Depressive Symptomatology among HIV-Positive Women in the Era of HAART: A Stress and Coping Model

Objective: An enhanced stress and coping model was used to explain depression among HIV-positive women in healthcare and community settings where highly active anti-retroviral treatment (HAART) was commonplace. Method: HIV-infected women in four cities (N=978) were assessed, cross-sectionally, for mental and physical health, stress, social support, and other background factors. Results: Self-reported level of depressive symptomatology was high. Number of physical symptoms, illness intrusiveness, and perceived stress were positively associated with depressed mood, while coping self-efficacy and social support were negatively associated. Stress mediated the effect of health status on depression and coping self-efficacy mediated the effect of psychosocial resources on depression. Our enhanced stress and coping model accounted for 52% of variance in depressive symtpomatology. Conclusions: Interventions focused on improving coping self-efficacy, bolstering social supports, and decreasing stress in the lives of HIV-positive women may help to reduce the negative effects of HIV disease on mood.     

Coping Self-Efficacy as Mediator in the Dynamics of Psychological Well-Being in Various Contexts

The aim of this study was to explore whether coping self-efficacy mediates between various distress related variables on the one hand (symptoms of stress and depression), and the degree of psycho-social well-being as measured on the upper end of the mental health continuum on the other hand. Participants were two multi-cultural student groups (n₁ = 568; n₂=1480) as well as two community samples of Setswana speaking adults (n₃=477; n₄=1275). Students completed the English versions of measures, and the community samples of adults the Setswana versions. Mediation was evaluated through the testing of structural equation models. Coping self-efficacy mediated significantly between distress and wellbeing, although stressors also influenced the level of psychosocial well-being directly.     

Psychosocial resources,support, and career satisfaction among professional women: A South African study

The study examined the role psychosocial resources play in enhancing perceptions of support and career satisfaction among professional women. The participants were a purposive sample of 606 professional women from South Africa (white = 61.8%, black = 19.9%, Indian = 11.1%, and coloured = 6.6%; mean age = 35.41 years, SD = 8.39 years). The participants were in their early adulthood and establishment career stage. The participants were employed in the financial, engineering, and human resource fields. The participants completed measures of emotional intelligence, career adaptability, psychosocial career preoccupations, self-efficacy, perceived organisational support, social support, and career satisfaction. Following canonical correlation analysis, results revealed managing own emotions, career control, self-efficacy, preoccupations with career adaptation, and preoccupations with establishment to positively predict higher levels of organisational support and career satisfaction. Findings underpin the fact that psychosocial resources are assets for the career well-being of professional women from a developing country setting.     

大学生应对自我效能和学习倦怠的关系：基于主观幸福感的中介效应

采用应对自我效能量表、幸福感指数量表和大学生学习倦怠量表对6所高校的713名大学生进行调查,探讨大学生应对自我效能、主观幸福感和学习倦怠三者之间的关系。结果表明：大学生应对自我效能对其主观幸福感具有显著的正向影响作用,大学生主观幸福感对其学习倦怠具有显著的负向影响作用;大学生主观幸福感在应对自我效能和学习倦怠之间起完全中介作用。研究结果进一步揭示了大学生应对自我效能和对其学习倦怠的影响机制。     

When Meaning Matters: Coping Mediates the Relationship of Religiosity and Illness Appraisal with Well-Being in Older Cancer Patients

When individuals face serious, traumatic illnesses such as cancer, religion can contribute to their coping processes and psychosocial adjustment. In the current study, we examined the relationship between religiosity conceptualized as the religious meaning system, illness appraisal, and psychological well-being with religious and nonreligious coping as potential mediators of this relationship among older cancer patients. In a cross-sectional design, 215 older Polish patients (60–83 years of age; 80% Catholic, 9% Protestant) with gastrointestinal cancer completed measures of religiosity, illness appraisal, religious coping, nonreligious coping, and psychological well-being. Using structural equation modeling analysis, we found support for our model depicting a mediated relationship between religiosity, illness appraisal, and psychological well-being. Three forms of coping—negative religious, problem focused, and meaning focused—were key mechanisms in the relationship between the religious meaning system, positive and negative illness appraisal, and psychological well-being. These findings suggest that both religious factors (religiosity and religious coping) and nonreligious factors (illness appraisal and nonreligious coping) can operate together in influencing older cancer patients’ well-being.     

