Objective: Scholars have identified psychopathic traits as facilitators of intimate partner violence (IPV). Analyzing anger management strategies might clarify how these personality traits contribute to violence proneness. One potential moderator to consider is the tendency to ruminate about anger (or anger rumination). However, the pattern of association between psychopathic traits and violence proneness differs depending on psychopathy factors and the subtypes of violence expression (reactive or proactive). Therefore, the main objective of this study was to examine whether the two factors of psychopathy and/or the total score would explain the expression of violence subtype (reactive and proactive), introducing anger rumination as a moderator and controlling the effect of potential confounding factors. Method: A total of 125 healthy men (64 IPV perpetrators and 61 controls) were recruited. All of them were interviewed and answered to a set of self-reports. In addition, a psychophysiological record was collected during a resting period. Results: The results showed that all participants (IPV and controls) who scored high in factor 2 of psychopathy presented a high tendency toward proactive aggression when they exhibited moderate or high levels of anger rumination. This model remained significant after controlling for the effect of potential confounding variables. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the importance of developing specialized modules in the interventions for IPV perpetrators or other violent men. These modules should focus on offering adaptative strategies to deal with anger and reduce anger rumination tendencies. This might help increase their threshold and reduce violence proneness and/or IPV recidivism.
Background: Low socio-economic status (SES) is considered a major chronic stressor and is frequently associated with worse mental health among cancer survivors. We investigated the extent to which social support could mitigate the negative impact of low SES on the mental health of individuals with a history of cancer. Method: Participants were cancer survivors identified in two nationally representative surveys conducted in Spain in 2017 (n = 1,143) and 2023 (n = 980). SES was measured with the social class index of the Spanish Society of Epidemiology. Social support was measured with the Duke-UNC questionnaire and the Oslo Social Support Scale. Mental health outcomes included psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire-12), mental well-being (WHO-5 Index), and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-8). The moderating role of social support was examined in a multiple regression framework, complemented by generalized additive models to capture potential non-linear effects. Results: Mental health vulnerability was highest among individuals with low levels of social support, where no SES-related differences were observed. Under medium social support, low SES was linked to higher psychological distress (B = 0.24, 95% confidence intervals, CI [0.05, 0.42]), lower mental well-being (B = -6.08 [-1.98, -10.18]), and higher rates of depression (OR = 2.78 [1.52, 5.00]). High social support buffered this effect, improving mental health among cancer survivors with low SES and reducing SES differences. Sub-group analyses revealed that this buffering effect was less evident among women, for whom inequalities persisted regardless of social support levels. Discussion: High social support consistently attenuated SES disparities across three different mental health outcomes, albeit less effectively among women.
Objective: This study examined the relationships between secure attachment to parents and peers, emotional regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression), and perceived academic self-efficacy in adolescence. The research also aimed to identify how secure attachment is related to these variables to inform psychosocial interventions in educational and family contexts. Method: A total of 703 adolescents (351 boys, 352 girls; aged 15-18) completed validated questionnaires assessing attachment to mothers, fathers, and peers, emotional regulation, and perceived academic self-efficacy. Descriptive statistics, independent-sample t-tests, correlation analyses, and structural equation modelling were conducted to examine variable relationships and sex-specific patterns. Results: Secure parental attachment was positively associated with cognitive reappraisal and academic self-efficacy, and negatively with expressive suppression. Secure peer attachment showed a negative association with expressive suppression and a weak positive association with cognitive reappraisal. Boys reported higher use of both regulation strategies, whereas girls reported higher perceived academic self-efficacy. Structural equation models showed that parental secure attachment is associated with adolescents’ emotional regulation and academic self-efficacy, with mothers and fathers exerting differential influences across sexes. These findings indicate potential leverage points for psychosocial interventions. Conclusions: The study underscores the importance of fostering secure parent and peer secure attachment to enhance adaptive emotional regulation and academic competence in adolescents. The findings can guide the development of school-based and family-focused psychosocial programs that integrate emotional skills training, support adaptive coping strategies, and strengthen secure attachment relationships to improve adolescents’ well-being and academic outcomes.
