Bias in Cross-Sectional Analyses of Longitudinal Mediation: Partial and Complete Mediation Under an Autoregressive Model

Factors contributing to elite athletes' mental health in the junior-to-senior transition: A mixed methods study

The goals of this study were to examine factors that may affect the mental health of elite athletes during their junior-to-senior transition and to explore the types and frequency of facilitators and challenges athletes encounter during this transition. Using a cross-sectional, embedded QUAN(qual) mixed methods study design, we surveyed two samples for the study goals. All participants completed demographic data (e.g., gender, age, sports). Sample one (N = 394, Mage = 18.46 years, SD = 2.2) consisted of current transitioning athletes which completed questionnaires on stress, anxiety, depression, well-being, self-compassion, and social support. Mediation and moderation analyses revealed that stress leads to resource depletion, and that self-compassion can be an important resource for young athletes to draw upon to maintain their mental health. Regarding social support results were less conclusive. Sample two (N = 371, Mage = 27.70 years, SD = 8.3) consisted of athletes that have passed the transition. They responded to open questions about helpful strategies and challenges faced during their junior-to-senior transition, which were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Results showed that during the junior-to-senior transition, external resources were more frequently mentioned than internal resources when it came to facilitators. Furthermore, external challenges were perceived as hindering more frequently than internal challenges. These findings can guide practitioners by providing potential starting points for improving the mental health of transitioning elite athletes, as well as information on helpful strategies and barriers during the transition.

Early traumatic experiences are linked to hypersexual behavior and erectile dysfunction in men through the mediation of body uneasiness and general psychopathology

BACKGROUND

Childhood traumatic experiences have been associated with hypersexuality and sexual dysfunctions. However, the mediators of the interactions between these variables should be clarified in men.

AIM

This study aimed to investigate the interaction of early traumatic experiences, psychopathology, and sexuality with respect to erectile dysfunction (ED) and hypersexual behavior. The hypothesized model expected that traumatic experiences would be associated with hypersexual behavior and reduced sexual functioning through the mediation of body uneasiness and psychological distress.

METHODS

The study was cross-sectional and observational. A total of 317 men were enrolled. Male patients with a primary complaint of ED and an indication for psychiatry referral represented the clinical sample (n = 116; mean ± SD age, 42.82 ± 16.89 years). Clinical classification was assessed with the Structured Interview on Erectile Dysfunction. The second sample (n = 201, 30.82 ± 11.94 years) was recruited from the general population. All participants were administered the following questionnaires: Brief Symptom Inventory, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form, Hypersexual Behavior Inventory, Body Uneasiness Test-A, and 5-item International Index of Erectile Function.

OUTCOMES

Psychopathology and sexual functioning were assessed by a dimensional approach, and a multivariate model was computed by structural equation model analysis.

RESULTS

When compared with the sample from the general population, the clinical sample exhibited a higher prevalence of early traumatic experiences, as measured by scores on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (45.08 ± 14.25 vs 39.03 ± 10.22, F = 17.63, P < .001), and a higher tendency to engage in hypersexual behaviors (34.63 ± 13.55 vs 30.79 ± 12.44, F = 6.97, P < .01). Structural equation model analysis showed excellent fit indices indicating that early traumatic experiences predicted hypersexual behaviors and ED through the exacerbating mediating effect of body uneasiness and psychopathology.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Clinicians should not limit their attention to the behavioral level when assessing sexual dysfunction in men; rather, they should also consider the complex psychopathologic consequences of childhood trauma. Integrated treatments that address the potential presence of childhood trauma with its wider psychological correlates (eg, emotion dysregulation, body uneasiness) might improve treatment response.

STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS

The study reports novel data on the relationship among childhood maltreatment, male sexuality, and psychopathologic mediators with a dimensional assessment. However, the assessment was cross-sectional, and causality was mainly derived from previous studies.

CONCLUSION

The present study enriches the current literature, strengthening the hypothesis that childhood traumatic experiences significantly shape development and sexuality. Body uneasiness and psychopathology can both tax sexual functioning, as assessed by erectile functioning or hypersexuality.

Linking child adjustment difficulties with mother's maladaptive parental behavior: The mediating roles of parental cognitions and parenting stress

Child abuse is prevalent worldwide, with most of the burden in developing countries. To reduce and prevent child abuse occurrence, many efforts are directed toward reducing maladaptive parental behaviors (MPBs), a predictor of parents' risk of engaging in child abusive behaviors. MPBs have been associated with child (e.g., behavioral difficulties) and parent characteristics (e.g., parenting stress and parental cognitions), although little research tested for mediational pathways. This study aimed to test the pathways through which child and parent characteristics are linked to MPB. Consistent with the social information processing model of parenting, we hypothesized that child behavioral difficulties would exert an indirect influence on MPB through parenting stress and that parenting stress will exert a direct and indirect effect on MPB through parental cognitions (i.e., expectations, attitudes, and attributions). This study used data from 243 mothers of children aged between 2 and 9 years in Romania. Two-stage structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypothesized model. Results support the role of child behavior, parenting stress, and parental cognitions in predicting MPB (R2 = 0.69). Significant indirect effects were found from child behavior to MPB via parenting stress and parental cognitions. Direct effects from parenting stress and parental cognitions to MPB were significant. Findings show that parenting stress and parental cognitions are important mechanisms through which child behavioral difficulties influence maladaptive parental behavior, underscoring the need to focus on these mechanisms when assessing or intervening with families at risk for child abuse.

Tobacco use, trauma exposure and PTSD: a systematic review

Tobacco use remains one of the most significant preventable public health problems globally and is increasingly concentrated among vulnerable groups, including those with trauma exposure or diagnosed with PTSD. The goal of this systematic review was to update and extend previous reviews. Of the 7224 publications that met the initial criteria, 267 were included in the review. Summary topic areas include conceptual frameworks for the relation between trauma or PTSD and tobacco use; associations between trauma exposure or PTSD and tobacco use; number and type of trauma exposures and tobacco use; PTSD symptoms and tobacco use; Treatment-related studies; and the examination of causal relations. Evidence continues to indicate that individuals exposed to trauma or diagnosed with PTSD are more likely to use tobacco products, more nicotine dependent and less likely to abstain from tobacco even when provided evidence-based treatments than individuals without trauma. The most commonly cited causal association proposed was use of tobacco for self-regulation of negative affect associated with trauma. A small proportion of the studies addressed causality and mechanisms of action. Future work should incorporate methodological approaches and measures from which we can draw causal conclusions and mechanisms to support the development of viable therapeutic targets.

Repetitive thought, cognition, and systemic inflammation in the midlife in the United States study

OBJECTIVE

Poor cognition increases risk for negative health outcomes, and this may be explained by associations with systemic inflammation. Previously, amount of repetitive thought (Total RT) interacted with IQ to predict interleukin-6 (IL-6) in older adults. This study continued the investigation of repetitive thought (RT) as an element involved in the effect of cognition on inflammation.

DESIGN

Participants (N = 164) came from the Midlife in the United States Refresher project (Mage = 45.33, SD = 11.51, ranges = 25-74; 48.2% female; 85% Caucasian). Cognition was assessed via telephone, inflammatory biomarkers (IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), and tumour-necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- α)) analysed after blood draw, and RT derived from daily diary data.

RESULTS

Cognition significantly interacted with RT valence (p = .009) to explain CRP after covariate adjustment. Better cognition and more negative RT valence was associated with lower CRP (β = -0.190 [-.387, .008]). Worse cognition and more negative RT valence was associated with higher CRP (β = 0.133 [-.031, .297]). No significant effects were found for IL-6 or TNF-α.

