Daily within-fluctuations in need frustration and implications for employee recovery and well-being: A mixed-methods study

INTRODUCTION

Daily variations in frustration of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) have received limited attention. This mixed-methods study examines such daily variations and their relations to recovery from work and employee well-being.

METHOD

The study uses multilevel modeling of repeated measures through daily surveys from a period of 8 working days across 2 consecutive weeks, combined with in-depth interviews. A sample of 54 Norwegian health-care workers completed a total of 242 daily surveys, and follow-up interviews were conducted with 10 participants.

RESULTS

Quantitative results showed that need frustration at work fluctuates from day to day, with competence frustration notably impairing recovery (i.e., lower psychological detachment and relaxation) and increasing ill-being (i.e., higher exhaustion and negative work affect). Autonomy frustration was related to increased exhaustion and sleep complaints, while relatedness frustration showed no significant relation to recovery, ill-being, or sleep. Qualitative findings corroborated and expanded on these results, offering deepened insights into how competence and, sometimes, relatedness need frustration hampered the recovery process and sleep.

CONCLUSION

The results of the current study add to the scarce body of literature on daily fluctuations in need frustration at work and its adverse consequences.

The relation between questionnaire-measured self-reported emotional eating and disordered eating behaviors: A meta-analysis of nearly three decades of research

Extensive research exists on the association between self-reported emotional eating (EE) and disordered eating (DE) behaviors. Heterogeneity exists by type (e.g., unidimensional vs. multidimensional) and valence (e.g., negative vs. positive) of self-reported EE, and no previous meta-analyses have examined the association between self-reported EE and DE behaviors. A total of 67 studies (N = 26,289; 43 reporting relations in one model, and 24 reporting relations in more than one model) met inclusion criteria; ranges for age and publication date were 18.0-61.8 years old and 1995 to 2022. Five models quantified relations between DE behaviors and 1) broad negative EE, 2) EE in response to depression, 3) EE in response to anger and anxiety, 4) EE in response to boredom, and 5) EE in response to positive emotions. Using random-effects models, pooled Cohen's d effect sizes suggested small, positive relations between DE behaviors and self-reported broad negative EE (d = 0.40, p < 0.001), EE-depression (d = 0.41, p < 0.001), EE-anger/anxiety (d = 0.35, p < 0.001), and EE-boredom (d = 0.38, p < 0.001). A significant, but very small, positive relation was observed between DE behaviors and self-reported EE-positive (d = 0.08, p = 0.01). Subgroup analyses suggested a medium, positive relation between self-reported broad negative EE and binge eating (d = 0.53, p < 0.001) and a small, positive relation between self-reported broad negative EE and dietary restraint (d = 0.20, p < 0.001). Significant heterogeneity was identified across all models except for the EE-boredom and DE behaviors model. Higher BMI, but not age, clinical status, or type of DE behavior strengthened the positive relation between self-reported broad negative EE and DE behaviors. Findings support previous research suggesting that negative and positive EE are distinct constructs, with negatively valenced EE being more closely associated with DE behaviors, especially binge eating.

Psychological need fulfillment as a source of resilience: Its protective role in concerns and symptoms of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic

The essential role of the psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness in well-being has been demonstrated convincingly. Yet whether their fulfillment also serves as a source of resilience in the face of adversity has received limited attention. A longitudinal sample of Belgian citizens (N = 1869; Mage = 56.23, 68% female) completed an online questionnaire on 13 occasions between April 2020 and April 2022 during the COVID-19 crisis. Multilevel analyses showed that need fulfillment, both at the between- and within-person level, related negatively to concerns, even after controlling for exposure to personal risks. Further, the association between concerns and changes in symptoms of depression and anxiety was dampened when people reported higher need fulfillment compared with others (i.e. between-person level) or when they reported periodically more need fulfillment than usual (i.e. within-person level). This moderation effect occurred on top of the systematic negative main effect of need fulfillment on symptoms of anxiety and depression. Psychological need fulfillment serves as a resilience factor (a) by reducing concerns in the face of adverse events (i.e. an appraisal effect) and (b) by mobilizing resources that help individuals to deal better with concerns (i.e. a coping effect). Theoretical and practical implications of the resilience effect of need fulfillment are discussed.

Longitudinal relationship between harsh parenting and adolescent non-suicidal self-injury: The roles of basic psychological needs frustration and self-concept clarity

BACKGROUND

Harsh parenting has been shown to be associated with adolescents' non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behavior. However, less is known about the mechanism underlying the association.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to use a one-year longitudinal design to investigate the mediating role of basic psychological needs frustration and the moderating role of self-concept clarity in the association between harsh parenting and NSSI.

METHODS

Three waves of data (called T1, T2 and T3) were collected 6 months apart, between April 2021 and 2022, in a sample of 786 Chinese adolescents (52.0 % girls; Mage at Wave 1 = 13.27 years). Structural equation model was used to test a longitudinal moderated mediation model, with gender, age and baseline NSSI as covariates.

