Positive Psychology for Mental Wellbeing of UK Therapeutic Students: Relationships with Engagement, Motivation, Resilience and Self-Compassion

Resilience of pregnant Polish women during the war between Ukraine and Russia

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has significantly impacted mental health across neighbouring regions, with pregnant women being particularly vulnerable. This group faces heightened risks of anxiety and depression due to the combined stresses of pregnancy and sociopolitical instability. Our study aimed to evaluate resilience as a protective factor against anxiety and depression in Polish pregnant women during this crisis. From June 2, 2022, to April 11, 2023, we recruited participants and assessed their mental health using validated tools: the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Labour Anxiety Questionnaire (LAQ), and self-developed War Anxiety and Global Situation Anxiety Questionnaires (WAQ; GSAQ). Resilience was measured using the Resilience Measure Questionnaire (KOP26). Statistical methods included Spearman's coefficient, Chi-Squared analysis, and the Kruskal-Wallis test. The findings revealed a statistically significant negative correlation between resilience levels and depression symptoms as well as global situation anxiety, underscoring resilience's protective role. This property has not been confirmed in the context of war and labour anxiety. Current models showed limitations in accurately predicting mental health outcomes, suggesting the need for more nuanced approaches. However, these results still emphasize resilience as crucial for perinatal psychological well-being, particularly during global crises.

Integrating positive psychology principles in vocational education: A new approach to boosting student well-being and academic motivation

This study aims to analyze the integration of the principles of positive psychology (PP) in terms of a multidimensional approach to the well-being of students receiving vocational education. The study involved undergraduate students in the full-time program. They were randomly divided into an Intervention group (n = 123) and a Control group (n = 124). Both groups studied according to the same curriculum. The difference between the groups was that the Intervention group's daily lectures and practical classes integrated the PP principles. This group also participated in additional training on PP. The study assessed the well-being and motivation of the students before and after the intervention for both groups. The researchers confirmed that the integration of PP principles contributes to the well-being of students. There was a strong connection between the variables of positive well-being and motivation (Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation). Gender was the only socio-demographic factor that influenced the well-being of students during the PP interventions. Teachers and educational administrators may adapt the presented approaches to their specific objectives and tasks, taking into account the needs and characteristics of their students.

Finding the Link Between Iranian EFL Teacher Motivation and Engagement via Ant Colony Optimization Algorithm and Fuzzy Decision Mode

Teacher motivation is considred as one of the most decisive factorts infulencing teacher functioing as well as students' achievement. Many variable can develop teacher motoivation. In this study, it is presumed that teacher engagement, comprising three facets of emotional, behavioral, and cognitive influence teacher motivation. To examine this hypothesis, this study takes the initiative to utiliuze an innovative artificial intelliengce (AI)-inspired approach called Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) technique. ACO is an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm originating from natural phenomena. The concept originates from biology and physics and specifically from ants' movements. ACO has the ability to find the connections between inputs and outputs, and it can find the most influencing inputs. Motivation was the output of the study, and the inputs were three different engagement factors. Based on the results, ACO reached a high R-value meaning that it could predict the output with a high accuracy. The findings of this study substantiate the wide-ranging and multifacsted potentials of AI, in particular ACO, in studying and predicting human functioning in academic settings.

A Call to Arms for Professional Sustainability and Practitioner's Mental Health

Despite professional commitment to wellness, supporting and addressing clinician mental health and professional sustainability has not been historically prioritized or well-understood within the occupational therapy profession. This paper discusses how to build a mentally strong, resilient, sustainable current and future occupational therapy workforce at the personal and systemwide levels to prioritize practitioner mental health. Specific barriers to and support for practitioner occupational balance and mental health as well as systemwide professional sustainability are discussed highlighting a Model of the Interplay of Occupational Balance and Professional Sustainability.

Self-compassion-based online group psychotherapy for bereavement-related grief: The COMPACT feasibility trial

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of online group psychotherapy focused on self-compassion for individuals experiencing bereavement-related grief.

METHOD

This single-arm feasibility trial involved participants aged 18 years or older who had experienced bereavement at least 6 months prior the five-week intervention. Outcomes were measured at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and 4 and 12 weeks later. The primary endpoint was the percentage of participants who completed four out of five sessions; the pre-defined feasibility criterion was 70%. Secondary endpoints included measures of grief, depression, anxiety, self-compassion, and resilience.