CONCLUSION

RT may interact with cognition to affect different inflammatory biomarkers. Those with worse cognition may benefit more from skills related to regulating thought than those with better cognition.

Trait and situation-specific intolerance of uncertainty predict affective symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic, a high-uncertainty situation, presents an ideal opportunity to examine how trait intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and situation-specific IU relate to each other and to mental health outcomes. The current longitudinal study examined the unique associations of trait and COVID-specific IU with general distress (anxiety and depression) and pandemic-specific concerns (pandemic stress and vaccine worry).

METHODS

A community sample of Florida adults (N = 2152) was surveyed online at three timepoints. They completed measures of trait IU at Wave 1 (April-May 2020) and COVID-specific IU at Wave 2 (May-June 2020). At Wave 3 (December-February 2021), they reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, pandemic stress, and vaccine worry.

RESULTS

We used structural equation modeling to test our overall model. Trait IU significantly predicted later COVID-specific IU, however there was no significant effect of trait IU on any outcome measure after accounting for COVID-specific IU. Notably, COVID-specific IU fully mediated the relationship between trait IU and all four symptom measures.

LIMITATIONS

There were several limitations of the current study, including the use of a community sample and high participant attrition.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that COVID-specific IU predicts mental health outcomes over and above trait IU, extending the existing literature. These findings indicate that uncertainty may be more aversive when it is related to specific distressing situations, providing guidance for developing more specific and individualized interventions. Idiographic treatments which target situation-specific IU may be more efficacious in reducing affective symptoms and related stress during the COVID-19 pandemic or other similar events.

Longitudinal Mediating Effect of Depression on the Relationship between Excessive Daytime Sleepiness and Activities of Daily Living in Parkinson's Disease

OBJECTIVES

Whether depression affects activities of daily living (ADLs) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) via excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) remains unclear; moreover, few longitudinal studies have been conducted.

METHODS

We recruited 421 patients from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative. We constructed a latent growth mediation model to explore the longitudinal mediating effect of depression on the relationship between EDS and ADLs.

RESULTS

EDS (p < .001) and depression scores (p < .001) both increased, and ADL scores (p < .001) decreased. Moreover, EDS was positively correlated with depression, whereas an increase in EDS significantly reduced ADLs. The initial value (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.026, 0.154) and the rate of change (95% CI: 0.138, 0.514) of self-reported depression measured using the Geriatric Depression Scale(GDS) partially mediated the association between EDS and ADL score.

CONCLUSIONS

The indirect effect of the longitudinal changes of depression on the relationship between EDS and ADLs highlights the importance of depression changes in PD patients with EDS.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Depression should be considered a mediator by clinicians; preventing the worsening of depression is essential for improving ADLs in patients with PD, especially those with EDS.

Brain oscillations during emotion regulation and the two-dimensional model of adult attachment

Emotion Regulation (ER) refers to the processes by which individuals influence their own emotions. It is a crucial aspect of human behavior, affecting everything from interpersonal relationships to mental health. The relationship between ER and Attachment Theory (AT) is pivotal. AT suggests that early bonds with primary caregivers influence future relationship expectations and behaviors. These initial experiences shape internal models of self and others, affecting how individuals regulate their emotions. Understanding the interplay between ER and AT is essential for comprehending the human affective system. In this study, we explored the neural underpinnings of ER, focusing on two distinct strategies: cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. Using electroencephalography (EEG), we examined changes in neural oscillations from 52 adults during an ER task. Specifically, we observed increased frontal theta activity (3-6 Hz) during reappraisal compared to suppression strategies. This frontal theta activity suggests enhanced cognitive control engagement. Conversely, during suppression, we noted a decrease in beta frequency (15-30 Hz) activity from central electrodes, indicative of differing neural processes. Further integrating psychological theories, we explored the relationship between these neural markers and dimensions of human attachment. Employing the Experiences in Close Relationships-12 scale (ECR-12), we identified a negative correlation between attachment anxiety and frontal theta activity. Lower levels of attachment anxiety were associated with increased theta activity, reflecting potentially more effective emotion regulation. Additionally, we found that higher theta activity corresponded with fewer difficulties in emotional control measured by the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Regarding central beta activity, our findings revealed an interesting correlation with Emotional Inattention, a concept tied to Attachment Avoidance. This suggests that central beta activity may serve as a neural marker for specific attachment-related ER processing. These results highlight the distinct neural pathways involved in different ER strategies and their relationship with the AT and neural responses during emotional processing.

Daily associations between global self-esteem and self-concept clarity and their relationships with subjective well-being in a sample of adult workers

OBJECTIVES

The present pre-registered study examined the reciprocal day-to-day associations between global self-esteem and self-concept clarity and their incremental validity with respect to daily life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect.

METHODS

We used intensive longitudinal data from 153 adult workers (45.1% women), over a period of 31 days. Data were analyzed using dynamic structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

Results attested higher global self-esteem and self-concept clarity mean levels for older vs. younger participants, and lower global self-esteem and self-concept clarity variability for older vs. younger participants. Furthermore, global self-esteem and self-concept clarity were correlated at a cross-sectional daily level, yet only self-concept clarity states positively predicted subsequent global self-esteem states, while global self-esteem states did not predict subsequent self-concept clarity states. Daily global self-esteem and daily self-concept clarity further predicted subsequent daily higher life satisfaction and positive affect, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Overall, our findings shed light on the short-term relationships linking global self-esteem and self-concept clarity, pointing to their discriminant validity in predicting individuals' subjective well-being.

The association between procrastination in academic writing and negative emotional states during the COVID-19 pandemic: the indirect effects of stress coping styles and self-efficacy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Limited research has examined the mediating mechanisms underlying the association between procrastination in academic writing and negative emotional states during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the present study, we examined whether stress coping styles and self-efficacy for self-regulation of academic writing mediated the relationship between procrastination in academic writing and negative emotional states.

DESIGN AND METHOD

Graduate students (N = 475, 61.7% female, Mage of students at baseline = 29.02 years, SD = 5.72) completed questionnaires at Time 1 (March 2020; Procrastination in Academic Writing and Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations), and Time 2 (June 2020; The Self-Efficacy for Self-Regulation of Academic Writing Scale and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale - 21).

RESULTS

Emotion-oriented coping and the self-efficacy for self-regulation of academic writing serially mediated the association between procrastination in academic writing and negative emotional states. Meanwhile, task-oriented coping and self-efficacy for self-regulation of academic writing also serially mediated the association between procrastination in academic writing and negative emotional states.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide a plausible explanation of the roles that stress coping styles and self-efficacy for self-regulation of academic writing play in the association between procrastination in academic writing and negative emotional states.

Nature connectedness connects the visibility of trees through windows and mental wellbeing: a study on the "3 visible trees" component of the 3-30-300 rule

To examine the mediatory role of nature connectedness between tree visibility through windows and mental wellbeing, we conducted a questionnaire survey and examined the mediation effect using both cross-sectional and semi-longitudinal mediation models. We evaluated nature connectedness using the Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS) scale and the Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS) and measured mental wellbeing using the WHO-5 wellbeing index. Our results showed that participants who could see at least three trees through their windows reported higher levels of both nature connectedness and mental wellbeing compared to those without such visibility. Nature connectedness significantly mediated the relationship between the visibility of trees through windows and mental wellbeing, albeit with a somewhat limited effect. More broadly, this study provides additional evidence in support of the "3" component of the 3-30-300 "rule" for equitable access to greenspace in cities.

