Validation of the German version of the state mindfulness scale for physical activity in a clinical sample

BACKGROUND

Mindfulness has been studied as a treatment option for a large range of psychological disorders and is associated with a multitude of positive psychological outcomes. There are now several scales for measuring mindfulness as both a trait and a state. As mindfulness potentially plays a critical role in maintaining physical activity habits, the State Mindfulness Scale for Physical Activity (SMS-PA) was developed to specifically measure mindfulness in a physical activity context. This study aimed to provide validity evidence for a German version of the SMS-PA (henceforth called SMS-PA-G) in a clinical sample.

METHODS

We used baseline data from 129 participants in the randomised controlled trial 'New Ways to Cope with Depression'. The sample, which was screened for clinical depression symptoms, completed the SMS-PA-G and several other psychometric scales for capturing state mindfulness, self-efficacy, sense of coherence, anxiety, depression, and physical activity. We conducted reliability and item analyses and ran a confirmatory factor analysis. Also, we assessed construct validity through correlations with the abovementioned scales and through differences in SMS-PA scores between physically active and nonactive participants.

RESULTS

The mean SMS-PA-G score in our sample was 25.3 with a standard deviation of 8.5. The item and reliability analyses provided satisfactory Cronbach's alpha and discriminatory power values. The confirmatory factor analysis showed that physical activity mindfulness can best be described via a bifactor model, with specific mind and body factors and a general mindfulness factor. We found the expected relationships with the attention subscale of state mindfulness, self-efficacy, and sense of coherence but did not find them with the awareness subscale of state mindfulness, depression, and anxiety. As hypothesised, physically active participants exhibited higher SMS-PA-G values than nonactive participants.

CONCLUSIONS

The SMS-PA-G is an internally consistent test instrument that captures respondents' general physical activity mindfulness and their attention to mental and bodily events. Whereas validity evidence was generally supportive of the SMS-PA-G, its relationships with other constructs require further investigation.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN, ISRCTN12347878. Registered 28 March 2022, https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN12347878 .

Ostracism and Sense of Coherence: The Mediating Role of Social Media Addiction in Adolescents

Social belonging is of vital importance for adolescents. However, ostracism in the digital age may negatively affect adolescents' sense of coherence through social media addiction. The main objective of the current study was to investigate the associations between ostracism and sense of coherence and to conduct mediation analysis including social media addiction. The sample consisted of 425 Turkish adolescents aged between 14 and 18 years (Mage= 15.53, SD = 1.26). Data were collected through the Ostracism Experience Scale for Adolescents, the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, and the Sense of Coherence Scale-Revised. The results showed that ostracism increased social media addiction, which in turn negatively affected adolescent's sense of coherence. Besides, an indirect role of social media addiction was found between ostracism and sense of coherence. Overall, these results suggest that ostracism is a risk factor for sense of coherence and that social media addiction increases this risk. Elucidating the indirect role of social media addiction between ostracism and sense of coherence is believed to shed light on the requirement for policies and intervention programmes to address ostracism and social media addiction to maintain adolescents'mental health.

Measuring Strong, Skillful, Good and Transpersonal Will: The development of the Multidimensional Will Scale

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

This cross-sectional study aimed to provide a scale to assess different aspects of the will based on Roberto Assagioli's theory.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The scale development followed three steps. Step 1 focused on operationalizing the construct and developing the items. It was carried out through several phases of item generation and refinement, resulting in a pool of 38 items. At Step 2 we tested the psychometric properties of the initial 38-item scale with the goal of excluding the items that weakened the structural validity and reliability of the scale. Descriptive, internal consistency, and exploratory factor analyses statistics were computed on a large sample (Sample 1: N = 587; age: M = 21.55, SD = 4.14, 66% female) and they led to a five-dimension model (Strong, Skillful, Good toward Self and Other, and Transpersonal Will) and the exclusion of 15 items. Analyses conducted at Step 3 on a different sample (Sample 2: N = 683; age: M = 34.09, SD = 16.27, 54% female) allowed for further refinement of the scale. Confirmatory factor analysis conducted on the resulting 19-item scale showed a good fit for the five-factor model (χ2 (142) = 507.63, p< .001, TLI = .91; CFI = .93; RMSEA = .06 [90%CI: .06‒.07]), and evidence of its invariance across genders and ages was provided. Reliability indices (internal consistency and intraclass correlation coefficients) were adequate (ranging from .66 to .83) and correlations with measures of related constructs supported the external validity of the scale.

CONCLUSION

This study provides researchers, therapists, and counselors with an efficient measurement tool to assess Assagioli's construct of will.

The sense of coherence scale: psychometric properties in a representative sample of the Czech adult population

BACKGROUND

Sense of coherence (SOC) is a personal resource that reflects the extent to which one perceives the world as comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful. Decades of empirical research consistently show that SOC is an important protective resource for health and well-being. Despite the extensive use of the 13-item measure of SOC, there remains uncertainty regarding its factorial structure. Additionally, a valid and reliable Czech version of the scale is lacking. Therefore, the present study aims to examine the psychometric properties of the SOC-13 scale in a representative sample of Czech adults.

METHODS

An online survey was completed by 498 Czech adults (18-86 years old) between November 2021 and December 2021. We used confirmatory factor analysis to examine the factorial structure of the scale. Further, we examined the variations in SOC based on age and gender, and we tested the criterion validity of the scale using the short form of the Mental Health Continuum (MHC) scale and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) scale as mental health outcomes.

RESULTS

SOC-13 showed an acceptable one- and three-factor fit only with specified residual covariance between items 2 and 3. We tested alternative short versions by systematically removing poorly performing items. The fit significantly improved for all shorter versions with SOC-9 having the best psychometric properties with a clear one-factorialstructure. We found that SOC increases with age and males score higher than females. SOC showed a moderately strong positive correlation with MHC, and a moderately strong negative correlation with GAD. These findings were similar for all tested versions supporting the criterion validity of the SOC scale.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that shortened versions of the SOC-13 scale have better psychometric properties than the original 13-item version in the Czech adult population. Particularly, SOC-9 emerges as a viable alternative, showing comparable reliability and validity as the 13-item version and a clear one-factorial structure in our sample.

