Clarity of mind: Structural equation modeling of associations between dispositional mindfulness, self-concept clarity and psychological well-being

Maintaining the working state of firefighters by utilizing self-concept clarity as a resource

The working state of firefighters is important for their own safety as well as that of the general public. The purpose of this study is to investigate the correlations between self-concept clarity, resilience, work engagement, and job burnout among firefighters, as well as the impacts of self-concept clarity and resilience as resources that can maintain their working state. Based on data from 2,156 firefighters, analysis showed that self-concept clarity was negatively associated with job burnout and positively associated with work engagement. The results also showed that self-concept clarity had a direct effect on job burnout and work engagement, and an indirect effect by improving the firefighters' resilience. Maintaining and improving their self-concept clarity and resilience promises to be an effective strategy for guaranteeing the working state of firefighters.

Associations between parental depression, communication, and self-worth of siblings bereaved by cancer

A child's death from cancer may increase the risk for poor self-worth in bereaved siblings. Furthermore, bereaved parents may experience depressive symptoms and communicate differently with their surviving children. However, limited research has examined family factors associated with self-worth in bereaved siblings. Thus, we examined: (a) differences in parental depressive symptoms, parent-child communication, and sibling self-worth between bereaved and nonbereaved families and (b) indirect effects of parental depressive symptoms and communication quality on the association between bereavement and sibling self-worth. Bereaved parents and siblings were recruited 3-12 months after a child's death from cancer. Bereaved (n = 72) and nonbereaved families of classmates (n = 58) completed home-based questionnaires upon enrollment (T1), and 48 bereaved and 45 nonbereaved families completed 1-year follow-up (T2). Relative to controls at T1 and T2, bereaved mothers, but not fathers, reported more depressive symptoms. Bereaved siblings reported poorer maternal and similar paternal communication, and similar levels of self-worth compared to controls. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal serial mediation models for mothers were significant. Bereaved mothers were at greater risk for depressive symptoms, which adversely affected sibling self-worth over time through disrupted mother-child communication. The father sample was limited, but the cross-sectional model was nonsignificant. Mothers and fathers may grieve differently and may require different therapeutic approaches. Family-centered interventions should target bereaved mothers' emotional adjustment and communication to enhance sibling self-worth. Additionally, clinicians should bolster other sources of support for bereaved siblings to promote adaptive outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Assessing Validity and Bias of Within-Person Variability in Affect and Personality

Within-person variability in affect (e.g., Neuroticism) and personality have been linked to well-being. These are measured either by asking people to report how variable they are or to give multiple reports on the construct and calculating a within-person standard deviation adjusted for confounding by the person-level mean. The two measures are weakly correlated with one another and the links of variability with well-being depend on which measure researchers use. Recent research suggests that people's repeated ratings may be biased by response styles. In a 7-day study (N = 399) with up to five measurements per day, we confirmed that the measures of variability lacked sufficient convergent validity to be used interchangeably. We found only 1 significant correlation (of 10) between variability in repeated ratings of affect or personality and variability in repeated ratings of a theoretically unrelated construct (i.e., features of images). There was very little evidence supporting the response styles hypothesis.

The relationship between self-concept clarity, athletic identity, athlete engagement and the mediating roles of quality of life and smartphone use in Chinese youth athletes

Background

Youth athletes represent the future of competitive sports, so examining their commitment to sport is critical. This study investigated the impacts of self-concept clarity and athletic identity on athlete engagement among Chinese youth athletes, and the mediating roles of quality of life and smartphone use.

Methods

410 youth athletes from sports schools completed an online cross-sectional survey measuring self-concept clarity, athletic identity, quality of life, smartphone use, and athlete engagement. We used convenience sampling. Instruments included validated scales like the Self-Concept Clarity Scale.

