Psychological characteristics and perceptions of stuttering of adults who stutter with and without support group experience

Purpose

To compare adults who stutter with and without support group experience on measures of self-esteem, self-efficacy, life satisfaction, self-stigma, perceived stuttering severity, perceived origin and future course of stuttering, and importance of fluency.

Method

Participants were 279 adults who stutter recruited from the National Stuttering Association and Board Recognized Specialists in Fluency Disorders. Participants completed a Web-based survey comprised of various measures of well-being including the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, a measure of perceived stuttering severity, the Self-Stigma of Stuttering Scale, and other stuttering-related questions.

Results

Participants with support group experience as a whole demonstrated lower internalized stigma, were more likely to believe that they would stutter for the rest of their lives, and less likely to perceive production of fluent speech as being highly or moderately important when talking to other people, compared to participants with no support group experience. Individuals who joined support groups to help others feel better about themselves reported higher self-esteem, self-efficacy, and life satisfaction, and lower internalized stigma and perceived stuttering severity, compared to participants with no support group experience. Participants who stutter as an overall group demonstrated similar levels of self-esteem, higher self-efficacy, and lower life satisfaction compared to averages from normative data for adults who do not stutter.

Conclusions

Findings support the notion that self-help support groups limit internalization of negative attitudes about the self, and that focusing on helping others feel better in a support group context is linked to higher levels of psychological well-being.Educational objectives: At the end of this activity the reader will be able to: (a) describe the potential psychological benefits of stuttering self-help support groups for people who stutter, (b) contrast between important aspects of well-being including self-esteem self-efficacy, and life satisfaction, (c) summarize differences in self-esteem, self-efficacy, life satisfaction, self-stigma, perceived stuttering severity, and perceptions of stuttering between adults who stutter with and without support group experience, (d) summarize differences in self-esteem, self-efficacy, and life satisfaction between adults who stutter and normative data for adults who do not stutter.     

Influences on life aspirations among adolescents in a low-income community in Cape Town,South Africa

The aim of this study was to determine the influences on adolescents’ aspirations from a low-income community in Cape Town. A sequential mixed method exploratory design was used following two distinct phases. The qualitative phase comprised focus group interviews with 118 grade 12 learners attending a school in a low-income community (age range: 16–19 years) and focused on identifying factors influencing life aspirations. The quantitative phase with 191 adolescents (males?=?54.45 %, females?=?45.55 %); age range: 14–18 years) from the same community aimed to ascertain the influences of personal attributes on self-aspirations. Participants completed the Expectations/Aspirations measure, the New General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Qualitative data were thematically analysed. Quantitative data were analysed using multiple regression. The findings revealed that self-efficacy, self-esteem and social support were the most critical factors influencing adolescents’ aspirations. Self-efficacy was a major determinant of life aspirations among the adolescents. Life skills programmes with youth from disadvantaged communities should seek to incorporate training aimed at developing adolescents’ self-efficacy.     

青少年网络利他行为与主观幸福感的关系——一个有中介的调节模型

对1376名青少年进行问卷调查,在控制人口统计学变量后,考察青少年网络利他行为、自尊、自我效能感和主观幸福感之间的关系。结果发现:(1)青少年的网络利他行为对主观幸福感有显著的正向预测作用;(2)自尊调节了网络利他行为与主观幸福感之间的关系;(3)自我效能感在自尊对网络利他行为和主观幸福感关系的调节效应中起完全中介作用。     

Self-esteem uncertainty and depression vulnerability

Previous research has typically failed to show a difference between the self-esteem ratings of persons who are at-risk for depression and those who are not. Despite these null findings, it is possible that problems with self-esteem do precede depression but are masked by thought suppression. The present research investigated the possibility that at-risk individuals' relatively positive self-appraisals belie uncertainty about the self that is related to high levels of thought suppression and reassurance seeking. To test this idea, participants completed Rosenberg's (1965) Self-Esteem Scale and immediately reported certainty of their responses. Participants then completed measures of excessive-reassurance seeking and chronic thought suppression. Participants also reported past and present experiences with depression. The results indicated that at-risk individuals did not differ from never-depressed individuals in their reported levels of trait self-esteem. However, at-risk individuals were more uncertain about their beliefs than were never-depressed individuals. Moreover, this uncertainty was associated with high levels of thought suppression and excessive reassurance seeking.     

