Current Psychology

Li, Yong; Yu, Xiao

doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-02847-zpmid: N/A

There is a strong ongoing debate about the impact of trust and political knowledge on institutionalized political participation. Based on social exchange theory, this study examines the roles of social trust, political trust, and political knowledge on citizen voting in grassroots elections by using logistic regression. The logistic regression analysis of this study shows that social trust, political trust, and political knowledge have significantly positive effects on the likelihood of voting in grassroots elections in China. More importantly, it finds that the level of citizens’ political knowledge can positively moderate the relationship between political trust and the likelihood of citizen voting in grassroots elections. “Political knowledge” can be regarded as a kind of political self-education for citizens. In view of this, trust and political knowledge can be seen as vital preconditions for citizen voting in grassroots elections. This study suggests that the government should pay more attention to the positive roles of trust and political knowledge in promoting political participation and democracy construction at the grassroots level.

Zhang, Kaili; Shi, Juan; Wang, Fengyan; Ferrari, Michel

doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-02816-6pmid: 35153458

Narrowing the debate about the meaning of wisdom requires two different understandings of wisdom. (a) As action or behaviour, wisdom refers to well-motivated actors achieving an altruistic outcome by creatively and successfully solving problems. (b) As a psychological trait, wisdom refers to a global psychological quality that engages intellectual ability, prior knowledge and experience in a way that integrates virtue and wit, and is acquired through life experience and continued practice. Thus, we propose a two-dimensional theory of wisdom that integrates virtue and wit. Wisdom can be further divided into “humane wisdom” and “natural wisdom” according to the types of capability required. At the same time, we propose that wisdom classification should integrate the views of Sternberg and Wang and be divided into three types: domain-specific wisdom, domain-general wisdom, and omniscient/ overall wisdom. We then discuss three pressing questions about wisdom, and consider five issues important to the future of wisdom research in psychology.

Jin, Ruiyan; Wen, Xue; Zhang, Qian; Xu, Wei

doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-02825-5pmid: N/A

As children go to elementary school, their main activities shift from games to learning, making them experience stronger emotional experiences than ever. Previous studies indicated that mindfulness could affect emotions. However, investigations on the relationship between mindfulness and emotions among children remain few and far between. To examine the relationship between state mindfulness and emotions and the role of mind-wandering in a daily context, 193 elementary school students reported their state mindfulness, emotions, and mind-wandering in ten consecutive days and their negative emotions at 6-month follow-up. Multilevel models were conducted to test the relation between mindfulness, mind-wandering, and emotions at different time points. Results showed that state mindfulness predicted more positive emotions and less negative emotions via a lower level of mind-wandering at the between-person level. However, the mediation model was not found six months later. These findings highlighted the important role of mind-wandering in terms of the beneficial effects of mindfulness on the emotional experience of elementary school students in daily life.

Chen, Lele; Zhou, Renlai

doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-02807-7pmid: N/A

Sensory impairments may contribute toward a higher prevalence of cognitive impairment and mental symptoms. Whether dual sensory impairments (DSI) pose an additive impact on cognitive function and mental health is not known. In the current study, we used data from 11,722 subjects aged over 65 years who participated in the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), a home-based nationally representative longitudinal survey in China, to explore the association of single (hearing, or vision) and DSI on cognitive function and mental health in the older adults in China. Sensory impairment was measured based on self-reported hearing and vision functions. Cognition, depression, and anxiety were measured by the Chinese version of Mini-mental State Examination, 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale, respectively. The prevalence of HI, VI, and DSI was 19.2%, 14.6%, and 15.3%, respectively. HI (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.75–2.40) and VI (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.70–2.39) associated with cognitive impairment. VI associated with a higher prevalence of depression (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.57–1.98, vs. OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.11–1.38) and anxiety symptoms (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.40–1.96, vs. OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.28–1.78) than HI. DSI showed the highest prevalence of cognitive impairment (OR 4.19, 95% CI 3.58–4.91), depression (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.71–2.20), and anxiety (OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.91–2.74). Differences in gender and age affected the association between sensory impairment, cognitive function, and mental health. Overall, these results indicate that management of such impairments and intervention should be offered to males at an early stage of aging.

Geng, Fulei; Lu, Hailin; Zhang, Yeqing; Zhan, Nalan; Zhang, Lan; Liu, Mingfan

doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-02751-6pmid: N/A

Although dissociative symptoms are common in depression patients and dissociative depression might be one subtype of depression, no study has tested this subtype using latent class analysis (LCA). This study aimed to identify the subgroup of dissociative depression and further examined its related validators in a cohort of high-risk population. Depressive symptoms and dissociative experiences were measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Brief Dissociative Experiences Scale among 1708 male prisoners. Participants’ symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), antisocial personality disorder (APD), borderline personality disorder (BPD), insomnia, social support, childhood trauma, histories of substance abuse and gambling addiction, as well as their ability of emotion processing were also assessed. Four latent groups were identified by LCA, including dissociative depression (3.9%), classic depression (13.9%), classic dissociation (7.9%), and low symptoms group (74.3%). Dissociative depression reported the highest severity of PTSD, depression, dissociation, BPD, APD and insomnia; classic depression had much more depression than classic dissociation; while classic dissociation had more severity of dissociation, PTSD, APD, and BPD than classic depression. Furthermore, physical neglect and perceived social supports could distinguish the four groups. Finally, dissociative depression reported more difficulties in emotion regulation and showed more negative emotion expressivity and impulse than other groups. The findings imply existence of dissociative depression subtype, but replications are needed in various samples. Dissociative depression manifests more severe psychopathology than the remaining patients, indicating enhanced clinical needs for this subgroup. Further studies are needed to better understand mechanisms and treatment options for dissociative depression.

