Validation of the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale and an examination of a model of career adaptation in the Philippine context

This paper presents the validation of the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale (CAAS) in the Philippine context. The CAAS consists of four subscales, with six items each, measuring self-regulative psychosocial resources (e.g., concern, curiosity, control, and confidence) for coping with occupational tasks and transitions. Filipino university students (N = 289) and working adults (N = 495) participated in the study. Internal consistency estimates for the full scale and subscales ranged from .87 to .97. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the multidimensional and hierarchical model of career adaptability. The factor structure was similar to that obtained from the CAAS international validation from 18 countries. Results also suggested that career adaptability was positively associated with adaptivity in the form of tenacious goal pursuit and flexible goal adjustment as well as with adaptation outcomes of career satisfaction and promotability. Overall, the findings confirm the utility of CAAS in the Philippine context and support the model that states higher levels of personal adaptivity (willingness) and career adaptability (competence) relate to better adaptation outcomes in terms of career success.     

Perceived functions of playfulness in adults: Does it mobilize you at work,rest, and when being with others?

IntroductionLittle is known about what adults perceive as core functions of playfulness in their daily life.ObjectiveTo compile a list of perceived functions of playfulness from nominations of laypeople and to test the association of the productions with individual levels of playfulness as a personality trait.MethodThree hundred and twenty-four adults aged 18 to 62 (M = 31.6, SD = 11.5) listed perceived functions of playfulness in five areas (leisure and work and when being with work colleagues, friends, and their partner) and completed a questionnaire for playfulness.ResultsThe entries were grouped into seven broader categories; namely, (1) well-being; (2) humor and laughter; (3) mastery orientation; (4) creativity; (5) relationships; (6) coping strategies; and (7) coping with situations. Women noted more functions than men (t(297) = 2.99, p < .01, d = 0.35) but there were no gender differences in the playfulness scale. Individual levels of playfulness correlated only for men with a greater number of functions, while it was uncorrelated in the sample of women.ConclusionPeople see a broad range of functions for playfulness in their daily lives. This warrants further investigation on potential benefits of adult playfulness.     

Exploring types of career orientation: A latent class analysis approach

Career literature has been discussing the decline of the traditional career. Despite this debate, systematic information on the prevalence of contemporary career types is lacking. Two studies with large samples of employees aimed to determine types of career orientation, to explore their prevalence, and to validate these types by testing hypotheses relating each of the career orientations to work attitudes and sociodemographical variables. In study 1 (N = 835), we identified four types of career orientation – traditional/promotion, traditional/loyalty, independent, disengaged – applying exploratory latent class analysis. These were confirmed in study 2 (N = 737) with confirmatory latent class analysis. The variables associated with the career orientation types mostly followed the predicted pattern. Almost two thirds reported a traditional career orientation, while one fifth each expressed an independent and a disengaged orientation. This finding shows that people’s career orientation does not reflect the changes that many authors argue have been occurring.     

Beyond conscientiousness: Career optimism and satisfaction with academic major

The study focuses on psychological predictors of academic major satisfaction. According to the career construction theory (Savickas, 2005), vocational personality and career adaptability should generate career satisfaction. In this study, vocational personality was operationalised as Big Five conscientiousness, and career adaptability was operationalised as generalised self-efficacy and career optimism. A sample (N = 529) of university students completed an online survey. The resultant data were used to construct a structural model of the hypothesised relationships among variables. A good fitting model [χ² = 10.454 (7) p = .164; GFI = .993; CFI = .999; RMSEA < .031 (< .001–.066)] indicated that career optimism fully mediated the relationship between conscientiousness and academic major satisfaction. Results were consistent with previous research into personality and academic performance. Moreover, the results highlight the significant role of optimism in satisfaction with career generally, and studies, specifically. Suggestions are made for future research into modelling the relationships according to different academic disciplines and for the potential role of optimism as a learning objective for career education and counseling.     

