Workplace-Sexual-Harassment Victimization and Employee Wellbeing Among LGBTQ+ and Non-LGBTQ+ Employees

Workplace sexual harassment represents a critical risk to contemporary organizations, with evidence indicating that its prevalence is increasing. Research has consistently demonstrated that workplace-sexual-harassment victimization exerts negative impacts on employees' health and wellbeing. However, no empirical studies have examined how these impacts vary by lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ+) status. In this study, we leverage a unique survey dataset (2022 Australian Workplace Equality Index Employee Survey, n = 44,943) and random-intercept, multilevel regression models to estimate the relationships between workplace-sexual-harassment victimization and employee wellbeing. Expanding on earlier studies, we consider how these relationships vary between LGBTQ+ and other employees, across domains of employee wellbeing, and with the timing of sexual harassment. Our results reveal large, negative, and statistically significant impacts of sexual harassment on employee wellbeing. The impacts are comparatively larger for LGBTQ+ employees and recent harassment experiences, and manifest across all domains of employee wellbeing. These findings underscore the urgent need for holistic programs to combat workplace sexual harassment, and the importance of connecting these programs with diversity and inclusion initiatives.

The Social Comparison Rumination Scale: Development, Psychometric Properties, and Associations With Perfectionism, Narcissism, Burnout, and Distress

In the current article, we describe the development and validation of the Social Comparison Rumination Scale. This measured was developed as a supplement to existing social comparison measures and to enable us to determine its potential relevance to perfectionism and other personality constructs. The Social Comparison Rumination Scale (SCRS) is a six-item inventory assessing the extent to which an individual is cognitively preoccupied and thinking repetitively about social comparison outcomes and information. Three studies with five samples of university students are described. Psychometric analyses established the SCRS consists of one factor assessed with high internal consistency and the measure is reliable and valid. Analyses showed that elevated levels of social comparison rumination are associated with trait perfectionism, perfectionistic automatic thoughts, perfectionistic self-presentation, ruminative brooding, burnout, depression, and fear of negative evaluation. Links were also established between social comparison rumination and both narcissism and dispositional envy. Overall, our findings support the further use of the SCRS and highlight the tendency of many people to think in deleterious ways about social comparisons long after the actual comparisons have taken place. We discuss social comparison rumination within the context of concerns about excessive social media use and young people being exposed to seemingly perfect lives that became a vexing cognitive preoccupation.

Leader's ethical behavior: A precursor to employees' well-being through emotions management

Contemporary research in leadership demonstrates that the ethical behaviors of leaders are vital to enhancing employee well-being. Despite this, research is scant on the connection between leaders' ethical practices and the well-being of their employees via employee emotions. Relying on affective events theory, this study, directly and indirectly, examined the relationships between leaders' ethical behaviors and employees' well-being (via employee emotions). Furthermore, it investigated employee core self-evaluations as a substitute for the ethical behaviors of leaders that mitigate the influence of leaders' ethical behaviors. A sample of 398 faculties from 20 public universities in Pakistan was chosen using the simple random sampling approach, and then SPSS Process Macro was applied to the sample. Study results indicate that leaders' ethical behaviors facilitate employees to manage their emotions, and effective management of emotions improves their well-being. The research also revealed that employees' core self-evaluation swapped with the ethical behaviors of leaders. The theoretical model, therefore, confirms the significance of EBOL as a strategic resource and employees' CSE as an interpersonal resource, which accentuates one another to manage employees' emotions and promote their well-being. The study offers practical management ramifications and adds to our understanding of EBOL, employee emotions, and well-being.

Advancements in Sensors and Analyses for Emotion Sensing

Exploring the objective signals associated with subjective emotional states has practical significance [...].

Family migration and well-being of Chinese migrant workers' children

This article aims to explore the effects of parental migration on the well-being of children and how to adjust social cognitive well-being through the interrelations among family relations and social cognitive well-being indicators using structural equation modelling. Two modified social cognitive well-being models were tested in 1682 Chinese migrant workers' children to examine the pathways among social cognitive well-being and family relation characteristics. The modified models are based on the social cognitive well-being model and the characteristics of Chinese migrant workers' children. The results show that caregiver-child communication frequency, caregiver-child regulation, caregiver-child conflicts, caregiver-child trust and communication, and coactivity positively impact children's social cognitive well-being. In contrast, caregiver-child alienation negatively influences children's social cognitive factors through caregiver-child trust and communication. Additionally, this research revealed that family-related characteristics (caregiver-child regulation, caregiver-child coactivities, caregiver-child communication frequency, caregiver-child alienation, caregiver-child conflicts, and caregiver-child trust and communication) are interconnected with social cognitive well-being indicators (academic satisfaction, outcome expectations, goal progress, lifelong satisfaction, environmental support, positive affect, negative affect, and self-efficacy). This suggests that family migration and relationships with caregiver(s) can significantly affect the well-being of migrant workers' children.

Exploring the experiences of dancers who have achieved peak performance: on-stage, pre-stage, and post-stage

The aim of this study is to identify and classify the different attributes that contribute to peak performance among professional dancers, and to understand how these attributes change over time. We conducted an analysis using inductive content analysis on open-ended survey data collected from 42 formally trained professional dancers. Additionally, we analyzed interview data from seven professional dancers who demonstrated outstanding achievements in the field among the survey participants. The main themes that emerged were related to various temporal events of peak performance experience: pre-stage, on-stage, and post-stage. During the on-stage, peak performance was perceived by both internal and external factors. During the pre-stage, emphasis was placed on technical, cognitive, and artistic strategies during practice, whereas just before going on the stage, attention shifted to psychological and physical strategies. During the post-stage, dancers reported immediate changes in their psychological and physical states following the peak performance experience, and thereafter, the peak performance experience was noted to influence psychological, technical, and cognitive aspects. These findings provide valuable insights into the key characteristics that emerge throughout a series of peak performance experiences and are consistent with previous research.

The Effect of Social Support on the Mental Health Literacy of Parents Who Have Children with Special Needs: A Moderated Mediating Effect

Background

It is well known that parents play an important role in the family, particularly the mental health literacy of parents is essential for the growth and development of children. As the parents of children with special needs, they are facing more difficulties and psychological pressure, resulted in more mental health problems.

Purpose

The current study examined the effect of social support on mental health literacy, and its underlying mechanisms regarding the mediating role of coping styles and moderating role of social comparison.

