Search Results (24)

Goal Contents Theory (GCT) postulates that the goals people pursue not only direct their perceptions of and behaviors relevant to goal pursuit, but also hold implications for their well- and ill-being. Extending past sport work grounded in this theory, this study explored athletes’ self-generated goals and examined whether these goals were differentially aligned with goal-related processes and well- and ill-being. A total of 414 university team athletes (206 women and 208 men) completed a questionnaire at the beginning of the sport season. The results showed that intrinsic goals, assessed in an open-ended format, were more heterogeneous in terms of content, and more common among athletes than extrinsic goals. In addition, women reported more intrinsic goals and fewer extrinsic goals than men. MANCOVA revealed that athletes who pursued extrinsic goals reported significantly lower self-efficacy and greater perceptions of goal difficulty than athletes with intrinsic goals. No differences in goal motives and well- and ill-being indicators emerged. Finally, two models were tested that illustrate how goal content is related to self-efficacy for goal attainment, goal motives, and well- and ill-being. Overall, the findings were largely congruent with GCT and indicate that the quality of athletes’ goal-related processes and their well- and ill-being vary as a function of whether they are pursuing intrinsic or extrinsic goals. Full article

Background: Young adulthood is a demanding developmental stage, in that individuals are often faced with making major and long-lasting decisions related to career and family. This is also a heightened time of mental health difficulties. There is recent evidence that cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS; previously sluggish cognitive tempo) may also be more prevalent in young adults and associated with poorer functioning. However, the relation between CDS symptoms and anxiety, depression, stress, and insomnia remains insufficiently investigated among young adults. Given this, the aims of the present study were as follows: (1) to investigate the associations between CDS and symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia; (2) to investigate if and which dimensions of ill-being were more robustly related to higher CDS scores; (3) to explore if stress scores moderated the associations between CDS symptoms and insomnia; and (4) to explore if higher insomnia categories were associated with higher CDS scores. Methods: A total of 246 young adult students in Switzerland (mean age = 22.62; 56.3% females) completed a booklet of questionnaires covering socio-demographic information, cognitive disengagement syndrome (Adult Concentration Inventory; ACI), and symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia as part of this cross-sectional study. Results: Higher CDS scores on the ACI were associated with higher scores for depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia. Depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia were independently associated with higher scores for CDS. Higher categories of stress moderated the associations between higher CDS scores and higher insomnia. Higher insomnia categories were related to higher CDS scores. Conclusions: The present data showed that among a small sample of young adult students, higher CDS scores were associated with higher psychological ill-being (depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia). If we consider CDS as a trait, specific performance-enhancing medication or psychotherapeutic interventions might favorably influence dimensions of psychological ill-being such as depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia. Full article

This article investigates the transformative impacts of regular nature-based adventure activity engagement and its long-lasting effects on eudaimonic well-being (EWB), specifically mental health. Although extant research highlights a wide range of well-being and mental health benefits from participation in such pursuits, less is known about experienced outdoor adventure enthusiasts for whom adventure is a fundamental and transformational part of their lives. The study builds on an existing conceptual framework that synthesizes pertinent research concepts on nature-based activity engagement and subjective well-being benefits. It presents key findings from 40 semi-structured in-depth online interviews with respondents from the UK, Germany, and Serbia. Interview data were collated and analyzed using a thematic framework approach. The findings highlight the importance of outdoor adventure activity engagement for respondents’ mental and physical health and long-term well-being. Regular activity participation can be transformational in reducing feelings of ill-being and enhancing EWB. It can improve self-efficacy and identity development and promote the fulfilment of psychological needs, facilitated by key transformational catalyzers. Continually entering a liminal state, experiencing emotions, and overcoming challenges and risks during engagement are crucial to “successful” long-lasting transformation. Further research should continue to explore adventure’s transformational and EWB benefits to develop long-term data. Full article

Pregnancy involves various physiological, physical, and social changes that can impact the mental health of the woman, causing her to have a stressful experience. Physical fitness (PF) is postulated as a powerful marker of health in this population. Therefore, this longitudinal study examined the association of PF with maternal emotional well-being and ill-being outcomes at 16th and 34th gestational weeks (g.w.) in a sample of 158 pregnant women (32.9 ± 4.7 years old). Self-reported PF was assessed with the valid and feasible International Fitness Scale [i.e., overall PF, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), muscular strength, speed–agility, and flexibility]; positive and negative affect, emotional intelligence, and resilience were measured using validated questionnaires specifically designed for this purpose. The results showed that women with greater overall PF and its components showed higher positive affect and lower negative affect (all, p < 0.05); greater emotional intelligence (all, p < 0.05); and greater resilience (all, p < 0.05), with similar results both in the 16th and the 34th g.w. These findings underscore the pivotal role of PF in promoting emotional health and resilience during pregnancy, thereby highlighting the need for integrating PF enhancement strategies in prenatal care programs. Full article