RESULTS

The results showed process of mediation in which T1 harsh parenting was longitudinally and positively associated with T3 NSSI through T2 basic psychological needs frustration. Furthermore, moderated mediation analyses revealed that T2 self-concept clarity buffered the adverse impact of T2 needs frustration on T3 NSSI, thereby mitigating the mediation process.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings support the self-determination theory, and suggest that fostering adolescents' self-concept clarity and satisfying their psychological needs may be useful in programs designed to lower the risk of NSSI.

Life meaning and feelings of ineffectiveness as transdiagnostic factors in eating disorder and comorbid internalizing symptomatology - A combined undirected and causal network approach

The field of eating disorders is facing problems ranging from a suboptimal classification system to low long-term success rates of treatments. There is evidence supporting a transdiagnostic approach to explain the development and maintenance of eating disorders. Meaning in life has been proposed as a promising key transdiagnostic factor that could potentially not only bridge between the different eating disorder subtypes but also explain frequent co-occurrence with symptoms of comorbid psychopathology, such as anxiety and depression. The present study used self-report data from 501 participants to construct networks of eating disorder and comorbid internalizing symptomatology, including factors related to meaning in life, i.e., presence of life meaning, perceived ineffectiveness, and satisfaction with basic psychological needs. In an undirected network model, it was found that ineffectiveness is a central node, also bridging between eating disorder and other psychological symptoms. A directed network model displayed evidence for a causal effect of presence of life meaning both on the core symptomatology of eating disorders and depressive symptoms via ineffectiveness. These results support the notion of meaning in life and feelings of ineffectiveness as transdiagnostic factors within eating disorder symptomatology in the general population.

The role of emotion in eating behavior and decisions

The present paper aims to provide the latest perspectives and future directions on the association between emotions and eating behavior. We discussed individual differences in the impact of negative emotions on eating, emotional eating as disinhibited eating decisions with heightened reward values of and sensitivity to palatable foods in response to negative emotions and social isolation, in addition to emotional eating as maladaptive coping strategies under negative emotion and stress, hedonic (pleasure-oriented) eating decisions mediated by the brain reward system, and self-controlled (health-oriented) eating decisions mediated by the brain control system. Perspectives on future directions were addressed, including the development of early eating phenotypes in infancy, shared neural mechanisms mediated by the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in emotion and eating decision regulation, possible roles of interoception incorporating hunger and satiety signals, gut microbiome, the insula and the orbitofrontal cortex, and emotional processing capacities in hedonic eating and weight gain.

Interpersonal differences in stress, coping, and satisfaction with life in the context of individual profiles of satisfaction and frustration of basic psychological needs

BACKGROUND

Basic psychological need theory has identified three basic needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Need satisfaction is necessary for development and well-being, while need frustration can lead to maladaptive functioning. The study investigated the significance of individual profiles of basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration in experiencing stress, coping, and satisfaction with life.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE

Participants (N = 622, Mage = 22.22 ± 4.30) completed the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Stress Appraisal Questionnaire, COPE Inventory, and Satisfaction with Life Scale. We performed exploratory factor analysis to identify coping styles, latent profile analysis to distinguish groups with specific need profiles, and MANOVA to demonstrate differences between these groups.

RESULTS

Five coping styles were identified: (1) problem-focused, (2) emotion-focused, (3) meaning-focused, (4) escape-avoidance, and (5) religious. The following groups of individuals characterized by specific profiles of basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration were distinguished: (1) mainly low satisfaction and high frustration of relatedness; (2) high satisfaction and low frustration of all basic needs; (3) low satisfaction and high frustration of all basic needs; (4) average satisfaction and frustration of all basic needs; (5) mainly low satisfaction and high frustration of competence. These groups significantly differ in perceived stress, coping styles, and life satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with profile 3 were the most stressed and tend to use escape-avoidance coping style. Participants with profile 2 coped using a problem-focused style and had higher life satisfaction. These findings indicate that a person-centered approach leads to a better understanding of experiencing stress and coping.

An evaluation of the self-report instruments assessing self-control: A systematic review

Self-control is regarded as a necessary trait in almost every aspect of human life. Numerous self-control scales have been developed and utilized in various fields, but their psychometric characteristics have not been reviewed and evaluated. In this regard, the objective of this review is to identify and evaluate original self-report self-control measures. We examined relevant studies published before November 2021 using Web of Science, PsycArticles, ProQuest, and Medline electronic databases and conducted reference list searches. Then, we selected a total of 34 measures that met the defined selection criteria and evaluated the quality of the instruments using the standards proposed by Terwee and colleagues. Overall, our findings demonstrated that no instruments received a perfect score; however, some performed better than others in quality assessment.

