Coping Style and Depression in Early Adolescence: Relationships to Gender,Gender Role,and Implicit Beliefs

Three studies were designed to investigate the interrelationships among coping styles, gender roles, and level of depression for early adolescents. Girls displayed more depression than boys, and more highly depressed girls demonstrated coping patterns similar to those of depressed adolescent and adult women. Individuals who identified with the feminine gender role showed increases in depression with age. Participants' implicit beliefs about what constituted appropriate coping behavior were also linked to gender. Both genders believed that men should not ruminate but that they should distract themselves from problems. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Another Search for the “Hot” Cognitions: Appraisal, Irrational Beliefs, Attributions, and Their Relation to Emotion

One study examined the hypothesized status of appraisal and irrational beliefs relative to attributions, as proximal antecedents of emotion. In our study, which looked at 4 pairs of functional and dysfunctional negative emotions (i.e., concern/anxiety, sadness/depression, remorse/guilt, annoyance/anger), undergraduates (N = 120) reported on their attributions, appraisal, irrational beliefs, and emotions during past encounters associated with various negative events. Congruent with both Smith and Lazarus' (1993) appraisal theory and Ellis' (1994) cognitive theory of emotion, the results of this study indicate that the emotions (both functional and dysfunctional negative emotions) were more directly associated with appraisal and with irrational beliefs (dysfunctional negative emotions only) than they were with attributions. Also, irrational beliefs were strongly associated with appraisal; while demandingness (DEM) was associated more with primary appraisal, awfulizing/catastrophizing, low frustration tolerance, and global evaluation of human worth (including self-downing) were associated more with secondary appraisal. Dysfunctional emotions seem to involve primary appraisal associated with DEM while functional emotions involve primary appraisal associated with preferences. These findings lend to support the status of appraisal and irrational beliefs as the proximal cognitive antecedents of emotion and the status of irrational beliefs as a differencing factor between functional and dysfunctional emotions.     

The Beliefs About Medication Scale: Development, Reliability, and Validity

The purpose of the study was to develop and evaluate a psychometrically sound health belief measure, the Beliefs About Medication Scale (BAMS) that can be used with adolescent chronic illness populations whose prescribed treatment includes oral medication. One hundred and thirty-three adolescents (age 11–18 years) with asthma (n = 60), HIV (n = 31), or inflammatory bowel disease (n = 42) completed the BAMS and, along with their parent, a self-report medication interview. A confirmatory factor analysis supported the hypothesized subscales of Perceived Threat, Positive Outcome Expectancy, Negative Outcome Expectancy, and Intent to Adhere to treatment. The subscales evidenced good internal consistency and 3-week test-retest reliability. Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that the health belief constructs accounted for 22% of the variance in medication adherence beyond demographic and illness characteristics. The study provides preliminary evidence of the reliability and validity of a theoretically based measure of health beliefs for adolescents. The BAMS may be a useful tool to evaluate the psychological barriers to adherence that place teenagers at risk for nonadherence.     

Chinese indigenous psychotherapies in Singapore

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the relevance of folk therapies or traditional medicine to counselling in Singapore. It addresses the meanings of the indigenous psychotherapies and then the rationales for understanding them. Three popular Chinese indigenous psychotherapies have been selected for discussion in terms of their aetiology and treatment beliefs about emotional problems: traditional Chinese medicine, dang‐ki (Chinese shamanism), and feng‐shui (Chinese geomancy). Findings from an empirical study are briefly presented to show that Chinese Singaporean clients hold eclectic belief systems encompassing both beliefs derived from thse indigenous psychotherapies and those from Western psychotherapies (e.g. psychodynamic and behavioural therapies). Two cases are presented to illustrate the application of these indigenous psychotherapies in counselling practice.     

Cultural Influences in the Aetiological Beliefs of Saudi Arabian Primary Care Patients About Their Symptoms: The Association of Religious and Psychological Beliefs

Objective To develop a self-report questionnaire to measure the beliefs of Arabic primary care patients about the causes of their physical symptoms; to use this to quantify the beliefs of patients consulting their general practitioners (GPs) in Saudi Arabia; and to test whether patients with psychological problems differ from others in their beliefs, particularly religious and supernatural beliefs. Methods Consecutive patients (N = 224) completed a specially developed aetiological beliefs’ questionnaire. Patients were divided into two groups (cases and non-cases of emotional disorder) according to the GHQ-12. Results Religious and supernatural aspects of culture colour patients’ symptom beliefs: that their symptoms were a test or punishment from Allah’ was the most common belief. Even in non-cases, around half the patients also endorsed nerves and stress as a cause of their physical symptoms. Cases were more likely than non-cases to endorse items related to both religious and psychological factors. Conclusion There is no support for the view that Saudi Arabian patients explain symptoms supernaturally as a way of denying psychological factors. GPs and health professionals in Saudi primary care need to understand what patients believe to be the cause of their problems and to appreciate that religious and psychological beliefs are both very common. GPs should address psychological beliefs and concerns even with those patients who present physical symptoms.     