The protective role of sense of coherence in resident physicians facing secondary trauma due to patient death in intensive care-A qualitative inquiry

The salutogenic paradigm is increasingly used in research and practice but remains to be investigated in secondary trauma of health professionals. This qualitative study explored the main anchor of salutogenics, the sense-of-coherence, as a coping mechanism among resident physicians facing secondary trauma due to continuous exposure to patient suffering and deaths. Participants were sixteen resident physicians from intensive care units at emergency departments of two Israeli public tertiary hospitals. Data analysis employed reflexive thematic analysis. Findings suggest that while all residents described having comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness differed among residents. Some residents thrived, coped well with secondary trauma, centered on patient emotional needs, and drew meaningfulness from the challenges. Other residents suffered while providing care, reported poor well-being, were too overwhelmed to center patients, and doubted their career choices. Salutogenic-based interventions to cultivate the resilience of resident physicians experiencing secondary trauma are proposed.

Efficacy of an internet-based written imagery rescripting intervention for survivors of institutional childhood abuse - A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Institutional childhood abuse can have a long-term impact on the survivors' mental health, however, treatment for this group is limited and not always accessible. An internet-based intervention was developed, with the aim to reduce psychological sequelae relating to institutional abuse.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the efficacy of an online imagery rescripting intervention for survivors of institutional abuse, through assessing symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and CPTSD.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Seventy-two adult survivors of institutional childhood abuse in the former German Democratic Republic were randomized either to the intervention (n = 38) or to the waitlist condition (n = 34). The intervention consisted of 10 modules, based on written imagery rescripting, and involved asynchronous therapist contact.

METHODS

Primary outcomes included symptoms of depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), PTSD (ITQ), and CPTSD (ITQ DSO). The intervention condition was assessed at baseline, post-intervention, 3-, and 6-month follow-up.

RESULTS

Intention-to-treat analyses revealed a significant symptom reduction from baseline to post-assessment with medium to large effects for all main outcomes (d = 0.45 to d = 0.76), in favor of the intervention condition. Significant interactions between condition (intervention vs. wailist) and time (baseline vs. post-assesment) were revealed for all main outcomes (p < .001 to p = .024). The effects were maintained at follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest online writing-based imagery rescripting as a promising treatment option for adults formerly institutionalized in residential care. Future research is needed to explore its effectiveness for other groups of patients suffering from abuse and neglect.

Interrelations of resilience factors and their incremental impact for mental health: insights from network modeling using a prospective study across seven timepoints

Resilience can be viewed as trajectory of stable good mental health or the quick recovery of mental health during or after stressor exposure. Resilience factors (RFs) are psychological resources that buffer the potentially negative effects of stress on mental health. A problem of resilience research is the large number of conceptually overlapping RFs complicating their understanding. The current study sheds light on the interrelations of RFs in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic as a use case for major disruptions. The non-preregistered prospective study assessed a sample of 1275 German-speaking people from February 2020 to March 2021 at seven timepoints. We measured coping, hardiness, control beliefs, optimism, self-efficacy, sense of coherence (SOC), sense of mastery, social support and dispositional resilience as RFs in February 2020, and mental health (i.e., psychopathological symptoms, COVID-19-related rumination, stress-related growth) at all timepoints. Analyses used partial correlation network models and latent growth mixture modeling (LGMM). Pre-pandemic RFs were strongly interrelated, with SOC being the most central node. The strongest associations emerged between coping using emotional support and social support, SOC and sense of mastery, and dispositional resilience and self-efficacy. SOC and active coping were negatively linked. When we examined RFs as predictors of mental health trajectories, SOC was the strongest predictor of psychopathological symptoms and rumination, while trajectories of stress-related growth were predicted by optimism. Subsequent network analyses, including individual intercepts and slopes from LGMM, showed that RFs had small to moderate associations with intercepts but were unrelated to slopes. Our findings provide evidence for SOC playing an important role in mental distress and suggest further examining SOC's incremental validity. However, our results also propose that RFs might be more important for stable levels of mental health than for adaptation processes over time. The differential associations for negative and positive outcomes support the use of multidimensional outcomes in resilience research.

New ways to cope with depression-study protocol for a randomized controlled mixed methods trial of bouldering psychotherapy (BPT) and mental model therapy (MMT)

BACKGROUND

Due to the growing gap between the demand and supply of therapeutic services for people suffering from depression, with this study, we are investigating the effectiveness and factors of influence of new approaches in group treatments for depression. Two previous studies have already identified bouldering psychotherapy (BPT) as an effective option. It combines psychotherapeutic interventions with action- and body-oriented bouldering exercises. Mental model therapy (MMT) is a new cognitive-behavioral approach for treating depression. It focuses on identifying cognitive distortions, biases in decision making, and false assumptions and aims to correct and replace them with useful mental models. We aim to investigate the effectiveness of the interventions compared with a control group (CG) and to assess the factors of influence in a mixed methods approach.

METHODS

The study is being conducted as a randomized controlled intervention trial. Adult participants with unipolar depression are being randomized into three groups (BPT, MMT, or CG), and the first two groups are undergoing a 10-week treatment phase. CG follows their individual standard treatment as usual. A priori power analysis revealed that about 120 people should be included to capture a moderate effect. The primary outcome of the study is depression rated with the Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) before (t0), directly after (t1), and 12 months after the intervention phase (t2). Data are being collected via questionnaires, computer-assisted video interviews, and physical examinations. The primary hypotheses will be statistically analyzed by mixed model ANOVAs to compare the three groups over time. For secondary outcomes, further multivariate methods (e.g., mixed model ANOVAs and regression analyses) will be conducted. Qualitative data will be evaluated on the basis of the qualitative thematic analysis.

DISCUSSION

This study is investigating psychological and physical effects of BPT and MMT and its factors of influence on outpatients suffering from depression compared with a CG in a highly naturalistic design. The study could therefore provide insight into the modes of action of group therapy for depression and help to establish new short-term group treatments. Methodological limitations of the study might be the clinical heterogeneity of the sample and confounding effects due to simultaneous individual psychotherapy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN, ISRCTN12347878. Registered 28 March 2022, https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN12347878 .

Early-life adversity and later-life mental health: a conditional process analysis of sense of coherence and resilience-related resources

Objective

While early-life adversity can have negative effects on health and wellbeing that persist across the lifespan, some individuals show indications of resilience. Resilience can be understood as a dynamic coping process involving the mobilization of resources in response to adversity exposure. Sense of coherence-revised (SOC-R), an ability linked to health maintenance in the face of adversity, may be influential in this process. However, research is lacking on the mechanisms underpinning SOC-R and resilience-related resources and their impact on the (mental) health of individuals exposed to early-life adversity. Therefore, this study examined the role of SOC-R and selected resilience-related resources in the relationship between early-life adversity and later-life health and wellbeing.