Meaning in life and smartphone addiction among Chinese female college students: The mediating role of school adjustment and the moderating role of grade

Background

The fact that female college students are more addicted to smartphones than male college students has raised public concerns. However, previous studies have rarely explored the mechanism of female college students' smartphone addiction. Previous studies have shown that identity may affect the formation process of female college students' smartphone addiction, and the identity of female college students in different grades may be different. Nonetheless, few studies have explored the grade differences in the formation process of female college students' smartphone addiction.

Methods

The present study examined the relationship between meaning in life, school adjustment, and smartphone addiction among Chinese female college students using a moderated mediation model in which school adjustment played a mediating role and grade played a moderating role. A total of 1,076 Chinese female college students (Age: 19.83 ± 1.11; 369 freshmen, 379 sophomores, and 328 juniors) completed an online questionnaire regarding meaning in life, school adjustment, and smartphone addiction.

Results

(1) School adjustment mediated the relationship between meaning in life and smartphone addiction. (2) School adjustment had a partial mediating effect between meaning in life and smartphone addiction for female freshmen and sophomores, but it did not exist among female juniors. (3) The influence of school adjustment on female sophomores' smartphone addiction was significantly stronger than that of female freshmen.

Conclusion

The findings of this study advance our understanding of the potential impacts of meaning in life on smartphone addiction and provide a grade perspective for targeted prevention or intervention with female college students' smartphone addiction.

Assessing basic and higher-level psychological needs satisfied through physical activity

Background

There has been increasing interest in the extent to which the fulfillment of psychological needs is associated with physical activity engagement. However, a vast majority of studies consider only basic psychological needs such as relatedness, competence, and autonomy-with higher-level psychological needs such as challenge, creativity, and spirituality rarely being addressed. The aim of this study was to examine the preliminary reliability (i.e., internal consistency) and validity (i.e., discriminant, construct, and predictive) of a multi-dimensional scale to assess a range of basic and higher-level psychological needs satisfied through physical activity.

Methods

A sample of 75 adults (ages 19-65 years, 59% female, 46% White) completed a baseline questionnaire measuring 13 psychological needs subscales (i.e., physical comfort, safety, social connection, esteem from others, individual esteem, learning, challenge, entertainment, novelty, creativity, mindfulness, aesthetic appreciation, and morality), exercise enjoyment, and exercise vitality. Participants then completed 14 days of accelerometer monitoring of physical activity and ecological momentary assessment of affective responses during physical activity sessions in daily life.

Results

Internal consistency reliability was acceptable (>0.70) for all subscales except for mindfulness, aesthetic appreciation, and morality. Ten of the 13 subscales exhibited discriminant validity by differentiating between engagement (vs. no engagement) in at least one physical activity type (e.g., brisk walking and yoga/Pilates). All the subscales, except physical comfort and esteem from others, were associated with at least one of the construct validation criteria (e.g., exercise enjoyment, affective response during exercise). Five of the subscales were associated with at least one of the predictive validation criteria (i.e., light, moderate, vigorous intensity activity measured by accelerometer).

Conclusion

Having the capacity to assess whether one's current physical activity is failing to fulfill various psychological needs-combined with recommendations about which types of activities may satisfy those needs-may address an important gap in physical activity promotion.

Self-determination, restrictive eating, and psychological needs: Challenges for young athletes

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating role of self-determination for sport in the relationship between psychological needs in a sport context, and restrictive eating behaviors among adolescent athletes, while controlling for confounding variables.

METHOD

Self-report online surveys were completed by 983 adolescent athletes (41.3% identified as girls, M = 14.63 years, SD = 0.765). Structural equation modeling was conducted to investigate the hypothesized associations between basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration in sport, self-determination for sport, and restrictive eating behaviors, controlling for the level of competition and the type of sport practiced. Gender differences between the associations were assessed using moderation analysis.

RESULTS

Girls reported significantly more restrictive eating behaviors (M_girls = 0.85; SD = 1.39 vs. M_boys = 0.62; SD = 1.31). Both associations between basic psychological need frustration and satisfaction and restrictive eating behaviors were mediated by self-determination for sport (β = 0.054, 95% bootstrap IC = 0.027-0.089; β = -0.045, 95% bootstrap IC = -0.079 to -0.021). Further, gender moderated an association so that frustration of basic psychological in sport more strongly predicted restrictive eating behaviors in girls (β = 0.256; p = 0.008), compared with boys.

DISCUSSION

Our study reveals considerable gender differences in the mechanism underlying the adoption of restrictive eating in adolescent athletes. The research also fills a gap in the literature by supporting the assumptions of the Hierarchical Model of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation in eating behaviors, specifically in the sport context.

A review of sex differences in the mechanisms and drivers of overeating

Disordered eating is often associated with marked psychological and emotional distress, and severe adverse impact on quality of life. Several factors can influence eating behavior and drive food consumption in excess of energy requirements for homeostasis. It is well established that stress and negative affect contribute to the aetiology of eating disorders and weight gain, and there is substantial evidence suggesting sex differences in sub-clinical and clinical types of overeating. This review will examine how negative affect and stress shape eating behaviors, and how the relationship between the physiological, endocrine, and neural responses to stress and eating behaviors differs between men and women. We will examine several drivers of overeating and explore possible mechanisms underlying sex differences in eating behavior.

