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Journal of Speech, Language, and... Sep 2023Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is the process of engaging in negatively valenced and habitual thought patterns. RNT is strongly associated with mental health...
PURPOSE
Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is the process of engaging in negatively valenced and habitual thought patterns. RNT is strongly associated with mental health conditions and often affects quality of life. This study explored RNT in older school-age children and adolescents who stutter to quantify the relationship between RNT and self-reported anxiety characteristics. An additional aim was to describe how individual differences in an adolescent's goal when speaking influences the frequency they engage in RNT.
METHOD
Ninety-nine children and adolescents who stutter aged 9-18 years completed a measurement of the frequency/severity of RNT, a screener of anxiety characteristics, and a measure of adverse impact related to stuttering. Children aged 10 years and above also answered questions about their goal when speaking.
RESULTS
Individual differences in RNT significantly predicted Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering (OASES) Total Scores more so than a child or adolescent's age. Higher generalized or social anxiety scores were significantly correlated with more frequent RNT and higher OASES Total Scores. Individual differences in goal when speaking (i.e., whether or not to stutter openly) were found to predict RNT. Finally, 22 children and adolescents (22.2%) also screened positive for generalized anxiety disorder and 32 (32.3%) screened positive for social anxiety disorder.
DISCUSSION
These data provide strong evidence that (a) many children and adolescents who stutter engage in RNT; (b) children and adolescents who engage more frequently in RNT or who have higher OASES Total Scores may be at increased risk for more characteristics of generalized or social anxiety; and (c) individual differences in goal when speaking can predict the degree to which an adolescent engages in RNT.
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL
https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.23713296.
Topics: Child; Humans; Adolescent; Aged; Stuttering; Pessimism; Quality of Life; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 37494925
DOI: 10.1044/2023_JSLHR-23-00147 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2023Cardiovascular reactivity refers to changes in blood pressure and heart rate in response to internal or external stimuli. Previous research has shown that excessively...
INTRODUCTION
Cardiovascular reactivity refers to changes in blood pressure and heart rate in response to internal or external stimuli. Previous research has shown that excessively high and low cardiovascular reactivity are associated with an increased risk of cardiac problems. Dispositional optimism has been associated with numerous health benefits, including better cardiovascular responses to stressors, and reduced mortality risk. Conversely, pessimism has been associated with negative health outcomes and worse cardiovascular reactivity to stress. Mood, comprising positive and negative affect, can significantly impact psychological adjustment and physical health. Therefore, it is important to consider mood as a potential confounding variable in the link between optimism and cardiovascular reactivity. The study hypothesized that optimism and pessimism would still influence cardiovascular reactivity even when mood variables were controlled for.
METHODS
A within-subjects correlational design with 107 young adult participants was used. Sociodemographic and clinical questionnaires were administered to collect information on participants' characteristics. The Dispositional Optimism Scale (LOT-R) and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) were used to assess participants' levels of optimism, pessimism, and mood. Measures of cardiovascular reactivity, including systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR), were taken during a stressor task (PASAT).
RESULTS
There is a moderate positive correlation between dispositional optimism and positive affect, while pessimism demonstrated a moderate positive association with negative affect. Linear regression analyses were conducted, controlling baseline reactivity variables, gender, and body mass index. The results showed that pessimism had a significant negative effect on SBP reactivity, suggesting that higher levels of pessimism decreased SBP response. Optimism had a significant positive effect on DBP reactivity, while pessimism had a significant negative effect.
DISCUSSION
Overall, these results suggest that dispositional optimism and pessimism are related to cardiovascular reactivity, even after controlling for positive and negative affect. Pessimism was associated with lower SBP reactivity, while both optimism and pessimism influenced DBP reactivity. These findings are consistent with previous research indicating that optimism enables more effective stress management during challenging events, whereas pessimism can serve as a risk factor, heightening the likelihood of experiencing future cardiac issued caused by blunted cardiovascular reactivity.
PubMed: 37908813
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1233900 -
Psychiatria Danubina 2022The COVID-19 pandemic affects all aspects of the population including children, elderly, and vulnerable people. The aim of this study is to examine, for the first time,...