How meaning in life and vitality are associated with posttrauma outcomes: A systematic review

When confronted with a traumatic event, people may suffer from adverse posttraumatic outcomes, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or complex PTSD (CPTSD). Positive psychology research has shown that meaning in life and vitality are potentially correlated protective factors against negative developments following trauma exposure that can lead to PTSD or CPTSD. This systematic review aimed to synthesize global empirical research findings, emphasizing the impact of meaning in life and vitality on both PTSD and CPTSD. A search of empirical studies was performed within the Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science core collection databases, as well as PsycInfo, using the PRISMA checklist. A total of 29 studies were included after a systematic exclusion process. The collective findings from 22 studies examining meaning in life and five studies focusing on vitality revealed a consistent negative association with symptoms of PTSD. No study that explored the associations among meaning in life, vitality, and CPTSD was found. In contrast to vitality, meaning in life has been extensively studied in relation to traumatic stress worldwide, and few discrepancies in results were found. This systematic review identified the need to intensify scientific efforts in capitalizing on meaning in life as a possible target for psychological interventions, especially for trauma survivors globally, and to consider vitality as a protective factor that needs more empirical attention in relation to posttraumatic stress. Furthermore, there is a need for studies that encompass diverse target samples and employ longitudinal study design to examine the associations between protective factors and CPTSD.

Dysphoric mood may explain the relation between sleep reactivity and binge eating but not purging

Objective: This study investigated whether sleep reactivity (i.e., a propensity to experience sleep disturbances when stressed) relates to eating disorder behavioral symptoms indirectly through dysphoric mood in a sample of college students. Participants: One hundred and ninety-eight college students (51.5% female). Methods: Participants completed self-report measures of dysphoric mood, eating disorder behavioral symptoms, and sleep reactivity. Results: Higher sleep reactivity was associated with greater binge-eating symptoms indirectly through higher dysphoric mood. Higher sleep reactivity was associated with greater purging symptoms; however, this association was not explained by dysphoric mood. Conclusions: Findings support the relevance of sleep reactivity to binge eating and purging and suggest that sleep reactivity relates to binge-eating symptoms indirectly through dysphoric mood. If replicated in prospective data, targeting stress-induced sleep and mood disturbances in college students may reduce risk for binge eating.

Association between social participation and memory function among Chinese stroke survivors: The mediating role of depressive symptoms

Although the association between social participation and memory function has been documented in other populations, whether it exists among stroke survivors is unclear. Additionally, the mechanisms underlying this association are largely unknown. We attempted to examine the association between social participation and memory function in stroke survivors and the possible mediating role of depressive symptoms. A total of 614 stroke survivors (mean age: 64.73 years) drawn from a nationally representative survey in China were investigated. Based on the descriptive statistics, a Pearson's correlation and bootstrapping-based mediation analysis were executed. The results indicated that an increase in social participation was associated with a decrease in depressive symptoms (r = -0.100, p < 0.05) and an increase in memory function (r = 0.162, p < 0.01). Moreover, memory function was significantly negatively related to depressive symptoms (r = -0.243, p < 0.01). In addition, after controlling for sociodemographic factors, depressive symptoms partially mediated the effects of social participation on memory function. Due to the cross-sectional research design, causal relationships cannot be verified between the study variables. However, interventions aimed at aiding stroke survivors in memory impairment recovery may consider strategies to enhance social participation and mitigate depressive symptoms.

Third variables in longitudinal research: Application of longitudinal mediation and moderation in school psychology

Third variable models, such as mediation and moderation, can identify contextual factors that help explain the relation between two variables. Although used less frequently in school psychology research, longitudinal mediation, longitudinal moderation, and the integration of these two approaches can be used to describe the developmental changes in children's psychological and behavioral processes throughout the school years and beyond. This article provides conceptual descriptions of longitudinal mediation, longitudinal moderation, longitudinal moderated mediation, and longitudinal mediated moderation and demonstrates the use of these methods with a large sample of elementary students. Extensions of these methods and applied examples from the literature are also discussed. The Mplus syntax from our illustrated examples are provided for those interested in reproducing the analyses.

The spillover effect of school suspensions on adolescents' classroom climate perceptions and academic achievement

Proponents of exclusionary discipline claim that removing disruptive peers from the classroom benefits well-behaved students. Given educators' increasingly widespread use of suspensions in response to adolescents' minor behavioral infractions (e.g., dress code violations, backtalk), it is critical that we examine whether this theory translates into practice. Using two independent samples (Study 1: N = 1305 adolescents enrolled in 64 math classrooms; Mage = 13.00 years, range = 10-16; 53% White, 41% Black, 6% Other race; 50% girls; 64% economically disadvantaged. Study 2: N = 563 adolescents enrolled in 40 science classrooms; Mage = 12.83 years, range = 10-16; 55% White, 40% Black, 5% Other race; 51% girls; 62% economically disadvantaged), we adopted a two-study approach to examine the mediational role of classroom climate perceptions in the link between classroom-level suspension rates for minor infractions and adolescents' math and science achievement. Results indicated that high classroom-level rates of suspensions for minor infractions were associated with poor academic outcomes among suspended students as well as their non-suspended classmates. Students' classroom climate perceptions mediated the links between classroom suspension rates and non-suspended students' academic outcomes. Shifting away from strict and punitive disciplinary schedules may grant school-based adults the ability to create classroom climates more attuned to adolescents' developmental and learning needs.

Mindfulness, awareness, partner caring, and romantic relationship quality: Structural equation modeling

Studies investigating the potential structures underlying the connection between mindfulness and romantic relationship quality are not sufficient and require additional empirical findings. The current study aimed to examine a hypothesized model underlying the association between mindfulness and relationship quality, while investigating the roles of individuals' level of awareness and application of care in a romantic relationship among 199 adult participants in a southeastern region of the United States. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and path analysis were executed to examine the hypothesized structural model, testing a multi-step pathway as to how mindfulness influences relationship quality. The SEM and path analyses showed a good fit for the present study's hypothesized model, indicating that individuals' mindfulness had a direct influence on their self-awareness level. Individuals' self-awareness and application of care mediated the link between mindfulness and relationship quality. Implications for family life educators, dyadic couples researchers, and marriage and family practitioners are discussed.

Sexual Minority Status and Psychotic Experiences Among Young Adult College Students in the United States

2020-2021 Healthy Minds Study, and used multivariable logistic regression to examine the associations between sexual minority status and psychotic experiences, adjusting for age, gender, and race/ethnicity. We then tested whether psychosocial factors accounted for the association. Sexual minority status was associated with 1.87 times greater odds of having psychotic experiences over the past 12 months (aOR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.77-1.99; N = 110,551). Several factors mediated the association between sexual orientation and psychotic experiences such as loneliness (26.93%), anxiety (30.90%), depression (33.18%), and marijuana use (13.95%); all factors together accounted for 59.01% of the association between sexual minority status and psychotic experiences. Food insecurity, recent abuse, and discrimination did not significantly mediate the association. Findings should raise clinical awareness that psychotic experiences are more common among sexual minorities than among heterosexuals, which is largely explained by mental health factors, calling for targeted outreach and intervention.

Sleep disturbance and suicidal ideation mediated by psychotic-like experiences in adolescents: a two-wave longitudinal study

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Sleep disturbance may cause suicidal ideation (SI). This study aimed to examine their co-occurrence rate among adolescents and investigate whether psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) mediate this association.

METHODS

A total of 17 722 Chinese adolescents were included in this two-wave longitudinal study. The baseline survey (time 1, T1) was conducted between April 21 and May 12, 2021, and the follow-up survey (time 2, T2) was implemented between December 17 and 26, 2021. At T1, participants completed questionnaires to assess their sleep disturbance, sleep duration, PLEs, SI, depressive symptoms, and sociodemographic characteristics. At T2, participants reported their PLEs, SI, and negative life events.

