A short-form measure of loneliness

Health Related Quality of Life in HIV Disease

The structure of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in HIV disease is examined in 205 symptomatic HIV+ individuals receiving care at two West Coast public hospitals. A 64-item HRQOL battery, tapping aspects of HRQOL of particular relevance to individuals with HIV disease, was administered and found to yield reliable self-report data. Confirmatory factor analysis provides support for a two-factor model of HRQOL: (a) a physical health dimension defined by physical function, role function, freedom from pain, disability days, and quality of sex life, and (b) a mental health dimension defined by overall quality of life, emotional well-being, hopefulness, lack of loneliness, will to function, quality of family life, quality of friendships, and cognitive function/distress. Correlations of HRQOL measures with social support, access to care, coping, and symptom measures are reported and discussed.

Reliability and Validity of a Brief Measure of Loneliness with Anglo-American and Mexican American Adolescents

This article focuses on the operating characteristics of an eight-item loneliness scale developed by the second author. Data from a sample of 2,600 Mexican American and Anglo-American middle school students indicate the scale, the RULS-8, has good reliability and validity. Cronbach's alpha was .87 for Mexican American and .90 for Anglo-American students. Principal components factor analysis yielded one factor accounting for 55.5% of the variance, with little variation across groups. Correlations with measures of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, self-esteem, social skills, and other measures were in the direction and on the order of magnitude predictedfrom other studies of loneliness, providing evidence for construct validity. Overall, the RULS-8 appears to provide an acceptable and parsimonious measure of adolescent loneliness suitable for use in mental health surveys.

Social networks and links to isolation and loneliness among elderly HCBS clients

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to explore the network types of HCBS clients based on the structural characteristics of their social networks. We also examined how the network types were associated with social isolation, relationship quality and loneliness.

METHOD

Forty personal interviews were carried out with HCBS clients to assess the structure of their social networks as indicated by frequency of contact with children, friends, family and participation in religious and community organizations. Hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted to identify network types.

RESULTS

Four network types were found including: family (n = 16), diverse (n = 8), restricted (n = 8) and religious (n = 7). Family members comprised almost half of participants' social networks, and friends comprised less than one-third. Clients embedded in family, diverse and religious networks had significantly more positive relationships than clients embedded in restricted networks. Clients embedded in restricted networks had significantly higher social isolation scores and were lonelier than clients in diverse and family networks.

DISCUSSION

The findings suggest that HCBS clients' isolation and loneliness are linked to the types of social networks in which they are embedded. The findings also suggest that clients embedded in restricted networks are at high risk for negative outcomes.

A transactional approach to relationships over time between perceived HIV stigma and the psychological and physical well-being of people with HIV

RATIONALE

Cross-sectional studies demonstrate that perceived discrimination is related to the psychological and physical well-being of stigmatized people. The theoretical and empirical foci of most of this research in on how racial discrimination undermines well-being. The present study takes a transactional approach to examine people with HIV, a potentially concealable stigma.

HYPOTHESIS

The transactional approach posits that even as discrimination adversely affects the psychological well-being of people with HIV, psychological distress also makes them more sensitive to perceiving that they may be or have been stigmatized, and may increase the chances that other people actually do stigmatize them.

METHODS

This hypothesis was tested in a longitudinal study in which 216 New England residents with HIV were recruited to complete measures of perceived HIV stigma and well-being across three time points, approximately 90 days apart. This study also expanded on past research by assessing anticipated and internalized stigma as well as perceived discrimination.

RESULTS

Results indicated that all of these aspects of HIV stigma prospectively predicted psychological distress, thriving, and physical well-being. Equally important, psychological distress and thriving also prospectively predicted all three aspects of HIV stigma, but physical well-being did not.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that people with HIV are ensnared in a cycle in which experiences of stigma and reduced psychological well-being mutually reinforce each other.

Social Daydreaming and Adjustment: An Experience-Sampling Study of Socio-Emotional Adaptation During a Life Transition

Estimates suggest that up to half of waking life is spent daydreaming; that is, engaged in thought that is independent of, and unrelated to, one’s current task. Emerging research indicates that daydreams are predominately social suggesting that daydreams may serve socio-emotional functions. Here we explore the functional role of social daydreaming for socio-emotional adjustment during an important and stressful life transition (the transition to university) using experience-sampling with 103 participants over 28 days. Over time, social daydreams increased in their positive characteristics and positive emotional outcomes; specifically, participants reported that their daydreams made them feel more socially connected and less lonely, and that the content of their daydreams became less fanciful and involved higher quality relationships. These characteristics then predicted less loneliness at the end of the study, which, in turn was associated with greater social adaptation to university. Feelings of connection resulting from social daydreams were also associated with less emotional inertia in participants who reported being less socially adapted to university. Findings indicate that social daydreaming is functional for promoting socio-emotional adjustment to an important life event. We highlight the need to consider the social content of stimulus-independent cognitions, their characteristics, and patterns of change, to specify how social thoughts enable socio-emotional adaptation.

