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Arslan G, Coşkun M. Coronavirus-Related Stressors, Resilient Mindset, Loneliness, Depressive Symptoms in College Students: Testing a Moderated Mediation Model. Psychol Rep 2024; 127:1633-1651. [PMID: 36377653 DOI: 10.1177/00332941221139721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak alarmingly threats the mental health and functioning of people globally. The present study aims to examine the moderated mediation role of resilient mindset and loneliness in the association of coronavirus stress and depressive symptoms. We recruited 394 undergraduate students from a state university in Türkiye, ranging in age between 18 and 47 years (M = 22.76, SD = 3.88; 65% female). The main results revealed that resilient mindset mediated the relationship between coronavirus-related stress and depressive symptoms. Moreover, loneliness moderated the mediating effect of resilient mindset in the coronavirus stress and depressive symptoms association. Taken together, these findings pointed out that the effects of the coronavirus stress on depressive symptoms can be captured better by underlying psychological mechanisms, namely resilient mindset and loneliness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gökmen Arslan
- Department of Psychological Counseling and Guidance, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Turkey
- Centre for Wellbeing Science, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Muhammet Coşkun
- Department of Psychology, Middle East Technical University, Turkey
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2
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Pitcho S, Heller O, Chun Y, Schwartz-Tayri TM, Grinstein-Weiss M. Optimism in dire times: The buffering role of optimism in the relationship between food insecurity and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Heliyon 2024; 10:e30385. [PMID: 38720755 PMCID: PMC11076958 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Considering the need to gain a deeper understanding of the protective factors associated with coping with food insecurity, specifically in times of severe prolonged stress, the current longitudinal study seeks to examine the role of optimism in the relationship between food insecurity and adverse mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. A three-wave longitudinal study involving 1921 Israeli adults was performed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants completed questionnaires assessing food insecurity, anxiety, depression, optimism, and socio-demographic characteristics. To explore the relationship between food insecurity and symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as the moderating role of optimism in this relationship, we employed a set of panel regression models with individual fixed effects. Our results indicate that the degree and change in food insecurity over time were positively associated with both anxiety and depression symptoms, whereas the degree and change in optimism were negatively correlated. Optimism was found to moderate the association between food insecurity and anxiety symptoms over time, but not the association between food insecurity and depression symptoms. A subgroup analysis revealed that optimism moderated the relationship between food insecurity and anxiety and depression for women, but not for men; for married/coupled individuals but not for singles; for non-parents with regard to anxiety, and for parents with regard to depression. Our results highlight the need to practice and enhance optimism in times of great despair, uncertainty, and hardship, especially in situations of food insecurity where tangible change may take time.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Oren Heller
- Social Policy Institute (SPI) Washington University in St. Louis, USA
| | - Yung Chun
- Social Policy Institute (SPI) Washington University in St. Louis, USA
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3
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Wong PTP, Ho LS, Mayer CH, Yang F, Cowden RG. Editorial: A new science of suffering, the wisdom of the soul, and the new behavioral economics of happiness: towards a general theory of well-being. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1280613. [PMID: 37809317 PMCID: PMC10552563 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1280613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Paul T. P. Wong
- Department of Psychology, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada
| | - Lok Sang Ho
- STEAM Education and Research Center, Lingnan University, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Claude-Hélène Mayer
- Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Psychology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Richard G. Cowden
- Human Flourishing Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
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Isham A, Morgan G, Kemp AH. Nurturing wellbeing amidst the climate crisis: on the need for a focus on wellbeing in the field of climate psychology. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1205991. [PMID: 37575429 PMCID: PMC10413562 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1205991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Awareness of climate change can prompt overwhelming emotions that threaten wellbeing such as anger, despair, and anxiety. Neoliberal views of human beings and their mental health strip the individual from their social and material context, driving personal dissatisfaction, social isolation, and ecological destruction. In this piece, we contend that advancements in scholarly research on wellbeing offer valuable insights for addressing the challenges posed by the climate crises while respecting human wellbeing. Such frameworks, which include the Power Threat Meaning Framework (PTMF) and the GENIAL model, emphasize the interconnected nature of people, communities, and their environment. In turn, they help to lay the groundwork for the development of 'post-growth' societies focused on supporting outcomes such as human wellbeing, social justice, and environmental regeneration. There are a number of different actions that practitioners and even lay individuals can take to promote positive outcomes and effective responses in the face of the climate crisis. These actions, discussed in the concluding sections of the article, aim to foster wellbeing and impactful engagement with the challenges posed by climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Isham