Results

The direct effect of self-concept clarity and athlete engagement in youth athletes was not significant (β = 0.04, p = 0.344), but there was a direct effect of athletic identity and athlete engagement (β = 0.61, p < 0.05). Quality of life mediated the relationships between self-concept clarity(indirect effect = -0.054, 95 % CI = -0.114, -0.019), athletic identity(indirect effect = 0.202, 95 % CI = 0.114, 0.349) and athlete engagement.

Conclusions

This study helps address gaps in understanding athlete engagement in youth athletes. The mediation model provides insights to improve self-concept clarity, athletic identity and quality of life to motivate greater engagement in youth athletes.

I can see (myself) clearly now: Exploring the mediating role of self-concept clarity in the association between self-compassion and indicators of well-being

Is there a connection between loving oneself, knowing oneself, and mental well-being? Self-compassion-a construct that consists of self-kindness, acknowledgment of common humanity, and mindfulness-is associated with numerous positive outcomes including indicators of mental well-being. However, little research exists exploring the mechanism(s) by which self-compassion operates to influence these outcomes. It is possible that self-concept clarity, or the extent to which one's self-beliefs are clearly defined and stable, acts as such a mechanism. In the current study, we explored the mediating role of self-concept clarity in the associations between self-compassion and three indicators of mental well-being: perceived stress, depressive symptomatology, and life satisfaction. Self-compassion was significantly associated with each of the three indicators of well-being. Additionally, self-concept clarity statistically mediated the relationships between self-compassion and depressive symptomatology, perceived stress, and satisfaction with life. The results of this study suggest a potential mechanism by which self-compassion is associated with greater well-being.

How Does Trait Mindfulness Weaken the Effects of Risk Factors for Adolescent Smartphone Addiction? A Moderated Mediation Model

As a psychological resource of individuals, trait mindfulness is valuable in facilitating individuals to maintain attention intensity, increase efficiency, and alleviate stress and depression. It can also buffer against the risk factors of addictive behaviors. However, applied research combining trait mindfulness and smartphone addiction with the use of psychological resources is relatively scarce and needs further examination. We constructed a moderated mediation model based on compensatory Internet use and conservation of resources theory (OCR) to examine the effects of social anxiety on adolescent smartphone addiction and to describe how trait mindfulness "works" and "in what contexts it works better". We analyzed 1570 adolescent subjects through a multistage stratified sampling method. Our findings revealed that social anxiety positively predicted smartphone addiction, while trait mindfulness was negatively associated with it. Furthermore, trait mindfulness mitigated smartphone addiction by reducing social anxiety, suggesting a mediating effect of social anxiety on this relationship. Meanwhile, the mediating effect was more pronounced among adolescents with left-behind experience; we found that left-behind experience partially moderated the relationship between social anxiety and smartphone addiction. Adolescents with left-behind experience had more significant compensatory media use with a higher risk of smartphone addiction. This study highlights the potential protective role of trait mindfulness in the development and maintenance of adolescent smartphone addiction. It provides empirical support for applying resource conservation theory and stress buffering theory in this context.

Who am I as a Sexual Being? The Role of Sexual Self-Concept Between Dispositional Mindfulness and Sexual Satisfaction among Child Sexual Abuse Survivors

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with long-lasting and pervasive impacts on survivors' sexual health, particularly on their sexual satisfaction. Dispositional mindfulness has been found to be associated with greater sexual satisfaction among adult CSA survivors. However, the mechanisms involved in this association remain understudied. The present study examined the role of sexual self-concept (i.e., sexual esteem, sexual preoccupation, and sexual depression) in the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and sexual satisfaction among CSA survivors. A total of 176 adult CSA survivors (60.6% women, 39.4% men) completed an online survey assessing dispositional mindfulness, sexual self-concept, and sexual satisfaction. Path analyses revealed that dispositional mindfulness was positively related to sexual satisfaction through a significant indirect effect of higher sexual esteem and lower sexual depression. The integrative model explained 66.5% of the variance in sexual satisfaction. These findings highlight the key roles that dispositional mindfulness and sexual self-concept play in CSA survivors' sexual satisfaction. Implications for interventions based on trauma-sensitive mindfulness targeting the sexual self-concept are discussed, as they may promote sexual satisfaction in adult CSA survivors.