Associations of frailty and psychosocial factors with autonomy in daily activities: a cross-sectional study in Italian community-dwelling older adults

Frailty has been recognized as a risk factor for geriatric adverse events. Little is known of the role of psychosocial factors associated with frailty in explaining negative outcomes of aging. This study was aimed at 1) evaluating the differences in psychosocial factors among robust, prefrail, and frail individuals and 2) investigating whether there was any interaction effect of frailty status with empirically identified clusters of psychosocial factors on autonomy in the activities of daily living (ADLs). Two-hundred and ten older adults (age 73±6 years, 66% women) were involved in this study. Frailty was assessed using an adapted version of the frailty phenotype. The psychosocial factors investigated were depressive symptoms using the 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, social isolation using the Friendship Scale, and loneliness feeling using the eight-item UCLA Loneliness Scale. The autonomy in ADLs was measured with the Groningen Activity Restriction Scale. Thirty-one percent of participants were robust, 55% prefrail, and 14% frail. We performed an analysis of covariance which showed differences between robust, prefrail, and frail individuals for all the psychosocial variables: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, F(2, 205)=18.48, P<0.001; Friendship Scale, F(2, 205)=4.59, P=0.011; UCLA Loneliness Scale, F(2, 205)=5.87, P=0.003, controlling for age and sex. Using the same covariates, the two-way analysis of covariance indicated an interaction effect of frailty with psychosocial factors in determining ADLs, F(4, 199)=3.53, P=0.008. This study demonstrates the close relationship between frailty and psychosocial factors, suggesting the need to take into account simultaneously physical and psychosocial components of human functioning.

Validation and Revision of a German Version of the Balanced Measure of Psychological Needs Scale

Abstract. In this study we tested the psychometric properties of a German version of the Balanced Measure of Psychological Needs scale (BMNP; Sheldon & Hilpert, 2012 ), a questionnaire to assess the degree of fulfillment of the three basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In Study 1, 251 participants completed this questionnaire, as well as measures of life satisfaction, self-esteem, depression, loneliness, and personality traits via online assessment. Results indicate that a six-dimensional structure fit the data adequately well. Furthermore, all three needs independently predicted life satisfaction and depression over and above personality traits. Self-esteem was only predicted by relatedness satisfaction and competence dissatisfaction, and loneliness was only predicted by relatedness. In Study 2, we revised the BMPN by replacing one item and largely replicated the results obtained in Study 1. Study 3 showed that the subscales of the BMPN are only moderately stable over 1 week supporting the assumption of the BMPN being a state measure. Together, these results suggest that the revised German version of the BMPN is a reliable and valid measure to assess satisfaction and dissatisfaction of the psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Resilience among gay/bisexual young men in Western Kenya: psychosocial and sexual health outcomes

OBJECTIVE

To explore associations between intrapersonal and interpersonal factors and both sexual and psychosocial resilient outcomes among young gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in Western Kenya.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional observational study.

METHODS

Five hundred and eleven GBMSM ages 18-29 were recruited from nine communities in Western Kenya using community-based mobilization strategies. Participants completed an audio computer-assisted self-interview survey in English or Duhluo. We estimated four three-step hierarchical linear regression models to examine associations between predictors (intrapersonal and interpersonal factors) and four resilient outcomes (psychological well-being, self-esteem, condom use, HIV testing).

RESULTS

Psychosocial well-being model (modeled conversely as depression/anxiety) was significant (F(13,424) = 106.41, P < 0.001, R = 0.765) with loneliness, lesbian/gay/bisexual (LGB) difficult process, LGB identity superiority, and reactions to trauma as predictors. Self-esteem model was significant (F(12,425) = 6.40, P < 0.001, R = 0.153) with known HIV-seropositivity, perceived social support, internalized homonegativity, and LGB difficult process as predictors. Condom use model was significant (F(13,379) = 4.30, P < 0.001, R = 0.128) with perceived social support, self-esteem, and reactions to trauma as predictors. HIV testing model was significant (F(12,377) = 4.75, P < 0.001, R = 0.131) with loneliness, LGB identity uncertainty, LGB difficult process, and LGB identity superiority as predictors.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates the variety of ways in which intrapersonal and interpersonal factors are associated with HIV-related resilient outcomes for young GBMSM in Western Kenya. HIV prevention programs for this population should be developed in collaboration with GBMSM and include intervention components that promote resilience.

