Associations of psychological inflexibility with posttraumatic stress disorder and adherence to COVID-19 control measures among refugees in Uganda: The moderating role of coping strategies

Refugees are vulnerable to developing mental health problems. The unprecedented appearance and rapid spread of COVID-19 exacerbated this vulnerability, especially in low-income countries where refugees survive on humanitarian aid and live in congested settlements. These appalling living conditions are a stressor, making adherence to COVID-19 control measures impractical and an additional psychological strain for refugees. The present study examined how psychological inflexibility is associated with adherence to COVID-19 control measures. A sample of 352 refugees from Kampala City and Bidibidi settlements were recruited. Refugees with high levels of psychological inflexibility reported higher PTSD symptom severity and low adherence to COVID-19 control measures. Moreover, PTSD severity mediated the association between psychological inflexibility and adherence, while avoidance coping moderated both direct and indirect effects. Interventions for reducing psychological inflexibility and avoidance coping may be essential in boosting adherence to measures relevant to the current and future status of the pandemic, along with other crises that refugees face.

On the relationship between valence and arousal in samples across the globe

Affect is involved in many psychological phenomena, but a descriptive structure, long sought, has been elusive. Valence and arousal are fundamental, and a key question-the focus of the present study-is the relationship between them. Valence is sometimes thought to be independent of arousal, but, in some studies (representing too few societies in the world) arousal was found to vary with valence. One common finding is that arousal is lowest at neutral valence and increases with both positive and negative valence: a symmetric V-shaped relationship. In the study reported here of self-reported affect during a remembered moment (N = 8,590), we tested the valence-arousal relationship in 33 societies with 25 different languages. The two most common hypotheses in the literature-independence and a symmetric V-shaped relationship-were not supported. With data of all samples pooled, arousal increased with positive but not negative valence. Valence accounted for between 5% (Finland) and 43% (China Beijing) of the variance in arousal. Although there is evidence for a structural relationship between the two, there is also a large amount of variability in this relation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Barriers to Accessing Community Based Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Management in Post Conflict Acholi Sub-region

Purpose: The study aimed at assessing barriers in accessing Community-Based Trauma- Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) management in post-conflict Acholi sub-region with interest in providing solutions to those barriers. Methodology: The study adopted a survey approach which was qualitative. This was done through interviews. This was supplemented by the pragmatic paradigm that concerned assessing effectiveness of community-based TF-CBT. The research design used to assess barriers and facilitators of TF-CBT was cross sectional. The use of cross-sectional survey design involved the elements of comparative, exploratory and descriptive approaches.  Sample selection of participants involved organizational staff comprising of, social workers, clinical psychologists, Village Health Team (VHTs). Beneficiaries who included 120 men and 299 women. The 419 beneficiaries were interrogated using a questionnaire, 36 participants for Focused Group Discussions (FGDs), four social workers and, one clinical psychologist and 25 in-depth interviews with beneficiaries. Findings: Results indicated; limited mobilization, stigmatization, lack of enough human resource, alcoholism, lack of commitment and economic crisis amongst others as barriers to accessing TF-CBT for PTSD management. The study suggests that these can be handled through sensitization, radio talk shows, visiting clients in their homes and increasing number of staff. The study suggests community sensitization, recruiting more staff to handle TF-CBT, visitations by staff to clients, family support from spouses & caregivers and increased infrastructure as the recommended measure to handle this problem.

Stress, Gender and Coping Strategies among Secondary School Teachers in Kampala District

Purpose: The study aimed at assessing the sources of stress among male and female teachers, coping strategies adopted by the teachers and the effects of stress on the job performance of teachers.  Methodology: The study adopted a survey design with both quantitative and qualitative methods.  The study was conducted among secondary school teachers who were picked from both private and government aided schools in Nakawa Division, Kampala District.  The sample consisted of 100 teachers who were selected through stratified random sampling that comprised of 50 male and 50 female teachers. Stress among teachers was assessed using a stress scale questionnaire and the coping strategies were assessed using the coping questionnaire developed by Folkman and Lazarus (1988) and open ended questionnaire was used to assess the effects of stress on the performance of teachers.  Quantitative data was coded on themes derived from the objectives of the study.  Quantitative data was analyzed using factor analysis, t-test and correlation analysis.  Findings: The major sources of stress in terms of factors were work-oriented, personal failure factors and poor working habits factors. In case of coping strategies for social support seeking coping strategy, the main strategy used was “accepted since nothing could be done” and e least used was “avoided stressful work”. Emotional focused coping strategy had “prayed or got involved in other spiritual activities” as main strategy used while “I brought the risk to myself” was the least used strategy.  And “kept myself from thinking too much about stress” was main strategy used while “gone on as if nothing had happened” was least used by the teachers in coping with stress. There was a negative relationship between all the three factors of stress indicating that whenever one was stressed, then their performance was negatively affected. 

The emergence of sex differences in personality traits in early adolescence: A cross-sectional, cross-cultural study

Although large international studies have found consistent patterns of sex differences in personality traits among adults (i.e., women scoring higher on most facets), less is known about cross-cultural sex differences in adolescent personality and the role of culture and age in shaping them. The present study examines the NEO Personality Inventory-3 (McCrae, Costa, & Martin, 2005) informant ratings of adolescents from 23 cultures (N = 4,850), and investigates culture and age as sources of variability in sex differences of adolescents' personality. The effect for Neuroticism (with females scoring higher than males) begins to take on its adult form around age 14. Girls score higher on Openness to Experience and Conscientiousness at all ages between 12 and 17 years. A more complex pattern emerges for Extraversion and Agreeableness, although by age 17, sex differences for these traits are highly similar to those observed in adulthood. Cross-sectional data suggest that (a) with advancing age, sex differences found in adolescents increasingly converge toward adult patterns with respect to both direction and magnitude; (b) girls display sex-typed personality traits at an earlier age than boys; and (c) the emergence of sex differences was similar across cultures. Practical implications of the present findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Can reflection boost competences development in organizations?