Career Adapt-Abilities Scale in a French-speaking Swiss sample: Psychometric properties and relationships to personality and work engagement

The aim of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale (CAAS) in a French-speaking Swiss sample and its relationship with personality dimensions and work engagement. The heterogeneous sample of 391 participants (M_age = 39.59, SD = 12.30) completed the CAAS-International and a short version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. To assess personality dimensions, participants completed either the Zuckerman–Kuhlman–Aluja Personality Questionnaire (n = 283) or the NEO-FFI-R (n = 108). The internal consistencies for the four subscales and total scores of the CAAS ranged from good to excellent, and skewness and kurtosis values indicated that scores were normally distributed. Gender differences and correlations with age were small or negligible. Several CFA models confirmed the factor structure of the French version of the CAAS-International, with loadings very similar to the ones observed for the international form. Adaptability was related to different personality dimensions, particularly neuroticism and conscientiousness, and also to work engagement. When predicting work engagement, career adaptability had a significant incremental validity over personality dimensions. Finally, career adaptability partially moderated the relationship between personality and work engagement, suggesting that career adaptability also contributes to regulating the expression of personality dispositions.     

Exposing Clinicians to Exposure: A Randomized Controlled Dissemination Trial of Exposure Therapy for Anxiety Disorders

ObjectiveThe present study evaluated three technology-based methods of training mental health providers in exposure therapy (ET) for anxiety disorders. Training methods were designed to address common barriers to the dissemination of ET, including limited access to training, negative clinician attitudes toward ET, and lack of support during and following training.MethodClinicians naïve to ET (N = 181, M_age = 37.4, 71.3% female, 72.1% Caucasian) were randomly assigned to (a) an interactive, multimedia online training (OLT), (b) OLT plus a brief, computerized motivational enhancement intervention (OLT + ME), or (c) OLT + ME plus a Web-based learning community (OLT + ME + LC). Assessments were completed at baseline, posttraining, and 6 and 12 weeks following training. Outcomes include satisfaction, knowledge, self-efficacy, attitudes, self-reported clinical use, and observer-rated clinical proficiency.ResultsAll three training methods led to large and comparable improvements in self-efficacy and clinical use of ET, indicating that OLT alone was sufficient for improving these outcomes. The addition of the ME intervention did not significantly improve outcomes in comparison to OLT alone. Supplementing the OLT with both the ME intervention and the LC significantly improved attitudes and clinical proficiency in comparison to OLT alone. The OLT + ME + LC condition was superior to both other conditions in increasing knowledge of ET.ConclusionsMulticomponent trainings that address multiple potential barriers to dissemination appear to be most effective in improving clinician outcomes. Technology-based training methods offer a satisfactory, effective, and scalable way to train mental health providers in evidence-based treatments such as ET.     

Epistemic curiosity and self-regulation

Relationships between Interest (I) and Deprivation (D) type epistemic curiosity (EC) and self-regulation were evaluated in two studies. In Study 1 (Italians, N = 151), I-type EC correlated positively with positive outcome-expectancies and risk-taking, but negatively with thinking about negative outcomes. D-type EC correlated positively with emotional restraint, thoughtful evaluation, and concern over negative outcomes and potential risks. In Study 2 (Americans, N = 218; Germans, N = 56), I-type EC correlated positively with behavioral activation, especially fun seeking, whereas D-type correlated negatively with fun seeking. Neither EC scale correlated significantly with behavioral inhibition. These findings suggest that I-type EC corresponds to fun, carefree and optimistic approaches to learning, while D-type EC reflects greater thoughtfulness and caution regarding knowledge-search.     