Loneliness, Stress, and Social Support in Young Adulthood: Does the Source of Support Matter?

Social support protects individuals against adversity throughout the lifespan, and is especially salient during times of intense social change, such as during the transition to adulthood. Focusing on three relationship-specific sources of social support (family, friends, and romantic partners), the current study examined the stress-buffering function of social support against loneliness and whether the association between social support and loneliness with stress held constant would vary by its source. The role of gender in these associations was also considered. The sample consisted of 636 ethnically diverse college youth (age range 18-25; 80 % female). The results suggest that the stress-buffering role of social support against loneliness varies by its source. Only support from friends buffered the association between stress and loneliness. Further, when stress was held constant, the association between social support and loneliness differed by the sources, in that support from friends or romantic partners (but not from family) was negatively associated with loneliness. Regarding gender differences, the adverse impact of lower levels of familial or friends' support on loneliness was greater in females than in males. This research advances our understanding of social support among college-aged youth; implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed.

Rumination and Loneliness Independently Predict Six-Month Later Depression Symptoms among Chinese Elderly in Nursing Homes

Background

Previous studies conducted in Western countries independently demonstrated that loneliness and rumination are remarkable risk factors of depression among the elderly in both community and nursing homes. However, knowledge on the relationship between these three constructs among the elderly in Eastern countries is scarce. The current study aims to determine the relationship between loneliness, rumination, and depression among Chinese elderly in nursing homes.

Methods

A total of 71 elderly participants with an average age of 82.49 years completed this six-month longitudinal study. Physical reports indicated that none of the participants were clinically depressed before the study. At Time 1, their loneliness and rumination were measured using UCLA-8 Loneliness Scale and Ruminative Responses Scale. Six months later, the participants completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale to assess depressive symptoms (Time 2).

Results

Multiple regression analysis revealed that both loneliness and rumination at Time 1 were the predictors of depression symptoms at Time 2 among the Chinese elderly in nursing homes. However, in the mediation analysis using PROCESS, the indirect effect between loneliness at Time 1 and depression symptoms at Time 2 was insignificant.

Conclusions

Results suggest that previous loneliness and rumination thinking are predictors of future depression symptoms among the Chinese elderly in nursing homes. However, the insignificant mediation further suggests that the differences between loneliness and rumination should be explored in future studies. Findings have important implications for mental health professionals in nursing homes in China.

Health Blogging and Social Support: A 3-Year Panel Study

The reported study explored the implications of informal computer-mediated social support for the well-being of individuals coping with illness over the course of 3 years. A panel study was conducted in which respondents--bloggers writing about their experiences living with a health condition--reported on their perceptions of social support and well-being during 2010 and again during 2013. Among respondents who completed both questionnaires (n = 49), increases in support availability from family and friends were related to improvements in bloggers' health self-efficacy as well as improvements in bloggers' loneliness, particularly among those who also experienced increased support availability from blog readers. Increased blog reader support availability was associated with improvements in bloggers' health-related uncertainty. Among respondents who completed the initial questionnaire (N = 121), a survival analysis showed that neither support available from family and friends nor support from blog readers predicted continued health blogging over the 3-year period.

Construct Validity of the Social Provisions Scale: A Bifactor Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Extant theory posits well-differentiated dimensions of perceived social support as measured using the Social Provisions Scale (SPS). However, evidence is inconsistent with this multidimensionality perspective, with SPS factor correlations near unity and higher between-factor than within-factor item correlations. This article reports on research investigating the internal structure, gender invariance, and predictive validity of SPS scores. The analyses are conducted in a novel bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) framework, which is designed to account for presumed psychometric multidimensionality in SPS items due to (a) their fallibility as pure indicators of the constructs they are purported to measure and (b) the coexistence of general and specific factors. Based on 376 item responses, evidence was obtained for a bifactor-ESEM representation of the SPS data. In addition, support was found for the invariance of item thresholds and the latent mean invariance of six of the seven SPS factors in the retained solution. Only mean levels of Social Integration were found to differ by gender, with men scoring higher than women. Finally, evidence was obtained for the predictive validity of SPS scores with respect to loneliness and psychological well-being. Quite apart from yielding evidence validating the SPS, this research demonstrates the utility of bifactor ESEM for psychological assessment.