Self-concept Clarity and Subjective Well-Being: Disentangling Within- and Between-Person Associations

Previous research has suggested that, among adolescents, clarity about one's self-concept is closely related to subjective well-being. However, longitudinal studies are scarce, and whether a clear self-concept is the cause or effect of subjective well-being remains unclear. This study examined the dynamic longitudinal associations between self-concept clarity and subjective well-being at the between- and within-person levels over a one-year time span among adolescents (baseline Mage = 16.01 years; 57.0% girls) from China. The data were collected in three waves (each at a six-month interval), in which adolescents reported their self-concept clarity and well-being (i.e., positive and negative affect and personal satisfaction with life). Both Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Models (RI-CLPMs) and Cross-Lagged Panel Models (CLPMs) were applied to examine the stability, cross-sectional relationships, and cross-lagged effects between adolescents' self-concept clarity and subjective well-being over time. The CLPMs provided unique support for a reciprocal relations model of self-concept clarity and subjective well-being (including both cognitive and emotional well-being) across three time points, although the results of traditional CLPM might represent an unknown blend of between- and within-person effects. However, the RI-CLPM analyses provided tentative support only for cross-sectional correlations between self-concept clarity and well-being outcomes. Our findings advance the literature by elucidating longitudinal relationships between self-concept clarity and subjective well-being in collectivist cultural contexts using CLPM and RI-CLPM.

The effect of trait mindfulness on social media rumination: Upward social comparison as a moderated mediator

Social media rumination means that social media users are inclined to worry about their posts, relevant situational elements, and ramifications of the posts on a regular basis, and it is one of the main reasons why people's use of social media is linked to unfavorable mental health and interpersonal results. Rumination is antagonistic to mindfulness, which entails paying attention on purpose and without judgment, and mindfulness appears to be useful in reducing rumination. However, in the context of social media, the nature of the relationship between rumination and mindfulness has gained less attention. The current research study indicates that trait mindfulness, upward social comparison (USC), and self-esteem are implicated in social media rumination (SMR). However, no research study has synthesized the findings into one model. Therefore, the current research study aims to explore the relationship between trait mindfulness and SMR, the mediating effect of USC, and the moderating effect of self-esteem. The model was tested using AMOS and the PROCESS macro in SPSS with bootstrapping. According to the findings, SC appears to have a moderated mediator effect on the relationship between trait mindfulness and SMR. Specifically, individuals with high mindfulness trait do not necessarily have less USC. Self-esteem moderated the above mediation. The beneficial effect of trait mindfulness on social media rumination is explained in depth in this study.

Mindfulness and Balanced Time Perspective: Predictive Model of Psychological Well-Being and Gender Differences in College Students

Background: The aims of the study were to establish an adjustment model to analyze the relationship among mindfulness, balanced time perspective (BTP) and psychological well-being (PWB) in college students and to explore gender differences among the variables. Method: The sample consisted of 380 college students, 220 women and 160 men, uniformly distributed according to the university’s faculties. Results: The results indicate that the synergy between mindfulness and BTP predicts the variance of PWB by 55%. Regarding gender differences, it was found that women have a greater tendency towards Past Positive than men and men a higher tendency towards Present Hedonistic than women. In addition, in the group of women, a stronger relationship was found among the variables and, consequently, a greater predictive value for PWB (58%), displaying an enhanced disposition to high PWB compared to men. Conclusions: Together, mindfulness and BTP promote optimal psychological functioning and alleviate or reduce discomfort. Thus, their promotion and training in universities is especially important given the high prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in college students.

Social Media-Driven Routes to Positive Mental Health Among Youth: Qualitative Enquiry and Concept Mapping Study

BACKGROUND

Social media influence almost every aspect of our lives by facilitating instant many-to-many communication and self-expression. Recent research suggests strong negative and positive impacts of social media exposure on youth mental health; however, there has been more emphasis on harmful relationships.

