The effects of smoking norms and attitudes on quitting intentions in Malaysia,Thailand and four Western nations: A cross-cultural comparison

This research investigated the influence of smoking attitudes and norms on quitting intentions in two predominantly collectivistic countries (Malaysia and Thailand) and four predominantly individualistic Western countries (Canada, USA, UK and Australia). Data from the International Tobacco Control Project (N = 13,062) revealed that higher odds of intending to quit were associated with negative personal attitudes in Thailand and the Western countries, but not in Malaysia; with norms against smoking from significant others in Malaysia and the Western countries, but not in Thailand; and with societal norms against smoking in all countries. Our findings indicate that normative factors are important determinants of intentions, but they play a different role in different cultural and/or tobacco control contexts. Interventions may be more effective if they are designed with these different patterns of social influence in mind.     

Characteristics of exiled smoking from workplaces

Abstract

This paper explores factors influencing the extent of exiled smoking from workplaces: that is leaving work so as to smoke a cigarette. Exiled smoking may be disruptive to work practices and it is a means by which smokers minimise the effects of workplace smoking bans on their daily consumption. As such it reduces possible health benefits that might have resulted from a greater decrease in consumption. Smokers (n = 145) were recruited while engaging in exiled smoking. The results indicate that among this group (of largely regular exiled smokers), indices of addiction were only loosely related to the extent of exiled smoking, and it did not appear to be primarily driven by social benefits. While most preferred taking breaks with company, the lack of company would only inhibit a minority. Perceived improvements in capacity to work was a common reason, as was the opportunity to discuss work related problems. Enjoyment of the cigarette and the opportunity to break up the day were also important. It appears exiled smoking is multiply determined. To the extent addiction is involved, it is not through strongly felt urges to smoke, but is more due to minor irritation such as reduced ability to concentrate. It is suggested that such experiences provide the extra motivation to take a break that non-smokers may think about but rarely feel sufficiently motivated to do.     

Brief Parenting Interventions for Children at Risk of Externalizing Behavior Problems: A Systematic Review

We systematically reviewed the evidence for the efficacy and effectiveness of brief parenting interventions, defined as <8 sessions in duration, in reducing child externalizing behaviors. While there is significant evidence to support the efficacy of parenting interventions of 8–12 sessions in duration, the public health benefit of these interventions is limited by low participation rates, high attrition rates and the lack of implementation by a wide range of practitioners. Brief parenting interventions have the potential to extend the reach and impact of parenting interventions and steer children away from a trajectory of life course persistent behavior problems. A search of four electronic databases was undertaken to identify RCTs conducted on brief parenting interventions. The primary outcome was child externalizing behaviors and secondary outcomes included parenting skills, parental self-efficacy, parental mental health and partner relationship functioning. The heterogeneity of included studies prevented a meta-analysis but characteristics of the studies were described. Nine papers summarising the results of eight studies with 836 families in five countries met inclusion criteria. All studies found significant improvements in parent-rated child externalizing behaviors, parenting skills and parenting self-efficacy, relative to control or comparison groups, with findings maintained at follow-up. Less consistent findings emerged for parental mental health and partner relationship functioning. This review provides initial evidence that brief parenting interventions may be sufficient to reduce child externalizing behavior problems for some families, however further research is needed.     

Quadratic Associations Between Empathy and Depression as Moderated by Emotion Dysregulation

Empathic tendencies have been associated with interpersonal and psychological benefits, but empathy at extreme levels or in combination with certain personal characteristics may contribute to risk for depression. This study tested the moderating role of cognitive emotion regulation in depression's association with empathy using nonlinear models. Young adults (N = 304; 77% female; M = 19 years) completed measures of cognitive emotion regulation strategies, depression, and affective and cognitive empathy. Individuals with good regulation had low levels of depression overall and their depression symptoms were lowest when levels of affective empathy were average. Individuals with poor regulation had high levels of depression overall, particularly when levels of empathy were moderate to high. Extremely high and low levels of cognitive empathy were associated with elevated depression, and this association was not moderated by regulation. These findings suggest tendencies to respond empathically to others’ needs is neither an adaptive nor maladaptive characteristic but rather moderate empathy, particularly in the context of good regulation, may offer the greatest protection against depression.     