朋友支持与大学生幸福感：自我效能感的中介与社会比较倾向的调节

为探讨朋友支持与幸福感的关系,并重点关注自我效能感和社会比较倾向在其中所起的作用,该研究采用总体幸福感量表、一般自我效能感量表、社会比较观念量表和朋友支持评价量表对776位大学生进行施测。结果表明：（1）朋友支持正向预测大学生幸福感;自我效能感在两者间起中介作用;（2）社会比较倾向调节了社会支持→自我效能感→幸福感的后半段,即相对于高社会比较倾向的大学生而言,自我效能感对低社会比较倾向大学生的幸福感促进作用更强。该结果揭示了朋友支持影响大学生幸福感的内在机制：朋友支持和大学生幸福感之间是有调节的中介关系,朋友支持通过自我效能感影响幸福感,社会支持对间接效应起调节作用。     

文化疏离感对汉区高校少数民族大学生幸福感的影响:应对方式的中介作用和文化智力的调节作用

采用文化疏离感量表、应对方式问卷、文化智力量表和幸福感问卷对670名汉区高校少数民族大学生进行调查,分析了文化疏离感、应对方式、文化智力和汉区高校少数民族大学生幸福感之间关系。结果显示:(1)应对方式部分中介了文化疏离感与汉区高校少数民族大学生幸福感间的关系;(2)文化智力调节了文化疏离感通过应对方式影响汉区高校少数民族大学生幸福感这一中介过程的前半路径和直接路径。     

情绪调节自我效能感:一个新的研究主题

情绪调节自我效能感是个体对能否有效调节自身情绪状态的一种自信程度,它会直接或间接影响各种社会心理功能。目前,已经就情绪调节自我效能感与主观幸福感、抑郁、压力应对等方面开展了相应的实证研究,结果表明情绪调节自我效能感与心理健康关系密切。此外,有研究表明,在不同文化中,情绪调节自我效能感在结构上略有差异,在功能上相似。情绪调节自我效能感作为一个新的研究领域具有广阔的前景。     

Coping with HIV Related Stigma and Well-Being

The goal of this study was to analyze the relationships to be found among stigma perception, active and avoidant coping strategies, and subjective and psychological well-being in a sample of 133 people with HIV. The results showed that stigma perception and avoidant coping strategies (venting, self-blame, denial, behavioural disengagement and substance use) were positively associated, whereas, both stigma perception and avoidant coping were negatively associated with different measures of well-being (affect balance, self-acceptance and environmental mastery). These negative relationships between stigma perception and the three well-being measures were mediated by the use of avoidant coping strategies. Results suggest that psychosocial intervention programs for people who report psychological distress arising from prejudice must be aimed at developing appropriate ways to deal with this prejudice. Intervention programs should also include strategies to directly increase well-being since from a positive psychology viewpoint certain interventions have been shown to do so, and HIV research has also shown that well-being is associated with lower mortality rates.     

Job demands and psychological well-being: Moderating role of occupational self-efficacy and job social support among mid-career academics

The study investigated the moderating role of occupational self-efficacy and job social support on the relationship between job demands and psychological well-being among mid-career academics. Participants were 203 academics at three public Nigerian universities (female = 37.93%; mean years of service = 8.58 years, SD = 2.20). The academics completed measures of job demands, occupational self-efficacy, job social support, and psychological well-being. Moderated regression analysis of the data suggested only occupational self-efficacy to moderate the relationship between work demands and psychological well-being. Findings underpin the buffering effects of work self-efficacy in employee psychological well-being with high job demands.     