Methods

Using a cross-sectional design, 165 parents of children with special needs (22-67 years old, M=37.72, SD=8.78) participated in the study. The general information questionnaire, Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS), Social Support Rating Scale, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and Social Comparison Orientation Scale were used.

Results

We found that objective support positively predicted the mental health literacy, positive coping style played a mediating role between objective support and mental health literacy. In addition, the relationship between objective support and positive coping styles was moderated by social comparisons; for lower levels of opinion social comparison, the effect of objective support on positive coping styles was significantly stronger.

Conclusion

We revealed the underlying mechanisms between social support and mental health literacy. The present study has profound implications for mental health literacy services for parents who have children with special needs.

Effects of a mindfulness-based groupwork program on adolescents in a children's home

Mindfulness means being in the present, intentionally and without any judgment. Mindfulness helps people cope with challenging experiences such as trauma. Children's Homes in Türkiye are institutions that provide social care to young people with past traumatic experiences. This study aims at evaluating the effects of a mindfulness-based (MB) groupwork program with a group of residents in a Children's Home. An experimental pretest-posttest control group design was used. An eight-session MB training program was implemented with 21 female adolescents. There were 29 female adolescents in the control group. The MB groupwork program significantly increased the mindfulness levels of the group. However, its effect on the other variables could not be determined at a significant level. There were positive correlations between mindfulness, life satisfaction and subjective happiness, and a negative correlation with perceived stress. The results of this study showed that MB interventions increase mindfulness levels of adolescents in a Children's Home setting in Türkiye. Secondly, as mindfulness increased, life satisfaction and subjective happiness also increased while perceived stress decreased. MB interventions are recommended to be used in social work interventions with different groups since it can contribute to subjective well-being.

Pursuing Harmony and Fulfilling Responsibility: A Qualitative Study of the Orientation to Happiness (OTH) in Chinese Culture

Happiness is the ultimate life goal for most people, and the pursuit of happiness serves as the fundamental motivation driving human behavior. Orientation to Happiness (OTH) represents the aspect that individuals seek when making decisions or engaging in activities, including values, priorities, motivations, ideals, and goals. Nevertheless, existing research has predominantly approached OTH from an individualistic perspective, emphasizing an individual's internal emotional state and personal goals, thereby neglecting the significant influence of a collectivist cultural background on the pursuit of happiness. To address this research gap, our study employs qualitative research methods, enabling us to delve deeply into the intricate interplay between cultural context, societal influences, and individual motivations that collectively shape OTH. Our research is dedicated to understanding the structure of OTH within the Chinese cultural context. Through semi-structured interviews with 26 Chinese adults and the utilization of an inductive style of thematic analysis, we have identified two core themes within the OTH of Chinese adults: Self-focused and Other-focused. Notably, the "Other-focused" theme emphasizes the pursuit of group harmony and the fulfillment of group responsibilities, highlighting the paramount role of "relationships" in the study of happiness within collectivist cultures. This insight forms a robust foundation for future research in this area.

Living arrangements and depression of the older adults- evidence from the Chinese longitudinal healthy longevity survey

BACKGROUND

The mental health and living arrangements of older adults are worthy of attention. Previous studies have pointed out that the living arrangements may be related to older adults' depression. However, it has not been found that studies concern the relationship between actual living arrangements, living arrangement preferences, and the fit between living arrangement preferences and reality and depression in older adults, so we carried out this study.

METHODS

The data from the Chinese longitudinal healthy longevity survey were used in this study. With the older adults' depression as the dependent variable and the living arrangement related variables as the independent variable, we constructed three binary-logistic regression analysis models to explore the potential relationship between living arrangement related variables and depression in older adults.

RESULTS

We found that the actual living arrangements, living arrangement preferences, and the fit between living arrangement preferences and reality are significantly correlated with depression in older adults. Specifically, older adults living alone or only with the spouse are at greater risk of depression. Older adults who prefer living alone or only with the spouse are at relatively low risk of depression. Older adults whose living arrangement preferences do not match reality have a higher risk of depression.

CONCLUSION

The living arrangement related variables are significantly correlated with depression in older adults. In addition to the actual living arrangements, living arrangement preferences and whether the living arrangement preferences fit with reality are also related to the depression of older adults.

Well-being is associated with cortical thickness network topology of human brain

BACKGROUND

Living a happy and meaningful life is an eternal topic in positive psychology, which is crucial for individuals' physical and mental health as well as social functioning. Well-being can be subdivided into pleasure attainment related hedonic well-being or emotional well-being, and self-actualization related eudaimonic well-being or psychological well-being plus social well-being. Previous studies have mostly focused on human brain morphological and functional mechanisms underlying different dimensions of well-being, but no study explored brain network mechanisms of well-being, especially in terms of topological properties of human brain morphological similarity network.

METHODS

Therefore, in the study, we collected 65 datasets including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and well-being data, and constructed human brain morphological network based on morphological distribution similarity of cortical thickness to explore the correlations between topological properties including network efficiency and centrality and different dimensions of well-being.

RESULTS

We found emotional well-being was negatively correlated with betweenness centrality in the visual network but positively correlated with eigenvector centrality in the precentral sulcus, while the total score of well-being was positively correlated with local efficiency in the posterior cingulate cortex of cortical thickness network.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrated that different dimensions of well-being corresponded to different cortical hierarchies: hedonic well-being was involved in more preliminary cognitive processing stages including perceptual and attentional information processing, while hedonic and eudaimonic well-being might share common morphological similarity network mechanisms in the subsequent advanced cognitive processing stages.

Self-Reflection, Emotional Self Disclosure, and Posttraumatic Growth in Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in South Korea

During the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, several studies were conducted on mental health among various populations; however, only a few studies have focused on post-traumatic growth (PTG) in nursing students. By understanding the PTG involved in coping with emotionally challenging situations, educators, and institutions can prepare nursing students to navigate the demands of their profession and ultimately provide more empathetic and effective patient care. This study aimed to explore whether self-reflection and emotional self-disclosure are associated with PTG. A total of 195 nursing students completed the self-report questionnaire. This study used standardized instruments, including the self-reflection scale, emotional self-disclosure, and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a t-test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and hierarchical regression analysis using the SPSS/WIN 25.0 program. The factors influencing PTG included self-reflection (β = 0.36; p < 0.001), emotional self-disclosure (β = 0.24; p < 0.001), grade (β = -0.18; p = 0.008), and religion (β = -0.15; p = 0.013). The explanatory power of these four factors was 31.4%, and self-reflection was found to have the greatest influence on PTG. The results indicated the need for self-reflection and emotional self-disclosure promotion programs to improve PTG, especially for senior and non-religious students.

