Abstract:

Despite emerging research on compassionate love's positive influence on later-life psychological well-being, investigations on the mediating processes accountable for such effects are scarce. Using data from a nationwide web-based survey (N = 1,861), we performed a mediation analysis to assess the role of loneliness in explaining the impact of compassionate love on psychological well-being. Even after controlling for emotional support, our model estimates suggest that older adults who felt loved had significantly lower levels of loneliness (β = -0.84, p < 0.001), significantly fewer depressive symptoms (β = -0.86, p < 0.001), and lower anxiety (β = -0.25, p > 0.05). Loneliness completely mediated the effect of compassionate love on anxiety (β = -0.82, p < 0.001) and significantly mediated compassionate love's influence on depressive symptoms (β = -1.18, p < 0.001). Our findings underscore the need for interventions that increase compassionate love to reduce loneliness and improve psychological well-being in later life. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 49(4), 12-20.].

Abstract:

Love has been identified as one of the most important aspects of interpersonal strength. During adolescence, the main social contexts in relation to love are friendships and dating relationships. The aim of this study was to measure the link between romantic relationship experience and personal adjustment, taking into account effects of age and sex, and to analyse the effect of adolescent dating relationship quality on personal adjustment. A total of 3258 Spanish adolescents were surveyed. The results indicated that dating status does not affect adolescent self-esteem, but has a significant effect on internalizing and externalizing behaviours and sexist beliefs. Regarding relationship quality, those adolescents who had a very good-quality relationship reported higher levels of psychological adjustment in terms of the variables measured. Results are discussed according to their utility for positive social development and its links to dating relationship quality during adolescence.

Abstract:

Owing to the prevalence of flexible employment practices around the world and increasingly loose employee-organization relationships, employee turnover intention is gradually becoming normalized. This study aimed to examine the counterproductive work behaviors (CWB) of employees with turnover intention in the hybrid employment context. Drawing on the psychological contract process perspective, this research endeavored to examine whether higher turnover intention is associated with greater levels of CWB and to determine whether and how the association between turnover intention and CWB differs across temporary and permanent workers by considering organizational affective commitment. The results of analyzing 211 pairs of two-wave subordinate–supervisor matching data from a Chinese service company indicated that turnover intention is positively related to CWB, and the association is stronger for temporary workers than permanent ones. Such difference is caused by permanent workers’ higher organizational affective commitment than temporary workers. The findings’ implications for theory and research are provided in hybrid employment.

Abstract:

ABSTRACT With the growing influence of media on tourism destination marketing, this research proposes a possible psychological process of music effect on place attachment, using the narrative transportation theory. Data were collected through an online survey in China (n = 531) and analyzed using SEM. Results indicate that (1) music transportation positively affects individuals’ attachment; (2) attitude plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between music transportation and place attachment; (3) previous visits have significant moderate effects on the attitude-attachment path rather than on the transportation-attachment path or the transportation-attitude path. Theoretical and practical implications for destination marketing are provided.

Abstract:

Psychedelic science has generated hundreds of compelling published studies yet with relatively little impact on mainstream psychology. I propose that social psychologists have much to gain by incorporating psychoactive substances into their research programs. Here I use (±)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) as an example because of its documented ability in experiments and clinical trials to promote bonding, love, and warmth. Social connection is a fundamental human need, yet researchers still possess few tools to effectively and durably boost it. MDMA allows investigators to isolate the psychological mechanisms—as well as brain pathways—underlying felt social connection and thus reveal what should be targeted in future (nondrug) studies. Accordingly, I introduce a conceptual model that presents the proximal psychological mechanisms stimulated by MDMA (lowered fear, increased sociability, more chemistry), as well as its potential long-term impacts (improved relationships, reduced loneliness, stronger therapeutic alliances). Finally, I discuss further questions (e.g., whether using MDMA for enhancing connection can backfire) and promising research areas for building a new science of psychedelic social psychology. In sum, psychopharmacological methods can be a useful approach to illuminate commonly studied social-psychological processes, such as connectedness, prejudice, or self, as well as inform interventions to directly improve people’s lives.

Abstract:

Research has shown that character strengths are positively linked with well-being in general. However, there has not been a fine-grained analysis up to date. This study examines the individual relational aspects between the 24 character strengths, subjective well-being (SWB), and different aspects of psychological well-being (PWB) at two times of measurement (N = 117). Results showed that overall the “good character” was significantly stronger related with PWB than with SWB. The character strength “hope” was at least moderately correlated with the PWB aspects meaning, optimism and autonomy, and “zest” with the PWB aspects relationships and engagement. “Persistence” showed the highest correlation with the PWB aspect mastery. Out of the 24 character strengths, the happiness-related strengths (hope, zest, gratitude, curiosity, and love) were more likely to correlate with PWB and SWB than any other character strength. This study offers a more fine-grained and thorough understanding of specific relational aspects between the 24 character strengths and a broad range of well-being aspects. Future studies should take up a detailed strategy when exploring relationships between character strengths and well-being.