Assessing Belief in the 10 Commandments: The Multidimensional 10 Commandments Questionnaire

Instruments designed to assess various aspects of religion are widespread, but few have been constructed to assess specific religious values and beliefs. The purpose of the present research was to address this limitation by providing preliminary evidence for the reliability and validity of the Multidimensional 10 Commandments Questionnaire (M10CQ), a self-report instrument that measures belief in the 10 Commandments. Data from three separate samples provided evidence supporting the reliability (i.e., internal consistency) of the M10CQ subscales. Other results indicated that women endorsed many of the 10 Commandments more strongly than men, and that various Commandments predicted people’s mental health (less hostility), their parenting style (more authoritarian and authoritative parenting), and their interpersonal attachments (a more trusting bond with others). The findings reported in this research help to identify the ways in which religious values and beliefs are integrated with multiple aspects of people’s lives. The discussion highlights the usefulness of the Multidimensional 10 Commandments Questionnaire (M10CQ) for studying religious beliefs and values.

Social network members' responses to friends' breakup false alarms

Social networks influence romantic relationships through friends' support or lack of support of the union. However, the consequences of friends repeatedly telling other friends their relationship was going to end but failing to actually terminate the relationship are unclear. Guided by the false alarm effect (FAE), and data from both student (N = 273) and noncollege (N = 226) samples, it was found that breakup false alarms were associated with increases in both positive and negative responses. In addition, when participants were friends with both partners, breakup false alarms were associated with “feeling caught” between the friends. Findings generally support the FAE and paint a complex picture of how social network members react to their close friends' tumultuous relationships.     

浪漫关系中的关系攻击

浪漫关系中的关系攻击指通过操纵或损害关系以达到伤害浪漫关系伴侣的行为, 可以分为直接攻击和间接攻击,主动性攻击和反应性攻击等类型.浪漫关系中的关系攻击以浪漫关系为攻击目标, 具有冲突解决策略的性质, 在浪漫关系中往往具有相互性.研究者通常使用问卷法对浪漫关系中的关系攻击进行测量.浪漫关系中的关系攻击能够导致较低的关系质量和心理健康水平, 并会引发身体攻击和亲密伴侣暴力.性别,依恋,浪漫关系中的权力和同伴关系中的关系攻击能够对浪漫关系中的关系攻击产生影响.在未来研究中, 应关注浪漫关系中关系攻击的动机, 澄清关系攻击发起与受害之间的关系, 并加强理论建构与干预研究.     

Open or close the door to the outgroup? Diversity beliefs moderate the impact of group boundary permeability on attitudes toward the outgroup

The present research investigated the moderating role of diversity beliefs with the aim of reconciling inconsistent findings regarding the impact of group boundary permeability on attitudes toward outgroup. In Study 1, all variables were measured with self‐report scales completed by Chinese participants. In Study 2, diversity beliefs were manipulated by randomly assigning Chinese participants to a high or low diversity belief condition. In Study 3, we replicated the moderating model with American participants. Results of all three studies indicated that diversity beliefs moderated the relationship between group boundary permeability and attitudes toward outgroup. Individuals with high diversity beliefs held more positive attitudes toward the outgroup when the group boundary was permeable (vs. impermeable). Conversely, individuals with low diversity beliefs held more negative attitudes toward the outgroup when the group boundary was permeable (vs. impermeable). These findings suggest that when the inflow of the outgroup members is inevitable, attitudes toward the outgroup may be effectively improved by increasing diversity beliefs.     

Prosperity Beliefs and Value Orientations: Fueling or Suppressing Entrepreneurial Activity

Entrepreneurs tend to think differently than nonentrepreneurs. Among the differences are values prizing achievement and self‐direction, while downplaying tradition and conformity. Religion is an important correlate to human values. Nevertheless, previous research has failed to explore adequately the connections among religious beliefs, human values, and entrepreneurial outcomes. The purpose of this study is to test these relationships with a focus on beliefs that God rewards the faithful with material prosperity. We test eight hypotheses using a national survey of working adults. Results of a multigroup path model reveal that value orientations of self‐enhancement, openness to change, and conservation are associated with entrepreneurial attitudes of opportunity recognition and risk willingness. These attitudes likewise correlate with new business creation. Prosperity beliefs moderate the impact of values and entrepreneurial attitudes on the likelihood of starting a new business, but prosperity beliefs by themselves show little direct impact on entrepreneurial attitudes or action.