OBJECTIVE

Given the limited research on the benefits of social media for mental health, this qualitative study explored the lived experiences of youth to understand how social media use can contribute to positive mental health among youth.

METHODS

Using an interpretivist epistemological approach, 25 semistructured interviews and 11 focus group discussions were conducted with male and female youth of different ethnicities (aged 15 to 24 years) residing in Singapore, who were recruited through purposive sampling from the community. We conducted inductive thematic analysis and concept mapping to address the research aims.

RESULTS

We found that youth engaged in a wide range of activities on social media from connecting with family and friends to participating in global movements, and these served as avenues for building positive mental health. Based on participants' narratives, our analysis suggested that positive mental health among youth could be influenced by 3 features of social media consumption (connection with friends and their global community, engagement with social media content, and the value of social media as an outlet for expression). Through these, pathways leading to the following 5 positive mental health components were identified: (1) positive relationships and social capital, (2) self-concept, (3) coping, (4) happiness, and (5) other relevant aspects of mental health (for example, positivity and personal growth).

CONCLUSIONS

The study results highlight the integral role of social media in the lives of today's youth and indicate that they can offer opportunities for positive influence, personal expression, and social support, thus contributing to positive mental health among youth. The findings of our research can be applied to optimize engagement with youth through social media and enhance the digital modes of mental health promotion.

The importance of awareness, acceptance, and alignment with the self: A framework for understanding self-connection

We provide a theoretical framework for what it means to be self-connected and propose that self-connection is an important potential contributor to a person’s well-being. We define self-connection as consisting of three components: 1) an awareness of oneself, 2) an acceptance of oneself based on this awareness, and 3) an alignment of one’s behavior with this awareness. First, we position the concept within the broader self literature and provide the empirical context for our proposed definition of self-connection. We next compare and contrast self-connection to related constructs, including mindfulness and authenticity. Following, we discuss some of the potential relationships between self-connection and various aspects of mental health and well-being. Finally, we provide initial recommendations for future research, including potential ways to promote self-connection. In all, we present this theory to provide researchers with a framework for understanding self-connection so that they can utilize this concept to better support the efforts of researchers and practitioners alike to increase individuals’ well-being in various contexts.

Social climate in university classrooms: A mindfulness-based educational intervention

There is a limited number of studies on the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on university students and their positive effect on collective experiences of shared flow. The aim of the present study was to explore the effectiveness of mindfulness training in terms of reducing stress and enhancing well-being, experiences of shared flow and classroom climate (engagement and affiliation). The intervention and control groups were matched by age and sex (n = 125; M = 20.71, SD = 4.60, 68% women). The intervention group comprised mindfulness exercises performed in the classroom over the course of 7 weeks. The principal variables were measured at pretest and posttest, and shared flow was also measured in the intervention group. In comparison with the control group, statistically significant differences were observed in the intervention group in relation to mindfulness, perceived stress, and classroom climate (affiliation). Furthermore, the perception of shared flow among students increased from the beginning to the end of the program. Mindfulness skills were found to mediate improvements in perceived well-being and stress. It is concluded that mindfulness practice can turn learning into a challenging and shared task. The study highlights the importance of fostering programs that enhance the development of competencies related to mindfulness among university students.

Minding Your Own Business? Mindfulness Decreases Prosocial Behavior for People With Independent Self-Construals

Mindfulness appears to promote individual well-being, but its interpersonal effects are less clear. Two studies in adult populations tested whether the effects of mindfulness on prosocial behavior differ according to individuals' self-construals. In Study 1 (N = 366), a brief mindfulness induction, compared with a meditation control condition, led to decreased prosocial behavior among people with relatively independent self-construals but had the opposite effect among those with relatively interdependent self-construals. In Study 2 (N = 325), a mindfulness induction led to decreased prosocial behavior among people primed with independence but had the opposite effect among those primed with interdependence. The effects of mindfulness on prosocial behavior appear to depend on individuals' broader social goals. This may have implications for the increasing popularity of mindfulness training around the world.