Daily ups and downs in adolescents' depressive symptoms: The role of daily self-criticism, dependency and basic psychological needs

INTRODUCTION

Although associations between Blatt's personality dimensions of self-criticism and dependency and adolescents' depressive symptoms are well-established, only few studies have examined associations between these variables at the level of daily, within-person fluctuations. Moreover, our understanding of the mechanisms underlying this personality vulnerability to depressive symptoms is limited. Therefore, we studied (a) daily fluctuations in both personality and depressive symptoms over a 7-day period and (b) the possible interplay between daily variations in personality vulnerability, need-based experiences (as conceptualized in Self-Determination Theory), and depressive symptoms. This interplay was examined in terms of both a mediational and a moderating role of the need-based experiences.

METHODS

Participants were 121 Belgian adolescents (M_age = 15.81; SD_age = 1.50; 52 % male) who completed questionnaires tapping into daily self-criticism, dependency, need-based experiences, and depressive symptoms every evening during seven consecutive days.

RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS

Multilevel analysis revealed that self-criticism and dependency fluctuated substantially on a daily basis. These daily fluctuations in personality were related to daily fluctuations in depressive symptoms, with daily variation in need-based experiences mediating these associations. We found no evidence for interactions between personality and the need-based experiences. The findings underscore the importance of considering daily fluctuations in individuals' personality vulnerability and point to the explanatory role of need-based experiences in the relation between personality and depressive symptoms on a daily basis.

The Effects of Self-Compassion and Self-Esteem Writing Interventions on Women’s Valuation of Weight Management Goals, Body Appreciation, and Eating Behaviors

In this study, we examined the effects of body-focused daily self-compassion and self-esteem expressive writing activities on women’s valuation of weight management goals, body appreciation, bulimic symptoms, and healthy and unhealthy eating behaviors. One-hundred twenty-six women, recruited from the community and a university participant pool ( Mage = 29.3, SD = 13.6), were randomly allocated to one of the three writing conditions: body-focused self-compassion, body-focused self-esteem, or control. Women reflected on a moment within the past 24 hours that made them feel self-conscious about their bodies, eating, or exercise habits (self-compassion and self-esteem conditions) or on a particular situation or feeling that occurred in the past 24 hours (control condition) for 4–7 days. At post-treatment (24 hours after the intervention), women in the self-compassion group demonstrated decreased bulimic symptoms, while women in the self-esteem and control conditions did not. Furthermore, clinically significant changes in bulimic symptoms were associated with being in the self-compassion condition but not in the self-esteem or control conditions. Results suggest that body-focused writing interventions may be more effective in temporarily reducing eating disorder symptoms in women if they focus on harnessing self-compassion. Additional online materials for this article are available on PWQ ’s website at http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/suppl/10.1177/03616843211013465

The associations between orthorexia nervosa and the sociocultural attitudes: the mediating role of basic psychological needs and health anxiety

PURPOSE

Given the range of negative correlates associated with orthorexia nervosa (ON), it is important to identify factors that might contribute to the elevated ON tendencies. Based on the tripartite model of influence, we tested whether sociocultural attitudes towards appearance (i.e., thin and muscular internalization as well as family, peer and media pressure) could contribute to ON. We hypothesized that these attitudes could exert their effect through the intervening processes basic psychological need fulfillment and health anxiety.

METHODS

The hypotheses were tested on a sample of 710 young adults (M_age = 21.79, SD_age = 2.31). Participants completed validated questionnaires measuring the constructs of interest.

RESULTS

According to the structural equation modeling results, ON was predicted by thinness and muscular internalization as well as media pressure. Need fulfillment and health anxiety partially mediated these relationships. Family and peer pressure were not related to ON.

DISCUSSION

The present results suggest that internalization of appearance ideas and media pressure contribute to ON through need fulfillment and health anxiety. These findings also provide novel insight into the nature of ON.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level V (descriptive cross-sectional study.

Application of three different coaching strategies through a virtual coach for people with emotional eating: a vignette study

BACKGROUND

Around 13% of the world's population suffers from obesity. More than 40% of people with obesity display emotional eating behaviour (eating in response to negative emotions or distress). It is an alternate to more effective coping strategies for negative emotions. Our study explored the opportunities for helping adults with emotional overeating using a virtual coach, aiming to identify preferences for tailored coaching strategies applicable in a personal virtual coach environment. Three different coaching strategies were tested: a validating, a focus-on-change, and a dialectical one - the latter being a synthesis of the first two strategies.

METHODS

A qualitative study used vignettes reflecting the two most relevant situations for people with emotional eating: 1. experiencing negative emotions, with ensuing food cravings; and 2. after losing control to emotional eating, with ensuing feelings of low self-esteem. Applied design: 2 situations × 3 coaching strategies.

