Higher Order Structure of Personality and Mental Health: Does General Affectivity Matter?

The higher order personality model, namely the Big Two, was tested in 2 studies (Ns = 878 and 467, respectively) by controlling for the effects of both general affectivity and common method variance. Study 2 also examined the associations of the metatraits with different mental health indicators through regression analyses. The results consistently provided support for the validity of the Big Two model in the latent space, with and without the effects of general affectivity and the common method variance. Moreover, in both studies, the high correlation between stability and plasticity decreased when these 2 method effects were controlled statistically. The regression analyses also showed that the associations of plasticity and stability with the indicators of both subjective and psychological well-being, as well as psychopathology, were consistent with the theoretical arguments behind the Big Two.     

Associations Between Maternal Mental Health and Child Emotional and Behavioral Problems: Does Prenatal Mental Health Matter?

This study examined associations between elevated symptoms of prenatal depression or anxiety and offspring emotional and behavioral problems during mid to late childhood taking into account the impact of later maternal mental health symptoms. The sample consisted of 2,891 women and their children (49 % male) from a prospective, community-based study, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Women completed measures of depressive (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) and anxious (Crown Crisp Experiential Index) symptoms at regular intervals beginning in pregnancy. Mothers and teachers assessed offspring emotional and behavioral problems using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire when children were 10–11 years old. Multivariable regression models were fit to address study hypotheses. Exposure to elevated symptoms of maternal depression during pregnancy was associated with increased total offspring emotional and behavioral problems, even after controlling for later maternal mental health problems and a range of sociodemographic and psychosocial characteristics, according to mothers’ but not teachers’ reports. Similarly, children exposed to elevated symptoms of maternal anxiety during pregnancy were reported to have increased total emotional and behavioral problems by mothers but not by teachers. We found support for modest associations between elevated symptoms of maternal depression and anxiety during the prenatal period and certain domains of offspring emotional and behavioral problems in mid to late childhood above and beyond the impact of later maternal mental health problems. These findings highlight the need for additional clinical and research attention to the prenatal period and to both maternal depression and anxiety.     

The Influence of Close Ties on Depression: Does Network Religiosity Matter?

Despite a growing body of the literature on how features of social networks influence well-being, we know little of how the religiosity of social networks matter. This study addresses three types of religious social network ties and their association with mental health: same (non)-religious ties, religious discussion ties, and ties offering prayers on an individual's behalf. Using ego-centric network data from the 2006 Portraits of American Life Study (N = 2,223), multivariate regression results suggest that a greater number of ties that discuss religion and pray for the respondent are detrimental to the mental health of those of a low religious salience. Taken together, this study demonstrates that religious dimensions of social networks exact an important influence on mental health and highlights the importance of identifying specific features of religion among core network ties.     

Why Does Disaster Recovery Work Influence Mental Health?: Pathways through Physical Health and Household Income

Disaster recovery work increases risk for mental health problems, yet the mechanisms underlying this association are unclear. We explored links from recovery work to post‐traumatic stress (PTS), major depression (MD), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms through physical health symptoms and household income in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. As part of the NIEHS GuLF STUDY, participants (N = 10,141) reported on cleanup work activities, spill‐related physical health symptoms, and household income at baseline, and mental health symptoms an average of 14.69 weeks (SD = 16.79) thereafter. Cleanup work participation was associated with higher physical health symptoms, which in turn were associated with higher PTS, MD, and GAD symptoms. Similar pattern of results were found in models including workers only and investigating the influence of longer work duration and higher work‐related oil exposure on mental health symptoms. In addition, longer worker duration and higher work‐related oil exposure were associated with higher household income, which in turn was associated with lower MD and GAD symptoms. These findings suggest that physical health symptoms contribute to workers’ risk for mental health symptoms, while higher household income, potentially from more extensive work, might mitigate risk.     

Examining the Outcomes of Having a Calling: Does Context Matter?

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the cognitive, affective, and behavioral outcomes of calling. Further, the study examined the conditions under which individuals with a calling thrive, specifically focusing on the moderating role of work discretion and participative decision making.

Design/Methodology/Approach

Data were collected using surveys from 298 teachers and aides working in 68 child care centers.

Implications

The study results demonstrate that having a strong work calling is beneficial for both individuals and organizations. Results show that individuals who have a strong work calling are more committed to their organizations, have less emotional exhaustion and exhibit higher levels of contextual performance. Thus, in order to reap positive outcomes from their work individuals should engage in work that enables them to pursue their calling. Also, organizations will have increased work outcomes by hiring individuals who have a strong work calling. Further, organizations will benefit greatly by creating conditions that enable individuals to pursue their calling. Findings indicate that individuals with a high calling thrive in organizations that have more participative decision-making practices and which offer high work discretion.