RESULTS

The program was conducted in three courses with 18, 26, and 16 participants, respectively. The primary endpoint was met for 83.1% of participants (54/65). Cohen's d effect sizes ([95% CI] 12 weeks vs. baseline) for grief, depression, anxiety, self-compassion, and resilience were - 0.25 [-0.52, 0.03], -0.64 [-0.94, -0.34], -0.48 [-0.77, -0.19], 0.50 [0.21, 0.79], and - 0.07 [-0.34, 0.21], respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Online group psychotherapy focused on self-compassion for individuals with bereavement-related grief is feasible and effective for addressing grief and psychological distress. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm the intervention's efficacy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

UMIN000048554, registered 2 August 2022.

A Narrative Review of Compassion Focused Therapy on Positive Mental Health Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) has been attracting attention in mental health practice and research. CFT is effective in reducing a variety of negative mental health symptoms. Positive mental health (PMH) focuses on an individual's functioning, quality of life, and well-being, aiming to achieve fulfilment. A need for PMH has been increasingly recognised such as national policies incorporating recovery-oriented approaches. However, how effective CFT is for PMH outcomes remains to be investigated. This narrative review aimed to identify the literature that reports evidence on CFT used against PMH outcomes.

METHODS

Our research questions (RQs) were as follows: RQ1. What PMH outcomes are targeted in CFT intervention research? RQ2. Is CFT effective for PMH?" Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO were searched on the Ovid platform. All studies that mentioned "compassion focused therapy" and "compassion-focused therapy" were searched.

RESULTS

Sixteen RCTs were included published since 2012. Nine studies were from Europe, four from Asia, two from Northern America, and one from Australia and New Zealand. CFT was used for diverse PMH outcomes, and the effects were overall positive. Self-compassion and compassion were the most frequently evaluated outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

The mechanism of action for CFT on PMH needs to be evaluated. CFT can be used as part of personal recovery in mental health. More evidence from non-WEIRD countries including LMICs is needed.

Examining the effects of teacher self-compassion, emotion regulation, and emotional labor strategies as predictors of teacher resilience in EFL context

Introduction

This study investigates the effects of teacher self-compassion, emotion regulation, and emotional labor strategies on teacher resilience in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context. The study aims to understand the relationships between these variables and their potential implications for promoting teacher resilience.

Methods

A sample of 711 Chinese EFL teachers participated in the study. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to assess the psychometric properties of the instruments used to measure teacher self-compassion, emotion regulation, emotional labor strategies, and teacher resilience. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the relationships between these variables.

Results

The results of the study revealed that teacher self-compassion and emotional labor strategies had direct positive effects on teacher resilience. Specifically, higher levels of self-compassion and effective use of emotional labor strategies were associated with greater teacher resilience. Furthermore, teacher emotion regulation was found to indirectly predict teacher resilience through the mediation of emotional labor strategies. This suggests that the ability to regulate emotions influences the adoption of effective emotional labor strategies, which in turn contributes to higher levels of teacher resilience.

Discussion

The findings of this study highlight the importance of teacher self-compassion, emotion regulation, and emotional labor strategies in promoting teacher resilience in the EFL context. Interventions aimed at enhancing teacher emotional regulation skills and fostering self-compassion may have significant implications for supporting teachers in managing the demands and challenges of their profession, ultimately enhancing their resilience. These findings contribute to the understanding of factors that can promote teacher resilience and inform the development of targeted interventions in the EFL context.

Comparing the Mental Health of Healthcare Students: Mental Health Shame and Self-compassion in Counselling, Occupational Therapy, Nursing and Social Work Students

Poor mental health of healthcare students is a cause for concern in many universities. Though previous research has identified mental health shame and self-compassion as critical in this student group, how these variables differ across different healthcare disciplines remains to be evaluated. Healthcare students (n = 344; counselling, occupational therapy, social work and nursing) completed measures regarding these variables. MANOVA and regression analyses were performed. (1) Counselling and nursing students were more depressed than occupational therapy students; (2) nursing students were more anxious than occupational therapy and social work students; (3) occupational therapy students had more positive attitudes towards mental health than the others; and (4) nursing students worried about their own reputation associated with their family more than counselling students. Self-compassion was the strongest predictor of mental health in all groups; however, the effect sizes varied: largest in nursing and smallest in social work students. Findings will help inform effective interventions for students in each healthcare discipline.

