Coping as a mediator of the relationship between stress mindset and psychological stress response: a pilot study

Association between low back pain and psychological stress response in a Japanese population-based study

BACKGROUND

Psychological stress response refers to the negative emotional states generated when an individual perceives that they do not have the resources to cope with or respond to a threat. Low back pain (LBP) is a complex condition with multiple contributors, including psychological factors. However, whether LBP is a stressor that causes a psychological stress response remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the association between LBP and psychological stress response in a Japanese population-based cohort.

METHODS

Participants aged >50 years were recruited from inhabitants of a mountain village in Japan. The participants completed the following patient-reported outcome measures. The extent of the psychological stress response was measured using the Stress response scale (SRS)-18, which includes the subscales "Depression/Anxiety", "Irritability/Anger", and "Helplessness". LBP intensity in several situations/positions was measured using a numerical rating scale (NRS). Quality of life (QOL) was measured using the Oswestry Disability Index, EuroQol 5-dimension, and EuroQol visual analog scales. The association between SRS-18 and each parameter was statistically evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 282 participants (72.1 years old) were analyzed in this study, and 29.1% had chronic LBP. The SRS-18 total score of all participants ranged from 0 to 43, and the average SRS-18 total score was 7.7 ± 8.8 (depression/anxiety: 2.3 ± 3.2, irritability/anger: 2.4 ± 3.3, helplessness: 2.9 ± 3.2). SRS-18 scores of participants with LBP were significantly higher than those of participants without LBP. SRS-18 scores were significantly correlated with QOL scores (P < 0.01, correlation coefficient = 0.22-0.46). Multiple regression analysis showed that the NRS score of LBP during morning awakening was significantly associated with the SRS-18 total, depression/anxiety, and helplessness scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychological stress responses were associated with LBP and LBP-related QOL among residents of a Japanese mountain village.

Promoting or Prohibiting? Investigating How Time Pressure Influences Innovative Behavior under Stress-Mindset Conditions

The existing empirical evidence on the relationship between time pressure and innovative behavior is paradoxical. An intriguing yet unresolved question is "When does time pressure promote or prohibit innovative behavior, and how?" We theorize that the paradoxical effect of time pressure on innovative behavior can be elucidated by the moderating role of stress mindset, and we also explore the mediating role of thriving at work. Our research involved a field study of 390 research and development personnel from eight enterprises and research institutes in China to test our proposed model. Results indicated that the stress-is-debilitating mindset negatively moderated the association between time pressure and thriving at work, while the stress-is-enhancing mindset positively moderated the link between time pressure and thriving at work. Furthermore, the findings demonstrated that the stress-is-debilitating mindset negatively moderated the indirect impact of time pressure on employees' innovative behavior through thriving at work, while the stress-is-enhancing mindset positively moderated the indirect effect of time pressure on employees' innovative behavior through thriving at work. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are also discussed.

Impact of stress and stress mindset on prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among first responders

BACKGROUND

Psychological stress is recognized as an important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite its potential significance, few to no studies have evaluated the association between stress, stress mindset, and CVD risk factors among rural first responders. The objectives of this study were to identify relationships between general stress, stress mindset, and CVD risk factors.

METHODS

The study sample (n = 148) included those 18 years or older and who currently serve as a first responder, defined as either EMS, firefighter, or law enforcement. Questionnaires captured information on demographics, years of work experience as a first responder, multiple first responder occupations, general stress, stress mindset, and self-reported CVD risk factors. Data were analyzed using regression analyses.

RESULTS

Findings suggest that first responders with a stress-is-negative mindset have significantly higher general stress levels (β = 2.20, p = 0.01). Of note, general stress was not a significant predictor of CVD risk factors (AOR = 1.00, 95%CI = 0.93, 1.08) included in our study. However, a negative stress mindset was statistically significant predictor of CVD risk factors (AOR = 2.82, 95%CI = 1.29, 6.41), after adjusting for general stress and other potential confounders.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that stress mindset is an independent predictor of stress and CVD risk factors among rural first responders. These results have the potential to inform educational and organization level interventions targeting stress appraisal for this vulnerable sub population of workers.

Teachers Who are Stuck in Time: Development and Validation of Teachers' Time Poverty Scale

Purpose

Time poverty has been shown to adversely affect individuals' development as well as organizations and countries, which is also a widespread problem among teachers, affecting work performance, mental health, and even the development of students and schools. However, the advancement of education research on time poverty has been stymied by the lack of a validated measure. Therefore, to fill the theoretical gap of time poverty in education and to compensate for the absence of an instrument for measuring teachers' time poverty and the challenges of using objective measures, it is necessary to develop and verify a domain-specific measurement instrument among teachers.