A New Factor "Otherism" Added to the Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motives for Activities Scale (HEMA) in Chinese Culture

Due to different understandings of happiness, people adopt different tendencies to act, which is called orientation to happiness (OTH). Our previous study found that OTH had two core themes, Self-focused and Other-focused in Chinese culture, which was different from OTH structures in Western culture. However, no corresponding measurement tool has been developed or revised. The Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motives for Activities Scale (HEMA) was the most commonly used measurement tool of OTH in recent years. The present study aimed to develop a Chinese version of the HEMA. A total of 1729 Chinese adults participated in this study. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to examine the underlying structure of the Chinese version of the HEMA. The results supported the 3-factor structure of the translation instrument, and the 15-item scale had good convergent and discriminant validity. The three dimensions were named Hedonism, Eudaimonism, and Otherism. Among them, Otherism is a new dimension, which means "the pursuit of the harmony of the group and achieving happiness by fulfilling their responsibilities in the group". The revised tool was named the Hedonic, Eudaimonic, and Otheristic Motives for Activities Scale-Chinese (HEOMA-C). The results showed that the HEOMA-C has good reliability and validity. Overall, the present study provided an effective tool to assess the OTH in Chinese culture.

Adventure Recreation in Blue Spaces and the Wellbeing of Young Polish Adults

The aim of this study was to assess the wellbeing of 248 young Polish adults between 18 and 26 years old (M = 22.35; SD = 2.20) involved in adventure blue space recreational activities. The adventure water recreational activities were measured by using a questionnaire specially designed for the purpose of this study. This questionnaire consisted of two subscales: adventure recreation associated with water risks and adventure recreation associated with weather risks. In turn, wellbeing was measured using six scales loaded in two factors: hedonic wellbeing and eudaimonic wellbeing. The regression analysis indicated that wellbeing (hedonic and eudaimonic) was positively predicted by adventure recreation associated with water risks. In turn, eudaimonic wellbeing was negatively predicted by adventure recreation associated with weather risks. Additionally, the cluster analysis revealed three distinct clusters of recreationists characterized by diverse results on the scales of adventure recreation dealing with water and weather risks: soft adventurers (low water risks/high weather risks), hard adventurers (high water risks/high water risks) and avoiders (low water risks/low weather risks). The hard adventurers had significantly higher means on hedonic wellbeing than that of the soft adventurers and the avoiders. Surprisingly, the soft adventurers had a significantly lower mean on eudaimonic wellbeing than that of the group of hard adventurers and the group avoiding risky activity in an aquatic environment.

Crosstalk in Facial EMG and Its Reduction Using ICA

There is ample evidence that electromyography (EMG) signals from the corrugator supercilii and zygomatic major muscles can provide valuable information for the assessment of subjective emotional experiences. Although previous research suggested that facial EMG data could be affected by crosstalk from adjacent facial muscles, it remains unproven whether such crosstalk occurs and, if so, how it can be reduced. To investigate this, we instructed participants (n = 29) to perform the facial actions of frowning, smiling, chewing, and speaking, in isolation and combination. During these actions, we measured facial EMG signals from the corrugator supercilii, zygomatic major, masseter, and suprahyoid muscles. We performed an independent component analysis (ICA) of the EMG data and removed crosstalk components. Speaking and chewing induced EMG activity in the masseter and suprahyoid muscles, as well as the zygomatic major muscle. The ICA-reconstructed EMG signals reduced the effects of speaking and chewing on zygomatic major activity, compared with the original signals. These data suggest that: (1) mouth actions could induce crosstalk in zygomatic major EMG signals, and (2) ICA can reduce the effects of such crosstalk.

Associations between mental wellbeing and fMRI neural bases underlying responses to positive emotion in a twin sample

BACKGROUND

Although mental wellbeing has been linked with positive health outcomes, including longevity and improved emotional and cognitive functioning, studies examining the underlying neural mechanisms of both subjective and psychological wellbeing have been sparse. We assessed whether both forms of wellbeing are associated with neural activity engaged during positive and negative emotion processing and the extent to which this association is driven by genetics or environment.

METHODS

We assessed mental wellbeing in 230 healthy adult monozygotic and dizygotic twins using a previously validated questionnaire (COMPAS-W) and undertook functional magnetic resonance imaging during a facial emotion viewing task. We used linear mixed models to analyse the association between COMPAS-W scores and emotion-elicited neural activation. Univariate twin modelling was used to evaluate heritability of each brain region. Multivariate twin modelling was used to compare twin pairs to assess the contributions of genetic and environmental factors to this association.

RESULTS

Higher levels of wellbeing were associated with greater neural activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, localised in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), in response to positive emotional expressions of happiness. Univariate twin modelling showed activity in the IFG to have 20% heritability. Multivariate twin modelling suggested that the association between wellbeing and positive emotion-elicited neural activity was driven by common variance from unique environment (r = 0.208) rather than shared genetics.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher mental wellbeing may have a basis in greater engagement of prefrontal neural regions in response to positive emotion, and this association may be modifiable by unique life experiences.

Emotional Well-Being: What It Is and Why It Matters

Psychological aspects of well-being are increasingly recognized and studied as fundamental components of healthy human functioning. However, this body of work is fragmented, with many different conceptualizations and terms being used (e.g., subjective well-being, psychological well-being). We describe the development of a provisional conceptualization of this form of well-being, here termed emotional well-being (EWB), leveraging prior conceptual and theoretical approaches. Our developmental process included review of related concepts and definitions from multiple disciplines, engagement with subject matter experts, consideration of essential properties across definitions, and concept mapping. Our conceptualization provides insight into key strengths and gaps in existing perspectives on this form of well-being, setting a foundation for evaluating assessment approaches, enhancing our understanding of the causes and consequences of EWB, and, ultimately, developing effective intervention strategies that promote EWB. We argue that this foundation is essential for developing a more cohesive and informative body of work on EWB.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42761-022-00163-0.

