Does a Religious Transformation Buffer the Effects of Lifetime Trauma on Happiness?

A number of studies have examined religious transformations. But most of this work has been concerned with identifying different types of transformations and steps in the process of transformation. The current study was designed to examine the ways in which religious transformations may be associated with happiness. We take a novel approach toward the evaluation of this relationship. We argue that a religious transformation may be an important resource for coping with lifetime trauma. Two major findings emerge from our nationwide survey (N = 2,851). First, the data indicate that the magnitude of the relationship between lifetime trauma and happiness is reduced significantly for people who have had a religious transformation but not for those who have not had this type of religious experience. Second, the results reveal that the potential stress-related benefits of a religious transformation are more evident among younger adults than among middle-aged or older adults.     

Does Neighborhood Social Capital Buffer the Effects of Maternal Depression on Adolescent Behavior Problems?

Neighborhood characteristics have been shown to impact child well-being. However, it remains unclear how these factors combine with family characteristics to influence child development. The current study helps develop that understanding by investigating how neighborhoods directly impact child and adolescent behavior problems as well as moderate the influence of family characteristics on behavior. Using multilevel linear models, we examined the relationship among neighborhood conditions (poverty and social capital) and maternal depression on child and adolescent behavior problems. The sample included 741 children, age 5–11, and 564 adolescents, age 12–17. Outcomes were internalizing (e.g. anxious/depressed) and externalizing (e.g. aggressive/hyperactive) behavior problems. Neighborhood poverty and maternal depression were both positively associated with behavior problems for children and adolescents. However, while neighborhood social capital was not directly associated with behavior problems, the interaction of social capital and maternal depression was significantly related to behavior problems for adolescents. This interaction showed that living in neighborhoods with higher levels of social capital attenuated the relationship between maternal depression and adolescent behavior problems and confirmed the expectation that raising healthy well-adjusted children depends not only on the family, but also the context in which the family lives.     

Does Problem Focused Coping Buffer the Effects of Trait Anxiety on Depressive Symptoms of Chronic Urticaria Patients?

The present study examined the moderating role of problem-focused coping in trait anxiety—depressive symptoms' relationship in patients with chronic urticaria (CU). Eighty-eight CU patients, who applied to an outpatient clinic of Clinical Immunology and Allergic Diseases, filled out a questionnaire set including State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Ways of Coping Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory. The results suggested that CU patients high on trait anxiety reported more depressive symptoms, and the ones using more problem-focused coping (PFC) strategies reported less depressive symptoms. Also, PFC strategies moderated trait anxiety-depressive symptoms relation. Accordingly, PFC strategies did not lead to any significant difference in CU patients who were low on trait anxiety in terms of the level of depressive symptoms. However, CU patients with high trait anxiety experienced significantly less depressive symptoms if they used more PFC strategies. The findings were discussed in the light of the relevant literature.     

Does Externalism Entail the Anomalism of the Mental?

In 'Mental Events' Donald Davidson argued for the anomalism of the mental on the basis of the operation of incompatible constitutive principles in the mental and physical domains. Many years later, he has suggested that externalism provides further support for the anomalism of the mental. I examine the basis for that claim. The answer to the question in the title will be a qualified 'Yes'. That is an important result in the metaphysics of mind and an interesting consequence of externalism.     

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.     

Can the Effects of Religion and Spirituality on Both Physical and Mental Health be Scientifically Measured? An Overview of the Key Sources,with Particular Reference to the Teachings of Said Nursi

Within Western secular societies, everything has to be substantiated by empirical evidence; this means it has to be quantifiable and measurable. Research, particularly quantitative research, then, is the criterion by which everything, including religion, is either accepted or rejected. The separation of religion from science began with the Renaissance, the Reformation and the advent of the Enlightenment. It was perceived that religion did not match the language of science and that there was no logical proof or empirical evidence for the existence of God. Religion therefore, due to its inability to be measured and quantified, has since been largely marginalised. In recent times, in order to integrate ‘religion’ into everyday life, attempts have been made to argue and bring in scientific proof for the effectiveness of religion for improved health and well-being. The psychiatrist Harold Koenig has been one of the key people whose collation of research evidence has shown that religion has a positive effect on both physical and mental health. By looking firstly at the definitions of religion and spirituality and then discussing various opinions from both secular and religious perspectives, including those of Said Nursi, this paper aimed to determine whether religion and spirituality can indeed be measured.     

