Background The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between personal characteristics and body mass index (BMI) and the role of problematic Instagram use and body esteem. Participants and procedure The study included 695 adolescents aged 14-18 years (526 females, M = 17.01, SD = 0.88). The following measures were used: the General Self-Esteem Scale (GSES), the Distress Scale, the Problematic Instagram Use Questionnaire, the Health Behavior Inventory, the Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults (BESAA), and body mass index (BMI). Results The results showed that problematic Instagram use mediated the relationship between distress and BMI. Additionally, body-esteem appearance and body-esteem weight mediated the relationships between distress, self-efficacy, and health behaviors and BMI. The mediating role of body-esteem attribution and problematic Instagram use was found in the relationships between distress, self-efficacy, and health behaviors and BMI. Conclusions The findings indicate that problematic Instagram use and the dimensions of body esteem play a key mediating role in the associations between distress, self-efficacy, health behaviors, and BMI. These results highlight the importance of addressing body image perceptions and social media use in interventions aimed at promoting healthy weight management and mitigating the negative impact of psychological distress on physical health. These findings can be used to develop workshops and educational programs on social networking sites for adolescents.
Background While individuals use generative artificial intelligence (GAI) to enhance their productivity, they may also develop psychological and behavioral over-reliance on these tools. Evaluating the extent of an individual’s dependence on GAI is crucial for conducting related research. Participants and procedure The research involved 627 participants. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to determine the construct validity of the scale. The results supported a structure consisting of four sub-dimensions and 19 items. The sub-dimensions are Usage Intensity, Content Dependence, Withdrawal Symptoms, and Negative Consequences. Results Confirmatory factor analysis indicated good model fit. Significant relationships were found with the GAI Dependence Scale, AI Dependence Scale (version of six items), and Behavioral Intention Scale during the analysis of the scale’s criterion validity. Cronbach’s α internal consistency, and the test-retest method were used to assess the reliability of the scale. Cronbach’s α internal consistency coefficient for the total score was found to be .92 for Sample 1 and .90 for Sample 2. Additionally, the test-retest reliability over a four-week interval yielded a coefficient of .81. Both coefficients are considered to indicate acceptable levels of reliability. Conclusions The scale is an effective and reliable tool for assessing individual dependence on GAI.
Background Alienation from one’s mirror reflection is a hallmark of identity disintegration in schizophrenia. This study investigated whether observing one’s reflection during the Mirror Procedure (MP) was more frequently associated with narrative disturbances, atypical behaviors, and nonverbal signs of tension in individuals with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls. Additionally, the relationship between narrative disruptions in MP and clinical characteristics of schizophrenia and disturbances in the bodily identity measured by questionnaire was examined in a clinical group. Participants and procedure The sample included 82 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia in a stable mental state and 82 matched controls. All participants completed the Bodily Identity Questionnaire and took part in the MP. Narratives elicited during the MP were evaluated for both content and formal disturbance. Atypical behaviors and nonverbal signs of tension were also coded. Results Compared to controls, participants with schizophrenia displayed more narrative disturbances and atypical behaviors, but fewer nonverbal signs of tension. Only in the clinical group were narrative disruptions in the MP associated with altered bodily self-identity as measured by the questionnaire. Conclusions The findings suggest that visual activation of body representation in schizophrenia triggers both narrative and behavioral disorganization. While healthy individuals experienced elevated emotional tension, their narratives remained coherent, though often negative. In contrast, the disorganized speech and behaviors observed in schizophrenia stem from the disembodiment of the self rather than from dissatisfaction with appearance. The MP appears to validly assess bodily identity disturbances specifically in schizophrenia, as only this group showed a consistent association between narrative and questionnaire-based measures.