- School of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
- Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Gareth Morgan
- School of Psychology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
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Hirten RP, Suprun M, Danieletto M, Zweig M, Golden E, Pyzik R, Kaur S, Helmus D, Biello A, Landell K, Rodrigues J, Bottinger EP, Keefer L, Charney D, Nadkarni GN, Suarez-Farinas M, Fayad ZA. A machine learning approach to determine resilience utilizing wearable device data: analysis of an observational cohort. JAMIA Open 2023; 6:ooad029. [PMID: 37143859 PMCID: PMC10152991 DOI: 10.1093/jamiaopen/ooad029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To assess whether an individual's degree of psychological resilience can be determined from physiological metrics passively collected from a wearable device. Materials and Methods Data were analyzed in this secondary analysis of the Warrior Watch Study dataset, a prospective cohort of healthcare workers enrolled across 7 hospitals in New York City. Subjects wore an Apple Watch for the duration of their participation. Surveys were collected measuring resilience, optimism, and emotional support at baseline. Results We evaluated data from 329 subjects (mean age 37.4 years, 37.1% male). Across all testing sets, gradient-boosting machines (GBM) and extreme gradient-boosting models performed best for high- versus low-resilience prediction, stratified on a median Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-2 score of 6 (interquartile range = 5-7), with an AUC of 0.60. When predicting resilience as a continuous variable, multivariate linear models had a correlation of 0.24 (P = .029) and RMSE of 1.37 in the testing data. A positive psychological construct, comprised of resilience, optimism, and emotional support was also evaluated. The oblique random forest method performed best in estimating high- versus low-composite scores stratified on a median of 32.5, with an AUC of 0.65, a sensitivity of 0.60, and a specificity of 0.70. Discussion In a post hoc analysis, machine learning models applied to physiological metrics collected from wearable devices had some predictive ability in identifying resilience states and a positive psychological construct. Conclusions These findings support the further assessment of psychological characteristics from passively collected wearable data in dedicated studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert P Hirten
- The Dr. Henry D. Janowitz Division of Gastroenterology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- The Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Maria Suprun
- Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Center for Biostatistics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Matteo Danieletto
- The Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Micol Zweig
- The Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Eddye Golden
- The Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Renata Pyzik
- The BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sparshdeep Kaur
- The Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Drew Helmus
- The Dr. Henry D. Janowitz Division of Gastroenterology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Anthony Biello
- The Dr. Henry D. Janowitz Division of Gastroenterology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kyle Landell
- The Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jovita Rodrigues
- The Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Erwin P Bottinger
- The Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Laurie Keefer
- The Dr. Henry D. Janowitz Division of Gastroenterology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Dennis Charney
- Office of the Dean, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Girish N Nadkarni
- The Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- The Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- The Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mayte Suarez-Farinas
- Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Center for Biostatistics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Zahi A Fayad
- The BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Diagnostic, Molecular and Interventional Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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Psychopathology, Personality and Depression after Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Network Analysis in an Italian Population. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13050915. [PMID: 36900060 PMCID: PMC10000947 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13050915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Several biopsychosocial factors are associated with the onset of a Major Depressive Episode (MDE) after cardiovascular events. However, little is known of the interaction between trait- and state-like symptoms and characteristics and their role in predisposing cardiac patients to MDEs. Three hundred and four subjects were selected among patients admitted for the first time at a Coronary Intensive Care Unit. Assessment comprised personality features, psychiatric symptoms and general psychological distress; the occurrences of MDEs and Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACE) were recorded during a two-year follow-up period. Network analyses of state-like symptoms and trait-like features were compared between patients with and without MDEs and MACE during follow-up. Individuals with and without MDEs differed in sociodemographic characteristics and baseline depressive symptoms. Network comparison revealed significant differences in personality features, not state-like symptoms: the group with MDEs displayed greater Type D personality traits and alexithymia as well as stronger associations between alexithymia and negative affectivity (edge differences between negative affectivity and difficulty identifying feelings was 0.303, and difficulty describing feelings was 0.439). The vulnerability to depression in cardiac patients is associated with personality features but not with state-like symptoms. Personality evaluation at the first cardiac event may help identify individuals more vulnerable to development of an MDE, and they could be referred to specialist care in order to reduce their risk.
