On the Measurement of Climate Change Anxiety: French Validation of the Climate Anxiety Scale
The notion of climate change anxiety has gained traction in the last years. Clayton& Karazsia (2020) recently developed the 22-item Climate Change Anxiety Scale (CAS), which assesses climate change anxiety via a four-factor structure. Yet other research has cast doubts on the very structure of the CAS by calling either for a shorter (i.e. 13 items) two-factor structure or for a shorter single-factor structure (i.e. 13 items). So far, these three different models have not yet been compared in one study. Moreover, uncertainty remains regarding the associations between the CAS and other psychological constructs, especiall...
Source: Psychologica Belgica - March 22, 2022 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Perceptions of the Targets and Sources of COVID-19 Threat are Structured by Group Memberships and Responses are Influenced by Identification with Humankind
The purpose of this study was to investigate which social groups are perceived as a threat target and which are perceived as a threat source during the COVID-19 outbreak. In a German sample (N = 1454) we examined perceptions of social groups ranging from those that are psychologically close and smaller (family, friends, neighbors) to those that are more distal and larger (people living in Germany, humankind). We hypothesized that psychologically closer groups would be perceived as less affected by COVID-19 as well as less threatening than more psychologically distal groups. Based on social identity theorizing, we also hypo...
Source: Psychologica Belgica - March 16, 2022 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
When History Seems to Repeat Itself: Exposure to Perceived Lessons of the Past Influences Predictions About Current Political Events
The idea that the past holds lessons for the present, under the guise ofhistorical analogies, is prevalent in political and public discourse. Those analogies are often accompanied by dire warnings befalling those who “forget” or otherwise neglect the powerful lessons of History—and would then be “doomed to repeat it”, as the saying goes. So, Would remembering history make it seem more OR LESS likely to repeat itself in the future? In other words, does exposure to specific lessons about past events, esp ecially ones involving causal claims, affect how people expect real-life events to turn out? Four studies (three...
Source: Psychologica Belgica - March 16, 2022 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
The Complex Interplay Between Trait Fatigue and Cognition in Multiple Sclerosis
Cognitive impairments are frequent in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Yet, the influence of MS-related symptoms on cognitive status is not clear. Studies investigating the impact of trait fatigue along with anxio-depressive symptoms on cognition are seldom, and even less considered fatigue as multidimensional. Moreover, these studies provided conflicting results.Twenty-nine MS patients and 28 healthy controls, matched on age, gender and education underwent a full comprehensive neuropsychological assessment. Anxio-depressive and fatigue symptoms were assessed using the HAD scale and the MFIS, respectively. Six compos...
Source: Psychologica Belgica - March 16, 2022 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
“What if It’s not Just an Item of Clothing?” – A Narrative Review and Synthesis of the White Coat in the Context of Aged Care
Although increasingly disputed, the white coat uniform is ubiquitous in geriatric care, which may reflect a phenomenon called medicalisation of ageing. This narrative review is the first attempt at integrating several theoretical approaches, such as the “white coat effect” and “enclothed cognition”, in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the use of this clothing item. Based on extensive empirical evidence, we will examine the consequences of wearing a uniform, not only on patients (in this case, older patients) and healthcare pro fessionals, but also on their relationship. The white coat has powerful sym...
Source: Psychologica Belgica - February 23, 2022 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
French Adaptation of the Brief Irritability Test: Factor Structure, Psychometric Properties, and Relationship with Depressive Symptoms
The Brief Irritability Test (BITe, Holtzman et al., 2014) is a brief, reliable, and valid self-report measure of irritability. Despite the growing interest to understand the underlying causes and consequences of irritability, this questionnaire has not been developed and validated for a French-speaking population yet. In the present study, 413 participants completed our French adaptation of the BITe (i.e., TCI; Test Court d ’Irritabilité) and measures of associated constructs (depression, anger, hostility, and aggression) and well-being (life satisfaction and social support). Descriptive, psychometric (i.e., Cronbach al...
Source: Psychologica Belgica - January 27, 2022 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
COVID-19 and Its Lockdown in Belgium: How Limited Access to Environmental Satisfaction Impacts Emotions?
This study also assesses the relationships between both negative and positive emotions and (1) emoti on regulation strategies, (2) intolerance of uncertainty and, (3) environmental satisfaction since the pandemic and its lockdown. The total sample comprised 948 adults from the general population. Results show that, since the pandemic, individuals experience higher levels of negative emotions, lower levels of positive emotions and environmental satisfaction. They also tend to worry less and to resort to acceptance more often. Also, environmental satisfaction is the most important predictor of both negative emotions and posi...
