Translation, Validation, and Cultural Adaptation of CLEFT-Q© for use in Indonesia

OBJECTIVE

To translate and validate CLEFT-Q©, patient-reported outcome measure for patients with cleft lip and/or palate (CL and/or P), into Indonesian. CLEFT-Q© covers the domains of appearance, facial function, health-related quality of life and consists of scales describing outcomes after cleft surgery.

DESIGN

The CLEFT-Q© instrument was translated according to the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research guidelines, including translation, cognitive debriefing, and field-testing.

SETTING

Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Indonesia; independent CL and/or P support groups.

PATIENTS

Patients ages 8-29 with a history of repaired CL and/or P were grouped based on age. Those unable to complete the questionnaire independently were excluded.

INTERVENTIONS

The primary objective was reliable translation of the CLEFT-Q® instrument. Each scale was assessed for its internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and validity (inter-item correlation), and sub-group analyses were performed based on age group.

RESULTS

Forward and back translation revealed 25(13.3%) and 12(6.3%) of items were difficult to translate. Cognitive debriefing revealed 10(5.3%) items were difficult to understand, with the lowest reliability on the facial appearance scale (α=0.27). Other scales demonstrated acceptable to excellent reliability (α=0.53-0.68). Field testing revealed acceptable reliability and validity of the translation (α = 0.74-0.92; 69% ideal range of inter-item correlation). Sub-group analyses revealed patients in the <11y.o. and >18y.o. groups had the lowest scores on the "cleft lip scar" scale while those 11-18y.o. had the lowest scores on the "nostrils" scale.

CONCLUSION

Iterative translation and cultural adaptation of CLEFT-Q© into Indonesian demonstrated reliability and validity of the tool, supported by acceptable to excellent internal consistency and ideal inter-item correlation.

Exploring Loneliness among Korean Adults: A Concept Mapping Approach

In South Korea, the proportion of adults experiencing severe loneliness has been increasing rapidly. Accordingly, this study examines the elements of loneliness experienced by Korean adults and investigates their structural relevance using concept mapping. Korean adults (47) were recruited for individual in-depth interviews based on their scores on the UCLA Loneliness Scale. The interviews yielded 80 unique statements, which were then evaluated using multidimensional scaling and a hierarchical cluster analysis. A cluster map of loneliness was derived, with three clusters: (1) emotional distress due to the actual or anticipated absence of connection in relationships, (2) emotional distance from oneself or from others in a relationship, and (3) powerlessness and emptiness due to being directionless. Two dimensions distinguished these clusters: the lack of a sense of connection or self-assurance, and an inward or outward focus. These findings reveal that loneliness encompasses more than unmet relational needs; it also involves self-attentional focus, indicating a need to reconceptualize the notion of loneliness. The study's implications extend to counseling theory and practices by highlighting the importance of addressing both relational connections and self-perceptions in interventions for loneliness. By expanding the understanding of loneliness through empirical data, this research provides a more comprehensive framework for addressing loneliness.

Self-report instruments measuring aspects of self for people living with dementia: A systematic literature review of psychosocial interventions

OBJECTIVE

A positive sense of self may be a key domain of psychological well-being for people living with dementia and therefore a legitimate target for psychosocial interventions in dementia care. Determining the effectiveness of such interventions often requires valid self-report instruments. This review aimed to investigate what aspects of self have been measured using self-report instruments in evaluating psychosocial interventions for people living with dementia and to explore the effectiveness of these interventions in terms of positive outcomes related to aspects of self.

METHOD

A systematic search of the literature using five electronic databases and one register (CENTRAL) was conducted. A narrative synthesis and methodological quality assessment was completed for the included studies.

RESULTS

A total of 24 studies were included in the review. Seven aspects of self were measured using a range of self-report instruments, many of which have not been validated for dementia. Aspects of self were; self-esteem, self-efficacy, self-compassion, self-growth, self-acceptance, self-management, and self-identity. Studies included a variety of interventions; however, the effectiveness of these interventions for these aspects of self was mixed.

CONCLUSION

There is some evidence that psychosocial interventions improve specific aspects of self in dementia but further research to improve this evidence base is needed. Future research should also investigate and confirm the validity and reliability of existing self-report instruments that aim to measure aspects of self in dementia. Limitations and implications of the review are discussed.

Eating disorders and social media use among college students in Japan and China: a brief cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

In recent years, new forms of media-social networking services (SNS)-such as Facebook and Sina Weibo have spread rapidly. Greater SNS use has been associated with greater body dissatisfaction, which in turn, is related to greater eating disorder (ED) symptom severity. In this study, we (1) investigated the relationships between ED tendencies, SNS use intensity, and body esteem and (2) examined the mediating role of body esteem in the relationship between SNS use intensity and ED tendencies among Japanese and Chinese students.