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Lau CYH, Tov W. Effects of positive reappraisal and self-distancing on the meaningfulness of everyday negative events. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1093412. [PMID: 36968696 PMCID: PMC10034987 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1093412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Current work on meaning-making has primarily focused on major negative life events such as trauma and loss, leaving common daily adversities unexplored. This study aimed to examine how utilizing meaning-making strategies such as positive reappraisal and self-distancing (in isolation or in combination) can facilitate an adaptive processing of these daily negative experiences. Overall meaning and facets of meaning (coherence, purpose, and significance/mattering) were assessed at both global and situational levels. Results suggested that positive reappraisal was generally effective for enhancing situational meaning but not under all conditions. Specifically, when negative experiences were high on emotional intensity, reflecting on the experience from a distanced (third-person) perspective enhanced coherence and existential mattering more than engaging in positive reappraisal. However, when negative experiences were low on intensity, distanced reflection led to less coherence and mattering than positive reappraisal. The findings of this study elucidated the importance of examining the multidimensional construct of meaning at the facet level and highlighted the importance of applying different coping strategies to effectively make meaning out of daily negative experiences.
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Rajkumar RP. Cultural values and changes in happiness in 78 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic: An analysis of data from the World Happiness Reports. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1090340. [PMID: 36818129 PMCID: PMC9932538 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1090340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The concept of happiness is consistent across cultures to a significant extent, and encompasses both internal (subjective) and external (situational) aspects. Cultural values and norms shape emotions and behavior from an early age, and hence play a key role in influencing cross-national variations in happiness. Cross-national variations in culture can thus play a key role in influencing the relationship between adverse circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and happiness. The current study examines the relationship between the six dimensions of culture, defined by Hofstede and his colleagues, and subjective ratings of happiness in 78 countries, obtained before (2017-19) and during (2020-21) the COVID-19 pandemic, based on data from the most recent World Happiness reports. The key results were: (a) countries were as likely to experience an increase as a decrease in self-reported happiness during this period; (b) distinct domains of culture were significantly correlated with happiness at each time point, though there was a certain degree of overlap; (c) pre-pandemic levels of happiness were negatively associated with changes in happiness during the pandemic; and (d) among cultural dimensions, long-term orientation was positively associated with changes in subjective happiness, while indulgence was negatively associated with this variable. Certain cultural values may play an important part in fostering a path to well-being in the face of stressful or traumatic circumstances. This path may be similar to the concept of mature happiness, derived from existential philosophy, which is characterized by achieving a balance between the positive and negative aspects of one's life.