Method

Participants were N = 531 Irish (older) adults (58.2% female, mean age = 59.5 years, range = 50-86 years). Standardized questionnaires assessed retrospective reports of early-life adversity, as well as current physical and mental health, satisfaction with life, SOC-R, and resilience-related resources (self-efficacy, optimism, social support). A multiple mediation analysis tested the indirect effects of the resources and a moderated mediation tested for conditional dependence on SOC-R.

Results

For mental health and satisfaction with life, significant partial mediations were found for all three resources. Only optimism showed a significant partial mediation for physical health. In the moderated mediation, SOC-R significantly moderated the associations between early-life adversity and self-efficacy (b = .06, t = 3.65, p = .001), optimism (b = .04, t = 2.60, p = .009), and social support (b = .08, t = 3.75, p < .001). The indirect effects were larger at high rather than low SOC-R, indicating that the mediating effects of the resources were greater for individuals with a stronger SOC-R.

Conclusion

A strong SOC-R may have a beneficial influence on health and wellbeing by mitigating the detrimental effect of early-life adversity on the resources self-efficacy, optimism, and social support. Future avenues for research include the expanded assessment of resources and the potential role of SOC-R in successful ageing through the selection and adaptation of goals and resources into older age. SOC-R may represent a promising target for psychotherapeutic interventions promoting resilience in survivors of early-life adversity.

The relationship between sense of coherence and mental health problems from childhood to young adulthood: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Sense of coherence (SOC) as the key component of the salutogenesis framework is negatively correlated with mental health problems in adults but also in children and adolescents. Since SOC is conceptualized to develop and stabilize from childhood to young adulthood, these life phases are of critical importance for the salutogenesis concept. Individual studies examining SOC's link with mental health at younger ages yielded heterogeneous effect size estimates. Thus, the present meta-analysis is the first to quantify the current state of evidence on the association between SOC and mental health problems.

METHODS

The random-effects multi-level meta-analysis followed PRISMA guidelines and was based on 57 studies (70 samples) comprising 41,013 participants. Weighted mean age of participants was 15.46 years and 50.4 % were female.

RESULTS

The mean correlation (r) between SOC and overall mental health problems was M(r) = -0.46, 95 % CI [-0.53, -0.39]. However, there was substantial heterogeneity between studies, while differences between symptom types were smaller. Subsequent moderator analyses showed that higher sample age was associated with more negative relationships and higher internal consistencies of SOC measures. Moreover, internalizing symptoms, depressive symptoms, and feelings of loneliness showed a stronger negative association with SOC than psychosomatic symptoms.

LIMITATIONS

Our findings on age-related differences were based on (repeated) cross-sectional data and require replication in longitudinal studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Results yielded a negative association between SOC and mental health problems with increasing magnitude from childhood to young adulthood. Thus, SOC-fostering interventions may help to buffer negative effects of stress and improve resilience starting from early ages.

The Role of Sense of Coherence During the COVID-19 Crisis: Does it Exercise a Moderating or a Mediating Effect on University Students' Wellbeing?

The COVID-19 crisis caused extensive mental health strains. Sense of coherence (SOC) is considered a protective factor for mental health in crisis that might also be decisive during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the mechanisms are not yet well understood. Using longitudinal survey data of 117 Austrian university students collected in 2020, we tested both moderating and mediating effects of SOC for the association of different stressors with later wellbeing. SOC did not buffer but mediated the effects of stressors on wellbeing. Students especially suffered from reduced feelings of manageability when confronted with financial strains, dissatisfying study situations, or disrupted plans. Supporting them in managing the difficulties of the crisis should therefore be considered a crucial part of psychosocial support.

Salutary mechanisms in the relationship between stress and health: The mediating and moderating roles of Sense of Coherence—Revised

While chronic and acute stress are often associated with negative health, the sense of coherence-revised (SOC-R) is proposed to facilitate coping with stress and promote health. However, research is lacking on the specific mechanisms. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate potential mediating and moderating mechanisms of SOC-R in the relationship between stress and health. Using a cross-sectional design, standardized questionnaires assessed SOC-R, acute (perceived) stress, early-life adversity (ELA; indicator for early-life chronic stress), mental and physical health, and satisfaction with life. Mediation and moderation analyses were conducted with N = 531 Irish adults (mean age: 59.5 years; 58.4% female). Regarding acute (perceived) stress, results showed that SOC-R and its Manageability subscale significantly mediated the association between perceived stress and mental health, and satisfaction with life. SOC-R and its Manageability subscale also significantly moderated the association between perceived stress and mental health. Regarding ELA, the Manageability subscale significantly mediated the association between ELA and mental health, and satisfaction with life; and the Balance subscale significantly mediated the association between ELA and physical health. SOC-R may provide a useful focus for stress-related research, with future longitudinal studies needed to examine SOC-R as a long-term modulating pathway between stress and health.

Agreeableness and Its Consequences: A Quantitative Review of Meta-Analytic Findings

Agreeableness impacts people and real-world outcomes. In the most comprehensive quantitative review to date, we summarize results from 142 meta-analyses reporting effects for 275 variables, which represent N > 1.9 million participants from k > 3,900 studies. Arranging variables by their content and type, we use an organizational framework of 16 conceptual categories that presents a detailed account of Agreeableness’ external relations. Overall, the trait has effects in a desirable direction for 93% of variables (grand mean [Formula: see text]). We also review lower order trait evidence for 42 variables from 20 meta-analyses. Using these empirical findings, in tandem with existing theory, we synthesize eight general themes that describe Agreeableness’ characteristic functioning across variables: self-transcendence, contentment, relational investment, teamworking, work investment, lower results emphasis, social norm orientation, and social integration. We conclude by discussing potential boundary conditions of findings, contributions and limitations of our review, and future research directions.