BACKGROUND
The COVID-19 pandemic affects all aspects of the population including children, elderly, and vulnerable people. The aim of this study is to examine, for the first time, the relationship optimism-pessimism levels of mothers and anxiety level of children in turkey during COVID-19 pandemic.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
Optimism-Pessimism Scale and Preschool Anxiety Scale were used to collect data from a representative sample of 33,362 mothers with children aged 3-6 years.
RESULTS
Of the parents, 53% of them reported that their children were slightly anxious due to COVID-19 pandemic. Lower optimism and higher pessimism were significantly related with higher levels of children's anxiety including social, generalized, separation, and overall anxiety as well as obvious fear. Group comparison analysis indicated that very anxious children reported the highest level of different types of anxiety and fear compared to less anxious and not at all anxious children.
CONCLUSION
These findings suggest that mental health of children has been adversely affected during the pandemic and this has important implications for designing and implementing interventions aimed at reducing anxiety levels of children and determining protective and risk factors associated with anxiety in the face of adversity.
Topics: Aged; Anxiety; COVID-19; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Optimism; Pandemics; Pessimism
PubMed: 35772159
DOI: 10.24869/psyd.2022.364 -
PloS One 2020The aim of this study was to validate the Spanish version of the Defensive Pessimism Questionnaire. A sample of undergraduate students (N = 539) was measured on...
The aim of this study was to validate the Spanish version of the Defensive Pessimism Questionnaire. A sample of undergraduate students (N = 539) was measured on defensive pessimism using the Defensive Pessimism Questionnaire (DPQ), optimism and pessimism using the Life Orientation Test (LOT), positive and negative affect using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and anxiety using the trait subscale of the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory. A Spanish version of the DPQ (DPQ-SV) is presented. Exploratory and Robust Confirmatory Factor Analysis had a bi-dimensional structure (Reflectivity and Negative Expectation). Omega coefficient showed a high internal consistency and the temporal stability was high in each dimension. Both DPQ-SV subscales (Negative Expectation and Reflectivity) showed adequate convergence with LOT-optimism and LOT-pessimism. Reflectivity showed adequate criterion validity with trait-anxiety and negative affect, but inadequate criterion validity with positive affect. Negative Expectation showed excellent criterion validity with trait-anxiety and negative affect and good criterion validity with positive affect. Finally, mediation analysis showed that Negative Expectation had a significant indirect mediating effect between trait-anxiety and negative affect. Reflectivity had a significant indirect mediating effect between trait-anxiety and negative and positive affect. Analysis of the psychometric properties of the DPQ-SV subscale scores showed that it is a two factor adequate measurement tool for its use in this type of samples.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Female; Humans; Male; Personality Inventory; Pessimism; Psychometrics; Students; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 32302314
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229695 -
PloS One 2022The phenomenon of "publish-or-perish" in academia, spurred on by limited funding and academic positions, has led to increased competition and pressure on academics to...
The phenomenon of "publish-or-perish" in academia, spurred on by limited funding and academic positions, has led to increased competition and pressure on academics to publish. Publication pressure has been linked with multiple negative outcomes, including increased academic misconduct and researcher burnout. COVID-19 has disrupted research worldwide, leading to lost research time and increased anxiety amongst researchers. The objective of this study was to examine how COVID-19 has impacted perceived publication pressure amongst academic researchers in Canada. We used the revised Publication Pressure Questionnaire, in addition to Likert-type questions to discern respondents' beliefs and concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on academic publishing. We found that publication pressure increased across academic researchers in Canada following the pandemic, with respondents reporting increased stress, increased pessimism, and decreased access to support related to publishing. Doctoral students reported the highest levels of stress and pessimism, while principal investigators had the most access to publication support. There were no significant differences in publication pressure reported between different research disciplines. Women and non-binary or genderfluid respondents reported higher stress and pessimism than men. We also identified differences in perceived publication pressure based on respondents' publication frequency and other demographic factors, including disability and citizenship status. Overall, we document a snapshot of perceived publication pressure in Canada across researchers of different academic career stages and disciplines. This information can be used to guide the creation of researcher supports, as well as identify groups of researchers who may benefit from targeted resources.