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Güven AZ, Arslan G. Suffering and happiness in Turkish folk poetry in the context of positive psychology: The examples of Asik Mahzuni Serif and Neset Ertas. Front Psychol 2023; 13:1104611. [PMID: 36733880 PMCID: PMC9888310 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1104611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The widespread adoption of positive psychology at the beginning of the century has fortified the scholarly foundations of "happiness." Thus, researchers have focused on "happiness" rather than "suffering" in boosting the joy of life within positive psychology, aiming for individuals to achieve peace with themselves and society. With the developments in positive psychology, over recent years, the idea of integrating both positive and negative aspects of human nature to build a better life for oneself and others has contributed to the rise of second-wave positive psychology (PP 2.0). The present study aimed to explore suffering and happiness in Turkish folk culture through a sample of poems by Asik Mahzuni Serif and Neset Ertas. The study results indicated that suffering-themed concepts were mentioned more than happiness-themed concepts. Within the theme of suffering, the world was the most frequently mentioned concept in Mahzuni's works. He emphasizes in his works that the world is the source of many sufferings. In Ertas's poems, moreover, love was found to be the most frequently mentioned suffering-themed concept. Ertas considers love to be the most significant source of suffering. It was also determined that while separation is the least used concept in the theme of suffering in Mahzuni's verses, it is never mentioned in Ertas's poems. Other concepts pointing to the theme of suffering are poverty, ignorance, longing, death, and slavery. We found that the theme of happiness is mentioned much less frequently than the theme of suffering. While the most used happiness-themed concept is misery/remedy, in Mahzuni's words, love is cited in Ertas's poems. Expressing the view that suffering can be an opportunity for people, Mahzuni emphasizes in his poems that people can grow by learning lessons from their suffering. Ertas, moreover, sees love as the most important source of happiness. The other concepts referencing happiness in the poems were friend, mother, soft answer, and spring. Overall, the results suggest that suffering is an important source of building resilience, which, in turn, can produce happiness. People can grow with the help of the experience of suffering so that this experience can contribute to their flourishing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmet Zeki Güven
- Faculty of Education, Department of Turkish Language Education, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Gökmen Arslan
- Department of Psychological Counseling and Guidance, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Turkey
- Centre for Wellbeing Science, University of Melbourne, Australia
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Horikoshi K. The positive psychology of challenge: Towards interdisciplinary studies of activities and processes involving challenges. Front Psychol 2023; 13:1090069. [PMID: 36743637 PMCID: PMC9891132 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1090069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Activities and processes involving challenges are a natural part of life for most people and are highlighted in times of rapid change and global issues. This article argues that more studies around activities and processes involving challenges should be conducted with a focus on the concept of challenge in the context of well-being and optimal functioning. The concept of challenge is important because it is explicitly embedded in many major themes of positive psychology and can be a key concept in creating perspectives and frameworks to connect and integrate multiple elements in positive psychology to promote advancements in the field. Studying activities and processes involving challenges is also important from the perspective of dialectically integrating the positive and negative elements encompassed in the concept of challenge. The article also proposes to label activities and processes involving challenges as "challengership" and that an interdisciplinary area to study "challengership" (named "challengership studies") should be created, which can collaborate with positive psychology for mutual development. The positive psychology of challenge/challengership is likely to provide opportunities for further advancement of positive psychology by creating more integrated knowledge of how to flourish when faced with challenges individually and collectively. The knowledge created in these areas can also be applied to education, coaching, and training at schools and organizations to meet the needs of the times, where skills of challengership should be considered trainable.
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11
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Wong PTP, Cowden RG. Accelerating the science and practice of psychology beyond WEIRD biases: Enriching the landscape through Asian psychology. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1054519. [PMID: 36619071 PMCID: PMC9815563 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1054519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
More than a decade has passed since major concerns emerged about the WEIRD-centric focus of mainstream psychological science. Since then, many calls have been made for the discipline of psychology (and other disciplines within the social sciences) to become more broadly representative of the human species. However, recent evidence suggests that progress toward improving the inclusivity and generalizability of psychological science has been slow, and that the dominance of WEIRD psychology has persisted. To build a more comprehensive psychological science that truly represents the global population, we need strategies that can facilitate more rapid expansion of empirical evidence in psychology beyond WEIRD biases. In this paper, we draw on several examples (i.e., non-duality and dialectical interaction, Wu-Wei, Zhong Yong) to illustrate how principles of Asian psychology could contribute to reshaping mainstream psychology. We discuss some strategies for advancing a global psychological science, along with some complementary practical suggestions that could enrich the WEIRD-centric landscape of current psychological science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul T. P. Wong
- Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada,*Correspondence: Paul T. P. Wong, ✉
| | - Richard G. Cowden
- Human Flourishing Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
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12
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Kaftanski W, Hanson J. Suffering, authenticity, and meaning in life: Toward an integrated conceptualization of well-being. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1079032. [PMID: 36562064 PMCID: PMC9763890 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1079032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Most conceptions of well-being either ignore suffering or assume an ideal version of human life in which suffering would be eliminated. This trend is especially emblematic of positive psychology. Recent research on well-being indicates a mediating function of meaning in life between suffering and well-being demonstrating that making sense of past experiences is significantly correlated with high presence of meaning in life. Hence, meaning-making serves the role of an active coping mechanism that alleviates suffering. This and related strategies of defining, measuring, and augmenting well-being however overlook a form of suffering that is ineliminable and in fact essential to personal growth. In this paper the insights of the existentialist philosopher Søren Kierkegaard are developed to formulate an integrated conceptualization of well-being that regards "negative" affects as crucial for a rich and complete life. The complexity of the relationship between meaning in life, suffering, and authenticity concerning well-being are discussed. A synthetic perspective on the subjective dimension of the experience of suffering and on the objective nature of human limitations that often cause suffering is discussed in relation to the notions of meaning in life and authenticity. Finally, an integrated conceptualization of well-being is posited. It entails suffering as constitutive of meaning in life and authenticity, which are key components of a well-lived life.
