This study examined the construct validity of performance-based emotion recognition tests. We recruited 227 adults (30-60 years old) through Prolific to complete four emotion recognition tasks in addition to measures of self-reported empathy, crystallised intelligence, social confidence, loneliness/well-being, interest in people versus things, and reading enjoyment (all measured with at least two indicators). Consistent with previous research, performance-based emotion recognition tasks were positively correlated and formed a separate cluster. This cluster correlated with crystallised intelligence but not with self-reported emotion recognition skills, social-emotional functioning, interest in people vs. things, or reading pleasure. Overall, our findings suggest that performance-based emotion recognition tests primarily assess skills related to those measured by performance-based tests of cognitive intelligence, rather than skills related to the social-emotional functioning as experienced by the participants. This may partially explain the low correlation between subjective and performance-based measures of emotion recognition.
Monitoring teacher well-being over time is essential in both research and practice to understand changes, evaluate interventions, and support occupational health. This study examines the longitudinal measurement invariance of the Dutch versions of three commonly used scales related to well-being: the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Emotional Exhaustion subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Utilizing three bimonthly waves of data collected from a cohort of elementary school teachers in Flanders (n = 237), we evaluated the scales' configural, metric, scalar, and residual invariance over time. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that all three scales demonstrate adequate longitudinal measurement invariance, supporting their stability and reliability for repeated measurement. Notably, this is among the first studies to test longitudinal measurement invariance of these widely used scales over a 6-month period in an applied occupational setting. These findings strengthen confidence in their use for monitoring well-being over time.
Cross-national research on self-objectification remains notably limited. The present study investigated the associations between self-objectification, body surveillance, and body shame among women in Belgium (N = 239), the United Kingdom (N = 213), and the United States of America (N = 159) in Study 1, and in Belgium (N = 209), Israel (N = 299), and Thailand (N = 230) in Study 2. In Study 1, employing the Likert version of the Self-Objectification Questionnaire (LSOQ), we demonstrated that self-objectification indirectly predicts body shame through body surveillance in the case of Belgian, UK, and US women. In Study 2, we successfully replicated these indirect effects among Belgian, Israeli, and Thai women. This research stands as one of the first empirical, cross-national investigations of the improved self-objectification scale, evidencing the robust association between self-objectification, body surveillance, and body shame across countries.
Workplace Thriving empowers individuals to thrive in their jobs and flourish in their careers. It is conceptualized as a psychological state in which individuals experience vitality and learning. Limiting thriving to these two has reduced its applicability despite the concept being interconnected, multi-dimensional, and holistic. This work examines thriving, identifies the shortcomings of the existing literature, and proposes a fresh perspective for reconceptualizing it. After defining the construct as “a state of positive engagement and well-being derived when employees are mindful, resourceful, and resilient, enabling them to navigate organisational challenges and achieve effectiveness,” the study proposes a fecund conceptual model. The study focuses on contextual, proximal, and resource factors, such as deriving mindfulness, resourcefulness, and resilience. This reconceptualization presents arguments for understanding thriving, enabling individuals to navigate their organizational lives more effectively.
Introduction:Emotion regulation (ER) plays a crucial role in children and adolescents' emotional well-being. However, the use of adaptive strategies often remains challenging during early adolescence, partly because cognitive functions that support adaptive ER, such as executive functions, are still developing. In addition, individual differences, such as temperament (positive and negative emotionality) and emotional awareness, play a key role in shaping how youth engage with ER strategies. This study investigated how temperament and emotional awareness are associated with the use of adaptive and maladaptive ER strategies in youth, and whether emotional awareness moderates these relationships. Methods:In a cross-sectional design, 220 children and adolescents (age 8-15) from the general population completed self-report questionnaires measuring temperament, emotional awareness, and ER strategy use. Results:Analyses revealed a significant interaction between negative emotionality and emotional awareness in predicting maladaptive ER strategies. Contrary to expectations, emotional awareness did not act as a consistent protective factor in youth: those high in both negative emotionality and emotional awareness still reported greater use of maladaptive strategies. Conclusions:These findings suggest that emotional awareness plays a complex role in ER among youth with temperamental vulnerability. Rather than functioning as a uniformly protective factor, its influence appears to depend on emotional context and temperament.