Influence of Multiple Traumatic Event Types on Mental Health Outcomes: Does Count Matter?

The experience of potentially traumatizing events (PTEs) may be associated with conflicting outcomes: individuals may experience greater psychological distress (dose-response theory), or individuals may become more resilient against repeated PTEs (stress-inoculation theory). With limited empirical data comparing these theories, we examined the relationships between the count of lifetime PTE types and psychological outcomes [posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, impaired distress tolerance] using linear and quadratic regressions. A linear relationship would support the dose-response theory, and a quadratic relationship would support the stress-inoculation theory. We also explored whether there was a threshold number of PTE types fostering resiliency before an increase of distressing outcomes. The sample included 123 (68.30% female) treatment-seeking patients at a community mental health center participating in a larger study (Contractor et al. in Psychiatry Research, 252, 252215–252222, 2017). Linear regression results indicated number of PTE types significantly predicted increasing PTSD and depression severity and distress tolerance difficulties. Quadratic regression model results were not significant. ROC analyses indicated exposure to at least 3.5 PTE types predicted PTSD with moderate accuracy. In conclusion, the dose-response theory was supported, with results indicating there may be a threshold count of lifetime PTE types (> 3) influencing traumatic stress outcomes.     

À la Carte or Prix Fixe? Differing Approaches to Addressing the Gap in Dissemination of Evidence-Based Care in Mental Health

We comment on the use of a common elements treatment approach (CETA) to address mental health symptoms in a trauma-exposed population in Iraq and Thailand, with the aims of highlighting several of the strengths of this approach and how this approach may inform treatment, both within and outside of the United States. In particular, we compare the use of CETA as compared to a more focal treatment approach, consider the potential of using paraprofessionals as treatment providers, and highlight some of the challenges in cultural adaptions of psychotherapy protocols. We also identify remaining research questions, including whether a CETA approach is more efficient than focal interventions, whether CETA’s effects are due to one or two very strong elements, and whether it is more difficult to learn CETA than a robust non-CETA intervention. This use of CETA, along with our other adaptation work, also raises broader issues about how our field develops and disseminates psychotherapy protocols. We discuss several of them, including the need to develop treatments for providers with lower levels of formal education and mental health training and to develop treatment materials that are less expensive, use simplified language and terms, and that can be adapted for use with clients with lower levels of formal education and/or literacy.     

Discrimination and Women’s Mental Health: The Mediating Role of Control

Perceived discrimination is a stressor, related to both negative physical and mental health outcomes. Utilizing a sample of 259 undergraduate females from the northeast region of the U.S., the present study examined a model that tested the direct, indirect, and mediated relations among perceived sexist discrimination, psychological distress, self-esteem, and sense of personal control. Path analysis of the model indicated that (a) perceived sexism was related to greater psychological distress, with personal control partially mediating this link and (b) perceived sexism was not related to self-esteem. The path model accounted for 28% of the variance in self-esteem and 37% of the variance in psychological distress. Implications of the findings for women’s health are discussed.     

The Effects of Parental Labor Migration on Children’s Mental Health in Rural China

Applied Research in Quality of Life - Utilizing data from the China Education Panel Survey, we investigated the effects of parental migration and its duration on children’s mental health in...     

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.     

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.     

Does Religion Increase the Prevalence and Incidence of Obesity in Adulthood?