Rational Egoism Virtue-Based Ethical Beliefs and Subjective Happiness: An Empirical Investigation

The fields of positive psychology, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and goal-setting have all demonstrated that individuals can modify their beliefs, attitudes, intentions, and behaviors to improve their subjective happiness. But which ethical beliefs affect happiness positively? In comparison to ethical belief systems such as deontology, consequentialism, and altruism, rational egoism appears to be alone in suggesting that an individual's long-term self-interest and subjective happiness is possible, desirable, and moral. Albeit an important theoretical foundation of the rational egoism philosophy, the relationship between rational egoism and subjective happiness has yet to be investigated empirically. Using (Overall and Gedeon, Business and Professional Ethics. 38:43-78, 2018) 24-item rational egoism scale, we test this relationship on a random sample of 534 full-time American workers using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Consistent with rational egoism theory, the main contribution to knowledge of this research is finding a statistically significant relationship between rational egoism and subjective happiness. Implications for practice and areas for future study are suggested.

Validation of online mindfulness-enhanced course for stress reduction in teachers

Background

Mindfulness-based interventions have gained popularity as a means of reducing stress and increasing resilience among the preclinical population. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of an online mindfulness-enhanced course on stress reduction in teachers, especially since online learning and teaching have been frequently applied to respond to emergencies such as COVID-19-relevant school suspension.

Methods

The study consisted of two phases. Phase 1 aimed to explore the relationship between teachers' perceived stress and mindfulness traits. In total of 6,252 teachers completed assessments of stress symptoms using the Chinese Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS) and occupational stress sources, as well as mindfulness using the Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). Phase 2 aimed to examine the effectiveness of the online mindfulness-enhanced course. In total of 132 teachers were randomly assigned to either receive a 3-week online mindfulness course specifically designed for stress reduction and emotion regulation (N = 66) or a matched active control group (N = 66) and their pre-training and post-training self-reported states (e.g., perceived stress, mindfulness level, practice time) were measured.

Results

The detection rate of Health Risk Stress (≥26 scores) was as high as 61.72%, and a negative association between the score of FFMQ and perceived stress level was found. Importantly, compared to the control group, the mindfulness training group showed a significant decrease in perceived stress and negative emotion, as well as an increase in understanding of the core mechanisms of mindfulness after training. Additionally, individual improvement in FFMQ scores was predicted by practice time.

Conclusions

The study showed a high percentage of teachers experiencing stress, and the data supported the reliability and validity of the brief online mindfulness-enhanced course designed to reduce stress and regulate emotion for frontline teachers.

Self-regulation and Tolerance for Uncertainty as Resources for the Subjective Well-being of Modern Youth: A Cross-cultural Aspect

The study of the socio-cultural specifics of subjective well-being, its determinants and resources are an important task of modern psychology. The authors present the results of an empirical study, the purpose of which is to identify the features of the relationship between conscious self-regulation and tolerance for uncertainty and subjective well-being in young people of different ethnic groups. The study involved 1435 respondents aged 18-35 from five regions of Russia (Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, Republic of North Ossetia - Alania, Stavropol Territory, Moscow and the Moscow Region), belonging to the dominant ethnic groups in them. The design of the empirical study included an assessment of differences in indicators of subjective well-being, tolerance or intolerance for uncertainty and conscious self-regulation among various representatives of ethnocultural groups, as well as an analysis of the relationship between these indicators, in particular, using structural modeling. The results obtained confirm the influence of the cultural context of income on the level of subjective well-being. Less prosperous, as they consider themselves, are young people from ethnic groups where the socio-economic situation of the region does not provide opportunities for self-realization of the individual. The study has revealed two types of regulatory profiles: (1) a profile with a harmonious structure with a relatively pronounced general level of self-regulation, which is observed among the Russian respondents from Moscow and the Moscow region; and (2) a relatively accentuated profile, characteristic of Karachays, Circassians, Ossetians, and Russians (from the Stavropol Territory), expressed in the desire for a clear programming of their actions, their compliance with certain norms. It has been established that young people from the southern republics are less tolerant of uncertainty: they tend to solve problems in a situation of uncertainty in a ‘ready-made’ algorithm determined by traditions. Finally, the authors reveal the structure of relationships between the predictors of subjective well-being, which are presented in the form of models. The central place in these models belongs to conscious self-regulation and its basic cognitive-regulatory processes and personal-regulatory properties, which, both directly and indirectly, due to the mediator role of tolerance or intolerance for uncertainty, affect the subjective well-being of young people. The results of the study contribute to a deeper understanding of the ethno-regional specificity of the predictors of the subjective well-being of today’s youth and can serve as a basis for assisting in constructing interaction with representatives of other cultures and developing strategies for actively overcoming difficulties in a situation of uncertainty.

Art-of-living at work: interventions to reduce stress and increase well-being

Purpose

Due to the increasing burden of stress in the workplace, it is necessary to develop interventions to prevent long-term overload. The present study is based on the concept of art-of-living, which promotes a more reflective and conscious approach to life. In study 1, an online training designed to increase well-being was administered. Study 2 investigated the impact of an art-of-living training in a workplace environment.

Design/methodology/approach

Study 1 employed a two-factorial design, crossing time of testing (pre-test, post-test and follow-up-test) with group (three experimental groups; one control group); 67 participants received art-of-living training on their individual weaknesses and/or strengths or alternative control training. Study 2 used repeated measures and a waiting-list control group; 20 employees of a pharmaceutical company took part in the two-day intervention with a two-week learning phase in between.

Findings

The results of Study 1 indicated that even brief online art-of-living interventions can be effective. Significant differences between pre-, post- and follow-up-tests were observed in art-of-living and well-being scores among participants who had undergone training in art-of-living components identified as representing their strengths or a combination of their strengths and their weaknesses. The results of Study 2 also indicated positive outcomes in the experimental group, with significant increases between pre- and post-test in art-of-living, flourishing, positive affect and occupational self-efficacy, and significant decreases in negative affect.

Originality/value

The results demonstrate that art-of-living training can be used to increase art-of-living, well-being and occupational self-efficacy. Therefore, this type of intervention should attract further attention in future studies especially in the context of the workplace.

