Facets of mindfulness mediate behavioral inhibition systems and emotion dysregulation

Behavioral motivation is regulated through the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and the behavioral approach system (BAS), which underlie responses to emotional stimuli and are thought to influence emotion dysregulation. Research shows that mindfulness may increase the efficacy of emotion regulation among those with psychological symptoms, but the relationships between behavioral motivation and mindfulness have been only minimally explored. This study examines relationships between behavioral motivation systems and emotion dysregulation as mediated by mindfulness facets. Mediation was tested in a sample of 246 college students (M_age = 19.28, 61.8% female, 81.3% Caucasian) using a multiple mediator bootstrapping method. Results revealed an indirect relationship between BIS sensitivity and increased emotion dysregulation through underutilization of three distinct mindfulness skills: act with awareness, non-judging, and non-reactivity. Mindfulness facets did not mediate relationships between BAS sensitivity and emotion dysregulation, though BAS Reward Responsiveness directly predicted increased emotion dysregulation while BAS Drive was marginally associated with decreased emotion dysregulation. Findings delineate specific relationships between BIS/BAS, mindfulness skills, and emotion dysregulation while suggesting mindfulness training may be useful for BIS sensitive individuals.     

Peer victimization and subsequent disruptive behavior in school: The protective functions of anger regulation coping

Peer victimization is linked to adjustment problems in youth, including aggressive behavior, yet not all victimized youth are aggressive. The present study investigated whether youth’s anger regulation coping might attenuate the positive association between peer victimization and subsequent aggressive behavior. Longitudinal data from 485 7th-grade students (55% female, mean age = 12.84 years) and their teachers were collected in the fall and six months later. Teacher ratings of youth aggressive behavior at follow-up were the primary outcome, with statistical adjustments for baseline aggressive behavior and demographics. Results from multilevel models showed significant interactive effects of baseline anger regulation and peer victimization on residualized teacher-rated aggressive behaviors that were consistent with the hypothesis that anger regulation played a protective role: under high levels of peer victimization, youth with higher levels of anger regulation displayed lower levels of aggressive behavior than their counterparts with lower levels of anger regulation. These findings suggest that targeting and improving students’ ability to regulate their anger may be protective in the face of peer victimization and reduce subsequent aggressive behavior.     

From chaos and insecurity to understanding and coping: experienced benefits of a group-based education programme for people with chronic fatigue syndrome

The aim of this study was to elicit participants' experiences with a multidisciplinary patient education programme and their views regarding the usefulness of the programme. Focus group interviews were conducted with 10 participants immediately and nine months following participation in the programme and analysed using thematic analysis. Initially, the participants experienced confusion and insecurity regarding coping with the illness. Participation in the programme appeared to promote understanding, acceptance and coping through gaining greater knowledge, learning coping strategies and exchanging experiences, as well as receiving understanding and acceptance. Thus, the programme was experienced to be a beneficial intervention. However, the participants expressed a need for more guidance or follow-up to maintain the practice of coping strategies for better coping with their illness.     

What’s it all about? A qualitative study of meaning in life for counseling psychology doctoral students

The interviews of 10 female counseling psychology doctoral students regarding their views about meaning in life (MIL) were analyzed using consensual qualitative research. The participants defined MIL as goals or purposes, were actively involved in searching for meaning, and believed that MIL had been stimulated by life-changing experiences and culture. On a personal level, they gained meaning from relationships, personal growth, and religion/spirituality. On a professional level, they gained meaning from providing therapy, conducting research, and teaching. As therapists, participants approached MIL indirectly by asking about client goals/motivations or by focusing on other clinical problems that if resolved would enhance MIL. Implications for doctoral training and for psychotherapy are offered.     

Ethics in Psychology and Law: An International Perspective

Some psychologists working in the psychology and law (psycholegal) field feel that the profession does not provide them with adequate ethical guidance even though the field is arguably one of the oldest and best established applied fields of psychology. The uncertainty psychologists experience most likely stems from working with colleagues whose professional ethics differs from their own while providing services to demanding people and the many moral questions associated with the administration of law. I believe psychology’s ethics does, however, provide adequate moral guidance. It has a sound historical basis, has face validity and emphasizes those social moral principles that allow psychologists to best serve individuals and society. Psychologists may nevertheless be confronted with conflicting demands because there are other norm systems that also regulate their behavior as researchers and practitioners, and they, like all people, are influenced by their conscience. Ultimately, psychologists working in the psycholegal field will be best served if they have good knowledge of, and have internalized, the ethical principles of psychology.     

