A Replication of the Reker and Cousins’ Study About the Complementarity Between the Purpose-In-Life Test (PIL) and the Seeking of Noetic Goals (SONG) Among Spanish Young People

The main aim of this study was to replicate the Reker and Cousins’ (1979) work about the complementarity between the the Purpose-In-Life Test (PIL), which indicates the degree to which the person has found meaning and purpose in life (presence of meaning), and the Seeking of Noetic Goals (SONG), which measures the degree to which the person is motivated to find meaning and purpose in life (search for meaning). Participants were 349 Spanish undergraduates (224 women, 64.20 %, and 125 men, 35.80 %) between 18 and 26 years old, M = 20.81, SD = 2.17. Principal Component Analysis showed eight factors: four mainly related to the presence of meaning and four mainly related to the search for meaning. The PIL contributed four factors to presence of meaning, whereas the SONG contributed four factors to the search for meaning. The results confirmed the factorial structure, internal consistency, and validity of both scales and their complementarity.     

Quality of Life in Flemish Families with a Child with an Intellectual Disability: a Multilevel Study on Opinions of Family Members and the Impact of Family Member and Family Characteristics

This study examined family members’ opinions regarding their family quality of life (FQOL). Parents (n = 97) and youngsters (n = 24) of 63 families with a child with an intellectual disability (ID) receiving home-based support completed the Beach Center FQOL Scale. Multilevel models detected substantial variability in FQOL scores and in most subscale scores both within and between families. The observed differences were partly explained by the respondent’s age, the parents’ employment situation, and the support needs of the child with an ID. Role of the family member and gender of the parent could not explain this variability. By including and comparing multiple family members’ opinions, this study contributes to the methodological and conceptual discussions about measuring FQOL.     

The Influence of Skill Development Training Program for Spiritual Care of Elderly Individual on Elderly Care Technician Students’ Perception of Spiritual Support

Spiritual care means helping an individual protect, maintain and gain all the dimensions of his/her existence. Elderly care technicians face numerous cases or crisis situations in which elderly individuals from different backgrounds question the meaning and value of life. Elderly care technicians must acknowledge that the spirituality is an important element in the way an elderly individual receives healthcare and they must be equipped for this matter. This study was conducted in order to examine the influence of “Skill Development Training Program for Spiritual Care of Elderly Individual,” which was carried out with students from elderly care program, on the perception of spirituality support in a pretest–posttest quasi-experimental study design with control group. As the data collection form, “Spiritual Support Perception” (SSP) scale was used. The mean scores of the intervention group after the training and after one month are 50.39 ± 5.34 and 51.13 ± 4.98, respectively, and those of the control group are 43.16 ± 4.83 and 42.72 ± 4.48. A statistically significant difference was found between the mean scores of the intervention group from the pretest and the posttests immediately after the training and one month after the training (f = 94.247, p = 0.001). In the control group, however, there was no significant change in the SSP mean scores (f = 0.269, p = 0.77). As a result, this study pointed out the necessity of such training programs for healthcare professionals to make a distinction between their professional duties and their own personalities in order to offer spiritual care to the elderly individual.     

Youth Initiated Mentoring: Investigating a New Approach to Working with Vulnerable Adolescents

This study examines youth initiated mentoring (YIM), a new approach to mentoring in which youth nominate mentors from among the non-parental adults within their existing social networks (e.g., teachers, family friends, extended family members). YIM is currently being implemented through the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program (NGYCP), an intensive residential intervention program for youth ages 16–18 who have dropped out or been expelled from high school. This study employed a mixed methods explanatory design, drawing on quantitative data from a national longitudinal evaluation of NGYCP (N = 1,173) and qualitative data from a subsample of participants (N = 30) in the evaluation. Results indicated that more enduring mentoring relationships were associated with increased retention of educational, vocational, and behavioral outcomes 3 years following entry into the study. Qualitative data suggested that, when relationships endured, mentors contributed to improvements in participants’ educational and occupational success, quality of relationships with parents, peers, and others, and self-concept by providing social-emotional support, instrumental support, and guidance. Results also revealed that relationships were more likely to endure when youth chose their mentors on their own (rather than receiving help from parents or program staff) and when mentors were of the same race as youth. Implications for research and practice are discussed.     

Assessing the Relationships Among Wisdom,Humility, and Life Satisfaction

The purpose of this study was to test two hypotheses that specify different ways of configuring the interface between wisdom and humility. The first hypothesis specifies that greater wisdom is associated with greater humility. This hypothesis is based on the notion that wisdom is needed in order to know when to activate the virtue of humility. The second hypothesis specifies that the relationship between humility and life satisfaction will vary according to the level of wisdom that is possessed by study participants. This hypothesis is based on the notion that wisdom is needed to successfully implement and regulate humility once it has been activated. The data come from a nationwide survey of middle-aged and older adults (N = 1535). The data support both hypotheses. First greater wisdom is associated with greater humility. Second, the results suggest that the relationship between humility and life satisfaction varies across levels of wisdom. The findings help ground the study of wisdom more firmly in the literature on virtues.     