领悟社会支持、自我效能感对大学生家族主义与自尊的中介效应

该研究采用家族主义认识量表、领悟社会支持量表、自我效能感量表和自尊表对288名大学生被试进行研究,以揭示家族主义、领悟社会支持、自我效能感和自尊之间的关系。结果发现：家族主义与领悟社会支持、生活满意度、自尊之间存在显著正相关;通过回归分析发现,领悟社会支持与自我效能感对家族主义与自尊起到中介作用。     

情绪调节自我效能感与心理健康的交叉滞后研究

摘 要：对531名青少年进行为期五个月的追踪,运用交叉滞后回归分析考察积极、沮丧、生气三种情绪调节自我效能感与心理健康（问题行为、抑郁和生活满意度）间的相互影响。结果：T1积极情绪调节自我效能感不能预测T2问题行为、抑郁和生活满意度;T1沮丧情绪调节自我效能感显著预测T2抑郁水平;T1生活满意度和抑郁显著预测T2生气情绪调节自我效能感。结论：高沮丧情绪调节自我效能感能保护青少年处于“低抑郁状态”,而生气情绪调节自我效能感更容易受到个体生活满意度和抑郁水平的影响,是青少年处于不良心理状态下的易感效能。     

Personal Growth and Meaning in Life Among First-Time Mothers and Grandmothers

This cross-sectional study examined personal growth and meaning in life among mothers and grandmothers who recently went through major transitions in a woman’s life. It investigated the contribution of the internal resources of perception of self (self-esteem) and perceived characteristics of the situation (cognitive appraisal of threat, challenge, and self-efficacy) and the external resource of perceived social support, as well as two background variables: age, and frequency of meetings between mothers and grandmothers. Participants were 152 first-time mothers 6–24?months after delivery, and their own mothers who were first-time grandmothers (n?=?152). The results showed differential contributions to meaning in life and personal growth in the two generations, indicating that the proposed variables can indeed explain growth and meaning in life in these life stages. They reveal not only the similarities and differences between the response of mothers and grandmothers to these parallel life transitions, but also how information about one generation may help explain the response of the other. The different patterns of associations which emerged for growth and meaning in life are also discussed.     

Moderators of the benefits of psychoeducational interventions for men with prostate cancer.

The authors examined whether 3 individual difference variables--self-esteem, self-efficacy, and depressive symptoms--interacted with psychoeducational group interventions for men with prostate cancer (n = 250) to predict general and prostate-specific quality of life. Men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer were randomly assigned to an education intervention, an education plus group discussion intervention, or usual care and followed for 12 months. Eight groups of 10 to 12 men were convened in each condition. Men who began the study with lower self-esteem, lower prostate-specific self-efficacy, and higher depressive symptoms benefited the most from the interventions. Of these 3 moderator variables, the most consistent results emerged for self-esteem. That is, the benefits of the intervention were strongest for men with low self-esteem.     

年轻男同性恋者自我概念清晰性与生命意义感的关系及作用机制

通过网络抽样法对405名年轻男同性恋者进行问卷调查,考察年轻男同性恋者自我概念清晰性与生命意义感的关系,并探讨内化同性恋嫌恶和应对自我效能感在其间的作用机制。结果表明：（1）年轻男同性恋者自我概念清晰性与生命意义感呈显著正相关。（2）内化同性恋嫌恶、应对自我效能感在自我概念清晰性与生命意义感间起链式中介作用。（3）应对自我效能感在自我概念清晰性与生命意义感间起中介作用。     

Italian youth subculture: collection, self-esteem, and self-efficacy

63 young people (M age=23.9 yr., SD=2.4, 50 men, 13 women) belonging to four subculture groups (New American Punk, Cyberpunk, Trash Style, and Rasta-Hippy) were studied to examine the relationship between self-esteem, self-efficacy, and the development of a body modification collection. A survey was created to evaluate quality of life, risk behaviour, and body modification. Self-esteem and self-efficacy were assessed using the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale and General Perceived Self-efficacy Scale. Belonging to a group which permits neglect of standard norms of communal life makes it possible to avoid facing up to low self-esteem. Adherence to a group appears, from the results of this study, to be correlated with self-efficacy; inability to cope with life situations suggests a state of malaise in these young people.     

政治技能与自我效能感对职业适应能力的影响——自尊的中介作用

本研究采用问卷调查法, 以492名高校大学生为研究对象,探索政治技能和自我效能感对大学生职业适应能力的影响及自尊的中介作用。结果表明：（1）政治技能和自我效能感对个体的职业适应能力有积极影响。（2）自尊在政治技能和职业适应能力之间,自我效能感与职业适应能力之间起着双重中介作用。     

The relationship between adult attachment and depression in Korean mothers during the first 2 years postpartum: A moderated mediation model of self-esteem and maternal efficacy

This study examined a possible pathway to better understand the relationships between attachment schema and maternal depression through self-esteem and maternal self-efficacy. Questionnaires regarding attachment style, self-esteem, maternal self-efficacy, and depression were completed by 176 mothers who visited paediatrics centres. The results showed that self-esteem fully mediated the relationship between preoccupied attachment and maternal depression and partially mediated the association between fearful attachment and maternal depression. The mediating effects of self-esteem in the relationship between insecure attachments (preoccupied and fearful types) were moderated by the mother’s parenting efficacy. More specifically, mothers with high maternal efficacy (scores ⩾ 32, upper 10th percentile) were protected from the detrimental impact of attachment insecurity and low self-esteem on maternal depression, compared with mothers with low parenting-efficacy. Maternal depression benefits from intervention targeting the mother’s parenting efficacy.     

