A comparison between American and Chinese college students on suicide-related behavior parameters

Background/ObjectiveThe United States (US) and China are the two largest economies, but recent and directly comparable studies on suicide-related behaviors in the two countries are lacking. By using the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R), item-level comparison was performed in assessing self-reported suicide-related behaviors between the US and Chinese undergraduates.MethodThis study involved a total of 3,185 college students aged between 18 to 24 years (1,185 US college students, and 2,000 Chinese students who were randomly selected from a large sample of 11,806 Chinese college students). Participants filled out the 4-item SBQ-R.ResultsParticipants’ responses were compared by country and sex. There was a higher overall risk of suicide-related behaviors among US students (24.3%) compared to Chinese students (17.0%). US students also reported higher lifetime attempt, past-year ideation, and lifetime threat. US female college students reported the highest suicide-related behaviors compared to other sub-groups.ConclusionsThere is a need to tailor specific interventions to alleviate college students’ suicide-related behaviors in the US and China, with a particular focus on US females.     

Validation of the Interpersonal Exchange Model of Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire in adults with a same-sex partner

Background/ObjectiveThe Interpersonal Exchange Model of Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire (IEMSSQ) is one of the few instruments that has been developed from a theoretical model and assess sexual satisfaction. In addition, it has been successfully validated in Spanish heterosexual population. The objective of this study is to adapt and examine its psychometric properties (reliability, evidence of validity, and measurement invariance across sexual orientation and sex) in gay people in a relationship. Method: A sample of 1,820 adults, of whom 50% are gay people and 55% men, answered the Spanish version of the IEMSSQ. In addition, subjects with gay orientation answered the Massachusetts General Hospital-Sexual Functioning Questionnaire and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Results: When comparing by sex and sexual orientation, the IEMSSQ has a strict invariant structure. Its reliability is good, and the evidence of construct and concurrent validity is adequate. However, the components of equality are moderate. Conclusions: The IEMSSQ makes it possible to compare the sexual satisfaction between gay/heterosexual men and women, presenting good psychometric properties in gay people, constituting an useful instrument in the clinical and research field.     

Prevalence and treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and co-morbid severe health anxiety

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is a debilitating condition that affects 0.2–0.4% of the population. Health focussed anxiety is common across medical conditions, and may be relevant in CFS/ME. This study sought to identify the prevalence and impact of health anxiety (HA) in CFS/ME and evaluate the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for HA in CFS/ME. Cross-sectional questionnaire methods and case-series design were used to achieve study aims. Analysis indicated that 41.9% of the CFS/ME clinic sample experienced threshold levels of health anxiety, which was associated with elevated symptom severity across several dimensions. Stepwise multiple regression indicated physical functioning and depression accounted for 23.8% of variance in fatigue; depression, fatigue and HA, accounted for 32.9% of variance in physical functioning. Large effect sizes and clinically significant changes were generated in the treatment study. HA is common in CFS/ME and likely to exacerbate fatigue and physical functioning. This study identifies HA as an important target for treatment, trial findings should be further replicated on a larger scale.     

Adverse adolescence experiences,feeling lonely across life stages and loneliness in adulthood

Background/ObjectiveLoneliness is a mental health issue emerging over the life course. This study examines the latent structure of adult loneliness in a non-Western society and its association with adverse adolescence experiences (AAEs) as well as feeling lonely during middle school, high school, and college. Method: A cohort sample living in Northern Taiwan (N = 2,289) was analyzed from adolescence to adulthood. The de Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale operationalized loneliness by a three-cluster model to present the latent structure of loneliness: emotional, serious emotional, and severe emotional/social loners. AAEs (e.g., abuse, neglect, and dysfunctional family) were measured by seven items. Multivariate multinomial logistic regression models were used to explore the longitudinal effects of AAEs and feeling lonely reported during middle school, high school, and college on adult loneliness. Results: AAEs and feeling lonely during adolescence were significantly associated with serious emotional loneliness and severe emotional/social loneliness during adulthood, even after adjusting for the individual’s characteristics. Attendance at a 4-year college was associated with decreased odds of serious emotional loneliness and severe emotional/social loneliness. Conclusions: Adults with AAEs and feelings of loneliness over life stages are more likely to report loneliness in the emotional and social domains.     