PARTICIPANTS

71 adult women (Mage 44.4/years, range 19-70, SD = 12.86) with high scores on the DEBQ-emotional eating scale (Memo 3.65, range 1.69-4.92, SD = .69) with mean BMI 30.1 (range 18-46, SD = 6.53). They were recruited via dieticians' practices, were randomly assigned to the conditions and asked how they would face and react to the presented coaching strategies. Data were transcribed and a thematic analysis was conducted.

RESULTS

Qualitative results showed that participants valued both the validating coaching strategy and the focus-on-change strategy, but indicated that a combination of validation and focus-on-change provides both mental support and practical advice. Data showed that participants differed in their level of awareness of the role that emotions play in their overeating and the need for emotion-regulation skills.

CONCLUSION

The design of the virtual coach should be based on dialectical coaching strategies as preferred by participants with emotional eating behaviour. It should be tailored to the different stages of awareness of their emotions and individual emotion-regulation skills.

Testing a model of turnover intention: Lecturers at the University of Namibia

Orientation: Institutions of higher learning lose talented academics to other educational institutions or organisations within Namibia and other countries. In order for higher educational institutions to achieve academic excellence, they need competent and satisfied lecturers.Research purpose: This study investigates the relationship between basic psychological need satisfaction, organisational commitment, job embeddedness, work engagement and turnover intention of lecturing staff.Motivation for the study: Academic institutions neglect to facilitate changes with the needed support, impacting negatively lecturers’ work-related attitudes and their intention to stay.Research approach/design and method: A questionnaire was used to collect the data, and estimates of reliability, confirmatory factor analyses, goodness-of-fit statistics, Pearson’s product–moment correlation and structural equation modelling (SEM) were applied to analyse the data (n = 242).Main findings: Using SEM, four different paths were found in the model, which explained how the variables collectively impact turnover intention.Practical/managerial implications: Lecturers should be included in decision-making, should work in a pleasant working environment and be given training opportunities to develop. In order to ensure that institutions reach their goals, job satisfaction needs to be assessed regularly to ensure that lecturers are satisfied, committed and willing to contribute to the success of the organisation.Contribution/value-add: This study will add to the knowledge within Industrial/Organisational Psychology and guide interventions to retain lecturing staff at Namibian institutions of higher learning.

Using self-determination theory to understand eating behaviors and weight change in emerging adults

INTRODUCTION

College may be a time when emerging adults establish eating patterns that influence future weight trajectories. Self-determination theory (SDT) suggests that satisfaction of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness) supports autonomous regulation of behavior, which is associated with healthier behaviors. When needs are frustrated, individuals feel as though their behaviors are controlled by others, which is associated with unhealthy behaviors. This study used SDT to examine a model for associated body satisfaction, eating/weight control behaviors, and weight change.

METHODS

Using a cross-sectional design, undergraduates (N = 875; 57% women; Age_M = 20 ± 1.4 yrs.; BMI_M = 24.3 ± 4.4) completed measures of need satisfaction and frustration, behavioral regulation of healthy weight, body satisfaction, eating/weight control behaviors, and weight change in their first semester of college.

RESULTS

Structural equation modeling showed that need satisfaction was positively associated with greater autonomous regulation, which was positively associated with greater body satisfaction and fruit/vegetable intake. Conversely, greater need frustration was associated with greater controlled regulation, which was associated with lower body satisfaction. Participants who had greater body satisfaction engaged in fewer unhealthy weight control behaviors. Engaging in more unhealthy behaviors was associated with greater weight gain during the first semester of college, whereas fruit and vegetable intake was not associated with weight change. The associations were stronger for women than men, particularly for the relationships between body satisfaction and unhealthy weight control behaviors and increased weight gain.

CONCLUSIONS

The model was generally supported, suggesting that psychological need satisfaction and autonomous motivation in college students may facilitate greater body satisfaction and healthier eating behaviors. Future longitudinal research is needed to clarify the factors that influence health behaviors and weight gain in college students.

Spontaneous Transformation and Recovery From Problematic Eating: A Heuristic Inquiry

Health care professionals agree that there are countless individuals with problematic eating habits that detract from health and well-being but do not directly meet the criteria for diagnosis of disorder. Previous research identifies that problematic eating patterns are notoriously challenging to address and that positive changes in behavior are difficult to maintain. This qualitative study contributes to the literature identifying potential mechanisms for transformative and lasting change for individuals exhibiting problematic eating patterns. Utilizing heuristic methodology, the lived experience of spontaneous transformation as a mechanism of change in the development of, and recovery from, problematic eating habits was illuminated and explored by the primary researcher, SS, and six female coresearchers. The data for this study were obtained through in-depth, informal conversational interviews. Heuristic analysis of the data revealed six core themes relevant to the experience of the phenomenon of spontaneous transformation and the recovery from problematic eating habits: (a) early messaging in environment of origin, (b) moments of suffering as gateways to change, (c) perceived loss of control, (d) implicit awareness resulting in transformation, (e) physical expressions of expansion and constriction, (f) and the necessity for a new definition of recovery. The findings of this study point toward the experience of spontaneous transformation as a mechanism for enhanced self-awareness and potential for generating transformational change in patterns of problematic eating.