Previous research reveals that religion in America is related to variations in body weight. This article examines the relationships between religion and both body mass index (BMI) and obesity, which have increased in prevalence in the United States over the past two decades. Using longitudinal data from a national sample of adults, this study prospectively examines whether dimensions of religious life are associated with weight gain and the development of obesity during eight years of follow-up. We examine four dimensions of religiosity (attendance, salience, media practice, and consolation) and religious affiliation. Ordinary least squares regression analyses reveal that high levels of religious media practice are associated with higher BMI in women. Logistic regression analyses reveal that high levels of religious media practice and affiliation with a Baptist denomination increased the risk of obesity for women, but that a high level of religious consolation reduced the risk of obesity incidence for men. Attendance at religious services was associated with a lower risk of the incidence of obesity for women, suggesting the importance of studying links between dimensions of religious life and body weight.     

Does Reducing Male Domination in Teams Attenuate or Intensify the Harmful Effects of Perceived Discrimination on Women's Job Satisfaction? A Test of Competing Hypotheses

This study tested competing theoretical predictions surrounding the moderating effect of male domination in teams on the relation between women's perceptions of gender discrimination and their job satisfaction. Using archival data from an all-female sample of active military personnel (n = 3,015) comprising 321 work teams, which fell on a continuum from less male dominated to more male dominated, we found that the extent to which teams were male dominated moderated the negative link between perceived gender discrimination and job satisfaction, such that perceptions of discrimination were more negatively related to job satisfaction for women working in teams that were less male dominated than for those working in teams that were more male-dominated. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for research and practice and highlight several avenues for future research.     

Can Self-Reassurance Buffer against the Impact of Bullying? Effects on Body Shame and Disordered Eating in Adolescence

Bullying experiences are associated with body image and eating-related problems. Nonetheless, research on possible resilience factors is scant. The current study tested a path model examining the association between emotional memories of experiences of warmth and safeness, and self-reassuring abilities, and whether these abilities moderate the impact of bullying experiences on body image shame and eating psychopathology. We tested this model in a nonclinical sample of 609 adolescent girls aged 12–18 years. The examined model accounted for 22?% of body image shame variance and 51?% of eating psychopathology variance. Memories of warmth and safeness were significantly associated with self-reassurance, and negatively linked to body image shame and eating psychopathology. Self-reassurance significantly moderated the association between bullying experiences and both body image shame and eating psychopathology. The present findings suggest the relevance of assessing the quality of interpersonal experiences reported by adolescents and their potential association with self-reassuring abilities. Moreover, these results suggest that the ability to reassure and soothe the self may have a buffering effect against the negative impact of bullying experiences on adolescents’ body image and eating behaviors.     

Black Church Leaders’ Attitudes About Mental Health Services: Role of Racial Discrimination

Black church leaders are often first responders to mental health issues in the Black community, yet few researchers have examined their attitudes about seeking outside mental health services. In order to fill this gap, we surveyed 112 church leaders in a northeastern urban Baptist Black mega-church (22 associate pastors, 34 deacons, and 56 congregation care givers) using The National Survey of American Life. Findings suggest church leaders more often relied on the church community and alternative health services, leaders who attended church more often tended to report not receiving any outside mental health treatment, the closer church leaders felt to all Black people, the less satisfied they were with help received from formal mental health services, and leaders who experienced more racial discrimination tended to report worse overall mental and physical health. Clinical providers and Black churches should develop collaborative partnerships to better meet the needs of this community.     

Is the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act Guilty of Disability Discrimination?

South Africa's Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1996 implicitly expresses the attitude that the prenatal detection of foetal abnormality justifies selective abortion, even at a stage when abortion is in general morally prohibited. It will be argued that this attitude is logically incompatible with a simultaneous commitment to non-discrimination against persons with disabilities, in that the Act makes allowance for the subjection of beings that are considered to be morally significant, but that exhibit disabling characteristics, to worse treatment than their non-disabled counterparts, despite the fact that this differential treatment is not always justified by the presence of impairment.