Problematic Internet use in Adults: The Role of Happiness, Psychological Resilience, Dispositional Hope, and Self-control and Self-management

There is increasing literature examining the use of problematic internet in the context of psychological factors. Most of these studies are focused on the young population. On the other hand, the prolongation of human life and the increasing rate of adult individuals in society's population cannot be ignored. It is seen that the number of research examining the use of problematic internet in the context of psychological factors is quite limited. In this current study, the problematic internet usage of primary and secondary school students' parents was examined in happiness, psychological resilience, dispositional hope, self-control and self-management. The research was conducted on 1123 parents. Path analysis was performed to discover the relations between the structures. As a result of the path analysis, it was determined that there is a significant negative relationship between problematic internet use and happiness, problematic internet use and psychological resilience, problematic internet use, and dispositional hope. According to these findings, adults' high happiness levels, psychological resilience, and hope levels will reduce their problematic internet use. It has been determined that there is a significant indirect relationship between self-control and self-management and problematic internet use. Happiness, psychological resilience, and dispositional hope mediating role in this relationship. Increasing parents' happiness levels, developing psychological resilience, increasing dispositional hope levels, and developing self-control and self-management skills will reduce problematic internet use. In line with the findings, what can be done to reduce the use of problematic internet has been discussed.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10942-022-00482-y.

Concept of Happiness in Children and Older Adults

Happiness, like health, is an integral component of a full-quality life. Despite the enormous academic interest to this concept, its definition and age-related specifics still remain unclear. This empirical research focused on the way happiness is interpreted by children and senior citizens. The initial hypothesis was that these age groups share at least some similarities in their understanding of happiness. The study involved children aged 7–10 (N=120; M=8.31; SD=1.09) and senior citizens aged 60–90 (N=82; M=70.43; SD=7.77). The obtained data were processed using Fischer’s criterion. Health, family, relationships, and well-being were registered in both age groups, which confirmed the initial hypothesis. However, elderly participants were more likely to interpret happiness as well-being. They associated it with life satisfaction in health, love and belonging, family well-being, income, supportive relationships, etc. Not a single respondent in this group linked happiness with positive emotions, rest, leisure, or recreational activity. Children, on the other hand, perceived happiness as a kind of pleasure associated with joy, fun, friends, recreation, and gifts. 

Virtuous leadership, moral behavior, happiness and organizational citizenship: the mediating effect of virtues-centered moral identity

Purpose

Guided by the importance ascribed to the self-cultivation of virtue, the authors examined virtues-centered moral identity (VCMI) as a mediator of the positive relationship between virtuous leadership and several valued personal and organizational outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Hypotheses were tested using data from 131 leader–subordinate dyads based in the USA and Canada, using the SPSS Statistics Software 27.0 PROCESS Macro v 3.5.

Findings

Leaders’ VCMI mediates the positive effects of virtuous leadership (subordinate-rated) on leaders’ moral behavior (subordinate-rated) and their self-rated happiness. Followers’ VCMI mediates the positive effects of virtuous leadership on organizational citizenship (as judged by leaders) and self-rated happiness of followers. Followers’ VCMI did not mediate between virtuous leadership and followers’ moral behavior.

Research limitations/implications

Although participants of this study were from a variety of industries, the sample was based in the USA and Canada; hence, any culture-specific leader behaviors and processes were likely missed. Moreover, some of the relationships examined involved data from the same source such that these associations may have been artificially inflated by common method variance. Even so, in each case, the sources we used (leader and follower) were appropriate to the research question. Nonetheless, for example, to collect Virtuous Leadership Questionnaire (VLQ)-based assessments from other stakeholders (e.g. peers and customers) remains of interest.

Practical implications

A practiced strong sense of VCMI has the potential to short-circuit unethical behavior and contribute to happiness among both subordinates and leaders. VCMI is implicated in the fostering of subordinates’ organizational citizenship as well.

Social implications

The authors' findings imply that leaders and followers can acquire knowledge structures associated with moral virtues and virtuous acts through formal and informal learning, suggesting an affirmative answer to the question, “Are virtuous acts teachable? This is an important starting point in developing theoretically sound programs for promoting virtuous acts as called for by many scholars and practitioners. The authors' study highlights the importance of virtues-related education because VCMI is likely developed through formal learning.

Originality/value

The authors' VCMI mediation-based findings offer a completely new explanation for the positive functioning of virtuous leadership, which formerly had been grounded in attribution and social learning processes only.

Exploration of Emotion Dynamics Sensing Using Trapezius EMG and Fingertip Temperature

Exploration of the physiological signals associated with subjective emotional dynamics has practical significance. Previous studies have reported that the dynamics of subjective emotional valence and arousal can be assessed using facial electromyography (EMG) and electrodermal activity (EDA), respectively. However, it remains unknown whether other methods can assess emotion dynamics. To investigate this, EMG of the trapezius muscle and fingertip temperature were tested. These measures, as well as facial EMG of the corrugator supercilii and zygomatic major muscles, EDA (skin conductance level) of the palm, and continuous ratings of subjective emotional valence and arousal, were recorded while participants (n = 30) viewed emotional film clips. Intra-individual subjective-physiological associations were assessed using correlation analysis and linear and polynomial regression models. Valence ratings were linearly associated with corrugator and zygomatic EMG; however, trapezius EMG was not related, linearly or curvilinearly. Arousal ratings were linearly associated with EDA and fingertip temperature but were not linearly or curvilinearly related with trapezius EMG. These data suggest that fingertip temperature can be used to assess the dynamics of subjective emotional arousal.

A multimodal study regarding neural correlates of the subjective well-being in healthy individuals

Although happiness or subjective well-being (SWB) has drawn much attention from researchers, the precise neural structural correlates of SWB are generally unknown. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the associations between gray matter (GM) volumes, white matter (WM) microstructures, and SWB in healthy individuals, mainly young adults using multimodal T1 and diffusion tensor imaging studies. We enrolled 70 healthy individuals using magnetic resonance imaging. We measured their SWB using the Concise Measure of Subjective Well-Being. Voxel-wise statistical analysis of GM volumes was performed using voxel-based morphometry, while fractional anisotropy (FA) values were analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics. In healthy individuals, higher levels of SWB were significantly correlated with increased GM volumes of the anterior insula and decreased FA values in clusters of the body of the corpus callosum, precuneus WM, and fornix cres/stria terminalis. A correlational analysis revealed that GM volumes and FA values in these significant regions were significantly correlated with severity of psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and quality of life. Our findings indicate that GM volumes and WM microstructures in these regions may contribute to SWB, and could be the neural basis for psychological symptom severity as well as quality of life in healthy individuals.

