Black Jack: Do company benefits and feelings have an impact on my happiness?

The aim of this study was to determine whether casino employees’ benefits and their feelings about the company influence their experienced happiness. A total of 1 502 casino employees were surveyed (females = 57%; males = 43%). They completed a company benefits, feelings and happiness questionnaire within the work context. Data were analysed to predict what company benefits and whether feelings about the company impact on the casino employees’ happiness; and also to test the mediation effects of company benefits on their happiness experienced through feelings about the company. In addition, structural relations between happiness and feelings about the company, and happiness and company benefits were tested. Findings from the regression analyses and structural equation modelling suggest that feelings about the company and company benefits such as staff meals and pension funds do predict personal happiness and positive feelings about the company where they are employed. Moreover, feelings about the company mediated the effect of stay-in facilities, staff meals and a bonus on happiness. Positive feelings about their company seem to explain employee happiness, particularly with the availability of company benefits such as stay-in facilities, staff meals and a bonus scheme.     

Cognitive Reactivity in Depressed Outpatients: How Different is Severe Depression?

Cognitive behavioral approaches have been able to demonstrate some of the underlying and perpetuating factors of depression such as cognitive reactivity (CR). The association of CR and the severity of depression is yet to be reported. We aimed to compare the CR of a group of outpatients based on their self-reported severity of depression (SRSD), and to identify the role of specific CR vulnerability markers in depression. The study population consisted of 221 outpatients diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder. We used the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and completed a demographic and clinical data form. The participants completed the Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity-Revised (LEIDS-R), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. To identify how well CR, as measured by the scores of the LEIDS-R, could discriminate the groups based on the SRSD, one-way analysis of variance was used. To examine the unique associations between the CR and the SRSD, a hierarchical linear regression analysis was performed. To identify group membership to severe depression, the scores of the LEIDS-R were entered in a logistic regression model. Large, and small group differences emerged on the rumination, and control scores, respectively. The other group differences were all in the medium range. The control, risk aversion, and rumination scores were the subscales which explained a significant proportion of the variance in the SRSD. Overall, the logistic regression model classified 93.7 % of the severely depressed patients correctly. These results indicated that rumination, risk aversion, and perfectionism were particularly associated with severe depression.     

Emotional Support Makes the Difference: Work-Family Conflict and Employment Related Guilt Among Employed Mothers

Sex Roles - In the present study we aimed to investigate the role of social support, particularly emotional support, on work-family conflict (WFC) and employment-related guilt among employed...     

Investigation of the association between mobbing and musculoskeletal discomfort in academicians

This study aimed to identify the association between exposure to mobbing and musculoskeletal discomfort in academicians. One hundred academicians working at a university were included in the study. Permission was granted by the Rector prior to the study and questionnaires were delivered to the academicians. The Turkish version of the Leymann Inventory of Psychological Terror (LIPT) was used to evaluate mobbing and the Turkish version of the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ) was used to assess musculoskeletal discomfort. When the data were analyzed, a moderate association was found between mobbing perceived by the academic staff and musculoskeletal discomfort. In conclusion, this study showed that mobbing is a risk factor for musculoskeletal discomfort.     

Early life experiences and self-compassion: a structural equation modelling / Experiencias en la vida temprana y autocompasión: un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to examine the relationships between early life experiences and self-compassion. Sample of the study consists of 268 university students, in Turkey. Participants completed the Early Life Experiences Scale and the Self-compassion Scale. The relationships between early life experiences and self-compassion were examined using correlation analysis and the hypothesis model was tested through structural equation modeling. In correlation analysis, self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness factors of self-compassion were found negatively and self-judgment, isolation and over-identification factors of self-compassion were found positively related to early life experiences. The structural model fitted well (χ² = 21.92, df = 9, χ²/df = 2.43, p = .00914, AGFI = .93, GFI = .97, CFI = .98, NFI = .97, NNFI = .95, IFI = .98, RFI = .92, SRMR = .047, RMSEA = .073). According to path analysis results, self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness were predicted negatively by early life experiences. Further early life experiences predicted self-judgment, isolation and over-identification in a positive way. This research shows that early life experiences have a direct impact on the self-compassion.     

The association between self-concealment from one's partner and relationship well-being

In two studies the authors examined whether self-concealment from one's partner is associated with lower relationship well-being. In Study 1, participants who were in a romantic relationship (N = 165) completed an online survey. Self-concealment from one's partner was associated with lower relationship satisfaction and commitment. Furthermore, results were consistent with this relationship being mediated by autonomy and relatedness needs. In Study 2, couples (N = 50) completed daily records for 14 consecutive days. Multilevel analyses indicated that daily self-concealment from one's partner was associated with daily relationship satisfaction, commitment, and conflict. Lagged analyses also showed that self-concealment from one's partner predicted lower relationship well-being on the following day. Moreover, results supported that thwarted basic needs mediated the association between daily self-concealment and relationship well-being. Finally, actor-partner interdependence model over time analyses indicated that, apart from one's own self-concealment, one's partner's self-concealment was associated negatively with one's own relationship well-being.     

The Search for Non-Medical Treatment by Patients with Psychiatric Disorders

Patients in Turkey frequently seek help from non-physicians such as hodjas and fortune-tellers. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence, reasons for and results of the search for non-medical help by patients with psychiatric disorders. It was determined that 42.2% of patients consulted a hodja or a fortune-teller, and many (23.1%) were either the subject of prayers or else were advised to pray themselves as treatment. Considering that a significant number of patients seek non-medical treatment, it is thought that people should be informed about psychiatric disorders, therapies, and how to obtain them.All of the authors are M.D.s at Ondokuz Mayis University in Samsun, Turkey. Dr. Peksen is a Professor and Dr. Sunter an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health. Dr. Ozkan is a Professor and Dr. Güz an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry.     

Item analysis of the 'My Use of Interpersonal Skills Inventory'

A 32-item inventory was designed to provide data concerning the extent to which training in interpersonal and counselling skills was applied by educators in their professional and personal lives. An item analysis of the responses of 82 experienced educators was carried out on three testings completed before, soon after and one year following a training skills course. The item analysis revealed a high level of internal coherence for the inventory, indicating that improvement on any skill was related to improvement in the others. Correlations between the three applications of the inventory indicate an acceptable level of test-retest reliability. Apart from a clear face validity, data are reported confirming that interpersonal and counselling skills reported in the inventory are being applied in terms of reports of specific incidents.     

Does Self-Compassion Predict Spiritual Experiences of Turkish University Students?

The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive role of self-compassion on spiritual experiences. Participants were 285 university students. In this study, the self-compassion scale and the spiritual experiences scale were used. Self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness factors of self-compassion were found positively, and self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification factors of self-compassion were found negatively related to spiritual experiences. According to regression results, spiritual experiences were predicted negatively by self-judgment and over-identification. Further common humanity predicted spiritual experiences in a positive way. Self-compassion has explained 21 % of the variance in spiritual experiences.     

Stuttering due to ischemic stroke

Acquired stuttering is a disorder of the fluency of speech. The mechanism underlying stuttering is unknown. It may occur after bilateral and unilateral cortical or subcortical brain damage. We report two cases who had stuttering resulting from left parietal infarction.