Self-esteem,self-efficacy,and social support mediate the relationship between motor proficiency and internalizing problems in adults: Exploring the environmental stress hypothesis in adulthood

The Environmental Stress Hypothesis (ESH) is a theoretical model used to understand the factors mediating the relationship between motor proficiency and internalizing problems. The aim of this study is to explore a potential extension of the ESH by examining whether BMI, physical activity levels, self-esteem, self-efficacy and social support are potential mediators between motor proficiency and internalizing problems in young adults. 290 adults aged between 18 and 30 years old (150 women, 140 men) were evaluated with the following instruments: Adult Developmental Coordination Disorders Checklist (ADC), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS 21), Social Support Satisfaction Scale (SSSS), Perceived General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and self-reported body mass index (BMI). The results indicated that self-esteem, self-efficacy, and social support mediate the relationship between motor proficiency and internalizing problems in this sample. Thus, the findings reinforce the notion that early intervention and preventive psychological care can serve as protective aspects of mental health in adults at risk for low motor proficiency.     

青少年公正世界信念对抑郁的影响:感恩和自尊的序列中介作用

为探讨青少年公正世界信念与抑郁的关系,以及感恩和自尊在二者关系中的作用机制,采用公正世界信念问卷(BJW)、感恩问卷(GQ-6)、自尊量表(SES)和流调中心用抑郁量表(CES-D)对1049名高中学生进行调查。结果发现:(1)青少年公正世界信念、感恩和自尊两两之间呈显著正相关,且三者均与抑郁呈显著负相关。(2)青少年公正世界信念通过感恩和自尊的中介作用对抑郁产生影响,且该中介效应包含了三条中介路径——感恩的简单中介效应,自尊的简单中介效应,以及感恩→自尊的链式中介作用。研究结果揭示了青少年公正世界信念对抑郁产生影响的内部心理机制,为引导青少年更好地利用公正世界信念提升感恩和自尊的水平以及更好地促进心理健康发展提供了有益建议。     

Determinants of Perceived Stress in Adolescence: The Role of Personality Traits,Emotional Abilities,Trait Emotional Intelligence,Self-Efficacy,and Self-Esteem

The aim of the current study was to examine the explanatory power of personality traits, emotional abilities, trait emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, and self-esteem in predicting perceived stress in adolescents. The data were collected from 406 high school students, aged 18-22 years (M_age = 18.47, SD = 0.64). Perceived stress was assessed with the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Personality traits were measured with the Eysenck Personality Short Scale (EPQ-R-S), emotional abilities were assessed with two performance tests, the Emotional Intelligence Scale – Faces (SIE-T), and the Emotion Understanding Test (TRE), and trait emotional intelligence was measured with a selfreport questionnaire (the Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale, SEIS). The Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) were also used. Results indicate that the strongest determinant of perceived stress in adolescents was high neuroticism. Perceived stress was also determined by low self-efficacy and self-esteem, as well as high extraversion and psychoticism. Women reported higher perceived stress than men. There also were differences in the determinants of perceived stress between graduate and nongraduate students. The obtained results suggest that the development of high self-esteem and high self-efficacy may contribute to perceptions of lower stress in adolescents and may be especially valuable for neurotic individuals and for women, who are more exposed to stress.     

中学生网络利他行为与希望的关系:自我效能感与自尊的中介作用

采用希望特质量表、网络利他行为量表、自尊量表和一般自我效能感量表对326名中学生进行调查, 考察中学生网络利他行为对其希望的影响, 以及自我效能感和自尊在其中的中介作用。结果发现:(1)相关分析显示, 中学生网络利他行为、自我效能感、自尊和希望之间呈显著正相关;(2)结构方程模型分析表明, 自我效能感在中学生网络利他行为对希望的影响中起完全中介作用, 自尊在中学生网络利他行为对希望的影响中不起中介作用, 自我效能感和自尊在中学生网络利他行为对希望的影响中起链式中介作用。     

Adolescents’ regulatory emotional self-efficacy beliefs and daily affect intensity