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Ho S, Cook KV, Chen ZJ, Kurniati NMT, Suwartono C, Widyarini N, Wong PTP, Cowden RG. Suffering, psychological distress, and well-being in Indonesia: A prospective cohort study. Stress Health 2022; 38:879-890. [PMID: 35244330 PMCID: PMC10078741 DOI: 10.1002/smi.3139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Research on the subjective experience of suffering has typically focussed on older clinical samples living in Western, educated, industrialised, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) countries. To further extend the existing body of empirical research on suffering to less WEIRD contexts, we use three waves of data (Wave 1: December 2020; Wave 2: January 2021; Wave 3: February 2021) from a sample of nonclinical Indonesian adults (n = 594) to examine associations between suffering, two indices of psychological distress, and 10 facets of well-being. In our primary analysis, we estimated a series of multiple regression models that adjusted for a range of sociodemographic characteristics, financial and material stability, religious/spiritual factors, prior values of overall suffering, and prior values of each outcome assessed in Wave 1. Results indicated that overall suffering assessed in Wave 2 was associated with an increase in both indices of psychological distress and a decrease in eight facets of well-being assessed in Wave 3. Using a similar analytic approach, results from a secondary analysis indicated that higher scores on both indices of psychological distress and lower scores on seven of the well-being facets assessed in Wave 2 were associated with worse subsequent overall suffering assessed in Wave 3. These findings contribute to empirical literature on the implications of suffering for well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Ho
- Human Flourishing Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kaye V Cook
- Department of Psychology, Gordon College, Wenham, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Zhuo Job Chen
- School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Christiany Suwartono
- Faculty of Psychology, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, South Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Nilam Widyarini
- Department of Psychology, Gunadarma University, Depok, Indonesia
| | - Paul T P Wong
- Department of Psychology, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - Richard G Cowden
- Human Flourishing Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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Oosthuizen RM, Disemelo K, Mayer CH. Generation Y medical doctors’ experiences of a positive psychology 2.0 intervention for burnout in a South African public hospital. Front Psychol 2022; 13:861872. [PMID: 36312200 PMCID: PMC9600724 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.861872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the research was to explore experiences of a Positive Psychology 2.0 (PP2.0) intervention for burnout among Generation Y medical doctors working in a South African public hospital. The emphasis was on the potential benefits and recommended intervention amendments in a specific cultural context of South Africa. A phenomenological approach was followed in the collective case study. The Maslach Burnout Inventory was administered in phases I and III to quantify the level of burnout. This study offers findings that could be incorporated into a bigger burnout intervention strategy in the South African public hospital, involving all stakeholders to ensure that burnout is combatted on a long-term basis. Furthermore, the findings emphasized certain culture-specific structural issues and the impact that the neglection of burnout has on newly qualified medical doctors working in a South African public hospital and patients in their care. Certain recommendations were made for the South African public hospital for future research in PP2.0 interventions and for facilitators working with burnout among newly qualified medical doctors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudolf M. Oosthuizen
- Department of Industrial and Organisational Psychology, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
- *Correspondence: Rudolf M. Oosthuizen,
| | - Keitumetse Disemelo
- Department of Industrial and Organisational Psychology, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Claude-Hélène Mayer
- Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Binder PE. Facing the uncertainties of being a person: On the role of existential vulnerability in personal identity. PHILOSOPHICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/09515089.2022.2129002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Per-Einar Binder
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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16
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Mallery ST, Mallery P. Centers of value and the quest for meaning in faith development: A measurement approach. Front Psychol 2022; 13:975160. [PMID: 36248446 PMCID: PMC9554310 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.975160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