Is a sense of coherence associated with prolonged grief, depression, and satisfaction with life after bereavement? A longitudinal study

There is growing interest in psychological factors maintaining healthy functioning following adverse events. One such variable is a sense of coherence (SOC), an orientation to life comprising manageability, comprehensibility, and meaningfulness. Little research has examined the role of SOC in adjustment to bereavement. The present longitudinal study examined the role of SOC in recovery from loss, in a Danish sample (N = 221) of elderly spousally bereaved people. The aim was twofold. First, we aimed to establish the optimal measurement model of SOC, evaluating the fit of different factor solutions for the 29-item SOC-29 scale and 13-item SOC-13 scale, using confirmatory factor analysis. Second, we sought to examine associations of emerging SOC factors with symptoms levels of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) and depression, and with satisfaction with life, assessed concurrently (at 6 months post-loss) and at two consecutive time points, 13 and 18 months post-loss. Results showed that the three-factor model of the SOC-13 (with distinct manageability, comprehensibility, and meaningfulness factors) provided a good fit to our data. With respect to our second aim, analyses showed that the three SOC factors were associated with concurrently assessed PGD, depression, and satisfaction with life. In the analyses predicting outcomes at Wave 2 and Wave 3, meaningfulness (but not manageability and comprehensibility) predicted some of the outcomes, above and beyond baseline scores of the outcomes. Findings suggest that meaningfulness may increase healthy and attenuate unhealthy responses to loss. Helping bereaved people to experience life's demands as worthy of investment and engagement is likely an important target for bereavement care.

Sense of coherence, social support and religiosity as resources for medical personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic: A web-based survey among 4324 health care workers within the German Network University Medicine

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in severe detrimental effects on the mental well-being of health care workers (HCW). Consequently, there has been a need to identify health-promoting resources in order to mitigate the psychological impact of the pandemic on HCW.

Objective

Our objective was to investigate the association of sense of coherence (SOC), social support and religiosity with self-reported mental symptoms and increase of subjective burden during the COVID-19 pandemic in HCW.

Methods

Our sample comprised 4324 HCW of four professions (physicians, nurses, medical technical assistants (MTA) and pastoral workers) who completed an online survey from 20 April to 5 July 2020. Health-promoting resources were assessed using the Sense of Coherence Scale Short Form (SOC-3), the ENRICHD Social Support Inventory (ESSI) and one item on religiosity derived from the Scale of Transpersonal Trust (TPV). Anxiety and depression symptoms were measured with the PHQ-2 and GAD-2. The increase of subjective burden due to the pandemic was assessed as the retrospective difference between burden during the pandemic and before the pandemic.

Results

In multiple regressions, higher SOC was strongly associated with fewer anxiety and depression symptoms. Higher social support was also related to less severe mental symptoms, but with a smaller effect size, while religiosity showed minimal to no correlation with anxiety or depression. In professional group analysis, SOC was negatively associated with mental symptoms in all groups, while social support only correlated significantly with mental health outcomes in physicians and MTA. In the total sample and among subgroups, an increase of subjective burden was meaningfully associated only with a weaker SOC.

Conclusion

Perceived social support and especially higher SOC appeared to be beneficial for mental health of HCW during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the different importance of the resources in the respective occupations requires further research to identify possible reasons.

Pre-rehabilitation sense of coherence as a predictor of symptom change after rehabilitation

Sense of coherence (SOC) constitutes the key component of salutogenesis theory. It reflects individuals' confidence that their environment is comprehensible and manageable and that their lives are meaningful. Research demonstrates a strong cross-sectional relationship between SOC and mental health. However, little is known about SOC's temporal stability and its potential to predict changes in psychopathological symptom severity in different settings. The goal of the current study was to address this gap. The sample of the two-wave longitudinal study consists of 294 patients receiving inpatient psychotherapeutic (and psychopharmacological) treatment for various psychological disorders at a German psychosomatic rehabilitation clinic. SOC (Antonovsky, Social Science & Medicine, 1993, 36, 725-733) and outcome measures (i.e., general mental health problems, depression and anxiety symptoms) were assessed within two days of arrival and at the end of rehabilitation (week 5/6). SOC was significantly enhanced after treatment whereas psychopathological symptoms were significantly reduced. Regression analyses revealed that pre-treatment SOC was a significant negative predictor of post-treatment symptom severity for all outcome measures even after controlling for pre-treatment symptoms. The current findings provide first evidence that SOC is a significant unique predictor of symptom change. Future studies need to further investigate longitudinal associations between SOC and mental health outcomes in different settings.

The 12-Month Course of ICD-11 Adjustment Disorder in the Context of Involuntary Job Loss

Background

After its redefinition in ICD-11, adjustment disorder (AjD) comprises two core symptom clusters of preoccupations and failure to adapt to the stressor. Only a few studies investigate the course of AjD over time and the definition of six months until the remission of the disorder is based on little to no empirical evidence. The aim of the present study was to investigate the course of AjD symptoms and symptom clusters over time and to longitudinally evaluate predictors of AjD symptom severity.

Method

A selective sample of the Zurich Adjustment Disorder Study, N = 105 individuals who experienced involuntary job loss and reported either high or low symptom severity at first assessment (t1), were assessed M = 3.4 (SD = 2.1) months after the last day at work, and followed up six (t2) and twelve months (t3) later. They completed a fully structured diagnostic interview for AjD and self-report questionnaires.

Results

The prevalence of AjD was 21.9% at t1, 6.7% at t2, and dropped to 2.9% at t3. All individual symptoms and symptom clusters showed declines in prevalence rates across the three assessments. A hierarchical regression analysis of symptoms at t3 revealed that more symptoms at the first assessment (β = 0.32, p = .002) and the number of new life events between the first assessment and t3 (β = 0.29, p = .004) significantly predicted the number of AjD symptoms at t3.

Conclusion

Although prevalence rates of AjD declined over time, a significant proportion of individuals still experienced AjD symptoms after six months. Future research should focus on the specific mechanisms underlying the course of AjD.

"Some call it resilience": A profile of dynamic resilience-related factors in older adult survivors of childhood institutional adversity and maltreatment

BACKGROUND

Childhood adversity and maltreatment can have lasting negative effects into later life. However, emerging research suggests that certain factors may facilitate resilience in adults with experiences of childhood adversity and maltreatment.

OBJECTIVE

Using conceptual models of resilience, this qualitative study investigated factors associated with resilience in older adult survivors of childhood institutional adversity and maltreatment.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Participants consisted of 17 adults, 10 females and 7 males, aged between 50-77 years (mean age = 60 years). All participants had experienced childhood adversity and maltreatment within institutional care settings during childhood and/or adolescence.

METHODS

In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted, lasting between 60-120 min. Transcribed interviews were analysed using the Framework Analysis method.

RESULTS

Nine themes were derived from the data, including core, internal, and external resilience factors: Individual characteristics, personality characteristics, support systems, goal attainment, adaptive belief systems, processing, influential events and experiences, recognition and collective identity, and access to services.

