Development and validation of a task load index for process control room operators (PCRO-TLX)

Process control room operators (PCRO) perform a range of complex cognitive safety-critical tasks. The aim of this exploratory sequential mixed methods study was to develop an occupation specific tool to measure the task load of PCRO using NASA Task Load Index (TLX) methodology. Participants were 30 human factors experts and 146 PCRO at two refinery complexes in Iran. Dimensions were developed via a cognitive task analysis, a research review, and three expert panels. Six dimensions were identified: perceptual demand, performance, mental demand, time pressure, effort, and stress. Data from 120 PCRO confirmed that the developed PCRO-TLX has acceptable psychometric properties, and a comparison with the NASA-TLX confirmed that perceptual, not physical, demand was relevant for measuring workload in PCRO. There was a positive convergence of scores of the Subjective Workload Assessment Technique and the PCRO-TLX. This reliable tool (α = 0.83) is recommended for risk assessing the task load of PCRO.Practitioner summary: There are benefits of having a specific tool to measure task load in safety critical roles. Thus, we developed and validated an easy-to-use targeted tool, the PCRO-TLX, for process control room operatives. Timely use and response will assure optimal production alongside health and safety in an organisation.Abbreviations: PCRO: process control room operator; TLX: task load index; PCRO-TLX: process control room operator task load index; NASA-TLX: National Aeronautics and Space Administration task load index; SWAT: subjective workload assessment technique; DALI: driving activity load index; SURG-TLX: surgery task load index; SIM-TLX: virtual reality simulation task load index; VACP: visual, auditory, cognitive and psychomotor; CVI: content validity index; CVR: content validity ratio; RMSEA: root mean square of error approximation; GFI: goodness of fit index; AGFI: adjusted goodness of fit index; CFI: comparative fit index; ANOVA: analysis of variance; CI: confidence interval.

Associations Between Internalized and Anticipated HIV Stigma and Depression Symptoms Among People Living with HIV in China: A four-wave Longitudinal Model

Previous research has documented that HIV-related stigma (e.g., internalized and anticipated stigma) is detrimental to the mental health of people living with HIV (PLWH). However, longitudinal data on the bidirectional relationship between HIV-related stigma and depression symptoms are limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the bidirectional association among internalized and anticipated HIV stigma and depression symptoms among Chinese PLWH. A four-wave longitudinal design (6 months intervals) was employed among 1,111 Chinese PLWH (Mage = 38.58, SD = 9.16, age range: 18-60 years; 64.1% men). The bidirectional model was examined using a random-intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM), which evaluated the within- and between-person effects of study variables. At the within-person level, results indicated that depression symptoms at T2 mediated the linkage between internalized HIV stigma at T1 and anticipated HIV stigma at T3, and that anticipated HIV stigma at both T2 and T3 mediated the relationship between depression symptoms at the previous time point and internalized HIV stigma at the subsequent time point. Furthermore, a bidirectional association was found between anticipated HIV stigma and depression symptoms across four waves. At the between-person level, internalized and anticipated HIV stigma were significantly associated with depression symptoms. This study highlights the complex interplay between different forms of HIV-related stigma and mental health problems among PLWH and underscores the importance of considering the bidirectional relationship between the development of psychopathology and stigmatization process in clinical practice.

Do people diagnosed with psychosis spectrum disorders share the same personality space as the general population? Big Five complemented by the proneness to psychotic-like experiences/behaviors

OBJECTIVE

Disintegration is a recently proposed broad, trait-like reconceptualization of the proneness to psychotic-like experiences/behaviors.

METHODS

We tested the assumption that the 6-factor model (Five-Factor traits plus Disintegration) was the most adequate one and that it was invariant across clinical and non-clinical populations. The clinical sample (n = 161) consisted of patients who had at least one psychotic episode, duration of illness less than 10 years, currently in remission. The general population (n = 409) was matched with the patient sample by age, gender, and education. NEO PI-R and DELTA were used to measure personality dimensions in both samples. Invariance of one to six-factor solutions was tested by Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling.

RESULTS

We found that: (a) several criteria for deciding on the number of factors to retain converged to the conclusion that the assumed 6-factor model was the most adequate one, (b) the assumed factorial structure appeared to satisfy the criteria for the scalar invariance across the two samples, (c) all nine Disintegration subdimensions separated from the Big Five, forming the Disintegration factor, and (d) Disintegration was unrelated to Openness.

CONCLUSION

The Big Five personality structure-complemented with disintegration-was invariant across individuals from the general population and patients with psychosis.

Greening the workforce in higher educational institutions: The pursuance of environmental performance

The research aims to examine the role of green human resource management (GHRM) in the university's environmental performance. Furthermore, this research also focuses on the mediating effect of green commitment and pro-environmental behavior. It also aims to check how green self-efficacy moderates the relationship between green commitment and pro-environmental behavior. The paper opted for a quantitative design using the convenience sampling technique/approach by collecting the data through a structured questionnaire on 208 academic staff currently employed in the university. The data were collected from August until December 2021 on two campuses (Gujranwala, Jhelum) of the University of Punjab in Pakistan. The current study results give empirical insights that show how green human resource management practices lead to environmental performance at a greater level in a university setting. Study results proposed that change in behavior of employees through human resource management practices can ultimately affect the organization's environmental performance. Further results also demonstrate that green self-efficacy moderates the relationship between green commitment and pro-environmental behavior. This study highlights the role of the university staff's level of commitment and self-efficacy, which are beneficial for enhancing the university's environmental performance. The originality of this study fills the gap in how green commitment mediates the relationship of green human resource management and environmental performance further; it fulfills the gap of green self-efficacy that moderates the relationship of pro-environmental behavior and green commitment. The study sheds light on green human resource management practices in the higher education sector. It emphasizes the vital role of academic staff's environmentally conscious behavior in enhancing a university's environmental performance. The further study highlighted the increasing concept of green human resource management as a set of building the ability, enhancing motivation, and providing opportunities to influence workers' pro-environmental behaviors. The conclusion of the current research was capable of validating the positive concerns of green GHRM, behaviors, and commitments for environmental performance.

Closeness Discrepancies in Couple Relationships: A Dyadic Response Surface Analysis

Individuals can differ in the degree of closeness they desire in their romantic relationships: Some people may perceive their current level of closeness as just right, whereas others may feel not close enough or too close to their partners (referred to as negative and positive closeness discrepancy, respectively). This study (N = 1,177 individuals from 748 couples) examined the implications of closeness discrepancies for subjective relationship quality (SRQ) using dyadic response surface analysis. The analyses found evidence for linear, but not broad, closeness discrepancy effects: SRQ was lower for individuals reporting more negative closeness discrepancies and, independent of this actor effect, for individuals with partners who reported more negative closeness discrepancies. These results suggest that low levels of closeness paired with a strong desire for closeness can impair both partners' relational well-being.

Combining novel trait and neurocognitive frameworks to parse heterogeneity in borderline personality disorder

OBJECTIVE

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) diagnosis comprises several constellations of trait, neurocognitive, and psychosocial alterations. Dimensional models of psychopathology provide new opportunities to parse heterogeneity and create a stronger interface between individual characterization and psychosocial outcomes. However, dimensional models have focused on either traits or neurocognitive features, lacking integration to capture the multifaceted nature of BPD.

METHOD

We assessed 100 participants with BPD using a combination of tools stemming from trait (Alternative Model for Personality Disorders) and neurocognitive models (Research Domain Criteria; RDoC) to examine if trait-derived subgroups display distinctive social-processing and psychosocial profiles. We used two complementary analytical approaches: person-centered (k-means clustering) and construct-based (multiple factor analysis).