METHODS

A total of 564 Japanese and Chinese college students aged 18-22 years were surveyed on their age and BMI, including self-filling questions from the Japanese and Chinese versions of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), SNS Intensity Scale, Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults (BESAA), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale.

RESULTS

The proportion of students with a score of ≥ 20 on the EAT-26 was 15.8% (Japanese, 14.7%; Chinese, 17.0%). The number of participants with scores ≥ 20 on the EAT-26 was significantly higher than ever before, both in Japan and China. Chinese students reported greater body esteem than Japanese students, as well as a stronger association of SNS use intensity with body esteem. Among Japanese students, EAT-26 scores were unrelated to SNS Intensity Scale scores but had a weak negative correlation with BESAA scores; therefore, body esteem did not mediate the relationship between SNS use intensity and ED tendencies. Among Chinese students, scores on the SNS Intensity Scale and BESAA had a weak correlation with EAT-26 scores, and SNS use intensity reduced ED tendencies through greater body esteem.

CONCLUSIONS

It is important to consider the way users engage with SNS, in addition to the SNS use intensity. Improving body esteem may reduce the risk of ED. Furthermore, it is necessary to include men in the discussion on ED in the future.

Self-esteem in children and adolescents with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A meta-analytic review

Meta-analytic methods were used to examine global and domain-specific (i.e., academic, social, behavioral) self-esteem in children and adolescents with and without ADHD. Potential moderators of effect size heterogeneity were also examined via meta-regressions within a three-level approach. Findings from 49 aggregated global self-esteem effect sizes (ADHDN = 2500, TDN = 9448), 12 academic self-esteem effect sizes (ADHDN = 386, TDN = 315), 11 social self-esteem effect sizes (ADHDN = 258, TDN = 254), and 8 behavioral self-esteem effect sizes (ADHDN = 231, TDN = 211) suggest that children and adolescents with ADHD experience moderate global (ES = 0.46, p < .001), academic (ES = 0.60, p = .009), and social (ES = 0.67, p = .001) self-esteem impairments compared to children and adolescents without the disorder. The aggregated behavioral self-esteem effect size (ES = 0.20, p = .54), however, was not significant, and the global self-esteem effect size was markedly smaller compared to effect sizes for the academic and social domains. Further, examination of potential moderators of effect size heterogeneity indicated null effects for medication status, diagnostic complexity, informant, age, sex, comorbid psychopathology, and self-esteem dimension. Collectively, findings suggest that children and adolescents with ADHD do not hold a ubiquitous negative self-perception of difficulties across academic, social, and behavioral domains of functioning, and unexamined domains that are distal to ADHD may serve to bolster global self-esteem.

Responsiveness and esteem support

Esteem support refers to verbal and nonverbal aid provided to another individual to enhance how they feel about themselves and their attributes, abilities, and accomplishments. Esteem support is often exchanged in the context of close relationships (e.g., marriage, family, friendship), and may be a behavioral indicator of perceived partner responsiveness. Three theoretical models of esteem support offer guidance regarding associations between esteem support and perceived partner responsiveness: the optimal matching model of social support, the support gap model, and the cognitive-emotional theory of esteem support messages. We argue that effective esteem support is responsive, and that perceived partner responsiveness can foster an environment for exchanging esteem support in interpersonal relationships. These relationships should be examined explicitly in future research.

Self-esteem and its relationship with depression and anxiety in adults with intellectual disabilities: a systematic literature review

BACKGROUND

In the general population, low self-esteem has been linked with poorer mental and physical health. This systematic literature review aimed to summarise and evaluate the findings of studies that examined self-esteem in adults with intellectual disabilities and links with mental health outcomes.

METHOD

A systematic search of PsycINFO, Web of Science and CINAHL was conducted to identify studies published between 1990 and 2021. The studies were appraised using the QualSyst tool.

RESULTS

Twenty-six articles were identified of which two studies were removed from the review due to low quality. Studies reported mixed evidence regarding levels of self-esteem compared with the general population. Engagement in activities appeared to be linked with positive self-esteem, and perception of negative interpersonal life events as having a negative impact was associated with lower self-esteem. There was evidence of co-occurrence of low self-esteem and depression, but no studies examined the relationship between self-esteem and anxiety.

CONCLUSION

Reviewed studies provided mixed evidence on levels of self-esteem in this population, suggesting that factors such as engagement in life were related to higher self-esteem and demonstrating the co-occurrence of low self-esteem and depression. However, clear causal links have yet to be identified, and more research is needed using longitudinal designs to answer questions about trajectory.