Objectives:Infertility and its treatments result in considerable emotional burden. This study aimed to examine the impact of a stand-alone mobile mindfulness application (MoMiFer-app). Methods:A pilot RCT was conducted with participants randomized into an intervention group (n = 34) using the MoMiFer-app, and a wait-list control group (n=38). Outcomes were collected at baseline, 1.5 months, and 3 months post-randomization using experience sampling method (ESM) and self-report questionnaires. Primary outcomes included symptoms of emotional distress (DASS-21+ESM) and fertility-related quality of life (FertiQoL). Secondary outcomes assessed repetitive negative thinking (PTQ), self-compassion (SCS-SF), and mindfulness skills (CHIME-SF+ESM). App usage was evaluated through app-tracking. Results:Multilevel analysis showed no significant improvement in primary outcomes. However, the MoMiFer-app significantly enhanced self-compassion and mindfulness skills, as assessed by self-report questionnaires. A significant condition×time effect was observed for mindfulness skills at 1.5 months (T1; p = .02) and 3 months (T2; p = .02), and for self-compassion at 3 months (T2; p = .006). No effect was observed on repetitive negative thinking. The app was rated as good quality, but nearly half of the participants (47%) practiced mindfulness with the app once a week or less. Conclusions:Online mindfulness-based interventions can be valuable in fertility care providing easily accessible low-intensive mental support, even if they do not directly improve emotional distress or quality of life in the short term. The trial's timing during the COVID-19 pandemic and low app usage may have influenced outcomes. Further research on potential stressors and ways to increase user adherence is needed to better understand the app's impact.
The Gaming Disorder Scale for Adolescents (GADIS-A, Paschke, Austermann & Thomasius, 2020) was the first screening tool for gaming disorder based on the new ICD-11 criteria. In order to increase the international applicability of the GADIS-A, the current study aimed to validate the psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the instrument. It was validated in a survey among 1773 Flemish (= Dutch-speaking part of Belgium) video game playing adolescents. EFA and CFA were performed to check the factor structure. The Video Game Addiction Test (VAT), gaming time, passion for gaming, Gaming Disorder Scale for Parents (GADIS-P), sensation seeking, impulsivity, adolescents' school and social life, and simulated and monetary gambling were employed to derive construct validity, and life satisfaction, depression, and anxiety to check criterion validity. Analyses suggested a two-factor structure in the Dutch GADIS-A, similar to the original study: the first factor relates to negative consequences, while the second factor reveals cognitive-behavioral symptoms. Both subscales and the total scale showed acceptable-to-good internal consistency (α = 0.78-0.85). Significant correlations were established between GADIS-A and all other variables (except for sensation seeking), congruent with previous research. The Dutch version of the GADIS-A proved to be a reliable and valid tool for assessing gaming disorder in adolescents. It was also linked, for the first time, to the increasingly blurring lines between video gaming and monetary gambling.
Patients with severe brain injuries and disorders of consciousness (DoC) represent a complex clinical population in terms of diagnosis, prognosis, and management, including critical ethical considerations. Behavioral assessment scales remain the primary tools for evaluating the level of consciousness of these patients following a coma; however, they heavily depend on language and communication abilities. This reliance can lead to underestimating residual consciousness in cases where language impairments go undetected. Accordingly, the latest international guidelines on DoC diagnosis have highlighted aphasia as a significant confounding factor that must be addressed. On the other hand, accurately assessing residual language abilities is essential for better characterizing the patient's cognitive profile. This, in turn, enables neuropsychologists and speech-language therapists to tailor and plan effective rehabilitation programs. This review examines the current literature on language function and communication skills in patients with DoC, detailing the latest tools for assessing and managing language and consciousness in individuals with severe brain injuries. We explore the critical role of language function in evaluating residual consciousness, particularly in DoC behavioral diagnoses and in identifying covert consciousness through neuroimaging passive or active paradigms. Furthermore, we discuss how therapies aimed at recovering consciousness-such as pharmacological treatments, electromagnetic therapies, sensory or cognitive stimulation, and communication aids like brain-computer interfaces-may also impact or rely on language function and communication abilities. Further research is needed to refine methodologies and better understand the interplay between language processing, communication and levels of consciousness.
