Light and Dark core of personality and the adherence to COVID-19 containment measures: The roles of motivation and trust in government

A Network Analysis Approach to Understanding Centrality and Overlap of 21 Dark Triad Items in Adults of 10 Countries

Background

Previous research has suggested that manipulation and callousness are central to Dark Triad traits, but it has not identified which specific manifestations are expressed across various countries.

Objective

This study aimed to identify the core and overlapping manifestations of Dark Triad traits across 10 countries.

Methods

We used the Short Dark Triad (SD3) scale and assessed a sample of 8093 participants (59.7% women, M(age) = 32.68 years). For graphical representation, the spinglass algorithm was applied to understand the cluster distribution among Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and subclinical narcissism traits. Centrality indices were used to identify the most influential items, and the clique-percolation algorithm was employed to detect shared attributes among multiple Dark Triad items.

Results

Straightforward SD3-21 items demonstrated better interpretability as aversive traits within the broader system. Items with higher centrality values were those related to short-term verbal manipulation from the psychopathy domain, clever manipulation, strategic revenge-seeking from Machiavellianism, and narcissistic motivations for connecting with significant individuals. The most predicted items were linked to planned revenge, using information against others from Machiavellianism, short-term psychopathic verbal manipulation, and narcissistic belief of specialness based on external validation. Items like short-term verbal manipulation had overlaps with both psychopathy and narcissism clusters, while clever manipulation overlapped with Machiavellianism and psychopathy.

Conclusion

This cross-cultural study highlights the central role of verbal manipulation within the Dark Triad traits, along with identifying overlapping items among traits measured using straightforward SD3 scale items. In line with our findings, future research that incorporates a wide range of cultural contexts is encouraged to establish the consistency of these findings with the SD3 Scale or alternative measures.

Light Personality Style and Moral Injury Among Chinese Health Professionals

Moral injury has attracted attention widely in various occupations, particularly health professionals. Personality traits involve the professional values in clinical decision-making associated with mental outcomes. The current study examines the relationship between "light personality" style and moral injury. Scores on three subscales of the Light Triad Scale were negatively correlated with the Moral Injury Symptoms Scale-Health Professional. Health professionals more likely to have light personality styles may be less likely to suffer from moral injury under high-stake situations. The findings provide evidence to better understand the inner core of the moral injury, suggesting a potential pathway to improve the moral well-being of health professionals by strengthening key elements of light personality.

Structural equation modeling to estimate treatment adherence based on the light triad of personality and sense of coherence in patients with type-2 diabetes: examining the mediating role of psychological well-being

Background

The current study investigated the relationship between the light triad of personality and self-coherence with treatment adherence in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Psychological well-being was considered a mediator variable in this SEM assessment.

Method

A cross-sectional study by convenience sampling was conducted, and 368 patients with T2DM were recruited from 10 private practice and general hospitals from May to November 2021 in Gilan province, Iran. The Reef's Psychological Well-being Questionnaire, the Light Triad Rating Scale, and Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence Scale were used for data collection. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the model fitness and identify direct/indirect relationships among variables. Data were analyzed by the SPSS (Version 26) and AMOS software (Version 24).

Results

The average score of light triads, sense of coherence, psychological well-being, and treatment adherence were 70.36 ± 25.55, 108.25 ± 37.68, 57.03 ± 23.84, and 106.81 ± 39.61, respectively. Model fit statistics suggest that the measurement model fits the data well: χ2 (146, N = 368) = 314.011 (p < 0.001). The SEM results showed that the light triad of personality (β = 0.12) and self-coherence (β = 0.14) were positively associated with treatment adherence. Anxiety, the light triad of personality (β = 0.12), and self-coherence (β = 0.14) affect treatment adherence indirectly through psychological well-being.

Conclusion

The analysis of the SEM revealed that the suggested model had a suitable goodness of fit. So, using self-coherence and psychological well-being structures in designing interventional programs is recommended to optimize treatment adherence in patients with T2DM.

The Role of Economic Stress, Health Concerns, and Institutional Trust in Supporting Public Protests against COVID-19 Lockdown Measures in Denmark

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, most governments around the world have adopted strict COVID-19 lockdown measures. In Denmark, mainly from January to March 2021, an anonymous protest group called Men in Black organized demonstrations against the Danish COVID-19 lockdown measures in the three major cities in Denmark. Based on an online survey that we carried out in March 2021 in the Danish population aged 16 years and above (n = 2692), we analyze the individual-level factors behind supporting these demonstrations. Based on ordered logit regressions, the results show that being Muslim and being self-employed (business owner) was positively related to supporting the demonstrations, and that age and living in a city municipality was negatively related to supporting the demonstrations. Based on structural equation modeling (SEM), the results showed that the municipal COVID-19 incidence rate mediates the effect of living in a city municipality, that institutional trust mediates the effect of being Muslim, and that COVID-19 health concerns and institutional trust mediate the effect of age. Overall, economic stress among business owners, health concerns, and institutional trust were found to be the main predictors of supporting the demonstrations against the COVID-19 lockdown measures in Denmark.

Health Behaviours and the Sense of Optimism in Nursing Students in Poland, Spain and Slovakia during the COVID-19 Pandemic

(1) The COVID-19 outbreak brought about several socio-economic changes and has had a negative impact on the mental health of people around the world. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between health behaviours and dispositional optimism among nursing students in Poland, Spain and Slovakia during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) The study was carried out in spring 2021 on a group of 756 nursing students in Poland (n = 390), Spain (n = 196) and Slovakia (n = 170). The diagnostic survey method was applied with the questionnaire technique, and the following standardised research tools were used: Life Orientation Test—Revised (LOT-R) and the Health Behaviour Inventory (IZZ). The survey was conducted in a mixed arrangement: in direct contact with the respondents in Poland and in Spain and online in Slovakia. (3) Significant differences were demonstrated in health behaviour preferences in students in Poland, Spain and Slovakia (F = 6.22; p < 0.002). The highest IZZ index was found in Spanish students (82.60 ± 13.65), while lower values were observed in Slovak (80.38 ± 13.74) and Polish (78.44 ± 13.47) students. The correlation between dispositional optimism and a positive attitude was the strongest in the Polish sample (r = 0.56; p < 0.001), at a high level in the Spanish sample (r = 0.53; p < 0.001) and at an average level in the Slovak sample (r = 0.48; p < 0.001). (4) 1. The study showed a moderating effect of the country of origin on the students’ health behaviours. 2. Dispositional optimism is an important predictor of the students’ health behaviours, regardless of the country of origin.