Originality/Value

The study significantly contributes to the scant literature on calling by examining the affective, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes of calling. The study also responds to calls for research on the conditions under which calling leads to positive individual and work outcomes and identifies the conditions under which workers with a strong calling thrive.

     

How Does Confucianism Influence Health Behaviors,Health Outcomes and Medical Decisions? A Scoping Review

Journal of Religion and Health - The aim of this study is to analyze the influence of Confucianism on health behaviors, health outcomes and medical decisions. The research was conducted using the...     

Mental Health,Occupational Trust,and Quality of Working Life: Does Belief in a Just World Matter?

We investigated the hypotheses that personal belief in a just world (BJW) would enhance evaluations of working life (e.g., job satisfaction, organizational commitment), increase occupational trust (e.g., entrepreneurial self-efficacy, occupational self-efficacy), and boost mental health (e.g., life satisfaction, self-esteem). To test these hypotheses, we conducted 3 studies with employees and unemployed individuals in different career situations (total N  = 593). Regression analyses revealed positive relationships between BJW and mental health, as well as occupational trust in all participant groups. These relationships persisted when controlling for objective success criteria and global personality traits. In addition, BJW was found to be associated with subjective quality of working life in employed individuals. We concluded that justice motive matters in the working context.     

Does Religion Buffer the Effects of Discrimination on Mental Health? Differing Effects by Race

Much research has shown that experiences of discrimination are negatively related to mental health. In this study, a national probability survey of whites and African Americans at midlife is used to examine whether attendance at religious services and religious comfort seeking protect people from the effects of discrimination on mental health, and if the protective power of religion varies by race. Results show that reports of discrimination are related to greater negative affect and less positive affect, but only attendance at religious services moderates this relationship, and then only for African Americans' negative affect. The historical involvement of African-American religious bodies in combating discrimination may help to explain the specificity of these moderating effects.     

Bulimia: New Mental Health Problem on the Campus?

Thomas Hohenshil and Rodney K. Goodyear : Special Assignment Editors Regina C. Casper, Elke D. Eckert, Katherine A. Halmi, Solomon C. Goldberg, and John M. Davis, Bulimia: Its Incidence and Clinical Importance in Patients with Anorexia Nervosa. Archives of General Psychiatry, 1980, 37, 1030–1035. Paul E. Garfinkel, Harvey Moldofsky, and David M. Garner, The Heterogeneity of Anorexia Nervosa: Bulimia as a Distinct Subgroup. Archives of General Psychiatry, 1980, 37, 1036–1040.     

Beneficence: Does Agglomeration Matter?

When it comes to the duty of beneficence, a formidable class of moderate positions holds that morally significant considerations emerge when one's actions are seen as part of a larger series. Agglomeration, according to these moderates, limits the demands of beneficence, thereby avoiding the extremely demanding view forcefully defended by Peter Singer. This idea has much appeal. What morality can demand of people is, it seems, appropriately modulated by how much they have already done or will do. Here we examine a number of recent proposals that appeal to agglomeration. None of them, we argue, succeeds.     

Influence of Peers’ Types of Trust on Trust Repair: The Role of Apologies

This study aims to answer the question how previous trust experiences contextualize trust repair efforts. The concepts of calculus-based and relational trust are utilized to show the influence of the kind of trust on trust repair tactics, specifically apologies. We focus on a neglected referent of trust, that is trust between peers, and elucidate apology and its complements that might be effective between peers. We propose that the effectiveness of apologies and its specific complements depend not only on trust breach but also on the type of trust prior to a breach. Specifically, we claim that when apology is complemented with compensation or external attributions, these tactics repair trust more effectively in calculus-based trust. But, when apology is complemented with empathy, acknowledgment of violated norms, and extensive involvement, these tactics can effectively repair trust in relational trust. The paper aims to contribute to our understanding of apologies and the effectiveness of it under different conditions.     

Evaluations of Employment Suitability: Does Accent Always Matter?

This “matched‐guise” study provides data regarding attitudes toward (Mandarin) Chinese speakers by eliciting non‐Asian Americans' reactions to Chinese speaker using 2 varieties of English (standard American and Mandarin Chinese‐accented) and introduced in the context of an employment interview with either an Anglo‐American or ethnic Chinese name. Results indicate that speakers in all conditions were rated equally suitable for 3 types of employment. Despite the fact that language attitudes research has consistently demonstrated that individuals with nonstandard accents are judged to be less suitable for high‐status jobs and more suitable for low‐status jobs, the present results contradict this generalization.     