The high prevalence of mental health problems, especially in adolescence, promotes research on psychological interventions. Recently, focus has shifted from disorder specific to transdiagnostic interventions. Since emotion regulation (ER) underlies various mental disorders, targeting this transdiagnostic mechanism is Particulary interesting. The current study aimed to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of an emotion regulation training for children and adolescents (EuREKA) in six adolescents (M = 12.50, SD = 1.52; 50% girls) enrolled in an inpatient treatment center for internalizing and/or externalizing problems. Using a single case design, ER was monitored weekly during both baseline and treatment phase. In addition, pretraining and posttraining measurements on both psychopathology and ER were included. Although caution is warranted due to the nature of the study and the small sample size, the overall results suggest that EuREKA is a feasible and potentially promising approach for treating both internalizing and externalizing problems. However, some mixed results in the individual outcomes were observed, making it challenging to provide general conclusions on the effectiveness of EuREKA.
All manuscripts published in Psychologica Belgica have been assessed conscientiously and unselfishly by expert reviewers. The quality of our journal totally depends on their valuable and constructive criticisms to the authors. Both the editors and the authors highly appreciate the input and dedication of all our reviewers. Many thanks.
In many countries, the use of gender-fair language is heavily debated. In France, some opponents to gender-fair language have argued that it hinders language comprehension for people who have difficulties with language (PDLs). This argument was notably promoted by (far) right-wing personalities and newspapers. The justification-suppression model of prejudice and the concept of ideology malleability suggest that such a defence of PDLs may be a strategy to oppose gender-fair language and promote the status quo. We hypothesized that threatening participants with gender-fair language would lead high-SDO individuals to report greater concern for PDLs. In two experimental studies (ntotal = 1117, France), we did not find support for our prediction. Overall, SDO was negatively correlated with support for PDLs, whereas participants supporting gender-fair language were also more concerned with PDLs. This suggests that contrary to what some conservative commentators have claimed, gender-fair language supporters do not overlook the question of language accessibility, as opposed to anti-egalitarians. To our knowledge, this is the first research to bridge literature on the justification of prejudice and gender-fair language.
Confidence degrees assigned by respondents to their responses are generally taken at their face value. An experiment where respondents were asked to indicate twice their confidence in their (changed or unchanged) response has, however, showed that those confidences can greatly vary over time at the individual level. I propose a model that takes that variation into account and considers confidence as a latent variable - the level of knowledge - to be estimated through a true score approach. The model is defined in the special case of a scale with a given number of confidence degrees. It assumes that when faced with this type of testing requirements, a person experiences uncertainty in a way that can be represented by a finite set of partial knowledge states. It leans mainly on a conditional independence assumption. As the model is intractable under that sole assumption, additional testable and simple constraints must be imposed on the way confidence errors are distributed. The model was applied to data collected in the experiment. The results show that, under a general (population) overestimation bias, very different individual profiles are hidden with different distributions of errors. The model enables also to make predictions about one single individual by only examining his (her) calibration errors. Some errors patterns observed on the replicated data can indeed be anticipated with the proposed models.
Virtual reality (VR) has witnessed significant growth in the mental health field. However, clinical observations reveal substantial variability across individuals' responses to VR. This diversity could be attributed to differences in the sense of presence, a key factor in VR's efficacy. Understanding the influence of personality traits on shaping the sense of presence in VR is essential, as it holds the potential to enhance the effectiveness of VR interventions. In the current study, we investigate the potential impact of the need for control on one's sense of presence in VR, hypothesizing that a higher need for control is associated with lower presence levels. We conducted research with 40 adults who completed questionnaires (assessing perfectionism, intolerance of uncertainty, experiential avoidance, Big Five, sense of presence, anxiety level) and engaged in a VR immersion. Results suggest that the need for control positively influences the sense of presence, which is contrary to the literature. A discussion is proposed to explore the impact of high need for control, indicating that its effects may depend on the anxiety-inducing nature of the immersion condition. We put forth an innovative theoretical model on how a strong desire for control could affect the sense of presence in different immersive conditions. Our findings warrant further investigations in this direction.
