Optimistic Attributional Style as a Predictor of Well-Being: Exploring the Mediating Roles of Gratitude and Savoring the Moment

Online risk exposure and anxiety among college students in China: The chain mediating role of negative attribution and interpersonal security

Despite evidence supporting the relationship between online risk exposure and anxiety, the underlying mechanisms remain underexplored. This study aimed to construct and validate a chain-mediation structural equation model to investigate how online risk exposure influences anxiety among college students. Data was collected online in April 2023 from a sample of college students (N =  986, 64.6% female) using validated scales measuring online risk exposure, negative attribution, interpersonal security, and anxiety. The results showed that online risk exposure not only directly exacerbates anxiety but also indirectly affects it through three distinct pathways: negative attribution, interpersonal insecurity, and their chain relationship. These mediation effects accounted for 41.16%, 20.47%, and 4.65% of the total effects, respectively. These findings highlight the importance of targeted interventions aimed at reducing online risk exposure, improving negative attribution styles, and enhancing interpersonal security among college students. The study concludes by discussing its limitations and proposing directions for future research.

Attributional styles are associated with care burden in geriatric depression: older adults and their caregivers in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

Given the rising prevalence of depression among older adults and the associated increase in caregiving responsibilities, understanding factors influencing caregiver burden is crucial. Previous research has not extensively explored the impact of caregivers' attributional styles, that is, how individuals interpret the causes of life events, on their care burden.

AIM

This study examined the relationship between caregivers' attributional styles and their care burden for older patients with depression.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study enrolled older adults aged ≥ 65 years diagnosed with depression and their caregivers. Depression was diagnosed according to the DSM-V criteria for Major Depressive Disorder or Persistent Depressive Disorder. Caregivers completed the Chinese Depression Caregiver Burden Scale (CDCBS) to assess care burden, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) to evaluate patient symptom severity, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) for measuring caregivers' depression, and the Chinese Depression Patient Caregiver Attribution Style Scale (CDPCAS) to assess attributional styles. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to identify the factors independently associated with the caregiver's subjectively assessed care burden.

RESULTS

The sample included 146 caregivers of geriatric patients with depression. Most depression patients were women (74.7%) with a mean age of 74.3 years, whereas the mean age of caregivers was 57.7 years. Hierarchical regression analysis identified that caregivers' gender (β = - 0.14, p = .044), educational level (β = 0.19, p = .008), caregivers' own depression assessed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (β = 0.41, p < .001), and attributional styles, particularly manipulation (β = 0.29, p < .001) and illness/stress attributional style (β = 0.23, p = .002) as independent factors associated with care burden. Patient symptom severity assessed using the Hamilton Depression Scale was not significantly correlated with care burden after controlling for attributional styles.

CONCLUSIONS

Certain attributional styles, particularly the manipulation and illness/stress attributional styles, significantly increased self-reported care burden. These findings highlight the need for educational resources to change the attribution style, along with support systems and accessible mental health services for caregivers to potentially ease the care burden.