Does Spirituality Influence Happiness and Academic Performance?

One of the key issues of the learning experience is students’ performance during the course, as this is pointed to as one of the main indicators for boosting competences’ development and skills’ improvement. This study explores the roles of spirituality, forgiveness, and gratitude on students’ academic performance, proposing a model of analysis revealing a first-order moderation effect of spirituality in the mediation effect of happiness, on the relation between gratitude and forgiveness with students’ academic performance. Two hundred twenty management students from various Indian universities voluntarily participated in the study. To avoid common method-bias issues, data concerning the study variables were obtained in two distinct moments. To test for the moderated-mediation model of analysis, we have followed the PROCESS analytical procedure. Results showed that forgiveness and gratitude were positively and significantly related to happiness and academic performance. It was also possible to see that spirituality moderates the relationship between forgiveness for self and student happiness. Finally, the moderated-mediating impact of spirituality and happiness on the relationship between gratitude and academic performance was also supported. The present study has taken the lead from positive psychology to assess the students’ character strengths related to their well-being and success. It proposes an innovative model of analysis, supported by theoretical reasoning, pointing to the existence of a moderated-mediation relation predicting students’ academic performance.

Does Gratitude Ensure Workplace Happiness Among University Teachers? Examining the Role of Social and Psychological Capital and Spiritual Climate

The study examines the necessity and sufficiency of gratitude for supporting workplace happiness among Indian university teachers. It also explores the mediating effect of psychological capital and social capital in the relationship between gratitude and workplace happiness. The moderating effect of spiritual climate is investigated. A survey of 726 university staff in India was undertaken to examine the relationship between gratitude and workplace happiness. A series of statistical tests involving correlation, multiple regression, and necessary condition analysis was undertaken from the data set. The mediation effect of psychological capital and social capital was investigated using bootstrapping estimates using PROCESS Macro in SPSS. Also, the moderation effect of spiritual climate was explored using PROCESS Macro in SPSS. The results reveal that gratitude is both a sufficient and necessary condition for workplace happiness. It also suggests a significant mediating effect of psychological capital and social capital. Also, a significant effect of spiritual climate amid the relationship between gratitude and workplace happiness is concluded. The study is one of the first studies that explore the relationship between gratitude and workplace happiness. It examines the mechanism through which gratitude influences happiness in the workplace.

An examination of the moderating role of growth mindset in the relation between social stress and externalizing behaviors among adolescents

INTRODUCTION

Experiencing elevated stress increases the risk of further difficulties in mental health, including externalizing behaviors in adolescents. There is a need for understanding the factors that help adolescents mitigate social stress to prevent problematic externalizing behaviors. Growth mindset has been found to be a promising protective factor in adolescent development including mental health. This study aimed to examine the potential buffering role of growth mindset of thoughts-emotion-and-behaviors in the context of two types of social stress (i.e., family and peer) to reduce externalizing behaviors among adolescents.

METHODS

The sample is composed of 399 adolescents (age range 14-18 years, M = 16.22, SD = 1.21; 56.4% female, 42.3% male, 1.3% gender-nonconforming or variant) from a large, urban, diverse high school in the United States. Adolescent self-reports were administered at one time.

RESULTS

Moderation analyses revealed that growth mindset of thoughts, emotion, and behaviors moderate the association between family stress and externalizing behaviors. The magnitude of this association weakened as the level of growth mindset increased, supporting the buffering effect of the moderator. Neither the moderation effect of growth mindset nor the main effects of peer stress and growth mindset were significant in predicting externalizing behaviors.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, the findings suggested that growth mindset has protective effects in reducing externalizing behaviors when adolescents experience family stress. Future directions and implications are discussed.

Self-Consistency Congruence and Smartphone Addiction in Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Subjective Well-Being and the Moderating Role of Gender

Adolescent smartphone addiction has increasingly attracted the attention of scholars because of the widespread use of internet technology in educational environments. In addition, previous studies have found that there is a complex relationship between smartphone addiction and self-consistency congruence, and subjective well-being. This research was conducted to examine whether subjective well-being would mediate the relation between self-consistency congruence and adolescent smartphone addiction, and whether gender would moderate the mediating process. A total of 1,011 Chinese adolescents completed self-report questionnaires measuring self-consistency congruence, subjective well-being, and smartphone addiction. Self-consistency congruence was shown to be a significant predictor of smartphone addiction. Furthermore, subjective well-being partially mediated the association between self-consistency congruence and adolescent smartphone addiction. Gender could moderate the mediating process; as compared with boys, girls’ self-consistency congruence and subjective well-being are more easily mediated. We envision the findings as being helpful in guiding scholars who are developing interventions to minimize smartphone addiction and its disrupting effects in adolescents.

Prosocialness and Happiness in Chilean Student Teachers

The aim of the study was to evaluate the relation between prosocialness and happiness in a sample of student teachers (N=224, age=21.42). Adapted versions of a prosocialness scale and another on happiness were used. A structural equations model was estimated that presented a suitable fit (CFI=0.951; TLI=0.944 and RMSEA=0.065). The results yielded a positive relation between prosocialness and happiness. Its implications for initial teacher training are discussed.

A Summary of Current Findings on Quality of Life Domains and a Proposal for Their Inclusion in Clinical Interventions

Whilst the assessment of quality of life (QoL) and well-being has burgeoned in the past 50 years, there still remains relatively little research into its treatment in psychology, in spite of the launching of such approaches as positive psychology to widen the ambit of interventions to promote well-being. We posit that there are a number of outstanding QoL areas that could be integrated into standard therapeutic procedures, and that this would this result in an increase in well-being as a therapeutic outcome. To investigate this an exploratory search of the literature was undertaken of associations between improvements in a life domain and increased well-being or QoL. Ten domains (relationships, work, money, health, and leisure, mindfulness, self-esteem, resolution of past life events, mental style and life management skills) were identified. In view of the substantial evidence of the cumulative impact of these domains upon well-being, it is proposed that conducting a unidimensional clinical intervention that focuses only on the presenting issue is not sufficient. Implications and possible therapeutic pathways are discussed and it is recommended that practitioners include such QoL domains in their assessment, case formulation, and intervention planning.