Workers often make use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the workplace and outside normal working hours, either voluntarily or compulsorily, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. This study had three main objectives. Firstly, to explore whether workplace flexibility was associated with technology-assisted supplemental work (TASW), and whether this, in turn, is associated with higher levels of psychological distress. Secondly, to analyze if this relationship between workplace flexibility and TASW could be moderated by subjective workplace telepressure and workers' technoaddiction. Finally, to investigate whether the execution of this type of supplemental work was linked to psychological distress through the mediating effects of psychological detachment, work-family conflict, and subjective vitality. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021 during the pandemic, involved 577 professionals (72.8% women and 27.2% men) from various productive sectors. The participants were primarily from Spain, followed by other Hispanic American countries and European Union countries. Results revealed that workplace flexibility was associated with increased supplemental work, especially among those workers experiencing higher levels of subjective workplace telepressure and technoaddiction. Furthermore, this type of supplemental work was linked to greater psychological distress by hindering psychological disconnection from work, heightening work-family conflict, and reducing feelings of vitality. The discussion has focused on preventive measures.
The Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) is one of the most used self-report measures of empathy, comprising 4 factors assessing both cognitive and affective empathy. Nowadays, three different French adaptations of this instrument co-exist. This research compares the three French adaptations of the IRI scale using both quantitative and qualitative evaluations. In Study 1, a French-speaking sample (N = 339) completed all three French IRI versions at 2-month time intervals in a counterbalanced order. In Study 2, the item wording of the three versions was evaluated by six independent professional translators. Study 1 assessed the items' distribution, the scale's factorial structure, the subscales' internal consistency, and their correlations with alternative measures of empathy (the Empathy Quotient) and other clinically relevant indicators (anxiety, depression). These quantitative analyses highlighted that all three French adaptations can be used for research purposes. They all exhibit acceptable internal consistency, a factorial structure compliant with the 4-factor model originally proposed by Davis, as well as convergent and discriminant validity. However, by combining item quantitative analyses and translators' judgments, we revealed some problematic items in each version. Taken together, the findings suggest that the French IRI adaptations by Guttman & Laporte (2000) and Braun et al. (2015) should be slightly preferred. To improve the overall quality of each French IRI version, we provide some recommendations about how to adapt problematic items.
Background:Parents play a crucial role in cultivating adolescents' pro-environmental behavior, which has attracted researchers' attention. Nevertheless, the role of negative parenting styles has not been adequately concerned. Objectives:This research aimed to explore the influence of harsh parenting on adolescents' pro-environmental behavior based on the Ecological Systems Theory, considering intrinsic motivation as a possible mediator and three types of values (egoistic, altruistic, and biospheric values) as possible moderators. Participants and Setting:Data were collected at two stages through self-report questionnaires filled in by 602 adolescents (40.2% boys) in China with an average age of 16.25 years. Methods:The questionnaires assessed pro-environmental behavior, harsh parenting, intrinsic motivation, and values. Research hypotheses were tested by Model 4 and Model 14 of the SPSS PROCESS macro. Results:Results showed that harsh parenting was negatively associated with adolescents' pro-environmental behavior, which was mediated by intrinsic motivation. The interactions of three types of values and intrinsic motivation affected pro-environmental behavior differently. The relationship between intrinsic motivation and adolescents' pro-environmental behavior was negatively moderated by egoistic values, but positively moderated by altruistic and biospheric values. Conclusions:The results revealed that harsh parenting was negatively and significantly correlated with adolescents' pro-environmental behavior and such a relationship was mediated by intrinsic motivation and was moderated by values.
Performing hypothesis tests with adequate statistical power is indispensable for psychological research. In response to several large-scale replication projects following the replication crisis, concerns about the root causes of this crisis - such as questionable research practices (QRPs) - have grown. While initial efforts primarily addressed the inflation of the type I error rate of research due to QRPs, recent attention has shifted to the adverse consequences of low statistical power. In this paper we first argue how underpowered studies, in combination with publication bias, contribute to a literature rife with false positive results and overestimated effect sizes. We then examine whether the prevalence of power analyses in psychological research has effectively increased over time in response to the increased awareness regarding these phenomena. To address this, we conducted a systematic review of 903 published empirical articles across four APA-disciplines, comparing 453 papers published in 2015-2016, with 450 papers from 2020-2021. Although the prevalence of power analysis across different domains in psychology has increased over time (from 9.5% to 30%), it remains insufficient overall. We conclude by discussing the implications of these findings and elaborating on some alternative methods to a priori power analysis that can help ensure sufficient statistical power.