Transition to Adulthood Across Italy: A Comparison Between Northern and Southern Italian Young Adults

We explored the phenomenon of the transition to adulthood, focusing on how young people cope with various developmental tasks in relation to their expectations, future projects, fears and indecision in two Italian regional areas characterized by different trends in youth employability, higher educational attainment and family formation process. We measured self-perceived adulthood, self-reported satisfaction, independence, perceived support regarding personal relationships and practical and economical issues, personal projections and future life’s choices. We also explored the perception of self-fulfillment for the future concerning personal goals in life, such as in the spheres of work, studies and economic autonomy together with expectations for the quality of personal relationships. One hundred and sixty nonworking university students (M _age = 22.6; SD = 2.77; range = 19–35) from the Universities of Turin and Palermo took part in this study. Sub-groups differed on self-perceived adulthood, self-reported satisfaction, independence, perceived support and self-fulfillment. Psychological and economic independence from the family of origin was most perceived by the participants from Turin who reported a higher degree of satisfaction regarding their choice of studies and their future perspective of self-fulfillment at work. Young people from Palermo highlighted personal relationships as an important source of perceived support.     

Gratitude’s role in adolescent antisocial and prosocial behavior: A 4-year longitudinal investigation

ABSTRACT

Is gratitude developmentally related to improvements in social behavior? This study examined 566 adolescents (51.6% female, M age = 11.95 years at baseline, 68.0% White, 11.0% African-American, 9.9% Asian-American, 1.9% Hispanic, 8.8% ‘Other’) from middle school to high school for 4 years. Controlling for social desirability, age, SES, and gender, gratitude growth predicted decreases in antisocial behavior over 4 years, and life satisfaction growth marginally mediated this relation. Further, gratitude growth predicted increases in prosocial behavior over 4 years, but life satisfaction did not mediate this relation. Reverse models were also examined. Antisocial behavior growth predicted gratitude change, which was mediated by life satisfaction growth. Prosocial behavior growth predicted gratitude change, but was not mediated by life satisfaction growth. Finally, gratitude growth predicted family support, trust, and intentional self-regulation at the 4 year timepoint, and it predicted empathy with marginal significance. Implications for theory and educational applications are discussed.     

The relationship between purpose and sources of meaning: A mixed methods study

This study examined the relationship between meaning and sources of meaning among a sample of South African university students (N = 139; female = 44 0.6%; mean age = 19.76, SD = 1.82). The students completed the Purpose in Life (PIL), the Sources of Meaning Profile-Revised (SOMP-R) measures, and naïve sketches. Results from the data analysis using correlational and regression analyses indicate the students’ purpose of life scores are accounted for by sources of meaning related to self-transcendence, collectivism, and individualism. The findings from the qualitative analysis highlights the importance of an individualist and collectivist focus during academic studies as a source of meaning. Students who report a more extensive network of meaningful sources are also more likely to indicate higher scores on purpose in life.     

Testing a multidimensional model of putative evolved human motives

The Assessment of Individual Motives-Questionnaire (AIM-Q) was designed to assess 15 latent dimensions based on a relatively new evolutionary theory of human motivation. The present studies are the first to examine these dimensions using confirmatory factor analysis in an attempt to test the model proposed by the theory. Study 1 (N = 1,411) explored ways of producing a short version tapping the 15 dimensions. Fit indices suggested that a model consisting of 60 items tapping 15 weak to moderately correlated dimensions best described the data. Four alternative models that tested a completely orthogonal structure and a unidimensional structure were found to poorly represent the data. Study 2 (N = 490) successfully cross-validated the 60-item 15 dimension version using a different sample. These results support the multidimensional motivational theory on which the AIM-Q is based as well as the shorter version used to assess its dimensions.     

Relationship of Illness Severity with Health and Life Satisfaction in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease: The Mediating Role of Self-efficacy Beliefs and Illness Perceptions

Guidelines for cardiovascular rehabilitation from different countries underline the importance of psychological factors in the achievement of improved clinical conditions and quality of life in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Nevertheless, little research has been performed to identify the specific factors that greatly affect or foster patients’ quality of life. The aim of the current study was to investigate the contribution of illness perceptions (IP) and self-efficacy beliefs (SE) on the impact exerted by illness severity on health and life satisfaction in patients with CVD undergoing a rehabilitation program. The study had a cross-sectional design and involved 116 patients (mean age = 65.6 years; SD = 10.0 years; 79.3 % men). Illness severity was measured in terms of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at the discharge from the cardiology department, whereas psychological factors were assessed one week later. The results showed no relationships among LVEF and the two indicators of health and life satisfaction; moreover, these two variables are differently influenced by IP and cardiac risk factors SE (χ²(1) = 0.96, p = n.s.). Findings provide important suggestions for the implementation of interventions aimed at bettering patients’ quality of life, underlying the importance of working on IP and SE to improve levels of health and life satisfaction in patients with CVD.     

