LGBQ activism and positive psychological functioning: The roles of meaning, community connection, and coping.

Author(s):  
Dawn M. Szymanski ◽  
James D. Goates ◽  
Charlotte Strauss Swanson
2006 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 323-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Lawrence ◽  
Elizabeth L. Jeglic ◽  
Laura T. Matthews ◽  
Carolyn M. Pepper

This study examined gender differences in psychological functioning in a sample of college students who lost a parent to death. Male and female students ( n = 65) who had a parent that had died were asked to complete a series of self report questionnaires to assess psychological distress, feelings of grief and bereavement, and coping strategies. Overall, no gender differences were found between bereaved students on measures of psychological distress. However an avoidant coping style was related to symptoms of depression in females, but not in males. Students who lost a mother were more likely to report symptoms of depression, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation as compared to students who lost a father. Future research implications and the clinical importance of these findings are discussed.


Author(s):  
K. Simshäuser ◽  
R. Pohl ◽  
P. Behrens ◽  
C. Schultz ◽  
C. Lahmann ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Based on promising effects seen in a pilot study evaluating a generic mindfulness-based program for migraine, we developed a migraine-specific adaptation of the Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) program. The aim of this study was to evaluate this program for feasibility and effectiveness in a randomized controlled trial. Method Fifty-four patients suffering from migraine were randomly allocated to either waitlist or the adapted MBCT. Outcomes were migraine-related parameters as well as variables of psychological functioning and coping. Assessment took place at baseline and post-intervention, for the intervention group also at follow-up (7 months). The effects of the intervention were analyzed by the use of ANCOVAs and linear mixed models. Results With respect to migraine parameters we did not find a significant group difference in the primary outcome (headache-related impairment), but the intervention resulted in a significant reduction of headache frequency (p = .04). In the analysis of secondary outcomes, MBCT showed superiority in four out of eight psychological parameters (perceived stress, anxiety, rumination, catastrophizing) with small to medium effect sizes. The intervention proved to be feasible and participants reported high degrees of contentment and achievement of personal goals. Conclusions The migraine-specific MBCT program did not result in improvements with regard to headache-related impairment but showed a reduction in headache frequency as well as improved psychological functioning in secondary outcomes. Trial Registration This trial was registered in the German Trial Registry “Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien” (ID: DRKS00007477), which is a WHO-listed primary trial register.


2017 ◽  
pp. 220-235
Author(s):  
Andrew G. Christy ◽  
Grace Rivera ◽  
Kaiyuan Chen ◽  
Joshua A. Hicks

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 995-1017 ◽  
Author(s):  
NICOLE ALLENDEN ◽  
PETER BOMAN ◽  
AMANDA MERGLER ◽  
MICHAEL J. FURLONG

ABSTRACTThis study investigated whether five positive psychological constructs (self-efficacy, gratitude, grit, hope and optimism) had a combined effect on levels of depression. The co-occurrence of these psychological factors, defined as an example of covitality, was examined in relation to predicting lower levels of depression. Participants were 278 retirees living in Brisbane, Australia. Each participant completed either an online or hard-copy self-report, related to positive psychological functioning. A standard multiple regression found that self-efficacy, grit, optimism and hope were individually all significant predictors of depression (small effect sizes); however, the combinatorial relation of all these four factors with depression was substantial (R2 = 0.34; large effect size). Gratitude was not a significant predictor. While no causality can be inferred from this cross-sectional study, having a combination of positive psychological factors might have an effect on levels of depression in retirement.


2001 ◽  
Vol 13 (S1) ◽  
pp. 79-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philippa J. Clarke ◽  
Victor W. Marshall ◽  
Carol D. Ryff ◽  
Blair Wheaton

The Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CHSA) provided an opportunity to examine the positive aspects of aging. CHSA-2 included the 18-item Ryff multidimensional measure of well-being, which taps six core theoretical dimensions of positive psychological functioning. The measure was administered to 4,960 seniors without severe cognitive impairment or dementia at CSHA-2. Intercorrelations across scales were generally low. At the same time, the internal consistency reliability of each of the 6 subscales was not found to be high. Confirmatory factor analyses provide support for a 6-factor model, although some items demonstrate poor factor loadings. The well-being measures in CSHA-2 provide an opportunity to examine broad, descriptive patterns of well-being in Canadian seniors.


2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Reshma. N. S. ◽  
Manjula. M. Y.

Psychological well-being can be referred to as positive psychological functioning, which involves multidimensional constructs as well as the degree to which an individual perceives himself/herself as functioning well on areas like self acceptance, environmental mastery, personal growth and positive relationships. The current study aims at exploring psychological well-being across gender and socio-economic status among middle adults. The study consists of 266 middle adults (male=101, females=168) selected from 3 different socio-economic status groups (high=75, middle=114, low=77). The sample was drawn from urban population from Mangalore city. The age of the sample ranged between 40-55 yrs. Kuppuswamy’s socio-economic status scale (R-2012) and psychological well-being scale by Seema Mehrotra (2013) were administered. The data was analyzed using two-way ANOVA and post hoc test of least significant difference. The results revealed that women have significantly higher positive relations than men. Findings related to different socio-economic groups revealed that, adults belonging to high socio-economic status groups have significantly higher self-acceptance, mastery & competency, engagement & growth and overall psychological well-being compared to adults from low socio-economic status group, and significantly higher mastery & competency, overall psychological well-being than middle socio-economic status group. Middle socio-economic group adults have significantly higher self-acceptance, engagement & growth, and overall psychological well-being when compared to adults from low socio-economic status group.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 57-69
Author(s):  
Joel Omar González-Cantero ◽  
Victor Hugo González-Becerra ◽  
Carmen Elvira Hernández-Magaña ◽  
Fabiola Macías-Espinoza ◽  
José Ángel Morón-Vera ◽  
...  

In Mexico, healthy lifestyle has a low prevalence. The importance of a healthy lifestyle lies in avoiding the emergence of a chronic non-communicable disease. Thus, university administrative personnel are a vulnerable population due to working conditions that prevent them from having a healthy lifestyle, so it is necessary to analyze psychological variables that can explain how to promote and develop a healthy lifestyle. The purposes of this study were to identify relationships among lifestyle (LS) and positive psychological functioning (PPF) and their differences by gender in the administrative staff; a cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted. University administrative staff (n = 102), were recruited using the snowball sampling method, forming a non-probabilistic sample, completed the Fantastic Lifestyle Questionnaire and the Positive Psychological Functioning Scale. LS has a statistically significant correlation with PPF (r = .355, p = .001); in addition, it is worth pointing out that showing a low level of PPF implies a lower probability of having a healthy LS (Ψ = 28.333, 4.965 – 161.675). Results suggest the relevance of interventions to develop psychological resources in people seeking the adoption of a healthy LS.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick L Hill ◽  
Anthony L Burrow ◽  
Mathias Allemand

Abstract Researchers have called for gerontologists to spend greater attention on promoting happiness in older adulthood, a point aligned with the general public’s interest in finding the keys to being happy later in life. However, targeting and even defining happiness comes with several caveats and challenges, leaving researchers to make difficult decisions regarding measurement and intervention strategies. Instead, the current commentary suggests that gerontology interventions may fare better if researchers focus on specific components of positive psychological functioning. We present sense of purpose and life enjoyment as examples of two such components, and note the potential merit in developing these more focussed intervention programmes. As such, the commentary suggests the value of moving beyond targeting happiness when developing intervention programmes for older adult participants.


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