Search

Objective: The study explored the impacts of restrictions on the perceived psychological distress and health outcomes in children by their mothers who acted as their full-time caregivers during the pan-India lockdown after the outbreak of COVID-19. Method: A narrative qualitative research design was used and a purposive heterogeneous sample of 20 mothers of children aged 9-11 years were chosen, who were in a full-time caregiving role. Data obtained through a telephonic semi-structured interview were analysed using Narrative Thematic Method. Results: Four themes were generated--aberrant social responsivity and loneliness, decreased interest in regular activities, psychological distress and defiant emotional responses, and negative health outcomes. Anxiety, irritation, quarrelsome behaviours, anger, frustration, feeling low, reduced interest in games, boredom, etc. were reported in children. Decreased appetite, sleep disturbances, complaints of indigestion and multiple complaints of body aches were major negative health outcomes. Conclusions: Mothers described a variety of psychological distress and health outcomes for children due to the extreme restrictions, uncertainty, apprehension, reduced positive engagement and lowered social connection after the outbreak of the pandemic. Family-, media-, school- and community-based real or virtual intervention programmes are recommended to minimize the negative impacts and to guard children against the ill-consequences of restrictions of current and future pandemics.

Background: Although many negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic are reported for adults, little is known about its impacts on children, especially in terms of the relative roles of joint and nuclear families. Using a qualitative design, we explored the protective roles of joint and nuclear families in shaping the children’s life outcomes during COVID-19. Methods:In a qualitative study, 16 full-time mothers of children aged 9-12 years (8 each from joint and nuclear families) from Sagar City, India were interviewed during June and July 2020. Interview contents were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using the thematic analysis method. Results: Five major themes were identified, negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, differences in positive engagements, emotional protective benefits, promotion of positive health habits, and routine activity management strategies. The results showed that the joint families availed and utilized more resources to positively engage their children in creativity, studies, exercise, and entertainment during the restrictions of the lockdown compared to the nuclear families. Contrary to the nuclear families, the joint families emphasized resolving emotional grievances, promoting positive emotional engagement, and extending more emotional support to their children. The joint and nuclear families also differed in their children’s food habits, health grievances, and physical exercise. Also, the joint families played more positive roles in managing children’s play behaviors, sleep habits, television watching, and other children’s activities compared to the nuclear families. Conclusion: The distinctive availability of experiential, emotional, relational, and positive value resources and knowledge repertoires of the two family systems may have extended differential protective benefits to their children during the COVID-19 lockdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-forgiveness (letting go of the feelings of victimization, resentment, and vengeance) is possibly shaped in its nature and extent by self-esteem and self-compassion, through various mechanisms. The latter two represent well-known affirmative self-resources with significant implications for life outcomes in individualistic and collectivistic cultures. However, the literature linking self-forgiveness and self-esteem is limited, and whether self-compassion mediates this relationship is not known. The present study addressed this gap by examining the mediating role of Positive and Negative Self-compassion (PSC & NSC, respectively) in the relationship between Self-esteem and Self-forgiveness. Employing convenience sampling, 144 males (Mean age = 22.10 years, SD = 1.66 years) and 124 females (Mean age = 21.98 years, SD = 1.90 years) participants were chosen. Correlation and regression analyses along with the path analytic method were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that both Self-esteem and PSC significantly and positively correlated with the dimensions of self-forgiveness (except Guilt). NSC correlated positively with self-esteem but negatively with PSC. NSC significantly and negatively correlated with some self-forgiveness dimensions like Realization and Reparation, and Attribution but positively with the Guilt dimension. Both PSC and NSC significantly mediated the relationships among Self-esteem, Realization and Reparation, Guilt, and Attribution. Findings suggest the association between self-esteem and self-forgiveness could be explained by elevated PSC and reduced NSC, highlighting the coexistence and simultaneous functioning of both self-esteem and self-compassion in a collectivist culture like India, with more pronounced effects of the latter. Future studies should verify these preliminary