Patients and Methods

An online questionnaire is designed through a Chinese data collection platform (Questionnaire Star). Study 1 and Study 2 are a cross-sectional study included 713 teachers in China and the descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and analyses of exploratory and confirmatory factors are used to develop the Teachers' Time Poverty Scale. Study 3 and Study 4 are a longitudinal study included 330 teachers, while the Time Confusion Tendency Scale and Life Satisfaction Scale is used to verify the measurement tool. SPSS 26.0 and Mplus 8.3 are used to analyze the data.

Results

Teachers' Time Poverty Scale with the single-factor structure exhibits good psychometric properties based on seven items. And teachers' time poverty can negatively and significantly predict life satisfaction and teachers' time poverty can be positively and significantly predicted by time confusion tendency.

Conclusion

Teachers' Time Poverty Scale is a useful tool that can be used in actual investigations to provide empirical support for teachers, schools, and education policy makers.

Psychometric properties of the Stress Mindset Measure (SMM) in the Polish population

Purpose

The goal of the research was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Polish adaptation of the Stress Mindset Measure (SMM; general version, SMM-G, and specific version, SMM-S).

Methods

Study 1 was an online survey conducted among 1651 adults (81% women, aged 18–84 years). To assess the theoretical validity of the SMM, the following constructs were also measured: Big Five personality dimensions, positive orientation, self-control, perceived stress at work, depressiveness, assessment of one’s own health, and ego-resiliency. Study 2 was a test-retest reliability measurement and took place 10 months later among 344 participants.

Results

A factor validity was examined using exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factor analysis. EFA revealed a two-factor structure for the SMM-G and a one-factor structure for the SMM-S. However, these models obtained unsatisfactory goodness-of-fit indices in the CFA. Among the alternative models, the four-factor hierarchical model was best fitted to the data for both the SMM-G (RMSEA = .038, CFI = .996, TLI = .985) and the SMM-S (RMSEA = .041, CFI = .996, TLI = .990). These results were supported in the test-retest sample (SMM-G: RMSEA = .066, CFI = .990, TLI = .968; SMM-S: RMSEA = .056, CFI = .994, TLI = .983). Thus, four lower-order factors were identified: General, Health and Vitality, Performance and Productivity, Learning and Growth. The reliability of the overall general and specific indices measured with Cronbach’s alpha was high and repeatable in both studies (Study 1: SMM-G α = .88; SMM-S α = .91; Study 2 (SMM-G, α = .87; SMM-S, α = .91). The stability for the SMM-G was satisfactory (r = .62; p < .001), and moderate for SMM-S (r = .46, p < .001). The theoretical validity analysis showed low (< |.40|) correlations in the expected directions with the majority of the selected tools.

Conclusion

The Polish adaptation of the SMM has very good psychometric properties. However, the unidimensional character of the original scale is not confirmed, which was also the case in other existing adaptations. The analyses in a sample several times larger than in previous studies revealed a greater complexity of the construct, identifying one higher-order factor and four lower-order factors.

A Scoping Review of Stress Beliefs: Literature Integration, Measurement Issues, and Theoretical Concerns

BACKGROUND

Individual stress beliefs are associated with stress-related behavioral responses and health consequences. The Common-Sense Model of Self-Regulation may help in understanding the role of stress beliefs in these behavioral responses and consequences.

PURPOSE

To synthesize empirical studies exploring the relationship between stress beliefs and stress-related behavioral responses and health consequences using the Common-Sense Model as a guiding framework.

METHODS

Peer-reviewed journal articles on stress beliefs in PsycArticles, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and Sociological Abstracts were included if they were in English, reported on adult humans. Nineteen of the 1,972 unique articles reporting on 24 studies met inclusion criteria. Study quality was assessed with existing reporting criteria.

RESULTS

Four of the five Common-Sense Model representations were included across the review studies, namely Identity, Cause, Consequences, and Control. Consequences and Control-related stress beliefs are associated with stress-based health and behavioral outcomes. One study explored Identity-related stress beliefs with health outcomes, reporting no relationship. No study assessed the relationship between Cause-related stress beliefs and behaviors or health outcomes. No study has explored any aspect of Timeline-related stress beliefs. Study quality ranged from very low to very high.

CONCLUSIONS

There is limited evidence exploring stress-related beliefs and behaviors and health outcomes. According to the Common-Sense Model, the Timeline representations remains to be investigated in the stress context, and Identity and Cause are under-researched. This review highlights future directions for stress beliefs research.