Comparison of self-perceived competence of recent dental graduates from the Universities of Otago and Dalhousie

INTRODUCTION

This study investigates and compares the self-perceived competencies of recent dental graduates from the University of Otago (UoO) (Dunedin, New Zealand) and Dalhousie University (DU) (Nova Scotia, Canada).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A validated survey was emailed to recent graduates from the UoO (December 2019) and DU (May 2020). Chi-squared statistical analysis examined the differences between groups.

RESULTS

The response rate was 73% from the UoO class and 75% from the DU class. Out of 59 competencies, 11 items showed a significant difference. Orthodontics and the surgical aspects of dentistry were the main areas where significant differences have been observed between the two cohorts. Out of the four items in orthodontics, a significantly higher proportion of DU graduates felt more competent than graduates from UoO in three items ("performing orthodontic treatment planning," "performing space maintenance/regaining" and "performing orthodontic full-arch alignment"; p < .001). Similarly, graduates from DU felt significantly more competent in three of the eight items in the oral and maxillofacial surgery domain ("managing complications of oral surgery," "performing soft-tissue biopsies" and "managing trauma to the dentofacial complex"; p < .001), all requiring surgical training and skills.

CONCLUSION

Of the differences identified, graduates from DU reported higher levels of self-perceived competence compared with their UoO counterparts, especially in the orthodontics and oral and maxillofacial surgery domains. This could be because DU students have more practice in these specialties during their training. The results suggest that increased exposure for UoO students in these areas may be beneficial to their self-perceived competence.

Discrepancy in ingroup bias among different self-construal individuals: The moderating role of group types

Although ingroup bias is well confirmed in various groups, the extent of the bias is affected by culture. Using a point-assignment task and implicit association task (IAT) paradigm, we conducted research to explore the influence of independent/interdependent self-construal ingroup bias in live and minimal group situations from both explicit and implicit aspects. The results showed that no matter which construal style was used (independent or interdependent self-construal), participants showed ingroup bias in both live and minimal groups. In the minimal group condition, the ingroup bias of individuals with independent self-construal was significantly higher than that of individuals with interdependent self-construal. Conversely, in the live group condition, the ingroup bias of individuals with interdependent self-construal was significantly higher than that of individuals with independent self-construal. This study showed the influence of independent/interdependent self-construal on ingroup bias and group type is a moderating variable. Results indicate that group categorization may play an essential role in ingroup bias of different group types.

The reciprocal relationship between mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics performance in US high school students: Instrumental variables estimates and gender differences

Objective

To investigate the reciprocal relationship between high school students’ academic self-efficacy and achievement in mathematics using US data from the HSLS:2009 and first follow-up longitudinal surveys, while accounting for biases in effect estimates due to unobserved heterogeneity.

Methods

Instrumental Variables (IV) regressions were estimated, to derive causal effect estimates of earlier math self-efficacy on later math achievement and vice versa. Particular attention was paid to testing the validity of instruments used. Models were estimated separately by gender, to uncover gender differences in effects.

Results

Evidence of robust reciprocal effects between self-efficacy and achievement for male students is presented, with the dominant effect from earlier achievement to later self-efficacy. For girls, evidence of such effects is weak. Generally, IV estimates are higher than OLS estimates for males, but not for females. As opposed to earlier correlational studies which did not find significant gender differences despite theoretical expectations for their existence, the findings support higher effects for male students.

Associations of parent-adolescent relationship and self-esteem with emotional and behavioral problems among Chinese adolescents

BACKGROUND

This study aimed at exploring the associations of parent-adolescent relationship and self-esteem with emotional and behavioral problems (EBPs) among Chinese adolescents using a large-scale nationally questionnaire survey data from China.

METHODS

Obtained from China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) 2018, the research data involved 2400 adolescents aged 10-15. Multiple linear regression analysis and the PROCESS macro were used for examining the mediating effect of self-esteem on the associations of parent-adolescent relationship with EBPs.

RESULTS

After controlling the potential confounding factors, parent-adolescent relationship and self-esteem were significantly associated with EBPs (P < 0.01). Correlation analysis results showed that parent-adolescent relationship (r = -0.116, P < 0.01) and self-esteem (r = -0.209, P < 0.01) were negatively correlated with EBPs. Self-esteem partially mediated the associations of parent-adolescent relationship with EBPs among Chinese adolescents.

LIMITATIONS

The cross-sectional design limited the ability to make causal inferences.

CONCLUSIONS

Positive parent-adolescent relationship and high self-esteem contributed to fewer EBPs of adolescents. Parent-adolescent relationship predicted EBPs partially mediated by self-esteem. Establishing positive parent-adolescent relationship and improving individual self-esteem may thus be promising targets for intervention in adolescents with EBPs.