RESULTS

The SI prevalence decreased from 20.2% (T1) to 18.4% (T2). Participants with SI showed significantly higher prevalence of sleep disturbance and short sleep duration compared to those without SI. Baseline sleep disturbance and short sleep duration were both associated with the increased risk of SI 6 months later. These longitudinal links were mediated by PLEs, independent of baseline covariates and negative life events.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide a novel insight into the mechanism linking sleep problems and suicidality, and stress the significance of assessing and addressing sleep problems and PLEs for adolescent suicide prevention and intervention.

Using Instrumental Variables to Measure Causation over Time in Cross-Lagged Panel Models

Cross-lagged panel models (CLPMs) are commonly used to estimate causal influences between two variables with repeated assessments. The lagged effects in a CLPM depend on the time interval between assessments, eventually becoming undetectable at longer intervals. To address this limitation, we incorporate instrumental variables (IVs) into the CLPM with two study waves and two variables. Doing so enables estimation of both the lagged (i.e., "distal") effects and the bidirectional cross-sectional (i.e., "proximal") effects at each wave. The distal effects reflect Granger-causal influences across time, which decay with increasing time intervals. The proximal effects capture causal influences that accrue over time and can help infer causality when the distal effects become undetectable at longer intervals. Significant proximal effects, with a negligible distal effect, would imply that the time interval is too long to estimate a lagged effect at that time interval using the standard CLPM. Through simulations and an empirical application, we demonstrate the impact of time intervals on causal inference in the CLPM and present modeling strategies to detect causal influences regardless of the time interval in a study. Furthermore, to motivate empirical applications of the proposed model, we highlight the utility and limitations of using genetic variables as IVs in large-scale panel studies.

The Role of Fundamental Movement Skills and Spatial Abilities in the Relationship between Physical Activity and Mathematics Achievement in Primary School Children

Research has demonstrated positive relationships between fundamental movement skills (FMS) and mathematics achievement in children, and this relationship may be mediated by spatial ability. Engaging in physical activity (PA) may also have positive outcomes on mathematics achievement; however, no study has investigated this network of relationships together. This study aimed to examine the relationship between PA and mathematics achievement, and the mediating effects of FMS and spatial abilities, in primary school children. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 182 children (aged 7 to 8 years old) across four schools in England. Objective moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) levels and subjective parental reports of their children's PA participation were collected. Children's FMS were assessed, along with their performance on four spatial ability tasks and a mathematics test. Mediation analyses revealed no significant mediation effects of FMS and spatial abilities on the positive significant relationship between MVPA and mathematics achievement; however, spatial ability partially mediated the relationship between FMS and mathematics achievement. These results suggest that FMS and spatial ability may not be related to MVPA in this network of relationships, but children with more mature FMS perform better in mathematics due to them performing better on specific spatial ability tasks.

Social exclusion and suicide intention in Chinese college students: a moderated mediation model

Given the growing incidence rates of suicide among college students and the potential lifelong consequences of suicide, it is imperative to better understand the factors that reduce the rates at which college students in a clinical sample engage in suicide. This study examines the relationship between social exclusion and suicide intention, the mediating effect of depression, and the moderating effect of meaning in life. Two hundred and ninety-nine Chinese college students, aged from 18 to 22 years (56.86% female, M age = 20.14, SD = 1.27) completed questionnaires assessing their social exclusion, suicide intention, depression, and meaning in life. The result revealed that social exclusion was positively associated with suicide intention, and depression mediated this relationship. In addition, this mediating effect of depression was moderated by meaning in life. That is, the mediation effect was stronger for students with a higher level of meaning in life. These findings provide educational suggestions for preventing and intervening in suicide intention among college students.

Negative urgency, distress tolerance, and symptoms of substance use, eating, and borderline personality disorders in treatment-seeking young people

OBJECTIVE

Negative urgency (NU) and distress tolerance (DT) are two similar yet distinct constructs with putative transdiagnostic relevance, particularly across psychopathology characterized by impulsivity (e.g., substance use disorders [SUD], eating disorders featuring binging and/or purging ED-B/P, and borderline personality disorder [BPD]). Yet, there remains a lack of research into NU and DT across SUD, ED-B/P, and BPD symptomatology in clinical populations. The present study sought to elucidate the transdiagnostic utility of NU and DT across impulsive-type psychology by examining the unique and interactive roles of NU and DT across SUD, ED-B/P, and BPD symptomatology within a treatment-seeking sample of young people.

METHOD

Participants (N = 385; 62.3% female; aged 16-25 years) were recruited from youth health services across Melbourne, Australia. Participants completed an online survey including self-report measures of NU and DT as well as SUD, ED-B/P, and BPD symptoms. Mixed effects logistic regression was used to explore unique and interactive associations of NU and DT with symptoms.

RESULTS

Both NU (adjusted odds ratio [ORadj ] = 1.22; 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.16, 1.28]) and global DT (ORadj  = 0.59; 95% CI = [0.47, 0.74]) uniquely predicted symptoms. However, associations with global DT and most of its components differed across psychopathology types. No significant interactions between NU and DT in predicting symptoms were found.

CONCLUSIONS

These results support the transdiagnostic utility of NU across SUD, ED-B/P, and BPD, while suggesting the role of DT across these disorders is more nuanced. These findings have important implications for NU and DT as potential intervention targets.

Race-based Traumatic Stress Predicts Risky Drinking, Over and Above Negative Affect, and Non-race-related Trauma Symptoms in Racial/Ethnic Minority Female College Students

OBJECTIVES

Alcohol misuse remains a major concern in college student populations and rates of risky and problematic drinking are specifically on the rise for women. One important factor that has been shown to be positively associated with substance use/misuse for women from historically marginalized or minoritized racial/ethnic backgrounds is exposure to racial discrimination and possible resulting traumatic stress reactions. Questions remain about the relationship between race-based traumatic stress and risky drinking particularly among diverse female college students who are at greater risk due to their marginalized status in their racial/ethnic and gender groups.

DESIGN

The current study examined race-based traumatic stress as a unique predictor of risky drinking when controlling for negative affectivity and general trauma symptoms, additional risk factors for risky drinking in women.

RESULTS

Hierarchical linear regressions revealed that race-based traumatic stress made a significant and unique contribution to the amount of variance in risky drinking, above negative affectivity, and general trauma symptoms.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight the importance of considering experiences of racism as risk factors in substance use prevention and intervention, specifically for female college students from marginalized or minoritized racial/ethnic backgrounds.

On some challenges of psychological research in late adulthood and aging

The World population is aging and, consequently, understanding late adulthood and aging processes is a major scientific priority. Research in this segment of the life is particularly challenging: the lifespan approach, necessary for thorough aging investigations, implies theoretical multidisciplinary and methodological multivariate perspectives; variability during aging is particularly high compared to previous life phases; study designs must account for specific predicaments (such as confound between age, cohort, and time of measurement; selective study participation and attrition; assumed age-invariance of measurements; retest effects). Furthermore, promising methods for data analysis develop on a daily basis, requiring continuous technical training. I will discuss some of these challenges, summarize extant potential solutions, and touch on some ethical and broader social responsibility issues.