Objective: Little is known about the professional profile, perceived needs, challenges, and emotional impact of practitioners’ work in intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrator programs. Evidence on these aspects is needed to inform recruitment, training, supervision, and organizational support. This study examined (1) facilitators’ professional profile, (2) their perceived needs and challenges when working with IPV perpetrators, and (3) the emotional impact of this work on professionals’ well-being. Method: A mixed-methods design was used with 49 professionals delivering community-based IPV perpetrator interventions in Spain. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, and qualitative data from focus groups were examined using thematic analysis. Results: Most facilitators were psychologists with substantial experience and responsibility for delivering several intervention groups per year, while only a small minority received regular supervision. The main perceived training needs concerned managing perpetrators’ resistance and increasing their motivation to change. The greatest facilitation difficulties involved securing active contribution and constructive interaction among group members. The most frequent co-facilitation challenge was the appearance of different perspectives among professionals during group sessions. Although participants reported moderately high job satisfaction and generally low global burnout, qualitative findings revealed substantial emotional strain, including frustration, overload, and safety concerns in a context of program-related and institutional barriers, underscoring the central role of personal, group-management, and technical competencies for sustaining this work. Conclusions: Working with IPV perpetrators is complex and emotionally demanding. Strengthening ongoing training, supervision, and multi-agency coordination appears essential to protect facilitators’ well-being and to promote effective IPV perpetrator programs.
Objective: The study aimed to test a mindfulness compassion-based intervention for breast cancer survivors serving as peer counselors, exploring whether mindfulness influenced depressive symptoms via a serial pathway of self-compassion, compassion to others, anxiety reduction, and improved quality of life. Method: This 8-month study adopted the randomized controlled trial (RCT) design. Survivors who are diagnosed with breast and complete treatments for at least one year were recruited from outpatient department of the General Hospital Breast Center and non-profit organization. They were randomly assigned into MC-BMS experimental group (the 8 weekly mindfulness compassion-based integrated with body-mind-spirit group therapy), and BMS control group (8 weekly body-mind-spirit group therapy). Results: There was a similarity in increasing general QOL functioning between the BMS and MC-BMS groups. The better improvements in QOL symptoms distress were more favored in MC-BMS than BMS groups. For within-group analyses, significant improvements in the MC-BMS group were depressive symptoms, search for meaning, mindfulness, while the BMS group showed significant improvements in global health, and breast cancer-related functioning. The three serial mediation pathways indicated that increases in mindfulness predicted greater self-compassion, which was associated with increased compassion to others. This, in turn, led to reduced anxiety, enhanced quality of life and breast cancer-related functioning, and ultimately, reduced depression. Conclusions: Enhancing mindfulness and compassionate processes in peer-counselor training serve a central role in improving anxiety and functional quality of life, thereby alleviating depressive symptoms in breast cancer survivors.
Objective: Satisfaction is a critical predictor of adherence, engagement, and outcomes across health and social interventions. While widely studied in clinical contexts, it remains underexplored in intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrator programs. Evidence suggests that enhancing satisfaction through individualized and responsive approaches may reduce dropout, increase motivation, and prevent recidivism. This study seeks to identify the factors that predict greater participant satisfaction in an intervention program for IPV perpetrators. Method: A sample of 761 male IPV perpetrators participating in a court-mandated intervention program was used. Participants were classified according to their satisfaction level, and group differences were examined. A multivariate logistic regression was then performed to identify the strongest predictors. Results: Our findings showed that immigrant status, cocaine use, sexism, community participation, and working alliance significantly predicted satisfaction. Notably, higher-risk participants, including those with substance use problems, reported greater satisfaction. Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of addressing participant diversity and risk factors to strengthen satisfaction and, ultimately, improve the overall effectiveness of IPV perpetrator programs.