Examining a psychosocial interactive model of binge eating and vomiting in women with bulimia nervosa and subthreshold bulimia nervosa

The current study tested a psychosocial interactive model of perfectionism, self-efficacy, and weight/shape concern within a sample of women with clinically significant bulimic symptoms, examining how different dimensions of perfectionism operated in the model. Individuals with bulimia nervosa (full diagnostic criteria or subthreshold) completed measures of bulimic symptoms, multidimensional perfectionism, self-efficacy, and weight/shape concern. Among those who were actively binge eating (n=180), weight/shape concern was associated with binge eating frequency in the context of high perfectionism (either maladaptive or adaptive) and low self-efficacy. Among those who were actively vomiting (n=169), weight/shape concern was associated with vomiting frequency only in the context of high adaptive perfectionism and low self-efficacy. These findings provide support for the value of this psychosocial interactive model among actively binge eating and purging samples and for the importance of considering different dimensions of perfectionism in research and treatment related to bulimia nervosa.     

The general self-efficacy scale: multicultural validation studies

General self-efficacy is the belief in one's competence to cope with a broad range of stressful or challenging demands, whereas specific self-efficacy is constrained to a particular task at hand. Relations between general self-efficacy and social cognitive variables (intention, implementation intentions, outcome expectancies, and self-regulation), behavior-specific self-efficacy, health behaviors, well-being, and coping strategies were examined among 1,933 respondents in 3 countries: Germany (n = 633), Poland (n = 359), and South Korea (n = 941). Participants were between 16 and 86 years old, and some were dealing with stressful situations such as recovery from myocardial events or tumor surgery. Perceived self-efficacy was measured by means of the General Self-Efficacy Scale (R. Schwarzer & M. Jerusalem, 1995). Meta-analysis was used to determine population effect sizes for four sets of variables. Across countries and samples, there is consistent evidence for associations between perceived self-efficacy and the variables under study confirming the validity of the psychometric scale. General self-efficacy appears to be a universal construct that yields meaningful relations with other psychological constructs.     

Do Youth Development Programs Matter? An Examination of Transitions and Well-Being Among Military Youth

The current correlational study examines the association between internal and external military family contextual factors (e.g., parental rank, having multiple military parents, school changes, living more than 30 min from a military installation, parental deployment, relationship provisions) and military youth well-being outcomes (i.e., depressive symptoms, anxiety, self-efficacy) in a sample of children of active duty military members (i.e., military youth). Data from 749 military youth, ages 11–14, were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The model explained a reasonable amount of the variation in the outcomes of interest (r-square statistics for depressive symptoms, anxiety, and self-efficacy were .151, .018, and .086, respectively). Results indicated that military youth who reported more social provisions experienced fewer depressive symptoms and more self-efficacy. Youth who reported certain military risk factors (i.e., parental rank; living farther from the military installation; multiple school changes) were associated with decreased well-being (i.e., more depressive symptoms and anxiety and less self-efficacy). However, findings suggest that participation in military programs may serve a moderating or buffering factor for these youth.     

Illness perceptions and coping explain well-being in patients with Huntington's disease

This study sought to investigate the contribution of illness perceptions and coping mechanisms to the explanation of well-being of patients with Huntington's disease (HD). We investigated the Leventhal et al. assumption of the Self-regulation Model that coping mediates the relationship between illness perceptions and patients’ well-being. Illness perceptions, coping, and well-being in 77 HD patients were assessed with validated questionnaires; motor performance and cognitive performance were assessed with Huntington's disease-specific measures. The assumption that illness perceptions influence HD patients’ well-being via coping was not supported. The results indicate that both coping and illness perceptions made a major contribution to the explanation of variance in HD patients’ psychosocial well-being. Variance in their physical well-being was explained by illness perceptions mainly. The need to conduct further research on the interrelationships between illness perceptions, coping, and well-being in this patient category is discussed.     

Racial and body image differences in coping for women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Although more White women develop breast cancer, African American women more frequently die of the disease (American Cancer Society, 2003). Despite higher morbidity among African American women, few studies have included racially diverse samples. The purposes of this study were to explore racial and body image differences in coping and self-efficacy in coping and racial differences in body image perceptions among breast cancer patients. The 92 participants ranged in age from 28 to 86 years (M=57.64, SD=12.48). Participants with higher body image perceptions had significantly higher self-efficacy in coping compared with participants with lower body image perceptions. There were no significant racial or ethnic differences in coping, self-efficacy in coping, or body image perceptions.     

Teaching coping skills enhances quality of life more than peer support: results of a randomized trial with multiple sclerosis patients.