Conceptualizing Sexual Pleasure at Home as a Work-Related Stress Recovery Activity

Job stress is pervasive in today's workforce and has negative implications for employees' mental and physical well-being and job performance. Recovery activities outside of work can reduce strain and improve work outcomes; however, little is known about pleasurable intimate recovery experiences and their influence on work outcomes, even though these experiences are important parts of most people's lives outside of work. The present study examined sexual activity that is shared either with a relationship partner or oneself (masturbation) and how pleasure specifically predicts well-being and work outcomes to induce recovery. Results suggest that pleasurable sexual activity, with a partner or alone, is related to perceived recovery from work stress, job satisfaction, work engagement, and life satisfaction. Moreover, perceived recovery from work mediated the relationship between pleasurable sex and work outcomes. Gender moderated this relationship such that pleasurable sex was a stronger predictor of recovery for women (compared to men) in the context of sex within committed relationship partners (but not masturbation). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Spice Production, Marketing, and Value Chain in Ethiopia

The purpose of this paper was to document and organize spice production, marketing, and value chain in Ethiopia. Spice is the most essential farming product. Several native and exotic spices are grown by smallholder farmers across the country because Ethiopia has diverse agroecology and favorable climate conditions. The spice subsector has great potential for the country's economic development and poverty alleviation, cultivation, preparation, transport, and merchandising of spices and herbs. Spice market indicates the commodity value of spices. The major problems regarding the marketing system of spices were lack of communication between farmers and users, lack of linkage between sellers and buyers, and lack of postharvest management, storage facilities, regulated and cooperative markets, transportation, and knowledge of market news. The escalating value of spices is superficially envisioned, extending from smallholder production to partial handling, which seems to be the everyday value chain.

Does social isolation mediate the association between hearing loss and cognition in adults? A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies

Background

There has been extensive research on the relationship between hearing and cognitive impairment in older adults but little examination of the role of mediating factors. Social isolation is a potential mediator, occurring because of hearing loss, and contributing to accelerated cognitive decline. Previous systematic reviews on this topic area have not considered the temporal nature of hearing loss and cognitive impairment exclusively or examined potential mediators within a longitudinal study design.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted. Electronic searches were performed in Web of Science, PubMed (Medline), Scopus, EMBASE, PsychInfo, and ProQuest (PsychArticles and ProQuest Dissertation and Theses) based on a search string of keywords relating to hearing loss, social isolation, and cognitive impairment/dementia in June 2023. Papers were critically appraised using the CASP checklists for cohort studies. Risk of bias in the selected studies was assessed using the Item Bank for Assessment of Risk of Bias and Precision for Observational Studies of Interventions or Exposures.

Results

Eleven of the 15 included studies provide evidence of a dose-dependent association between hearing threshold (40 dB HL or greater) and later cognitive impairment or incident dementia. Only one study included social isolation as a mediator, which was found to not be a significant contributing factor. The meta-analysis of 5 studies pooled hazard ratio for cognitive impairment due to hearing loss is 1.11 (95% CI: 1.06 to 1.15, p < 0.001). The pooled hazard ratio for incident dementia due to hearing loss was HR 1.21 (95% CI: 1.11 to 1.31, p = 0.002).

Conclusion

The analysis of included studies indicate that hearing threshold level affects later cognitive status or dementia diagnosis. There is not enough evidence to determine the role of social isolation as a mediator. Future epidemiology studies need to measure different elements of social isolation and ensure that hearing and cognition are measured at multiple time points.

Mapping potential pathways from polygenic liability through brain structure to psychological problems across the transition to adolescence

BACKGROUND

We used a polygenic score for externalizing behavior (extPGS) and structural MRI to examine potential pathways from genetic liability to conduct problems via the brain across the adolescent transition.

METHODS

Three annual assessments of child conduct problems, attention-deficit/hyperactivity problems, and internalizing problems were conducted across across 9-13 years of age among 4,475 children of European ancestry in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive DevelopmentSM Study (ABCD Study®).

RESULTS

The extPGS predicted conduct problems in each wave (R2  = 2.0%-2.9%). Bifactor models revealed that the extPRS predicted variance specific to conduct problems (R2  = 1.7%-2.1%), but also variance that conduct problems shared with other measured problems (R2  = .8%-1.4%). Longitudinally, extPGS predicted levels of specific conduct problems (R2  = 2.0%), but not their slope of change across age. The extPGS was associated with total gray matter volume (TGMV; R2  = .4%) and lower TGMV predicted both specific conduct problems (R2  = 1.7%-2.1%) and the variance common to all problems in each wave (R2  = 1.6%-3.1%). A modest proportion of the polygenic liability specific to conduct problems in each wave was statistically mediated by TGMV.

CONCLUSIONS

Across the adolescent transition, the extPGS predicted both variance specific to conduct problems and variance shared by all measured problems. The extPGS also was associated with TGMV, which robustly predicted conduct problems. Statistical mediation analyses suggested the hypothesis that polygenic variation influences individual differences in brain development that are related to the likelihood of conduct problems during the adolescent transition, justifying new research to test this causal hypothesis.

The Mediating Role of Fear of COVID-19 in the Association between COVID-19-Related Work Stressors and Subjective Well-being: Path Analysis by Cross-sectional Evidence in the Child Care Sector across Three Samples

OBJECTIVE

COVID-19 has changed work conditions and instilled fear. However, research overlooked the contributing factors to fear of COVID-19 and its impact on well-being. We addressed this research gap and focused on the essential workforce of child care.

METHODS

Three samples of early childhood professionals (ECPs) ( NT1 = 423, NT2 = 142, NT3 = 584) were gathered in Germany between June 2020 and May 2021. We tested via path analysis whether (1) fear of COVID-19 relates to well-being, (2) COVID-19-related work stressors relate to fear of COVID-19, and (3) fear of COVID-19 mediates the relationship of work stressors and well-being.

RESULTS

Findings of N T1 and N T3 lent support, while results of N T2 differed.

CONCLUSIONS

This study underlines the importance of adapting the work conditions during pandemics to reduce the fear of infection and thus preserve ECPs' well-being.

Can the positive buffer the negative? Testing the impact of protective childhood experiences on adjustment in adults following trauma exposure

BACKGROUND

It is unclear if protective childhood experiences (PCEs), like emotional support and economic stability, exert influence on adulthood adjustment. Prior research suggests PCEs can promote childhood resilience through increased social connection. In contrast, research has demonstrated potential life-long negative impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on psychological health. This study examined the role of PCEs and ACEs in psychological symptoms following potentially traumatic events (PTE) in adults.

METHODS

Participants (N = 128) were adults admitted to two Level 1 Trauma Centers following violence, motor-vehicle crashes, or other accidents. Participants reported childhood experiences and completed assessments of depression, PTSD, and social support at one, four, and nine months post-PTE.

RESULTS

Structural Equation Modeling was used to simultaneously model PCEs and ACEs as predictors of psychological symptoms over time, with potential mediation through social support. PCEs overall did not directly affect psychological symptoms nor indirectly through social support. However, the emotional support component of PCEs had an indirect effect on psychological symptoms at baseline through social support. ACEs predicted greater psychological symptoms at baseline and over time.

CONCLUSION

PCEs consisting of childhood emotional support indirectly promote adjustment in adults after PTEs through initial social support, while ACEs exert direct effects on psychological symptoms.

Depressive symptoms during deep transcranial magnetic stimulation or sham treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder

BACKGROUND

Evidence suggests that depressive symptoms tend to improve concurrently with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms during cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), despite depression not being the primary target of intervention. Studies examining the temporal or mediational relationships of OCD and depressive symptoms have indicated a bidirectional relationship, as prior levels of OCD symptoms influenced subsequent levels of depression, and vice versa. Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) has recently emerged as a treatment option for OCD. Whether dTMS affects depression symptoms similarly to CBT remains to be examined.

METHODS

The current study employed a random intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) to examine the relationship of OCD and depression symptoms in 94 treatment refractory patients, undergoing dTMS or sham treatment.

RESULTS

Both OCD and depression symptoms improved significantly. However, a stable, cross-lagged relationship between the variables was not supported. Changes in one symptom domain could not be used to predict the other.