James Fowler's model of faith development conceptualized "faith" as the quest for and maintenance of meaning oriented around centers of value which may or may not be religious or spiritual in nature. Although this model foreshadowed later work in meaning in life, substantial bodies of literature have developed in each area, almost entirely independently of the other. Integration has been hindered by measurement difficulties in faith development work. Fowler's stages of faith development and their reformulation as Streib's religious styles are usually measured through either a lengthy Faith Development Interview or short measures that do not assess the breadth of domains covered in the interview. These short measures are in many cases oriented around religious faith and impossible for a non-believer to answer. Embedded within the original model and the interview are aspects of faith development including perspective taking, social horizon, morality, locus of authority, form of world coherence, and symbolic function. A new Centers of Value and Quest for Meaning Scale is proposed to assess the aspects, allow non-believers to respond, tap centers of value that are not religious, and eventually address the theoretical assumption of structural wholeness across aspects. In a series of exploratory factor analyses, factors for each adult stage/style emerged for most of the aspects. This supports the potential importance of assessing the aspects and allows for more than one methodology to assess them.
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17
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Nel KA, Govender S. Existential Positive Psychology (EPP): A Positive Tool for Healing Existential Anxieties in South Africa during, and after, the COVID-19 Pandemic. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:10248. [PMID: 36011883 PMCID: PMC9408568 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191610248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Globally, humanity is in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic; thus, we question our individual, and collective, behaviours. Long periods of lockdown and ever-escalating death rates have found people asking questions such as "What is the point of carrying on?" This is exacerbated by the world's burgeoning ecological crisis. Humanity is beginning to wonder if it belongs on the planet when its footprint has caused such rampant destruction to forests, oceans, the animal kingdom, and other ecological entities. Existential positive psychology (EPP) seeks to uncover truths about humankind's existence, survival, and, thus, meaning in life. We, as people, need to make sense of our reason for being as we struggle with our anxieties and seek to become authentic. This discussion paper contends that EPP can help humanity find the courage to challenge, and heal, its existential anxieties, namely, death, isolation, freedom, and meaningless, in order to find individual and group identities, as well as overall mental wellness (or happiness), specifically in a South African context, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The writings of Wong, who works within the framework of EPP, and those of Frankl, a holocaust survivor, whose work falls within the scope of humanistic and existential psychology and Asante's Afrocentrism, which is a philosophical framework grounded on the African continent, are used to support this argument.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Anne Nel
- School of Social Sciences, University of Limpopo, Polokwane 0727, South Africa
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18
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Positive and Existential Psychology in Times of Change: Towards Complex, Holistic, Systemic, and Integrative Perspectives. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19148433. [PMID: 35886283 PMCID: PMC9320159 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19148433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
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19
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Wilkie L, Fisher Z, Kemp AH. The Complex Construct of Wellbeing and the Role of Vagal Function. Front Integr Neurosci 2022; 16:925664. [PMID: 35875509 PMCID: PMC9301262 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2022.925664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lowri Wilkie
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
- Regional Neuropsychology and Community Brain Injury Service, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Zoe Fisher
- Regional Neuropsychology and Community Brain Injury Service, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, United Kingdom
- Health and Wellbeing Academy, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew H. Kemp
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
- Regional Neuropsychology and Community Brain Injury Service, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, United Kingdom
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20
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Gibbs K, Wilkie L, Jarman J, Barker-Smith A, Kemp AH, Fisher Z. Riding the wave into wellbeing: A qualitative evaluation of surf therapy for individuals living with acquired brain injury. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266388. [PMID: 35390052 PMCID: PMC8989185 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Nature has long demonstrated the capacity to facilitate wellbeing. Interventions involving the natural environment such as surf therapy, are increasingly being used to facilitate aspects of wellbeing in clinical populations. However, explorations of how nature-based interventions such as surf therapy may be used to promote wellbeing in the context of neurorehabilitation are missing from the peer-reviewed literature. Here we characterize the experience of a five-week surfing intervention involving fifteen adults living with the psycho-social and cognitive sequelae of acquired brain injury. Insights were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, which highlighted the importance of seven overarching themes, including: 1) Connection to Nature, 2) Facilitating Trust and Safety, 3) Managing and Accepting Difficult Emotions, 4) Facilitating Positive Emotion, Meaning and Purpose, 5) Building Community through Social Connection, and 6) Positive Change. Barriers and opportunities (theme 7) were also identified as components on which clinical services may be improved. We present a theoretical model for the benefits of surf therapy in people living with acquired brain injury (ABI) based on these themes and reflections on findings from the wider literature. Findings emphasise the importance of leveraging community partnerships to augment the holistic model of neurorehabilitation and potential implications for service redesign are discussed, focusing on recent developments in wellbeing science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Gibbs
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Health & Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
- Regional Neuropsychology and Community Brain Injury Service, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Lowri Wilkie
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Health & Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
- Regional Neuropsychology and Community Brain Injury Service, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Jack Jarman
- Regional Neuropsychology and Community Brain Injury Service, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Abigail Barker-Smith
- Regional Neuropsychology and Community Brain Injury Service, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew H. Kemp
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Health & Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
- Regional Neuropsychology and Community Brain Injury Service, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Zoe Fisher
- Regional Neuropsychology and Community Brain Injury Service, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, United Kingdom
- Health and Wellbeing Academy, Faculty of Medicine, Health & Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
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21
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Chen S, van der Meij L, van Zyl LE, Demerouti E. The Life Crafting Scale: Development and Validation of a Multi-Dimensional Meaning-Making Measure. Front Psychol 2022; 13:795686. [PMID: 35330727 PMCID: PMC8940191 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.795686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Finding meaning in our lives is a central tenet to the human experience and a core contributor to mental health. Individuals tend to actively seek the sources of meaning in their lives or consciously enact efforts to create or "craft" meaning in different life domains. These overall "Life Crafting" behaviors refer to the conscious efforts individuals exert to create meaning in their lives through (a) cognitively (re-)framing how they view life, (b) seeking social support systems to manage life challenges, and (c) actively seeking challenges to facilitate personal growth. Specifically, these behaviors are actioned to better align life goals, personal needs, values, and capabilities. However, no psychological assessment instrument currently exists to measure overall life crafting. As such, the purpose of this paper was twofold: to conceptualize life crafting and to develop, validate and evaluate a robust measure of overall life crafting. A mixed-method, multi-study research design was employed. First, nine participants were interviewed to determine the methods or techniques used to craft meaningful life experiences. These methods/techniques were used as indicators to create an initial item pool which was then reviewed by a panel of experts to ensure face validity. Second, in Study 1, the factorial structure of the instrument was explored by gathering data from a convenience sample (N = 331), with the results showing support for a three-factor structure of life crafting, consisting of (a) cognitive crafting, (b) seeking social support, and (c) seeking challenges. Finally, in Study 2 (N = 362), the aim was to confirm the factorial structure of the Life Crafting scale and to determine its level of internal consistency, partial measurement invariance across genders, and criterion validity [meaning in life (β = 0.91), mental health (β = 0.91), work engagement (β = 0.54), and job burnout (β = -0.42)]. The results supported a second-order factorial model of Life Crafting, which comprised of three first-order factors (cognitive crafting, seeking social support, and seeking challenges). Therefore, the Life Crafting Scale can be used as a valid and reliable instrument to measure- and track the effectiveness of life crafting interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi Chen
- Human Performance Management Group, Department of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences, University of Eindhoven, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Leander van der Meij
- Human Performance Management Group, Department of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences, University of Eindhoven, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Llewellyn E. van Zyl
- Human Performance Management Group, Department of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences, University of Eindhoven, Eindhoven, Netherlands
- Optentia Research Focus Area, North-West University (VTC), Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