Background Some internet memes relate to specific psychological problems, such as pessimism, anxiety, procrastination, depression, masking feelings, social isolation, and coping with problems. We compared participants’ funniness ratings and perceived self-relatedness of these memes, moderated by humor styles. Moreover, we investigated the relationships between ratings of the funniness and relatedness of memes and cognitive processes of rumination and reflection and participants’ self-liking and self-competence, controlling for humor styles. Participants and procedure A sample of 225 Polish participants (58 men and 167 women) aged 20 to 35 (M = 23.33, SD = 2.90) consented to participate in an anonymous online study. Participants watched internet memes about psychological problems and rated their funniness and relevance to their situation. Then, participants provided information about their rumination, reflection, self-liking, self-competence, and humor styles. Results Participants found memes about depression the funniest, and they found procrastination memes the most relatable to their situation. Rumination correlated more with relating memes about psychological problems to one’s situation, and reflection correlated more with ratings of the funniness of these memes. Self-liking and self-competence correlated negatively with ratings of the funniness and relatedness of memes about psychological problems. Affiliative humor predicted relatedness of psychological problems memes negatively, and aggressive and self-defeating humor predicted such relatedness positively. Conclusions Our study is the first to examine perceptions of internet memes about a broad range of psychological problems. Our results show the interplay between psychological variables and the reception of humorous messages about serious contemporary issues.
Background Authenticity, characterized by internal coherence, fidelity to oneself, and resistance to external influences, may be considered as one of the consequences of resolution of identity dilemmas. This study investigated the identity-based underpinnings of authenticity, examining potential differences across life domains where individuals construct their identities. Participants and procedure A sample of 562 individuals aged 18-36 years (M = 28.10 years, SD = 4.91; 52.5% female) completed the Polish version of the Authenticity Scale (assessing authentic living, accepting external influence, and self-alienation) and the Utrecht Management of Identity Commitment Scale (evaluating identity commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment) in four identity domains: character/personality traits, relationships with friends and acquaintances, aims and plans for the future, and worldview. The structural modelling approach was used to picture the relationships between these variables. Results Identity commitment emerged as a significant positive predictor of authentic living, while reconsideration of commitment was associated with lower levels of authentic living. Interestingly, the double-edged nature of in-depth exploration was also confirmed: while positively associated with well-being, it was negatively associated with authentic living in most identity domains, while promoting self-alienation and accepting external influence. Conclusions The findings underscore the importance of identity processes unfolding in different life spheres for the cultivation of authenticity. The results are discussed in the context of various identity domains.
BACKGROUND The Certainty About Mental States Questionnaire (CAMSQ) is a recently developed measure of mentalizing designed to assess certainty about one's own and others' mental states. While it was originally validated using personality pathology measures, this study explores the relevance of the CAMSQ for understanding personality traits and well-being in the general population. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE The sample consisted of 462 Slovak participants aged 18-79 years (M = 34.0). To assess temporal stability, 128 participants completed a retest after a minimum interval of two weeks. Participants completed the CAMSQ and measures of well-being (life satisfaction, subjective happiness, positive and negative affect, and self-esteem), Big Five personality traits, and Dark Tetrad traits. Psychometric properties of the CAMSQwere examined, including internal consistency, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), measurement invariance across age and gender, and test-retest reliability. RESULTS Self-Certainty and Other-Certainty were primarily positively associated with well-being measures, extraversion, and conscientiousness, and negatively associated with negative emotionality. Other-Self Discrepancy was negatively associated with well-being. Condition-based regression analysis (CRA) revealed significant effects of discrepancy on psychopathy, sadism, and some well-being measures. The Slovak version of the CAMSQ exhibits acceptable psychometric properties including adequate temporal stability. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that the CAMSQ is not only relevant for assessing personality pathology but can also provide insights into personality psychology and well-being in the general population. Limitations include the predominantly female and young sample, cross-sectional design, reliance on self-report, and examination of a clinically relevant construct in a non-clinical population. These findings support the tool's utility beyond clinical settings, highlighting its potential for broader psychological research.