Background: Armed conflicts affect mental health. In Colombia, many communities have been victims of armed conflict and multiple social inequalities and injustices for more than six decades. Our research explored the social determinants of mental health in fifteen municipalities affected by the armed conflict in Montes de María, Colombia. Method: A convergent parallel mixed methods design was conducted. In the quantitative component, we assessed mental health (PHQ-4 and DASS-21), social support (Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey - MOS), and sense of community (Brief Sense of Community Scale - BSCS) in a sample of 134 leaders and community members. In the qualitative component, we conducted 35 focus groups and held two regional meetings with 167 leaders to further explore the social determinants of mental health in the region. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted concurrently, and methodological triangulation was applied to integrate both data types and thus enhance the comprehensiveness and rigor of the findings. Results: The network analysis (23 nodes, sparsity = 0.708) evidenced strong conditional associations linking mental health (depression, stress, anxiety) with sense of community and perceived social support. Sociodemographic variables showed minimal integration. Psychosocial care showed moderate centrality indicating relevant but secondary associations with mental health compared to more central nodes. Qualitative data showed that armed conflict, state abandonment, economic issues, lack of opportunities, and barriers to access mental health services are SDH that have impacted the current mental health of the community. In this context, social capital and communitarian resistance strategies promote mental health in Montes de María. Conclusions: The results suggest that social determinants of health related to social support and sense of community positively impact the mental health of conflict-affected communities. Both quantitative and qualitative findings highlight the region's challenges, their capacity for resilience, and the urgent need for more effective psychosocial interventions for this population, focusing on psychosocial care that builds on the existing social and community support strengths identified in Montes de María.
Objective: We evaluated an intervention to increase positive parenting, reduce corporal punishment, and improve children’s mental health community-wide. All Parenting for Lifelong Health programmes were available to all interested parents alongside an action media intervention designed to amplify positive parenting messages across the community. Method: Three community-wide surveys of parents and of children aged 10+ were conducted at baseline and at 18-month intervals. Parent and child surveys assessed parenting and corporal punishment; parent surveys also addressed intimate partner violence (IPV), parent and child mental health, parent alcohol misuse, and parenting stress. Results: 536 parent-child dyads were included in the surveys; 110 (20.5%) parents attended a parenting programme at least once. Positive parenting did not increase across the whole community; there was a trend towards reduction of corporal punishment. Parenting stress declined and children’s mental health improved by the third survey, possibly through increased parent employment rather than the intervention. IPV, parent mental health, and parent alcohol misuse were unchanged, and were associated with less positive parenting and more children’s mental health symptoms. The action media process may indeed have enabled diffusion of parenting information, but also appeared to be associated with small negative effects on positive parenting, parenting stress and children’s internalising and externalising. Conclusions: Reduction in parenting stress, a trend towards a reduction in corporal punishment, and improvement in children’s mental health, were observed by year three. Parents’ mental health, substance abuse and IPV must be addressed alongside parenting interventions to improve both parenting and children’s mental health.
Objective: The present study examines the usefulness of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in explaining three distinct responses to cyberbullying among adolescents: defending, pro-bully, and passive intentions. A model was constructed to assess intentions, including control variables (gender, age, cyberbullying victimization, and perpetration experiences), social norms (family, friends, and teachers), attitude toward helping cyberbullying victims, perceived behavioral control, and empathy. Method: Data were collected from 2,539 students aged 11 to 18 years (M = 14.07, SD = 1.39) across eighteen schools. The analyses focused on the sample of non-witnesses of cyberbullying (N = 1,825) to assess intentions, using multiple regression analyses. Results: Empathy and helping attitude play a significant role in the intention of the three types of intentions. Additionally, experiences of cyberbullying, particularly as a cyberbully, and gender were linked to pro-bully intentions. Post hoc gender analyses revealed that friends, family, and teachers’ norms were particularly relevant for reducing pro-bully intentions in girls. Conclusions: These findings suggest that TPB is a useful framework for understanding the intentions of defender, passive, and pro-bully cyberbystanders. Future research should include both non-witnesses and witnesses to better compare intention versus actual behavior and investigate temporal and causal pathways within the TPB model.