Self-Concept With Cross-Cultural Perspective: 36-72-Month-Old Preschool Children in Turkey and Germany

Children attending preschool education in Turkey and Germany have different cultural environments and education systems. This study aimed at investigating the self-concept of 36-72- month-old preschool children in Turkey, a country with a collectivist culture, and Germany, a country with an individualistic culture. Participants were 433 children (234 female, 199 male) from Turkey and 206 children (102 female, 109 male) from Germany. Three dimensions of self-concept were measured: ability-based, social, and physical. The Self-Concept Questionnaire for Children (Preschool Version) was used for data collection. This process lasted about 5 months. Country (Turkey vs. Germany) and sex (male vs. female) of the child were analyzed as independent variables, and the three dimensions of self-concept (i.e., ability-based, social, and physical) were analyzed as dependent variables. As normality assumption was not met for the subgroups, the Mann-Whitney U test was applied for statistical analysis. Results showed significant differences between children from Turkey and children from Germany in two self-concept dimensions (i.e., ability-based and physical). It was determined that there were no differences between the two countries in social self-concept. It was also determined that there were differences in the ability-based self-concept dimension in 36-72-month-old children depending on gender in Turkey, in favor of male children. On the other hand, it was determined that there were no differences depending on gender in any of the self-concept dimensions in Germany. It was concluded that culture was a factor leading to differentiation in some dimensions of preschool children's self-concept.

Relationship of Self-Esteem With Body Image and Attitudes Toward Motherhood and Pregnancy

The current study aimed to determine the relationship of self-esteem with attitudes toward motherhood and pregnancy and body image in Iranian pregnant women. This cross-sectional study included 228 women from Tabriz, Iran. A cluster random sampling method was used. Instruments were the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Scale of Attitudes Toward Motherhood and Pregnancy, and Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire. To determine the correlation of self-esteem with attitudes toward motherhood and body image, Pearson correlation test was used in bivariate analysis, and the general linear model (GLM) with adjustment of potential confounders was used in multivariate analysis. There was a direct correlation between self-esteem and body image (r = 0.63) and attitudes toward motherhood (r = 0.45). Results of the GLM showed a significant improvement in attitudes toward motherhood (p < 0.001) and body image (p < 0.001) as self-esteem increased. Based on these results, mental health counseling is recommended to promote pregnant women's self-esteem. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(x), xx-xx.].

Psychometric properties of a Japanese version of the Modest Behavior Scale and its relationship to explicit and implicit self-esteem

This investigation aimed to validate a Japanese version of the Modest Behavior Scale (MBS-J) to measure the behavioral aspects of modesty as a self-presentation tactic. Two preliminary surveys and three studies were conducted. Study 1 examined the factorial validity, construct validity, and internal consistency of the MBS, adding emic items generated from the Japanese sample in the preliminary surveys. The results confirmed a three-factor structure of Self-Effacement, Other-Enhancement, and Avoidance of Attention-Seeking, with good internal consistency for each subscale. Studies 1 and 3 also evinced appropriate correlations between the MBS-J subscales and theoretically related constructs, namely, trait modesty, independent and interdependent self-construal, self-efficacy, self-esteem, approval motivation, and dialectical self, suggesting good construct validity. Using a two-wave survey, Study 2 showed good test–retest reliability for the MBS-J. In Study 3, it was hypothesized that those with higher Self-Effacement tend to report lower explicit self-esteem owing to a self-presentation strategy instead of actual lower self-regard. The results showed that Self-Effacement was strongly negatively correlated with explicit self-esteem but not correlated with implicit self-esteem, supporting the hypothesis. These findings confirm the construct validity of this scale for modest behavior performed as self-presentation.

A Qualitative Exploration of Chinese Self-Love

Although self-love is an important topic, it has not been viewed as appropriate for psychological research, especially in China. We conducted two studies to understand how Chinese people view self-love. In the first study, we surveyed 109 Chinese people about the dimensions of self-love using an open-ended questionnaire. In the second study, 18 participants were selected by means of intensity sampling and interviewed about the connotations and structure of Chinese self-love. The two studies revealed three important aspects of the Chinese understanding of self-love: (1) self-love has four dimensions: self, family, others, and society; (2) it comprises five components: self-cherishing, self-acceptance, self-restraint, self-responsibility, and self-persistence; and (3) the five components of self-love are linked together to form a stable personality structure. The reliability and validity of the two studies were strong. Finally, the results showed that Chinese self-love is dominated by Confucian culture, which provides guiding principles for how to be human. At the same time, it shows that there are differences in the understanding of self-love between Chinese and Western cultures, which provides an empirical basis for further research based on cross-cultural psychology and self-love psychology.