Toward a Better Understanding of the Reciprocal Relations Between Adolescent Psychological Need Experiences and Sleep

In two diary studies, we examined the reciprocal daily association between the satisfaction and frustration of adolescents’ basic psychological needs and sleep, and the role of stress and fatigue in these associations. In Study 1 ( N = 211; 52% female; Mage = 15.86 years, SD = 1.18 years), daily need experiences were unrelated to daily fluctuations in subjective sleep outcomes. However, shorter daily sleep quantity was related to higher daily fatigue, which in turn related to more daily need frustration and less need satisfaction. Study 2 ( N = 51; 49% female; Mage = 15.88 years, SD = 2.88 years) extended these findings by demonstrating that daily need frustration related to shorter objective sleep quantity and longer wake after sleep onset, indirectly through higher symptoms of stress. Poor sleep quality also related to worse need experiences via higher daily fatigue. These findings underscore the dynamic interplay between daily need experiences and adolescent sleep.

Self-Determination Theory as a Theoretical Framework for a Responsive Approach to Child Feeding

Supporting positive childhood eating behaviors is a central and ongoing priority for health care providers, encompassing both health outcomes for typical eaters and best practice in relation to pediatric feeding challenges. Building on existing work, this perspective draws on literature from multiple fields to recommend the use of Self-Determination Theory as a framework for responsive feeding. Additionally, it contributes to the definition and conceptualization of responsive feeding. The 3 basic needs proposed by Self-Determination Theory (autonomy, relatedness and competence) have significant implications for both professional practice and the direction of future research.

Self-Compassion and Need Frustration Moderate the Effects of Upward Appearance Comparisons on Body Image Discrepancies

Drawing from diverse theoretical frameworks, we examined predictors of discrepancy between current and ideal body image in a sample of 396 Greek adolescents. The participants completed assessments of the frequency of comparing oneself with someone of perceived better appearance, appearance evaluations, frustration of basic psychological needs, and appearance self-compassion. We found that upward appearance comparisons negatively predicted appearance evaluation, which in turn was a negative predictor of body image discrepancy. Moderated mediation analyses showed that appearance self-compassion buffered, whereas psychological need frustration augmented the negative effects of upward comparisons on appearance evaluation. Our findings contribute to the growing literature on body image discrepancies in adolescence by examining moderating factors that amplify or buffer such discrepancies, hence identifying viable intervention pathways.

Voice and silence as immediate consequences of job insecurity

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the weekly effects of job insecurity on employee voice and silence. Specifically, the authors argue that because employment fulfils important needs, employees’ needs are less fulfilled when they feel that their job is at risk (i.e. high job insecurity). Consequently, the authors argue that employees engage in less voice and more silence because when employees’ needs are not fulfilled, they are less committed to the organization and/or protect their personal resources.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors tested their hypotheses in a five-week long diary study among 97 employees.

Findings

The authors found that employees reported lower need fulfilment in those weeks and the week after job insecurity was higher, which, in turn, decreased employee voice and increased employee silence in those weeks and the week after.

Research limitations/implications

The study shows that feelings about one’s job insecurity fluctuate from week to week and that the weekly negative effects associated with increased job insecurity can be explained from a needs fulfilment perspective. The study also highlights the importance of studying voice and silence simultaneously.

Practical implications

Managers could indirectly increase employees’ voice and decrease employees’ silence by reducing feelings of job insecurity to increase employees’ feelings of predictability of and control over their future.

Originality/value

The authors studied short-term effects of job insecurity on both employee voice and silence, and examined need fulfilment as an underlying mechanism to explain the effects of job insecurity.

Polish Adaptation of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale

This article presents the findings of four studies designed to validate the translated Polish version of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale. Results of exploratory factor analyses in Study 1 (N = 272, M age = 41.07) showed that the psychological need for autonomy, relatedness, and competence that are central to the Self-Determination Theory have a bidimensional structure, involving both a need for satisfaction and need for frustration component. Subsequent confirmatory factor analyses in Study 2 (N = 265; M age = 38.15) provided further evidence for a six-dimensional structure of the scale, thereby distinguishing a satisfaction and frustration component for each of the three needs. Study 3 (N = 158; M age = 27.28) further revealed that the distinguished subscales are moderately to highly internally consistent and yielded good test-retest reliability. Finally, Study 4 (N = 204; M age = 20.57) confirmed that satisfaction of the needs is positively related to well-being, while frustration is positively related to depressive symptoms. The Polish version of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale can be successfully used in future basic and applied studies in the context of Self-Determination Theory.