Interventions for older persons reporting memory difficulties: a randomized controlled pilot study

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to compare three different interventions for persons who report memory difficulties: health promotion, cognitive training, and a participation-centered course, using a single-blind, randomized controlled design.

METHODS

Participants were 44 Israeli adults with memory complaints, aged 65 years or older. The main outcome variable was the Global Cognitive Score assessed using the MindStreams(®) mild cognitive impairment assessment, a computerized cognitive assessment. The Mini-Mental State Examination and the self-report of memory difficulties were also utilized. To assess well-being, the UCLA Loneliness Scale-8 was used. Health was evaluated by self-report instruments.

RESULTS

All three interventions resulted in significant improvement in cognitive function as measured by the computerized cognitive assessment. All approaches seemed to decrease loneliness. The only variable which showed a significant difference among the groups is the self-report of memory difficulties, in which the cognitive training group participants reported greater improvement than the other groups.

CONCLUSION

Multiple approaches should be offered to older persons with memory complaints. The availability of diverse options would help fit the needs of a heterogeneous population. An educational media effort to promote the public's understanding of the efficacy of these multiple approaches is needed.

Improving outcomes in patients with coexisting multimorbid conditions-the development and evaluation of the combined diabetes and renal control trial (C-DIRECT): study protocol

INTRODUCTION

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Patients with diabetes on dialysis have worse clinical outcomes and increased psychological burden. The need to manage the combined treatment demands for both conditions is particularly challenging yet there is paucity of data of the barriers preventing optimal management to combined therapy for diabetes and kidney failure. The study aims to explore needs of patients and develop an intervention to enable people with diabetes and ESRD to better manage both their conditions.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A two-phase study comprising a mixed method observational study (phase I) and a feasibility trial (phase II). Phase I will seek to document outcomes and needs of the population (patients with DM-ESRD) and seek input on preferred delivery/implementation for the programme. Data will be collected with in-depth interviews with patients, caregivers and healthcare providers (N=50), and from a questionnaire-based survey (N=170). Phase 2 will build on these data to design and test the feasibility of a practical, low-intensity, clinic-integrated intervention using a self-management paradigm. The intervention will primarily seek to support behavioural change so as to improve adherence and clinical outcomes for DM as well as for ESRD. For the feasibility trial, we will be evaluating acceptability, retention and completion rates of the programme.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study protocol has been approved by the local ethics committee and written informed consent is required from every participant. Findings will be disseminated through journals, conferences and will be used to create a fully manualised intervention (materials) and training course for facilitators.

The need to belong and its association with fully satisfying relationships: A tale of two measures

The current research compares the Need to Belong Scale (NTBS; Leary et al., 2013) and the Antecedents subscale of the Sense of Belongingness Inventory (SOBI-A; Hagerty & Putusky, 1995) to determine whether they represent approach or neuroticism-driven avoidance orientations in the need to belong. This research also extends previous research on these constructs to examine direct and moderating associations involving the need to belong and the quantity and quality of personal close relationships. Students (N=869) from a large university in the Southwest USA completed a battery of measures. Results indicated that the NTBS was associated with lower quality "partial" relationships rather than those of high quality "whole" relationships; this was not the case for the comparative SOBI-A. In addition, greater numbers of whole relationships buffered the effects of the NTBS on depression. The results are discussed in terms of the Belongingness Orientation Model.

A Systematic Review of Loneliness and Smoking: Small Effects, Big Implications

BACKGROUND

Research supports an association between smoking and negative affect. Loneliness is a negative affective state experienced when a person perceives themselves as socially isolated and is associated with poor health behaviors and increased morbidity and early mortality.

OBJECTIVES

In this article, we systematically review the literature on loneliness and smoking and suggest potential theoretical and methodological implications.

METHODS

PubMed and PsycINFO were systematically searched for articles that assessed the statistical association between loneliness and smoking. Articles that met study inclusion criteria were reviewed.

RESULTS

Twenty-five studies met inclusion criteria. Ten studies were conducted with nationally representative samples. Twelve studies assessed loneliness using a version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale and nine used a one-item measure of loneliness. Seventeen studies assessed smoking with a binary smoking status variable. Fourteen of the studies were conducted with adults and 11 with adolescents. Half of the reviewed studies reported a statistically significant association between loneliness and smoking. Of the studies with significant results, all but one study found that higher loneliness scores were associated with being a smoker.