LIMITATIONS

The present study was conducted in a treatment refractory population, meaning the present findings may not generalize to treatment naïve patients or those with less severe OCD symptoms. It is unclear whether the study was sufficiently powered to detect the effects of interest, and this concern also meant that examining the dTMS and sham groups independently was not feasible.

CONCLUSIONS

When treating OCD with dTMS, depression symptoms appear likely to diminish but should be monitored throughout, and additional interventions applied if needed.

Why do parents employ helicopter parenting in the post-COVID-19 era? An actor-partner interdependence mediation model

INTRODUCTION

In the post-COVID-19 era, small-scale and long-term recurrences of the pandemic can exacerbate future economic uncertainty. Previous studies have found that stressful situations are strongly associated with a controlling type of parenting. The relationship between parental perceptions of future economic uncertainty (PFEU) and helicopter parenting is currently unclear. This study aimed to examine the dyadic relationship between PFEU and helicopter parenting among Chinese parents in the postpandemic era and its underlying mechanisms from a family system perspective.

METHODS

Questionnaire data were collected from 395 pairs of parents (Mfather  = 43.65 ± 5.30, Mmother  = 40.71 ± 5.16, Madolescent  = 13.17 ± 0.87, 45.3% male) in Jiangxi Province, China in October 2021. An actor-partner interdependence mediation model was established.

RESULTS

The results indicated that fathers' and mothers' PFEU were positively associated with their own helicopter parenting. Additionally, paternal parenting stress mediated the relationship between fathers' and mothers' PFEU and paternal helicopter parenting, whereas mothers' parenting stress mediated the association between mothers' PFEU and paternal and maternal helicopter parenting.

CONCLUSIONS

The current research provides important insights for improving Chinese family education practices in the postpandemic era.

Negative Urgency, (Lack of) Premeditation, and Sensation Seeking: Indirect Relationships with Suicidal Ideation through Thwarted Interpersonal Needs

OBJECTIVE

Differences in how impulsivity is conceptualized, along with a myopic focus on impulsivity's relationship with historical suicidal behaviors, have resulted in limited implications made from prior research regarding impulsivity and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The current study investigated the indirect effect facets of impulsivity may have on suicidal ideation, specifically, through thwarted interpersonal needs.

METHODS

Participants were N = 424 undergraduate students who completed a cross-sectional survey. Participants completed the Urgency, Premeditation, Perseverance, Sensation Seeking, Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS), the Adult Suicide Ideation Questionnaire (ASIQ), and the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ). Parallel mediation models were run to examine the relation between facets of impulsivity, perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and suicidal ideation.

RESULTS

Thwarted belonginess and perceived burdensomeness significantly accounted for the variance in the relation between negative urgency and suicidal ideation. Neither thwarted belongingness nor perceived burdensomeness significantly explained variance in the relation between (lack of) premeditation and suicidal ideation. Conversely, perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belonginess significantly explained the inverse relation between sensation seeking and suicidal ideation (i.e., greater sensation seeking was related to lower perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness and in turn lower suicidal ideation).

CONCLUSION

Negative urgency, in particular, is related to suicidal ideation through thwarted interpersonal needs. Future research should continue to differentiate between various types of impulsivity and its relationship with both suicidal ideation and behaviors utilizing both cross-sectional and ambulatory assessments of these constructs.HIGHLIGHTSNegative urgency is related to suicidal ideation.Negative urgency is related to thwarted interpersonal needs.Thwarted interpersonal needs partially explain the relation between negative urgency and suicidal ideation.

What does a population-level mediation reveal about individual people?

Mediation analysis investigates the covariation of variables in a population of interest. In contrast, the resolution level of psychological theory, at its core, aims to reach all the way to the behaviors, mental processes, and relationships of individual persons. It would be a logical error to presume that the population-level pattern of behavior revealed by a mediation analysis directly describes all, or even many, individual members of the population. Instead, to reconcile collective covariation with theoretical claims about individual behavior, one needs to look beyond abstract aggregate trends. Taking data quality as a given and a mediation model's estimated parameters as accurate population-level depictions, what can one say about the number of people properly described by the linkages in that mediation analysis? How many individuals are exceptions to that pattern or pathway? How can we bridge the gap between psychological theory and analytic method? We provide a simple framework for understanding how many people actually align with the pattern of relationships revealed by a population-level mediation. Additionally, for those individuals who are exceptions to that pattern, we tabulate how many people mismatch which features of the mediation pattern. Consistent with the person-oriented research paradigm, understanding the distribution of alignment and mismatches goes beyond the realm of traditional variable-level mediation analysis. Yet, such a tabulation is key to designing potential interventions. It provides the basis for predicting how many people stand to either benefit from, or be disadvantaged by, which type of intervention.

A Tale of Two Tweets: What Factors Predict Forgiveness of Past Transgressions on Social Media?

As more of our lives take place online, it is increasingly common for public figures to have their current image tarnished by their mistakes and transgressions in what is often the distant past. Three experiments (N = 2,296) found that judgments of a public figure who tweeted racist statements in the past were less harsh when more time had passed and when the public figure was younger at the time of the tweet. However, politics also played a powerful role. Independent of time and age, liberals allowed less possibility of redemption for anti-Black tweets, while conservatives were less forgiving for anti-White tweets. Such partisan differences extended not only to moral judgments of the individual, but also general moral principles and participants' subjective perceptions of the situation itself, including subjective temporal distance from the tweet, the subjective age of the public figure, and the current relevance of the past statements.

Health-Related Social Control and Perceived Stress Among High-Risk Latina Mothers with Type 2 Diabetes and Their At-Risk Adult Daughters

BACKGROUND

Diabetes-related multi-morbidity and cultural factors place Latinas with diabetes at increased risk for stress, which can threaten illness management. Families provide an ideal focus for interventions that seek to strengthen interpersonal resources for illness management and, in the process, to reduce stress. The current study sought to examine whether participating in a dyadic intervention was associated with reduced perceived stress and, furthermore, whether this association was mediated by persuasion and pressure, two forms of health-related social control.

METHOD

Latina mothers with diabetes and their at-risk adult daughters participated in either (1) a dyadic intervention that encouraged constructive collaboration to improve health behaviors and reduce stress, or (2) a usual-care minimal control condition. Actor-partner interdependence model analysis was used to estimate the effect of the intervention on dyads' perceived stress, and mother-daughter ratings of health-related social control as potential mediators.

RESULTS

Results revealed that participating in the intervention was associated with significantly reduced perceived stress for daughters, but not for mothers (β =  - 3.00, p = 0.02; β =  - 0.57, p = 0.67, respectively). Analyses also indicated that the association between the intervention and perceived stress was mediated by persuasion, such that mothers' who experienced more health-related persuasion exhibited significantly less post-intervention perceived stress (indirect effect =  - 1.52, 95% CI = [- 3.12, - 0.39]). Pressure exerted by others, however, did not evidence a mediating mechanism for either mothers or daughters.

CONCLUSION

These findings buttress existing research suggesting that persuasion, or others' attempts to increase participants' healthy behaviors in an uncritical way, may be a driving force in reducing perceived stress levels.