RESULTS

Our person-centered approach identified four subgroups with separable internalizing, detached, externalizing, and low psychopathology trait profiles. These profiles revealed distinctive patterns of affiliation, emotion recognition and mentalization performance in RDoC tasks, and psychosocial measures of quality of life and social connectedness. RDoC-based measures showed close construct proximity with negative affectivity, disinhibition, and antagonism trait domains, relative to the detachment domain, which had close proximity with self-knowledge.

CONCLUSIONS

Altogether, findings support consilience between trait-based and neurobiological frameworks and suggest that trait models are useful to parse BPD heterogeneity leading to unique social functioning profiles.

How Exposure to Online Parenting Content Relates to Mothers' Self-Discrepancy and Postpartum Mental Health

Postpartum mental health problems are common and have deleterious effects on new mothers and their babies. This study developed a theoretically informed model of the relationship between exposure to images of motherhood in online parenting content and mothers' postpartum mental health. The model was tested using survey data collected from 509 Chinese mothers during their 12-month postpartum period. The results revealed that greater exposure to online public parenting content was indirectly related to lower levels of shame among new mothers via two mediators: the presumed influence of parenting media content on their partners, and the mothers' perceptions of the discrepancy between their actual selves as mothers and their partners' expectations of an ideal mother (i.e. actual/own - ideal/partner self-discrepancy). In contrast, increased exposure to online private parenting content shared by peers was indirectly related to increased levels of shame among new mothers via the mediation of social comparison with parenting media images, and of the mothers' perceptions of the discrepancy between their actual selves as mothers and their own expectations of an ideal mother (i.e. actual/own - ideal/own self-discrepancy). Additionally, new mothers were more likely to experience depressive symptoms and shame if they felt that they fell short of their partners' expectations of an ideal mother. However, increased social support reduced the anxiety and shame that stemmed from this belief.

Order Online or Call it in? Conceptualization and Measurement of Preferences for Computer versus Human Interaction

Technology is increasingly integrated into everyday life and consequently, traditional social exchanges between human agents have evolved to include human-computer interaction, providing scientists new directions for understanding and predicting consumer behavior. Despite progress, there are conceptual and empirical limitations in current measures applied to consumer/user preferences. This paper documents the development and validation of the 10-item preference for computer versus human interaction (PCHI) scale across three distinct samples and incorporating items that (a) include direct comparisons between computers and humans, (b) are independent of specific contexts or technologies, and (c) capture major theoretical domains of social, consumer, and human factors psychology. Results support the hypothesized three-factor structure (efficiency, ease of use, and trust) and demonstrate the utility of this measure to predict everyday consumer decisions beyond extant measures. Additionally, the PCHI offers marketing, user experience, and other practitioners a brief instrument for developing interventions, training protocols, and modeling attitudes.

Profiles of Intimate Partner Violence Victimization: A Systematic Review

Person-centered approaches, such as latent class analysis (LCA) and latent profile analysis (LPA), aid the identification of subgroups within sample populations. These methods can identify the patterns of co-occurrence between different forms of intimate partner violence (IPV), providing valuable information for prevention and intervention efforts. The aim of this systematic review was to yield a summary and conduct a critical evaluation of the current research that utilizes LCA/LPA to investigate IPV victimization profiles. We provide an outline of 14 relevant studies, retrieved from searches conducted on PsycInfo, Scopus, and Eric databases. There was a large amount of variability in relation to the forms of IPV assessed, measures utilized, number of classes identified, and the sample populations recruited. However, broad similarities were revealed as there were some commonly identified classes, including the no/low violence class, the physical and psychological victimization class, and the multiple victimization class, yet the labels assigned to those classes differed across studies. A range of external criteria (risk factors and consequences) were also identified as being associated with class membership. We highlight the methodological features which may have impacted data collection and class enumeration, including the differences in sample population, the range of IPV indicators assessed, the time period from which IPV data were recorded, and whether data were collected regarding participants' current or previous relationships. Marginalized populations were underrepresented, and psychological abuse was most inconsistently operationalized. Recommendations for future research are provided, including recommendations with regard to labeling the classes for greater consistency across studies.

An island of sanity during COVID-19 pandemic: Does pet attachment support buffer employees' stress due to job insecurity?

Drawing on the transactional theory of stress, the current study investigates whether employee job insecurity triggers employee behavioral strain reactions (i.e., alcohol use, marijuana use, and cigarette use) and psychological strain reactions (i.e., emotional exhaustion and depression) through stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we integrate social support theory and expect the moderating role of pet attachment support in the above relationships. By collecting two-wave data from 187 employees with pets in the United States, we found that during the COVID-19 pandemic, stress mediated the relationships between job insecurity and predicted behavioral and psychological reactions. Moreover, pet attachment support buffered the relationships between stress and these behavioral and psychological strain reactions (all except cigarette use). Pet attachment support also alleviated the conditional indirect effects job insecurity had on the two types of strain reactions via stress. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of this study.

Influence of resilience on perceived stress and depression among Taiwanese army military personnel

Resilience has been reported to attenuate psychological burden and promote mental health. Military personnel constitute a population with a high psychological burden and poor sleep quality and are thus at a high risk of depression. This study is aim to examine the mechanism underlying the effects of resilience on perceived stress, sleep quality, and depression among Taiwanese army military personnel. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between May 2020 and February 2021. Participants comprised 1505 voluntary army military service personnel aged 20 years or older; they completed self-reported questionnaires measuring their perceived stress, resilience, sleep quality, and depression. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling. The results indicated that the association between resilience and depression was partially mediated by perceived stress and sleep quality. Perceived stress is a significant mediator on the association between resilience and depression. A high level of sleep disturbance was observed in this population and results found that sleep quality showed a slight partial mediation effect on the association between resilience and depression. Resilience can alleviate the effects of stress, which in turn alleviates depression among military personnel. Promoting resilience-enhancing education and mitigating environmental barriers to sleep is essential for reducing depressive symptoms among military personnel.

The Medical Outcome Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS): A psychometric systematic review

AIMS

To evaluate and synthesize psychometric properties of the MOS-SSS and to identify quality versions of MOS-SSS for use in future research and practice.

DESIGN

A psychometric systematic review.

DATA SOURCES

Articles about the translation, adaptation, or validation of the MOS-SSS in Medline, PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science and their reference lists published before 11 November 2022.

REVIEW METHODS

The review followed the Consensus Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments guidelines.

RESULTS

The review included 35 articles. Eleven versions of MOS-SSS (3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12, 13, 16, 18, 19, and 22 items) have been validated in various populations and 13 languages. Of 14 studies developing a translated version of MOS-SSS, four studies performed both an experts' evaluation of content validity and a face validity test; two studies reported translation evaluation in the form of a content validity index. Of 35 studies, six performed both exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis for structural validity; hypotheses and measurements for construct validity testings were often not clearly stated; two examined criterion validity; and four assessed cross-cultural validity. Internal consistency reliabilities were commonly examined by calculating Cronbach's alpha and reported satisfactory. Five studies analysed test-retest reliabilities using intra correlation coefficient. Methodological concerns exist.

CONCLUSION

The English 19-item, Farsi Persian 19-item, and Vietnamese 19-item versions are recommended for future use in research and practice. Italian 19-item and Malaysian 13-item versions are not recommended to be used in future research and practice. All other versions considered in this review have potential use in future research and practice. Proper procedures for developing a translated version of MOS-SSS and validating the scale are recommended.

IMPACT

The review identified quality versions of MOS-SSS to measure social support in future research and practice. The study also indicated methodological issues in current validation studies. Application of the study findings and recommendations can be useful to improve outcome measurement quality and maximize the efficiency of resource use in future research and practice.

NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

This systematic review synthesized the evidence from previous research and did not involve any human participation.