CONCLUSIONS

Results support a dynamic concept of resilience that can be understood not only as an inherent trait, but also as a learnable set of behaviours, thoughts, and attitudes, which can be supported by external resources in an older adults' environment. These findings add a novel contribution to the literature in the identification of a distinct cluster of personal and contextual factors underpinning resilience in this sample of survivors of childhood institutional adversity and maltreatment, which may inform the psychological treatment of this population and provide a focus for further research.

Buffering PTSD in Canine Search and Rescue Teams? Associations with Resilience, Sense of Coherence, and Societal Acknowledgment

Rescue workers present an elevated risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and recently, research has begun to focus on coping styles and social support as protective factors in this population. Associations in the particular group of search and rescue dog handlers still lack evidence. The aim of the study is to investigate if functional cognitions and social support also decrease the risk for PTSD. Active voluntary rescue dog handlers (n = 116) rated levels of resilience, sense of coherence, and social acknowledgment (SAQ; subscales general disapproval, familial disapproval, recognition), in addition to a trauma checklist and PTSD symptoms. Linear regression analyses and two different graph models were calculated to explore associations, as well as potential pathways. Controlling for trauma exposure, the SAQ general disapproval emerged as the only significant predictor in the regression model. In the graph models, SAQ familial disapproval was linked to SAQ recognition and SAQ general disapproval. The latter, together with a sense of coherence manageability, affected PTSD re-experiencing symptoms through resilience. The findings are in line with earlier work. The study underlines the importance of targeting resilience and manageability, as well as enhancing social support in prevention programs for PTSD in canine search and rescue teams. Future research is warranted to further investigate model stability and replicate findings.

The Swiss Perimenopause Study - study protocol of a longitudinal prospective study in perimenopausal women

BACKGROUND

The perimenopause is associated with considerable biopsychosocial changes. The majority of women manage to adjust to these changes and cope well with the shift from reproductive to non-reproductive life. However, some women develop burdensome physical and psychological symptoms during the perimenopause. A strong link between menopausal complaints and depressed mood has been shown in this regard. To date, the decisive factors determining whether a woman will successfully achieve a healthy transition remain unclear. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate a range of theory-based markers related to health in perimenopausal women.

METHODS

The Swiss Perimenopause Study comprises a sample of 135 healthy perimenopausal women aged 40-56. A variety of health-related genetic, epigenetic, endocrinological, physiological, and psychosocial markers associated with the menopausal transition are investigated over a period of 13 months.

DISCUSSION

The Swiss Perimenopause Study will contribute to a better understanding of the biopsychosocial processes associated with the perimenopause, which should help to improve the clinical care of women undergoing the menopausal transition.

Validez y confiabilidad del cuestionario Orientación ante la Vida de Antonovsky (SC-29 ítems), versión en español

Introducción: El cuestionario Orientación ante la Vida mide el sentido de coherencia, un concepto relacionado con el uso de los recursos de afrontamiento que influyen positivamente en una mejor calidad de vida y bienestar de aquellos adultos con enfermedad cardiovascular. Objetivo: Determinar la validez y confiabilidad del cuestionario Orientación ante la Vida de Antonovsky, en adultos con hipertensión arterial. Método: Estudio de tipo metodológico en el que se realizó la adaptación cultural y se determinó la validez facial, de contenido, de constructo y confiabilidad. En la adaptación cultural se siguió un proceso de traducción, consenso y retrotraducción. La validez facial y de contenido se cumplió mediante el juicio de expertos, utilizando las pruebas estadísticas de coeficiente kappa de Fleiss e índice de Lawshe modificado. En la validez de constructo y prueba de confiabilidad participaron 220 personas. La confiabilidad se calculó mediante la prueba estadística de alfa de Cronbach. Resultados: En la validez facial, el instrumento reportó un índice kappa de Fleiss mayor a 0,41, interpretado como un acuerdo moderado. El índice de validez de contenido fue satisfactorio con 0,87, el análisis factorial exploratorio reportó tres factores con una varianza total explicada del 36,21 %. El alfa de Cronbach fue de 0,82 para la escala total. Conclusiones: La versión en español del ins­trumento Orientación ante la Vida presenta un adecuado índice de validez de contenido y confiabilidad para uso en el contexto local. Es necesario continuar su aplicación en otros grupos y momentos para continuar refinando su validez.

Correlates of mental health in occupations at risk for traumatization: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Hospitals, police stations, and fire departments are highly demanding workplaces. Staff members are regularly exposed to various stressors including traumatic events. Correspondingly, several studies report high rates of mental health issues among these occupations. Nevertheless, despite these challenging circumstances, some staff members manage to sustain their mental health. The current study is the first to investigate three health-promoting factors simultaneously among three different, highly demanding occupations.

METHODS

The present cross-sectional survey investigated health-promoting factors (sense of coherence - SOC, trait-resilience, locus of control - LOC) and mental health outcomes (general psychopathological symptom burden, posttraumatic stress, burnout) in medical staff (n = 223), police officers (n = 257), and firefighters (n = 100).

RESULTS

Among all occupations, SOC, trait-resilience, and an internal LOC were negatively associated with general psychopathological symptoms, posttraumatic stress, and burnout symptoms. By contrast, all these outcome measures were positively correlated with an external LOC. Multiple regression models including all health-promoting factors explained 56% of the variance in general psychopathological symptoms and 27% in posttraumatic stress symptoms. Among all occupations, SOC was the strongest predictor of both general psychopathological symptom burden and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Multigroup path analyses revealed minor differences across occupations, mainly driven by a stronger influence of LOC in police officers.

CONCLUSION

Across all occupations, SOC was identified as the most important health-promoting factor. Future longitudinal studies should further examine the causal link between health-promoting factors and mental distress in different workplaces. Such studies will also allow for further development and evaluation of resilience promoting programs.