Topics: COVID-19; Female; Humans; Male; Pandemics; Publishing; Research Personnel; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 35731739
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269743 -
BMJ Open Quality Apr 2024The failed or partial implementation of clinical practices negatively impacts patient safety and increases systemic inefficiencies. Implementation of sepsis screening... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
The failed or partial implementation of clinical practices negatively impacts patient safety and increases systemic inefficiencies. Implementation of sepsis screening guidelines has been undertaken in many settings with mixed results. Without a theoretical understanding of what leads to successful implementation, improving implementation will continue to be ad hoc or intuitive. This study proposes a programme theory for how and why the successful implementation of sepsis screening guidelines can occur.
METHODS
A rapid realist review was conducted to develop a focused programme theory for the implementation of sepsis screening guidelines. An independent two-reviewer approach was used to iteratively extract and synthesise context and mechanism data. Theoretical context-mechanism-outcome propositions were refined and validated by clinicians using a focus group and individual realist interviews. Implementation resources and clinical reasoning were differentiated in articulating mechanisms.
RESULTS
Eighteen articles were included in the rapid review. The theoretical domains framework was identified as the salient substantive theory informing the programme theory. The theory consisted of five main middle-range propositions. Three promoting mechanisms included positive belief about the benefits of the protocol, belief in the legitimacy of using the protocol and trust within the clinical team. Two inhibiting mechanisms included pessimism about the protocol being beneficial and pessimism about the team. Successful implementation was defined as achieving fidelity and sustained use of the intervention. Two intermediate outcomes, acceptability and feasibility of the intervention, and adoption, were necessary to achieve before successful implementation.
CONCLUSION
This rapid realist review synthesised key information from the literature and clinician feedback to develop a theory-based approach to clinical implementation of sepsis screening. The programme theory presents knowledge users with an outline of how and why clinical interventions lead to successful implementation and could be applied in other clinical areas to improve quality and safety.
Topics: Humans; Sepsis; Mass Screening
PubMed: 38684345
DOI: 10.1136/bmjoq-2023-002593 -
Inquiry : a Journal of Medical Care... 2022The COVID-19 pandemic has increased psychological distress among common people and has caused health care providers, such as nurses, to experience tremendous stress.
OBJECTIVE
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased psychological distress among common people and has caused health care providers, such as nurses, to experience tremendous stress.
METHODS
This prospective cross-sectional study assessed the psychological impacts on nurses in a community hospital in Taiwan, including major depressive disorder (MDD), posttraumatic stress (PTS), and pessimism. According to transactional theory, coping strategies and personal factors have psychological impacts. We hypothesized that behavioral responses to COVID-19 (problem-focused coping) are more effective in reducing psychological impacts than emotional responses to COVID-19 (emotion-focused coping). Independent variables were the use of behavioral and emotional coping strategies for COVID-19 and 3 personal factors, namely sleep disturbance, physical component summary (PCS-12), and mental component summary (MCS-12) of the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) obtained from the Medical Outcomes Study. Dependent variables comprised 3 psychological impacts, namely MDD, PTS, and pessimism.
RESULTS
We determined that behavioral coping strategies had significant negative effects on PTS and pessimism; however, emotional coping strategies had significantly positive effects on PTS and pessimism. Sleep disturbance was significantly associated with increased MDD and pessimism. PCS-12 had a significant negative effect on PTS, whereas MCS-12 was not significantly associated with any of the 3 psychological impacts.
CONCLUSIONS
Nurses who adopted protective behavior against COVID-19, such as washing hands, wearing masks, avoiding touching eyes, and mouth, and avoiding personal contact, were associated with less posttraumatic stress and pessimism. Healthcare providers should consider strategies for improving preventive behaviors to help ease their worries and fears concerning COVID-19.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depressive Disorder, Major; Humans; Pandemics; Prospective Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Taiwan
PubMed: 35532315
DOI: 10.1177/00469580221096278 -
The Journals of Gerontology. Series A,... Feb 2022Research documents the adverse health effects of systemic inflammation. Overall, older Black Americans tend to have higher inflammation than older non-Hispanic White...