The use of self-protective measures to prevent COVID-19 spread: an application of the health belief model

This study uses a health belief model to examine the preventive behavioral orientation or self-protective measures adopted by people in the face of the current COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 603 participants were selected from the city of Bangalore, India. The data was collected through an online survey with participants' age varying between 17 and 54 and mean as 23 years (SD = 4.32). The findings revealed that perceived barrier has significant negative impact, while perceived threat, perceived consequences, perceived benefits, community and individual self-efficacy, and general health cues have a positive influence on an individual's intention to follow self-protective measures against COVID-19. Based on the constructs of the health belief model, this study proposes multiple health-related interventions to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Associations Between Social Determinants of Health, Chronic Absence From School, and Teacher Ratings of Parents' Engagement in Early Education

This study examined associations between four indicators of social determinants of health (SDOH; parent education, poverty, material hardships, and child health problems), chronic school absence, and teachers' ratings of parents' engagement in their children's education. Surveys were collected from 304 parents and 26 teachers from eight Baltimore City Public Schools. Results revealed that teachers' ratings of parent engagement were consistently lower among families experiencing adverse SDOH and/or whose children were chronically absent; however, there was no significant relationship between teachers' ratings of parent engagement and child health problems. Additionally, chronic absence partially mediated the relationship between three SDOH indicators (total material hardships, parent education level, and child health problems) and teacher-rated parent engagement. Poverty was excluded from mediation analysis due to evidence of multicollinearity suppressive effects. Addressing the SDOH assessed in this study may be an effective strategy to reduce chronic absence, promote parent engagement, and foster equity in education.

Validation of the Spanish version of the Neal, Griffin and Hart safety behavior scale

Objectives. The safety behavior scale (SBS), developed by Neal, Griffin and Hart, is one of the most widely used conceptualizations in the field of occupational safety. Previous studies have evaluated the psychometric properties of this scale in different populations. However, few validation studies have been conducted in the Latin American context. To fill these gaps in the literature, this study aimed to assess the validity, reliability and measurement invariance of this instrument in the context of the Latin American mining industry. Methods. Data were collected from 398 workers from Ecuadorian mining companies. The questionnaire was translated into Spanish following a back-translation process. The latent factorial structure of the SBS was explored by estimating a series of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory equation modeling (ESEM) models. Results. The analyses showed that the two correlated first-order factor CFA representation was the most appropriate model for the data. Measurement invariance by age, type of contract and firm size was also confirmed. Conclusions. The SBS is a valid and reliable measure of safety behavior. In addition, this study determined the applicability of this instrument in the Latin American context, which enhances opportunities for future research in the region.

The Patient Generated Index (PGI) as an early-warning system for predicting brain health challenges: a prospective cohort study for people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

PURPOSE

In research people are often asked to fill out questionnaires about their health and functioning and some of the questions refer to serious health concerns. Typically, these concerns are not identified until the statistician analyses the data. An alternative is to use an individualized measure, the Patient Generated Index (PGI) where people are asked to self-nominate areas of concern which can then be dealt with in real-time. This study estimates the extent to which self-nominated areas of concern related to mood, anxiety and cognition predict the presence or occurrence of brain health outcomes such as depression, anxiety, psychological distress, or cognitive impairment among people aging with HIV at study entry and for successive assessments over 27 months.

METHODS

The data comes from participants enrolled in the Positive Brain Health Now (+ BHN) cohort (n = 856). We analyzed the self-nominated areas that participants wrote on the PGI and classified them into seven sentiment groups according to the type of sentiment expressed: emotional, interpersonal, anxiety, depressogenic, somatic, cognitive and positive sentiments. Tokenization was used to convert qualitative data into quantifiable tokens. A longitudinal design was used to link these sentiment groups to the presence or emergence of brain health outcomes as assessed using standardized measures of these constructs: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Mental Health Index (MHI) of the RAND-36, the Communicating Cognitive Concerns Questionnaire (C3Q) and the Brief Cognitive Ability Measure (B-CAM). Logistic regressions were used to estimate the goodness of fit of each model using the c-statistic.

RESULTS

Emotional sentiments predicted all of the brain health outcomes at all visits with adjusted odds ratios (OR) ranging from 1.61 to 2.00 and c-statistics > 0.73 (good to excellent prediction). Nominating an anxiety sentiment was specific to predicting anxiety and psychological distress (OR 1.65 & 1.52); nominating a cognitive concern was specific to predicting self-reported cognitive ability (OR 4.78). Positive sentiments were predictive of good cognitive function (OR 0.36) and protective of depressive symptoms (OR 0.55).

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates the value of using this semi-qualitative approach as an early-warning system in predicting brain health outcomes.

Impact of virtual reality applications in the treatment of anxiety disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental disorders worldwide. Virtual reality (VR) treatment approaches have increasingly been studied. Before clinical implementation, it is necessary to evaluate the treatment effect of VR applications. The objective is to evaluate the treatment effect of virtual reality applications in the treatment of anxiety disorders compared to conventional therapy.

METHODS

A systematic literature review with meta-analysis was conducted. Four databases were used to identify randomized controlled trials published between April 2011 and April 2021 which compare VR applications with non-VR interventions or waiting lists. Study characteristics, pre- and post-treatment data were extracted. Hedges g was calculated as effect size. Primary outcome was anxiety symptoms.

RESULTS

Data from 17 studies from 827 participants was extracted. The studies examined specific phobia (n = 9), social anxiety disorder (n = 4), agoraphobia (n = 2) and panic disorder (n = 2). 16 out of 17 studies used head-mounted displays as VR application. A non-significant effect size with significant heterogeneity was observed in favor of the use of VR applications in anxiety symptoms (g, 0.33; 95%-CI, -0.20-0.87). Compared to passive control groups, VR applications are associated significant with lower anxiety symptoms (g, 1.29; 95%-CI, 0.68-1.90).

LIMITATIONS

The study and patient characteristics varied between the individual studies which is reflected in a high statistical heterogeneity of the effect sizes.

CONCLUSIONS

The added value of VR applications over waiting-list or psychoeducation only control groups is obvious. VR applications can be used as part of the treatment of anxiety disorders, especially when conventional therapy is unavailable.

Association between coping resources and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in the Czech Republic

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused detrimental global consequences for public health, health-care systems, economies, and society in general. The Czech Republic was one of the most affected countries in the world regarding daily cases increases during the first waves of the pandemic. The present study investigates the association between coping resources, mental health and anxiety. We collected data (N = 476) via an online survey. A multiple regression analysis was performed to investigate the predictors of mental health and anxiety. Mental health was significantly predicted by SOC, SONC, social support and trust in institutions. Anxiety was significantly predicted only by SOC and SONC. The study provides support for the salutogenic model of health and adds to the evidence that sense of coherence, that is, one's ability to view life as comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful, is the most important coping resource in light of a major event, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Passionate and psychologically-undetached: A moderated-mediated investigation of psychological distress among engaged employees

Guided by the effort-recovery model and the dualistic model of passion, we tested a conditional process model that examined the relationships between work engagement, workplace passion, psychological detachment, and psychological distress among Japanese professionals. We conducted an online panel survey across two time points, six weeks apart (N = 202 matched responses) where we measured all the variables at both instances. Findings show that engaged employees become susceptible to psychological distress due to decreased levels of psychological detachment. The moderating role of work passion was partially supported: being obsessively passionate towards work exacerbates this relationship further while contrary to expectations, the moderating role of harmonious passion was not significant. Findings suggest the possibility that engaged employees are less likely to switch off, which predisposes them to ill-being at work, and this becomes apparent among employees with less volitional opportunities in the workplace.

Undergraduate students' motivational profiles before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of educational climate and trait self-control

BACKGROUND

Universities faced important and sudden changes following the lockdown measures imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditional educational practices were disrupted as campuses were closed while distance learning was hastily adopted.

AIMS

This study documents the evolution of university students' autonomous and controlled motivation for their studies following campus closures by relying on a person-centred perspective. More specifically, it examines motivation profiles and their temporal stability across two time points taken before and during the pandemic, while also considering the role of educational climate, trait self-control and control variables (sex and age) as predictors of profile membership.

