Fear of Terror and Psychological Well-Being: The Moderating Role of Emotional Intelligence

Cognitive causes of the mental state of terror and their link to mental health outcomes

The mental state of terror is a dysphoric emotion, feeling of dread and sudden realisation that the outcomes of one's life events can take an extremely negative turn. The state represents the acute stage of fear, anxiety and trauma and generally occurs in mental disorders, such as trauma- and stress-related disorders, but it can also manifest in healthy individuals as the initial trigger response, the point of mental dysregulation. The mental state of terror can be specified with the following parameters: (1) perceived loss of safety, (2) unpredictability and uncertainty, (3) intense consequent emotional reaction, (4) hypersensitivity to the trigger stimuli, and consequentially, (5) the outcome that can be either negative, such as resulting in developing a mental disorder, or positive, such as developing post-traumatic growth and resilience. Behavioural biases are also a for factor the development of the mental state of terror. The aim of this theoretical contribution is to define the mental state of terror in terms of cognitive factors, such as exposure to traumatic events and uncertainty of the environment for understanding the development of mental disorders within stress and trauma domains; highlight the importance of psychological resilience and social support.

Enhancing children's awareness of sexual abuse in Pakistan with video literacy interventional cartoons

In presence of violent extremism, children in Pakistan are at high risk for child sexual abuse (CSA), especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Effective approaches for preventing CSA include enhancing resilience resources in violence-affected societies. Previous research suggests that video-based curricula effectively enhances learning in primary schoolchildren. We pilot tested a video literacy program to build awareness in children, creating a 'personal safety and space bubble' as an educational approach for prevention of sexual abuse with an experimental 6 weeks long pre- and post-test design. We conducted qualitative interviews with students, teachers, and parents and identified themes using frequency analyses. Results showed a 96.7% increase in awareness about 'personal safety and space bubble'. The pilot study is valuable for public health researchers and policy makers seeking to curtail sexual abuse in extreme violence affected Pakistan. Primary schools can use such interventional cartoons to enhance awareness about child sexual abuse.

The Interplay Between Financial Literacy, Financial Risk Tolerance, and Financial Behaviour: The Moderator Effect of Emotional Intelligence

Aim

This study aims to examine financial literacy's impact on individual investors' financial behaviour while also investigating the mediating role of financial risk tolerance and the moderator effect of emotional intelligence.

Methods

The study collects time-lagged data from 389 financially independent individual investors from leading educational institutes in Pakistan. Data are analysed using SmartPLS (v 3.3.3) to test the measurement and structural models.

Results

The findings reveal that financial literacy significantly impacts the financial behaviour of individual investors. In addition, financial risk tolerance partially mediates the relationship between financial literacy and financial behaviour. Besides, the study found a significant moderating role of emotional intelligence in the direct relationship between financial literacy and financial risk tolerance and an indirect relationship between financial literacy and financial behaviour.

Discussion

The study examined a hitherto unexplored relationship between financial literacy and financial behaviour, mediated by financial risk tolerance and moderated by emotional intelligence.

Efficacy of an anti-bullying video literacy program in Pakistani primary school children

With a scarcity of research looking at violent and extremist tendencies in primary school children in Pakistan, this study aimed to look at the effects of emotional resilience education through the means of cartoon-based learning. Children have a limited attention span and research on video/cartoon-based literacy projects has indicated greater efficacy with more retention and engagement. The cartoon based on the theme of anti-bullying was used in a 6-week intervention program in an experimental design setup with 120 experimental and 40 control group students recruited from the Islamabad/Rawalpindi area (ages 9-11). The behaviours and awareness about the concepts of physical and verbal bullying, coercion and damaging others' property, as well as qualitative information about the cartoon themes were assessed before and after the program for pre- and post-test comparison. The cartoon was accompanied with teaching aids, worksheets and activity-based learning. The results indicated that only 3.3% students were aware about bullying and its various types to begin with and after intervention 98.7% understood the concept clearly. Before the intervention, 65.8% students didn't understand that they were bullies - after the intervention it reduced to 22.5% who thought they were not bullies. Effectiveness of the results from this video literacy program will enable development of more emotional resilience education courses in the curriculum to create a more resilient society in the long run and curb bullying in schools.

Children's Reactions to War, Armed Conflict and Displacement: Resilience in a Social Climate of Support

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The aim of this review was to unravel recent evidence for children's reactions to war and armed conflict focusing on resilience factors mitigating adverse psychological and psychiatric consequences.

RECENT FINDINGS

Three categories of mitigating resilience factors emerged from the literature - personal, family, and community factors. In addition, a unifying model of moderating resilience factors emerged, proposing a higher-tier environmental dimension conceptualized here as social climate of support. Wars and armed conflict affect children both by direct exposure to threats, and by disruption of the social fabric supporting development. The notion of producing a climate of social support can direct policy toward service provision and resilience-based programs that both build individual capacities and encompass development of the resources of families, schools, community, and societal structures supportive of children's adjustment and wellbeing. Future research should shift toward systems thinking within a socio-ecological nesting of individual, familial, community, and societal systems.