Mental Well-Being of Czech University Students: Academic Motivation, Self-Compassion, and Self-Criticism

University students in the Czech Republic suffer from a low level of mental well-being. Research in other university student populations suggests that academic motivation, self-compassion, and self-criticism are strongly related to mental well-being. Students who are motivated to study, are kind toward themselves, and are less judgmental of themselves tend to have a high level of mental well-being. These relationships had not been evaluated in Czech students. Accordingly, this cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the relationships between mental well-being, academic motivation (intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and amotivation), self-compassion (self-reassurance) and self-criticism (self-inadequacy and self-hate). Of 130 students approached, a convenience sampling of 119 psychology students at a university in the Czech Republic completed a survey regarding these constructs. Correlation, regression, and path analyses were conducted. Mental well-being was positively associated with intrinsic motivation and self-compassion, and negatively associated with amotivation and self-criticism. Self-compassion was identified as the strongest predictor of mental well-being. Lastly, intrinsic motivation mediated the pathway from self-compassion to mental well-being, but not the one from self-inadequacy to mental well-being, and the one from self-hate to mental well-being. Our findings can help educators to identify effective means to protect students' mental well-being. Cultivating students' self-compassion may be helpful to protect their mental well-being. University staff and educators in the Czech Republic need to consider ways to embed self-compassion training into their students' programmes or university life.

A Shorter Form of the Work Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation Scale: Construction and Factorial Validation

While workplace mental health has attracted attention in many countries, work motivation remains under-researched. Research identified that work motivation is associated with many organisational positive outcomes including workplace mental health. One well-recognised measure is the Work Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation Scale (WEIMS). Conceptualised on the Self-Determination Theory, this 18-item scale examines six types of work motivation: Intrinsic Motivation, Integrated Regulation, Identified Regulation, Introjected Regulation, External Regulation, and Amotivation. WEIMS can be too long for busy people at work. Accordingly, we constructed and validated a shorter form of WEIMS (SWEIMS), comprising 12 items that evaluate the same six work motivation types. Data collected from two professional samples were analysed to construct and validate the factorial structure: 155 construction workers (138 males and 17 females, Age 40.28 ± 11.05) and 103 hospitality workers (47 males and 56 females, Age 28.2 ± 8.6 years). Correlation analyses and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. Two items from each type were selected based on the strength of correlations with the target WEIMS subscale. SWEIMS demonstrated adequate internal consistency (α ≧ 0.65), and strong correlations with the original version of WEIMS (r = 0.73) in both samples. SWEIMS confirmatory factor analysis replicated the six-factor model of the original SWEIMS. SWEIMS can be a reliable, valid, and user-friendly alternative to WEIMS.

Effects of Shinrin-Yoku Retreat on Mental Health: a Pilot Study in Fukushima, Japan

Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) is a cost-effective healing practice that has recently attracted the interest of social scientists who have attributed it, in part, to mental health benefits. Japanese university students suffer from high rates of mental health problems, and the number of suicides remains high despite the total number of suicides in Japan decreasing. Effective mental health approaches which increase mental wellbeing and self-compassion, and reduce associated deficits, such as loneliness, are sought after for Japanese students; however, healthful treatment has not been identified to date. Accordingly, this pre-post-pilot study evaluated the levels of mental wellbeing, self-compassion, and loneliness among 25 Japanese undergraduate students who participated in a three-day shinrin-yoku retreat in Fukushima. Measurements were taken prior, straight after, and two weeks post-intervention. One-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc analysis revealed that the mean scores of self-compassion, common humanity, and mindfulness increased statistically significantly from pre-retreat to follow-up. The mean scores of mental wellbeing and loneliness did not statistically significantly change. The positive effects on self-compassion indicate that shinrin-yoku retreat should be evaluated within a larger sample and in a shorter time frame to establish optimal shinrin-yoku parameters in this arena.

Mental Health of Japanese Workers: Amotivation Mediates Self-Compassion on Mental Health Problems

Workplace mental health is a cause for concern in many countries. Globally, 78% of the workforce experienced impairment of their mental health in 2020. In Japan, more than half of employees are mentally distressed. Previously, research has identified that self-compassion (i.e., being kind and understanding towards oneself) and work motivation were important to their mental health. However, how these three components relate to each other remains to be elucidated. Accordingly, this study aimed to examine the relationship between mental health problems, self-compassion and work motivation (i.e., intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation and amotivation). A cross-sectional design was employed, where 165 Japanese workers completed self-report scales regarding those three components. A correlation and path analyses were conducted. Mental health problems were positively associated with amotivation and negatively associated with age and self-compassion. While intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation did not mediate the impact of self-compassion on mental health problems, amotivation did. The findings can help managers and organizational psychologists help identify effective approaches to improving work mental health.