Objective: Problematic internet use (PIU) has become a significant concern among adolescents. Considering the classroom as a key social environment during adolescence, the way students perceive their teachers’ emotionally intelligent behaviors may be particularly relevant for their academic and personal adjustment. While previous studies had examined individual predictors of PIU, the role of teachers' emotionally intelligent behaviors (TEIB) in mitigating PIU remained unexplored. This research aimed to examine the underlying mechanisms in the link between TEIB and PIU through a serial mediation model involving teacher-student relationships (TSR) and stress in two independent studies. Method: Two studies with Spanish adolescents were conducted: a cross-sectional study (N = 1,966) and a 9-month prospective study (N = 517). TEIB, TSR, stress symptoms (Study 1), perceived stress (Study 2), and PIU were assessed. Results: In both studies, TEIB were positively associated with TSR and negatively associated with stress and PIU. The serial mediation path was significant: TEIB predicted higher TSR scores, which in turn was linked to lower stress levels, thereby reducing PIU. In Study 1 both simple and serial mediation effects were significant, whereas in Study 2 only the serial mediation effect was supported. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of TEIB in reducing students’ PIU. Schools should consider implementing emotional skills training programs for teachers to foster supportive TSR and promote healthier online behaviors among adolescents. Finally, school-based recommendations for teachers to prevent adolescents from PIU are suggested in the light of our findings.
Objective: Online sexual crimes involving children have increased significantly with greater public access to the internet, underscoring the pressing need for effective intervention programs. While previous reviews attest to the effectiveness of psychological interventions for people who commit sexual offenses, none have specifically addressed those who commit sex crimes involving children using the internet. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of psychological intervention programs targeting these crimes, identifying the most effective approaches in behavioral change. Method: The research was conducted across five databases (Scopus, B-on, APA PsycNet, PubMed, and Sage Journals), including studies evaluating the effectiveness of any psychological intervention in adults who have committed sexual crimes involving children through the internet, resulting in nine relevant studies. Most studies employed pre-post designs assessing psychological factors linked to reoffending, emphasizing integrated approaches including cognitive-behavioral therapy, life satisfaction promotion, multimodal treatments, and monitoring. Results: Findings indicated that, in most cases, there were psychological improvements related to criminal behavior, along with a reduction in the frequency and severity of offenses. Methodological limitations were common, such as reliance on pre-post designs, self-reported data, and absence of control groups or conditions. Conclusions: This review underscores the necessity for further research to gauge intervention program effectiveness in this population, stressing larger sample sizes, control group inclusion, and follow-up periods. Despite limitations, the review offers practical insights for clinicians, identifying key treatment components and risk assessment tools useful for personalized intervention planning and clinical decision-making in this population.
Objective: As societies become increasingly digitalized, users engage in digital communication flows and participate actively and responsively while managing the demands of constant connectivity. This overwhelming volume of communication can lead to social pressure, which has been associated with compulsive digital behavior and may negatively affect psychological and social adjustment. This study aimed at investigating the longitudinal and bidirectional relationships between social pressure in digital contexts, depressive symptoms, and social support, focusing on how social pressure may affect psychological and social adjustment over time. Method: Previous research on social pressure has mostly relied on cross-sectional or, at best, two-panel cross-lagged designs. In this study, random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs) were used and a three-wave longitudinal design to examine bidirectional relationships between social pressure, depressive symptoms, and social support in a sample of 1,878 participants that were representative of the Spanish internet population. Results: Our results indicated that increases in social pressure were associated with elevated depressive symptoms and diminished social support over time. Conversely, increases in depressive symptoms and decreases in social support were not associated with changes in social pressure over time. Conclusions: While social pressure in digital contexts had adverse effects on the psychological and social adjustment of users over time (i.e., high depressive symptoms and low social support), it remained unresponsive to variations in users' adjustment over time. These findings underscore the importance of considering the contextual nature of social pressure in digital environments to better inform policy interventions aimed at improving users' digital well-being.