Source: Psychologica Belgica - January 20, 2022 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Thanks to Reviewers 2021
Published on 2022-01-18 12:18:04 (Source: Psychologica Belgica)
Source: Psychologica Belgica - January 18, 2022 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
The Nature of Client Agency Prior to Therapy: A Qualitative Study on Clients ’ Narratives
Client agency is considered a crucial contributor to good treatment outcome. Recent studies, however, differ strongly in how they conceptualise and investigate agency. The current study explores the nature of client agency in ten clients ’ pre-treatment interviews. Applying Consensual Qualitative Research, we constructed three overarching categories, subdivided into 14 sub-categories capturing both between- and within-person differences in agency before therapy. We found that all participants oscillated between the experience of a lack of grip on problems on the one hand and noticing their involvement in the problem and ...
Source: Psychologica Belgica - January 17, 2022 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Intimate Relationships in Times of COVID-19: A Descriptive Study of Belgian Partners and their Perceived Well-Being
In this study, grounded in relationship science, we investigated in a descriptive manner several factors that could affect how couples perceived individual and relational wellbeing during this time. Specifically, we examined the associations between gender, sexual orientation, parental status, and relationship duration on participants ’ self-reported individual and relational well-being after the first lockdown (more generally and more specific in response to COVID-19). Additionally, we investigated if relational well-being predicted perceived change in individual well-being from pre- to post-COVID-19 regulations. To tes...
Source: Psychologica Belgica - January 16, 2022 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Excessive Worrying as a Central Feature of Anxiety during the First COVID-19 Lockdown-Phase in Belgium: Insights from a Network Approach
Since the WHO declared the COVID-19 pandemic on March 11, 2020, the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has profoundly impacted public health and the economy worldwide. But there are not the only ones to be hit. The COVID-19 pandemic has also substantially altered mental health, with anxiety symptoms being one of the most frequently reported problems. Especially, the number of people reporting anxiety symptoms increased significantly during the first lockdown-phase compared to similar data collected before the pandemic. Yet, most of these studies relied on a unitary approach to anxiety, wherein its different constitutive featur...
Source: Psychologica Belgica - December 30, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
COVID-19 Help-Seeking Behaviors: Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior
The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is highly contagious. More than 247 million cases have been confirmed by the end of October 2021. Seeking help earlier may slow the spread of COVID-19 because it may help in early detection of infected cases, and it facilitate tracing those who were with close contact with infected cases. The purpose of this study is to identify participants ’ intentions toward COVID-19 seeking help and the factors affecting their decision. This is a cross-sectional study. An online survey using Google Forms was used for data collection. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to explai...
Source: Psychologica Belgica - December 29, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Testing Measurement Invariance of the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen in a Belgian Adult Sample
The Dirty Dozen (Jonason& Webster, 2010) is a frequently used concise version of the Dark Triad to measure three socially aversive personality traits: Machiavellianism, psychopathy and, narcissism. The present study has examined measurement invariance in a sample of Belgian adults. The present study aims to assess measurement invariance of the Dutch version of the Dirty Dozen measure across gender in a large city-based representative adult sample in Belgium (N = 1587). Multi-group first-order confirmatory factor analysis for categorical indicators was utilized. In addition, unique associations between Dirty Dozen trait...
Source: Psychologica Belgica - December 22, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention of Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviour in Prisons: A Literature Review
Suicide is a global public health concern that affects all echelons of society, albeit not equally so. Compared with adults in the general population, incarcerated offenders are at increased risk to consider, attempt, and die by suicide, which represents a substantial burden of morbidity and mortality in prisons worldwide. This review synthesises recent literature pertaining to the epidemiology, risk factors, and prevention of suicidal thoughts and behaviour among prisoners, and outlines a framework which emphasises the interplay between individuals (importation) and their surroundings (deprivation). The available evidence...
Source: Psychologica Belgica - November 22, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Mindfulness May Buffer Psychological Distress in Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Differential Role of Mindfulness Facets
The COVID-19 pandemic strongly impacts adolescents ’ mental health, a population particularly vulnerable to mental disorders, highlighting the need to identify protective factors against COVID-19 related psychological distress to inform policies and intervention strategies. Previous research suggests that mindfulness may be a promising factor that can lower the risk of detrimental psychological consequences related to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is currently unknown which aspects of mindfulness contribute most to its protective effects. Moreover, previous studies mainly focused on adult samples. The present study ...
Source: Psychologica Belgica - November 22, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