CONCLUSIONS/IMPORTANCE

Loneliness and smoking are likely associated, however, half of the studies reviewed did not report significant associations. Studies conducted with larger sample sizes, such as those that used nationally representative samples, were more likely to have statistically significant findings. Future studies should focus on using large, longitudinal cohorts, using measures that capture different aspects of loneliness and smoking, and exploring mediators and moderators of the association between loneliness and smoking.

Development of a Forced-Choice Measure of Typical-Performance Emotional Intelligence

Self-report ratings of emotional intelligence (EI) can be faked in high-stakes situations. Although forced-choice administration can prevent response distortion, it produces ipsative scores when scored conventionally. This study ( n = 486) develops an 18-item EI rating scale assessing emotion perception, understanding, and management. We compare validity evidence for: (a) a single-stimulus rating scale; and (b) a forced-choice assessment scored with conventional methods versus item response theory (IRT) methods. The single-stimulus items showed acceptable fit to a three-factor solution, and the forced-choice items showed acceptable fit to the IRT solution. Correlations with criterion variables (ability and self-reported EI, Big Five personality, loneliness, life satisfaction, and GPA) were obtained for 283 participants. Correlations were in the expected direction for the single-stimulus and the IRT-based forced-choice scores. In contrast, the conventionally scored forced-choice test showed the expected correlations for emotion management, but not for emotion perception nor understanding. Results suggest that IRT-based methods for scoring forced-choice assessments produce equivalent validity to single-stimulus rating scales. As such, IRT-based scores on forced-choice assessments may allow EI tests to be used for high-stakes applications, where faking is a concern.

The latent structure of loneliness: testing competing factor models of the UCLA Loneliness Scale in a large adolescent sample

This study assessed the dimensional structure of the UCLA Loneliness Scale ([UCLA-LS], UCLA-3). Data from the Northern Ireland Young Life and Times Survey (2011), a survey of 1,434 16-year-olds, was used to examine the underlying factor structure of the scale. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to compare alternative factor analytical models that can inform the scoring of the measure and determine the degree to which different factors provided unique predictive utility. Fit statistics indicated that the best fitting model comprised three correlated factors: Isolation, Related Connectedness, and Collective Connectedness. These findings were consistent with previous findings that identified the multidimensional nature of the UCLA-LS. The study also found evidence that the subscales were differentially associated with psychiatric morbidity as measured by the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and provides a more reliable and comprehensive framework to assess the clinical significance of loneliness.

Psychometric analysis of the short-form UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-6) in older adults

The aim of this investigation was to present new empirical evidence regarding the psychometric properties of the short-form UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-6) among Portuguese older people. The study included 1,154 persons (60 % women and 40 % men), aged 60-90 (M = 71.26; SD = 6.66). The psychometric properties of the ULS-6 were analysed by means of confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency, and criterion-related validity methods. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a unidimensional structure of the measure with adequate values of various fit indices. The ULS-6 presented satisfactory psychometric properties, with a high level of internal consistency. Furthermore, the ULS-6 showed a negative relationship with self-esteem, satisfaction with life, and positive affect; and a positive one with negative affect. The results confirm that the ULS-6 provides a brief, psychometrically sound measure of loneliness that is appropriate for use among older adults.

Loneliness, friendship, and well-being in adults with autism spectrum disorders

This study examined the relations among loneliness, friendship, and emotional functioning in adults (N = 108) with autism spectrum disorders. Participants completed self-report measures of symptoms of autism spectrum disorders, loneliness, number and nature of friendships, depression, anxiety, life satisfaction, and self-esteem. The results indicated that loneliness was associated with increased depression and anxiety and decreased life satisfaction and self-esteem, even after controlling for symptoms of autism spectrum disorders. In addition, greater quantity and quality of friendships were associated with decreased loneliness among adults with autism spectrum disorders. Multivariate models indicated that friendship did not moderate the relationship between loneliness and well-being; however, number of friends provided unique independent effects in predicting self-esteem, depression, and anxiety above and beyond the effects of loneliness. This was the first study to examine the relations among these aspects of social and emotional functioning in adults with autism spectrum disorders, and the results indicate that this topic warrants further clinical and research attention.