Validation of the Portuguese version of the Negative Attitudes towards Robots Scale

IntroductionSocial robots are robots capable of a peer-to-peer communication with humans. Nomura, Kanda, and Suzuki (2004) developed the Negative Attitude towards Robots Scale (NARS) to measure the attitudes towards robots. NARS proved to be a useful tool to study human-robot interaction.ObjectiveTo assess the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the NARS (PNARS).Method and resultsFour studies were conducted. In study 1 (n = 300), a principal component analysis showed that PNARS comprised two components: the negative attitudes towards robots with human traits (NARHT) and towards interaction with robots (NATIR). In study 2 (n = 536), a confirmatory factorial analysis was conducted. Results confirmed the two-factor solution of PNARS obtained in study 1. Study 3 (n = 107) tested the nomological validity of PNARS and showed that PNARS, NARHT and NATIR correlated with attitudes towards technology. Study 4 (n = 59) tested the predictive validity of PNARS and showed that scores on NARHT and NATIR predicted the future intention to work with a social robot and its affective and cognitive antecedents.ConclusionGlobally, results indicate that PNARS is a reliable instrument to use in human-robot interaction studies.     

Dorian Gray without his portrait: Psychological,social, and physical health costs associated with the Dark Triad

We examined how the Dark Triad (i.e., narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism) traits—as different social strategies—were associated with various health outcomes. In samples of American undergraduates (N = 1389), Australian high school students (N = 2023), and British undergraduates (N = 280), we examined the physical, social, and psychological costs associated with the Dark Triad traits. Narcissism was linked to few mental and physical ailments, suggesting it may provide a social buffer from negative health outcomes (Studies 1 and 2). Psychopathy (Studies 1 and 2) and Machiavellianism (Study 2) were linked to a number of psychological and physical health conditions. In addition, psychopathy was related to diminished life expectancy, whereas narcissism was related to enhanced life expectancy (Study 3). Our findings provide evidence that each of these personality traits is linked to various psychosocial tradeoffs and different methods of coping with stress and adaptive problems.     

The role of intergroup disgust in predicting negative outgroup evaluations

We introduce intergroup disgust as an individual difference and contextual manipulation. As an individual difference, intergroup disgust sensitivity (ITG-DS) represents affect-laden revulsion toward social outgroups, incorporating beliefs in stigma transfer and social superiority. Study 1 (5 samples, N = 708) validates the ITG-DS scale. Higher ITG-DS scorers demonstrated greater general disgust sensitivity, disease concerns, authoritarian/conservative ideologies, and negative affect. Greater ITG-DS correlated with stronger outgroup threat perceptions and discrimination, and uniquely predicted negative outgroup attitudes beyond well-established prejudice-predictors. Intergroup disgust was experimentally manipulated in Study 2, exposing participants (n = 164) to a travel blog concerning contact with a disgust-evoking (vs. neutral) outgroup. Manipulated disgust generated negative outgroup evaluations through greater threat and anxiety. This mediation effect was moderated: Those higher (vs. lower) in ITG-DS did not experience stronger disgust, threat, or anxiety reactions, but demonstrated stronger translation of aversive reactions (especially outgroup threat) into negative attitudes. Theory development and treatment implications are considered.     

Career transitions and career success in the ‘new’ career era

The ‘new’ career, most notably the boundaryless career, is associated with high career mobility, which is in turn associated with employability and career success of individuals. The current study examined how frequency, form (organisational, horizontal or vertical) and impact (objective career success) of career transitions have changed across two cohorts of Austrian business graduates (1970 and 1990) throughout the first 15 years of their careers (n = 291). Data for the study were collected by way of standardised questionnaires; participants' career transitions (n = 807) were plotted based on curriculum-vitae type lists of their successive jobs. This research examined two assumptions: (1) that careers have become more turbulent and complex and (2) that this is generally a positive evolution for individuals. Results indicate that overly dramatic claims about the ‘death’ of the traditional-organisational career need to be reconsidered.     