This 2-year randomized trial of multiple sclerosis patients compared a coping skills group (n = 64) with peer telephone support (n = 68). Growth curve analyses that adjusted for neurological deterioration and gender revealed that the coping skills intervention yielded gains in psychosocial role performance, coping behavior, and numerous aspects of well-being. In contrast, the peer support intervention increased external health locus of control but did not influence psychosocial role performance or well-being. Subgroup analyses revealed that patients with affective problems were more likely to benefit from the peer support intervention than the coping skills group in terms of reported depression, anxiety, use of avoidant coping, and some aspects of well-being. The coping group is discussed as a vehicle for facilitating response shift, helping patients to change their internal referents, their conceptualization of quality of life, and their priorities.     

The Prevalence of Coping Behaviour,Posttraumatic Growth and Psychological Well-Being in Women who Experienced Childhood Sexual Abuse

This study investigated the prevalence of coping behaviour, posttraumatic growth and psychological well-being in adult South African women (n=60, mean age=32, ethnicity=70% European, 28% African and 2% Asian descent). Specifically, the study considered the prevalence of constructive coping, posttraumatic growth and psychological well-being with a history of childhood sexual abuse. All participants self-reported being sexually abused before the age of 18 years. They completed measures of coping, posttraumatic growth, and psychological well-being, in a cross-sectional survey design. Results showed moderate to high correlations among scales indicating conceptual coherence as indicators of constructive coping, posttraumatic growth and psychological wellness. About 58% of participants manifested constructive coping, 60% manifested posttraumatic growth, and 42% manifested psychological well-being. These women survivors of childhood sexual abuse had higher levels of posttraumatic growth than reported in previous studies.     

Caring for the Caregivers: An Investigation of Factors Related to Well-Being Among Parents Caring for a Child with Smith-Magenis Syndrome

Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) is a complex disorder characterized by numerous challenges, including intellectual disability, speech delay, decreased pain sensitivity, sleep disturbances, hyperactivity, mood instability, and self-injury. Caregivers must readily adapt to the ever-changing needs of the child. Due to these demands, caregivers may encounter difficulties maintaining their own level of well-being. Thus, a total of 112 primary caregivers (i.e., parents) of individuals diagnosed with SMS responded to online questionnaires to assess demographic and psychosocial factors, such as perceptions of child health vulnerability, benefit finding, sleep behaviors, anxiety and depression symptomatology, and caregiver satisfaction and self-efficacy, which may be related to caregiver well-being. Results show that, among mothers, caregiver well-being was directly related to perceived child health vulnerability, caregiver satisfaction, and benefit finding, and a significant moderating effect was observed for depression/anxiety counseling after beginning the caregiver role on the relationship between anxiety symptomatology and caregiver well-being. Results further suggest that maternal caregivers who report high levels of anxiety but do not seek counseling fair the worst in terms of well-being. Among fathers, lower depression symptoms and greater benefit finding were related to higher levels of caregiver well-being. These data show that many factors play roles in influencing coping and well-being among SMS caregivers. Investigating these variables and relationships may reveal additional resources and interventions to assist primary caregivers.     

Cross-sectional and Longitudinal associations in coping strategies and physical health outcomes among HIV-Positive youth

This study assessed whether coping styles had an influence on physical health outcomes either concurrently or longitudinally in a sample of HIV-positive youth. Coping styles were characterized as positive, passive, depressive withdrawal, and escapist. A cross-sectional latent variable analysis (N = 279) assessed associations among environmental stress, self-esteem, social support, coping styles, AIDS symptoms, and CD4 count. A more restricted longitudinal analysis (N = 174) tested associations among earlier environmental stress, self-esteem, coping styles, and AIDS symptoms at follow-up. CD4 count was not associated with coping styles in the cross-sectional analysis. Concurrent AIDS symptoms were significantly predicted by depressive withdrawal and environmental stress. A passive coping style modestly predicted more AIDS symptoms longitudinally. Correlates of perceived health and well-being of persons with HIV/AIDS are important to investigate in addition to more objective measures such as CD4 count that may not be amenable to change through coping style interventions alone.