Abstract:

A sample of 224 Egyptian college students (101 men, 123 women) was recruited. Their ages ranged from 17 to 29 years (M = 18.9, SD = 1.5). They responded to the Arabic versions of the Oxford Happiness Inventory, the Love of Life Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale, as well as five separate single-item self-rating scales assessing physical health, mental health, happiness, satisfaction, and religiosity. All correlations between the measures and rating scales of subjective well-being and religiosity were statistically significant and positive, the largest between satisfaction and religiosity. Only one factor was retained in principal components factor analysis of the correlation matrix and labeled “Well-being and religiosity.” It was concluded that religious persons in the present sample reported higher subjective well-being.

Abstract:

Abstract Bullying has been understudied among preschool children, especially those from Chinese American families. Previous research has also neglected the dimensional effects of psychological control on child bullying development. This study examined two psychological control dimensions, love withdrawal and guilt induction, and their effects on children's bullying aggressive behavior using a longitudinal design. Participants were first-generation Chinese American mothers (N = 133; mean age [Mage] = 37.82) and their preschool children (Mage = 4.48). Chinese immigrant mothers reported their psychologically controlling parenting and teachers rated children's bullying aggressive behaviors in the school setting. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to establish the psychometric properties and cross-wave measurement equivalence of the study constructs. Cross-lagged structural equation modeling analysis indicated that maternal love withdrawal prospectively predicted more bullying aggressive behavior, whereas guilt induction predicted less bullying aggressive behavior in children 6 months later. These results held after controlling for the initial level of children's problem behaviors and demographic variables (child age, gender, and maternal education). For child effects, child bullying aggressive behavior predicted more maternal guilt induction over time but not love withdrawal. Our findings highlight the importance of construct specificity and cultural context in understanding associations between parenting and child development.

Abstract:

INTRODUCTION Reduced testosterone levels are frequently observed in obese men. Increased aromatase activity may be an etiological factor. OBJECTIVE In this study, we evaluate the clinical effects of aromatase inhibition in obesity-related hypogonadotropic hypotestosteronemia (OrHH). METHODS Double-blind, placebo-controlled, 6-month trial in 42 obese men with a BMI >35 kg/m(2), and a serum total testosterone <10 nmol/l. All patients started on one tablet of 2.5 mg/week, with subsequent dose escalation every month until a serum total testosterone of 20 nmol/l was reached. ENDPOINTS Psychological function, body composition, exercise capacity, and glucose, lipid, and bone metabolism. RESULTS Thirty-nine patients completed the study according to protocol. Letrozole decreased serum estradiol from 119.1±10.1 to 59.2±6.1 pmol/l (P<0.001), and increased serum LH from 3.3±0.3 to 8.8±0.9 U/l (P<0.0001) and serum total testosterone from 8.6±0.7 to 21.5±1.3 nmol/l (P<0.0001). Significant effects on the predefined endpoints were not observed. CONCLUSION Despite a marked rise in serum testosterone, low-dose aromatase inhibition had no somatic or psychological effects in men with OrHH.

Abstract:

ABSTRACT The effects of parental migration on behavioral and psychological outcomes of children left behind (LBC) in rural China have drawn much public and research attention. Surprisingly, despite much research attention to this highly disadvantaged group, we know little about whether parental migration and alternative caretaking arrangements influence the exposure of this group to corporal punishment and neglect – key predictors of a myriad of child developmental outcomes such as educational performance, delinquency, and mental wellbeing. To address this research gap, we used a probability sample of approximately 1,200 middle-school students in Jiangxi province to investigate whether parental migration and alternative caretaking arrangements influenced children’s exposure to corporal punishment and neglect. Our models revealed that being taken care of by grandparents significantly decreased the odds of exposure to corporal punishment among children. Meanwhile, our results indicated that child neglect is prevalent among all children regardless of living and caretaking arrangements. Suggesting a protective role that grandparenting plays in LBC families against corporal punishment, these findings enrich the literature on child abuse and neglect in general and contribute to the understanding of the effect of parental migration on LBC’s development and experience in particular. Finally, policy recommendations are offered based on these findings.