The role of dialectical self and bicultural identity integration in psychological adjustment

OBJECTIVE

We applied the concept of naïve dialecticism (Peng & Nisbett, ), which characterizes East Asians' greater tendency to encompass contradictory, ever-changing, and interrelated features of an entity, to bicultural contexts and examined its effects on psychological well-being across various acculturating groups.

METHOD

We administered questionnaire measures of the dialectical self, bicultural identity integration (BII; Benet-Martínez & Haritatos, 2005), and well-being to Hong Kong Chinese (N = 213) in Study 1 and Mainland Chinese (N = 239) in Study 2. In Study 3, a 4-week longitudinal study was conducted among Hong Kong Chinese (N = 173) to test the relationships of these variables over time. We then extended similar measures to new immigrants from Mainland China (N = 67) in Study 4 and Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong (N = 153) in Study 5.

RESULTS

Five studies converged to show that psychological adjustment was positively related to BII, but negatively related to the dialectical self. In Studies 1-3, dialecticism mediated the effect of BII on psychological adjustment among Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese bicultural individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings reveal the deleterious effects of tolerance for contradiction on well-being and differentiate biculturalism patterns of immigration-based and globalization-based acculturation.

Stress and coping in women living with HIV: a meta-analytic review

To examine effects between stressors and coping mechanisms on behavioral health outcomes a meta-analysis was conducted using forty empirical articles which sampled 7,602 adult women living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. (M = 36.3 years). Three independent reviewers conducted searches in abstract databases from 1997 to present day. Articles reporting effect sizes amongst psychosocial stressors and coping mechanisms with indices of behavioral/mental health were selected. The meta-analyses revealed that in a time frame characterized by the widespread availability of anti-retroviral medication, poor mental health outcomes were predicted, in a similar manner, by psychosocial stress and HIV/AIDS symptomology. Significant effects were also observed with functional impairment, though to a lesser degree. Coping by avoidance and social isolation predicted more severe mental health outcomes. Spirituality and positive reappraisal predicted greater psychological adaptation than did social support seeking. Despite advancements in anti-retroviral treatment for women, HIV/AIDS symptoms and acute and/or chronic psychosocial stress pose the same threat to behavioral and mental health. In the face of these stressors, positive reframing appears to promote psychological adaptation in a way which may lead to positive health outcomes in women living with HIV/AIDS.

Parents as a resource: communication quality affects the relationship between adolescents' internet use and loneliness

The authors examined the influence of parent-adolescent communication quality, as perceived by the adolescents, on the link between adolescents' Internet use and loneliness, controlling for perceived family support in general terms. Adolescents (N = 216, M(age) = 15.80 years) provided data on Internet use, loneliness, Internet-related parent-adolescent communication, and perceived family support. Moderated regression analyses showed that Internet-related communication quality determined whether more extensive Internet use was associated with more loneliness. This moderation effect remained significant when perceived family support in general terms was controlled for. Gender and age of the participants did not influence the findings. Implications for successful Internet-related parenting strategies are discussed.

A randomized trial of MBSR versus aerobic exercise for social anxiety disorder

OBJECTIVE

Effective treatments for social anxiety disorder (SAD) exist, but additional treatment options are needed for nonresponders as well as those who are either unable or unwilling to engage in traditional treatments. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is one nontraditional treatment that has demonstrated efficacy in treating other mood and anxiety disorders, and preliminary data suggest its efficacy in SAD as well.

METHOD

Fifty-six adults (52% female; 41% Caucasian; age mean [M] ± standard deviation [SD]: 32.8 ± 8.4) with SAD were randomized to MBSR or an active comparison condition, aerobic exercise (AE). At baseline and post-intervention, participants completed measures of clinical symptoms (Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and Perceived Stress Scale) and subjective well-being (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Self-Compassion Scale, and UCLA-8 Loneliness Scale). At 3 months post-intervention, a subset of these measures was readministered. For clinical significance analyses, 48 healthy adults (52.1% female; 56.3% Caucasian; age [M ± SD]: 33.9 ± 9.8) were recruited. MBSR and AE participants were also compared with a separate untreated group of 29 adults (44.8% female; 48.3% Caucasian; age [M ± SD]: 32.3 ± 9.4) with generalized SAD who completed assessments over a comparable time period with no intervening treatment.