Experiential avoidance in body dysmorphic disorder

Experiential avoidance (i.e., the attempt to avoid certain internal experiences including bodily sensations, thoughts, emotions, memories, and urges) has been studied in various psychological disorders. However, research examining experiential avoidance in individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is limited and inconsistent. The present study compared experiential avoidance in individuals with primary BDD (n = 23) to healthy controls (n = 22). Standardized measures were used to assess baseline clinical characteristics as well as experiential avoidance. Compared to healthy controls, individuals with BDD presented with significantly greater experiential avoidance (p < .001, d = −2.51). In BDD, experiential avoidance was positively correlated with depressive symptoms (p < .01) and avoidant coping strategies (p < .01). Clinician sensitivity to experiential avoidance may serve to improve the course of treatment for BDD.     

Training career adaptability to facilitate a successful school-to-work transition

The transition from school to work is one of the most critical steps in graduates' careers, as it can determine vocational outcomes and future career success. Yet, these newcomers to the labor market often take longer than regular job seekers to find a suitable job, are more likely to experience a job mismatch and to suffer from underemployment. In this study, we proposed that career adaptability might help remedy this problem. We therefore developed a training aimed at providing graduates with career adaptability resources, with the assumption that this may foster training-participants' later career adaptability and employment quality. A longitudinal field quasi-experiment compared the development of each career adaptability dimension between a training group (n = 32) and a control group (n = 24) over three points in time (pre-training measurement, post-training measurement and follow-up measurement six months later). Repeated measures analyses showed an overall increase in concern, control and curiosity within the training group, whereas there was no increase (concern) or even an overall decrease (control and curiosity) within the control group. Consequently, the training succeeded in enhancing participants' control and curiosity in the long run. Furthermore, among participants who had found employment half a year later, training participants reported higher employment quality than did members of the control group. In sum, results show that providing graduates with career adaptability resources can raise their chances on finding a qualitatively good job.     

The relationship between allometry and preferred transition speed in human locomotion

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between preferred transition speed (PTS) and anthropometric characteristics, body composition and different human body proportions in males. In a sample of 59 male students, we collected anthropometric and body composition data and determined individual PTS using increment protocol. The relationships between PTS and other variables were determined using Pearson correlation, stepwise linear and hierarchical regression. Body ratios were formed as quotient of two variables whereby at least one significantly correlated to PTS. Circular and transversal (except bitrochanteric diameter) body dimensions did not correlate with PTS. Moderate correlations were found between longitudinal leg dimensions (foot, leg and thigh length) and PTS, while the highest correlation was found for lower leg length (r = .488, p < .01). Two parameters related to body composition showed weak correlation with PTS: body fat mass (r = −.250, p < .05) and amount of lean leg mass scaled to body weight (r = .309, p < .05). Segmental body proportions correlated more significantly with PTS, where thigh/lower leg length ratio showed the highest correlation (r = .521, p < .01). Prediction model with individual variables (lower leg and foot length) have explained just 31% of PTS variability, while model with body proportions showed almost 20% better prediction (R² = .504). These results suggests that longitudinal leg dimensions have moderate influence on PTS and that segmental body proportions significantly more explain PTS than single anthropometric variables.     

Self-reported shyness in Chinese children: Validation of the Children’s Shyness Questionnaire and exploration of its links with adjustment and the role of coping

The aims of the present study were to: (1) examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version on the Children’s Shyness Questionnaire (Crozier, 1995) among elementary school children; and (2) explore the links between shyness, coping style, and indices of socio-emotional functioning. Participants were N = 580 children (311 boys, 269 girls, M_age = 11.14 years, SD = 1.37) in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. Measures of shyness, coping style, and adjustment were gathered using multi-source assessments, including self-reports, peer nominations, teacher-ratings. Consistent with findings in North American samples, results from factor analysis suggested a single-factor model of shyness among Chinese youth. Shyness was also associated with a wide range of negative socio-emotional difficulties. As well, emotion-focused coping was found to partially mediate relations between shyness and children’s adjustment. Results are discussed in terms of the validity of this self-reported measure of shyness and the role of coping for shy children’s adjustment in China.     

