70), "Interpersonal Sensitivity" (a = 0.65), "Depression" (a = 0.81), "Anxiety" (a = 0.82), "Hostility" (a = 0.81), "Phobic anxiety" (a = 0.60), "Paranoid ideation" (a = 0.61) and "Psychoticism" (a = 0.65). The 9 factor structure of the inventory was tested through CFA.

Objective: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to quantify the effects of text messaging interventions to reduce depressive symptoms and identify variables that might influence the effectiveness of the intervention. Design: Electronic databases including EMBASE, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and SCOPUS, as well as Clinicaltrials.gov and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) were searched for randomised controlled trials that sent one or more text messages with health-related content to adults who had been identified by a healthcare provider. Results: Seven trials (nine comparisons), with 1,918 participants, were included in the review, and the pooled analysis revealed a borderline statistically significant reduction in depressive symptom scores between the text messaging intervention and control groups (standardised mean difference [SMD], -0.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.54 to 0.00; p = 0.00) favouring intervention at the end. Statistically significant reductions were shown in important subgroups, for example, where the primary aim of the messages was to reduce depressive symptoms; in those using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) or 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) questionnaires; where text message content was targeted at mental well-being, mood improvement and cognitive behavioural therapy information; and when the message frequency was [greater than or equal to] 2 times per week. Conclusion: Text messaging has potential to reduce depressive symptoms. The results of this review should be interpreted with caution, however, due to the methodological limitations of included trials. More research is required before recommendations can be made about the routine use of text messaging for the management of depressive symptoms.

The onset of behavioral problems in early childhood is associated with an increased frequency of delinquent behavior. A significant amount of youth in the juvenile justice system have histories of mental illness and psychological distress. However, little is known about what factors mediate the relationship between early onset behavioral problems and psychological distress. The present study tested the mediating effect of parental monitoring, antisocial peers, exposure to violence, and gender on the relationship between behavioral problems and psychological distress. A secondary analysis of data from the Pathways to Desistence Study was examined using the serial mediation process proposed by Preacher and Hayes, a significant mediation of the behavior problems--psychological distress relationship was found. The results supported the mediational model in which parental monitoring impacted interaction with antisocial peers which in turn increased the level of violence exposure youth experienced ultimately leading to an increase in psychological distress.

Drawing on the Health Adversity Risk Model, this study examines the relationship between mental health and sexual risk behaviors in British and European Union (EU) university students in the United Kingdom. Four hundred and thirty-one undergraduate students completed a cross-sectional survey. Data were analyzed using independent samples t-tests, multiple regression and structural equation modeling. Results showed that female students and British students exhibited higher levels of psychological distress, self-harm and sexual risk behaviors than males and EU students; and that female and EU students were more likely to adopt adaptive coping styles than male and British students, respectively. The structural equation model suggests that the relationship between gender and citizenship and sexual risk-taking is mediated by identity threat, psychological distress, coping styles and self-harm. Adaptive coping styles are not necessarily protective against sexual risk-taking but rather determine the type of sexual risk behavior: re-thinking/planning is associated with volitional risk behaviors and social engagement with non-volitional behaviors. Social and cultural norms may shed light on mental health outcomes and sexual risk-taking in university students.

Objective: To examine the association of multiple health behaviors to mental health functioning in male and female collegiate athletes. Participants: Prospective National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletes (n = 183) completed a health and wellness survey in the summer prior to joining the athletic program. Methods: Health behaviors (eating, sleeping, substance use, sexual, and aggressive behaviors) and mental health functioning (psychological distress and perceived stress) were assessed. Partial least squares (PLS) modeling was used as a multivariate approach to simultaneously examine the association of health behaviors to mental health functioning. Results: Aggressive behaviors, alcohol use, and fatigue were significantly associated with symptoms of psychological distress and stress in both males and females. Attention to nutrition, unhealthy dietary habits, and lower alcohol use was further related to psychological distress in female athletes only. Conclusions: Athletes' eating, sleeping, substance use, and aggressive behaviors may provide insight into their mental health functioning.