Sense of Coherence, Burnout, and Work Engagement: The Moderating Effect of Coping in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Research on coping, sense of coherence, burnout, and work engagement is well documented in western countries. However, a void of studies exists on how coping mechanisms can moderate the relationship among sense of coherence, burnout, and work engagement in a manufacturing company in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The objective of this research was to examine the moderating effect of coping (COP) in the relationship between sense of coherence (SOC), burnout (BO), and work engagement (WE). The study employed a quantitative research approach, while participants were recruited through convenience sampling. A total of 197 employees (n = 197; females 40%) who are permanently employed in a manufacturing organisation in the DRC participated in the study voluntarily. The results indicate that coping related positively to a sense of coherence. Moreover, the results indicate that sense of coherence and work engagement related negatively to burnout. Furthermore, the results show that coping acted as a moderator in the relationships between variables. The study adds value to the WE theory by suggesting that an employee who has a high level of COP, high SOC, low level of BO, will positively engage, perform, and be productive.

The Psychology of Harmony and Harmonization: Advancing the Perspectives for the Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development

After delineating the roots of harmony in the literature from both the Eastern and the Western perspectives, the paper introduces the new Psychology of harmony in terms of harmonization that widens the perspective calling for psychological contributions regarding components, processes and building strengths in a preventive perspective. The complex construction of Harmony from a psychological perspective underlines the concept of relationality. Harmony results at three main points, with oneself, with others, and with nature/the natural world, also taking into account the spatial and temporal perspectives. The Psychology of harmony as harmonization represents a pillar for a new research area in the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development, considering harmonization in geographical and temporal perspectives, including meaningful construction processes from the past, to the present, and into the future using reflexivity processes at the individual, group, community, social, and national levels. Introducing the innovative psychology of harmony as harmonization the present article offers promising perspectives for research and intervention with the aim to individuate and foster new strengths from a preventive perspective.

Mediating effects of perceived stress on the relationship of positivity with negative and positive affect

Background

Positivity refers to "a general tendency to view life and experiences with a positive outlook". Enhanced positivity has been linked with decreased negative affect and increased positive affect, but rather little is known about the factors that mediate these relationships. One potential such factor is perceived stress, which refers to how one appraises life situations as stressful. This study examined the mediating effects of perceived stress on the associations of positivity with negative and positive affect. Two hypotheses were tested: 1) positivity is negatively associated with perceived stress, which in turn is positively associated with negative affect, and 2) positivity is negatively associated with perceived stress, which in turn is negatively associated with positive affect.

Methods

An online survey was conducted with 100 Japanese men and 100 Japanese women who were members of a survey company in January 2018. They completed questionnaires on positivity, perceived stress, and negative and positive affect. All survey procedures were managed and conducted by a web-survey company.

Results

Mediation analyses indicated that perceived stress was a mediator in the relationship between positivity and negative affect. Perceived stress was also found to be a mediator in the relationship between positivity and positive affect.

Conclusion

Positivity was found to be associated with negative affect and positive affect via perceived stress.

The effect of psychomotor physical therapy on health-related quality of life, pain, coping, self-esteem, and social support

BACKGROUND

Norwegian psychomotor physiotherapy (NPMP) is commonly applied for patients with long-lasting pain and psychological symptoms. The approach is based on a bio-psychosocial model of health and might have benefits to physical, psychological, and physical domains of health-related quality of life (HRQOL). No previous randomized controlled clinical trials have been performed to examine the effectiveness of NPMP as individual treatment. The aim was therefore to assess the effect of a 6-month intervention of NPMP on HRQOL and on pain, coping, social support, and self-esteem.

METHODS

The study was a pragmatic randomized controlled trial comparing an intervention group with a control group. Participants were recruited from 36 physiotherapists specialized in NPMP, working in private practice. The intervention group received NPMP once weekly for 6 months, whereas the control group received no intervention. Measurements were performed at baseline and after 6 months. A total of 105 participants were included. HRQOL was measured by the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, SF-36. To examine the effect of the intervention, independent sample t tests were performed with the "difference in mean values," delta (=∆, posttest result - baseline result).

RESULTS

Significant differences between the two groups were observed in six of the eight SF-36 domains: Physical Functioning, Bodily Pain, General Health, Mental Health, Social Functioning, and Vitality. Effect size ranged from 0.9 for Vitality to 0.3 for Role Physical and Role Emotional. Furthermore, there was a significant difference between groups regarding pain and self-esteem in favour of the intervention group. The Cohen's d effect sizes of the different dimensions of HRQOL ranged from 0.3 to 0.9 with a median of 0.6.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study demonstrate that 6-month intervention of NPMP increased HRQOL and self-esteem as well as reduced pain.