Acceptance of cosmetic surgery,body appreciation,body ideal internalization,and fashion blog reading among late adolescents in Sweden

This study examined adolescents’ attitudes of cosmetic surgery, as well as the relationships between these attitudes, body appreciation, body ideal internalization, and fashion blog reading. The sample comprised 110 (60 boys, 50 girls) late adolescents (mean age 16.9 years) from a Swedish high school. The results indicated that younger adolescents seem somewhat more accepting of cosmetic surgery. This was especially the case for boys’ acceptance of social motives for obtaining cosmetic surgery (boys’ M = 2.3 ± 1.55 vs. girls’ M = 1.7 ± 0.89). Girls’, and to a limited extent boys’, internalization of the thin ideal was related to more favorable cosmetic surgery attitudes. Athletic ideal internalization and body appreciation were unrelated to these attitudes. Finally, girls who frequently read fashion blogs reported higher thin ideal internalization, and also demonstrated a slight tendency of more cosmetic surgery consideration.     

Narcissism and career success: Occupational self-efficacy and career engagement as mediators

Narcissism is a personality trait that has potentially important effects on career development outcomes, yet empirical research on this issue is sparse. The present study explored the relationships between narcissism and two indicators of career success (i.e., salary and career satisfaction) among a group of young professionals (N = 314). We assessed a model proposing that the effect of narcissism on career success is mediated by increased occupational self-efficacy beliefs and career engagement. While correlations between narcissism and the two indicators of career success were minimal, the results showed a significant indirect effect on salary via occupational self-efficacy and indirect effects on career satisfaction via self-efficacy and career engagement. We discuss the results regarding insights into why narcissism may lead to career success.     

Validation of the German version of the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale and its relation to orientations to happiness and work stress

Career adapt-ability has recently gained momentum as a psychosocial construct that not only has much to offer the field of career development, but also contributes to positive coping, adjustment and self-regulation through the four dimensions of concern, control, curiosity and confidence. The positive psychology movement, with concepts such as the orientations to happiness, explores the factors that contribute to human flourishing and optimum functioning. This research has two main contributions; 1) to validate a German version of the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale (CAAS), and 2) to extend the contribution of adapt-abilities to the field of work stress and explore its mediating capacity in the relation between orientations to happiness and work stress. We used a representative sample of the German-speaking Swiss working population including 1204 participants (49.8% women), aged between 26 and 56 (M_age = 42.04). Results indicated that the German version of the CAAS is valid, with overall high levels of model fit suggesting that the conceptual structure of career adapt-ability replicates well in this cultural context. Adapt-abilities showed a negative relationship to work stress, and a positive one with orientations to happiness. The engagement and pleasure scales of orientations to happiness also correlated negatively with work stress. Moreover, career adapt-ability mediates the relationship between orientations to happiness and work stress. In depth analysis of the mediating effect revealed that control is the only significant mediator. Thus control may be acting as a mechanism through which individuals attain their desired life at work subsequently contributing to reduced stress levels.     

Improving outgroup attitudes in schools: A meta-analytic review

To provide information for educators, educational psychologists, school psychologists, and social psychologists, we conducted a quantitative meta-analytic test of n = 50 studies dating from 1995 to 2015 that evaluated the effects of in-school interventions on attitudes toward outgroup members (defined as members of different ethnic or religious backgrounds or different age groups, persons with either physical or mental disabilities, or persons with other distinctive features). Overall, the analysis revealed a mean effect size of d + = 0.36 with a 95% confidence interval that ranged from 0.17 to 0.55, indicating significant, moderate intervention effects, supporting the proposition that meaningful changes in outgroup attitudes can be obtained by applying anti-bias programs in schools. Results from our analysis did not provide evidence that teacher-led interventions produce positive outcomes, yet we found that interventions delivered by researchers promote positive attitudes toward outgroup members. Further, a closer examination demonstrated that one-on-one interventions are most effective at tackling intergroup attitudes. However, classroom-wide programs are more likely to be introduced into regular school activities because of their efficiency and the limited resources available for interventions.