The mediating role of attachment and mentalising in the relationship between childhood trauma, self-harm and suicidality

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Stagaki ◽  
Tobias Nolte ◽  
Peter Fonagy ◽  
Janet Feigenbaum ◽  
Brooks King-Casas ◽  
...  

Although the relationship between childhood trauma, self-harm and suicidality is well-established, less is known about the mediating mechanisms explaining it. Based on a developmental mentalisation-based theoretical framework, childhood adversity compromises mentalising ability and attachment security, which in turn increase vulnerability to later stressors in adulthood. This study aimed, thus, to investigate the role of attachment and mentalising as potential mechanisms in this relationship. In a cross-sectional design, 907 adults from clinical and community settings completed self-report questionnaires on retrospectively rated childhood trauma, and current attachment to the romantic partner, mentalising, self-harm, suicidal ideation and attempt. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the data and childhood trauma was conceptualised as a general factor in a confirmatory bifactor model. The results showed that childhood trauma was both directly associated with self-harm and suicidality and indirectly via the pathways of attachment and mentalising. These findings indicate that insecure attachment and impaired mentalising partially explain the association between childhood trauma, self-harm and suicidality. Clinically, they provide support for the potential of mentalisation-based therapy or other psychosocial interventions that aim to mitigate the risk of self-harm and suicidality among individuals who have experienced childhood maltreatment via increasing understanding of self and other mental states.

Crisis ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 272-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison S. Christian ◽  
Kristen M. McCabe

Background: Deliberate self-harm (DSH) occurs with high frequency among clinical and nonclinical youth populations. Although depression has been consistently linked with the behavior, not all depressed individuals engage in DSH. Aims: The current study examined maladaptive coping strategies (i.e., self-blame, distancing, and self-isolation) as mediators between depression and DSH among undergraduate students. Methods: 202 students from undergraduate psychology courses at a private university in Southern California (77.7% women) completed anonymous self-report measures. Results: A hierarchical regression model found no differences in DSH history across demographic variables. Among coping variables, self-isolation alone was significantly related to DSH. A full meditational model was supported: Depressive symptoms were significantly related to DSH, but adding self-isolation to the model rendered the relationship nonsignificant. Limitations: The cross-sectional study design prevents determination of whether a casual relation exists between self-isolation and DSH, and obscures the direction of that relationship. Conclusions: Results suggest targeting self-isolation as a means of DSH prevention and intervention among nonclinical, youth populations.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie Merinuk ◽  
Stephanie C. Varcoe ◽  
Peter J. Kelly ◽  
Laura D. Robinson

Purpose Substance use disorder (SUD) frequently co-occurs with other psychological conditions, such as eating disorders (EDs). Psychological factors such as emotional dysregulation, rash impulsivity (RI) and reward sensitivity (RS) play a role in the etiology of each disorder, yet little is known about the combined effects of these on comorbid SUDs and EDs or disordered eating behaviours (DEBs). This study aims to examine the role of these psychological factors in comorbid DEBs and SUDs among individuals in treatment for SUDs. The role of gender is tested as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional self-report survey was completed by 131 participants attending Australian residential substance use treatment centres. A binomial logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the effects of emotional dysregulation, RI and RS on comorbid DEB and SUD. Further, moderation analyses were used to examine the moderating effect for gender on the relationship between these three personality variables and comorbidity. Findings The most commonly reported primary substance of use was alcohol (43.5%), followed by amphetamines (38.6%). Findings showed that emotional dysregulation and RI were significantly related to an increase in comorbidity likelihood; however, RS was not. Gender moderated the relationship between comorbidity and RI only. Originality/value The significant positive relationship found between RI and comorbidity for females only was a novel finding for the current study. Further research is needed to develop an understanding of the etiology of comorbidity.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romualdas Malinauskas ◽  
Audrone Dumciene ◽  
Saule Sipaviciene ◽  
Vilija Malinauskiene

This study investigated the role of gender as a potential predictor of health behaviour and potential moderator of the relationship between emotional intelligence and health behaviour. This cross-sectional study included 1214 students (597 males and 617 females). Data were collected using the Schutte Self-Report Inventory and the Health Behaviour Checklist. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was executed with the components of health behaviour as the dependent variables to examine the predictive value of the emotional intelligence indicators as the independent variables. Gender predicted all categories of health behaviours. Only one indicator of emotional intelligence, appraisal, predicted the Accident Control and Traffic Risk Taking categories. The emotional intelligence indicator of social skills emerged only as a predictor of Wellness Maintenance and Enhancement in university students. Gender moderates the relationship between all emotional intelligence indicators and health behaviour components except the relationship between Appraisal and Substance Risk Taking and the relationship between Utilization and traffic risk taking.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Dolce ◽  
Emilie Vayre ◽  
Monica Molino ◽  
Chiara Ghislieri

During the Covid-19 pandemic, people started teleworking intensively, which has led to some benefits in terms of economic continuity, but also some complaints. International teams of scholars have pointed out the new work-related challenges, underlining leaders’ role in successfully managing them. This study aimed at investigating the role of destructive leadership in the job demands–resources and recovery model during the Covid-19 pandemic. In detail, this study intended to assess (1) whether destructive leadership is positively associated with off-work-hours technology-assisted job demand (off-TAJD) and cognitive demands, as well as whether it decreases autonomy, (2) whether two demands—off-TAJD and cognitive demands—and two resources—social support and autonomy—are respectively negatively and positively related to recovery, and (3) whether recovery mediates the relationship between demands, resources, and exhaustion. A total of 716 French remote workers (61% were women) took part in this study. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire. A multi-group structural equation model was used to test the hypotheses. The findings confirmed a significant association between destructive leadership, the two job demands, and autonomy; furthermore, all three variables mediated the relationship between destructive leadership and recovery. The findings showed the key role played by recovery as a mediator between, on one hand, off-TAJD, cognitive demands, autonomy, and social support, and, on the other hand, exhaustion. This study highlighted the role of destructive leadership, job resources, job demands, and recovery as determinants of exhaustion, illustrating their relationships in a sample of remote workers. Practical implications are discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 201-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thilo Kunkel ◽  
Rui Biscaia ◽  
Akiko Arai ◽  
Kwame Agyemang