SAMPLE

A total of 1940 university students participated in this study by responding to online questionnaires at two time points, before (Time 1) and after (Time 2) the pandemic.

METHODS

We relied on latent profile and latent transition analyses to estimate motivation profiles, their temporal stability and their predictors.

RESULTS

A four-profile solution (Self-Determined, Moderately Motivated, Extrinsically Motivated, Amotivated) was selected and replicated at both time points. We observed a low degree of variability in profile membership over time, especially for the Amotivated profile. A need-supportive educational climate and trait self-control consistently predicted a greater likelihood of membership into more adaptative profiles (Self-Determined, Moderately Motivated).

CONCLUSIONS

The COVID-19 pandemic did not drastically change the motivational profiles of university students. Nevertheless, educational climate and self-control appeared to 'protect' students against the endorsement of more problematic motivation profiles both before and during the pandemic, making them important targets for intervention.

Investigating the performance of level-specific fit indices in multilevel confirmatory factor analysis with dichotomous indicators: A Monte Carlo study

We conducted a Monte Carlo study to examine the performance of level-specific χ2 test statistics and fit regarding their capacity to determine model fit at specific levels in multilevel confirmatory factor analysis with dichotomous indicators. Five design factors-numbers of groups (NG), group size (GS), intra-class correlation (ICC), thresholds of dichotomous indicators (THR), and factor loadings (FL)-were considered in this study. According to our simulation results, we recommend that practitioners should be aware that the performance of between-level-specific (b-l-s) χ2 and fit indices was mainly influenced by ICC and FL, followed by NG. At the same time, THR could slightly weigh in the performance of b-l-s fit indices in some conditions. Both b-l-s χ2 and fit indices were more promising indicators to correctly indicate model fit when ICC or FL increased. A small to medium NG (50-100) might be sufficient for b-l-s χ2 and fit indices only if both ICC and factor loadings were high, while in remaining conditions, an NG of 200 was needed. Moreover, practitioners could use within-level-specific (w-l-s) χ2 and fit indices (except for RMSEAW) along with traditional cut-off values to evaluate within-level models comprising dichotomous indicators. W-l-s χ2 and fit indices were more promising to determine model fit when FL increased. THR had a slight impact and could weigh in the performance of [Formula: see text], RMSEAW, CFIW, and TLIW. Unfortunately, RMSEAW was heavily affected by FL and THR and could determine model fit only when FL was high and THR was symmetric.

Dynamic Response Strategies: Accounting for Response Process Heterogeneity in IRTree Decision Nodes

It is essential to control self-reported trait measurements for response style effects to ensure a valid interpretation of estimates. Traditional psychometric models facilitating such control consider item responses as the result of two kinds of response processes-based on the substantive trait, or based on response styles-and they assume that both of these processes have a constant influence across the items of a questionnaire. However, this homogeneity over items is not always given, for instance, if the respondents' motivation declines throughout the questionnaire so that heuristic responding driven by response styles may gradually take over from cognitively effortful trait-based responding. The present study proposes two dynamic IRTree models, which account for systematic continuous changes and additional random fluctuations of response strategies, by defining item position-dependent trait and response style effects. Simulation analyses demonstrate that the proposed models accurately capture dynamic trajectories of response processes, as well as reliably detect the absence of dynamics, that is, identify constant response strategies. The continuous version of the dynamic model formalizes the underlying response strategies in a parsimonious way and is highly suitable as a cognitive model for investigating response strategy changes over items. The extended model with random fluctuations of strategies can adapt more closely to the item-specific effects of different response processes and thus is a well-fitting model with high flexibility. By using an empirical data set, the benefits of the proposed dynamic approaches over traditional IRTree models are illustrated under realistic conditions.

Psychometric properties of sum scores and factor scores differ even when their correlation is 0.98: A response to Widaman and Revelle

Commentary in Widaman and Revelle (2022) argued that sum scoring is justified as long as unidimensionality holds because sum score reliability is defined. My response begins with a review of the literature supporting the perspective we adopted in the original article. I then conduct simulation studies to assess the psychometric properties of sum scores created using Widaman and Revelle's justification relative to scores created by the weighted factor score approach in the original article. In my simulations, I generate data where sum and factor scores are correlated at 0.96 or 0.98 because high factor-sum score correlations are often used to support the contention that sum and factor scores have interchangeable psychometric properties. I explore (a) correlations between estimated scores and true scores, (b) classification accuracy of sum and factor scores, and (c) reliability of sum and factor scores. Results show that factor scores have (a) higher correlations with true scores (Δ = 0.02-0.04), (b) higher sensitivity (Δ = 4-8 percentage points), and (c) higher reliability (Δ = 0.04-0.07). Factor score performance metrics also have less sampling variability in most conditions. Psychometric properties of sum scores-even when highly correlated with factor scores-remain less desirable than those of factor scores. Additional considerations like models with multiple factors and measurement invariance are also discussed. Essentially, even if accepting Widaman and Revelle's justification for sum scoring, it is uncertain whether researchers generally would want to sum score after fitting a factor analysis unless sum and factor scores correlate at (and not merely close to) 1.00.

Within-Person Variability Score-Based Causal Inference: A Two-Step Estimation for Joint Effects of Time-Varying Treatments

Behavioral science researchers have shown strong interest in disaggregating within-person relations from between-person differences (stable traits) using longitudinal data. In this paper, we propose a method of within-person variability score-based causal inference for estimating joint effects of time-varying continuous treatments by controlling for stable traits of persons. After explaining the assumed data-generating process and providing formal definitions of stable trait factors, within-person variability scores, and joint effects of time-varying treatments at the within-person level, we introduce the proposed method, which consists of a two-step analysis. Within-person variability scores for each person, which are disaggregated from stable traits of that person, are first calculated using weights based on a best linear correlation preserving predictor through structural equation modeling (SEM). Causal parameters are then estimated via a potential outcome approach, either marginal structural models (MSMs) or structural nested mean models (SNMMs), using calculated within-person variability scores. Unlike the approach that relies entirely on SEM, the present method does not assume linearity for observed time-varying confounders at the within-person level. We emphasize the use of SNMMs with G-estimation because of its property of being doubly robust to model misspecifications in how observed time-varying confounders are functionally related to treatments/predictors and outcomes at the within-person level. Through simulation, we show that the proposed method can recover causal parameters well and that causal estimates might be severely biased if one does not properly account for stable traits. An empirical application using data regarding sleep habits and mental health status from the Tokyo Teen Cohort study is also provided.

Becoming a resilient scientist series: An intervention program

Compared to the general population, science trainees experience challenges and heightened stressors that often lead to adverse mental health outcomes. With COVID-19, the stressors of social distancing, isolation, truncated lab time, and uncertainty about the future have all likely exacerbated these issues. Now, more than ever, practical and effective interventions are vitally needed to address the core causes of stress among science trainees and increase their resilience. This paper introduces a new resilience program targeted to biomedical trainees and scientists - Becoming a Resilient Scientist Series (BRS), a multi-part workshop complemented by facilitated group discussions all aimed at bolstering resilience, particularly in the context of academic and research environments. To assess the program's efficacy, participants completed resilience measures and related assessments before and after completing the series. The results demonstrate that BRS significantly enhances trainee resilience (primary outcome) and reduces perceived stress, anxiety, and work-related presenteeism, as well as increased adaptability, self-awareness, and self-efficacy (secondary outcomes). Furthermore, program participants reported a high level of satisfaction, a strong willingness to recommend the program to others, and perceived positive changes in their resilience skills. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first resilience program designed explicitly for biomedical trainees and scientists, tailored to their unique professional culture and work environment.