A Short-Term Longitudinal Investigation of the Relationship Between Trait Mindfulness and Female-Perpetrated Dating Violence

Within the past several decades, dating violence has emerged as a major health problem, with rates of physical violence ranging from 20% to 30% and psychological aggression ranging from 60% to 90% in college dating relationships. Despite this, there have been few successful dating violence prevention programs developed. Thus, it is imperative that research can identify the relationship between potential protective factors, such as trait mindfulness, and dating violence perpetration. This study builds upon previous research on mindfulness and dating violence by investigating this question within a sample of female undergraduate students at two universities (N = 381) over the course of one semester. Findings suggested that the nonjudging aspect of mindfulness was associated with less perpetration of psychological and physical aggression approximately 3 months later. Furthermore, several facets of mindfulness were able to differentiate individuals who perpetrated aggression at Time 2 relative to individuals without a history of perpetration. These findings build on previous work in the field and suggest that mindfulness may play an important role in the manifestation of dating violence. Directions for future research on the relation between mindfulness and dating violence are discussed.

Value Consistency across Relational Roles and Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Self-Concept Clarity

Living in today’s complex social world can contribute to the development of a multi-faceted personal identity and to the risk of identity dispersion. This study focused on values, which are conceptualised as the core of one’s personal identity. It aimed to explore the within-person value consistency across relational roles (i.e., relationships with parents, partners, and friends) and to analyse the association between value consistency, self-concept clarity, and basic psychological needs satisfaction. One hundred ninety-five Italian young adults (F = 85%; Mage = 26.65, SD = 3.83) participated in the study. They completed the Values in Context Questionnaire, the Self-Concept Clarity Scale, and the satisfaction subscale from the Basic Needs Satisfaction and Frustration Scale. Findings showed high value consistencies across the relational roles. Specifically, consistency is higher when values as a partner and values as a friend are considered. Moreover, the relation between value consistency and basic psychological needs satisfaction was fully mediated by self-concept clarity. Limitations of the study, future research developments, and practical implications of the results are discussed.

Narrative identity in the psychosis spectrum: A systematic review and developmental model

Individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders face profound challenges as they attempt to maintain identity through the course of illness. Narrative identity-the study of internalized, evolving life stories-provides a rich theoretical and empirical perspective on these challenges. Based on evidence from a systematic review of narrative identity in the psychosis spectrum (30 studies, combined N = 3859), we argue that the narrative identities of individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders are distinguished by three features: disjointed structure, a focus on suffering, and detached narration. Psychotic disorders typically begin to emerge during adolescence and emerging adulthood, which are formative developmental stages for narrative identity, so it is particularly informative to understand identity disturbances from a developmental perspective. We propose a developmental model in which a focus on suffering emerges in childhood; disjointed structure emerges in middle and late adolescence; and detached narration emerges before or around the time of a first psychotic episode. Further research with imminent risk and early course psychosis populations would be needed to test these predictions. The disrupted life stories of individuals on the psychosis spectrum provide multiple rich avenues for further research to understand narrative self-disturbances.

The Metacognitive Processes of Decentering Scale: Development and initial validation of trait and state versions