Developing valid and reliable measures of psychological responses to climate change is of high importance, as this facilitates our understanding of people’s psychological responses, including their pro-environmental behavior. Recently, the Climate Change Worry Scale (CCWS) was introduced. This study aimed to develop the first Polish version of the CCWS and explore its psychometric properties. Our sample comprised 420 Polish adults aged 18–70, with a mean age of 26.20 (standard deviation = 10.61) years. The CCWS’s factor structure was assessed with confirmatory factor analysis. McDonald’s omega and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were computed to assess internal consistency reliability. Pearson correlations between climate change worry (CCW) and experience of climate change (i.e., an individual’s level of perception of being affected by climate change), pro-environmental behavior, ill-being (i.e., anxiety and depression symptoms), and well-being were calculated. Our results support the strong factorial validity of the CCWS, conforming to its intended one-factor solution, with excellent internal consistency reliability for the total scale score (i.e., McDonald’s omega and Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.93). We noted large positive correlations between CCW and experiences of climate change, as well as pro-environmental behavior, and medium positive correlations with psychopathology symptoms. CCW scores were not associated with well-being. As the CCWS represents a measure of a specific manifestation of worry, we also examined its discriminant validity against more general psychological distress markers, and it evidenced strong validity in this regard. Overall, the Polish version of the CCWS appears to have strong psychometric properties, and will therefore be a useful tool to use in research on psychological responses to climate change. Full article

This study examined the second-order schema domains of Early Maladaptive and Adaptive Schemas based on recent trends and compared them with the five theoretical second-order schema domains commonly used in schema therapy. Using six international Eastern and Western community samples—Singapore (n = 628), Malaysia (n = 229), USA (n = 396), South Africa (n = 390), Nigeria (n = 364), India (n = 306)—confirmatory factor analysis showed that the four second-order domains of EMSs and EASs, which ran almost parallel with each other, were the most robust models calling into question the validity of the five domain model. Given the hypothesized links between schemas and needs, these four categories of EMSs and EASs represent four categories of toxic experiences and core emotional needs, respectively. These categories were supported empirically and are useful to parents as well as to clinicians as they approach child rearing and the treatment of clients in schema therapy from the vantage point of needs. These four categories of psychological core emotional needs, as well as toxic experiences, were found, as expected, to be linked with various measures of well-being and ill-being. Full article

The increasing complexity of the space flight program and the increase in the duration of missions require an improvement in psychological monitoring tools for astronauts in orbit. This article summarizes the experience of using quantitative content analysis of communication between the crews and the Mission Control Center (MCC). This method allows us to assess the dynamics of an astronaut’s psycho-emotional state, identify their communicative style, and detect the communication phenomena of board-MCC communication. The method is based on a combination of the coping strategies approach by Lazarus and Folkman as well as B.F. Lomov’s concept about the three functions of communication. We found the influence of workload on the structure and volume of communication, defined the main stable communication styles of crewmembers, and confirmed the presence of the emotional transfer phenomenon. We detected that astronauts successfully solve problems that arise in orbit using the capabilities of their communication style. An ineffective MCC communication style usually leads to psycho-emotional ill-being, manifesting in the emotional transfer phenomenon. The presence of the “third-quarter” phenomenon was not confirmed by materials from six-month space flights. Full article

Populations in conflict contexts often live for extended periods of time in displacement or under occupation. Both have profound consequences for navigating daily wellbeing. Drawing on narrative interviews (n = 8) with participants who lived through the ISIS (Islamic State) occupation of Mosul in 2014–2017, we seek to highlight narratives of wellbeing- and illbeing-emerging from their experiences. Our case study suggests that multiple persistent threats forced a renegotiation of ways to sustain key elements of wellbeing. Our findings suggest that intentionally propagated distrust led to reduced interaction, while insecurity and fear diminished personal freedoms, causing recurring shocks requiring constant adaptation. Decreasing the size of the core social unit helped families manage risks and resources when facing existential threats, while the diversification of interpersonal and communal relations created space for moments of normalcy. Choices made in order to stay safe and sane under such exceptional circumstances include complex relational choices, such as breaking familial ties with loved ones. Our research expands on the positive and negative impacts of relations on wellbeing and deepens our understanding of how wellbeing is navigated in contexts of forced departure—environments from which people often flee to seek refuge elsewhere. Full article