Mentoring first-generation college students: Examining distinct relationship profiles based on interpersonal characteristics, support provision, and educational capital

The goal of this study was to identify distinct profiles among first-generation college students' mentoring relationships based on interpersonal characteristics, provision of college-related support, and mentors' educational capital. First-year, first-generation undergraduates (n = 176) identified up to six mentors, rating various relationship characteristics, the types and degrees of college-related support each mentor provided, and each mentor's level of educational attainment. Ratings were used as indicators in a multilevel latent profile analysis among mentoring relationships (n = 254), accounting for clustering of multiple mentors within individual participants. A 3-profile solution best fit the data. Profiles were distinguished by closeness, frequency of contact, degree of college-related support provided, and mentors' educational attainment. Mentors with high educational attainment ("High-Capital Mentors") provided the most support for college-related issues, even with relatively infrequent contact. During their transition to higher education, first-generation college students appear to receive more active mentoring from adults with educational capital, although other adults may serve important functions not captured by the college-specific measures used in this study.

White matter microstructure and executive functions in congenital heart disease from childhood to adulthood: A pooled case-control study

Congenital heart disease (CHD) patients are at risk for alterations in the cerebral white matter microstructure (WMM) throughout development. It is unclear whether the extent of WMM alterations changes with age, especially during adolescence when the WMM undergoes rapid maturation. We investigated differences in WMM between patients with CHD and healthy controls from childhood until early adulthood in a pooled sample of children, adolescents, and young adults. The association between WMM and EF was assessed. Patients with CHD (N=78) and controls (N=137) between 9 and 32 years of age underwent diffusion tensor imaging and an executive function test-battery. Mean fractional anisotropy (FA) was calculated for each white matter tract. Linear regression tested age and group effects (CHD vs control) and their interaction on FA. Relative Variable Importance (RI) estimated the independent contribution of tract FA, presence of CHD, CHD complexity, and parental education to the variability in EF. Mean FA was lower in patients compared to controls in almost all tracts (p between 0.057 and <0.001). WMM alterations in patients were not different depending on age (all interaction effects p>0.074). Predictors of EF were CHD group (RI=43%), parental education (RI=23%), CHD complexity (RI=10%), FA of the hippocampal cingulum (RI=6%) and FA of the corticospinal tract (RI=6%). The lack of group-FA-interactions indicates that the extent of altered FA remains similar across age. Altered FA is associated with EF impairments. CHD is a chronic disease with cerebral and neurocognitive impairments persisting into adulthood and, thus, long-term follow-up programs may improve overall outcome for this population.

Pilot Trial of Online Measurement Training and Feedback in Family Therapy for Adolescent Behavior Problems

OBJECTIVE

Pragmatic procedures for sustaining high-fidelity delivery of evidence-based interventions are needed to support implementation in usual care. This study tested an online therapist training system, featuring observational coder training and self-report fidelity feedback, to promote self-report acumen and routine use of family therapy (FT) techniques for adolescent behavior problems.

METHOD

Therapists (N = 84) from nine substance use and mental health treatment sites reported on 185 adolescent clients. Therapists submitted baseline data on FT technique use with clients, completed a workshop introducing the 32-week training system, and were randomly assigned by site to Core Training versus Core Training + Consultation. Core Training included a therapist coder training course (didactic instruction and mock session coding exercises in 13 FT techniques) and fidelity feedback procedures depicting therapist-report data on FT use. Consultation convened therapists and supervisors for one-hour monthly sessions with an external FT expert. During the 32 weeks of training, therapists submitted self-report data on FT use along with companion session audiotapes subsequently coded by observational raters.

RESULTS

Therapist self-report reliability and accuracy both increased substantially during training. Observers reported no increase over time in FT use; therapists self-reported a decrease in FT use, likely an artifact of their improved self-report accuracy. Consultation did not enhance therapist self-report acumen or increase FT use.

CONCLUSIONS

Online training methods that improve therapist-report reliability and accuracy for FT use may confer important advantages for treatment planning and fidelity monitoring. More intensive and/or different training interventions appear needed to increase routine FT delivery.

Building positive respectful midwifery relationships: An analysis of women's experiences of continuity of midwifery care in Aotearoa New Zealand

PROBLEM/BACKGROUND

Respectful woman-centred care is an expectation of the Midwifery Standards of Practice within Aotearoa New Zealand. With both the national and international expectations identifying human rights as a priority in maternity care. Mistreatment can be experienced by women in all socio-political contexts. Identifying women's experiences of their maternity service is vital when assessing the quality of these services.

AIM

To explore women's experiences of continuity of midwifery care in Aotearoa NZ, whether they support the expectations within the Standards of Midwifery Practice and identify the characteristics of care that may contribute to positive or negative experiences of care.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of women's formal online feedback to their midwife using a mixed method design. Feedback forms received from the 1st January 2019 to the 31st December 2019 were analysed using descriptive statistics with free text thematically analysed.

FINDINGS

A total of 7749 feedback forms were received demonstrating high levels of satisfaction overall. Three overlapping themes were identified as being central to both positive and negative feedback. Building a positive relationship involved three steps. These were the establishment and maintenance of trust, honouring decisions and empowerment. Overall, the existence of these relationship characteristics contributed to a valued woman-midwife relationship. Women who gave negative feedback identified a lack of trust and a failure to honour decisions which led to women feeling disempowered contributing to a lack of being valued in the relationship.

CONCLUSION

Continuity of care in Aotearoa NZ supports the development of a respectful partnership through trust, honouring decisions and empowerment.

The song that never ends: The effect of repeated exposure on the development of an earworm

An "earworm"-the experience of a catchy melody that repeats persistently in the mind-is a ubiquitous yet mysterious cognitive phenomenon. Previous research demonstrates that earworms for vocal music engage working memory resources, manifesting as "inner singing." This study investigated whether this effect is moderated by prior exposure to music. In one experimental session, participants (N = 44) were presented with four novel song choruses. To manipulate exposure, each song was presented between one and four times, counterbalanced across participants. The following day, participants undertook a serial recall task during and following presentation of each song. In addition, they rated the music on familiarity, enjoyment, their desire to sing along, and perceived catchiness, both before and following the experiment. Increased exposure to novel songs on the first day tended to result in greater interference on task performance during and following their presentation on the second day, yet the effect varied depending on the song. Ratings of the desire to sing along and perceived familiarity increased significantly between the sessions for all songs. These findings are important in understanding the relative influence of familiarity and song-level characteristics on the development of an earworm.

Psychological resilience: Predictors and measurement among Israel Defense Force combat officer candidates

The goal of the current study was to develop a resilience selection tool for combat officers that would augment the test battery at the Israel Defense Force (IDF) Officer Selection Center (OSC). To enable this goal, we sought to explore the underlying structure of resilience in a diverse number of resilience predictors. Participants were 1,533 male candidates at the IDF OSC. Using Exploratory Factor Analysis followed by Confirmatory Factor Analysis, 159 items from 13 separate resilience scales were refined into a single, 18-item psychological resilience scale. The new scale emphasizes self-efficacy, competency and overall positive self-perception. The new scale is tailored specifically to military combat officers. Initial construct validity was demonstrated against Big Five dimensions and psychological evaluations at IDF OSC. Predictive validity was demonstrated against command and peer evaluations from IDF Officer Training School (OTS). Medium to strong positive correlations were found between the resilience scale and Big Five dimensions of Extroversion and Conscientiousness, as well as a medium negative correlation with Neuroticism. Low but significant correlations were found between the resilience measure and psychological evaluations of combat officer vocational congruence. Low but significant correlations were also found with command and peer evaluations from Officer Training School. Resilience scale scores were found to predict OTS commander evaluations, but not OTS peer evaluations, beyond standard OSC scores when controlling for demographic variables. The theoretical importance of findings as well as implications for military officer selection are discussed.

Development and validation of the while-in-bed-smartphone-use-induced sleep procrastination scale (WSPS) in Chinese undergraduates with/without problematic smartphone use

PURPOSE

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) has become a global public health problem. Excessive while-in-bed smartphone use may result in sleep procrastination and other negative outcomes. The present study aimed to develop and validate a new scale called WSPS to assess while-in-bed-smartphone-use-induced sleep procrastination among undergraduates.

