A case-control study of hopelessness and suicidal behavior in the city of Athens,Greece. The role of the financial crisis

This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) in Greek patients with a recent suicide attempt, the predictive ability of BHS especially in terms of age and the possible effect of the financial crisis on hopelessness as it has been identified as a significant suicide risk factor. The study included a total of 510 individuals, citizens of Athens, Greece. Three hundred and forty individuals (170 attempted suicide patients, and 170 -age and gender- matched healthy individuals used as controls) completed BHS before the financial crisis onset (from 2009 to 2010). A sample of 170 healthy individuals also completed the BHS after the financial crisis onset (from 2013 to 2014), when the impact of the austerity measures was being felt by the Greek society. The Greek BHS version demonstrated good psychometric properties and a sufficient degree of internal consistency. Attempted suicide patients (M = 9) presented higher hopelessness than the controls (M = 3). The patients’ age positively correlated with hopelessness (r_s = .35, p < .001), and the ROC curve revealed that the BHS ability to discriminate the individuals with pathological rates of hopelessness from those without, strengthened as age increased. No significant differences were found between the individuals evaluated before (M = 3) and after (M = 3, p > .05) the crisis onset. Nevertheless, regarding the latter group, the women, the younger individuals, the less educated, the unemployed and the participants with low or mediocre self-reported financial status presented increased hopelessness. Our findings suggest that BHS could be a useful instrument especially when screening for suicide risk in people of older age, and that the financial crisis in Greece had a greater impact on subgroups of the population regarding hopelessness.     

Differential item functioning: a bibliometric analysis of journals published in Spanish

Differential item functioning: a bibliometric analysis of journals published in Spanish. This study aims to provide an overview of scientific productivity with respect to articles published in Spanish on the issue of DIF. The documents included in the study were identified using the Psicodoc database, as well as the Science Citation Index and Social Science Citation Index from the Web of Science. The analyses carried out are focused mainly on presenting the frequencies and percentages of publications with respect to various bibliometric indicators. The results reveal that interest in the issue of DIF has increased, and that the universities are the most productive institutions. The majority of articles have been published in the journal Psicothema.     

Perception time measured with the slope-transition paradigm (STP): category, set size, and task manipulations

A perception time measure was obtained with the 'slope-transition paradigm' (STP), which is described in detail. In two experiments with the paradigm, participants viewed two sequential data frames, each presented for a wide range of durations. They made a binary response based on combined information from the two frames. The results showed piecewise linear response-time versus frame-duration functions with a slope-0 branch at short durations, followed by a slope-1 branch. The duration where the two branches met (the slope transition) was interpreted as the end of the perception of frame 1. For longer durations, the participant had completed the perception of frame 1 and was forced to waste time waiting for data from frame 2. In experiment 1, an odd-digit enumeration task was used, and set size and distractor category (even digits versus consonants) were varied. In experiment 2, a same/different task with digits was used and the type of judgment (literal versus parity) was varied. Perception time increased with set size. Distractor category and judgment type affected post-perceptual processes. The perception time measure of the STP is considered in relation to the attentional blink, repetition blindness, and object files.     

“I’m More Aware of the Body than Ever”: Old Adults’ Experiences of the Psychosocial Significance of Their Bodies

Psychology theorises about the ageing body in terms of physical losses, and recommends transcending the body for satisfactory ageing. This study explored old adults’ conceptions of the ageing body to identify its relevance for their well-being in personal and interpersonal contexts. Ten retired individuals participated in semi-structured interviews and data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Ageing was found to trigger a conflict between the participants’ active self and weakening body. The interviewees defensively attempted to sideline their bodies by preoccupying themselves with mental health and interpersonal issues. However, they realised that their daily experiences (e.g., emotions and interpersonal interactions) depended upon bodily fitness and reciprocally, physical health was affected by lifestyle choices alongside socio-cultural influences. This insight about the biopsychosocial nature of the body empowered the participants to adapt to ageing. Their limitations seemed to motivate them to assume health behaviours, to fight for dignity of self and to empathise with significant others, thus enhancing well-being. Perceptions about the body therefore influenced participants’ health management and relationships. An alternative theorisation of the body as an active contributor to human psychosocial identity will pave way for interventions that sustain quality of life among those experiencing physical decline.     

Explaining Mendelian Inheritance in Genetic Consultations: An IPR Study of Counselor and Counselee Experiences

The explanation of Mendelian inheritance is a key component of most genetic counselling consultations, yet no evidence base exists for this area of practice. This qualitative study used Interpersonal Process Recall (IPR) to explore how information about X-linked inheritance is provided and received in genetic counseling. Twelve consultations involving two senior genetic counselors and 21 counselees were videotaped. Section(s) of videotape featuring the explanation were subsequently played back separately to both counselees and counselors and their responses and reflections recorded. All interviews were fully transcribed and analysed using the constant comparison method. A personalised diagram, drawn “live” by the counselor during the consultation was recalled by counselees as being central to their understanding of the “bottom line”. This helped bridge the gap between scientific information and their family experience and did not appear to require a baseline understanding of genetic concepts such as genes or chromosomes. Counselors reflected on the diagram’s positive impact on the way they sequenced, paced and tailored the explanation. A positive counselor-counselee relationship was vital even during this educative exchange: for counselees to feel at ease discussing complex genetic information and to help gauge counselee understanding.     

Family play,reading, and other stimulation and early childhood development in five low-and-middle-income countries

This paper used longitudinal data from five studies conducted in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Ethiopia, and Rwanda to examine the links between family stimulation and early childhood development outcomes (N = 4904; M_age = 51.5; 49% girls). Results from random-effects and more conservative child-fixed effects models indicate that across these studies, family stimulation, measured by caregivers’ engagement in nine activities (e.g., reading, playing, singing), predicted increments in children's early numeracy, literacy, social-emotional, motor, and executive function skills (standardized associations ranged from 0.05 to 0.11 SD). Study-specific models showed variability in the estimates, with null associations in two out of the five studies. These findings indicate the need for additional research on culturally specific ways in which caregivers may support early development and highlight the importance of promoting family stimulation to catalyze positive developmental trajectories in global contexts.

Research Highlights

• Research on the links between family stimulation and early childhood development in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) is limited.
• We used longitudinal data from studies conducted in five LMICs to examine the links between family stimulation and early childhood development outcomes.
• Results suggest that family stimulation predicted increments in children's numeracy, literacy, social-emotional, motor, and executive function skills.
• We found variability in the observed estimates, with null associations in two out of the five studies, suggesting the need for additional research in LMICs.

     

Preventing Suicide at Suicide Hotspots: A Case Study from Australia

The Gap Park Self‐Harm Minimisation Masterplan project is a collaborative attempt to address jumping suicides at Sydney's Gap Park through means restriction, encouraging help‐seeking, and increasing the likelihood of third‐party intervention. We used various data sources to describe the Masterplan project's processes, impacts, and outcomes. There have been reductions in reported jumps and confirmed suicides, although the trends are not statistically significant. There has been a significant increase in police call‐outs to intervene with suicidal people who have not yet reached the cliff's edge. The collaborative nature of the Masterplan project and its multifaceted approach appear to be reaping benefits.