People are often passionate about different activities in their lives. This study examined the role of multiple passions in psychosomatic health (i.e., subjective vitality and somatic symptoms) using variable-centered and person-centered approaches. Our sample consisted of 267 Polish adults, who filled out the measures on harmonious passion (HP), obsessive passion (OP), subjective vitality as a trait, and somatic symptoms in four categories (exhaustion, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular complaints). In general, HP showed protective properties against individual somatic complaints, whereas OP was associated with higher levels of somatic symptoms, chiefly cardiovascular complaints. We highlighted that, unlike the first passion, the second passion can explain the differences in well-being and ill-being. Our study indicated the moderate health-promoting effects of HP, and the moderate-to-strong adverse effects of OP on somatic health. Having multiple passions of obsessive nature may be harmful for somatic health. In order to be healthy, prevention of the development of multiple passions with high obsessive levels seems to be a priority. Potential psychosomatic pathways were discussed. Full article

Satisfaction and frustration of the needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, as assessed with the 24-item Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale (BPNSFS), have been found to be crucial indicators of individuals’ psychological health. To increase the usability of this scale within a clinical and health services research context, we aimed to validate a German short version (12 items) of this scale in individuals with depression including the examination of the relations from need frustration and need satisfaction to ill-being and quality of life (QOL). This cross-sectional study involved 344 adults diagnosed with depression (M_age (SD) = 47.5 years (11.1); 71.8% females). Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the short version of the BPNSFS was not only reliable, but also fitted a six-factor structure (i.e., satisfaction/frustration X type of need). Subsequent structural equation modeling showed that need frustration related positively to indicators of ill-being and negatively to QOL. Surprisingly, need satisfaction did not predict differences in ill-being or QOL. The short form of the BPNSFS represents a practical instrument to measure need satisfaction and frustration in people with depression. Further, the results support recent evidence on the importance of especially need frustration in the prediction of psychopathology. Full article

While the benefits to mood and well-being from passionate engagement with music are well-established, far less is known about the relationship between passion for explicitly violently themed music and psychological well-being. The present study employed the Dualistic Model of Passion to investigate whether harmonious passion (i.e., passionate engagement that is healthily balanced with other life activities) predicts positive music listening experiences and/or psychological well-being in fans of violently themed music. We also investigated whether obsessive passion (i.e., uncontrollable passionate engagement with an activity) predicts negative music listening experiences and/or psychological ill-being. Fans of violently themed music (N = 177) completed the passion scale, scale of positive and negative affective experiences, and various psychological well- and ill-being measures. As hypothesised, harmonious passion for violently themed music significantly predicted positive affective experiences which, in turn, predicted psychological well-being. Obsessive passion for violently themed music significantly predicted negative affective experiences which, in turn, predicted ill-being. Findings support the Dualistic Model of Passion, and suggest that even when music engagement includes violent content, adaptive outcomes are often experienced. We propose that the nature of one’s passion for music is more influential in predicting well-being than the content or valence of the lyrical themes. Full article

Stress is a defining trait of our modern societies. The correlations between economic and social developments and the state of ill-being of populations have long been demonstrated. Today, negative environmental factors such as climate change, war and health crises have consequences on populations. Regardless of gender or age, more and more people are suffering from stress, of which there are many effects. According to studies, stress is an emotional response resulting from human–environmental interaction. They define stress as a state of discomfort and tension caused by external factors. This author believes that stress has a negative impact, which leads to frustration and increased difficulty in addressing issues. Authors describes stress as a physical and psychological state experienced by someone facing a real or potential. For students, stress can be caused by a number of factors. Some of these may include how the university functions, exam periods, relationships with teachers, the pressure that parents put on academic achievement, competition with other students, financial problems, uncertainty about the future, and lack of self-confidence. Symptoms of stress are now well identified. Students suffering from stress report feeling unhappy, having stomach pains, difficulty relaxing and sleeping, mental health problems, and even depression. When it comes to stress, Romanian students are no exception, especially because of the particularly volatile situation faced by the nation. The country has high immigration of skilled and qualified labour, inflation, and depreciation of the national currency. Students also claim to be stressed by the challenges of student life and the demands of the working world. They have a constant fear of failure and doubt themselves, their academic skills, and success in their careers after graduating. Our sociological study aims to deepen our knowledge in this field in Romania. In an already anxious context, it successively examines stress factors, symptoms experienced by students, conditions for organising studies, and ways to improve students’ quality of life. To conduct our study, we sampled students at the Dunărea de Jos University of Galați. We analysed 151 questionnaires sent to a sample of students listed in various first-year university courses. The results of this survey ultimately allow us to better identify the time-related, financial, and social factors of stress and the resulting symptoms. It is very clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a detrimental effect on this already fragile young population. Our study is also an opportunity to discuss ways to better manage student stress. Full article