Comparison of Academic Motivation between Business and Healthcare Students in Online Learning: A Concurrent Nested Mixed-Method Study

While the demand for online education and the diversity of online students have been increasing worldwide, how online students motivate themselves to continuously engage in learning remains to be appraised. Research in the face-to-face contexts reports that academic motivation is central to student success and wellbeing, and the type of motivation can differ by subject. In particular, the motivation of business students and healthcare students can differ considerably. This study aimed to understand the motivation of online students, and compare them between business and healthcare students using a concurrent nested mixed-method design with correlation and thematic analyses. A survey regarding motivation, learning enjoyment, and study willingness was responded to by 120 online students (61 business and 59 healthcare). Business students were associated with extrinsic motivation, whereas healthcare students were associated with intrinsic motivation. While students in both groups enjoyed the pursuit of knowledge, healthcare students valued the process and accomplishment, whereas business students regarded education as steppingstones in their careers. Findings can help educators develop effective motivational support for these student groups.

Mental Wellbeing of Indonesian Students: Mean Comparison with UK Students and Relationships with Self-Compassion and Academic Engagement

The number of Indonesian students in higher education has been increasing rapidly. However, many Indonesian university students report experiencing mental distress. Research on student wellbeing found that self-compassion (i.e., being kind towards oneself in challenging times) and academic engagement (i.e., a commitment and purposeful effort toward study) are essential to students’ mental wellbeing. With the present study, we aimed to assess the mental wellbeing of Indonesian students. A convenience sample of 156 Indonesian students completed self-report measures on mental wellbeing, self-compassion and academic engagement (consisting of vigour, dedication and absorption). To contextualise their mental wellbeing, data from Indonesian students were compared with those from 145 UK students using Welch t-tests. Correlation, regression and mediation analyses were then performed to examine the relationships among these variables. Indonesian students had higher levels of self-compassion and absorption and a lower level of dedication than UK students. Self-compassion and academic engagement explained 36% of variance in mental wellbeing. Self-compassion and vigour were identified as significant predictors of mental wellbeing, whereas self-compassion was the strongest predictor. Lastly, vigour did not mediate the pathway from self-compassion to mental wellbeing. Interventions to support self-compassion and academic engagement, especially vigour, in Indonesian students are recommended to support their mental wellbeing.

The mediation role of psychological capital between family relationship and antenatal depressive symptoms among women with advanced maternal age: a cross sectional study

Background

Due to changes in family policy in China, pregnancy at advanced age (30 years old or above) is prevalent. Advanced maternal age is known to be related to a variety of negative health outcomes, including antenatal depression. Family relationship quality might be an important factor for antenatal depressive symptoms among Chinese women with advanced maternal age. However, the underlying mechanisms in which family relationship quality can affect antenatal depressive symptoms among this population and how positive psychological capital (PsyCap) intervenes in this impact are not clear.

Objectives

To describe the prevalence and demographic characteristics of antenatal depressive symptoms among Chinese pregnant women with advanced maternal age, and to explore the mediation effect of PsyCap in the associations between family relationship quality and antenatal depressive symptoms.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional survey at a tertiary hospital in China. A total of 192 women with maternal age of 30 years or older completed the questionnaires. Data on antenatal depressive symptoms, PsyCap, family relationship quality and demographic characteristics were collected. The multiple mediation models in SPSS’s PROCESS macro were used to test whether PsyCap mediated the relationship between family relationship quality and antenatal depressive symptoms.

Results

Approximately 28.6% of participants had antenatal depressive symptoms and 6.8% reported poor family relationship quality. Participants with higher education (p = .02) and better family relationship quality (p = .00) were less likely to have antenatal depressive symptoms. PsyCap collectively (β = 1.14, p < .05), or more specifically resilience (β = 0.61, p < .05) significantly mediated the relationship between poor family relationship quality and antenatal depressive symptoms.

Discussion

The relationship between family relationship quality and antenatal depressive symptoms can be mediated by PsyCap collectively or via resilience specifically. It is important to screen antenatal depressive symptoms among pregnant women with advanced age, especially those who have poor family relationship quality. Counseling and psychotherapy initiatives for resilience-enhancing training for pregnant women at advanced age may provide a promising target to break the link between poor family relationship quality and antenatal depressive symptoms.

