How prioritized is self-prioritization during stimulus processing?

Recent research has suggested that self-relevance automatically enhances stimulus processing (i.e., the self-prioritization effect). Notably, information associated with one’s self elicits faster responses than comparable material associated with other targets (e.g., friend, stranger). Challenging the assertion that self-prioritization is an obligatory process, here we hypothesized that self-relevance only facilitates performance when task sets draw attention to previously formed target-object associations. The results of two experiments were consistent with this viewpoint. Compared with arbitrary objects owned by a friend, those owned by the self were classified more rapidly when participants were required to report either the owner or identity of the items (i.e., semantic task set). In contrast, self-relevance failed to facilitate performance when participants judged the orientation of the stimuli (i.e., perceptual task set). These findings demonstrate the conditional automaticity of self-prioritization during stimulus processing.     

Still looking for Poppa

In 1992, V. Phares published an article titled "Where's Poppa?: The Relative Lack of Attention to the Role of Fathers in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology". Since that time, there have been modest gains in the research literature on clinical child issues, but there remains a wide gap between the inclusion of mothers and fathers in clinical child and family research. To provide an update of this issue for the field of developmental psychopathology, the authors of this comment conducted an updated review and analysis of the research on fathers and developmental psychopathology. These current data were compared with the data from the Phares and Compas (1992) study. It was found that there continues to be a dearth of research on fathers and developmental psychopathology.     

The role of core self-evaluations in the relationship between religious involvement and subjective well-being: a moderated mediation model

This study examined whether core self-evaluations (CSE), a personality-based construct, mediates the association between religious involvement and subjective well-being (i.e., physical and psychological). Furthermore, investigates whether the indirect relation of religious involvement to well-being through CSE is conditional on age group (elderly vs. adults). Two different samples were examined: an elderly (N?=?300) and an adult community sample (N?=?294). To determine whether the strength of these effects depend on (moderated by) age group, we used multiple regression analyses and bootstrapping framework to probe conditional indirect (i.e., moderated mediation) effects. The results showed that CSE mediates the relationship between religious involvement (i.e., religious attendance and intrinsic religiosity) and both aspects of subjective well-being. However, the moderated mediation models revealed that this mechanism exists only for elderly. Implications of these results for improving the quality of life in elderly are discussed and directions for future research are provided.     

Screening for Depression in Cardiovascular Patients in Albania: Findings from the Country Check-Up Program

This is a retrospective study conducted in Vlora from January 2016 to April 2017 and the aim was to report the prevalence of depression in cardiovascular (CVD) patients. Depression assessment was done using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 (PHQ-9). Data were derived from the patient records and the standard recommended cut-off point of PHQ-9 ≥ 10 was used. In total, data of 300 patients were analyzed. Depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 10) were observed at 6% of the participants. Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep or sleeping too much, feeling tired or having little energy and having little interest or pleasure in doing things were the most common symptoms reported. In multivariate analysis, only family status showed statistical significance. Unmarried (mean rank?=?207.22) are more likely to have moderate or severe depression level (OR?3.529; C.I. 95% 1.017–12.238). Future research should focus on the needed actions after depression screening (i.e. referral, treatment etc.).