The coherence of critical event narratives and adolescents' psychological functioning

The present study examined the coherence of low- and high-point life-event narratives among adolescents (aged between 12 and 21 years) and their psychological functioning in terms of well-being and prosocial behaviour. The results showed robust age-related increases in narrative coherence. Age and gender significantly moderated the associations between narrative coherence and psychological functioning. Specifically, higher levels of coherence were significantly associated with prosocial behaviour only for older adolescents. Higher levels of narrative coherence were also associated with lower levels of well-being among adolescent boys, but not among adolescent girls. Results are discussed in terms of why coherent life-event narratives may not be linked to benefits for younger adolescents and for boys, and how low- and high-point life events both contribute to identity construction.     

Refinement and Psychometric Properties of the Eight-Item Brazilian Positive and Negative Affective Schedule for Children (PANAS-C8)

This study aimed to refine the Brazilian Positive and Negative Affect Scale for Children (PANAS-C34). A total of 1,160 children, between seven and 16 years of age (M = 11.2; SD = 1.92), from public elementary schools in eight Brazilian southern cities participated in the study. Four studies were conducted for this project. Study I (n = 370) evaluated the factorial structure of the PANAS-C34 (the original 34-item version). Ten potential items were selected for the instrument’s refined version. Employing an independent sample (n = 340), Study II assessed the utility of this ten-item version. Exploratory factor analysis, parallel analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis supported a bi-factorial solution. However, significant modification indices emerged for two items (happy and sad) regarding their respective factors and thus they were excluded. In Study III, using another independent sample (n = 450), it was demonstrated that the eight-item version (PANAS-C8) had better fit indices than the ten-item version. In Study IV (N = 1,160) a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to evaluate the measurement invariance of the factorial solution across gender. Moreover, convergent validity was also evaluated using the Child Depression Inventory (CDI) and the General Life Satisfaction Scale for Children (GLSS-C). Measurement invariance was obtained for the PANAS-C8 across all the investigated model parameters. The correlations between the PANAS-C8 and both the CDI and the GLSS-C were of similar magnitude to those obtained using the PANAS-C34. The PANAS-C8 had adequate validity indices, demonstrating its usefulness in evaluating positive and negative affect in children.     

A Cross-Cultural Exploration: Body Image in Older Black and White Women in the Workplace

This study investigated body image attitudes in a non-clinical sample of black and white older professional women in the workplace in South Africa. Participants were 125 professional women (white woman n=76 and black women n = 49). They completed the shortened version of the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) (Cooper, Taylor, Cooper & Fairburn, 1987). The BSQ is a self-report instrument that measures weight and shape concerns. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t-tests for independent samples were used to determine the univariate relationships between variables. Following this, a two-way analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was conducted to explore the interaction between ethnicity and BMI. The results indicate that Body Mass Index (BMI) and ethnicity are significantly and independently related to the body shape image. Women with higher BMI scores tended to have more concern about their bodies. Black women with higher BMI scores had more concerns than their white colleagues.     

Motivational Interviewing Promotes Adherence and Improves Wellbeing in Pre-Dialysis Patients with Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease

Low rates of adherence to medical treatments and adverse emotional states are a widespread problem in advanced chronic kidney disease (ACKD). Motivational interviewing using the stages of change model is an effective combination in promoting behavior modifications. The objective of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of an individual, pre-dialysis intervention program (monthly sessions of 90 min over a 6-month period) in terms of adherence, emotional state and health-related quality of life (HRQL). Forty-two patients were evaluated for adherence, depression, anxiety and HRQL with standardized self-report questionnaires. Biochemical markers were also registered. The results show that after the intervention, patients reported significantly higher levels of adherence, lower depression and anxiety levels, and better HRQL (i.e., general health and emotional role domains). Biochemical parameters were controlled significantly better after the intervention, except for iPTH. These findings highlight the potential benefit of applying individual psycho-educational intervention programs based on motivational interviewing and using the stages of change model to promote adherence and wellbeing in ACKD patients.