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the gaps in some existing competence frameworks and investigate the power of reflection on one’s behavior to improve the process of the competences development.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors used a correlational design and a quasi-experimental non-equivalent group design involving a baseline assessment (pre-test) of participants’ ability to reflect on their actions instead of applying the standardized competences. Participants were placed in a treatment group and control groups. The treatment group was exposed to a coaching intervention in reflection and operant competence development. Six months later, the authors conducted post-test assessment to assess effect size caused by the coaching intervention regarding the treatment group’s ability to reflect and transform standardized competences into operant competences.

Findings

– The results showed that reflection and operant competences correlates significantly. Second, there was a larger effect size between the pre-test and post-test assessment results for the treatment group implying change in reflective practice and acquisition of operant competences.

Practical implications

– The results demonstrated the need to utilize reflection as a component that will add value to the existing competence frameworks.

Originality/value

– The research adds value to the existing competence development frameworks by introducing reflective practice among managers to create competences that are compatible with the operational context.

Gender Stereotypes of Personality

Numerous studies have documented subtle but consistent sex differences in self-reports and observer-ratings of five-factor personality traits, and such effects were found to show well-defined developmental trajectories and remarkable similarity across nations. In contrast, very little is known about perceived gender differences in five-factor traits in spite of their potential implications for gender biases at the interpersonal and societal level. In particular, it is not clear how perceived gender differences in five-factor personality vary across age groups and national contexts and to what extent they accurately reflect assessed sex differences in personality. To address these questions, we analyzed responses from 3,323 individuals across 26 nations (mean age = 22.3 years, 31% male) who were asked to rate the five-factor personality traits of typical men or women in three age groups (adolescent, adult, and older adult) in their respective nations. Raters perceived women as slightly higher in openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness as well as some aspects of extraversion and neuroticism. Perceived gender differences were fairly consistent across nations and target age groups and mapped closely onto assessed sex differences in self- and observer-rated personality. Associations between the average size of perceived gender differences and national variations in sociodemographic characteristics, value systems, or gender equality did not reach statistical significance. Findings contribute to our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of gender stereotypes of personality and suggest that perceptions of actual sex differences may play a more important role than culturally based gender roles and socialization processes.

The Inaccuracy of National Character Stereotypes

Consensual stereotypes of some groups are relatively accurate, whereas others are not. Previous work suggesting that national character stereotypes are inaccurate has been criticized on several grounds. In this article we (a) provide arguments for the validity of assessed national mean trait levels as criteria for evaluating stereotype accuracy; and (b) report new data on national character in 26 cultures from descriptions (N=3,323) of the typical male or female adolescent, adult, or old person in each. The average ratings were internally consistent and converged with independent stereotypes of the typical culture member, but were weakly related to objective assessments of personality. We argue that this conclusion is consistent with the broader literature on the inaccuracy of national character stereotypes.

Stereotypes of age differences in personality traits: universal and accurate?

Age trajectories for personality traits are known to be similar across cultures. To address whether stereotypes of age groups reflect these age-related changes in personality, we asked participants in 26 countries (N = 3,323) to rate typical adolescents, adults, and old persons in their own country. Raters across nations tended to share similar beliefs about different age groups; adolescents were seen as impulsive, rebellious, undisciplined, preferring excitement and novelty, whereas old people were consistently considered lower on impulsivity, activity, antagonism, and Openness. These consensual age group stereotypes correlated strongly with published age differences on the five major dimensions of personality and most of 30 specific traits, using as criteria of accuracy both self-reports and observer ratings, different survey methodologies, and data from up to 50 nations. However, personal stereotypes were considerably less accurate, and consensual stereotypes tended to exaggerate differences across age groups.

Perceptions of aging across 26 cultures and their culture-level associates

College students (N=3,435) in 26 cultures reported their perceptions of age-related changes in physical, cognitive, and socioemotional areas of functioning and rated societal views of aging within their culture. There was widespread cross-cultural consensus regarding the expected direction of aging trajectories with (a) perceived declines in societal views of aging, physical attractiveness, the ability to perform everyday tasks, and new learning; (b) perceived increases in wisdom, knowledge, and received respect; and (c) perceived stability in family authority and life satisfaction. Cross-cultural variations in aging perceptions were associated with culture-level indicators of population aging, education levels, values, and national character stereotypes. These associations were stronger for societal views on aging and perceptions of socioemotional changes than for perceptions of physical and cognitive changes. A consideration of culture-level variables also suggested that previously reported differences in aging perceptions between Asian and Western countries may be related to differences in population structure.

National character does not reflect mean personality trait levels in 49 cultures

Most people hold beliefs about personality characteristics typical of members of their own and others' cultures. These perceptions of national character may be generalizations from personal experience, stereotypes with a "kernel of truth," or inaccurate stereotypes. We obtained national character ratings of 3989 people from 49 cultures and compared them with the average personality scores of culture members assessed by observer ratings and self-reports. National character ratings were reliable but did not converge with assessed traits. Perceptions of national character thus appear to be unfounded stereotypes that may serve the function of maintaining a national identity.