BACKGROUND This study explored the relationship between humiliation, rumination and happiness. Humiliation is a very difficult and intense emotion that can be ruminated upon by an individual, with a consequent reduction in well-being. The introduction highlights the importance of dimensions of cognitive functioning and sets the stage to explore the consequences of humiliation for overall happiness. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE A total of 320 participants from Poland took part in an online survey via Qualtrics, providing questionnaire data on happiness (Oxford Happiness Questionnaire; OHQ), rumination (Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire; PTQ) and humiliation (the Humiliation Inventory; HI). RESULTS The results revealed negative correlations between humiliation and happiness, with fear of humiliation slightly outweighing past experiences. Additionally, rumination correlated negatively with happiness, particularly with the perceived unproductiveness of rumination and the difficulty of disengaging. The study showed that rumination partially mediates the humiliation-happiness relationship. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that feelings of humiliation may have a devastating effect on stated happiness through rumination about difficult experiences and fear of future humiliation. Knowledge of the role of rumination and humiliation in perceived happiness may help in diagnosis and treatment, especially of anxiety and affective disorders.
Background The Dark Triad of personality has been related to various negative social outcomes, including challenges in interpersonal situations, such as conflicts within the family and parenting dynamics. The present study aimed to explore the relationship between dark personality traits, child-parent relationships, and parental burnout, while considering the potential moderating effect of perceived social support. Participants and procedure A sample of 277 Japanese parents (49.5% men, 50.5% women), aged 20 to 39 years (M = 31.13, SD = 4.9), with children between 1 and 5 years old (toddlers or preschoolers), completed an online survey. Dark Triad traits were assessed using the Japanese version of the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen, perceived social support with the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, parental burnout with the Parental Burnout Assessment, and child-parent conflict and closeness using the Child-Parent Relationship Scale. Results The results showed that higher levels of dark personality traits were associated with greater conflict in the child-parent relationship as well as higher levels of parental burnout. Interestingly, for parents high in Dark Triad traits, greater perceived social support was associated with higher levels of child-parent conflict. Conclusions The findings highlight the complexity of social support in the context of dark personalities, as it may fail to mitigate the harmful effects of conflictual family relationships.
BACKGROUND Savoring, the ability to focus on and appreciate the positive aspects of experience, is an important aspect of well-being. To provide a measure to study savoring among speakers of Polish, we created a Polish-language version of Bryant's Savoring Beliefs Inventory (SBI), which is in English. This new scale measures the same three constructs as the original scale: anticipating, savoring the moment, and reminiscing. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE Participants were 574 Polish adults (mean age = 37.7 years, SD = 14.4; 77% women) who were recruited by a professional survey company. Participants completed a Polish-language version of the SBI we developed, and for validation purposes, they completed measures of anxiety, depression, self-esteem, satisfaction with life, meaning in life, authenticity, and well-being. RESULTS Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that our Polish-language version of the SBI reflected the same three factors as the original measure, and scores on these three subscales were reliable. We found significant positive correlations between the subscales of the new measure and self-esteem, satisfaction with life, meaning in life, authenticity, and well-being. We found significant negative correlations between savoring and anxiety and depression. These relationships were comparable to those found in research using the original measure. CONCLUSIONS The present results suggest that our proposed Polish-language version of Bryant's SBI assesses the same constructs as those measured by the original scale, and we believe that our new measure will be useful for researchers interested in studying savoring among Polish language speakers.
Background The Noise Cancelling Program is a six-month mental skills training (MST) intervention designed to enhance psychological functioning in young athletes aged 12-19. The program included modules on mindfulness, resilience, stress management, goal setting, and multi-sensory imagery. Participants and procedure A total of 92 athletes from Polish schools with successful sports programs completed both the pretest and the posttest assessments six months later. The pre- and post-assessments consisted of three questionnaires: the Mental Toughness in Sport Questionnaire (MTSQ-19), Sport Imagery Questionnaire for Children (SIQ-C), and Mental Skills Questionnaire (MSQ). The program was conducted by six sport psychology students from a graduate program under the supervision of two academic sport psychologists and one practitioner. Each session lasted 45-60 minutes and was held twice monthly. The 12 sessions combined theoretical psychoeducation with practical skill-building exercises, reflective discussions, and interactive activities. Topics were the same across all groups; however, activities and level of discussion were adjusted to the younger groups (12-15 years old) and older groups (16-19 years old). Results The results revealed significant improvements in participants’ imagery use and mental skills application, with qualitative feedback highlighting mindfulness and imagery exercises as particularly impactful. By bridging gaps in psychological support within youth sports, the program emerges as a scalable, evidence-based model for integrating MST into middle- and high-school educational and athletic settings. Conclusions Future research should focus on the program’s long-term impact in different age groups such as middle vs high school, and specific sports and cultural contexts.