Unpacking the Mental Health of Nurses during COVID-19: Evidence from Pakistan

The prime objective of the present study is to test the effect of COVID-19 fear on the mental condition of nurses in the public health sector of Pakistan. This study seeks to measure the psychological distress, anxiety, and psychological well-being of nurses due to fear of COVID-19 and exposure to COVID-19. This research further reveals the moderating role of “social support” in the link between COVID-19 fear, exposure and mental health. Through a convenient sampling technique, 250 sample contributors were chosen from 12 public hospitals. The results were obtained by applying multiple regression and moderation analysis by SPSS and the Hayes process. The outcomes indicated that fear of exposure to COVID-19 affects the mental health of nurses. The findings also discovered that social support is not very constructive in the pandemic. However, we suggested that social support is the best weapon to encourage nurses to relieve their fear and minimize negative emotions.

Trait emotional intelligence and quality of life among breast cancer patients: The mediating role of fear of cancer recurrence

BACKGROUND

Trait emotional intelligence and fear of cancer recurrence could predict quality of life, but the mechanism between the three is poorly understood.

METHODS

The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between trait emotional intelligence, fear of cancer recurrence and quality of life in patients with breast cancer. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 215 breast cancer patients recruited from two hospitals in China. Data were collected from December 2018 to April 2019. Questionnaires measured demographic and medical characteristics, trait emotional intelligence, fear of cancer recurrence and quality of life. Pearson correlation analysis and structural equation modelling were conducted to analyse the data.

RESULTS

As expected, trait emotional intelligence was positively related to quality of life and negatively correlated with fear of cancer recurrence. Fear of cancer recurrence was negatively associated with quality of life. This relationship between trait emotional intelligence and quality of life was mediated by fear of cancer recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

These results shed light on underlying mechanisms by which trait emotional intelligence affects quality of life. Trait emotional intelligence training could reduce fear of cancer recurrence to improve quality of life for cancer patients.

Emotional Intelligence Profiles and Self-Esteem/Self-Concept: An Analysis of Relationships in Gifted Students

The psychological well-being of students affects their academic achievement, social relationships and school coexistence and is something that families worry about. This aspect becomes vital when students have atypical development and/or specific needs. Studies on the impact of giftedness on students' self-concept and self-esteem offer mixed results. Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a key factor for their well-being that must be developed by educational institutions. This study analyzes the relationships between emotional intelligence profiles and both self-concept and self-esteem of identified gifted students between 8 and 18 years of age who study in regular Spanish schools and non-identified peers. A total of 118 identified gifted and 122 non-identified subjects participated in the study. The Self-Concept Scale Form 5 (AF5), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the Trait Meta-Mood Scale-24 (TMMS-24) were administered. Clusters of students were identified on the basis of their scores in the three dimensions of EI. Subsequently, the differences in self-esteem and self-concept according to the student's emotional intelligence profile were analyzed. The results showed a taxonomy of three-cluster profiles in both groups and the existence of differences between profiles of EI in the self-esteem and self-concept dimensions in gifted students, not so in the non-identified group. The results have important implications for education and health professionals, both for the evaluation and for the introduction of adjusted intervention programs in case of vulnerability.

Effect of Coronavirus-19 on Mental Condition of International Students in China

Despite its importance, no study investigates the effects of COVID-19 on the mental condition of international students in China. By using data from international students in China, this study finds the positive and affirmative connection between fear of COVID-19 and generalized anxiety disorder among foreign students. Furthermore, this study reveals a negative association between fear of COVID-19 and the psychological well-being of foreign students in China. We also find that emotional intelligence has a positive and optimistic moderating influence on the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and generalized anxiety disorder but it has not moderating effect on the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and psychological well-being. Our study contributes to the body and knowledge and offers new insights concerning the effects of COVID-19 on the mental condition of international students.

Emotional intelligence and cognitive skills protecting mental health from stress and violence among Ghanaian youth

This study investigates the protective mental health function of high emotional intelligence (EI), and cognitive skills (CS) among Ghanaian adolescents when exposed to stressful life-events and violence. It examines, first, how exposure to stressful life-events and violent experiences is associated with mental health, indicated by depressive and psychological distress symptoms, and, second, whether EI and CS could serve as possible moderators between stress, violence and mental health problems. Participants were 415 Ghanaian secondary education students. They reported about their depressive symptoms (Bireleson), psychological distress (Strength and Difficult Questionnaire, SDQ), and emotional intelligence (Trait Emotional Intelligence Question-naire, TEIQue), cognitive skills (The Amsterdam Executive Function Inventory). They also reported their stressful life-events and violent experiences. Statistical analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling (SEM). As hypothesized, high level of stressful life events were associated with high levels of depressive symptoms and psychological distress. Yet violent experiences did not associate with mental health problems. Against hypothesis, high levels of EI and CS could not protect adolescents mental health from negative effects of stressful life events or violent experiences. A direct effects were found between low level of EI and CS and high level of mental health problems. The results are discussed in relations to psychological and cultural factors present in EI and CS in adolescence.