Trust,Distrust, and Security: An Untrustworthy Immigrant in a Trusting Community

In security studies, there is an unquestioned assumption of a linear link between trust and security. However, such an assumption neglects complex identity dynamics that can be involved in trust‐building discourses for engendering security. There needs to be greater examination into what is meant by trust, and upon what, and whom, and how the politics of identity works in social trust building and how states can influence this process. This article contributes to the literature on trust, security, and identity in International Relations (IR) by making a case for a conceptual focus on the formation of particularized distrust towards “the other” as a corollary to trust and security of “the self.” It is argued that in the construction of a political community where security is associated with trust, particularized distrust can also be promoted through institutional discourses—strengthening the “trusting we” by constructing “the other” who can challenge social trust and feelings of security associated with it. The argument is illustrated through critically examining a state‐level narrative in Norway in relation to “the other,” that is, the immigrant. Through this illustrative example, mutual constitutiveness of trust and distrust in a self/other discursive construction will be shown.     

Studying Emotions in Security and Diplomacy: Where We Are Now and Challenges Ahead

The core objective of this special issue has been to shed light on emotions as (1) frames that shape interpersonal diplomatic relations, (2) as key tools that are used as part of the statecraft's toolbox, and (3) as formative/productive dynamics with real effects on human beings—that, in turn, often construct and maintain conflicts. It is therefore pertinent that we interrogate the political psychology of individual, collective, mass, and communal emotions and how these are often (mis)used in diplomacy and security narratives to legitimize politicians' decisions and practices. This concluding article provides a state of the art account of the study of emotions in International Relations (IR), sums up the main findings from all special issue contributions and constructively explores potential challenges ahead for the study of emotions in IR, especially in security and diplomacy studies. It concludes with an appeal for the development of a multiperspective approach—that is, one that combines social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities—for a nuanced study of the role of emotional work in state, diplomatic as well as security narratives and practices. This approach will in turn require methodological pluralism in how we go about, as reflexive researchers, our emotional research.     

Influence of affective distractors on working memory capacity in relation to symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder

Symptoms evoked in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when processing trauma‐relevant material arguably impair higher order cognitive functions. An example is working memory capacity (WMC), which has been shown to be disrupted by affective distractors. However, it is unknown whether this association varies across different types of PTSD symptoms. This study explored the association between WMC performed in affective (relative to neutral) contexts in relation to different symptoms of PTSD (avoidance, re‐experiencing, hyperarousal). Motor vehicle accident survivors with PTSD and without PTSD completed a delayed‐match‐to‐sample task including trauma‐related, neutral, and scrambled distractors in the interval between the presentation of the memoranda and the recognition target. The results showed that there was support for an indirect pathway between PTSD diagnosis and WMC performed in affective (versus neutral) contexts through re‐experiencing and avoidance symptoms. The findings suggest that avoidance symptoms in particular may benefit from interventions directed at improving WMC.     

Locus of control,anxiety, and depression in infertile patients

This study aimed to examine the relationship of locus of control (LoC) with anxiety and depression disorders, applying multivariate statistical techniques to control for the effects of demographic/fertility variables. This cross-sectional study included 312 infertile patients in a referral fertility center in Tehran, Iran via convenience sampling. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Levenson’s Locus of Control Scale were administered to all participants. Hierarchical multiple linear regressions were used to identify factors associated with anxiety and depression. After controlling for demographic/fertility variables, hierarchical regression analyses showed that internal LoC was negatively associated with anxiety (β = –.213, p < .001) and depression (β = –.269, p < .001). Powerful others subscale was positively associated with anxiety (β = .176, p < .001), but there was no significant relationship between this subscale and depression (β = .047, p = .467). The findings of this study merit the understanding of the role of demographic/fertility characteristics and LoC orientations in anxiety and depression of infertile patients to identify beforehand those patients who might be at risk of experiencing high anxiety and depression and in need of support.     

Embracing mental illness: do education and contact make any difference in help-seeking intention among Pakistani students?