Seinsche, Rosa J.; Walter, Bertram; Fricke, Susanne; Neudert, Marie K.; Zehtner, Raphaela I.; Stark, Rudolf; Hermann, Andrea

doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-02805-9pmid: 35153460

The experience of socially aversive events is proposed to be a critical etiological factor in the development of social anxiety symptoms even though the experience itself is also common among healthy individuals. Rather than the event itself, accompanying factors such as maladaptive processing might be associated with higher levels of social anxiety symptoms. One-hundred-seventy-four individuals participated in this online-survey comprising questionnaires regarding social anxiety symptoms and retrospective reports concerning maladaptive processing of the worst socially aversive event. Structural equation modelling was used to analyze the hypothesized mediation of maladaptive processing and fear of negative evaluation by intrusive re-experiencing and social phobic beliefs. The positive association between retrospectively evaluated maladaptive processing after the worst socially aversive event and fear of negative evaluation was mediated by social phobic beliefs but not by intrusive re-experiencing. These results point towards the relevance of further investigating processing strategies after socially aversive events as a potential influencing factor for SAD development.Trial registration.The trial was registered at the German Clinical Trial Register (DRKS00021502) on June 3rd, 2020.

Ekşi, Halil; Şahin, Yahya; Akça Koca, Dilek; Eminoğlu, Zehra; Ekşi, Füsun

doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-02744-5pmid: N/A

Examining the mediating role of meaning in the effect of will on authenticity in adults is the purpose of this study. The sample is a total number of 289 adults. The correlation between will, authenticity and meaning was examined in SPSS 22. A positive relationship was found between will and personal meaning, between will and pure authenticity, between personal meaning and pure authenticity. The model was tested using AMOS to examine role of meaning in the effect of will on authenticity. It has been seen that the meaning in the effect of the will on authenticity has a mediating role.

Reslan, Fadi Bou

doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-02823-7pmid: N/A

The large size and function of the Lebanese civil service emphasize the significant value of civil service performance and equal employment opportunities. Generally, it is hard to attest to discrimination in recruitment because it is hidden in informal practices. Also, the selection process and the probable discrimination incident usually differ from one job seeker to another. This study investigates and analyzes the impact of confessional diversity on recruitment and selection, affective commitment, and career satisfaction in the Lebanese Ministry of Finance, where 195 questionnaires were distributed to different department employees. The proposed model is analyzed with partial least squares (PLS) path modeling in Smart PLS 3.0 software.

Wang, Die; Xie, Ruibo; Ding, Wan; Li, Xinyu; Li, Weijian

doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-02761-4pmid: N/A

Left-behind children’s internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors have become an important public health issue that may affect their well-being and mental health. Interparental conflict, a stronger and cannot be hidden family risk factor, is easily perceived by LBC and further affects LBC’s internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors. Moreover, in LBC’s families, interparental conflict are more likely to occur due to the poor economic status and the low quality of communication and interaction between parents. However, no research has examined the relationship between perceived interparental conflict and LBC’s internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors. Besides, previous research of the association between parents and children’s problem behaviors have been largely restricted to the unidirectional effect of parental traits on children. This study aimed to examine the reciprocal relationships between perceived interparental conflict and LBC’s internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors following a three-wave longitudinal design. A total of 660 LBC (442 boys and 218 girls) aged 8–11 years (Mage = 9.58, SDage = 0.67 at T1) in China completed a battery of questionnaires at three time points. The results indicated that perceived interparental conflicts positively predicted LBC’s internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors. In turn, LBC’s internalizing problem behaviors exacerbated the perception of interparental conflicts. Furthermore, perceived interparental conflict mediated the longitudinal relation between LBC’s internalizing problem behaviors and externalizing problem behaviors. The findings provide evidence for the accumulating disadvantage for LBC that results from the mutual reinforcement of perceived interparental conflict and problem behaviors over time.

Nonaka, Shunsuke; Shimada, Hironori; Sakai, Motohiro

doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-02772-1pmid: N/A

The cognitive behavioral variables of a family that influence the improvement of prolonged social withdrawal (hikikomori) remain unclear. This study prospectively and experimentally examined the effects of family behavioral repertoire and family interaction on hikikomori recovery. The participants were selected from family associations and support centers in the Kanto region of Japan; the study was performed from May 2017 to March 2018. Overall, seven family members (four mothers and three fathers, aged 55–73) of hikikomori individuals (five males and two females, aged 20–47) participated in four 90-min individual sessions targeting cognitive behavioral variables (family behavioral repertoire, cognition of contingency, family interaction, and target behaviors); the intervention sessions were customized according to family characteristics, and participants were followed up at one, three, and six months after the intervention. Of these, three participants demonstrated improvements in up to two cognitive-behavioral variables after the intervention; furthermore, in all three cases, the social interactions of the hikikomori individuals increased later than the changes in their families. The time differences in these alterations suggest a causal relationship between family cognitive behavioral variables and recovery from hikikomori. However, Spearman’s correlation coefficients using the difference values from the pre-assessment were not significant for the hikikomori individuals’ social interactions and the families’ cognitive behavioral variables. These correlation analyses were preliminary because of the small sample size. Further studies with larger sample sizes and robust study designs are needed to confirm these findings.