correlational findings using diverse cross-cultural samples and methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultural context of an organisation may significantly shape the nature of transgressions and consequent forgiveness relevant to understanding the workplace outcomes. This study explored the nature of transgressions and the dynamics of forgiveness in the workplace of a heterogeneous Indian sample which have not been well addressed in previous studies. Qualitative research design was employed. Using a purposive sampling method, 48 participants from the government (n = 30) and private organisations (n = 18) were selected to form the final sample. The transcriptions from semi-structured interviews were analyzed by the Thematic Analysis Method. Two themes related to the nature of transgressions emerged: multiplicity of the sources of workplace transgressions (such as anger, discrimination, and work overload) and communications of workplace transgressions (e.g., through criticism, altered relationships, warnings). Concerning the dynamics of forgiveness in the workplace, three broad themes emerged: facilitators of workplace forgiveness (such as positive treatment, direct communication, scolding), barriers to workplace forgiveness (like, the intention behind wrongdoing, repetition of wrongdoing, decreased trust), and benefits of workplace forgiveness (such as positive emotions, good relations, healthy work environment). Management should develop an in-depth understanding of the nature of transgressions and the dynamics of forgiveness embedded in a specific cultural context which may help enhance a variety of positive organisational outcomes. Workplace transgressions and concomitant forgiveness are interwoven with the nature of organisations, individual level factors and socio-cultural contexts. Findings also provide some support that the coexistence of individualistic and collectivistic cultural values among Indians may have shaped workplace transgressions and consequent forgiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Body image is an integral component of the self-concept that significantly shapes human functioning and people’s life outcomes. Although negative body image is well-studied, there is little research on positive body image. This study examined the basic characteristics of positive body image to standardize a scale for it. Methods: We used an exploratory research design, a variant of mixed methods design. The study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, 17 men and 18 women aged 21 to 30 years were selected according to the screening criteria based on the results of the body mass index and the Body Appreciation Scale. The semi-structured interviews were conducted, followed by their verbatim description of developing themes and basic descriptions of positive body image. The second phase involved 507 participants (268 males and 239 females) aged 20 to 35 years, who were administered the newly developed positive body image scale and general health and quality of life measures for validation. Results: Several theoretically sound and practically relevant positive body image characteristics were identified. The main themes identified in the first phase were a phenomenon with complex facets, connected to the self, social realities, life outcomes, health practices, and social relevance. The second phase led to developing a new 24-item positive body image scale that included two components: body appreciation and body effectiveness. It had desirable psychometric properties. Test-retest reliability showed significant levels, while correlation coefficients of the derived measure with general health and quality of life demonstrated its validity. Conclusion: A positive body image is a multifaceted construct associated with self-enhancement, health, life success, and relationships. A psychometrically appropriate measure of positive body image was standardized. The study results can have implications for health research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unforgiveness, holding negative emotions towards the transgressor consciously, has either been considered less important for mental health and well-being or has long been ignored as a worthy psychological construct for further investigation. Worthington and Wade (1999) firstly proposed that forgiveness and unforgiveness are distinct but related constructs. Many other researchers showed its negative and positive impacts on mental health and wellbeing of adults. But the unforgiveness experiences of adolescents were left untouched. The present study examined adolescents' experiences of unforgiveness using a qualitative research design. Twenty-nine participants (14-18 years) were interviewed. The interview contents were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using the thematic analysis method. Three themes were generated. Transgressions faced by the adolescents, reasons for not forgiving the offender, and consequences of unforgiveness. Harassment, unethical behaviour, and threat to personal and social regard were some major types of transgressions reported by the adolescents as unforgivable. Cheating and misconduct, continuous harm, and unacceptability of behaviours were the reasons highlighted by them as reasons for not forgiving the offender, while positive and negative