METHODS

In total, 910 Chinese undergraduates completed the collection of WSPS, smartphone addiction scale-short version (SAS-SV), bedtime procrastination scale, Pittsburgh sleep quality index, and Zung self-rating depression scale. The whole sample were randomly splited in the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) sample (n = 455) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) sample (n = 455). 40 undergraduates with PSU (SAS-SV > 31) and 40 without PSU were asked to keep sleep diary for 2 weeks and complete the WSPS again.

RESULTS

EFA and CFA supported a six-item unidimensional structure of the WSPS. The WSPS demonstrated acceptable internal consistency among undergraduates. The WSPS showed good concurrent validity with other relevant variables including PSU, BP, sleep quality, and depression. Scalar invariance of the WSPS between undergraduates with/without PSU was supported, as well as scalar invariance across gender. The WSPS showed good convergent validity with self-report everyday while-in-bed smartphone use duration and good discriminant validity with sleep duration and sleep onset latency recorded by sleep diary. The WSPS also presented good test-retest reliability among undergraduates with/without PSU.

CONCLUSION

The WSPS is a reliable and valid measure of while-in-bed-smartphone-use-induced sleep procrastination in undergraduates with/without PSU.

Development and Validation of the Forbearance Scale

The character strength of forbearance contributes to peace in broader society, as well as familial harmony. Although forbearance is essential to healthy interpersonal relationships, no psychometrically sound measure has been developed to assess the multi-dimensional nature of forbearance. The present set of studies describes the development and initial validation of the Forbearance Scale (FS). In Study 1, items were generated from focus group interviews with college students (n = 43) to establish the content validity of the scale. In Study 2, the factor structure of the FS was determined using exploratory factor analysis of data from college students (n = 466). In Study 3, the factor structure of the FS was cross-validated with a community sample (n = 579) by means of confirmatory factor analysis. The final scale, the FS-16, consists of 16 items with four factors: (1) emotional calmness, (2) overlook others' misdeeds, (3) tolerance and acceptance, and (4) self-restraint. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses provided evidence of convergent and concurrent validity. The FS-16 demonstrates potential as a new personality assessment tool for measuring forbearance.

COVID-19 lockdown stress and problematic social networking sites use among quarantined college students in China: A chain mediation model based on the stressor-strain-outcome framework

The COVID-19 pandemic has coincided with a global increase in problematic social networking sites use (PSNSU). By drawing on transactional stress theory and applying the stressor-strain-outcome (SSO) framework, we proposed and verified a chain mediation model to explore the mediating roles of fear of missing out (FoMO) and future anxiety (FA) in the relationship between COVID-19 lockdown stress (CL stress) and PSNSU. Our sample of 670 quarantined college students in China responded to a COVID-19 student stress questionnaire, a social network addiction scale, a fear of missing out scale, and a dark future scale. The results revealed that (1) CL stress significantly positively predicted PSNSU, (2) both FoMO and FA mediated the relationship between CL stress and PSNSU, (3) FoMO significantly positively predicted FA, and (4) a full chain mediation was observed between CL stress and PSNSU.

Validation of the Violent Ideations Scale (VIS) in Spain

Research has shown that violent ideations (VIs) may play a key role in aggression and violence. However, there is no tool to measure this construct adapted to the Spanish language so far. The current study aims to translate and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Violent Ideations Scale (VIS) in European Spanish. This study counts with a convenience sample of 752 native Spaniards or Spanish speakers residing in Spain, between 18- and 75-years old, 53% identified as female and 47% identified as male. The dimensionality, gender measurement invariance, concurrent validity and reliability of scores were assessed. Initial evidence of external validity was collected. Results confirmed the unidimensionality of the instrument. Measurement invariance held across females and males and reliabilities were high. VIS-ES scores correlated with aggressive behavior during the previous month. The VIS-ES seems suitable for use in non-clinical Spanish speaking samples.

Suicide Safety Plan Self-knowledge in Serious Mental Illness: Psychiatric Symptom Correlates and Effects of Brief Intervention

Psychiatric symptoms experienced by people with serious mental illness (SMI; schizophrenia, bipolar and other psychotic disorders) may impact suicide safety planning. This study examined safety plan self-knowledge, or an individual's own knowledge and awareness of their safety plan, in a sample of people with SMI. Participants (N = 53) with SMI at elevated risk of suicide completed a 4-session intervention that included safety plans, with one intervention group that included mobile augmentation. Self-knowledge was assessed from previous safety plans at 4-, 12- and 24-weeks. Fewer warning signs generated was correlated with greater psychiatric symptoms (r = - .306, p = .026) and suicidal ideation (r = - .298, p = .030). Fewer coping strategies generated was correlated with greater suicidal ideation (r = .- 323, p = .018). Preliminarily, there was greater self-knowledge of warning signs over time among participants in the mobile intervention. These preliminary findings highlight the relationship of safety plan self-knowledge to symptoms and suggest that mobile augmentation of safety planning may be beneficial. Trial Registration: NCT03198364.

Psychometric properties of the Korean version of the Palliative Care Nursing Self-Competence scale for infant use

BACKGROUND

Despite the significant advances in neonatal treatment and care over the past 30 years, palliative care in the neonatal intensive care unit has not been fully provided in South Korea. Neonatal nurses are essential professionals in palliative care as they are directly involved in the care, but there is little information on their palliative care competency because no assessment instrument is available in Korea.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to develop and test the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the Palliative Care Nursing Self-Competence scale for neonatal palliative care.

METHODS

This scale for infant care was developed through parallel translation techniques and revised based on cognitive interviews. Survey data were then collected from 220 neonatal nurses who worked in 13 neonatal intensive care units in Korea. Internal consistency reliability, construct validity based on exploratory factor analysis, and criterion-related validity were tested.

RESULTS

The final version of the scale included 40 items in five domains that explained 53.4% of the variance. Criterion-related validity was confirmed based on a positive correlation with the Korean version of the attitudes towards neonatal palliative care measurement tool. The Cronbach's alpha for the scale was 0.95.

CONCLUSIONS

The Korean version of the Palliative Care Nursing Self-Competence scale for infant care has satisfactory construct validity and reliability to measure palliative care self-competence of neonatal nurses in Korea and evaluate an education program in future studies.

Eating versus sleeping: Lunchtime meals and naps relation to afternoon creativity at work

Based on the Conservation of Resources theory, we develop dual mechanisms by which lunchtime recovery activities predict creativity. Specifically, by conceptualizing the quality of lunchtime naps and meals as examples of recovery activities, we expect these recovery activities help individuals replenish their psychological resources in the form of more work engagement (affective process) and less cognitive depletion (cognitive process). Further, individuals are expected to utilize these available psychological resources to generate creative ideas. To test our model, we used a group-mean centering approach to focus on within-person effects by recruiting 230 employees working at construction sites in South Korea. Overall, after removing 242 invalid observations (omitting at least two items and not reporting the duration of a nap), we finalized a total of two-wave 1598 daily questionnaires. A high quality of lunchtime naps and meals helps individuals recover their emotional resources (more work engagement) and cognitive resources (less cognitive depletion), which predict individuals' creativity. Finally, although indirect effects of the two recovery activities on creativity via affective and cognitive processes were generally supported, the indirect effect of lunch nap quality on creativity via work engagement was not significant, suggesting most of the effect is due to meal quality rather than nap quality.