Does change in positive affect mediate and/or moderate the impact of symptom distress on psychological adjustment after cancer diagnosis? A prospective analysis

This study tested the predictive value of the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) for the preparation to action stage transition by conducting a detailed examination of changes in TTM components in the days leading up to, and following, a planned quit attempt. Participants were 193 callers to a Quitline telephone service. Only limited support for the TTM was found. Consistent with the TTM, measures of self-efficacy were related to making an attempt and to achieving 7 + days of abstinence. Contrary to the TTM, the behavioral change processes were unrelated to making quit attempts and to short-term abstinence, with the exception of self-liberation, which is conceptually related to self-efficacy. New non-TTM measures assessing commitment to quitting were predictive of outcomes. The results provide strong support for the preparation to action transition being discontinuous, and thus consistent with a stage model. However, they bring into question many of the other postulates of the TTM. Further critical testing and evaluation of the TTM is required.     

Maternal expressed emotion predicts children's antisocial behavior problems: using monozygotic-twin differences to identify environmental effects on behavioral development

If maternal expressed emotion is an environmental risk factor for children's antisocial behavior problems, it should account for behavioral differences between siblings growing up in the same family even after genetic influences on children's behavior problems are taken into account. This hypothesis was tested in the Environmental Risk Longitudinal Twin Study with a nationally representative 1994-1995 birth cohort of twins. The authors interviewed the mothers of 565 five-year-old monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs and established which twin in each family received more negative emotional expression and which twin received more warmth. Within MZ pairs, the twin receiving more maternal negativity and less warmth had more antisocial behavior problems. Qualitative interviews were used to generate hypotheses about why mothers treat their children differently. The results suggest that maternal emotional attitudes toward children may play a causal role in the development of antisocial behavior and illustrate how genetically informative research can inform tests of socialization hypotheses.     

Implementation and Preliminary Feasibility of an Individualized,Supportive Approach to Behavioral Care for Parents of Young Children Newly Diagnosed With Type 1 Diabetes

There are significant stressors related to parenting a young child with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes (T1D). Despite these challenges, there are not yet clearly defined interventions to help promote psychological health and adherence for families with young children with T1D. First STEPS is a tailored stepped care design intervention to positively impact parents’ emotional functioning and children’s glycemic control in young children newly diagnosed with T1D. The First STEPS intervention is derived from a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Theory and Social Cognitive Theory to support family adjustment to T1D, promote parental mastery over T1D tasks, increase coping skills to manage stressors associated with T1D, and build on the strengths of families newly diagnosed with T1D to help them achieve positive health and wellbeing outcomes. We present details about the intervention and describe two pilot participants as case studies. Results indicated that the treatment and delivery model were acceptable to the pilot participants, as evidenced by treatment completion and satisfaction ratings. Future directions for this work include testing the efficacy of this new treatment in a randomized controlled trial.     

Examining Self-Concealment within the Framework of Psychological Inflexibility and Mindfulness: A Preliminary Cross-Sectional Investigation

Although self-concealment has been a central topic in the field of personality and applied psychologies, it remains somewhat unclear how it should be conceptualized. The present study investigated self-concealment within the framework of psychological inflexibility and mindfulness, two major emotion/behavior regulation processes integrated into contemporary cognitive behavioral models of behavioral health. One-thousand sixty college undergraduates (77 % female; n = 816) completed a web-based survey that included the measures of interest. Results revealed that psychological inflexibility was positively and uniquely associated with self-concealment. The association between mindfulness and self-concealment was moderated by gender; higher levels of self-concealment predicted lower levels of mindfulness for women only and were associated with sexual-minority men, but self-concealment did not vary for women as a function of sexual orientation status. Additional results and future directions are also discussed.     

Mothers,Fathers, and Parental Systems: A Conceptual Model of Parental Engagement in Programmes for Child Mental Health—Connect,Attend, Participate,Enact (CAPE)

Parenting programmes are one of the best researched and most effective interventions for reducing child mental health problems. The success of such programmes, however, is largely dependent on their reach and parental engagement. Rates of parental enrolment and attendance are highly variable, and in many cases very low; this is especially true of father involvement in parenting programmes. This paper proposes a conceptual model of parental engagement in parenting programmes—the CAPE model (Connect, Attend, Participate, Enact) that builds on recent models by elaborating on the interdependent stages of engagement, and its interparental or systemic context. That is, we argue that a comprehensive model of parental engagement will best entail a process from connection to enactment of learned strategies in the child’s environment, and involve consideration of individual parents (both mothers and fathers) as well as the dynamics of the parenting team. The model provides a framework for considering parent engagement as well as associated facilitators and mechanisms of parenting change such as parenting skills, self-efficacy, attributions, and the implementation context. Empirical investigation of the CAPE model could be used to further our understanding of parental engagement, its importance for programme outcomes, and mechanisms of change. This will guide future intervention refinement and developments as well as change in clinical practice.