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The importance of parental self-efficacy for parental and child well-being is well documented. Many studies demonstrate the significant positive relationship between collective efficacy and self-efficacy. Fewer studies have pointed to the underlying mechanisms of this relationship. The present study aims to fill the knowledge gap by examining two such underlying mechanisms that constitute the essence of the parent–child relationship: pre-mentalization as the parent's cognitive ability to interpret the child's internal world and avoidant attachment as the parent's emotional ability to be in a close relationship with the child. A survey was conducted with 262 married Israeli parents with children under the age of 12. Participants completed self-report questionnaires on collective efficacy, mentalizing ability, avoidant attachment style, and parental self-efficacy. In order to test the mediating role of parental mentalizing ability and avoidant attachment in the association between parental and collective efficacy, a mediation analysis with cross-sectional design was conducted using model 6 PROCESS 3.4 macro for SPSS. Results confirmed the direct relation between collective and parental self-efficacy. Additionally, results indicated a significant indirect effect of this association through low levels of pre-mentalization and avoidant attachment style. The results are discussed in light of the cyclical psychodynamic perspective, with recommendations for interventions that are set to improve parental self-efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The most prevalent conceptualization of parenting of our time is intensive parenting which refers to parents' overinvolvement in children's lives, placing the child's needs before others' needs, including the needs of the parents themselves (i.e., Child-centrism). Intensive parenting is mostly attributed to mothers as they are still bearing the bulk responsibility for child rearing. Nevertheless, as the role of fathers changed in recent decades it is crucial to examine intensive parenting among fathers and understand whether factors that are associated with intensive mothering are associated with intensive fatherhood as well. The current study uses Belsky's Process of Parenting model to fill-in the gap. Methods: Participants were 301 Israeli fathers of preschool children aged 22 to 50 years old (M=36.34, SD=5.01). They filled out online self-report questionnaires dealing with intensive parenting style, child temperament, social support, marital satisfaction, and parental self-efficacy. Results: The model explained 64% of paternal child-centrism. Fathers who reported having children with more difficult temperament, reported low social support, low marital satisfaction, and low self-efficacy, were more intensive in their parenting style. Discussion: The present findings are discussed in relation to previous findings regarding maternal child-centrism with an emphasis on their important implications for professionals working with families for the benefit of parents' and children's wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the theoretical view of Terror Management Theory, the current research examines whether higher levels of death anxiety symptoms, in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak, increase the extent to which participants are exposed to information regarding the spread of the pandemic, as well as the fear of contagion and symptoms of hypochondriasis, which all in turn increase symptoms of adjustment disorder. A total number of 302 participants filled out self-report questionnaires regarding death anxiety, adjustment disorder, the extent of exposure to information regarding COVID-19, fear of contagion, hypochondriasis, and demographic information. Structural Equation Modeling analysis indicated a very good fit of the theoretical model with the data, confirming the mediation effect of exposure to information, fear of contagion, and symptoms of hypochondriasis on the association between death anxiety and adjustment disorder symptoms. Implications for practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high prevalence of peripartum depression (PPD) among mothers of preterm infants concerns health professionals due to its implications for mothers' and infants' health. A model for explaining PPD, consisting of four personal resources was examined: locus of control, intolerance to uncertainty, maternal self-efficacy, and quality of the couple relationship. In one of the largest Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Israel, 129 mothers of 215 preterm infants completed self-report questionnaires regarding their background variables, locus of control, intolerance to uncertainty, maternal self-efficacy and quality of couple relationship. PPD symptoms and high risk for diagnosing clinical PPD. The examined personal resources explained 43.9% of the variance in PPD symptoms. Intolerance to uncertainty was positively associated with PPD symptoms, while internal locus of control, high levels of maternal self-efficacy, and high quality of couple relationships were found to be negatively associated with PPD symptoms. Additionally, these variables predicted the likelihood for clinical PPD. The findings indicate a potential likelihood of reducing PPD through healthcare professional interventions, by strengthening personal resources. Associations between personal resources and PPD are discussed in light of the transactional theory of coping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adjustment disorder is a maladaptive reaction to common life events. Levels of adjustment disorder can serve as one of the indicators of the effectiveness of social services interventions. Yet, the role of service receipt period and of social worker alternation in explaining levels of adjustment disorder remains unclear. In order to explore this issue, structured questionnaires were distributed to a random sample of 190 clients of a social services department in Israel. Whilst no significant differences were found between service receipt periods with regard to clients' adjustment disorder, clients treated by a single social worker reported lower levels of adjustment disorder than those treated by alternating social workers. Furthermore, new and long-standing clients, treated by alternating social workers displayed higher levels of adjustment disorder than those treated by a single social worker. The importance of therapeutic alliance is discussed in light of the present findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to examine the association between psychological distress among social workers and their intention to leave the profession through the economic and social exchange perspective. The research sample was comprised of 380 Israeli social workers who manually filled in structured questionnaires regarding psychological distress, economic and social exchange between employees and employers in their workplace, self-defined burnout and demographic information. The data analysis showed that higher levels of psychological distress were associated with higher economic exchange and with lower social exchange, which resulted in increased intention to leave. These findings are important for understanding the process that social workers experience regarding the emergence of psychological distress and for clarifying that this process consists of two concurrent components: increasing preoccupation with economic aspects and increasing emotional distancing from the profession. On the basis of the transactional model of stress and coping and the social and economic exchange perspectives, it would be desirable to develop an organisational culture that promotes social exchange (trust, manager support, teamwork), which would allow social workers to cope with active emotional regulation and to strengthen their sense of belonging to the profession and thus reduce their intention to leave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the psychological mechanisms of mothering involved in the association of maternal sociability and the sociability of their preschool children. In particular, it is posited that this association is mediated by two maternal psychological conceptualizations: (a) perception of ability to take on the role of motherhood (i.e., maternal competence) and (b) perception of distribution of resources between child and self (i.e., maternal child-centrism). Participants included 320 Jewish–Israeli mothers of preschool children (age 4-6 years) who completed self-reported questionnaires dealing with social relationships, child sociability, maternal competence, and maternal child-centrism. Multiple regression analyses confirmed the mediating effect of maternal competence and child-centrism as well as the association between the mother’s sociability and child sociability. These findings are discussed in light of social capital theory and contemporary parenting styles. Professionals working with families should be aware of the impact of social networks on maternal perception and their influence on children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Whereas role-playing and table-top role-play games (RPGs) have been proven to have potential as therapeutic tools, playing RPGs is often stereotypically associated with social incompetence and psychiatric disorders. Knowledge regarding the stereotype and its implications is very scarce specifically among mental health practitioners. Therefore the present study aimed to narrow this gap in knowledge by examining the perception of Social Workers that are considered to be the forefront of mental health-care, in regard to the association between playing RPGs and mental health. A convenience sample of 130 Social Workers, recruited through social networks (e.g. Facebook, WhatsApp etc.), responded to an on-line survey dealing with their perception of their own knowledge on RPGs, the importance of such knowledge and the association between playing RPGs and mental illness. Results indicated an association between having higher knowledge of RPGs and lower perception of a link between playing RPGs and psychopathology. The study’s findings emphasize the false stigma and its potential harmful implication on professionals’ practice, especially in the context of intake process and primary diagnostic. The effect of familiarity is also discussed in light of the study’s findings.Highlights: • The perception of mental health professionals toward role playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons is understudied.• Social Workers' perception was measured in regard to the connection between use of RPGs and DSM-IV-TR psychopathology.• Greater knowledge of RPGs was found to be associated with lower perception of the connection between use of RPGs and DSM-IV-TR psychopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]