Self-efficacy beliefs in emotion regulation were shown to foster well-being and psychosocial adaptation over time. In this study, we investigated their relationship with daily affect intensity among 199 adolescents aged 15–19. Participants completed the Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale measuring perceived capability to manage the experience and expression of negative emotions (SE-NE) and positive emotions (SE-PO). Through Experience Sampling Method, for 1 week they also repeatedly rated their positive affect (happiness and contentment) and negative affect (anger, anxiety, sadness). Multilevel regression models revealed an additive intensifying predictive effect of SE-PO and SE-NE on happiness and contentment, and a single direct negative effect of SE-NE on sadness. Models also highlighted an interactive effect of SE-PO and SE-NE on all negative affect variables, such that only at low SE-PO levels did high SE-NE predict lower negative affect. Findings support the relation between adolescents’ regulatory emotional self-efficacy beliefs and their daily affect intensity, bringing forward suggestions for intervention.     

A Strengths-Based Longitudinal Career Intervention for Junior Secondary School Students with Special Educational Needs: a Mixed-method Evaluation

The mixed-method study reported here was designed to evaluate a strengths-based career intervention program for secondary school students with mild special educational needs (SEN). A sample of 32 SEN students (19 boys: 13 girls) from 5 inclusive schools in Hong Kong were recruited to a treatment group. An additional 32 SEN students (19 boys: 13 girls) were selected to form the control group matched for age, gender and parents’ education level. The special needs exhibited by both groups were in areas of literacy and numeracy, attention deficits, and social-emotional problems, but did not include severe or complex disabilities. Participants in both groups responded to pre- and post-intervention questionnaires covering career development self-efficacy, personal and social development self-efficacy, and meaning in life. As a follow-up, two teachers and three social workers providing support to SEN students, and the 32 participants were interviewed several months after the intervention. Interviews also took place with teachers, social workers and students to evaluate the perceived effects of the intervention. Findings indicated significant interactions between Time 1 and Time 2, and between groups (control vs. treatment) in personal goal-setting, career goal-setting, and the presence of meaning in life. Additionally, several themes were identified from the interviews suggesting that the intervention did have positive effects on SEN students’ career, personal and social development self-efficacy, and acquisition of meaning in life.

     

Psychological strengths and subjective well-being in South African white students

This study investigated the role of individual resources, notably self-efficacy, gratitude, and hope, in subjective well-being of white dormitory students at a historically white institution of higher learning. Using a convenience sample of white students (N?=?227), we tested the role of generalised self-efficacy, gratitude, and hope as indicators of a latent factor, labelled personal resources, in a structural equation model with subjective well-being as the latent output variable, measured by self-esteem and satisfaction with life. Path analyses indicated a reasonable fit between the data and our hypothesised theoretical model which proposed positive relations between levels of generalised self-efficacy, gratitude, dispositional hope, self-esteem and satisfaction with life. White students were psychologically doing well, considering above-midpoint levels obtained for levels of generalised self-efficacy, gratitude, dispositional hope, and satisfaction with life However, scores obtained for self-esteem and adult dispositional hope were below the mid-point and neutral respectively, indicating that White students do not agree that they experience high levels of these two psychological strengths. White female students experienced higher levels of hope, gratitude, and life satisfaction, while no significant gender differences were found for generalised self-efficacy and self-esteem. The results of this study highlight the potential for using psychological strengths to promote well-being in racially diverse students.     

Effect of parent responsiveness on young athletes’ self-perceptions and thriving: An exploratory study in a Belgian French-Community

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to examine the influence of parental responsive support (observed) and perceived parental responsive support on athletes’ self-perceptions and thriving.MethodsForty-one French-speaking Belgian individual sport athletes aged 12–15 years (M = 13.13, SD = 0.90) and one of their parent’s spent 10 min discussing three important athletes’ sport-related goals for the next season. The discussion was video-taped and coded to identify parents’ responsive support behaviors. After the discussion, athletes responded to a series of questionnaires measuring perceived parental responsiveness, self-efficacy, self-esteem, and thriving indicators (i.e., positive affect, vitality, life satisfaction, and health quality).ResultsThe results show that observed and perceived parental responsive support contributed to athletes’ proximal perceptions of self-efficacy. Both parental observed responsive support and athletes’ perceived parental responsiveness, mediated by athletes’ self-efficacy, were positively related to athlete’s self-esteem. Further, athletes’ perceived parental responsiveness was positively related with thriving while mediated in series by self-efficacy and self-esteem.ConclusionOverall, it appears that parents’ responsive support (observed) and athletes’ perception of responsive support are associated with positive self-perceptions and optimal wellbeing in young athletes. This study demonstrates that parents can provide responsive support to their children in the sport context. These results add further weight to suggestions that sport organizations should actively include, rather than exclude, parents in their processes.