BACKGROUND Educating sailors requires intensive training, which involves highly specialized ship simulators. This is due to the crew's responsibility for the safety of the people on board and the simultaneous risk of making improper decisions under time pressure and with insufficient data. Thus far, empirical data on the role of personal psychological resources in the process of sailor skills training have been lacking. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE Fifty cadets of the Navigation and Naval Weapons Faculty and 51 cadets of the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Faculty of the Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia, Poland, participated in the study. Task performance during ship simulator training was assessed. Additionally, the participants completed the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Brief Resilience Scale, the Questionnaire of Stimulating and Instrumental Risk, and the Status-Driven Risk Taking Scale. RESULTS Three subgroups were distinguished based on their levels of task performance and the psychological variables measured. Cadets who achieved the highest task performance during simulator training simultaneously reported the highest sense of self-efficacy and resilience, average acceptance of instrumental risk, status-driven risk and its subdimensions, as well as the highest acceptance of stimulating risk. CONCLUSIONS Individual differences such as resilience, sense of self-efficacy, and risk acceptance have a different configuration among individuals who achieved the highest task performance on ship simulators. Identifying individuals with the optimal configuration of these variables may be useful for designing education and development processes for officers, although this requires further studies.
BACKGROUND:Sensory processing sensitivity is the capacity to detect and interpret external and internal stimuli, which varies significantly among individuals. The Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS) is a widely used tool for measuring this personality trait. To extend this research to children and adolescents, the Highly Sensitive Child Scale (HSCS) was developed. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE:This study focused on adapting and psychometrically analyzing a 12-item Spanish version of the HSCS for use in adults (HSCS-A). This version was administered to 372 adults aged 18 to 75. The Spanish 27-item HSPS was applied to analyze convergent validity. RESULTS:The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed that the three-factor structure of the test had the best fit indices in the Spanish sample, which was composed of three subscales: Ease of Excitation; Low Sensory Threshold; and Aesthetic Sensitivity. Internal consistency values (α/ω > 0.8) indicate that this Spanish version of the HSCS-A is adequate to measure environmental sensitivity. Positive and significant bivariate correlations for convergent validity demonstrated moderate and strong relationships between HSCS-A and HSPS-27 dimensions and the general factor of sensitivity (r = .83, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS:This study produced results consistent with recent research on the measurement of environmental sensitivity. The Spanish version of the HSCS for use in adults appears to be a reliable tool for measuring sensitivity across the life cycle.
BACKGROUND:Emotion beliefs are cognitive processes that influence how emotions are regulated, with important implications for well-being. Maladaptive beliefs about emotions may be associated with the use of less adaptive emotion regulation strategies, such as rumination, and may contribute to dysfunctional eating behaviors. This study examines the relationship between beliefs about the uncontrollability and uselessness of negative emotions and emotional eating (EE), with a focus on the mediating role of rumination. We also tested an exploratory hypothesis examining whether body mass index (BMI) moderates the pathways from emotion beliefs and rumination to EE. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE:After obtaining ethical approval, participants were recruited from the general population through announcements on social media platforms. The sample consisted of 414 adults (M age = 32.5, SD = 11.4) from Turkey who completed online self-report questionnaires. RESULTS:Our results showed that stronger beliefs that negative emotions are uncontrollable or useless were associated with greater EE indirectly through their effects on rumination, after statistically controlling for gender. In the moderated mediation analyses, BMI significantly moderated the pathway from rumination to EE, with stronger associations observed in individuals with higher BMI. However, BMI did not moderate the associations between emotion beliefs and EE. CONCLUSIONS:These findings underscore the significance of targeting emotion beliefs and rumination in interventions for EE and suggest the potential benefit of tailoring interventions based on the needs of individuals with different BMI levels.