Findings in different contexts suggest that task orientation and ego orientation are related to adaptive and maladaptive motivational patterns, respectively. In sport, these personal dispositions could influence other important variables such as the goals that athletes pursue (and why they pursue them) during the season and their well- and ill-being. The main purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between athletes’ dispositional goal orientations, their goal motives, and their reported well-being (subjective vitality) and ill-being (physical and emotional exhaustion). The study involved 414 Spanish university athletes (206 female and 208 male) with an age range of 17 to 33 years (M = 20.61; SD = 2.58) that completed a package of questionnaires at the beginning of the season. Results of path analysis revealed that athletes’ task orientation was negatively associated to physical and emotional exhaustion indirectly through autonomous and controlled goal motives. In contrast, ego orientation was positively related to physical and emotional exhaustion via its link to controlled goal motives. Athletes’ task orientation directly and positively predicted subjective vitality, even though goal motives were not significant mediators. These findings support previous evidence about the protective role of athletes’ task orientation, in contrast to ego orientation, confirming its positive relationship with well-being and its negative one with ill-being. Additionally, it extends the knowledge regarding interdependencies between goal orientations and goal motives and how both contribute to athletes’ optimal or compromised functioning. Full article

The dynamically changing epidemiological situation caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus is associated with the increased burden and fatigue of medical personnel. The aim of the study was to evaluate: (1) oxygen and carbon dioxide blood pressure and saturation levels in medical personnel caring for patients isolated due to SARS-CoV-2 in ICUs; (2) adverse symptoms reported by medical personnel after leaving the isolation zone. Design: A Prospective Cohort Study. Methods: The project was implemented in the first quarter of 2021. Medical personnel working with patients isolated due to SARS-CoV-2 in the ICU of three hospitals were eligible for the study. The participants of the study were subjected to two analyses of capillary blood by a laboratory diagnostician. Results: In the studied group of medical personnel (n = 110) using FFP2/FFP3 masks, no significant differences (p > 0.05) were found between the parameters of geometric examination performed before and after leaving the isolation ward of the hospital. After working in the isolation ward, nurses reported malaise (somnolence, fatigue, sweating, dizziness) more often than paramedics (44% vs. 9%; p = 0.00002). The risk of ill-being in nurses was approximately nine times higher than in paramedics (OR = 8.6; Cl 95%: 2.7 to 26.8) and increased with the age of the subjects (OR = 1.05; Cl 95%: 1.01 to 1.08). Conclusion: FFP2/FFP3 filter masks did not worsen blood oxygenation in medical staff caring for patients isolated due to SARS-CoV-2 in the ICU. The presence of subjective symptoms such as fatigue may be due to lack of adequate hydration. Full article

There is convincing evidence on the effects of sport and exercise on mental health and well-being. Less evidence is provided about how to achieve these benefits in the context of grassroots sport coaching. We systematically reviewed the scientific literature of three databases to narratively synthesize the current knowledge about which coaching-related factors influence well-being or ill-being, and how to promote mental health in adult athletes through sport coaches. The review includes 52 studies with different methodological and theoretical approaches and mental health outcomes. The wide range of themes were mapped and synthesized within two clusters, i.e., coaching behavior, antecedents, and context; and coach–athlete relationship and social support. The results highlight the importance of the promotion of empowering environments, autonomy-supportive coaching behavior, and coach–athlete relationship quality that relate to the satisfaction of basic psychological needs. The review also calls for a critical perspective, in the sense that the coaching context and working environment may not be empowering and supportive to the well-being of coaches and consequently to the athletes, and that coaches who want to provide autonomy-supportive environments may face various obstacles. Finally, the review synthesizes recommendations for the training of coaches, as one piece of a holistic mental health promotion. Full article