Using a Two-Tier Test to Examine Taiwanese Graduate Students’ Misunderstanding of Responsible Conduct of Research

The present study investigates Taiwanese graduate students’ general understanding and misunderstanding of Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). A total of 580 graduate students responded to the self-developed Responsible Conduct of Research Reasoning Test. The results reveal that, first, students did not have sufficient knowledge to reason why a particular instance of research (mis)conduct was doable or not. Second, the statistical results show that female students, students majoring in the humanities or the social sciences, doctoral-level students, and students with RCR-related training outperformed others. In addition, the misbehaviors that students judged relatively uncritically comprise the following nine categories: (a) seeing authorship as a property or power, (b) misinterpreting research coauthors’ responsibilities, (c) inaccurately conducting the informed-consent process, (d) fabricating and falsifying research data, (e) misinterpreting the correct citation of research sources, (f) holding vague concepts of self-plagiarism, (g) misinterpreting the Taiwan Copyright Act, (h) accepting duplicate-publication practices, and (i) accepting piecemeal publication practices. The present study discusses participative students’ major misunderstandings of actual RCR-related practices. The study also presents further implications and suggestions based on the findings.     

Validation de la version francophone de l’Emotion Regulation Checklist (ERC-vf)

Introduction and objectiveThis article presents two validation studies of the French version of the Emotion Regulation Checklist (Shields & Cicchetti, 1998; ERC-vf, Nader-Grosbois, 2013) led with preschoolers. This questionnaire is applicable to 3–12 years old children with and without disorder.MethodIn the study 1 (n = 152), the teachers filled the ERC-vf and a personality scale. In the study 2 (n = 71), the ERC-vf was completed two times by the teachers and by the parents who also filled other measures of emotion regulation and of social competences.ResultsThe study 1 shows a good internal consistency and a two-factor structure (emotion regulation and dysregulation). The scores for these factors are significantly linked with developmental ages, the global level of intellectual efficiency and specific factors of personality. The study 2 shows a good inter-judges agreement, a stability test-retest and the external convergent validity between scores in ERC-vf and in other measures of emotion regulation and of social competences.ConclusionAs the ERC-vf has good psychometric properties, it may be used for research and for assessment in intervention in French-speaking areas.     

Ultraorthodox young drivers in Israel – Driving through cultural lenses

Research has paid little attention to driving and road safety in the ultraorthodox communities in Israel, in which perceptions on such issues display unique cultural characteristics, and may have long-term effects on traffic safety. This study attempts to gain insight into the attitudes and behaviors of the ultraorthodox young men road users in Israel with regard to driving and road safety, using a qualitative research method based on 42 face-to-face in-depth interviews with men from different ultraorthodox circles in different stages of life. The analysis reveals that the stringent cultural norms strongly influence road behavior, far beyond what is known about young novice drivers and their peers in general. For example, owning a license by young, single ultraorthodox students is seen as an offense against the ultraorthodox establishment compared to driving without a license, which is considered a one-time lapse. The findings indicate that unique cultural phenomena such as concealing the process of licensing, unlicensed driving and road interactions create a dangerous effect extending beyond the ultraorthodox neighborhoods. They also imply that road safety can be interpreted differently in diverse cultures, a fact which should be considered while planning safety intervention strategies.     

大学生正念对主观幸福感的影响:情绪调节及心理弹性的中介作用

采用五因素正念量表(FFMQ)、情绪调节量表(ERS)、心理弹性量表(CD-RISC)、幸福感指数量表(IWB)对448名大学生进行问卷调查,以探讨正念对主观幸福感的影响机制。结果表明:(1)正念、重新评价、心理弹性、主观幸福感呈显著正相关;(2)重新评价和心理弹性的链式多重中介效应在正念与主观幸福感间起部分中介效应,一方面,正念可以通过促进心理弹性提升主观幸福感,另一方面,正念不能直接通过重新评价策略的使用提升主观幸福感,存在"正念→重新评价→心理弹性→主观幸福感"的路径。