RESULTS

A 2 (Group) x 2 (Time) repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs) on measures of clinical symptoms and well-being were conducted to examine pre-intervention to post-intervention and pre-intervention to 3-month follow-up. Both MBSR and AE were associated with reductions in social anxiety and depression and increases in subjective well-being, both immediately post-intervention and at 3 months post-intervention. When participants in the randomized controlled trial were compared with the untreated SAD group, participants in both interventions exhibited improvements on measures of clinical symptoms and well-being.

CONCLUSION

Nontraditional interventions such as MBSR and AE merit further exploration as alternative or complementary treatments for SAD.

Psychological needs, purpose in life, and problem video game playing among Chinese young adults

The negative impacts of excessive and problematic video game playing on both children and adults are attracting increasing concern. Based on self-determination theory (SDT; Ryan & Deci, 2000), this study hypothesized that the three basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness are positively associated with purpose in life, which in turn acts as a protective factor against problem video game playing among Chinese young adult players. Through a questionnaire survey with a sample of 165 Chinese adults aged between 18 and 30 years (mean age = 22.7 years), we found that perceived autonomy, competence, relatedness, and purpose in life were all negatively correlated with problem game playing. The demographic and psychological factors explained 38% of the variances of problem game playing. Specifically, gender, perceived relatedness, and purpose in life emerged as the three most salient predictors of problem game playing among the Chinese young adults. The mediating role of purpose in life was evidenced and it was found that purpose in life mediated the influences of the psychological needs proposed by SDT on problem game playing. Moreover, young men were significantly more susceptible to problem game playing than their female counterparts. To conclude, psychological needs and purpose in life influenced Chinese young adults' vulnerability to problem game playing directly or indirectly. Intervention programs that encourage social involvement and voluntary work, as well as counseling service that helps clients to search for life purpose, are suggested for intervening in problem game playing among Chinese young adults.

The Loneliness Questionnaire-Short Version: an evaluation of reverse-worded and non-reverse-worded items via item response theory

Although reverse-worded items have often been incorporated in scale construction to minimize the effects of acquiescent reporting biases, some researchers have more recently begun questioning this approach and wondering whether the advantages associated with incorporating reverse-worded items is worth the complexities that they bring to measures (e.g., Brown, 2003 ; Marsh, 1996 ). In this study, we used item response theory (IRT) to determine whether there is statistical justification to eliminate the reverse-worded items (e.g., "I have lots of friends") from the Loneliness Questionnaire (LQ; Asher, Hymel, & Renshaw, 1984) and retain only the non-reverse-worded items (e.g., "I'm lonely") to inform the provision of a shortened LQ version. Using a large sample of children (Grades 2-7; n = 6,784) and adolescents (Grades 8-12; n = 4,941), we examined the psychometric properties of the 24-item LQ and found support for retaining the 9 non-reverse-worded LQ items to make up a shortened measure of loneliness in youth. We found that the non-reverse-worded items were associated with superior psychometric properties relative to the reverse-worded items with respect to reliability and IRT parameters (e.g., discrimination and item information). A 3-point Likert-type scale was also found to be more suitable for measuring loneliness across both children and adolescents compared to the original 5-point scale. The relative contributions of reverse-worded and non-reverse-worded items in scale development for youth instruments are also discussed.

The mother and the motherland: their internal representations among immigrant and non-immigrant adolescents

This paper studies associations between internal representations that adolescents hold for their mothers and internal representations of the country they belong to, and the extent to which such internal representations impact on psychological adjustment. Two studies were conducted: the first with 328 Russian adolescents in Russia, and the second with 178 Jewish adolescent immigrants from Russia in Israel. In both samples, representations of the mother as caring were significantly related to the adolescents' positive attitudes towards their country of living. In addition, the adolescents' positive attitudes towards country of living were significantly related to their psychological adjustment, over and above internal representations of mother. Findings suggest the importance of theories of internal representations for understanding the dynamics of the adolescents' attachment to social objects and their psychological adjustment.