A qualitative analysis of facilitators and barriers to physical activity among patients with moderate mental disorders

Aim

The current study aims to qualitatively identify determinants, barriers and facilitators of physical activity among a population with mental health disorders.

Subject and methods

Seventeen participants with moderate mental disorders were recruited. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to identify physical activity facilitators and barriers. Data were organized and analysed in ATLAS.ti, mainly based on a generic qualitative research approach.

Results

Most participants found physical activity important and expressed a positive attitude towards it. In general, higher self-efficacy and more social support were beneficial for participants' physical activity levels. Reasons/facilitating factors to be more physically active were: having fun, good weather, progress, routine, self-compassion and a stimulating environment. Barriers were not having fun, being busy, mental complaints, lack of energy, procrastination and physical complaints.

Conclusion

Future interventions could promote physical activity among people with moderate mental disorders to help them identify and overcome barriers. The newly identified determinant 'self-compassion' could be an interesting target for promoting physical activity in this group of people with moderate mental disorders.

Psychological Impacts of COVID-19 on Healthcare Trainees and Perceptions towards a Digital Wellbeing Support Package

We explore the impact of COVID-19 on the psychological wellbeing of healthcare trainees, and the perceived value of a digital support package to mitigate the psychological impacts of the pandemic (PoWerS Study). This mixed-methods study includes (i) exposure to a digital support package; (ii) participant survey to assess wellbeing, perceptions of work and intervention fidelity; (iii) semi-structured qualitative interviews. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed, data were handled and analysed using principles of thematic framework analysis. Participants are 42 health and medical trainees (9M, 33F) from 13 higher education institutions in the UK, studying during the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey findings showed high satisfaction with healthcare training (92.8%), but low wellbeing (61.9%), moderate to high perceived stressfulness of training (83.3%), and high presenteeism (50%). Qualitative interviews generated 3 over-arching themes, and 11 sub-themes. The pandemic has impacted negatively on emotional wellbeing of trainees, yet mental health is not well promoted in some disciplines, and provision of pastoral support is variable. Disruption to academic studies and placements has reduced perceived preparedness for future clinical practice. Regular check-ins, and wellbeing interventions will be essential to support the next generation health and care workforce, both in higher education and clinical settings. The digital support package was perceived to be accessible, comprehensive, and relevant to healthcare trainees, with high intervention fidelity. It is a useful tool to augment longer-term provision of psychological support for healthcare trainees, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Role of Self-Compassion in the Job Demands-Resources Model, an Explorative Study among Crisis Line Volunteers

The job demands-resources (JD-R) model has hardly been studied in volunteer organizations and there is a scarcity of studies evaluating self-compassion as a personal resource within the JD-R model. The present study addresses these gaps in current knowledge, first by examining the applicability of the JD-R model in a crisis line volunteer organization. Second, self-compassion is examined, both in terms of its moderating role on the exhaustion process as well as its role on the motivation process. Structural equation modelling was used for the analyses. The influence on the organizational outcome 'compassion towards others' was examined using a multiple regression analysis. The results showed that the JD-R model has an acceptable fit on this sample and supports the central assumption that exhaustion and motivation are two independent but related processes. This study provides evidence that self-compassion is a valuable addition to the JD-R model, as it has an indirect effect on both processes, and increases the explained variance in compassion towards others by 7% through the exhaustion process and by 3% through the motivational process. These findings point to the importance of focusing on self-compassion in training and supervision in volunteer organizations.

Mental health of medical workers in Japan during COVID-19: Relationships with loneliness, hope and self-compassion

The current pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has negatively impacted medical workers’ mental health in many countries including Japan. Although research identified poor mental health of medical workers in COVID-19, protective factors for their mental health remain to be appraised. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate relationships between mental health problems, loneliness, hope and self-compassion among Japanese medical workers, and compare with the general population. Online self-report measures regarding those four constructs were completed by 142 medical workers and 138 individuals in the general population. T-tests and multiple regression analysis were performed. Medical workers had higher levels of mental health problems and loneliness, and lower levels of hope and self-compassion than the general population. Loneliness was the strongest predictor of mental health problems in the medical workers. Findings suggest that Japanese medical workplaces may benefit from targeting workplace loneliness to prevent mental health problems among the medical staff.