BACKGROUND:This study aimed to develop a brief, psychometrically sound scale for assessing loneliness. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE:A total of 39 unidimensional models derived from the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (RULS) were evaluated. In the first study, robust fit indices and construct reliability (CR) were analysed for all the models via data from 329, 525, and 623 Argentine participants. A five-item model emerged with consistently good fit and high reliability. In the second study, the five-item instrument was administered to a new sample of 870 Argentine participants, and its associations with relevant psychological variables were analysed. RESULTS:The five-item scale demonstrated a good robust fit (scaled χ2(5) = 2.41, ns; robust CFI = 1.000; robust SRMR = .004) and high reliability (CR = .893). Furthermore, the expected associations were confirmed, with inverse relationships found between the new scale and various dimensions of well-being and direct relationships with negative emotional states. CONCLUSIONS:The new instrument, named Desconexión de Otros Sociales de la RULS (DOS-RULS), effectively captures the critical loneliness factor of lacking a supportive social network. It showed good model fit, high reliability, and meaningful associations with relevant psychological constructs, supporting its utility as a brief, robust measure of a crucial aspect of loneliness. In the context of the ongoing replication crisis, replication was achieved.
BACKGROUND:This survey of Polish employees replicates research on the relationship between narcissism, Machiavellianism and unethical pro-organisational behaviour (UPB) that was previously conducted in other countries such as China, Pakistan and the US. Positive associations between narcissism, Machiavellianism and UPB were expected to occur. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE:The survey covered 250 people working in large corporations across Poland. The sample included 163 women (65%) and 87 men (35%). Narcissism was measured with the NARQ questionnaire, developed as an operationalisation of the narcissistic admiration and rivalry concept (NARC). The MACH-4 scale was used to measure Machiavellianism. Readiness for UPB, on the other hand, was measured using the Polish version of the UPB Scale. RESULTS:The research showed statistically significant positive relationships between narcissistic admiration, rivalry and Machiavellianism and the readiness to engage in UPB. At the same time, narcissistic rivalry and its components aggressiveness and striving for supremacy, and Machiavellianism correlate most strongly with UPB. Regression and mediation analyses showed that the significant variables to predict higher levels of readiness to engage in UPB are rivalry (aggressiveness) and Machiavellianism. Machiavellianism, moreover, appears as a mediator in the positive relationship of rivalry and its components (devaluation of others, striving for supremacy) with UPB. CONCLUSIONS:Significant predictors of UPB are narcissistic rivalry, including aggressiveness, and Machiavellianism. A Machiavellian strategy may enable UPB to be undertaken by those with a tendency to dominate and devalue others.
BACKGROUND Despite various anti-stigma initiatives, the stigmatization of individuals suffering from depression remains a significant issue. While previous studies have examined the influence of demographic factors on self-stigma related to depression, there is a notable lack of research exploring individual psychological factors as potential predictors of personal depression stigma. This study aimed to determine the extent to which culture, age, gender, education, level of contact with depression, need for cognitive closure, and materialism explain personal depression stigma in two Eastern European countries. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE Two hundred twenty-four participants from Romania and the Republic of Moldova (176 females, 46 males) aged between 16 and 62 (M = 27.21, SD = 9.73) completed a set of online self-report questionnaires. Data were collected using Google Forms. RESULTS Hierarchical multiple regressions analysis revealed that materialistic values explain a significant amount of vari ance in personal depression stigmatization, compared to the variance explained by demographic factors and need for cognitive closure. Moreover, need for cognitive closure significantly moderates the relationship between level of contact with depression and personal stigma against depression. CONCLUSIONS Hierarchical multiple regressions analysis revealed that materialistic values explain a significant amount of variance in personal depression stigmatization, compared to the variance explained by demographic factors and need for cognitive closure. Moreover, need for cognitive closure significantly moderates the relationship between level of contact with depression and personal stigma against depression