What's Love Got to do with it: Role of oxytocin in trauma, attachment and resilience

Oxytocin (OT) is a neurohypophysial hormone and neuropeptide produced by the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland. It has multiple physiological roles including stimulation of parturition and lactation, and promotion of pro-adaptive social behaviors necessary for mammalian survival. OT interacts with one receptor subtype: the OT receptor (OTR) which, upon stimulation, triggers different intracellular signal transduction cascades to mediate its physiological actions. Preclinical studies show that OT regulates social behaviors such as pair bonding, recognition and social interaction. It also coordinates the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the release of corticotrophin-releasing hormone. Further evidence suggests that OT plays an important role in regulating caloric intake and metabolism, and in maintaining electrolyte and cardiovascular homeostasis. OT is also involved in attenuating the neurophysiological and neurochemical effects of trauma on the brain and body by facilitating both physical attachment such as wound healing, and psychological/social attachment, thereby increasing resilience to subsequent traumatic events. Clinical trials have reported that intranasal administration of OT provides therapeutic benefits for patients diagnosed with traumatic stress-related diseases such as major depressive disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder. OT's therapeutic benefits may result from context-dependent interactions with key neural pathways (social, cognitive, and reward), neurotransmitters (dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and endogenous opioids), and biomarkers (adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate), that lead to a decrease in stress -associated behaviors, and facilitate post-traumatic growth, ultimately leading to increased resilience, through improved social cohesion and attachment. OT induced-augmentation of physical and cognitive resilience may play a significant role in both the prevention of, and improved clinical outcomes for, traumatic stress-related disorders following either acute or enduring traumatic experiences.

Psychometric properties of the Dutch revised sense of coherence scale in a firefighter sample

BACKGROUND

Sense of coherence (SOC) has been associated with resilience to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and seems to be a promising factor in primary prevention of PTSD in high risk populations.

OBJECTIVE

The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Dutch revised Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-R) in a sample of N = 527 firefighters.

METHOD

To investigate the internal structure of this 13-item scale, a Mokken scale analysis and an exploratory factor analysis were conducted (i.e. parallel analysis based on MRFA).

RESULTS

The combined results of these analyses suggested that a one-factor solution with 10 out of 13 items was most compelling for our firefighter sample. Reliability estimates for the 10-item version increased compared to the 13-item version (13-item: α = .82, λ₂ = .83; 10-item: α = λ₂ = .85). As expected, the Dutch version showed positive associations with resilience (convergent validity), and low correlations with neuroticism and extraversion (discriminant validity).

CONCLUSIONS

The one-factor solution of the Dutch SOC-R with 10 items (excluding item 2, item 3, and item 6) is most convincing. The use of this scale might be specifically interesting regarding its potential to primary prevention of trauma-related psychopathology in high-risk samples.

The Relationship between Dog Ownership, Psychopathological Symptoms and Health-Benefitting Factors in Occupations at Risk for Traumatization

Individuals working in high-risk occupations (e.g., emergency staff) are exposed to high levels of occupational stress including traumatic events. Correspondingly, several studies report high rates of mental health problems among these occupations. Pet ownership has been associated with better mental health. However, to date a study on the association between pet ownership and indicators of mental health in these occupations is missing. The present cross-sectional survey (N = 580) investigated pet ownership, attachment to pets, health-benefitting factors (i.e., sense of coherence, trait-resilience, locus of control) and psychopathological symptoms (i.e., general mental health problems, posttraumatic stress, burnout) in medical staff, police officers, and firefighters. Dog owners and non-dog owners showed comparable levels of psychopathological distress and health-benefitting factors. Compared to cat owners, dog owners demonstrated stronger emotional attachment to their pet. Moreover, a stronger attachment was also linked to higher levels of psychopathological symptoms and lower levels of health-benefitting factors. However, the relationship between attachment to pets and health-benefitting factors could be explained by their overlap with psychopathological symptom levels. Overall, our findings are not in line with the notion that pet ownership generally has a health-benefitting effect. Future studies need to investigate circumstances that modulate positive effects of pet ownership.

The five factor model of personality and sense of coherence: A meta-analysis

The aim of the study was to evaluate the relation between the big five personality traits and sense of coherence. Data for the meta-analysis were collected from 19 studies which included 24 independent samples, 133 effect sizes, and 19,960 participants. Lower neuroticism and higher extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness were associated with total sense of coherence as well as comprehensibility, manageability, meaningfulness, and reflection dimensions. Personality traits were not linked to balance. There were no moderating effects on these relationships. The study extends current knowledge on the associations between personality traits and sense of coherence.

Development of a patient-reported outcome measure for psychotherapeutic interventions in people with seizures: A mixed methods study

BACKGROUND

Generic or even disease-specific quality of life measures are unlikely to be equally responsive to different epilepsy treatment modalities, such as pharmacotherapy, surgery, or psychotherapy. The purpose of the present study was to summarize the development of a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) designed to be particularly sensitive to change mediated by psychotherapeutic interventions in people with seizures.

METHODS

The development of this instrument involved seven steps: (1) Development of a candidate item set based on the outcome of previous qualitative research, (2) initial quantitative-descriptive study yielding an assessment of content validity by clinical experts, (3) qualitative-descriptive posttherapy cognitive debriefing interviews with patients with epileptic and/or nonepileptic seizures (NES), (4) English translation, (5) elicitation of qualitative feedback from international experts, (6) assessment of internal consistency and correlation with similar previously validated generic and epilepsy-specific measures in a pilot study, and (7) final expert content validity rating.

RESULTS

(1) The candidate item set comprised 29 stem items; five of which were followed by a follow-up (FU) item that refers to the statement of the stem item. (2) Eight clinical experts assessed content validity. Informed by rating and experts' qualitative comments, 15 items remained unchanged, eleven underwent substantial revisions, three were excluded, and six added. (3) Cognitive debriefing interviews were conducted with 14 patients with epilepsy and/or NES. Based on the interviewees' feedback, 29 of 32 items remained unchanged, two were excluded, one reworded, and four added. (4) The forwards-backwards English translation prompted substantial revision of two items because the verbatim back translation of the corresponding English items was conceptually more convincing than the original German wording. (5) The international experts identified problems with item comprehensibility/clarity of four stem and three FU items that were subsequently reworded. Ten items were added to incorporate their qualitative feedback resulting in a total of 44 items. (6) Thirty-one patients with epilepsy participated in the pilot study. The overall internal consistency of the self-Efficacy, Assertiveness, Social support, self-awareness, and hElpful thinking in people with seizures (EASE) was very good (α = 0.92). Analysis at item-level revealed problems with inverted and self-evident items. Based on this analysis, three items were eliminated and two items were revised (one FU item was turned into a stem item) resulting in a total of 42 items. (7) The second content validity rating showed final item-content validity indices (I-CVIs) between 0.38 and 1 and an excellent mean CVI of 0.92 at scale level (S-CVI/ave). Fourteen stem items were substantially revised by incorporating the experts' qualitative feedback, three items with low I-CVIs were excluded, and one item was added. The final questionnaire consisted of 40 stem items; eight of which include at least one FU item.