Does gratitude always work? Ambivalence over emotional expression inhibits the beneficial effect of gratitude on well-being

The psychological benefit of gratitude has been well demonstrated in previous studies. However, when we examined these studies closely, we found that the moderators were rarely investigated, suggesting that further work is needed to explore the boundaries of gratitude In this regard, the authors have proposed that ambivalence over emotional expression might be a potential moderator that would inhibit the beneficial effect of gratitude on well-being. Two studies were conducted to examine our hypothesis. Study 1 consisted of 353 Taiwanese college students who completed the Gratitude Questionnaire-Taiwan version (GQ-T), Ambivalence over Emotional Expression Questionnaire (AEQ), and one question about subjective happiness. We found that ambivalence over emotional expression significantly moderated the effect of gratitude on happiness. To validate our findings in Study 1, 233 Taiwanese college students were recruited for Study 2, and they completed the GQ-T, AEQ, subjective happiness short-form UCLA loneliness scale, as well as the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Both studies demonstrated that ambivalence over emotional expression moderated the relationship between gratitude and well-being indexes. Simply stated, the authors found that across the two independent samples, among students who are high in ambivalence over emotional expression, the beneficial effect of gratitude on subjective happiness was inhibited. However, the moderating pattern for loneliness and depression was contrary to our expectations, indicating that high ambivalence over emotional expression does not inhibit gratitude. Possible explanations and implications for social relationships and emotional expression are discussed.

The Effects of Loss of Loved Ones on Life Satisfaction Among Residents in a Southwest Retirement Community

The authors examine the roles of social connectedness in mediating the relation between the loss of loved ones and life satisfaction in older residents living in a retirement community. Data were collected through a mail survey on a random sample of 734 older residents ( M age = 67 years, SD = 9.6 years) in a retirement community in the Southwest. Analyses were conducted using SPSS macros for estimating the indirect effects through multiple mediators. Participants who experienced the loss of loved ones in life reported statistically significantly higher life dissatisfaction scores than those who reported no such loss. The effects of loss on perceived life dissatisfaction were partially mediated by individual connectedness and satisfaction with received social support but not by support network size or collective connectedness. Interventions with older adults who experienced loss in life need to help alleviate their loneliness and increase their satisfaction with social support.

Psychological factors associated with the incidence and persistence of suicidal ideation

BACKGROUND

Suicidal ideation has been identified as both a common antecedent and a significant risk factor for suicide attempt and completed suicide. However, little is known about the incidence and persistence of suicidal ideation in the general population and the associated risk factors.

METHODS

A 12-month follow-up survey investigated 997 of the respondents who participated in the baseline territory-wide survey of adult population in Hong Kong. A set of baseline psychological factors was considered as predictors of first onset and persistence of suicidal ideation.

RESULTS

Twelve-month incidence (1.9%) and persistence (6.2%) rates were estimated. Respondents with anxiety and lack of reasons for living were more likely to report a development of suicidal thoughts in the follow-up assessment, while respondents with higher level of average life distress and lower level of hope were at increased risk of continuing to have suicidal thoughts. Depression was found to partially mediate the effect of average life distress on persistent suicidality.

LIMITATIONS

Retention rate of the follow-up sample was about 50% only. Assessments of suicidal ideation were based on retrospective reports.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychological factors differentially predict first onset and persistence of suicidal ideation. It is of clinical value that depression partially mediated the effect of life distress on persistence of suicidality.

Who Blogs in 2010?

Research suggests gender and personality differences are predictive of general Internet use. Specifically, people high in openness and women high in neuroticism are more likely to keep a blog. Given the rapidity of change owing to technological advances, the authors sought to re-examine the validity of these findings in an era where other forms of online interaction are prevalent. Specifically, the authors sought to replicate and expand on these findings and to examine other individual difference factors that may predict who is likely to maintain a blog. Participants filled out multiple personality measures, demographic characteristics, and reported on their blogging behavior (e.g., writing blog entries and reading blogs). Results replicated the prior research, indicating that openness predicted blogging to a greater degree than any other personality trait. Moreover, results also revealed that individuals high in self-consciousness and those who saw more of their “true self” on the Internet were more likely to blog. These findings suggest that in addition to openness, individual differences, such as self-focus and personality, predict who is likely to blog.

Misery has more company than people think: underestimating the prevalence of others' negative emotions

Four studies document underestimations of the prevalence of others' negative emotions and suggest causes and correlates of these erroneous perceptions. In Study 1a, participants reported that their negative emotions were more private or hidden than were their positive emotions; in Study 1b, participants underestimated the peer prevalence of common negative, but not positive, experiences described in Study 1a. In Study 2, people underestimated negative emotions and overestimated positive emotions even for well-known peers, and this effect was partially mediated by the degree to which those peers reported suppression of negative (vs. positive) emotions. Study 3 showed that lower estimations of the prevalence of negative emotional experiences predicted greater loneliness and rumination and lower life satisfaction and that higher estimations for positive emotional experiences predicted lower life satisfaction. Taken together, these studies suggest that people may think they are more alone in their emotional difficulties than they really are.