feelings were reported as consequences of unforgiveness by the adolescents. The study findings may have significant implications for theory and practice. For example, adolescence is considered to be the most critical period of human life, and the experiences of adolescents may affect their entire life. Understanding and resolving unforgiveness experiences in adolescents may help them to adjust with the difficulties and challenges of their adult lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to understand the effectiveness of the Self-affirmation intervention for subclinical depression in Indian adults. Methods: We used the experimental research design. Using purposive sampling, 80 participants with subclinical depression were chosen. The participants were randomly allocated equally to experimental (intervention) and control (non-intervention) groups. Their depression was measured at 3 intervals: pre- and post-interventions and follow-up. We hypothesized that Selfaffirmation intervention will show curative and preventive capacity for subclinical depression. The data were analyzed using the 3-way analysis of variance method. Results: The results revealed the significant curative power of the Self-affirmation intervention for subclinical depression of the participants in the experimental group when compared to the control group. The main effects of conditions (intervention: control and experimental) and treatment intervals (pre-, post-, and follow-up) as well as their interaction effect were significant. Mean subclinical depression scores during pre- and post-interventions and followup intervals confirmed the curative and prophylactic power of the intervention. Conclusion: The study findings indicated that the affirmation-based intervention carries both curative and preventive powers for subclinical depression, as reflected in the experimental group's lower performance after the intervention and follow-up. The reverberating positive effects induced after Self-affirmation manipulation have remained active even after the intervention ended because of the underlying mechanisms of meaning, strengths, positive attributions, and beneficial social relationships that inhibit the relapse of subclinical depressive tendencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although forgiveness has been reported to benefit women in many ways, there is little research on their unforgiveness. The study aims to understand the nature, causes and consequences of young women's unforgiveness. Using a qualitative research design, 18 young women aged 20 to 40 years were chosen through purposive sampling. The data were collected through an interview protocol based on previous research on unforgiveness. The interview contents were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim and analysed using the thematic analysis method. Data analysis revealed three themes of unforgiveness: conceptualization of unforgiveness, the multiplicity of causality of unforgiveness, and mixed consequences of unforgiveness. Participants described it as a series of experiences of hate, anger, emotional stagnation, and an altered perception of the offender with active and passive traits. The severe, immoral, and unethical nature of transgressions, misconduct, cheating and harassment were the primary causes of unforgiveness. They described both positive and negative consequences of unforgiveness. Holding forgiveness leads to happiness, contentment, and improved adjustment while also leading to negative emotional experiences, such as broken relationships, and physical and psychological problems. Contrary to previous research, unforgiveness has been described as a more complex phenomenon caused by a variety of personal and interpersonal factors. In addition to negative outcomes, it also leads to some positive outcomes such as reduced fear of revictimization, and increased adaptability. The findings may have implications for theory, research, practice and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study explores the role of collective affirmation in attracting mass cooperation to motivate people to observe preventive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Using a qualitative research design, a heterogeneous sample (n=32) comprising postgraduate (n=10) and doctorates (n=22) was chosen and the data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The interview contents were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed via the thematic analysis method. Results: Five themes were generated in this study: perceived psychological distress, pandemic as a serious challenge to the national interest and human existence, the Janata curfew as a positive faith of the government in the abilities of Indians, lockdown as a strong faith of the government in the unshakable support of the Indians and strong affinity and pride of the Indians in their cultural heritage. The novelty, suddenness, and incurability of COVID-19 caused a set of perceived psychological distress and danger to individual and collective life. The Janata (public) curfew was perceived as a curfew of the people, by the people, and for the people. The lockdown denoted a strong faith of the Indian government in the positive virtues of the Indian people and vice versa. The mass support and adherence to the suggested preventive government measures were facilitated by collective affirmation of the well-known positive Indian cultural values (e.g. humanism, interdependence, collective pride, compassion, universal brotherhood, and so on) to the world. Conclusion: Collective affirmation inherent in the Indian cultural values catalyzed mass behavior change in the form of adherence to the essential restrictions and recommendations. Collective affirmation may have occurred because of the perceived faith of the government in the virtues of the Indians and their perceived administrative capability of the government. A culture-specific collective affirmation seems to emerge which initiated mass behavior changes leading to a successful lockdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