The relationship between career adaptability, hope, resilience, and life satisfaction for hospitality students in times of Covid-19

This study investigates the antecedents and effects of hospitality students' coping mechanisms during the COVID-19 pandemic. The relationship between career adaptability, hope, resilience, and life satisfaction are explored to unveil students' adaptability during times of crisis. The findings confirmed that hope is an important driver of resilience and life satisfaction. Despite all the negativity and uncertainty about jobs and careers during the COVID-19 pandemic, resilience has a double acting effect on the students' life satisfaction via individual and community resilience. Critical implications for academic institutions and the hospitality industry are presented. As the industry recovers from the pandemic and moves toward normality, the potential impact of career adaptability, hope, resilience, and life satisfaction on future job pursuit and career magnetism towards particular industry or organizations should be considered.

Executive Functioning and the Pursuit of Happiness

Executive functioning and happiness are each associated with successful learning and other desirable individual and societal outcomes; however, it is unclear whether a relation exists between them. Executive regulation of happiness pursuits in daily life, operationalized as hedonic (e.g., pursuing pleasure) and eudaimonic (e.g., pursuing personal growth) motives for action, may be a way the constructs relate to each other. In this initial investigation, we aimed to explore whether objectively measured executive functioning skills relate to happiness motives. A sample of 119 college students completed six objective neuropsychological measures of executive functioning and self-reported levels of hedonic and eudaimonic motives for action in daily life. Correlation and regression analyses examined the relations among temporal discounting and two latent executive functioning factors (inhibitory control and working memory) with hedonic and eudaimonic motives, as well as their interaction. Results suggested a possible association between higher levels of eudaimonic motives and preference for higher delayed rewards, as well as poorer working memory. Further analyses suggested that endorsing high levels of eudaimonic and hedonic motives simultaneously (i.e., the "full life") was associated with poorer inhibitory control and working memory performance, whereas endorsing low levels of both simultaneously (i.e., the "empty life") was associated with a preference for more immediate monetary rewards. Findings are discussed in the context of goal conflict and risk assessment among individuals who endorse the "full life". Overall, these findings suggest that complex relations may exist between executive functioning and trait-level happiness pursuits, and have implications for possible interventions aimed at enhancing happiness-related motives and cognitive processes to facilitate learning. Given the exploratory nature of the present study, further investigations are necessary.

Satisfaction with job and life and remote work in the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of perceived stress, self-efficacy and self-esteem

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between performing remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic and the level of job and life satisfaction, as well as the assumed, intermediary role of the level of perceived stress and such resources as self-efficacy and self-esteem.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE

The study, implemented with the use of an internet application, included 283 employees. Data were gathered using a job and life satisfaction scale, the Short Scale for Measuring General Self-Efficacy Beliefs, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Perceived Stress Scale PSS-4 and a demographic information form.

RESULTS

The results showed the existence of a relationship between performing remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic and job and life satisfaction, and that the level of perceived stress, self-efficiency and self-esteem plays an intermediary role in this relationship. Remote working is associated with life and job satisfaction, and this relationship is mediated by levels of experienced stress, self-efficacy and self-esteem.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings indicate that remote working is associated with higher levels of job and work satisfaction. This relationship is mediated by levels of perceived stress, self-efficacy and self-esteem.

Happiness: A Novel Outcome in Parkinson Studies?

In this viewpoint, we draw attention to using happiness in clinical studies as an interesting outcome that is highly relevant to patients with Parkinson’s disease. Quality of life (QoL) is thus far commonly used as main outcome in clinical trials. Happiness is a part of QoL, but also represents a construct on its own. While QoL mainly consists of quality perceptions of different extrinsic aspects of life, such as the environment or performance, happiness entails the intrinsic quality of the subjective enjoyment of life. Around 70% of people rate happiness as the most important thing in life. Happiness can be a difficult construct to measure, but we argue that self-compassion and well-being could serve as reliable indicators for happiness. We expect that happiness as outcome could probe the true value of an intervention for a patient, well beyond what is captured by more traditional outcomes such as motor scores or the general concept of QoL, which better reflect external factors. Because of the apparent importance of happiness to many people, we recommend that this concept is used more widely as outcome measure in future clinical trials.

Caught by Connections: The Mediating Roles of Social and Community Support after Interpersonal Violence

The purpose of the present study was to examine the potential mediating roles of different sources of social support and sense of community on the relationship between interpersonal violence and mental health outcomes, negative posttraumatic cognitions, and posttraumatic growth. Participants (n = 459) completed an online survey. Interpersonal violence had a significant, direct effect on all posttraumatic outcomes. Support from significant others mediated the relationship between interpersonal violence and posttraumatic stress. Both support from family and a negative sense of community mediated the relationship between interpersonal violence and posttraumatic cognitions, while social support from friends and family and a positive sense of community mediated the relationship between interpersonal violence and posttraumatic growth. The results suggest that posttraumatic distress and growth may be impacted by different connection sources.

Experience of Peer Bloggers Using a Social Media Website for Adolescents With Depression or Anxiety: Proof-of-Concept Study

Background

Supporting Our Valued Adolescents (SOVA) is a moderated and anonymous social media website intervention. SOVA ambassadors are adolescents and young adults (AYA) asked to write monthly blog posts and comments on others’ posts on topics surrounding mental health.

Objective

This study aims to understand the feasibility and acceptability of peer blogging for a moderated mental health intervention website and explore whether bloggers—AYA who self-report symptoms of depression and anxiety—experience potential benefits.

Methods

AYA aged 14 to 26 years with a self-reported history of depression or anxiety were recruited to the SOVA Peer Ambassador Program. Participants were asked to write one blog post a month and comment at least four times a month on other blog posts, for which they were compensated for up to US $15 monthly. Outcome variables measured at baseline and 3 months after intervention included website usability and feasibility, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, mental health treatment history, cybercoping, personal blogging style, self-esteem, loneliness, mental health stigma, social support, and positive youth development characteristics. Open-ended questions were asked about their blogging acceptability and usability.

Results

Of 66 AYA showing interest and completing onboarding, 71% (47/66) wrote at least one blog post, with an average of 3 posts per person. A sample of 51% (34/66) of participants completed a 3-month survey for the full analysis. Almost all 34 participants were satisfied with the experience of blogging (32/34, 94%) and rated the website usability as good (80.1, SD 14.9). At 3 months, self-esteem scores increased by 2.1, with a small-medium effect size (P=.01; Cohen d=0.45), and youth competence and confidence increased by 0.7 (P=.002) and 1.3 (P=.002), with medium effect sizes (Cohen d=0.62 and 0.60), respectively.