Objective: Peer support can be a valuable addition to routine care for patients with chronic conditions. While the benefits of peer support are well documented, most research has focused on the recipients' perspective. Given the central role of peer supporters, their experiences should be considered equally important. This systematic review synthesizes the existing literature on the experiences of peer supporters with chronic conditions. Method: We conducted a systematic search across PubMed, PsycInfo (OVID), Psyndex (OVID), Web of Science and screened grey literature, citation and reference lists. Quantitative and qualitative studies reporting on the experiences of peer supporters with a somatic chronic condition were included. The qualitative synthesis followed a metaethnographic approach. Quantitative findings were summarized descriptively and risk of bias of all studies assessed. Results: Out of 9,144 papers identified, 72 were included, mostly qualitative and varying in quality. The synthesis revealed diverse experiences grouped into three categories. Benefits included meaningfulness of the role, skill development, personal growth, social inclusion, reciprocal support, employment advantages, and better disease management. Challenges involved organisational demands, emotional strain, difficult peer interactions, and unclear roles. Facilitators and suggested improvements concerned support, role clarity, setting, and counselling. Overall, the evidence indicates a slightly positive experience for peer supporters. Conclusions: Being a peer supporter is a multifaceted experience that offers various benefits while also presenting challenges. Incorporating peer supporters' perspectives is essential to ensuring that peer-based programs benefit all parties involved, thereby maximizing overall impact. Practical implications for design and execution of future peer-based interventions are provided.
Objective: Adolescent suicide has become a serious public health problem in Spain, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. The research aims were twofold: (1) to explore the key risk factors for suicidality in adolescents in a pool of family, peer, and school relational factors and (2) to analyze specific interactions between them. These objectives involved differentiating suicidal ideation from suicidal attempt and participants' gender. Method: Participants were 3,252 adolescents enrolled in Compulsory Secondary Education schools in Spain, aged between 11 and 17 years (49.3% boys). ANOVAs and chi-square tests were used for group comparisons, and conditional inference tree analysis was applied for multivariate analysis. Results: Negative mother's and father's parental styles, gender, having a partner, child-to-mother violence, cybervictimization, and social media usage frequency were relevant predictors for, in that order. The tree model generated a series of useful decisions rules to identify subgroups of adolescents at elevated risk. The key predictors of suicidal attempt in girls were maternal negative parenting style along with an experience of cybervictimization. For suicidal ideation, key predictors in girls were having a partner, being violent toward their mothers, or having mothers with a negative parenting style, along with intensive social media use. For suicidal ideation in boys, cybervictimization in the absence of other relationship problems was the key predictor. Conclusions: These exploratory findings suggest different gender-based risk profiles to consider for targeted prevention strategies.
Objective: Untreated perinatal mental health disorders can have serious consequences for the whole family system. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of peer support intervention in improving postpartum psychological distress. Method: We evaluated a remote peer support intervention, Mom Supports Mom, in a randomized controlled trial. The primary study outcome was the level of depressive symptoms at week six after delivery. Secondary outcomes included levels of anxiety symptoms, quality of life and the presence of psychiatric disorders at week six after delivery. Trial protocol was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04639752). Results: The study sample consisted of 315 participants in the control group, and 173 participants in the intervention group. The Mom Supports Mom intervention was associated with decreased depressive (Cohen's d = 0.30, p = .003) and anxiety symptomatology (d = 0.29, p =.003) at week six after birth compared to the control group. Mom Supports Mom intervention was also associated with an increase in health-related quality of life at week six after birth (d = 0.27, p =.008). No statistically significant difference was found between the groups in the presence of psychiatric diagnoses at six weeks postpartum. Conclusions: Peer intervention Mom Supports Mom is effective in reducing depressive and anxiety symptomatology in postpartum women and improving their health-related quality of life. Mom Supports Mom can serve as a low-intensity approach that is effective for mild illness and has the potential to be scalable.