Does Availability of Mental Health Resources Prevent Recurrent Suicidal Behavior? An Ecological Analysis

This study examines whether availability of mental health resources in the county of residence is associated with subsequent suicidal behavior after a previous suicide attempt. Among 10,922 individuals who attempted suicide in Colorado between 1998 and 2002, residence in a county that offered a minimum safety-net of mental health services significantly reduced the risk of suicidal behavior for at least 1 year after the index attempt. Safety-net services included mental health treatment, crisis treatment, and case management. These results suggest one strategy for prevention of suicidal behavior that could inform state-level health policy development and resource allocation.     

The Effect of Neighborhood Recorded Crime on Fear: Does Neighborhood Social Context Matter?

A number of individual and neighborhood‐level factors may influence the relationship between recorded crime in one’s neighborhood and fear of crime. Understanding these factors may assist in reducing fear, which has been associated with poorer physical and mental health. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the effect of recorded crime rates on fear differs based on the neighborhood social context (social fragmentation) using hierarchical regression modelling, with separate analyses by crime type. Recorded crimes (2008–2010) and national (New Zealand) survey data were used. Higher crime in a neighborhood was associated with higher fear of crime, with only small effect size differences in feelings of fear by recorded type of crime. However, when stratified, the associations between violent and drug/alcohol crimes and fear of crime were larger for those living in highly fragmented neighborhoods compared with less fragmented neighborhoods. Efforts to alleviate fear of crime should focus on the broader neighborhood social context in which these feelings are espoused.     

Designing Organizations: Does Expertise Matter?

From an organizational cognition standpoint, we approach organizational design as an ongoing creative sensemaking process. This study examined the role of expertise in the cognitive problem-solving patterns underlying design processes and the resulting organizational forms. The simulated problem elicited the mental models applied by naives, novices, and experts in designing an organization. The thinking-aloud protocol analysis revealed quantitative and qualitative expert/nonexpert differences in problem-solving strategies, the time spent on problem representation, and the justifications and difficulties expressed in the course of the design process. In addition, our results showed that naives created organizations consistent with mechanistic structures, while novices and experts created organizations consistent with organic structures. We discuss the implications of these findings for the understanding of the cognitive basis of organizational design and the development of effective training programs.     

A Cross-cultural Perspective on Judgments of Woman-to-woman Sexual Harassment: Does Sexual Orientation Matter?

We investigated perceptions between Brazilian and U.S. college students regarding a hypothetical case involving woman-to-woman sexual harassment in which the sexual orientation of both the target and the alleged harasser was experimentally manipulated. Thus, there were four different scenarios, which were randomly given to 952 college students (89% of whom reported to be White). We found that the scenario that depicted heterosexual woman-to-heterosexual woman sexual harassment was rated as the least likely to be sexual harassment, to need an investigation, and to be punishable than the other scenarios. Generally, Brazilians viewed the case as more likely to be sexual harassment and to need an investigation than did U.S. respondents. In the U.S., women perceived the case as more likely to be sexual harassment, to need an investigation, and to be punishable than men did; however, no such gender differences were found in Brazil. Lastly, hostile sexism and perceptions of woman-to-woman sexual harassment predicted respondents rating the case as sexual harassment and in need of an investigation.     

Are All Types of Cooperation Equal? Impact of Academic Controversy Versus Concurrence-Seeking on Health Education

Cooperative learning is commonly used to promote prosocial outcomes. It is often assumed that all types of cooperative learning are equal. One way in which cooperative learning procedures differ is in the role of conflict. This study compares the relative impact of two types of cooperative learning (concurrence-seeking which emphasizes harmony among students and academic controversy which emphasizes intellectual conflict among students) on outcomes of a health education program focusing on tobacco use, alcohol use, and AIDS. Participants were 37 students from grades 9–12 in a career-education track in a suburban mid-western high school. The students were classified as being low performing academically and at risk for destructive health habits. Students in the controversy condition, compared with those in the concurrence-seeking condition, significantly improved in knowledge about AIDS, developed healthier attitudes related towards safe sex and cigarettes, developed higher academic self-esteem, generated greater social influence, and improved in constructive conflict skills.     

Institutional Values of Managed Mental Health Care: Efficiency or Oppression?

The authors suggest that many managed mental health care (MMHC) practices have oppressive effects on members of cultural and ethnic minority groups. They examine the dissonance between institutional practices and cultural traditions that reflect insensitivity and forced conformity, particularly regarding time, pace, and intervention uniformity as applied to clients and commonly required in the MMHC industry. Los autores sugieren que muchas prácticas del cuidado administrado de la salud mental (MMHC, por sus siglas en inglés) tienen efectos opresivos sobre los miembros de grupos de minorías étnicas y culturales. Examinan también la disonancia entre prácticas institucionales y tradiciones culturales que reflejan insensibilidad y una conformidad forzada, sobre todo en lo referente a tiempo, ritmo y uniformidad de intervención tal y como se aplica a clientes y normalmente requeridos por la industria de MMHC.