- Department of Human Resource Management, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
- Department of Social Psychology, Institut für Psychologie, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Evangelia Demerouti
- Human Performance Management Group, Department of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences, University of Eindhoven, Eindhoven, Netherlands
- Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
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22
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Wegner L, Liu S. Positive and negative experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic among lonely and non-lonely populations in Germany. Front Public Health 2022; 10:1067038. [PMID: 36937827 PMCID: PMC10017861 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1067038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing an epidemic of loneliness. Previous studies have shown the differences in positive and negative experiences of lonely and non-lonely people in a non-pandemic setting. However, it is unclear how the drastic alteration of the COVID-19 pandemic may influence peoples' reactions and beliefs, especially among those who feel lonely. Our study aims to examine the positive and negative experiences among lonely and non-lonely people. We undertook a cross-sectional online survey of the general population in Germany (N = 1,758) from May 2020 to May 2022. We assessed their feelings of loneliness with the short eight-item UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-8), their positive and negative experience of living in the COVID-19 pandemic as well as their psychological distress regarding the pandemic with the COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (CPDI). We found lonely individuals (ULS-8 score ≥ 16) reported fewer positive experiences of living in the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, less time with loved ones [z (1, 756) = -2.5, p = 0.012] and less sense of togetherness [z (1, 756) = -2.39, p = 0.017] as compared to non-lonely individuals. Meanwhile, they experienced more negative experiences, for example, worry and fear [z (1, 756) = 6.31, p < 0.001] compared with non-lonely individuals. Interestingly, lonely people were less likely to view the pandemic as a conspiracy than non-lonely people were [z (1, 756) = -3.35, p < 0.001]. Our results may give insight into attribution bias and the negative affect of lonely people during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as highlight the experience of non-lonely people and raise the question of differences in conspiracy beliefs. For pandemic preparedness and response, decision-makers may focus on interventions to foster social cohesion, empower people, build resilience, and most importantly provide timely social care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Wegner
- Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Campus Charité Mitte), Berlin, Germany
- *Correspondence: Luisa Wegner ;
| | - Shuyan Liu
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Campus Charité Mitte), Berlin, Germany
- Shuyan Liu ;
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23
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Terao T, Satoh M. The Present State of Existential Interventions Within Palliative Care. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:811612. [PMID: 35095620 PMCID: PMC8792983 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.811612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Existential psychotherapy is rooted in the European tradition of existential philosophy. Existential philosophers include Husserl and Heidegger, who were German, and Camus, Sartre, de Beauvoir, and Merleau-Ponty, who were French. Their works contain existentially ultimate themes such as death, freedom, meaninglessness, and isolation. Based on their knowledge of existential philosophy, Binswanger, Frankl, and Boss developed the earlier existential psychotherapies such as Dasein-analysis and Logotherapy, while May, Laing, Yalom, May, and Wong started later existential psychotherapies in the British and American culture. Focusing on patients with advanced cancer and/or terminal care, we found nine types of existential psychotherapies which were investigated using randomized controlled trials (RCTs): Meaning-Centered Group Psychotherapy (MCGP), Individual Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy (IMCP), Meaning-Making intervention (MMi), Meaning of Life Intervention, Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM), Hope Intervention, Cognitive and Existential Intervention, Dignity Therapy, and Life-Review Interviews, from 19 relevant RCTs. All deal with death, meaninglessness, isolation, and freedom. Particularly, MCGP, IMCP, MMi, Meaning of Life intervention, and CALM emphasize finding and/or making meaning in the individual's life. The effects on existential or spiritual well-being were confirmed in MCGP, IMCP, Meaning of Life intervention, and Life-Review intervention although the number of studies were very few. In the other interventions, there were heterogenous findings and again the number of studies was very small. Further studies are required to investigate the effects of existential psychotherapy on patients with advanced cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Terao
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Oita, Japan
| | - Moriaki Satoh
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Oita, Japan
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