The ability to decenter from internal experiences is important for mental health. Consequently, improving decentering is a common therapeutic target, particularly for mindfulness-based interventions. However, extant decentering measures are limited as they fail to directly assess all 3 metacognitive processes recently theorized to subserve decentering. We thus conducted 4 studies to develop and test the Metacognitive Processes of Decentering-Trait (MPoD-t) and State (MPoD-s) scales. Consistent with the metacognitive processes model, exploratory factor analysis (N = 355) and then bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling (N = 275) indicated the MPoD-t was composed of three independent yet interrelated lower-order factors, metaawareness, (dis)identification with internal experience, and (non)reactivity to internal experience, which subserved an emergent, higher-order, decentering factor. We next found evidence of the MPoD-t's convergent validity; as well as known-groups criterion validity, wherein mindfulness practitioners reported higher MPoD-t scores than nonpractitioners. Item response theory analyses were then used to identify a subset of 3 MPoD-t items for the MPoD-s. Finally, we found evidence that the MPoD-s was sensitive to changes in state decentering following a brief mindfulness induction relative to an active control condition; and that MPoD-s changes mediated the effect of mindfulness on levels of pain and related outcomes among a sample of preoperative surgery patients (N = 82). These studies indicate the trait and state versions of the MPoD may prove useful for the study of decentering and its constituent metacognitive processes. As such, the MPoD may help advance our understanding of how the metacognitive processes of decentering support mental health and well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Ignatian Spirituality and Career Development: New Evidence for Age-Old Practices

Given the importance of career discernment in emerging adulthood, we evaluated an understudied career development approach for higher education students. Specifically, we tested the relationship between spiritual discernment exercises and sense of purpose and calling through the indirect effects of self-concept clarity, career decision self-efficacy, and knowledge of occupational information. Participants ( N = 127) were randomly assigned to one of the three conditions and were surveyed at a 10-week interval. Results indicated significantly higher posttest scores for purpose ( B = .169, p = .026) and calling ( B = .134, p = .013) in the spiritual discernment condition compared to the general adjustment (i.e., control) and traditional career development conditions. Mediation analyses also revealed a significant indirect effect of self-concept clarity on sense of purpose ( B ab = .059, p = .033). These findings suggest that spiritual discernment practices can significantly enhance the effectiveness of career development interventions for discerning purpose and calling.

Autonomic and affective mediators of the relationship between mindfulness and opioid craving among chronic pain patients

Prescription opioid misuse among chronic pain patients is undergirded by self-regulatory deficits, affective distress, and opioid-cue reactivity. Dispositional mindfulness has been associated with enhanced self-regulation, lower distress, and adaptive autonomic responses following drug-cue exposure. We hypothesized that dispositional mindfulness might serve as a protective factor among opioid-treated chronic pain patients. We examined heart-rate variability (HRV) during exposure to opioid cues and depressed mood as mediators of the association between dispositional mindfulness and opioid craving. Data were obtained from a sample of chronic pain patients (N = 115) receiving long-term opioid pharmacotherapy. Participants self-reported opioid craving and depression, and HRV was measured during an opioid-cue dot-probe task. Dispositional mindfulness was significantly positively correlated with HRV, and HRV was significantly inversely associated with opioid craving. Dispositional mindfulness was significantly negatively correlated with depression, and depression was significantly positively correlated with opioid craving. Path analysis revealed significant indirect effects of dispositional mindfulness on craving through both HRV and depression. Dispositional mindfulness may buffer against opioid craving among chronic pain patients prescribed opioids; this buffering effect may be a function of improved autonomic and affective responses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Self-interest may not be entirely in the interest of the self: Association between selflessness, dispositional mindfulness and psychological well-being

The association between mindfulness and selflessness is firmly grounded in classical Indo-Sino-Tibetan contemplative traditions, but has received limited empirical attention from Western researchers. In Buddhism, the relationship between mindfulness and the self is of central concern to the cultivation of well-being. Mindfulness is believed to encourage insight into the truly insubstantial nature of the self, an understanding that is thought to encourage well-being. The present study explores these relationships, attending to dispositional mindfulness, the self as it exists on a continuum from self-centered to selfless, and psychological well-being. Results indicate a positive relationship between selflessness, dispositional mindfulness, and psychological well-being. It appears that construing the self as interdependent and interconnected with a broader social, natural, and cosmic context is linked with greater psychological well-being and dispositional mindfulness. Path analyses revealed that selflessness mediated the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and psychological well-being.