Late adolescent nonsuicidal self-injury: the roles of coping style, self-esteem, and personality pathology

This study examined the relationship between late adolescent nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and coping style, self-esteem, and personality pathology. Participants were 302 late adolescent (18-19-year-old) college students who completed questionnaires on self-esteem, coping style, personality disorder symptoms, and NSSI. Participants who engaged in NSSI reported more personality pathology, more maladaptive coping styles, less rational coping, and lower self-esteem than did non self-harming participants. As hypothesized, total NSSI correlated with several personality disorders, emotional coping style, and inversely related to self-esteem and adaptive coping styles. Regression equations tested several mediation models to determine whether self-esteem or coping style mediates the relationship between personality disorder symptoms and NSSI. Emotional coping and self-esteem each fully mediated the relationship between various personality disorders and NSSI in the anticipated direction. Results also indicate self-esteem, rational, detached, and emotional coping partially mediate the relationship between several personality disorders and NSSI.     

Positive overgeneralization and Behavioral Approach System (BAS) sensitivity interact to predict prospective increases in hypomanic symptoms: a behavioral high-risk design

Recent work has identified Behavioral Approach System (BAS) sensitivity as a risk factor for the first onset and recurrence of mood episodes in bipolar disorder, but little work has evaluated risk factors for the prospective development of hypomanic symptoms in individuals at risk for, but without a history of, bipolar disorder. The present study used a prospective behavioral high-risk design to evaluate the impact of positive overgeneralization, a cognitive correlate of risk for hypomania, on hypomanic symptoms in individuals with high vs. moderate BAS sensitivity, but without a history of mood elevation. Hierarchical linear regressions indicated that upward positive overgeneralization and BAS sensitivity interacted to predict increased levels of hypomanic symptoms at follow-up, controlling for initial hypomanic symptoms. The pattern of this interaction was such that positive overgeneralization predicted higher levels of hypomanic symptoms among high-BAS, but not moderate-BAS, individuals. Thus, the self-reported tendency to experience grandiose increases in confidence following success may confer additional risk for mood elevation among individuals already at risk for developing bipolar disorder. Potential implications for prevention and treatment are discussed.     

Vision-fair neuropsychological assessment in normal aging, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease

We examined performance of healthy older and younger adults and individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) on digit cancellation, a task putatively sensitive to cognitive impairment, but possibly affected by visual impairment, particularly in contrast sensitivity. Critical contrast thresholds were established to create custom stimulus arrays that were proximally matched across individuals. Age- and PD-related differences in search were fully accounted for by the sensory deficit. Increased contrast benefited AD patients, but could not override cognitive impairment. We conclude that visually fair neuropsychological testing can effectively compensate for normal age- and PD-related visual changes that affect cognitive performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).     

Parenting Young Children (PARYC): Validation of a Self-Report Parenting Measure

The measurement of parenting behaviors is important to the field of psychology and the goal of remediating problematic parenting as a means of reducing child problem behaviors. The Parenting Young Children (PARYC) is a self-report measure designed to address parenting behaviors relevant for the caregivers of young children, and was assessed in sample of 579 high risk families. The measure assesses the frequency of several parenting behaviors, the perception of the parenting behaviors as problematic, and the degree to which the caregiver would like to make changes in specific parenting skills. An examination of the validity of the parenting behavior items revealed three parenting scales: (1) Supporting Positive Behavior (2) Setting Limits, and (3) Proactive Parenting. Confirmatory factor analysis results corroborate the findings of the exploratory factor analysis, supporting the measurement structure of these parenting scales. Tests of convergent validity indicate the PARYC scale is a suitable measure of parenting behaviors. In addition, the self-perception of parenting behaviors as problematic predicted concurrent levels of service utilization while controlling for simultaneous child behavior problems.     

Comparing Binary Transgender and Nonbinary People: Factors Associated with Psychological Well-Being Among a Predominately People of Color Sample

Binary transgender and nonbinary people face interpersonal and societal discrimination which can contribute to minority stress and negative mental health. Thus, it is important that family therapists understand what factors contribute to psychological well-being to be able to offer helpful and inclusive therapy services to these communities. This study addresses a gap in the literature regarding differences in factors contributing to psychological well-being between binary transgender and nonbinary people as well as understanding these factors in a predominantly People of Color (POC) sample. Utilizing secondary data from the Social Justice Sexuality Project (Battle and DeFreece in Women Gend Fam Color 2(1):1–31. https://doi.org/10.5406/womgenfamcol.2.1.0001, 2014; Battle et al. in Social justice sexuality survey: cumulative codebook, City University of New York-Graduate Center, New York, 2012), this study examined the relationships between perceived family support, religiosity, community connectedness and psychological well-being in a sample of binary transgender and nonbinary people. Results from a multiple group path analysis show that perceived family support, religiosity and being connected to an LGBT community were significantly associated with psychological well-being for binary transgender people, while only LGBT community connectedness was significantly associated with psychological well-being for nonbinary people. Implications for family therapists include helping families support binary transgender and nonbinary family members, deconstructing non-affirming religious messages about gender identity and connecting clients to affirmative religions and religious leaders, and being knowledgeable about community resources for binary transgender and nonbinary POC.

     

Using Item Response Theory to Develop a 60-Item Representation of the NEO PI–R Using the International Personality Item Pool: Development of the IPIP–NEO–60

Given advantages of freely available and modifiable measures, an increase in the use of measures developed from the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP), including the 300-item representation of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI–R; Costa &; McCrae, 1992a Costa, P., &; McCrae, R. (1992a). The five-factor model of personality and its relevance to personality disorders. Journal of Personality Disorders, 6, 343–359.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) has occurred. The focus of this study was to use item response theory to develop a 60-item, IPIP-based measure of the Five-Factor Model (FFM) that provides equal representation of the FFM facets and to test the reliability and convergent and criterion validity of this measure compared to the NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). In an undergraduate sample (n = 359), scores from the NEO-FFI and IPIP–NEO–60 demonstrated good reliability and convergent validity with the NEO PI–R and IPIP–NEO–300. Additionally, across criterion variables in the undergraduate sample as well as a community-based sample (n = 757), the NEO-FFI and IPIP–NEO–60 demonstrated similar nomological networks across a wide range of external variables (r_ICC = .96). Finally, as expected, in an MTurk sample the IPIP–NEO–60 demonstrated advantages over the Big Five Inventory–2 (Soto &; John, 2017 Soto, C. J., &; John, O. P. (2017). The next Big Five Inventory (BFI–2): Developing and assessing a hierarchical model with 15 facets to enhance bandwidth, fidelity, and predictive power. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113, 117–143.[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]; n = 342) with regard to the Agreeableness domain content. The results suggest strong reliability and validity of the IPIP–NEO–60 scores.