CONCLUSION

Based on these results, the EASE is valid in terms of content, internally consistent, clear, and acceptable to patients with seizures. The measure has now been developed to the stage at which the validity and reliability as well as the psychometric properties and factorial structure of the new instrument can be assessed in larger patient groups in a prospective clinical study.

Successful Aging in Individuals From Less Advantaged, Marginalized, and Stigmatized Backgrounds

Health and well-being in later life are heavily influenced by behaviors across the life course, which in turn are influenced by a variety of wider contextual, social, economic, and organizational factors. There is considerable potential for inequalities in health-promoting behaviors and health outcomes, arising from poverty, social, and environmental factors. This suggests that individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds and circumstances may have more exposure to (chronic) stressors, coupled with reduced access to resources, and increased susceptibility to risk factors for ill-health and mental disorders in later life. This drastically decreases the likelihood for successful aging in individuals from less advantaged backgrounds. Nevertheless, despite these adverse circumstances, some high-risk, disadvantaged individuals have been shown to achieve and maintain good health and well-being into later life.

This scientific update provides an overview of recently published research with samples that, against expectations, demonstrate successful aging.

Favorable personality traits, cognitive strategies, and a high-level of intrinsic motivation, paired with a supportive social environment, have been found to build a prosperous basis for successful aging and positive health outcomes in later life for individuals living in aversive environmental circumstances.

For clinical psychologists, the movement towards the investigation of underlying mechanisms of successful aging from a psychological perspective, particularly in disadvantaged individuals, may be a critical step towards understanding the vast heterogeneity in aging.

Successful aging is possible in disadvantaged individuals.

Psychological and social resilience resources may compensate for the impact of disadvantage.

The application of multi-level resilience models can aid future research on successful aging.

Steeling in Later Life: Exploring Age-Specific Effects of Varying Levels of Stress on Psychological Resilience

The steeling effect suggests that "optimal" stress positively affects well-being by enhancing resilience. However, there is lack of longitudinal investigations in diverse age groups. The aim was to explore steeling in later life and potential predictors. The sample consisted of N = 195 participants. A 1-year longitudinal survey study was conducted. Sociodemographics, experienced stress, resilience resources, and satisfaction with life were assessed. Latent profile analysis was used to identify profiles that differ in the change of resilience resources over time and to examine differences between the profiles across the other study variables. Three profiles emerged: decreased resources (Decrease), stability of resources (Maintenance), and increased resources (Increase). "Decrease" was characterized by low, Maintenance by moderate, and Increase by high stress. Age influenced profile membership. While the results failed to support the classic steeling effect, with high stress associated with increased resilience resources, optimal stress was associated with the maintenance of resilience resources.

Cultural adaptation and psychometric validation of the Caring Efficacy scale in a sample of Italian nurses

Caring is the essence of nursing practice. Caring Efficacy scale was developed with the purpose of measuring nurses' perceived self-efficacy in orienting and maintaining caring relationships with patients. Since any instruments measuring caring self-efficacy have not been developed in Italy, the study aimed at culturally adapting and validating Caring Efficacy scale in a sample of Italian nurses. A total of 300 registered nurses were asked to fill a self-reported questionnaire; translation-back-translation procedure was carried out to maintain semantic, idiomatic and conceptual equivalence of the original scale. Then, factor analysis was performed in order to test appropriateness of the factor structure. Convergent and discriminant validity was also tested. A two-factor structure with 17 items was found. Results show that Cronbach's Alpha value was 0.84 for Confidence to Care, and 0.75 for Doubts and Concerns. Correlation analysis for convergent and discriminant validity showed that Confidence to Care was positively correlated with sense of coherence and no significant correlation with Doubts and Concerns was found. Caring efficacy scale can be used by nurse managers as a way of assessing nurses' self-efficacy and their caring orientation, thus improving quality of patient care.

Higher sense of coherence is associated with better mental and physical health in emergency medical services: results from investigations on the revised sense of coherence scale (SOC-R) in rescue workers

As rescue workers are regularly confronted with potentially traumatising on-duty events, they have an increased risk to develop trauma-related mental and physical health impairments, including post-traumatic, depressive, and somatic symptoms. For this high-risk group, it could be of particular importance to experience their occupational burden as manageable, meaningful, and coherent. This mindset - called sense of coherence - may be a potential resilience factor against the development of mental and physical health problems. In a cross-sectional cohort of 102 rescue workers (Mdn(QD)_age = 26.0 (8.5), age range: 18-61), including 36 women, we investigated whether higher values on the Revised Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-R) predicted lower post-traumatic, depressive, and somatic symptoms. In addition, we evaluated the factor structure of the SOC-R using confirmatory factor analyses. Linear regressions indicated that higher SOC-R, but particularly manageability scores were associated with less post-traumatic (β = -.31, p = .009), depressive (β = -.44, p < .001), and somatic symptoms (β = -.36, p = .002). Furthermore, we found that all symptom scores significantly increased with occupational and private-life trauma exposure. The SOC-R's factor structure was replicated, comprising the three subscales manageability, reflection, and balance. However, the SOC-R's convergent factor validity was rather low in the present sample. Taken together, a high sense of coherence, and in particular a high manageability conviction, was observed as resilience factors for high-risk groups that are frequently exposed to potentially traumatic events. Future studies might investigate whether strengthening the sense of coherence could be one building block in an effective prevention program for maintaining long-term health in risk groups.

Evaluation of the revised Sense of Coherence scale in a sample of older adults: A means to assess resilience aspects

OBJECTIVES

The present study evaluated the revised Sense of Coherence (SOC-R) scale in a sample of older adults, using an extended range of psychological concepts. It further examined the psychometric properties of the revised scale and tested the theoretical assumptions underpinning the SOC-R concept.

METHOD

The SOC-R scale was evaluated in 268 Swiss older adults (mean age = 66.9 years), including n = 15 heavily traumatized former indentured child labourers. Standardised questionnaires collected information on positive and negative life experiences, resources, current health, and well-being.  Results: Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicated good model fit for a second-order three-factor model of SOC-R with the factors manageability, balance, and reflection. Satisfactory convergent and discriminant correlations were shown with related psychological concepts, including neuroticism (r = -.32, p < .01), optimism (r = .31, p < .01), and general self-efficacy (r = .49, p < .01). SOC-R was not observed to differ by age group. Moderation analyses indicated that SOC-R moderated the relationship between certain early-life adversities and mental health.

CONCLUSION

The study provides support for the psychometric properties and theoretical assumptions of SOC-R and suggests that SOC-R is a valid and reliable measure suitable for use with older adults. Future studies should employ longitudinal designs to examine the stability of SOC-R.