Objective: Sexual intimate partner violence (SIPV) is a significant public health concern of global importance. This meta-analysis sought to examine the relationship between demographic factors and SIPV perpetration and victimization. Method: The database searches identified a total of 143 articles to be included in the meta-analysis. Comprehensive meta-analysis 3.0 was used to calculate aggregate effect sizes (Pearson’s r) for the relationship between demographic variables and SIPV exposure. Variables were examined for SIPV perpetration and victimization and were separated between male and female samples. Results: There was a significant relationship between SIPV victimization and being bisexual (r = .25, p < .001), LGBTQ (r = .21, p < .001), female (r = .19, p < .001), and disabled (r = .19, p < .001). Lower income (r = .07, p = .001), lower education (r = .06, p < .001), and younger age (r = .04, p < .001) also correlated with SIPV victimization. Being married (r = -.08, p = .027) was identified as a protective marker against SIPV victimization. Identifying as female (r = -.17, p = .003) had a negative association with SIPV perpetration. Conclusions: The current study found that several demographic factors are significantly related to increased risk of SIPV perpetration and/or victimization, while few have a protective effect.
Objective: Motivational interviewing (MI) is increasingly recognized as an effective approach in forensic settings, particularly for overcoming resistance by avoiding confrontation and fostering intrinsic motivation. Research shows that interventions incorporating MI are more effective than other approaches in preventing and reducing offending behavior, highlighting its importance in improving intervention outcomes. Given this evidence, advocating for the integration of MI is crucial to enhance the effectiveness of interventions. Method: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to systematize knowledge and assess the effectiveness of interventions incorporating MI for justice-involved people who have been sentenced to custodial or non-custodial measures. Twenty-two studies were included. The total sample size of the studies ranged from 25 to 528 individuals convicted of various offences, including intimate partner violence, violent crimes, sexual offences, property crimes, driving offences, and drug offences. Results: Results indicated that MI is more effective in increasing session attendance and reducing dropout than interventions without MI. For official recidivism, evidence favored MI with a statistically significant reduction in recidivism rates. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of integrating MI into forensic settings, establishing its positive impact on numerous outcomes.
Objective: Social support is understood as a protective factor for mental health and emotional well-being, especially at school. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) is one of the most widely used tools worldwide to assess this construct. The main purpose of the present study was to validate the scores of the MSPSS in a large sample of non-clinical adolescents. Method: The sample consisted of 2,235 compulsory secondary education students in Spain (Mage = 14.49, SDage = 1.76, age range 12-18 years, 52% female) obtained by stratified random sampling. Results: The model, consisting of three interrelated factors, showed the most adequate goodness-of-fit indices. The results support the measurement invariance of the MSPSS across sex, age, and sexual orientation. McDonald’s omega reliability indices between .862-.934 were obtained. MSPSS scores were significantly and negatively associated with emotional and behavioral problems, depression, and suicidal behavior, and positively associated with life satisfaction. Conclusions: The MSPSS is a reliable instrument to assess social support through self-report in school settings. In this regard, assessing social support using this tool is particularly useful in programs promoting well-being or preventing mental health disorders.
Objective: This study aims to analyze the relationship between parenting styles, i.e., authoritative, indulgent, authoritarian, and neglectful, and psychosocial adjustment, i.e., aggression, self-concept, and emotional-social competence, among Generation Z (Gen Z) individuals. Method: The participants were 1,417 Chinese individuals, 736 young adults (born between 2003-2005) and 681 adolescents (born between 2006-2008). A multivariate multifactorial design 4 × 2 × 2 × 2 was applied. Dependent variables were various components of child psychosocial adjustment (aggression, five dimensions of self-concept and emotional-social competence). Independent variables were parenting styles, children antisocial tendency during adolescence, sex, and age (adolescent vs. young adult cohorts). Results: Children from authoritarian homes reported higher levels of aggression, and the worst scores in self-concept and emotional-social competence. By contrast, the optimal results were consistently associated with warm parenting (i.e., authoritative and indulgent). Conclusions: Parental warmth was beneficial for Gen Z, including both adolescent and young adult cohorts. The present findings seriously questioned that the Chinese authoritarian parenting, which has often been related to positive outcomes—particularly for educational success—is beneficial for child psychosocial adjustment.
