Prospective associations between unforgiveness and physical health and positive mediating mechanisms in a nationally representative sample of older adults

Objective: This study examined the prospective association between unforgiveness and self-reported physical health and potential positive psychological mediators of this association.

Design: Participants were a national sample of 1024 USA’s adults of ages 66 years and older. Data were collected at two time points separated by three years.

Main Outcome Measures: Measures of trait unforgiveness, self-rated physical health, socio-demographics, health behaviours and positive psychological traits (e.g. life satisfaction, self-esteem) were included in a comprehensive survey known as the ‘Religion, Aging, and Health Survey.’

Results: The results indicated that unforgiveness was prospectively associated with declines in self-reported physical health three years later, and poor initial self-reported health status did not predict increases in unforgiveness across time. Furthermore, the prospective association of unforgiveness with self-reported health was mediated by a latent positive psychological traits variable.

Conclusion: These results confirm cross-sectional findings suggesting that unforgiveness is related to health. The present study also suggests that unforgiveness has a prospective, but not reciprocal, association with self-reported physical health. Unforgiveness may have its association with self-reported physical health through its interruption of other positive traits that typically confer health benefits.     

Perceived Ability to Cope With Trauma Among U.S. Combat Veterans

The Perceived Ability to Cope With Trauma (PACT) scale measures perceived forward-focused and trauma-focused coping. This measure may also have significant utility measuring positive adaption to life-threatening trauma, such as combat. Our objective was to examine perceived ability to cope with trauma, as measured by the PACT, and the relationships between this perceived ability and clinically pertinent information (anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD]) among U.S. military veterans. Data were provided from 71 combat veterans, consisting of 47 veterans with PTSD and 24 veterans without PTSD who had subthreshold symptoms of the disorder. All veterans completed standardized clinical interviews as well as a battery of well-validated self-report symptom measures. We found that veterans with PTSD had significantly lower PACT scores than veterans without PTSD; those without PTSD self-reported more ability to engage in forward-focused and trauma-focused coping than those with PTSD. Importantly, we also showed relationships between the PACT scores and indices of psychological difficulties as both Forward Focus and Trauma Focus coping scores negatively correlated with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and alexithymia. Finally, the Forward Focus PACT scale improved prediction of PTSD severity over combat exposure alone. The PACT, especially the Forward Focus scale, appears to be a useful measure of perceived positive coping ability with trauma in combat-exposed veterans who report symptoms of traumatic stress, extending the utility of the measure from normative to clinical populations. The importance of adopting forward-focused coping is discussed.     

Character Strengths and Deep Connections Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Spiritual and Secular Pathways to Resistance Among Volunteers

This study investigated a conceptual model with two pathways, altruism and perceived spiritual support, leading to resilience among student volunteers following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (H‐KR). Both strengths share the sense of deep connections. Parallel pathways with the two major constructs were estimated using structural equation modeling, adjusting for demographics and peritraumatic emotional reactions. The two indicators may have served as a protective mechanism for all volunteers despite differing racial/cultural backgrounds. The potential protection of these strength factors was mediated through optimism and hope. Resilience among minority volunteers was associated more with faith‐related strengths, as indicated in the relevant pathway that also contributed to their altruistic actions. The resilience of white volunteers, however, was directly associated with altruism, a strength that does depend heavily on religious beliefs. Further, the modification index suggested a direct path from race to depression.     

The divisive potential of differences and similarities: The role of intergroup distinctiveness in intergroup differentiation

In this article we examine the relationship between perceptions of intergroup distinctiveness and intergroup differentiation. Research in this area has highlighted two contrasting hypotheses: high distinctiveness is predicted to lead to increased intergroup differentiation (self-categorisation theory), while low distinctiveness or too much similarity can also underlie positive differentiation (social identity theory). We argue for a theoretical integration of these predictions and outline their domains of applicability. In addition to empirical studies from our own laboratory, support for these hypotheses in the literature is examined meta-analytically, and we assess the power of a number of moderators of the distinctiveness ‐ differentiation relation. We focus on group identification and salience of the superordinate category as the most powerful moderators of this relation. We report evidence that low group distinctiveness leads to more differentiation for high identifiers, while high group distinctiveness leads to more differentiation for low identifiers. In addition, our meta-analysis revealed that when the superordinate category was not salient, low distinctiveness tended to lead to differentiation (albeit not significantly so) while high distinctiveness led to differentiation when the salience of the superordinate category was high. A model is proposed integrating our predictions concerning moderators of the distinctiveness ‐ differentiation relation. Theoretical implications of these findings are discussed and we suggest directions for future research.     

Recognition of emotional pictures: Behavioural and electrophysiological measures

The effects of emotional content of images on recognition memory were studied, bringing together electrophysiological (Event-Related brain Potentials, ERPs) and behavioural (accuracy and speed of recognition, and remember/know judgements) indices. In the study phase, participants assessed 120 images on the scales of valence and arousal. In the test phase, ERPs were recorded while participants viewed again the images, put together with 120 new, and were asked to make old/new decisions and remember/know judgements on them. A clear arousal bias was obtained for remember/know judgements, which revealed that correctly recognised arousing images (negative and positive) received more remember judgements than nonarousing images (neutral and relaxing). Moreover, a Late Positive Component (LPC) activation revealed an old/new effect enhanced by arousing images. The LPC activation was located in parietal areas (precuneus), which appears to be mostly related to successful retrieval based on recollection. The results obtained through different indices supported the emotional bias found in previous studies for arousing material, but do not clarify the effect of the emotional valence on recognition.     