Research Findings: This study focused on kindergartens serving low SES families and examined the associations between teachers' perceptions of their teaching experiences in their classroom and observed global classroom quality. Forty teachers and their classrooms participated. Teachers' perceptions of their teaching experiences in the classroom were assessed via the valence and multidimensionality of their narratives on their teaching experiences. Global classroom quality, measured as observed emotional support, instructional support and classroom organization, was assessed using the CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System) during structured and unstructured classroom activities. Positive valence of teachers' narratives on their teaching experiences was associated with better classroom organization, while higher levels of narratives' multidimensionality were associated with higher emotional and instructional support. Practice or Policy: Evaluating teachers' perceptions and helping them construct more positive and more holistic perceptions of their teaching experiences may be important targets in teachers' training and supervision programs for enhancing global classroom quality.

The role of spirituality in families is an important factor in family resilience. Currently, however, no quantitative instruments exist that adequately assess this phenomenon. This study introduced the adapted Spiritual Perspective Scale-Family Version (SPS-FV) and explored its psychometric qualities among 574 majority ethnic minority individuals living in public housing. Structural equation modeling analyses supported a two-dimensional structure (shared spiritual beliefs, shared spiritual behaviors), and the results supported the SPS-FV as a useful tool in assessing perceptions of family spirituality. Family and consumer sciences (FCS) professionals can enhance their work in low-income, ethnic minority communities by using the SPS-FV as a means to support individuals and families in identifying family spirituality as a significant resource in individual and family resilience.

The aim of this study was to adapt the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ), developed to measure two dimensions of aggression which are reactive and proactive, to Turkish and test the validity and reliability of the Turkish form. The study group consisted of 278 students in four junior high schools in Adana, Turkey, and 485 students in four high schools in Hatay, Turkey. One-factor and two-factor models were compared in the study of Confirmatory Factor Analysis conducted to examine the construct validity of the scale and the two-factor model was found to have better fit values for both junior high school and high school students, as well as the general study group as a whole. It was found that reactive and proactive aggressions have significant relations with attitude towards violence, trait anger, delinquency, deviant peers, anxiety, depression and hostility. Furthermore, it was determined that the scale has high internal consistency and item-total correlation. The results obtained in this study are consistent with the results of the original form of the scale. Findings of the study demonstrate that the Turkish version of RPQ has adequate reliability and validity values.

This study aims to investigate the relationships between perceived parenting, parental attachment styles and psychological symptoms among Turkish university students and it also aims to find out which perceived parenting and parental attachment styles predict psychological symptoms which were measured. This study is a quantitative research and uses causal comparative research design. The sample of this study consists of 400 university students. Young Parenting Inventory, Parental Bonding Instrument and Brief Symptom Inventory were used for gathering data. The depressive, hostility and anxiety symptoms were determined as the most prevalent psychological symptoms among the sample. The conditional/achievement-oriented and ruling/former mother perceptions were found as the most prevalent perceived parenting styles for mother and the conditional/achievement-oriented and close/repressed feelings perceived as parenting styles for father. Pessimistic/fearful mother, belittling/captious mother and overprotective/worrywart father were found as the most predictive perceived parenting styles which predict the psychological symptoms in a significant level and in a positive way.