Quality of Life of HIV-Infected People Across Different Stages of Infection

Quality of life is an important component in the evaluation of the well-being of HIV-infected patients. In the present study, an attempt has been made to compare HIV-infected patients across the three stages namely, asymptomatic, symptomatic, and AIDS-related conditions. This is a cross-sectional study. For this study, a total number of 90 subjects, 30 each in asymptomatic, symptomatic, and AIDS-related conditions, were taken. The study population consisted of HIV positive individual already enrolled in Voluntary Counseling and Testing Center, Institute of Medical Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. The WHOQOL-HIV BREF was used to assess quality of life across the group of patients. One-way analysis of variance was performed to find out significant difference between the clinical categories. On average AIDS patients experienced significantly poorer quality of life in all the six domains, namely physical (M = 7.87, SD = 1.83), psychological (M = 8.50, SD = 1.54), level of independence (M = 8.57, SD = 1.59), social relation (M = 9.17, SD = 2.59), environment (M = 8.78, SD = 1.50), and spirituality/religion/personal belief (M = 6.93, SD = 1.26) to symptomatic and asymptomatic HIV-infected people (p = .000). Result suggested that there is an inverse relationship between quality of life and different stages of HIV infection.     

Associations Between Adolescents’ Family Stressors and Life Satisfaction

Extant literature suggests that family stressors co-occur with elevated adolescent psychopathology. Few studies have examined the relationship between family stressors and life satisfaction, a positive indicator of mental health. The current study explored the relationships between specific family stressors (i.e., low socioeconomic status, disrupted family structure, cumulative major life events, and perceived interparental conflict) and adolescents’ life satisfaction in a sample of 181 middle school students. Participants completed psychometrically sound self-report measures of the aforementioned constructs. Results from a simultaneous regression analysis indicated that the four forms of family stress accounted for 37 % of the variance in life satisfaction; experiencing major life events (β = ?0.31, p < .05) and perceiving interparental conflict (β = ?0.41, p < .05) emerged as unique predictors of life satisfaction. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.     

Rational Beliefs as Cognitive Protective Factors Against Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

The current study investigated the predictions of rational emotive behaviour therapy’s (REBT) model of psychological health that rational beliefs would act as cognitive protective factors against posttraumatic stress responses. The study aimed to contribute original data regarding the role of functional cognitions in the prevention of posttraumatic stress symptomology. A model consistent with REBT’s theory of psychological health was investigated through the use of structural equation modelling among a sample of 309 international emergency service personnel who had all been exposed to a significant life trauma. Results indicated that the REBT model of posttraumatic stress responses was found to be an acceptable fit of the data (χ² = 199.99, df = 94, p < .001; RMSEA = .06 (CI 90 % = .05/.08); SRMR = .05; CFI = .93; TLI = .91) and explained 76 % of variance in posttraumatic stress symptoms. Self-acceptance beliefs and high frustration tolerance beliefs negatively predicted posttraumatic stress responses; non-catastrophizing beliefs positively predicted posttraumatic stress responses; and indirect effects were observed between preference beliefs and posttraumatic stress responses via self-acceptance and high frustration tolerance beliefs. Results suggest that rational beliefs are negatively associated with posttraumatic stress responses and support the REBT model of psychological health. Current results contribute important information regarding the role of functional cognitions in the alleviation of posttraumatic stress symptoms.     

Living With Genetic Vulnerability: a Life Course Perspective

This is the second article of a two part series about utilizing the life course perspective (LCP) in genetic counseling. Secondary data analysis was conducted on a grounded theory, longitudinal study which provided a wide focus on living with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) risk. The aim of this analysis was to explore the longitudinal data for both the temporal and social context of living with BRCA mutation genetic test results. Sixteen women from two previous studies were interviewed on multiple occasions over an 8 year time period. The LCP was used to direct a thematic analysis of the data. Families experience the consequences of knowing they carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation long after the initial diagnosis. These women’s experiences across time reflect the concepts of the LCP and show how life is changed when families know they live with a genetic vulnerability to an adult-onset and potentially life-threatening disease. Different emphases on concepts from the LCP were evident across the different age groups. For example, the group of 40–50 year old women emphasized the concept of linked lives, those in their 30’s focused on human agency and women in their 20’s were more focused on timing of events. This study helps give direction to healthcare providers counseling women living with a BRCA mutation.     