Exploring the association between self-compassion, mindfulness and mindful eating with eating behaviours amongst patients with obesity

Background: People who have obesity often experience problematic eating behaviours, contributing towards their excessive weight gain. Aims: Understanding problematic eating behaviours and their association to self-compassion, mindfulness and mindful eating is important for the development of future interventions that improve weight-loss and weight-regulation. Methods: One hundred and one participants attending their first session of a 6-session dietetic programme within a Tier 3 medical weight management service in the West Midlands, UK were recruited to complete questionnaires on self-compassion, mindfulness, mindful eating and eating behaviours, such as, emotional, restrained, external, fat and sugar consumption and grazing. Results: The findings suggested all three constructs, self-compassion, mindfulness and mindful eating were significantly and negatively associated with grazing and emotional eating, but mindful eating was the only construct that also displayed a significant and negative association with other eating behaviours that are often barriers to successful weight regulation, such as external eating and fat consumption. Further investigation suggested mindful eating had an indirect effect on fat consumption and grazing via external eating. Conclusion: Whilst, self-compassion, mindfulness and mindful eating displayed a negative relationship with grazing and emotional eating, mindful eating also displayed a negative relationship with fat consumption and external eating. Possible explanations and directions for future work are discussed with an emphasis on the need for more empirical work.

Agreeableness and adolescents' cyberbullying perpetration: A longitudinal moderated mediation model of moral disengagement and empathy

OBJECTIVE

The current study explored whether agreeableness predicted cyberbullying perpetration across 3 years and extended previous studies by exploring the mediating effect of moral disengagement and the moderating effects of empathy and gender.

METHOD

The participants included 2407 adolescents from 7 middle schools in China. They were recruited to complete the Big Five Personality Inventory, Bullying Scale and Empathy Scale at Time 1, Moral Disengagement Scale at Time 1 and Time 2, and Cyberbullying Perpetration Scale at Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3.

RESULTS

Agreeableness at Time 1 predicted cyberbullying perpetration at Time 3 and moral disengagement at Time 2 mediated this relationship. The relationship between moral disengagement at Time 2 and cyberbullying perpetration at Time 3 was stronger for low cognitive empathy adolescents than high cognitive empathy adolescents at Time 1. The relationship between agreeableness at Time 1 and cyberbullying perpetration adolescents at Time 3 was stronger for low affective empathy than high affective empathy adolescents at Time 1. The link between moral disengagement at Time 2 and cyberbullying perpetration at Time 3 was weaker for females than males.

CONCLUSIONS

Low agreeableness adolescents are more likely to use moral disengagement, which in turn leads to more cyberbullying perpetration.

Adverse Childhood Events and Chronic Pain in Adolescents: The Role of Sleep Disturbance

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to (1) examine the extent to which the association between exposure to adverse childhood events (ACEs) and having chronic pain in adolescents is explained by the association between exposure to ACEs and sleep disturbance and (2) explore the role of sleep disturbance in the association between exposure to ACEs and anxiety and depressive symptoms in adolescents with chronic pain.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data from 469 adolescents aged 13-18 years old were drawn from an epidemiological study on pediatric chronic pain conducted in Catalonia (Spain). Participants provided self-reports of demographic characteristics, exposure to ACEs, pain characteristics, sleep disturbance, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Mediation and moderation models were conducted.

RESULTS

Sleep disturbance explained a significant amount of the variance in the association between exposure to ACEs and the presence of chronic pain. Moreover, sleep disturbance explained a significant amount of the variance in the association between exposure to ACEs and depressive symptoms and moderated the association between exposure to ACEs and anxiety in adolescents with chronic pain.

CONCLUSION

The study findings suggest the possibility that addressing sleep disturbance in adolescents exposed to ACEs may help to prevent the development of chronic pain, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in those adolescents who already have chronic pain.

Potential Mediating Roles of Children's Health-Related Quality of Life and Weight-Related Behaviors in the Relationship Between Socio-Educational Advantage and Weight Status

Background: Socioeconomic status is inversely associated with weight status in developed countries. Underlying mechanisms are still to be clarified. Our aim was to determine if weight-related behaviors and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) mediate the relationship between socio-educational advantage and weight status in Australian children 9 to 13 years of age. Methods: Secondary analysis of data collected by two cluster randomized trials (2019 wave). We measured children's (n = 3978) height, weight, diet, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and HRQoL. Socio-.educational advantage was assessed at school level using the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA). A counterfactual framework was used to explore potential mediators in the relationship between socio-educational disadvantage and (1) overweight/obesity and (2) BMI z-score (BMIz). Results: Low socio-educational advantage was associated with increased overweight/obesity and BMIz. The overweight/obesity association was mediated by sedentary behavior (natural indirect effect as a proportion of total, 7.5%) sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption (12.7%), physical functioning (11.9%), psychosocial health (10.9%), school (6.8%) and social functioning (15.6%), and total HRQoL score (13.8%). The ICSEA-BMIz relationship was mediated by sedentary behavior (5.7%), sleep duration (4.1%), SSB (10.6%), physical functioning (9.9%), psychosocial health (9.1%), school (5.5%) and social (13.7%) functioning, and total HRQoL score (11.7%). Conclusion: Victorian Children with low socio-educational advantage were more likely to be living with overweight or obesity. This relationship was mediated by children's sedentary behavior, SSB consumption, and HRQoL. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12616000980437 (registered July 26, 2016, retrospectively registered) and ACTRN12618001986268 (registered December 11, 2018, prospectively registered). https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration.

Trait Machiavellianism and Agentic Career Success: A Multi-Measure, Multi-Criteria, Multi-Source Analysis

The Five-Factor Machiavellianism Inventory (FFMI) was specifically designed to rectify validity concerns with traditional measures of Machiavellianism. In this study with 550 career targets and 1,127 knowledgeable informants at work from a broad range of occupations and organizations we tested whether the FFMI outperforms traditional measures of Machiavellianism in the prediction of agentic career success using a multifaceted range of proximal and distal career outcomes. Apparent sincerity is a social skill that enables individuals to instill trust and confidence while disguising other intentions. We tested whether apparent sincerity partially mediates the relation of the FFMI with career success. We controlled for gender, human capital, and kind of employment. The results show that the FFMI was a better predictor of agentic career success than traditional Machiavellianism scales. Apparent sincerity partially mediated the FFMI-career success relation. Agency directly and indirectly predicted career success. Planfulness indirectly predicted career success. Antagonism neither directly nor indirectly predicted career success. These results support that the FFMI covers with its dimensions the full range of trait Machiavellianism with reference to criterion validity.

Cross-sectional direct and indirect relationships between the corrupted feared self and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in a clinical sample: The role of mental contamination

OBJECTIVES

There is a significant relationship between a general feared self and contact contamination concerns in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), especially when the influence of mental contamination is considered a part of this relationship. However, these associations have not been explored in a clinical OCD sample when using each dimension of the multidimensional conceptualization of the feared self as the predictor (i.e., the corrupted, culpable, and malformed feared selves).

METHODS

We tested these associations using a cross-sectional design. Specifically, a sample of patients diagnosed with OCD (N = 417) completed a series of self-report measures of OCD symptoms and its related constructs. We also explored these associations with unacceptable thoughts as the outcome, rather than contamination concerns, due to unacceptable thoughts having evidenced strong associations with the feared self and mental contamination.

RESULTS

After controlling for relevant cognitive (i.e., obsessive beliefs) and affective (i.e., depressive symptoms) constructs and comorbidity, the corrupted feared self was found to have a direct link, along with an indirect link through mental contamination, with symptoms of contact contamination and unacceptable thoughts.

CONCLUSIONS

The fear of being corrupted may be associated with feelings of contamination in the absence of direct contact with a contaminant, which may then predict OCD symptoms of repugnant obsessional thoughts and contact contamination concerns. The corrupted feared self and mental contamination should therefore be targeted in treatments for repugnant obsessions and contamination-related OCD.

Do Anxiety Symptoms Mediate the Association Between Cannabis Use Frequency and Psychotic-Like Experiences in Emerging Adult Undergraduates?