background Although self-affirmation has been reported to enhance well-being and other positive life outcomes in normal adults, little is known about its capacity to restore and preserve well-being in adults with depressive tendencies. The current study attempts to expound the restoring and preserving capacity of self-affirmation for well-being in Indian adults with non-clinical depressive tendencies. participants and procedure The study used a sequential research design. Eighty participants (22-27 years) with depressive tendencies were chosen through purposive sampling and were randomly assigned equally to the experimental and control conditions. Their depressive tendencies and well-being were measured through standard scales at three intervals: preintervention, post-intervention and follow-up. results The results revealed significant restoring and preserving capacity of self-affirmation for the well-being of the experimental group participants as compared to the control group. The main effects of conditions (experimental, control) and treatment intervals (pre, post, follow-up) were significant along with the interaction effects of conditions × treatment intervals. The significant differences in the mean well-being scores for pre-intervention, post-intervention and follow-up points of time showed the restoring and preserving capacity of self-affirmation intervention. conclusions The findings showed that self-affirmation helps to restore well-being as well as preserve it after a significant gap, which is evident in higher well-being mean scores of the experimental group taken at post-intervention and followup intervals. The positive effects of self-affirmation on well-being may have remained active even after the cessation of the intervention due to the underlying mechanisms of enhanced self-worth, positive values, inner strengths, positive attributions and interpersonal relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The study examined the predictive strengths of self‐esteem, and positive and negative self‐compassion for hedonic and eudaimonic well‐being as well as assessed the relative mediating roles of positive and negative self‐compassion for the relationships among self‐esteem, and hedonic and eudaimonic well‐being. Design: A correlational design was employed through which self‐esteem, self‐compassion, and hedonic and eudaimonic well‐being were measured. Methods: One hundred thirty‐four male (M = 25.11, SD = 1.66) and 138 female (M = 21.89, SD = 1.87) participants were chosen by a convenient sampling. Results: The findings evinced that there were significant positive correlations among self‐esteem, positive self‐compassion, and hedonic and eudaimonic well‐being while negative self‐compassion exhibited small positive correlations with both the well‐being measures (criterion). The regression analyses showed that self‐esteem and positive self‐compassion reflected significant predictive strengths for hedonic as well as eudaimonic well‐being while negative self‐compassion did not. This was also true for the social and psychological aspects of well‐being. The β values reflected that positive self‐compassion did show a higher contribution for both the well‐being measures as compared to self‐esteem. Conclusions: The findings evinced that positive, not negative, self‐compassion mediated the relationship between self‐esteem and hedonic well‐being as well as self‐esteem and eudaimonic well‐being. Moreover, self‐esteem and self‐compassion have predictive strengths for both kinds of well‐being. The findings showed the relevance of self‐esteem and self‐compassion to underscore well‐being. The implications and directions for future researchers have been discussed. Practitioner points: Contrary to the earlier findings suggesting self‐esteem and self‐compassion carrying relevance to explicate performance and well‐being of people with individualistic and collectivistic cultures, respectively, the findings of this study suggest both the constructs to be useful to understand the well‐being of people with both the values belonging especially to the fast‐changing societies like India.The study also suggests reconceptualization and empirical verification of self‐compassion that will make it more effective for enhancing and promoting interventions for positive life outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined the relationships among some demographic factors, self-compassion and interdependent happiness of the married Hindu couples. Using a correlational research design, 600 participants (300 couples) were chosen by