Bidimensional Emotional Health in College Students: a Comparison of Categorical and Continuous Analytic Approaches

This study reports on an investigation of the concurrent validity of the bidimensional model of emotional health, using two analytic approaches—one categorical and the other continuous—with two subsamples of college students. Results from the categorical approach, using analyses of variance with the first subsample (n = 461), indicated that, compared to isolated emotional wellbeing and distress models, the bidimensional model of emotional health had incremental validity in relation to social connectedness, life satisfaction, physical health, and academic achievement outcomes. Findings from the continuous approach, using latent-variables path analyses with the second subsample (n = 490), indicated that the isolated emotional wellbeing model was a better predictor of the aforementioned quality-of-life outcomes than were the bidimensional and isolated distress models. Taken together, findings from both sets of analyses suggest that emotional wellbeing is a distinguishing predictor of college student outcomes. Implications for the theory and practice of mental health work at the college level are discussed.     

Cultural Adaptation of New Affective Well-Being Measure in Hindi-Speaking Youth: Scale of Positive and Negative Experience

This study is an attempt to culturally adapt the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE, Diener et al. in Soc Indic Res 97(2):143–156, 2010) in the Indian context. The study was conducted on youth in the age range of 15–24 years (N = 966), and reliability and factorial validity of translated version (in Hindi) of SPANE were calculated. Convergent validity of translated scale was also examined with different measures of well-being (life satisfaction, psychological distress, and happiness) and positive expectations scales (optimism and self-efficacy). Results supported the original two-factor structure of SPANE, and the scale also demonstrated adequate internal consistency. Further analyses revealed structural invariance for scale items across gender, different age groups (adolescents and young adults), different residential areas (urban and rural), and different socioeconomic levels. Results also provided a support for the convergent validity of the Hindi version.     

What Mediates Links Between Age and Well-being? A Test of Social Support and Interpersonal Conflict as Potential Interpersonal Pathways

We examined potential nonlinear links between age and subjective well-being, and the interpersonal processes (i.e., support, conflict) responsible for such links. One hundred forty-four men and women between the ages of 30–70 completed measures of satisfaction with life, social support (interpersonal support evaluation list), and social negativity (test of negative social exchanges). Nonlinear regression analyses revealed a significant quadratic trend between age and satisfaction with life (SWL, p = .01) where age was associated with lower SWL in the young to middle-aged sample, but higher SWL in the middle-age to older adult sample. Analyses further revealed that interpersonal tensions statistically mediated the nonlinear links between age and SWL. These data suggest that negative interpersonal exchanges may be important contributors to well-being at midlife.     

Increasing Middle School Students’ Life Satisfaction: Efficacy of a Positive Psychology Group Intervention

This study identified middle school students who were less than delighted with their lives (reported life satisfaction scores between 1 and 6 on a 7-point scale), and attempted to improve these students’ mental health via a 10-week group wellness-promotion intervention developed from prior applications of positive psychology research. Complete data at baseline, post-intervention, and 6-month follow-up was gathered from 55 sixth grade students who were randomly assigned to the intervention condition (n = 28) or wait-list control (n = 27). Repeated measures analyses of a propensity score matched sample of 40 participants indicated a significant group by time interaction for global life satisfaction from baseline to post-intervention. Specifically, life satisfaction of students in the intervention group increased significantly, while the control group declined during the same period (although this change was not statistically significant). The intervention group’s gains were maintained at follow-up, but were matched by similar gains for students in the control group. No effects of intervention group were identified in the indicators of affect or psychopathology. The improvements in life satisfaction evidenced by students in the intervention group during the first semester of middle school are important given the adjustment difficulties that often appear during this sensitive developmental period marked by biological and educational changes.     

Factors related to life satisfaction among urban African American adults receiving care at a publicly-funded sexual health clinic

Life satisfaction is linked to premature morbidity and mortality and it may be compromised for individuals living in economically-disadvantaged, urban neighborhoods. The present study explores how behavioral and social-environmental health factors are associated with life satisfaction among a sample of African American young adults. Participants (N = 307, M_age = 26.6 years, 53% male) were recruited from a publicly-funded clinic for a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Data from the baseline assessment of the RCT, which included measures of sleep, depression, anxiety, social support, alcohol and drug use problems, city stress, and life satisfaction, were used for the current study. Correlation analyses assessed bivariate associations between life satisfaction and the demographic and health-related factors. Linear regression using backward elimination determined the best fitting model of factors associated with life satisfaction. Backward elimination resulted in the following variables remaining as significantly associated with life satisfaction: age (b = ?2.40, p = .017), anxiety (b = ?5.32, p < .001), and social support (b = 2.89, p = .004). Feeling rested upon waking also remained in the best fitting model, although this association did not achieve statistical significance (p = .099). The results suggest that African American adults who are younger, less anxious, and report adequate social support are more likely to report satisfaction with life. These findings add to the literature aimed at examining health and social factors impacting the well-being of African Americans living in low-income, urban communities.