Relationships between personality traits and positive/negative sexual cognitions

In this study we examined the relationship between gender, age, religion, neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, and obsessiveness on one side and the frequency and content of sexual cognitions experienced as being positive/pleasant or negative/unpleasant on the other. The sample was made up of 1,500 individuals (42.8% men and 57.2% women) aged between 18 and 72 years. Results indicated that all the socio-demographic variables as well as the traits neuroticism, openness to experience, and obsessiveness were important in the prediction of the overall frequency of positive sexual cognitions. Age and neuroticism, openness to experience, and obsessiveness were found to be significant in the prediction of the overall frequency of negative sexual cognitions. When considering the content of sexual cognitions (i.e., intimate, exploratory, sadomasochistic, and impersonal), all the socio-demographic variables and the trait openness to experience were found to be significantly related to all types of positive sexual cognitions. Neither socio-demographic variables nor personality traits were significantly associated with the content of negative sexual cognitions. Overall, this study highlights the weakness of the predictive value of personality traits on sexual cognitions, especially those experienced as being negative. We discuss the usefulness of classic personality traits in predicting sexual aspects.     

Emotional intelligence and depressed mood in adolescence: A multilevel approach

The aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between individual emotional intelligence, group emotional intelligence and depressed mood in adolescence from a multilevel approach. The study sample comprised 2,182 adolescents (1,127 female and 1,055 male) aged between 12 and 18 years (M = 14.51, SD = 1.55). They attended 14 secondary schools in the Basque Country (northern Spain) and were grouped into 118 different classes. A two-level model (students nested in classes) with three predictor variables of level 1 (attention, clarity and repair of emotions) and one predictor variable of level 2 (class emotional intelligence) was used to examine their influence on depressed mood. The results indicated that clarity and the ability to regulate emotions at the individual level and emotional intelligence at the class level are important for explaining depressed mood. In this way, the study provides an integrative approach to research on the psychosocial well-being of adolescents that takes into account emotional variables located at different levels.     

Validating the Beck Depression Inventory-II in Indonesia's general population and coronary heart disease patients

This study assesses the validity and determines the cut-off point for the Beck Depression Inventory-II (the BDI-II) among Indonesians. The Indonesian version of the BDI-II (the Indo BDI-II) was administered to 720 healthy individuals from the general population, 215 Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) patients, and 102 depressed patients. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated factorial similarity across the three samples. Significant correlations between the Indo BDI-II and other self-report measures related to depression demonstrated construct validity of the Indo BDI-II. Furthermore, there was a highly significant difference in the Indo BDI-II scores between depressed patients and non-depressed participants. Internal consistency and re-test reliability of the Indo BDI-II were acceptable. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve indicated that the cut-off point of the Indo BDI-II for a mild severity of depression in Indonesian population should be 17. We conclude that the Indo BDI-II is a valid measure of depression, both in the Indonesian general population and in CHD patients.     

Interactive effects of personality and separation as acculturation style on adolescent antisocial behaviour

The primary aim of this study was to assess the interaction between personality and acculturation variables in predicting antisocial behaviour among adolescent immigrants living in Spain. Previous studies have shown that the acculturation style referred to as separation (rejection of the host country's culture, and a strong desire to preserve the culture of the country of origin) was strongly related to antisocial behaviour among immigrants. A further aim of this study was to examine if the relationship between separation and antisocial behaviour was moderated by personality variables, in particular impulsivity, sensation-seeking, and personal competence. Self-reported data of a sample of 750 adolescent immigrants living in Galicia's and Madrid's regions (Spain) were gathered using previously validated scales. The results revealed that both separation and personality variables were significantly related to antisocial behaviour. Moreover, hierarchical regression analysis with the interaction terms entered found significant moderating effects i.e., the relationship between separation and antisocial behaviour was significantly amplified when impulsivity or sensation-seeking were high. The results underscore the need to examine the effects of personality, acculturation, and the interaction between both on antisocial behaviour among adolescent immigrants.     