The Mediating Role of Psychological Need Thwarting in the Relationship Between Compulsory Citizenship Behavior and Psychological Withdrawal

This study examined a novel process underlying the relationship between compulsory citizenship behavior and psychological withdrawal. Specifically, based on basic psychological needs theory, thwarting of autonomy and relatedness needs were expected to explain the association between compulsory citizenship behavior and psychological withdrawal. The PROCESS macro was used to analyze the data collected from 368 clerical staff working in public universities in Pakistan. The results confirmed that thwarting of autonomy and relatedness need mediated the relationship between compulsory citizenship behavior and psychological withdrawal. This study makes a significant contribution to the unexplored domain of the process employees use to cope with compulsory citizenship behavior. It also highlights the role of an understudied construct, i.e., psychological need thwarting as a crucial motivational mechanism for elucidating the relationship between compulsory citizenship behavior and psychological withdrawal. The findings of this study provide recommendations for future researchers, along with its implications for practitioners.

Associations Between Peer Pressure and Adolescents' Binge Behaviors: The Role of Basic Needs and Coping

Framed from a framework based on the integration of self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000 ) and Endler and Parker's (1990) conception of coping strategies, the authors analyzed the relationships between peer pressure and binge behaviors (binge eating and binge drinking) in adolescence. Moreover, the authors explored the mediating role of satisfaction/frustration of basic psychological needs and coping strategies in these associations. Participants were 570 high school students (M = 15.75 years, SD = 1.14 years) living in Italy. The study design was cross-sectional and adolescents were administered self-report questionnaires. Path analysis showed significant and positive direct associations of peer pressure with both binge eating and binge drinking. Moreover, findings show that there is an indirect path in which peer pressure is positively associated with need frustration that is related to the use of emotion-oriented coping strategies that, on their turn, are associated with binge eating. Differently, binge drinking seems to be only directly related to peer pressure. The authors put light to the complex nature of the relationships between peer pressure and binge behaviors in adolescence, taking into account the separate contribution of need satisfaction and need frustration, as well as of coping strategies. Finally, practical implications of the study are discussed.

Job attitudes as a predictor of work engagement of the lecturing staff at the University of Namibia

Orientation: Engaged employees contribute to the success and productivity of an organisation. Satisfaction of basic psychological needs and organisational commitment (job attitudes) impact positively on work engagement of the lecturing staff.Research purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of basic psychological need satisfaction and organisational commitment on work engagement of the lecturing staff.Motivation for the study: Organisations realise their objectives through their employees. When employees are not satisfied or committed at work, it can result in low levels of work engagement, absenteeism, exhaustion, cynicism, low productivity and turnover.Research approach/design and method: A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data of the lecturing staff at the University of Namibia (n = 242). Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analyses were used to analyse the data.Main findings: This study found a positive relationship between basic psychological need satisfaction, organisational commitment and work engagement. Normative and affective commitment was found to be significant predictors of vigour, dedication and absorption (work engagement).Practical/managerial implications: Organisations need to include staff members in the decision-making process, allow employees to direct work-related activities, conduct team-building activities, provide training and development activities and regularly assess job satisfaction of the employees.Contribution/value-add: The novelty of this study in Namibia will add to knowledge within industrial or organisational psychology, encourage future research and guide the development of interventions.

Disordered Eating Behaviors Through the Lens of Self-Determination Theory

This study aimed to verify a conceptual model of eating regulation based on the Self-Determination Theory. This model suggests that basic psychological needs satisfaction is related to general self-determined motivation and autonomous regulation toward eating, which in turn are associated with less disordered eating behaviors and attitudes and better satisfaction with life. Two hundred thirty-nine women without an eating disorder completed self-reported questionnaires. The hypothesized model was tested with a serial multiple mediation analysis using PROCESS macro. The overall indirect effect of basic psychological needs satisfaction on life satisfaction through the three mediators, i.e. general motivation, regulation of eating behaviors, and eating behaviors and attitudes, was significant. Results are coherent with the Self-Determination Theory and add to past research by suggesting that basic psychological needs satisfaction might be a key target when addressing women’s disordered eating behaviors and attitudes.

Changes in Psychological Need Fulfillment Over the Course of Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder

Self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2017) maintains that the psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are essential qualities of experience that individuals require to thrive. The present research examined the role of psychological need fulfillment in a clinical sample undergoing treatment for major depressive disorder. Fifty-one patients with a SCID-IV diagnosis for major depressive disorder were randomly assigned to 16 weeks of cognitive behavioral therapy or antidepressant medication. Depressive symptoms, cognitive errors, dysfunctional attitudes, and psychological need fulfillment were assessed at four time points (pre-treatment, week 4, week 8, and week 16). Psychological need fulfillment increased over the course of treatment and did not differ significantly between treatment conditions. Furthermore, increases in psychological need fulfillment were associated with decreases in depression severity over and above the effects of time, cognitive errors, and dysfunctional attitudes. Given the incremental predictive validity of need fulfillment, a better understanding of its role in the treatment for depression may prove beneficial to mental health researchers and practitioners.