Conclusions

A blogging intervention for AYA with a history of depression or anxiety was feasible with regular and active engagement and shows evidence in a one-sample design for positive changes in strength-based assets—self-esteem, competence, and confidence—which map onto resilience.

Dealing With the Pandemic of COVID-19 in Portugal: On the Important Role of Positivity, Experiential Avoidance, and Coping Strategies

The global COVID-19 pandemic crisis has caused an unprecedented impact on most areas of people's lives. Thus, framed within the scope of Existential Positive Psychology (PP2.0), this study aimed at assessing the psychological distress of adults living in Portugal during the first national lockdown, how they are coping with stress, as well to contribute to a deeper understanding about the role that positivity, experiential avoidance, and coping strategies have in psychological distress and well-being. For this purpose, 586 Portuguese adults (73% females) ranging between 18 and 78 years old (M = 38.96, SD = 12.20) completed an online survey during the initial phase of the pandemic crisis in Portugal. Findings suggest that experiential avoidance was the strongest predictor of a negative response (depression, anxiety, stress, loneliness, and negative emotions), whereas positivity was a better predictor of psychological well-being and lower levels of depression. Additionally, self-blame, behavioral disengagement, and emotional venting were strong risk factors for psychological distress, whereas positive reframing, planning, and acceptance were associated with more positive outcomes. These findings highlight the critical role of experiential avoidance on individuals' psychological distress and the essential contribution of positive life orientation in promoting flourishing. By offering a better understanding of the complex navigation through the dialectics between positive and negative life features, this study provides important and useful cues for psychological interventions directed at promoting a more positive and adaptive human functioning even through such potential adverse and painful life events.

Pending Issues on Professionals’ Well-Being: The Living and Working Together in Organization Perspective

Evolving research has increasingly recognized the crucial role of workers’ well-being in contributing to organizational effectiveness and survival, also studying the different factors that can influence it. This paper explores how the construct of living and working together in organizations (LWTO) can face two current organizational challenges in terms of well-being: 1. keeping a balance between performance and organizational quality of life; 2. managing the relationship with others’ differences. Thus, LTWO is understood as the possibility (or absence) of a good exchange between workers (identity and otherness), related to a clear and shared work purpose within a specific organizational culture of difference that allows diversity of expression through generative conflict. We tested our model using the exploratory structural equation modeling methodology with EQS-6.3. Our results show how well-being is in fact influenced by LWTO and highlights in particular the central role played by work purpose.

Religiosity as a predictor of mental health in Egyptian teenagers in preparatory and secondary school

BACKGROUND

There have been few studies of religiosity in adolescents and even fewer in Muslim cultures.

AIMS

The present study investigated the associations of religiosity with subjective well-being (WB, and mental and physical health) using samples of Egyptian children and adolescents.

METHOD

Samples of Egyptian preparatory school children and secondary school children were administered questions concerning religiosity, mental and physical health and satisfaction with life.

RESULTS

In study 1, boys obtained significantly higher mean scores than girls did on the self-rating scales of religiosity, mental health, physical health and satisfaction with life. In study 2, boys obtained significantly higher mean scores on the Arabic Scale of Mental Health and the self-rating scales of physical health and happiness. All the Pearson correlation coefficients between religiosity, WB and health were significant and positive in both studies. Predictors of mental health differed for boys and girls, but religiosity played a significant role in the prediction of mental health for the younger boys and for the older girls.

CONCLUSION

Religion plays an important role in the lives of the present two samples of Egyptian adolescents.

Do diversity perspectives affect happiness at work? A study of teachers in Turkey

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between teachers' perceptions on diversity perspectives in schools and their happiness at work (HAW) levels.

Design/methodology/approach

A correlational survey model was used in the study, and the stratified sample consisted of 768 teachers in public high schools in a province in the west of Turkey.

Findings

The result of hierarchical regression analysis showed that integration-and-learning, colour blindness and fairness diversity perspectives significantly predicted HAW. However, reinforcing homogeneity and access perspectives did not predict HAW. While positive affect, one of the dimensions of HAW, was predicted by integration-and-learning, colour blindness and fairness perspectives, negative affect was predicted by integration-and-learning and colour blindness perspectives. Moreover, fulfilment, the other dimension of HAW, was predicted by integration-and-learning and fairness perspectives.

Originality/value

School administrators can use the findings to increase teacher happiness at schools, developing proactive diversity management perspectives.

Emotional valence sensing using a wearable facial EMG device

Emotion sensing using physiological signals in real-life situations can be practically valuable. Previous studies have developed wearable devices that record autonomic nervous system activity, which reflects emotional arousal. However, no study determined whether emotional valence can be assessed using wearable devices. To this end, we developed a wearable device to record facial electromyography (EMG) from the corrugator supercilii (CS) and zygomatic major (ZM) muscles. To validate the device, in Experiment 1, we used a traditional wired device and our wearable device, to record participants’ facial EMG while they were viewing emotional films. Participants viewed the films again and continuously rated their recalled subjective valence during the first viewing. The facial EMG signals recorded using both wired and wearable devices showed that CS and ZM activities were, respectively, negatively and positively correlated with continuous valence ratings. In Experiment 2, we used the wearable device to record participants’ facial EMG while they were playing Wii Bowling games and assessed their cued-recall continuous valence ratings. CS and ZM activities were correlated negatively and positively, respectively, with continuous valence ratings. These data suggest the possibility that facial EMG signals recorded by a wearable device can be used to assess subjective emotional valence in future naturalistic studies.

Extroversion and Subjective Well-Being Among Korean University Students: The Moderating Role of Attachment

The purpose of this study was to test the moderating effects of adult attachment in the association between extroversion and subjective well-being in Korea. A total of 334 students recruited from four universities in Korea completed self-reported questionnaires regarding extroversion, attachment, and subjective well-being. The results showed that the innate extroverted orientation of university students affected positive emotions only when the level of attachment avoidance was low. In contrast, although university students had an extroverted orientation, their extroversion did not have a significant influence on positive emotions when their level of attachment avoidance was high. The findings of this study suggest that high levels of attachment avoidance may prevent for extroverts from experiencing positive emotions.