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Tyson PJ, Davies SK, Scorey S, Greville WJ. Fear of clowns: An investigation into the aetiology of coulrophobia. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1109466. [PMID: 36818074 PMCID: PMC9931735 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1109466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Fear of clowns or coulrophobia is a little understood phenomenon despite studies indicating that it has a high prevalence in the general population. There have been no previous investigations into the aetiology of this fear, although several plausible hypotheses from the wider literature can be generated; the fear stems from media portrayals of scary clowns, from the unusual physical appearance or the unpredictable behaviour displayed, or it derives from an unpleasant personal experience. Methods The current study reviews the literature in this area and also pilots a new questionnaire (Origin of Fear of Clowns Questionnaire; OFCQ) to explore the causes of the fear of clowns in a sample of 528 participants who reported such a fear. Results Our findings suggest that uncertainty of harmful intent, media influences and unpredictability of behaviour play an important role in the origins of coulrophobia. There are also multiple features of clown appearance which produce a negative experiential state and a sense of a direct threat. Discussion We conclude that the origins of clown fear are multi-factorial and primarily relate to aspects of their facial appearance, their behaviour, and how they have been portrayed in the media. Surprisingly, fear derived from personal experience was not one of our main findings. Further research is focused on looking at associations between the level of fear and each aetiological category.
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ASMARI Y, DOLATSHAHI B, POURSHARIFI H, BARAHMAND U. "Early Negative Memories, Humiliation and Defectiveness/Shame Schema: An Emotion-Focused Therapeutic Approach to Social Anxiety". JEBP 2022. [DOI: 10.24193/jebp.2022.1.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
"Introduction: Recently emotion-focused therapy has developed as an additional approach and considers the role of primary emotions such as shame in the formation and persistence of SAD. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the theoretical model of emotion-focused therapy for SAD by considering the role of early negative memories, humiliation and the mediating role of self-defectiveness/shame schema in the etiology of SAD. Method: This cross-sectional descriptive study recruited a sample of 105 students, 44 males (41.9%) 61 females (58.1%), diagnosed with SAD by psychologists from Shahid Beheshti University Counseling Center. Participants ranging in age from 18 to 34 with a mean age of 23.1 years (SD=3.5) completed the Social Phobia Inventory, Humiliation Inventory, Early Life Experiences Scale, Defectiveness /Shame Schema subscale of the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form. Results: Data were analyzed using SmartPLS-SEM. The results showed that early childhood experiences and humiliation significantly predict SAD. Also, the indirect effects of the independent variables through defectiveness/shame schema on SAD were significant. Conclusions: Consistent with the assumptions of the emotion-focused approach to SAD, these results confirm that early life experiences and humiliation with the development of shame schemes play an important role in the etiology of SAD and must be considered for therapy to be effective. The results of this study suggest that the components of the emotion-focused model can have therapeutic value as targets of intervention in randomized clinical trials."
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Huang C, Yuan Q, Ge M, Sheng X, Yang M, Shi S, Cao P, Ye M, Peng R, Zhou R, Zhang K, Zhou X. Childhood Trauma and Non-suicidal Self-Injury Among Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Psychological Sub-health. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:798369. [PMID: 35222116 PMCID: PMC8866574 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.798369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The factors associated with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) of adolescents have been widely researched. However, the underlying mechanism of the relationship between childhood trauma and NSSI is limited. This study aimed to explore the risk factors for NSSI among Chinese adolescents. Our hypothesis was that psychological sub-health (PSH) played a mediating role between childhood trauma and NSSI. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Multidimensional Sub-health Questionnaire of Adolescent, and the self-report NSSI were used to measure childhood trauma, PSH, and NSSI. Structural equation model (SEM) was performed to verify our hypothesis. The results showed that 33.9% of the participants in our survey had engaged in NSSI in the past year. Adolescents who were left-behind children or in primary schools were more likely to engage in NSSI. Additionally, 56.2% of the participants had moderate to severe childhood trauma, and 26.1% of the participants had PSH. Furthermore, childhood trauma and PSH would increase the risk of NSSI by 2 times (B = 0.79, p < 0.01) and 5 times (B = 1.64, p < 0.01), respectively. SEM was established (p = 0.512) and the goodness-of-fit indices were examined (CMIN/DF = 0.892; GFI = 0.997; AGFI = 0.992; NFI = 0.991; RFI = 0.980; IFI = 1.00; TLI = 1.00; CFI = 1.00; RMSEA < 0.001). The SEM indicated that childhood trauma positively predicted NSSI both directly and indirectly through PSH. PSH has been confirmed to have partial mediating effects between childhood trauma and NSSI. The assessment of PSH may be an operable and effective method to screen and predict NSSI. Meanwhile, the intervention of childhood trauma and PSH may effectively prevent and reduce the occurrence of NSSI among adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cui Huang
- Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Qiuyu Yuan
- Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Menglin Ge
- Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Xuanlian Sheng
- Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Meng Yang
- Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Shengya Shi
- Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Panpan Cao
- Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Mengting Ye
- Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Ran Peng
- Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Ruochen Zhou
- Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Kai Zhang
- Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Xiaoqin Zhou
- Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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Skinner D, Sharp C, Marais L, Serekoane M, Lenka M. A qualitative study on teachers' perceptions of their learners' mental health problems in a disadvantaged community in South Africa. Curationis 2019; 42:e1-e7. [PMID: 31793308 PMCID: PMC6890560 DOI: 10.4102/curationis.v42i1.1903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Revised: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The combination of extensive poverty, violence and HIV has potential mental health impacts on children in Southern Africa. This article is nested in a broader study to evaluate the strength and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) among Sotho speakers, and assess the mental health status of children made orphans by AIDS. Objectives The aim of this study was to describe the mental health problems that the teachers perceive among learners in their classrooms, to understand what the teachers saw as causing these problems and to identify potential approaches to address these problems within the school setting. Method As part of the larger study, 10 teachers were purposively selected to write a report describing the mental health problems among learners in their class. These findings were discussed at two later meetings with a larger grouping of teachers to validate the findings and obtain additional input. Results The teachers were concerned about the emotional state of their pupils, especially in relation to depression, anxiety, substance abuse, scholastic problems and aggression. These problems were felt to arise from the children’s lived context; factors such as poverty, death of parents and caregivers from AIDS and trauma, parental substance abuse and child abuse. The teachers expressed a desire to assist the affected learners, but complained that they did not get support from the state services. Conclusion Many learners were evaluated by teachers as struggling with mental health issues, arising from their social context. The teachers felt that with support, schools could provide assistance to these learners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald Skinner
- Research on Health and Society, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa; and, Social Aspects of Public Health, Human Sciences Research Council, Cape Town.
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