Evaluation of a Blended Career Education Course during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Students’ Career Awareness

Higher education has increasingly emphasized the importance of employability traits in order to personalize students’ learning needs and meet dynamic workplace demands. Previous research addressing the personalized learning on career education in blended learning model is limited. The present study aims to examine whether students with distinctive stable personality traits would improve their career adaptability and adaptation results after attending a synchronous career course during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 162 participants completed the questionnaires at both the first and last sessions of the course in spring 2020. Findings revealed that the course positively improved students’ identity formation. Personality traits demonstrated significant main effects on the middle identity formation stage and career adaptability. This study highlights traits such as emotional stability and possible cultural effects on the career development course in the young Chinese sample population. The implication of specific attributes and cultural backgrounds in career development courses is discussed.

Patient Competency Rating Scale-Brazilian Revised Version (PCRS-R-BR): Normative and Psychometric Data in 154 Healthy Individuals

Background Patient Competency Rating Scale (PCRS-R-BR) is a clinical tool to evaluate the degree of competence in cognitive skills perceived by patients with brain injuries. However, no studies have investigated the influence of sociodemographic variables on self-report and self-awareness of healthy individuals.Aim This study aimed to (1) present normative data from the PCRS-R-BR in a healthy adult Brazilian sample; and (2) investigate psychometric properties of the scaleMethod One hundred and fifty-four adults that were divided in three age groups and two education groups and their informants completed the PCRS-R-BR.Results Score on the PCRS-R-BR Patient's Form differed as a function of age with younger adults reporting less competency than older individuals. An education effect was found on Attention/Working memory Factor on the Informant's PCRS-R-BR with informants of higher education adults reporting better competency than lower education individuals. A gender effect was observed on the Informant's Form. The Informant's Form scores of informants of women were higher than the scores provided by the informants of men. PCRS-R-BR showed adequate consistency coefficients and six factors.Conclusion PCRS-R-BR scores showed acceptable validity evidence and provides information regarding how age and gender effects may influence ratings in a Brazilian sample.

Measuring perfectionism, impulsivity, self-esteem and social anxiety: Cross-national study in emerging adults from eight countries

This study assessed the measurement invariance of selected self-report measures of perfectionism, impulsivity, self-esteem and social anxiety in samples of emerging adults from eight different countries. Participants (N = 6272) completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS), the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale, the 5-item Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (5-item RSES) and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS-6). Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis was run to examine cross-measure equivalence. Evidence for structural invariance was found for all questionnaires, while weak invariance was supported only for the 5-item RSES and the SIAS-6, and a partial weak invariance was found for the MPS and the UPPS-P. No measure achieved strong invariance. Strict invariance was achieved for the 5-item RSES, whereas only a partial strict invariance was supported for the MPS, UPPS-P and SIAS-6. These results suggest that perfectionism, impulsivity, self-esteem, and social anxiety are subjected to linguistic/cultural influence as well as to the effects of socio-demographic variables and can be evaluated by using the selected measures in eight different countries worldwide - but results should be interpreted with caution.

Cultural modulation of early attentional responses to positive self-information: An ERP investigation of self-enhancement

Westerners show a strong tendency to view themselves in a positive light (i.e., self-enhancement), but this tendency is substantially weaker among East Asians. At present, however, it remains inconclusive whether this cultural difference reflects genuine variation in spontaneous engagement in this motivational tendency or is driven by individuals' deliberate efforts to present oneself in culturally acceptable ways. In the present research, we sought to address this issue by examining whether culture modulates early attentional bias to self-name, presented in the context of positive (vs. negative) situations. Both European American and Asian American participants (N = 64) read a series of scenarios depicting either a positive or a negative life situation and were subsequently presented with their name or names of famous people or strangers. European Americans showed greater P2, an ERP component of early attentional arousal, when the self-name was primed with positive (vs. negative) situations. In contrast, Asian Americans' P2 in response to the self-name was not moderated by situation primes. Moreover, the degree to which P2 was enhanced in positive (vs. negative) situations was negatively correlated with Asian cultural values. These results demonstrate that cultural variation in self-enhancement may reflect genuine beliefs about the self, manifested automatically at an early stage of attentional processing.

Psychometric properties assessment of Chinese version of work readiness scale for graduate nurses (WRS-GN) and associated factors of work readiness: Two cross-sectional studies

BACKGROUND

Lower work readiness is tied to anxiety, high turnover and nurse transition failure. An assessment of work readiness is necessary. To date, no relative scale exists in China. Thus, a work readiness related scale is urgently needed.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the psychometric properties of the scale, and look into the status of Chinese graduate nurse work readiness and factors associated with work readiness.