OBJECTIVE

Cannabis is commonly used by Canadian emerging adults (ages 18-25 years), many of whom attend post-secondary institutions. Frequent cannabis use is linked with psychotic-like experiences (PLEs); however, the exact nature of this association remains unclear. Anxiety symptoms may mediate this association, as they are prevalent in emerging adults and have been independently linked with both cannabis use and PLEs. Past work found that anxiety mediated the association between cannabis use frequency and attenuated positive psychotic symptoms (further along the psychosis continuum than PLEs), however this research had yet to be validated in the Canadian population, and trait rather than state anxiety (frequency of anxiety symptoms) was studied. Thus, our primary objective was to examine if anxiety symptoms mediated the association between cannabis use frequency and PLEs in Canadian emerging adult undergraduates. Despite known sex differences in cannabis use, expression of anxiety, and PLEs, past work did not evaluate the potential impact of biological sex on the anxiety-mediated model, and thus is the secondary objective of the present study.

METHODS

1,266 first-/second-year emerging adult undergraduates from five Canadian universities provided cross-sectional, self-report survey data in fall 2021 semester. Validated measures of cannabis use frequency, anxiety, and PLEs were administered.

RESULTS

Path analyses supported mediation from cannabis use to PLEs through anxiety (b  =  0.07, P < 0.001, 95% bootstrap CI [0.03, 0.10]). No direct effect was found (P  =  0.457), suggesting that the cannabis-to-PLEs association was mediated by anxiety. Mediation did not depend on biological sex (i.e., bootstrapped 95% CIs crossed zero).

CONCLUSIONS

Anxiety symptoms mediated the association between cannabis use and PLEs in emerging adults regardless of their biological sex. Assuming replication in prospective research, results highlight anxiety as an important intervention target in frequent cannabis-using emerging adults, to potentially prevent development/worsening of PLEs, and in turn psychotic illness.

Improved pain acceptance and interference following outpatient interdisciplinary pediatric chronic pain treatment

OBJECTIVES

Intensive interdisciplinary chronic pain treatment programs have demonstrated that pain acceptance predicts positive treatment outcomes, but limited research has focused on less-intensive programs. This study aimed to examine associations between changes in pain acceptance and pain interference among youth participating in an outpatient interdisciplinary chronic pain treatment program.

DESIGN

Youth presenting to an evaluation within an interdisciplinary outpatient pediatric chronic pain program completed questionnaires at initial program evaluation (T1) and three months later (T2).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Youth (N = 94, Mage = 14.59 years, 74% female) completed the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire, Adolescent Version (CPAQ-A) and PROMIS Pediatric Pain Interference scale.

RESULTS

Pain acceptance increased significantly from T1 to T2 (p=.001), driven primarily by activity engagement (p=.001). Pain interference decreased from T1 to T2 (p<.001). Improvements in acceptance were strongly associated with reductions in interference (p<.001). An exploratory cross-lagged structural equation model revealed a number of direct and indirect effects between pain acceptance and pain interference at T1 and T2.

CONCLUSION

Pain acceptance and interference improved after three months in an outpatient chronic pain treatment program. Improvements in acceptance were strongly related to reductions in interference. Future research should examine these relationships over longer periods, in larger samples.

COVID-19's shadow on families: A structural equation model of parental stress, family relationships, and child wellbeing

The present study seeks to contribute to developmental science in emergencies by investigating associations between COVID-19 pandemic-related stressors, parents' stress, family relationships, and child wellbeing. In doing so, we build on recent research that generalizes the assumptions of the Family Stress Model beyond direct economic stressors of households to macro-contextual stressors that operate at the societal level. In the case of our study, these stressors relate to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as health risks and confinement-related stresses. Participants were 783 parents of young children (75% female, Mage = 34.61 years) residing in the United Arab Emirates. They completed an online survey in Fall 2020 and Spring 2021, measuring how the pandemic impacted their lives and the lives of their child (Mage = 47.54 months). A subsample of parents (n = 96) completed the survey for two children. Structural equation modeling showed that pandemic-related stressors contributed to higher stress among parents which, in turn, resulted in lower parent-reported child wellbeing at various times during the pandemic. Family relationships mediated the association between parents' stress and child wellbeing. The present study contributes to our understanding on how large-scale disruption due to COVID-19 pandemic-related stressors gets inside the family, the strength and direction of associations (concurrently and over time), and the timing of mechanisms that impact family processes. The results highlight the need to support families with young children in managing disruptions due to emergencies, such as a global public health crisis, and to determine ways of preventing longstanding consequences on family structures and children's lives.

Reductions in kinesiophobia and distress after pain neuroscience education and exercise lead to favourable outcomes: a secondary mediation analysis of a randomized controlled trial in primary care

ABSTRACT

Pain neuroscience education combined with exercise (PNE + exercise) is an effective treatment for patients with chronic spinal pain. Yet, however, little is known about its underlying therapeutic mechanisms. Thus, this study aimed to provide the first insights by performing a novel mediation analysis approach in a published randomized controlled trial in primary care where PNE + exercise was compared with standard physiotherapy. Four mediators (catastrophizing, kinesiophobia, central sensitization-related distress, and pain intensity) measured at postintervention and 3 outcomes (disability, health-related quality of life, and pain medication intake) measured at 6-month follow-up were included into the analysis. The postintervention measure of each outcome was also introduced as a competing candidate mediator in each respective model. In addition, we repeated the analysis by including all pairwise mediator-mediator interactions to allow the effect of each mediator to differ based on the other mediators' values. Postintervention improvements in disability, medication intake, and health-related quality of life strongly mediated PNE + exercise effects on each of these outcomes at 6-month follow-up, respectively. Reductions in disability and medication intake were also mediated by reductions in kinesiophobia and central sensitization-related distress. Reductions in kinesiophobia also mediated gains in the quality of life. Changes in catastrophizing and pain intensity did not mediate improvements in any outcome. The mediation analyses with mediator-mediator interactions suggested a potential effect modification rather than causal independence among the mediators. The current results, therefore, support the PNE framework to some extent as well as highlight the need for implementing the recent approaches for mediation analysis to accommodate dependencies among the mediators.

Racial and Educational Disparities in Cumulative Exposure to Hardships of the 2008 Great Recession and Inflammation

OBJECTIVE

This cross-sectional analysis examined self-reported economic hardships of the 2008 Great Recession, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, and psychological well-being (PWB) as predictors of systemic inflammatory physiology at midlife. We also tested for differential vulnerability in the relationship between recession hardship and inflammatory physiology by race/ethnicity, education, and PWB.

METHODS

Adults from the Midlife in the United States Refresher sample completed a survey and biomedical assessments after the recession ( n = 592 non-Hispanic White respondents, n = 158 Black/African American respondents, n = 108 respondents with other race/ethnicity). Cumulative recession hardship was the sum of financial, housing, and employment-related events. Outcomes included circulating levels of interleukin 6 and C-reactive protein. General linear regression models tested main effects interactions between primary predictor variables.

RESULTS

Educational attainment was inversely associated with recession hardships ( b = -0.18, 95% confidence interval = -0.26 to -0.11, p < .001). Black/African American respondents reported more recession hardships than White respondents ( b = 1.17, 95% confidence interval = 0.67 to 1.68, p < .001). More recession hardships predicted higher levels of interleukin 6 ( b = 0.06, p < .001) and C-reactive protein ( b = 0.04, p = .004). Analyses did not support race/ethnicity, education, and PWB as moderators of the association between recession hardship and inflammatory markers.

CONCLUSIONS

Race/ethnicity and education independently predicted disparities in cumulative recession hardship exposure. Recession hardship predicted higher blood levels of inflammatory proteins associated with long-term health. The lack of findings for differential vulnerability in the relationship between recession hardship and inflammatory markers by race/ethnicity, education, or PWB was possibly due to the limited sample size.