The CARE System in Its Importance in Dealing with Today's Crises1

The CARE system is a gift from Mother Nature, we have it in our biological heritage; it enables us humans—as a basic gift—to help each other in a large, life-serving context, and thus also to counterbalance destruction. It is about a basic human ability, linked to typical behaviour, but also about a basic human need for connectedness. In this paper, I would like to show how the CARE system can be activated as a collective attitude. The CARE system is strengthened by positive emotions. We are currently being affected by many crises and this triggers fear. How can we deal with this better? Fear is countered with hope and the associated positive emotions such as joy, awe, kama muta and others. These emotions and feelings can be consciously encouraged and placed alongside the feelings of fear. But also, when we share the feelings of grief with each other, it triggers an attitude of CARE. We can grieve together for the various experiences of loss that we go through—but we can also imagine together how we envisage a future that is worth living for everyone. An attitude in the sense of CARING has been practised in friendship for thousands of years. It would therefore be possible to move away from an attitude of competing and outdoing, to an attitude not only of recognition, care, and solidarity in human interaction, but also in our connection with nature.     

The Value of Strength-Based Approaches in SERE and Sport Psychology

During the past 2 decades, the psychosocial landscapes of the military and elite sport have drastically changed, with the presence of stress an increasing health and safety concern. For example, in modern warfare, fighters must have the psychological capabilities to counter terrorism and undertake extended deployments in extreme environments against enemies with increasing skills for rapid development and dissemination of information and weaponry via global communication networks. In sport, performers have also reported being affected by globalization, reporting a hazardous array of stressors (e.g., roles, relationships, development issues, and organizational structure and climate) associated with preparation for and performance at major international competitions. The result of such developments is the need for leaders in both the military and sport to better understand optimal performance, and in particular the preparation of their charges, the war fighter and athlete, for the demands of their respective competition arenas. Therefore, in this narrative review we identify strength-based concepts of common interest and potential knowledge transfer in the study of psychology of excellence in the face of adversity between sport and military domains. Specifically, we highlight a value of 6 strength-based concepts for elite performance environments in sport (i.e., Olympic performance) and the military (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Extraction: SERE); mental toughness, positive emotion, learned optimism, resilience, posttraumatic growth, and self- and emotion regulation. In line with this discussion we highlight commonalities and knowledge transfer considerations regarding interventions in these spheres of psychological practice, the potential value of humanism and existentialism, the importance of post career and rehabilitation intervention, and readiness to change and engagement in training.     

积极心理学团体辅导对小学生抑郁症状的干预效果

本研究用积极心理学取向团体辅导对小学生抑郁症状进行预防性干预,应用多层线性模型考察了干预效果和中介机制。结果表明:(1)积极心理学干预抑制并逆转了抑郁症状随时间上升的趋势;(2)干预促进了优势使用行为随时间增加的趋势;(3)优势使用在积极心理学干预与抑郁症状之间起部分中介效应。结论:积极心理学干预能预防小学生抑郁症状,优势使用对积极心理学团体辅导干预抑郁症状起到部分中介作用,它是积极心理学干预的特异性有效成分。     

Therapists' positive emotions in‐session: Why they happen and what they are good for

Aim: The therapist's feelings play a remarkable role in contemporary models of psychotherapy. However, these models are biased towards negative feelings. The present study explores therapists' personal experience with positive emotion in‐session. Method: A grounded theory analysis was conducted of interviews with 26 Brazilian psychotherapists. Results: Clinicians derive positive affect from the client's input in treatment, from their own input, and from the personal relationship with the client. Therapist positive emotion adds to the material that can be worked on in‐session by providing interpersonal events in the relationship with the client. It can improve therapist input in treatment by increasing in‐session awareness, resourcefulness and daring and by cuing efforts for professional development. It enhances involvement in the relationship with the client by prompting compassion and closeness in the dyad. Its effects may spill over and contribute to the therapist's personal thriving. Discussion: These results are discussed in light of what positive psychology can add to current work on therapist effects in the treatment process.     

Better Days – A randomized controlled trial of an internet-based positive psychology intervention

The internet seems promising for delivering interventions to enhance well-being in a normal population. The aim of this study was to test the effects of an internet-based positive psychology intervention targeting gratitude, pleasant activities, strengths, mastery, acts of kindness, optimism, flow, attributions, and mindfulness. One-hundred and twelve participants were randomized to the intervention and 94 to the control group, and data were collected at baseline, one, two, and six months after intervention onset. The balance of positive to negative affect increased over time among participants in the intervention group (unstandardized beta coefficient [B]?=?0.07, p?<?0.01), as compared to the controls (B?=?0.02, p?=?010). The intervention worked equally well regardless of participants’ gender, age, or education. However, optimism did not mediate the effect of the intervention on affect balance. In conclusion, the intervention had a small, but significant effect on affect balance among healthy adults.