a snowball sampling. Self-compassion Scale (Neff, 2003b), Socioeconomic Status Scale (Aggarwal et al., 2005) and Interdependent Happiness Scale (Hitokoto & Uchida, 2015) were used to collect data. Findings revealed that some demographic factors such as age, years of marriage and number of family members were positively correlated with self-compassion while the number of children and socioeconomic status were negatively correlated with it. Age, years of marriage and the number of children had a positive relationship with interdependent happiness. Self-compassion evinced a significant positive correlation with the interdependent happiness of the couples. The nature of family and self-compassion accounted for significant variance in the scores of interdependent happiness of the couples. The study constitutes one of the limited studies which assessed the relationships among a set of demographic factors, self-compassion and interdependent happiness on a sample drawn from a collectivistic society. The results have been discussed in the light of extant theoretical and empirical findings of self-compassion and interdependent happiness. The findings may have significant implications for understanding positive life outcomes of people with self-compassion belonging to a collectivistic culture. The theory, practise and policy implications of the findings have been discussed. Directions for future research have also been provided along with some limitations of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

background Although the three-dimensional Vedic personality model (Triguna) and self-compassion have been linked with a variety of life outcomes, little is known about their interplay in shaping goal orientations. We explored the interrelationships and interplay of the Triguna (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas) with positive and negative self-compassion in shaping the goal orientations of Indian students. participants and procedure Using convenience sampling, 190 males (M = 20.13, SD = 2.21) and 187 females (M = 19.88, SD = 1.81) were assessed on selfreport measures. Data were analysed using correlational statistics, factor analysis and path analysis. results Factor analyses supported our speculation that the Self- Compassion Scale is best represented by a two-factor model (positive and negative). Positive self-compassion and Sattva Guna showed positive correlations with mastery and performance goals while negative self-compassion showed an opposite pattern. Rajas and Tamas Gunas were negatively correlated with mastery and positively with performance goals. Gender, Sattva Guna and positive self-compassion accounted for significant variance in mastery while gender, Sattva and Rajas Gunas and negative self-compassion contributed to performance-approach. Sattva Guna and selfcompassion (positive and negative) contributed significantly to performance-avoidance. Path analysis revealed direct as well as indirect effects of the three Gunas on the goal orientations through positive and negative self-compassion. conclusions The Triguna personality and two-factor conceptualization of self-compassion evinced their relevance in understanding the goal orientations of Indian students. Re-conceptualization of the Self-Compassion Scale and its interplay with Triguna personality dimensions in shaping the goal orientations of students need further verification in diverse and cross-cultural populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to examine the role of Self-Forgiveness in shaping the Human Flourishing of the adults. Two hundred fourteen participants (18 to 30 years) comprising 100 males (Mean Age = 22.15(1.61)) and 114 females (Mean Age = 22.00(1.95)) were chosen for the study. Self-forgiveness (Mudgal & Tiwari, 2017a) and Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (Keyes, 2005) were used as the tools. Self-forgiveness comprises Realization & Reparation, Guilt, Attribution and overall self-forgiveness (sum of the first three) while Human Flourishing consists of Hedonic and Eudaimonic (Social plus Psychological) Well-Being. The aggregate of Hedonic and Eudaimonic is overall Human Flourishing. The findings suggested no gender differences in Self-Forgiveness of the participants. Conversely, gender differences were observed in all the dimensions of Human Flourishing in favour of males. Irrespective of gender, Realization & Reparation was positively correlated with Hedonic, Social, Psychological and Eudaimonic Well-Being as well as Human Flourishing except for Guilt and Attribution that showed small positive or negative correlations. Irrespective of gender, Overall Self-Forgiveness correlated positively with all the dimensions of Flourishing. Gender and Realization & Reparation emerged as the significant predictors accounting for significant variance in all the dimensions of Flourishing while Guilt and Attribution did not. The findings suggested that remorse, easy acceptance of wrongdoing, repairing the relationship with self and others, ability to minimize negative emotions towards self, monitoring others' positive behaviours and acknowledgements of valued and close relationships were the psychological mechanisms that may underlie the predictive strengths of self-forgiveness in regulating flourishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]