Sense of Coherence and Stress-Related Resilience: Investigating the Mediating and Moderating Mechanisms in the Development of Resilience Following Stress or Adversity

Background: Trauma, stress, and adversity are well-known for having lasting negative effects on health. Yet, not all individuals go on to develop psychopathology or impaired health. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms which influence the development of stress-related resilience. Sense of coherence-revised (SOC-R) may play a role in this process, as it is formed through overcoming stress or adversity. It may also influence the steeling effect, which suggests that previous exposure to moderate adversity increases resilience to later adversities. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the mediating and moderating roles of SOC-R in the relationship between stress or adversity, and psychological health and well-being. It further aimed to investigate the role of SOC-R in steeling processes. Methods: The study used a longitudinal design, with data collection at baseline and one-year follow-up. Participants included (N = 238) Swiss older adults (Mage = 68.3 years). Standardized questionnaires assessed early-life adversity, recent chronic stress, SOC-R, and current health and well-being. Mediation and moderation analyses examined the mechanisms underpinning stress-related resilience and curvilinear associations assessed steeling. Results: Results showed that the Manageability subscale of SOC-R significantly moderated the relationship between chronic stress and general mental health (b = 0.04, 95% CI [0.007, 0.082], t = 2.32, p < 0.05). Furthermore, SOC-R significantly mediated the relationship for general mental health (GMH) and satisfaction with life (SWL) with childhood emotional neglect (GMH: b = -0.056, 95% BCa CI [-0.126, -0.002]; SWL: b = -0.043, 95% BCa CI [-0.088, -0.004]), childhood physical neglect (GMH: b = -0.100, 95% BCa CI [-0.232, -0.002]; SWL: b = -0.081, 95% BCa CI [-0.181, -0.002]), and chronic stress (GMH: b = -0.052, 95% BCa CI [-0.100, -0.001]; SWL: b = -0.055, 95% BCa CI [-0.097, -0.020]). No curvilinear associations were observed between stress or adversity and SOC-R. Conclusions: This study expands on the limited research on stress-related resilience by examining the role of SOC-R in the interactions between adversity, stress, and health. Future research should examine SOC-R in samples with a greater range and different types of adversity. Overall, findings suggest that SOC-R is an important mechanism underpinning the development of stress-related resilience.

A Salutogenic Perspective on Adverse Experiences

Abstract. Research has predominantly focused on the negative effects of adversity on health and well-being. However, the salutogenic perspective suggests that adversity may not always be detrimental ( Antonovsky, 1996 ). In fact, under certain circumstances, adversity may have the potential for positive outcomes, such as increased resilience and thriving ( Carver, 1998 ; Rutter, 1987 ). The “steeling effect” suggests that past experiences of adversity may increase resistance to later adversities. It proposes that moderate adversity may facilitate more adaptive functioning than no adversity or high levels of adversity ( Rutter, 2006 , 2012 ). The relationship between adversity and health may be optimally assessed using curvilinear models, yet the majority of previous studies have examined linear associations ( Masten & Cicchetti, 2016 ). It is therefore the aim of this review to determine whether moderate adversity is associated with more adaptive functioning when compared to no and high levels of adversity. Practical implications and future research are also discussed.

Is adjustment disorder unidimensional or multidimensional? Implications for ICD-11

In preparation for ICD-11, the adjustment disorder (AjD) diagnosis has undergone considerable revisions; however, the latent structure of AjD remains uncertain. It is unclear whether AjD is best represented as a unidimensional or multidimensional construct. This study performed a comprehensive assessment of the latent structure of AjD symptomatology and assessed its concurrent and discriminant validity. Individuals who experienced involuntary job loss (N = 333) completed a self-report measure of AjD symptoms. Seven alternative models of AjD were tested using confirmatory factor analysis. General psychological distress, impairment in social functioning, occupational self-efficacy, and sense of coherence were used as criterion variables for construct validity. In the confirmatory factor analysis, a bifactor solution with one dominant general AjD factor and 5 correlated group factors (preoccupation, failure-to-adapt, avoidance, affective reaction, and impulsivity) provided optimal fit. As expected, the AjD factor showed strong positive associations with general psychological distress and impairments in social functioning and moderately negative associations with occupational self-efficacy and sense of coherence. With regard to unidimensionality or multidimensionality of AjD symptoms, the current results indicate the plausibility of a unidimensional conceptualization. Future research should focus on essential key characteristics and a reduction of symptoms for the AjD definition.

Transgenerational aspects of former Swiss child laborers: do second generations suffer from their parents' adverse early-life experiences?

BACKGROUND

Recent research suggests that childhood adversity exerts a lasting impact not only on the affected individuals but also on their offspring. Little is known about the role of parental rearing behavior in the transgenerational conveyance of parental childhood adversity and filial psychological health.

OBJECTIVE

Hence, it was the aim of the current study to investigate the relationship between parental rearing behavior of former Swiss indentured child laborers ("Verdingkinder") and psychological health of their adult offspring.

METHODS

We applied a two-generation control-group design with two parental samples (n=16, former "Verdingkinder," M_age=76.13, SD=6.81 and n=19, parental controls, M_age=72.63, SD=5.96) and their offspring (n=21, former "Verdingkinder" offspring, M_age=52.91, SD=5.90, and n=29 offspring controls, M_age=44.55, SD=7.71). Parental rearing behavior, childhood trauma, and psychological health were assessed with questionnaires. Data were analyzed using Bayesian analyses, where Bayes factors (BF) of 3 or higher were considered as substantial evidence for the tested hypotheses.

RESULTS

We found that "Verdingkinder" offspring reported more physical abuse (BF₁₀=5.197) and higher total childhood trauma exposure (BF₁₀=2.476). They described both their fathers (BF₁₀=14.246) and mothers (BF₁₀=24.153) as less emotional and their mothers as more punitive (BF₁₀=18.725). An increased sense of reflection, for instance, one's ability to take different perspectives, was found in the offspring controls (BF₁₀=5.245). Furthermore, exploratory analyses revealed that lower perceived familial emotionality was associated with higher psychopathology (all BF₁₀=10.471) and higher pessimism (all BF₁₀=5.396).

DISCUSSION

Our data provide cross-sectional evidence of a meaningful transgenerational relationship between parental childhood adversity, dysfunctional rearing behavior, and psychological health of offspring. Prospective studies are needed to investigate these findings in a longitudinal setting.