Problem Statement: Future Anxiety (FA) and Trait Anxiety (TA) have negative effects on individuals' productivity, which can lead them to feelings of insecurity and eventually depression. Knowing more about future anxiety helps people feel more secure and produce more effectively for themselves, and eventually for society. This research examined the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral theory (CBT)-based training program on FA and TA. Purpose of the Study: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a CBT-based training program on the FA and TA of university students. Method: A quasi-mixed methods design was used for this study. The sample consisted of 28 university students (14 experimental, 14 control) in a public university in the Aegean Region of Turkey during the 2015-2016 academic year. Brief Symptom Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory were used to select participants for group processes. The Personal Information Form, Trait Anxiety Inventory, Positive Future Expectations Inventory, and Anxiety of Making Mistakes Scale were used as quantitative data collection instruments. Qualitative data were obtained using the General Evaluation of Group Processes form. Eight sessions were designed and applied to the experimental group. No procedures were applied to the control group. Quantitative data were analyzed using two-way repeated measures ANOVA, paired samples t-test and Mann Whitney U. A thematic analysis was also applied to the qualitative data. Findings and Results: Results revealed that a CBT-based Overcoming FA and TA Skill-Training program decreased university students' trait anxiety levels and anxiety about making mistakes, while increasing positive future expectations. Conclusions and Recommendations: The present study found that a skill-training program based on CBT affected individuals' future perceptions in an expected way. Similar research should be conducted with different age groups and different samples. Further research may focus on developing a measurement for FA. [This present study was presented as an oral presentation at the 3rd International Eurasian Educational Research Congress held between June 1-3, 2016, in Mugla, Turkey.]

Researchers have documented the negative associations between racial discrimination and alcohol use for young Black people, yet fewer researchers have examined these associations longitudinally and with racial identity as a protective factor. We use data from the Flint Adolescent Study (465 Black/African Americans) to investigate the relationship between discrimination and alcohol-related problems over time, and how that relationship differs with varying trajectories of racial identity (i.e., private and public regard). Among those reporting persistently moderate levels of private regard and high levels of public regard in late adolescence through emerging adulthood, increases in racial discrimination were associated with increases in alcohol-related problems over time. Findings suggest that regard for one's racial group may function protectively in the health strategies employed in response to discriminatory events. More longitudinal research is needed to delineate how varying racial pride operates with regard to long-term discrimination and behavioral health.

This study with 198 urban Chinese adolescents (M age = 16.0, SD = 1.46) and their parents investigated the impact of parental control over personal issues in the context of everyday conflicts and adolescent self-reports of internalizing disorders as measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Adolescents and parents completed the Parental Authority Index (PAI) assessing perceptions of parental control over personal, prudential-conventional, and overlapping issues. Adolescents recorded daily conflicts with parents over 2 weeks on private blogs through an online platform. Significant relationships were found between adolescent BSI scores for internalizing disorders (anxiety, somatization, interpersonal sensitivity) and their scores on the PAI for perceptions of parental control over personal issues as well as actions that overlapped personal with conventional and prudential considerations. Blog data revealed that two thirds of these urban Chinese parent--adolescent conflicts were about regulation of adolescent daily activities and issues directly impacting adolescent personal choice. Adolescents considered the majority of these conflicts as personal issues, and those who reported perceiving a higher level of parental control over their personal issues had significantly more daily conflicts with their parents. In addition, significant associations were found between reported actual daily conflicts and adolescent internalizing disorders: The greater the intensity of conflicts as experienced by the adolescents, the higher adolescents scored on the BSI subscale for depression; the less fair adolescents rated the conflict resolution and the less positively they felt about the process that led to the outcome, the higher they scored on the BSI subscales for interpersonal sensitivity and depression.

The current study examined the unique and interactive effects of family and community violence across types of violence (weapon, physical, and death) and relationship proximity (self, family/friend, and strangers) in African American adolescents (mean age = 12.63, SD = 0.99, 54% female). Items from the community violence and family violence measures were categorized into a three-factor model of cross-contextual violence exposure that characterized violence by type and relationship proximity. Results of structural equation modeling showed that the proposed model fit the current data, and all three factors of violence significantly predicted symptoms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Exposure to violence directed at a friend or family member significantly predicted anxiety beyond the other domains. The interaction between being victimized and the victimization of acquaintances or strangers predicted depressive symptoms. Finally, latent profile analysis revealed a two-class model: low-exposure and high-exposure groups, with the high-exposure group reporting more mental health symptoms.