Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

Garber, Judy; Chavira, Denise A.; Adam, Emma K.; Craske, Michelle G.; McMahon, Tierney; Williams, Alexander; Abitante, George; Lanser, Isabelle; Pashtunyar, Dani S.; Chen, Shanting; Zinbarg, Richard

2024 Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

doi: 10.1037/ccp0000921pmid: 39621373

Objective: The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to test the effects of an online, coached mindfulness intervention on momentary negative affect (mNA) for youth with high levels of trait negative affectivity. Method: Participants were 111 youth ages 12 to 17 years old (M = 14.17, SD = 1.60). Youth self-identified as 68% female, 29% male, and 4.5% gender diverse; 54.55% identified as White; 31.82 reported being Hispanic/Latinx. Participants were selected for having high levels of trait negative affect and were randomized to receive either the mindfulness program or no intervention. We used ecological momentary assessment to measure stress and emotions and to derive measures of mNA comprised of stressor-independent and stressor-reactive negative affect. The ecological momentary assessment protocol involved participants completing a short survey/diary entry on Qualtrics four times per day for 5 days. Internalizing symptoms were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire–8, Generalized Anxiety Disorder–7, and the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders. Results: The mindfulness intervention resulted in a significant reduction in stressor-reactive negative affect (t = 2.001, df = 96, p = .048; Cohen’s d = .40), but not stressor-independent mNA or overall mNA. Additionally, reductions in stressor-reactive negative affect significantly correlated with changes in internalizing symptomatology (standardized β = .26, p = .032). Conclusions: These results indicate that among youth with high levels of trait negative affectivity, a relatively affordable and accessible digital mindfulness program significantly reduced stressor-reactive negative affect. The absence of an effect on stressor-independent or overall average mNA suggests some specificity of the effects of mindfulness to stressor-reactive negative affect in an at-risk sample of adolescents.

Liu, Yuping; Zhao, Lu; Miller, Joshua D.; Lynam, Donald R.; Du, Tianwei V.; Zhou, Bingtao; Wang, Mengcheng; Yang, Bo; Hopwood, Christopher J.

2024 Psychological Assessment

doi: 10.1037/pas0001353pmid: 39636610

Three-factor models of narcissism (Agentic, Neurotic, and Antagonistic Narcissism) have gained widespread recognition in the field. The Five-Factor Narcissism Inventory (FFNI) stands out as the most comprehensive and only tool to date that assesses all three narcissism domains. However, its validation in Chinese culture and forensic contexts remains largely unexplored. With community (N = 578) and offender (N = 726) samples from China, we examined 60-, 30-, and 15-item versions of the Chinese FFNI in terms of internal structure, external associates, and consistency across samples and versions. Our findings demonstrate acceptable internal consistencies and structural validity of each version of the Chinese FFNI, albeit with minor deviations in the Neurotic Narcissism factor. The FFNI demonstrated good cross-sample and cross-version consistency. These results suggest the utility of the FFNI in Chinese samples and suggest some comparability across community and offender groups.

Natoli, Adam P.; Allen, Lauren K.; Ashton, Caitlyn M.; Lamba, Nishtha; Marek, Ryan J.

2024 Psychological Assessment

doi: 10.1037/pas0001352pmid: 39621377

Considerable proportions of college students in White, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic countries, such as the United States, suffer from eating disorders and other problematic eating behaviors. The prevalence of eating disorders in Western Asia has been historically low but is rapidly increasing. One of the most dramatic increases is occurring in the United Arab Emirates. Advancements in eating disorder research and intervention that would benefit college students in the United Arab Emirates are inhibited by the lack of psychometrically sound measures of eating behaviors and motivations that have been empirically demonstrated to perform well in this population. The present study took initial steps in filling this need by evaluating the measurement and predictive invariance of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire–Short Form and The Eating Motivation Survey using college student samples from the United Arab Emirates (n = 366) and United States (n = 317), followed by a series of cross-country comparisons. Results offer important evidence supporting the measurement invariance of both instruments and the predictive invariance of the The Eating Motivation Survey when used to predict scores on the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire–Short Form. Although no significant cross-country differences in eating disorder features and behaviors were found, some cross-country differences in eating motivations were observed. Similar eating motivations emerged in both countries as possible protective and risk factors for eating disorders. The implications of these findings for eating disorder assessment and practice are discussed, along with their implications for theory and research on eating motivations, nutritional health, and people’s relationships with food.

Jimenez, Daniel E.; Ross, Emily J.; Weinstein, Elliott R.; Martinez Garza, David; Signorile, Joseph F.; Perdomo-Johnson, Doris; Martinez, Claudia

2024 Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

doi: 10.1037/ccp0000923pmid: 39621372

Objective: This study sought to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the Happy Older Latinos are Active (HOLA) health promotion intervention in a group of older Latinos who were at risk for developing major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder. Method: Sixty older Latinos age 60+ with subthreshold depression or anxiety were randomized to receive either HOLA (n = 30) or enhanced psychoeducation through fotonovela control (n = 30). The primary outcomes of interest were feasibility, acceptability, and reduction in depression and anxiety symptom severity. Outcome measures were administered at baseline and at the end of the intervention. Results: Within a year, the enrollment target was met with <5% of eligible participants refusing randomization. The randomization scheme produced equal numbers of participants randomized to each condition. Four participants (6.7%; HOLA = 1; control = 3) were lost to follow-up, 69% of the HOLA sessions were attended, and participants reported high satisfaction with the intervention. Finally, compared with control, a significant proportion of participants in HOLA experienced a clinically significant reduction in their anxiety symptoms (60% vs. 26.7%). Conclusions: Findings highlight the feasibility, acceptability, and significant impact the HOLA intervention can have in reducing psychological distress because it is responsive, respectful, and specific to the needs of older Latinos. Furthermore, using a community health worker to deliver a health promotion intervention to prevent common mental disorders in older Latinos is an innovative approach for reducing disease burden in a population living with high disparities in accessing and engaging in mental health services.