On the Common but Problematic Specification of Conflated Random Slopes in Multilevel Models

For multilevel models (MLMs) with fixed slopes, it has been widely recognized that a level-1 variable can have distinct between-cluster and within-cluster fixed effects, and that failing to disaggregate these effects yields a conflated, uninterpretable fixed effect. For MLMs with random slopes, however, we clarify that two different types of slope conflation can occur: that of the fixed component (termed fixed conflation) and that of the random component (termed random conflation). The latter is rarely recognized and not well understood. Here we explain that a model commonly used to disaggregate the fixed component-the contextual effect model with random slopes-troublingly still yields a conflated random component. Negative consequences of such random conflation have not been demonstrated. Here we show that they include erroneous interpretation and inferences about the substantively important extent of between-cluster differences in slopes, including either underestimating or overestimating such slope heterogeneity. Furthermore, we show that this random conflation can yield inappropriate standard errors for fixed effects. To aid researchers in practice, we delineate which types of random slope specifications yield an unconflated random component. We demonstrate the advantages of these unconflated models in terms of estimating and testing random slope variance (i.e., improved power, Type I error, and bias) and in terms of standard error estimation for fixed effects (i.e., more accurate standard errors), and make recommendations for which specifications to use for particular research purposes.

Investigating how Explicit Contextual Cues Affect Predictive Sensorimotor Control in Autistic Adults

Research suggests that sensorimotor difficulties in autism could be reduced by providing individuals with explicit contextual information. To test this, we examined autistic visuomotor control during a virtual racquetball task, in which participants hit normal and unexpectedly-bouncy balls using a handheld controller. The probability of facing each type of ball was varied unpredictably over time. However, during cued trials, participants received explicit information about the likelihood of facing each uncertain outcome. When compared to neurotypical controls, autistic individuals displayed poorer task performance, atypical gaze profiles, and more restricted swing kinematics. These visuomotor patterns were not significantly affected by contextual cues, indicating that autistic people exhibit underlying differences in how prior information and environmental uncertainty are dynamically modulated during movement tasks.

Developmental Pathways of the Family Bereavement Program to Prevent Major Depression 15 Years Later

OBJECTIVE

To examine the developmental pathways through which the Family Bereavement Program (FBP) reduces major depression and generalized anxiety disorder 15 years later.

METHOD

A randomized trial of the FBP included 5 assessments, at pretest, posttest (98% retention), and follow-ups at 11 months (90% retention), 6 years (89% retention), and 15 years (80% retention) following the program. Participants included 244 children and adolescents (from 156 families) 8 to 16 years of age who were randomly assigned to the FBP (135 children/adolescents, 90 families), a 12-session program that included a caregiver component and a child/adolescent component or a literature comparison condition (109 children/adolescents, 66 families). In-home interviews assessed mediators directly targeted for change at post-test and 11 months (eg, parenting and coping); 6-year theoretical mediators (ie, internalizing problems, aversive views of the self) and 15-year children's/adolescents' major depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Data analysis tested 3 path mediation models in which FBP effects at post-test and 11 months led to effects on 6-year theoretical mediators, which in turn lad to reductions in major depression and generalized anxiety disorder at 15 years.

RESULTS

The FBP had a significant effect on reducing the prevalence of major depression (odds ratio = 0.332, p < .01) at 15 years. Significant 3-path mediation models found that multiple variables that were targeted by the caregiver and child components of the FBP at post-test and 11 months mediated FBP effects on depression at 15 years through their impact on aversive self-views and internalizing problems at 6 years.

CONCLUSION

The findings support the 15-year impact of the Family Bereavement Program on major depression and for maintaining components of the FBP that affect aspects of parenting and children's coping, grief, and self-regulation as the program is disseminated.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION

6-Year Follow-up of a Prevention Program for Bereaved Families; https://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT01008189.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION STATEMENT

We worked to ensure race, ethnic, and/or other types of diversity in the recruitment of human participants. We actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our author group. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science. We actively worked to promote inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science in our author group.

Clique Hierarchy Moderates the Association between Social Preference and Defending Behaviors in Early Adolescence: The Role of Gender Differences

Although social preference promotes adolescents' defending behaviors, its potential mechanisms across gender cliques remain unclear from the group dynamic perspective. This study investigated 2470 Chinese early adolescents (49% girls, Mage = 14.40, SD = 0.58) to explore how social preference and clique hierarchy are associated with defending behaviors and whether these associations differ across gender-specific cliques. The results revealed that social preference was positively related to defending behaviors in boys' cliques, but negatively in girls' cliques. Furthermore, the association was strengthened by hierarchization in boys' cliques but was weakened in girls' cliques, while the status structure strengthened the association in boys' but not girls' cliques. These findings hold crucial implications for understanding and promoting defending behaviors among adolescents.

Evaluation of the Clinical and Radiographic Degenerative Spondylolisthesis (CARDS) classification system as a guide to surgical technique selection

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

The role of fusion in degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) is controversial. The Clinical and Radiographic Degenerative Spondylolisthesis (CARDS) classification system was developed to assist surgeons in surgical technique selection based on individual patient characteristics. This system has not been clinically validated as a guide to surgical technique selection.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to determine if outcomes vary with different surgical techniques across the CARDS categories.

STUDY DESIGN/SETTING

Prospective cohort study performed at one Swiss and one American spine center.

PATIENT SAMPLE

Five hundred eight patients with DS undergoing surgical treatment.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Core Outcomes Measure Index (COMI) at 3 months and 12 months postoperatively.

METHODS

Patients undergoing surgery for DS were enrolled at 2 institutions and classified according to the CARDS system using dynamic radiographs. The Core Outcome Measure Index (COMI) was completed preoperatively, and 3 and 12 months postoperatively. Surgical technique was classified as uninstrumented (decompression alone or decompression with uninstrumented fusion) or instrumented (decompression with pedicle screw instrumentation with or without interbody fusion). Unadjusted analyses and mixed effect models compared COMI scores between the two surgery technique groups (uninstrumented vs instrumented), stratified by CARDS category over time. Reoperation rates were also compared between the surgery technique groups stratified by CARDS category. Partial funding was given through NASS grant for clinical research.

RESULTS

Five hundred five out of 508 patients enrolled in the study had sufficient data to be classified according to CARDS. Seven percent were classified as CARDS A, 28% as CARDS B, 48% as CARDS C, and 17% as CARDS D (CARDS A most "stable," CARDS D least "stable"). One hundred and thirty-three patients (26%) underwent decompression alone, 30 (6%) underwent decompression and uninstrumented fusion, 42 (8%) underwent decompression and posterolateral instrumented fusion, and 303 (60%) underwent decompression with posterolateral and interbody instrumented fusion. Patients in the least "stable" categories tended to be less likely to be treated with an uninstrumented technique (CARDS D 19% vs 32% for the other categories, p=.10). There were no significant differences in 3 or 12-month COMI scores between surgical technique groups stratified by CARDS category in the unadjusted or adjusted analyses. In the unadjusted analyses, there was a trend towards less improvement in 12-month COMI change score in the CARDS D patients in the uninstrumented group compared to the instrumented group (-2.7 vs -4.1, p=.10). Reoperation rates were not significantly different between the surgical technique groups stratified by CARDS category.

CONCLUSIONS

In general, outcomes for uninstrumented and instrumented surgical techniques were similar across the CARDS categories. Surgeons likely took factors included in CARDS into account during surgical technique selection. This resulted in a low number of CARDS D (n=15) patients being treated with uninstrumented techniques, which limited the statistical power of this analysis. As such, this study does not validate CARDS as a useful classification system for surgical technique selection in DS.

Associations between New Mothers' Partner-Oriented Sexual Values and Sexual Distress in the Transition to Parenthood

Women commonly experience heightened sexual distress in pregnancy and postpartum, and there is limited knowledge of protective factors. Women report declines in the importance of sexuality during this time, suggesting that valuing sexuality could be a relevant individual difference factor. It may be particularly protective for women to feel successful in living in line with their sexual values. In a longitudinal study, we examined associations between the extent to which women valued their role as a sexual partner, and their success living in line with this partner-oriented sexual value, with their sexual distress. Women (N = 367) reported the importance of their role as a sexual partner, success living according to this value, and sexual distress during pregnancy (18-20 weeks) and at 3, 6, 12 and 24-months postpartum. More strongly valuing one's role as a sexual partner was associated with more sexual distress, both between-person (i.e., across women) and within-person (i.e., variation within women over time). Above and beyond these effects, greater success at living in line with one's partner-oriented sexual value was associated with less sexual distress. Finding ways to live in line with one's sexual values may protect against sexual distress for new mothers in the transition to parenthood.