In Korea, as the number of multicultural families formed through the marriage of Korean men and foreign women from lower-income countries such as China, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia increases, the psychosocial adaptation of adolescents from these families is becoming increasingly important. This study examines the longitudinal and reciprocal relationships among depressive symptoms, social withdrawal, self-esteem, and school adaptation in multicultural adolescents in high schools. We applied an autoregressive cross-lagged model to a sample of 594 multicultural adolescents extracted from three consecutive years of data from the Multicultural Adolescents Panel Survey and found that depressive symptoms and school adaptation had reciprocal negative relationships in multicultural adolescents' first and second years of high school. In these years, while higher school adaptation led to lower social withdrawal, social withdrawal did not affect school adaptation. In the second and third years of high school, self-esteem and school adaptation had a reciprocal positive relationship. Females had more severe psycho-emotional problems than males. Child neglect increased the risk of depressive symptoms and social withdrawal while lowering self-esteem. A high household income was associated with lower social withdrawal. Adolescents in urban areas exhibited higher levels of depressive symptoms, lower self-esteem, and poorer school adaptation compared to those in rural areas. These results imply that reducing parents' neglect of their children is necessary to alleviate depressive symptoms and school maladaptation among multicultural adolescents. Moreover, financial support for multicultural adolescents in their learning can improve school maladaptation and reduce social withdrawal.
Self- and other-oriented harmful behaviors are common among emerging adults. Individuals who engage in both forms of behavior, termed dual-harm, experience more adverse outcomes in comparison to individuals who engage in either. This study examines temperamental traits, defined as reactive and regulative temperament, as transdiagnostic factors underlying engagement in self-oriented, other-oriented, and dual-harmful behaviors. These harmful behaviors are operationalized as non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), direct aggression, and a combination of both, respectively. Participants are 669 emerging adults (69.36% women; Mage = 21.48; SD = 2.20). The study focusses on how temperament can differentiate four different groups (i.e., a no-harm, NSSI-only, aggression-only, and a dual-harm group) in a pairwise manner. Results highlight a hyper-reactive Behavioral inhibitions system (BIS) and a hypo-reactive Behavioral activation system (BAS)-Impulsivity in individuals who engage in NSSI-only, compared to no-harm and aggression-only. Conversely, we found a hypo-reactive BIS and a hyper-reactive BAS-Impulsivity in those who report aggressive behaviors, compared to no-harm and NSSI-only. Finally, a hypo-reactive Effortful control (EC) is found in the dual-harm group, when compared to those engaging only in NSSI, and hyper-reactive BIS and BAS-Impulsivity are found in the dual-harm group, when compared to those engaging only in aggressive behaviors, or those engaging in neither behaviors. This study highlights the role of temperamental traits in differentiating patterns of self-oriented, other-oriented, and dual-harmful behaviors, which should be integrated in future research and clinical interventions.
The clinical-organizational context (where clinical psychology services are provided in the individuals' professional setting) has still been insufficiently approached in research, namely the influence it may have on the response attitudes of individuals undergoing psychological assessment. Our main goal is to find out if, when psychological assessment occurs in the workplace context, patients being assessed present specific response bias that may have implications for the clinical results and correlative decisions. Five hundred and ten adult participants grouped in two samples of ambulatory patients - Clinical-Organizational Sample (COS n = 238) and Clinical Sample (CS n = 272) - were assessed with the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-RF validity and substantive scales. Under-reporting is five times more frequent in the COS, which presents Defensiveness (11%), and Desirability (5%). In the CS, under-reporting is residual and over-reporting is more prevalent than in the COS. Clinical record information of COS participants presenting under vs. over-reporting also reveal differences concerning their circumstances, and type of clinical conditions. Comparing participants with under-reporting in each sample, the COS had lower clinical profiles, and tended to present excessively low psychopathology and symptomology values, suggesting higher defensiveness. Finally, the fact that 33% of the COS present biased response attitudes (i.e., 15% presented under-reporting and 18% presented over-reporting) has implications for both clinical and career decision making processes. In conclusion, there are relevant differences in response attitude and psychopathology features between outpatients assessed in a traditional clinical setting and in a clinical-organizational one, suggesting the professional context of the patients may influence motivations to disclosure psychological symptoms and problems.