DESIGN, SETTINGS, AND PARTICIPANTS

Both psychometric assessment and associated factors are designed with cross-sectional studies. 832 and 435 graduate nurses were recruited in the above two studies, respectively.

METHODS

Brislin's transition model was utilized for the transition process, and a six-expert panel and preliminary survey were conducted for face validity and testing the transition version respectively. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency reliability and test-retest reliability were applied for reliability and validity testing. Additionally, a linear regression method was carried out for analyzing influencing factors of work readiness of graduate nurses across China.

RESULTS

A 37-item Chinese version scale was proven to have great psychometric qualities. Five factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis, which can explain 68.637% of the total variance. Furthermore, the confirmatory factor analysis demonstrates the fit indices of a five factors mode: X²/df = 1.769, RMSEA = 0.067, NFI = 0.859, RFI = 0.839, IFI = 0.934, CFI = 0.933, TLI = 0.923. Intra-class correlation coefficient, Cronbach's α and Guttman Split-half were 0.805, 0.960 and 0.903, respectively. Interpersonal relationships, leadership experience, scholarship, work experience and willingness to be nurses were associated with the potential to achieve higher work readiness.

CONCLUSION

The Chinese version of WRS-GN with good validity and reliability can be utilized for assessment of work readiness. Besides, improving work readiness of graduate nurses based on above five associated factors, educators and hospital managers could help graduate nurses having a smooth transition for a stable nursing workforce.

Peer Victimization and Problem Behaviors: The Roles of Self-Esteem and Parental Attachment Among Chinese Adolescents

Guided by the social-ecological diathesis-stress model, this longitudinal study examined the roles of self-esteem, parental attachment, and gender on the association between peer victimization and problem behaviors among Chinese early adolescents. A total of 466 Chinese middle school students (M_age  = 12.8 years) completed measures of peer victimization, self-esteem, and paternal and maternal attachment twice (T1 and T2; 6-month interval). Their guardians also completed ratings on adolescents' problem behaviors at both T1 and T2. Results indicated that self-esteem mediated the association between peer victimization and problem behaviors. Paternal attachment, but not maternal attachment, moderated the mediating effect of self-esteem. Moreover, the moderating effect of maternal attachment on the association between peer victimization and self-esteem varied depending on adolescents' gender.

The Relationship Between Future Time Perspective and Self-Esteem: A Cross-Cultural Study of Chinese and American College Students

The present study explored cross-cultural differences in future time perspective (FTP) and self-esteem and investigated whether the relationship between FTP and self-esteem differs between China and America. The FTP Scale and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale were administered to 460 Chinese and 340 American undergraduates. Results showed that American undergraduates scored higher on the future-negative, future-positive, future-confusion, future-perseverant, and future-perspicuity subscales than did Chinese undergraduates; American undergraduates also had higher self-esteem than did Chinese undergraduates. The dimensions of FTP (future-negative, future-positive, future-confusion, and future-perseverant) significantly predicted self-esteem in both the Chinese and American samples. These results broaden our understanding of cross-cultural differences in FTP and self-esteem. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Relationship between Self-Esteem and Self-Consciousness in Adolescents: An Eye-Tracking Study

OBJECTIVE

Self-esteem and self-consciousness are important determinants of behaviors. This study aimed to explore the relationship between self-esteem and self-consciousness in adolescents using the eye-tracking measurement.

METHODS

Fifty-five adolescents with high self-esteem and 58 adolescents with low self-esteem participated in self-consciousness-related eye-tracking experiments of selecting happy, disgusted, and angry facial emotions while recognizing one's own usual expressions and the others' usual expressions toward oneself.

RESULTS

When recognizing one's own, adolescents with high self-esteem showed significantly more selection counts and longer fixation time for 'happy' than adolescents with low self-esteem. When recognizing the others', adolescents with low self-esteem showed significantly more selection counts and longer fixation time for 'disgusted' and 'angry' than adolescents with high self-esteem.

CONCLUSION

These suggest higher self-esteem is connected to more positive identification of one's usual expressions and others' usual expressions toward oneself. There is a close relationship among low self-esteem, suppressing positive emotions, decreased psychological adjustment, and increased negative emotions.