Dynamic variations of terrestrial ecological drought and propagation analysis with meteorological drought across the mainland China

Ecological drought is a complex comprehensive process in which the water conditions for normal growth and development of vegetation are changed due to insufficient water supply. In this study, based on the remotely sensed vegetation health index (VHI) and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network Land Data Assimilation System (FLDAS) datasets from 1982 to 2020 in China, the Breaks For Additive Seasons and Trend algorithm (BFAST) was used to analyze the dynamic variations of ecological drought, the standardized regression coefficient method was applied to identify the primary drivers of ecological drought, and the regression analysis was adopted to reveal the coupling effect of atmospheric circulation factors on ecological drought. The results indicated that: (1) the ecological drought showed an overall decreasing trend during 1982-2020 in China, with a negative mutation point that occurred in April 1985; (2) spring drought and summer drought were more likely to occur in the South China, and autumn drought and winter drought were more likely to appear in the Sichuan Basin; (3) the propagation time from meteorological to ecological drought was shorter in summer (2.67 months) and longer in winter (7 months), with average r values of 0.76 and 0.53, respectively; (4) the Trans Polar Index (TPI), Arctic Oscillation (AO) and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) had important impacts on ecological drought, which can be used as input factors of drought early warning system to improve the accuracy of drought prediction.

Designing three-level cluster randomized trials to assess treatment effect heterogeneity

Cluster randomized trials often exhibit a three-level structure with participants nested in subclusters such as health care providers, and subclusters nested in clusters such as clinics. While the average treatment effect has been the primary focus in planning three-level randomized trials, interest is growing in understanding whether the treatment effect varies among prespecified patient subpopulations, such as those defined by demographics or baseline clinical characteristics. In this article, we derive novel analytical design formulas based on the asymptotic covariance matrix for powering confirmatory analyses of treatment effect heterogeneity in three-level trials, that are broadly applicable to the evaluation of cluster-level, subcluster-level, and participant-level effect modifiers and to designs where randomization can be carried out at any level. We characterize a nested exchangeable correlation structure for both the effect modifier and the outcome conditional on the effect modifier, and generate new insights from a study design perspective for conducting analyses of treatment effect heterogeneity based on a linear mixed analysis of covariance model. A simulation study is conducted to validate our new methods and two real-world trial examples are used for illustrations.

Bidirectional relationship between insular grey matter volume and alexithymia: Evidence from a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

The insula is considered to be involved in emotional cognitive processes, and may be structurally altered in people with alexithymia. However, it remains unclear how the relationship between the insula and alexithymia changes over time. This study aimed to investigate whether alexithymia has longitudinal relationship with the insular structure.

METHODS

Having processed structural MRI data via FreeSurfer, the insula was divided into five sub-regions, and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale was administered to assess alexithymia in the general population. Subsequently, we established the latent change score models between insular sub-regions and the alexithymia (N = 252).

RESULTS

The TAS-20 mean value of the sample at Time 1 was not significantly different by sex (t = -0.993, df = 250, p = 0.321), while the TAS-20 mean value at Time 2 was slightly different by sex (t = 2.025, df = 250, p = 0.044). Most insular grey matter volumes at Time 1 and Time 2 were significantly associated with TAS-20 at Time 2. The baseline alexithymia and insular grey matter volume positively predicted the other's rate of change between Time 1 and Time 2 in a bidirectional way.

LIMITATIONS

This study had a limited number of measurement time points, potential bias due to smaller sample sizes and gender imbalance, as well as the potential for inaccuracy in the self-report measure of alexithymia.

CONCLUSIONS

Time-lagged alexithymia changes and insular grey matter volume changes occur in coupled manner over time, which might improve our understanding of the neurological underpinnings of alexithymia, and shed light on clinical and psychological treatment for alexithymia.

The relationship of negative life events, trait-anxiety and depression among Chinese university students: A moderated effect of self-esteem

BACKGROUND

Negative life events are major triggers for depression. How individual physical qualities and psychological resources affect the relationship between negative life events and depression in college students remains to be studied. Therefore, we constructed a structural equation model to explore the mediating effect of trait anxiety and the moderating effect of self-esteem in the relationship between negative life events and depression among college students.

METHODS

A total of 6224 Chinese college students (aged 16-25) in Jiangxi Province in the central area of China completed the online survey. A moderated mediation model was tested to verify the hypothesis.

RESULTS

The mediation analysis showed a significant indirect effect of negative life events on depression through trait-anxiety. Mediation was moderated by self-esteem, which significantly interacted with negative life events to reduce their effect on both anxiety and depression.

LIMITATIONS

All measures were self-reported. The cross-sectional design only provides evidence of correlation.

CONCLUSIONS

The results in this study revealed that self-esteem as a component of psychological defense mechanism to reduce the harm of environmental threats to individuals. Low self-esteem college students are more likely to have adverse effects when experiencing low-level life events. University mental health education reduces the effects of negative life events on trait anxiety and depression of college students by raising their self-esteem levels.

Ecological System Levels of Risk Factors for Intimate Partner Homicide Perpetration and Victimization: A Three-Level Meta-analysis

This study aims to identify, through an advanced three-level meta-analytic approach, the predictive validity of the different ecological systems for IPH perpetration and victimization relative to IPV, other homicides, IPH followed by suicide, and non-abused control groups. Twenty-nine studies were included, with 473 effect sizes in a unique population of 16,237. Each factor was classified into one of three ecological systems: ontogenetic, microsystem, and exosystem. The results revealed that the impact of each ecological system on the likelihood of IPH varies depending on the offender/victim gender and the comparison groups. Specifically, the largest odds ratios for intimate partner femicide (IPF) perpetration/victimization versus IPV were found at the microsystem level as well as IPF victimization versus non-abused group at the ontogenetic level of risk factors. Moderator analyses showed that the difference between male IPH and IPV perpetrators in the effect of the microsystem level of risk factors is explained in part by a set of cultural values and beliefs toward equality. We then discuss the present results' implications for risk assessment and the prevention/treatment of IPH perpetration and victimization, as well as future research.

Being robbed of an hour of sleep: The impact of the transition to Daylight Saving Time on work engagement depends on employees' chronotype

OBJECTIVE

Worldwide, over 70 countries advance their clocks in spring to Daylight Saving Time. Previous research has already demonstrated that the clock change negatively impacts employees at work. However, this research implicitly assumed that the clock change affects everyone to the same extent. In the current study, we propose that the massively prevalent Daylight Saving Time transition may have an effect on employees' sleep and their work engagement that is dependent upon employees' chronotype.

METHODS

We conducted a longitudinal study with 155 full-time employees who filled out online surveys on three Mondays around the transition to Daylight Saving Time.

RESULTS

Results showed that the transition to Daylight Saving Time resulted in decreased work engagement measured 1day as well as 1week after the transition to Daylight Saving Time. Lower sleep quality (but not shorter sleep duration) partly explained this effect. The negative effect of the transition to Daylight Saving Time on work engagement 1day after the transition was more pronounced for employees with later chronotypes ("owls") than for those with earlier chronotypes ("larks").

CONCLUSION

In summary, our study shows that the transition to Daylight Saving Time has an adverse short-time impact on private life and working life and should, therefore, also be considered in organizations. Because later chronotypes are especially prone to adverse effects of the transition, interventions targeted for this group might be especially helpful.