Those suffering from mental illness usually fall victim to stigmatization and the resulting discrimination. This study aims at finding out whether students differ in their attitudes based on the courses studied and previous contact with mentally ill. Using purposive sampling technique, 236 students from seven departments of University of Karachi were selected for this study. They were divided into three groups based on their educational background i.e. “psychology group”, “allied group” and “other group”. Community Attitude towards Mental Illness (CAMI) Scale along with a demographics sheet were administered to the participants. Using SPSS version 23, one-way ANOVA was carried out between educational groups and responses of CAMI sub-scales. Results indicated that in comparison to the other two groups, attitudes of psychology students were lower on authoritarianism, social restrictiveness subscales and higher on community mental health ideology subscale. Results are discussed in detail.     

The Impact of PREP Training on Marital Conflicts Reduction: A Randomized Controlled Trial With Iranian Distressed Couples

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of the Prevention and Relationship Education Program (PREP) training on marital conflict and marital satisfaction among a sample of distressed couples in Iran. The research procedure was experimental with a pretest, posttest, and follow-up design, including a control group. The sample included 76 volunteer couples among a sample of distressed couples who were randomly selected and assigned to the experimental or control group. They completed demographic questions, the Marital Conflicts questionnaire, and a revised Marital Satisfaction Inventory in pretest, posttest and at the 1-year follow-up. Results showed that PREP training effectively led to decreased marital conflict and improvement of marital satisfaction of couples at posttest and at the 1-year follow-up. The result of covariance analysis showed significant differences between the experimental and the control groups' marital conflict and marital satisfaction at posttest and at the 1-year follow-up.     

Bilingualism and reading difficulties: an exploration in episodic and semantic memory

This study was designed to investigate the effect of bilingualism and reading difficulties (RD) on episodic and semantic memory. The subjects included 190 children (aged 9–12 years): 45 Iranian-Swedish bilinguals and 59 Swedish monolinguals with typically developed reading, along with 41 bilinguals and 45 monolinguals with RD. To measure episodic memory, subject-performed and verbal tasks were used for encoding, and both free and cued recall were used for retrieval. Letter and category fluency tasks were used to test semantic memory. In action memory, bilingual children with RD benefited less from enactment encoding form compared to children with typically developed reading. Additionally, bilingual with RD had lower rates of recollection in category fluency compared to their monolingual counterparts. However, in letter fluency, there was not found a difference between performances of bilinguals and monolinguals with RD. We discuss the involvement of long-term memory in both bilingualism and reading.     

Temperament-Character Profile and Psychopathologies in Patients with Alopecia Areata

The aim of this study is to investigate psychopathologies and the temperament-character profile of Alopecia Areata patients and to compare them with healthy controls. Patients and controls who presented at a dermatology clinic were selected by convenience sampling to respond to Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), SCL-90-R, and a checklist about the demographic data and their dermatologic and psychiatric history. Patients reported higher harm avoidance and reward dependence than controls (Cohen's d = .93 and = .94). A significant correlation between Harm Avoidance (r = ?0.33, p = .02) and Reward Dependence (r = ?0.28, p = 0.05) with sex was found (females scored higher). Lifetime history of AA relapse was significantly associated with higher psychiatric symptoms; the effect sizes were large for Obsessive-Compulsive (d = .81) and Paranoia Ideation (d = .89). The higher psychological symptoms in AA patients with the history of relapses in this study have a practical message for clinicians.     

The Association Between Muslim Religiosity and Young Adult College Students’ Depression,Anxiety, and Stress

Depression, anxiety, and stress are among major psychological disorders being predominant in present day. This study proposed to analyze the role of Muslim religiosity in male students showing these mental indications. A sample including 723 Pakistani young adults enrolled at college level was randomly chosen. Muslim Religiosity Measurement Scale and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale were utilized to gather information. Discoveries uncover an inverse relationship between conduct and affiliation with the symptoms of mental disorders, anxiety and stress among the respondents. Results bolster the incorporation of religious dimensions in psychological wellness and mental well-being thought of young adults in Pakistan.