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the End-of-Life Decision-Making and Staff Stress Questionnaire

Background/objectiveThe goal of this study is to establish a Chinese version of the End-of-Life Decision Making and Associated Staff Stress Questionnaire to assess its reliability and validity.MethodA sample of 119 Intensive Care Unit physicians and 485 nurses in China completed the questionnaire, along with questionnaires assessing motional exhaustion subscale, Stress Overload Scale, and other variables associated with end-of-life decision.ResultsSeven factors obtained via exploratory factor analysis could explain 70.61% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated an acceptable model fit with Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) being .078 and Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR) being .066. Validity evidence based on relationships with other variables was provided by positive or negative correlations between the questionnaire subscales and emotional exhaustion, stress overload, and other variables associated with end-of-life decision. The average content validity index was .96. The Cronbach’s α and test–retest reliability was outstanding.ConclusionsThe Chinese version of the End-of-Life Decision Making and Associated Staff Stress Questionnaire is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring the facilitators and hinders to facilitate the end-of-life decision-making, communication and the associated pressure perceived by relevant Intensive Care Unit medical staff among the Chinese population.     

Positive Affect Mediates the Relationship Between Self-efficacy and Innovative Behavior in Entrepreneurs

Innovativeness is one of the crucial factors allowing companies to grow, and innovative behavior of entrepreneurs is an important source of firm innovativeness and business success. This study aims to better understand self-regulatory mechanisms stimulating the innovative behavior of entrepreneurs. We have tested the mediation model in which work-related affect (enthusiasm, comfort, anxiety, and depression) mediates the relationship between work self-efficacy and innovative behavior. A longitudinal study with three measurement times was conducted on a sample of entrepreneurs–business owners. The mediation analysis with bias-corrected bootstrapping method confirmed that the relation between work self-efficacy and innovative behavior of entrepreneurs is mediated by their work-related positive affect—comfort and enthusiasm—but not by negative affect.     

小学高年级学生创造力的发展：性别差异及学校支持的作用

对203名4年级学生进行3年追踪测试(到6年级), 采用多水平分析法考察创造力的发展趋势、性别差异以及教师/同伴支持对创造力发展的影响。结果表明：(1) 4~6年级小学生的流畅性呈线性增长趋势, 灵活性和独创性呈非线性增长趋势, 初始水平与增长速度呈正相关。(2)女生灵活性和独创性的初始水平高于男生。(3)教师支持正向预测男生灵活性的初始水平, 正向预测流畅性的初始水平和独创性的增长速度。(4)教师支持的发展正向预测流畅性的发展。     

震后儿童创伤后应激障碍的症状网络演化

本研究借助网络分析方法,探讨儿童创伤后应激障碍(PTSD)症状的演化规律。以经历汶川地震的197名儿童为研究对象,在灾后4、29、40和52个月对其PTSD症状进行了历时4年的追踪测量。网络分析结果显示,闪回的中心性一直较高,而其他高中心性的症状随时间的推移发生了变化：侵入性想法和创伤线索引发生理性反应的中心性随时间推移呈上升趋势,线索引发情感反应和未来无望的中心性随时间推移呈下降趋势。本研究拓宽了学界对儿童PTSD症状学的认识, 并为建立灾后阶段性干预模式提供启示。     

What do you (think you) need? Perceived vs. experienced effects of need fulfillment on well-being

We compared two approaches towards assessing inter-individual differences in the effect of satisfaction and frustration of basic needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness) on well-being: perceived need effects (beliefs about the effect of need fulfillment on one’s well-being) and experienced need effects (the within-person coupling of need fulfillment and well-being). In two studies (total N = 1281), participants reported perceived need effects in a multidimensional way. In Study 2, daily need fulfillment and affective well-being were additionally assessed (daily-diary study; ten days). Associations between perceived and experienced need effects were significant (albeit small) for all three frustration dimensions, but only for one satisfaction dimension (relatedness), suggesting that they capture different constructs and might be related to different outcomes.     

Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Older Medical Patients: Diagnostic Recognition, Mental Health Management and Service Utilization

Background Primary care physicians often treat older adults with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Objective To estimate physician diagnosis and recognition of anxiety and compare health service use among older adults with GAD with two comparison samples with and without other DSM diagnoses. Methods Participants were 60+ patients of a multi-specialty medical organization. Administrative database and medical records were reviewed for a year. Differences in frequency of health service use were analyzed with logistic regression and between-subjects analysis of covariance. Results Physician diagnosis of GAD was 1.5% and any anxiety was 9%, and recognition of anxiety symptoms was 34% in older adults with GAD. After controlling for medical comorbidity, radiology appointments were increased in the GAD group relative to those with and without other psychiatric diagnoses, χ² (2, N = 225) = 4.75, p < .05. Conclusions Most patients with anxiety do not have anxiety or symptoms documented in their medical records.