Linking psychological need experiences to daily and recurring dreams

The satisfaction of individuals’ psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, as conceived from a self-determination theory perspective, is said to be conducive to personal growth and well-being. What has been unexamined is whether psychological need-based experiences, either their satisfaction or frustration, manifests in people’s self-reported dream themes as well as their emotional interpretation of their dreams. A cross-sectional study (N = 200; M age = 21.09) focusing on individuals’ recurrent dreams and a three-day diary study (N = 110; M age = 25.09) focusing on daily dreams indicated that individuals experiencing psychological need frustration, either more enduringly or on a day-to-day basis, reported more negative dream themes and interpreted their dreams more negatively. The contribution of psychological need satisfaction was more modest, although it related to more positive interpretation of dreams. The discussion focuses on the role of dreams in the processing and integration of psychological need-frustrating experiences.

Basic psychological need experiences, fatigue, and sleep in individuals with unexplained chronic fatigue

Grounded in self-determination theory, this study tested the hypothesis that the satisfaction and frustration of the psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness would relate to fatigue and subjective and objective sleep parameters, with stress and negative sleep cognitions playing an explanatory role in these associations. During a stay at a sleep laboratory in Belgium, individuals with unexplained chronic fatigue (N = 160; 78% female) underwent polysomnography and completed a questionnaire at 3 different points in time (i.e., after arrival in the sleep lab, before bedtime, and the following morning) that assessed their need-based experiences and stress during the previous week, fatigue during the preceding day, and sleep-related cognitions and sleep during the previous night. Results indicated that need frustration related to higher stress, which in turn, related to higher evening fatigue. Need frustration also related to poorer subjective sleep quality and shorter sleep duration, as indicated by both subjective and objective shorter total sleep time and subjective (but not objective) longer sleep latency. These associations were accounted for by stress and negative sleep cognitions. These findings suggest that health care professionals working with individuals with unexplained chronic fatigue may consider focusing on basic psychological needs within their therapeutic approach.

Why do women engage in fat talk? Examining fat talk using Self-Determination Theory as an explanatory framework

This study used Self-Determination Theory to examine the motivational processes involved in individuals' engagement in fat talk and its association with unhealthy eating behaviors. Female undergraduate students (N=453) completed an online questionnaire, which assessed general and contextual motivation, importance placed on goals, fat talk, and unhealthy eating behaviors. Structural equation modeling revealed that being generally non-self-determined and placing more importance on extrinsic goals, such as thinness, was associated with fat talk. Fat talk was further associated with non-self-determined motivation for eating regulation, which in turn was associated with unhealthy eating. General self-determination and placing more importance on intrinsic goals, such as health, were not associated with fat talk, but instead, were associated with more adaptive forms of eating regulation and diet quality. Findings further current knowledge on the respective roles of motivation and goals on the engagement in fat talk, and its consequences on eating regulation and behavior.

Exploring Patients' Experiences of Eating Disorder Treatment Services From a Motivational Perspective

This study employed qualitative methods to explore eating disorder (ED) patients' perspectives on their treatment experiences to gain insight into those factors that influenced their motivational trajectory. Semistructured interviews were conducted with a purposive female sample of current (N = 11) and discharged (N = 3) ED service users, aged 18 to 31 years (M = 23.21, SD = 4.19). An interpretive thematic analytic approach, comprising both inductive and deductive methods of analysis, was employed to identify key themes in the data. Self-determination theory (SDT) provided a conceptual lens for analyzing data. Participants highlighted that factors such as physical design and nature of the treatment environment, relational aspects of care, and therapeutic methods all played a role in treatment engagement. The findings highlight ways in which current ED services might more effectively meet the needs of service users and support the utility of applying SDT to the study of motivational dynamics in the treatment of EDs.

Parenting Styles, Identity Development, and Adjustment in Career Transitions

Drawing from self-determination theory, this study examines how does perceived parenting and psychological needs relate to identity development and psychosocial adjustment in Portuguese 12th-grade students ( N = 462) who prepare the transition to higher education or to the job market. Path model results revealed two distinct pathways: a “growth-oriented pathway” from need-supporting parenting to integrated career exploration, commitment-making and well-being via need satisfaction and a “vulnerability” pathway from need-thwarting parenting to both diminished well-being and ill-being through need frustration. Findings suggest that perceived parental support is a protective factor, and parental thwarting a risk factor for career decision-making, but this relation is mediated by the adolescents’ subjective feelings of psychological need satisfaction and frustration. Altogether, they suggest the need to customize interventions with adolescents to address “bright” and “dark” trajectories of identity development and establish a supportive counseling climate that facilitates the exploration of different aspects of self-environment in career transition periods.