BACKGROUND
Research documents the adverse health effects of systemic inflammation. Overall, older Black Americans tend to have higher inflammation than older non-Hispanic White adults. Given that inflammation is related to a range of chronic health problems that disproportionately affect Blacks compared to Whites, this racial disparity in inflammation may contribute to racial disparities in particular chronic health problems. Thus, a better understanding of its determinants in the older Black population is of critical importance. This analysis examined the association between neighborhood characteristics and inflammation in a national sample of older non-Hispanic Black Americans. An additional aim of this study was to determine whether hopelessness and pessimism moderate the association between neighborhood characteristics and inflammation.
METHODS
A sample of older non-Hispanic Black Americans aged 60+ were drawn from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 1004). Neighborhood characteristics included neighborhood physical disadvantage and neighborhood social cohesion. Inflammation was assessed by C-reactive protein.
RESULTS
The analyses indicated that neighborhood physical disadvantage and social cohesion were not associated with C-reactive protein. Hopelessness and pessimism moderated the association between neighborhood physical disadvantage and C-reactive protein.
CONCLUSIONS
Knowledge regarding the role of hopelessness and pessimism as moderator in the neighborhood-inflammation association can inform cognitive-behavioral interventions targeted at changes in cognition patterns.
Topics: Black or African American; C-Reactive Protein; Humans; Inflammation; Neighborhood Characteristics; Pessimism; Residence Characteristics
PubMed: 33929517
DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glab121 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2022With the aggravation of air pollution, the impact of air pollution on the stock market, especially from the perspective of investor sentiment, has been of great concern...
With the aggravation of air pollution, the impact of air pollution on the stock market, especially from the perspective of investor sentiment, has been of great concern and widely discussed. Based on data from China's A-share listed firms from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020, the relationship between urban air pollution and stock liquidity of listed firms and the internal mechanism is examined. Firstly, based on local preference theory, we start by predicting the impact of air pollution on stock liquidity. We, then, build a regression model for air pollution and stock liquidity, introducing the intermediary effect model to detect the relationship between the two and its mechanism. Finally, by subdividing the samples, we discuss the differential impact of air pollution on stock liquidity under different circumstances. We found that when air pollution worsens it reduces stock liquidity. The results of the mechanism analysis show that investor sentiment plays an intermediary role in the process of air pollution affecting stock liquidity, and pessimism induced by air pollution can reduce stock liquidity. Heterogeneity test results show that there are differences in the impact of air pollution on stock liquidity between heavily polluting firms and non-heavily polluting firms, different industries, different city sizes, and different levels of air pollution, has a greater effect in non-heavily polluting enterprises, manufacturing and other industries, medium sized cities and light pollution. The results of this research have important reference value for environmental protection departments to establish and improve air pollution monitoring systems and for listed firms to improve stock liquidity and deal with the environmental financial risks appropriately.
Topics: Air Pollution; Industry; Commerce; Conservation of Natural Resources; Attitude
PubMed: 36276384
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.989457 -
Journal of Aging and Health Oct 2022Positive psychosocial factors may protect against cardiovascular disease (CVD). We aimed to determine the association of optimism and pessimism with CVD events in...
Positive psychosocial factors may protect against cardiovascular disease (CVD). We aimed to determine the association of optimism and pessimism with CVD events in community-dwelling older adults. 11,651 adults aged 70 years and over, participants of the ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons (ALSOP), were followed-up for 4.7 years (median). The association of optimism and pessimism (assessed as separate constructs by revised Life Orientation Test) and incident CVD events (composite and components) was assessed by Cox regression adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic and health factors. No association was observed between optimism and pessimism with composite CVD events. Being more pessimistic was associated with a greater risk of fatal coronary heart disease, while being more optimistic was associated with a lower risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction. Optimism and pessimism may shape cardiovascular health of older adults; and we argue these psychosocial factors should be researched as separate constructs.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cardiovascular Diseases; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Optimism; Pessimism; Prospective Studies
PubMed: 35410519
DOI: 10.1177/08982643221083118