Problematic eating behaviors and nutritional status in 7 to 12 year-old Chilean children

Overweight and obesity are medical conditions that require a multidisciplinary analysis of their causes and treatment. In Chile a sustained increase in the presence of obesity and excess weight has been observed in children. However, the amount and the dynamics of the aforementioned problematic eating behaviours in Chilean children are unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between restrained, external, and emotional eating, and variations in body mass index (BMI) in Chilean children. Consequently, 453 children from 7 to 12 years of age responded to the Children's Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire, Spanish version. In addition, their anthropometric data were obtained. A positive association was found between restrained eating and BMI, and a negative correlation between external eating and BMI. Emotional eating demonstrated a modest inverse relationship with BMI. A significant interaction between problematic behaviour and nutritional status (normal-weight, overweight, obese) was revealed. Restrained eating was characteristic of obese children whereas external eating of normal-weight children. These results suggest that problematic eating behaviours and their relationship with body weight are similar to those described in studies in Europe.     

It is about time: Daily relationships between temporal perspective and well-being

This study examined the day-to-day relationships between temporal perspective and well-being. Temporal perspective has predominantly been measured with single-occasion measurement designs, which ignore the potential for within-person variations that may be important in accounting for fluctuations in well-being. A 14-day daily diary design was employed to examine the dimensions of temporal perspective (temporal focus, temporal attitude, and temporal distance) and their dynamic relationships with daily well-being. The results from multilevel analyses indicated that: (a) there is evidence of within-person variability in daily temporal perspective, and (b) this within-person variability in temporal perspective fluctuated systematically with fluctuations in daily well-being. Each temporal perspective dimension was useful in predicting daily well-being. Temporal perspective dimensions interacted with each other such that the daily relationships with well-being depended on both the temporal region (past, present, or future) and the nature of the thoughts (pleasant vs. unpleasant; near vs. far).     

Evolutionary policy contexts and policies in preparation for the twenty‐first century

The importance of preparing now for the next century is emphasized. The author's field and Kondratiev theories as a basis for long‐range policymaking over periods of dynamic, recon‐figurational change are briefly reviewed, and a number of assumptions relevant to this kind of policymaking are provided.. Equilibrium and nonequilibrium structures and thinking are contrasted. Limitations to control associated with limits to knowledge and knowability are discussed. The possibility is considered that continuation of present policies and practices may accelerate movement along a trajectory to nowhere. Problem solutions are considered within the context of what is meant by a civilized society, and some 15 characteristics of a civilized society are proposed. The theoretical basis for preparation for the Twenty‐First Century is advanced. Deficiencies in the present dominant politicoeconomic theories of Western Capitalistic Democracy and Marxism are discussed, and the need for a new set of “founding fathers” is proposed. The importance of developing and implementing a replacement theory of similar magnitude to present theories is emphasized, and the nature of this theory is briefly sketched. Some recommendations for guided paradigm change are offered.     

An Evolutionary Approach to Revising Modernization Theory: An Introduction to the Credible Polity

The future global distribution of the political regimes of countries, just like that of their economic incomes, displays a surprising tendency for polarization into only two clubs of convergence at the extrema. This, in itself, is a persuasive reason to analyze afresh the logical validity of an endogenous theory for political and economic development inherent in modernization theory. I suggest how adopting a simple evolutionary game theoretic view on the subject allows an explanation for these parallel clubs of convergence in political regimes and economic income within the framework of existing research in democratization theory. I also suggest how instrumental action can be methodically introduced into such a setup using learning strategies adopted by political actors. These strategies, based on the first principles of political competition, are motivated by introducing the theoretical concept of a Credible Polity.     

Brief psychodynamic psychotherapy in adolescent depression: Two case studies

In this paper the authors outline the basic principles of a manualized, brief psychodynamic approach that was evaluated as part of an outcome study within the National Health Service researching the effectiveness of two different forms of psychotherapy for major depression in childhood/adolescence: Focused Individual Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Systems Integrative Family Therapy. As well as describing some of the difficulties encountered in short-term dynamic psychotherapy with adolescents, the authors present therapeutic work with two adolescents with major depressive disorder who were both seen as part of the research study. The authors depict some of the challenges and unavoidable difficulties which emerged during the therapy, arising from the needs of the research programme.