Vazsonyi A, Dou K. Is individualism-collectivism associated with self-control? Evidence from Chinese and U.S. samples

Self-control plays an important role in human’s daily life. In the recent two decades, scholars have exerted tremendous effort to examine the etiologies of the individual differences in self-control. Among numerous predictors of self-control, the role of culture has been relatively overlooked. In this study, the influences of cultural orientation on self-control were examined based on the collectivism-individualism framework using both self-report and behavioral task to assess self-control. A convenience sample of 542 Chinese and 446 U.S. undergraduates participated in the research. They were invited to fill out self-report questionnaires reporting their levels of attitudinal self-control and individualistic-collectivistic orientation after completing a computer-based Stroop task. Results of hierarchical regression models showed that Chinese participants reported less attitudinal self-control but had higher behavioral self-control than their U.S. counterparts. Moreover, individual-level individualism and collectivism was negatively and positively related to attitudinal self-control in both countries, respectively. Individual-level collectivism was significantly related to better behavioral self-control, but no significant results were found for the relationship between individual-level individualism and behavioral self-control. In sum, individualism and collectivism have some influences on individual differences in self-control. Implications for future research were discussed.

Implicit Attitudes toward the Self Over Time in Chinese Undergraduates

Although the explicit attitudes of Chinese people toward the self over time are known (i.e., past = present < future), little is known about their implicit attitudes. Two studies were conducted to measure the implicit subjective temporal trajectory (STT) of Chinese undergraduates. Study 1 used a Go/No-go association task to measure participants’ implicit attitudes toward their past, present, and future selves. The obtained implicit STT was different from the explicit pattern found in former research. It showed that the future self was viewed to be identical to the present self and participants implicitly evaluated their present self as better than the past self. Since this comparison of the past and present selves suggested a cultural difference, we aimed to replicate this finding in Study 2. Using an implicit association test, we again found that the present self was more easily associated with positive valence than the past self. Overall, both studies reveal an implicitly inclining-flat STT (i.e., past < present = future) for Chinese undergraduates. Implications of this difference in explicit-implicit measures and the cultural differences of temporal self appraisals are discussed.

Self-Construal Priming Modulates Self-Evaluation under Social Threat

Previous studies have shown that Westerners evaluate themselves in an especially flattering way when faced with a social-evaluative threat. The current study first investigated whether East Asians also have a similar pattern by recruiting Chinese participants and using social-evaluative threat manipulations in which participants perform self-evaluation tasks while adopting different social-evaluative feedbacks (Experiment 1). Then further examined whether the different response patterns can be modulated by different types of self-construal by using social-evaluative threat manipulations in conjunction with a self-construal priming task (Experiment 2). The results showed that, as opposed to Westerners' pattern, Chinese participants rated themselves as having significantly greater above-average effect only when faced with the nonthreatening feedback but not the social-evaluative threat. More importantly, we found that self-construal modulated the self-evaluation under social-evaluative threat: following independent self-construal priming, participants tended to show a greater above-average effect when faced with a social-evaluative threat. However, this pattern in conjunction with a social threat disappeared after participants received interdependent self-construal priming or neutral priming. These findings suggest that the effects of social-evaluative threat on self-evaluation are not culturally universal and is strongly modulated by self-construal priming.

The Development of Implicit Self-Esteem During Emerging Adulthood

Emerging adulthood is one of the most important life stages for self and identity development. The present research tracked the development of implicit self-esteem during emerging adulthood at both the group and individual levels. We used the implicit association test to assess implicit self-esteem with the improved D score as the index. We surveyed 327 students each year from the beginning of their first year of university until their graduation, with an extra assessment run in the middle of the first year. First-order autoregressive structural equation modeling indicated that implicit self-esteem remained quite stable during the university years in terms of rank-order stability. Latent growth modeling showed that implicit self-esteem decreased slightly during the university years with females initially manifesting a higher level. These findings enrich our understanding of implicit self-esteem and its development as well as self-construction during emerging adulthood.

Modified Logistic Regression Approaches to Eliminating the Impact of Response Styles on DIF Detection in Likert-Type Scales

Extreme response styles (ERS) is prevalent in Likert- or rating-type data but previous research has not well-addressed their impact on differential item functioning (DIF) assessments. This study aimed to fill in the knowledge gap and examined their influence on the performances of logistic regression (LR) approaches in DIF detections, including the ordinal logistic regression (OLR) and the logistic discriminant functional analysis (LDFA). Results indicated that both the standard OLR and LDFA yielded severely inflated false positive rates as the magnitude of the differences in ERS increased between two groups. This study proposed a class of modified LR approaches to eliminating the ERS effect on DIF assessment. These proposed modifications showed satisfactory control of false positive rates when no DIF items existed and yielded a better control of false positive rates and more accurate true positive rates under DIF conditions than the conventional LR approaches did. In conclusion, the proposed modifications are recommended in survey research when there are multiple group or cultural groups.

The Feeling of "Face" in Confucian Society: From a Perspective of Psychosocial Equilibrium

Previous research on the feeling of “face” has long described “face” as a complicated phenomenon in Confucian societies. Indeed, the feeling of face is highly context dependent. One may have very different (having or losing) face perception if the same face event occurs in a different context. To better capture the features of how face is felt, effects on possible responses need to be considered. Therefore, this article adopts a perspective of psychosocial equilibrium to elaborate people’s feeling of face in Taiwan, a Confucian society. The first section illustrates the concept of psychosocial equilibrium and its psychodynamic effects on people’s feeling of face. Then, the second section of this article takes positive social situations (having face events) as backdrop to exhibit how people balance their psychosocial equilibrium with different relationships. Following the positive social situations, the third section of this article then focuses on the negative situations (losing face events) to explain how losing face is felt due to unbalance of psychosocial equilibrium with one’s relation in that specific context.

Cross-Cultural Differences in Desirable and Undesirable Forms of Self-Consistency and Influence on Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety

This study investigated how cross-cultural differences in desirable and undesirable forms of self-consistency influence symptoms of anxiety and depression. British ( n = 172) and East Asian ( n = 122) participants completed measures of self-consistency (situation-specific self-description task) and depression and anxiety (Hopkins Symptom Checklist–25). British participants had significantly higher overall self-consistency when compared with East Asian participants. British participants also scored significantly higher than East Asian participants in relation to consistently endorsing desirable self-characteristics. In contrast, East Asian participants scored significantly higher in terms of consistently endorsing undesirable self-characteristics than British participants. Finally, in both cultural groups, consistently denying undesirable characteristics was significantly associated with fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety, while consistently endorsing undesirable characteristics was significantly associated with greater symptoms of depression and anxiety. The findings highlight the importance of self-concept content as well as structure when exploring relationships between self-concept and psychological adjustment.

Being modest makes you feel bad: effects of the modesty norm and mortality salience on self-esteem in a collectivistic culture

Terror management research shows that existential terror motivates people to live up to social norms. According to terror management theory (TMT), people can achieve a sense of self-worth through compliance with social norms. However, this has not yet been empirically tested. Modesty has long been known as an important social norm in Eastern cultures, such as China, Japan, and Korea. The current research examined whether conforming to the modesty norm in response to reminders of death concerns increases self-esteem for Chinese. In Study 1, following the modesty norm (i.e., explicit self-effacement) led to decreased implicit self-esteem, however, this was only the case if mortality was salient. In Study 2, violating the modesty norm (i.e., explicit self-enhancement) increased implicit self-esteem - however - again, this was only the case when mortality was salient. These findings indicate that self-esteem cannot be maintained through compliance with the modesty norm. Implications of this research for understanding the interplay between self-esteem and social norms in terror management processes are discussed.

What Is Implicit Self-Esteem, and Does it Vary Across Cultures?

Implicit self-esteem (ISE), which is often defined as automatic self-evaluations, fuses research on unconscious processes with that on self-esteem. As ISE is viewed as immune to explicit control, it affords the testing of theoretical questions such as whether cultures vary in self-enhancement motivations. We provide a critical review and integration of the work on (a) the operationalization of ISE and (b) possible cultural variation in self-enhancement motivations. Although ISE measures do not often vary across cultures, recent meta-analyses and empirical studies question the validity of the most common way of defining ISE. We revive an alternative conceptualization that defines ISE in terms of how positively people evaluate objects that reflect upon themselves. This conceptualization suggests that ISE research should target alternative phenomena (e.g., minimal group effect, similarity-attraction effect, endowment effect) and it allows for a host of previous cross-cultural findings to bear on the question of cultural variability in ISE.

Depression and aggression in never-married men in China: a growing problem

PURPOSE

China has the highest excess of male births in the world at 118 to every 100 female, with a current excess of 20 million men of reproductive age. The impact on the psychological well-being of the large numbers of men who will never marry is unclear. This study was carried out to test the hypothesis that older never-married men are more predisposed to depression, low self-esteem and aggression.

METHODS

The study was a cross-sectional survey using a self-completion questionnaire conducted in high sex ratio rural areas of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces. The tools used were the Beck Depression Inventory, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale and the Bryant-Smith Aggression questionnaire.

RESULTS

A total of 1,059 never-married men and 1,066 married men aged 30-40 completed questionnaires. Never-married men were financially poorer and had lower education levels than married ones. After adjusting for age, education and income, never-married men were significantly more likely to have lower self-esteem scores (P < 0.001), higher depression scores (P < 0.001), higher aggression scores (P < 0.001) and were more likely to have suicidal thoughts or wishes (P < 0.001) than married men.

CONCLUSION

The high prevalence of severe depression and suicide ideation in these men is of particular concern. In rural China mental health services are currently very sparse, but rural doctors could be trained to use a check score to identify severe depression, and refer as appropriate to specialist services.