This research explored the role of athlete on- and off-field brand image on consumer commitment toward the athlete and associated team, preference by the athlete’s sponsor, and the mediating effect of consumers’ self-brand connection on these relationships. Data were collected from fans of soccer players through a cross-sectional survey promoted on social media platforms. A partial least squares structural equation model examined the direct effects of both athlete brand dimensions on athlete commitment, team commitment, and athlete sponsor preference, and the indirect effects mediated via self-brand connection. The results indicate that an athlete’s on-field image is significantly related to athlete sponsor preference, while the off-field image influences athlete commitment and team commitment. Self-brand connection is influenced by athlete off-field image and mediates the relationship between off-field image and athlete commitment. This study contributes to a better understanding of how to manage athlete brands and linkages between fans, athletes, and associated entities.


2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 697-707 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rune Høigaard ◽  
Tommy Haugen ◽  
Bjørn T Johansen ◽  
Rune Giske

The purpose of this study was to empirically examine the relationship between coaches' communication patterns (feedback and use of humour) and team identity in youth soccer. A cross-sectional design was used and participants were 532 soccer players, aged from 13 to 20 years, taking part in a youth soccer tournament, the Sør Cup. Structural Equation Modelling based multiple regression analysis was conducted, and the findings revealed that positive/instructive feedback and coaches' use of humour were positive significant predictors of team identity. Contrary to our expectations, negative/punishment feedback was not significantly related to team identity. The findings are discussed within a social identity framework. It is concluded that positive/instructive feedback and the use of humour are elements that coaches may use to develop the team identity. However, future work is needed to further validate the scales used in this study, and to examine how the use of humour may influence the athlete and the team.


Author(s):  
Martha Knox Haly

AbstractThe Occupational social support model has been described as producing weak and inconsistent results. There have been assertions that it has lost its popularity as an explanatory construct. However, lack of social support within workplaces has been implicated in the majority of work stress claims and is becoming a focal point of safety prosecutions against Australian employers for failure to provide a psychologically safe workplace. This article presents a review of contemporary (since 1999) cross-sectional and longitudinal studies that measure supervisory or co-worker support as a variable of interest in the published literature. The review examines the theoretical models, as well as general findings associated from over 61 studies. While there is substantial variation in the magnitude of effects, the majority of studies consistently produce positive evidence of the role of social support in offsetting the effects of strain. The review notes several well-constructed longitudinal studies, the increasing popularity of structural equation modelling, and the continued dominance of the Job Demands Control Support Model. The discussion includes consideration of studies where no mitigating effect was found for social support, and concludes that the magnitude of social support effect is determined by the history and context of social support being offered.


2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 540-554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Panagiotis Gkorezis ◽  
Eugenia Petridou ◽  
Katerina Lioliou

Purpose – Substantial research has examined the pivotal role of supervisor positive humor in generating employee outcomes. To date, though, little is known about the relationship between supervisor humor and newcomers’ adjustment. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to this gap by examining the effect of supervisor positive humor on newcomers’ adjustment. In doing so, the authors highlighted relational identification with the supervisor as a mediating mechanism that explains the aforementioned association. Design/methodology/approach – Data were drawn from 117 newcomers. In order to collect the data the authors used the snowball method. Also, hierarchical regression analysis was conducted. Findings – The results demonstrated that supervisor positive humor affects employees’ relational identification with the supervisor which, in turn, positively relates to newcomers’ adjustment. Research limitations/implications – Data were collected using a cross-sectional design and, therefore, the authors cannot directly assess causality. Moreover, the authors used self-report measures which may strengthen the causal relationships. Originality/value – To the best of the knowledge, this is the first study that illustrates the role of supervisor humor in enhancing both newcomers’ relational identification and adjustment.


2016 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 298-312
Author(s):  
Dina Guglielmi ◽  
Rita Chiesa ◽  
Greta Mazzetti

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare how the dimension of attitudes toward future that consists in perception of dynamic future may be affected by desirable goals (desired job flexibility) and probable events (probable job flexibility) in a group of permanent vs temporary employees. Moreover the aim is to explore the gender differences in respect to variables studied. Design/methodology/approach – The data were collected using self-report questionnaires on a sample of 710 employees, of which 63 percent women, 57.2 percent permanent employees, and 42.8 percent fixed-term employees. Findings – The results showed that probable job flexibility mediated the relationship between desired job flexibility and the perception of a dynamic professional future. In addition, the type of contract moderated the interaction effect of job mastery on the relationship between desired and probable flexibility. Job mastery, however, has a direct effect on probable flexibility only on women in fixed-term employment. Research limitations/implications – The study presented some limitations: the data derived from the self-report questionnaires, respondents participated on a voluntary basis, and the research design was cross-sectional. Practical implications – The results of this study could be used to influence guidance practitioners’ decisions on the role of antecedents of future orientation (desired flexibility, probable flexibility, and job mastery) in designing programs and interventions for career management that also take gender into account. Originality/value – Overall, these results provided some insight into the relationship between specific guidance actions and goal-oriented career planning.


COVID ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 447-457
Author(s):  
Ines Luttenbacher ◽  
Jamie S. Breukel ◽  
Maheen M. Adamson

Introduction: While mitigation procedures are needed to prevent the continuous spread of COVID-19, they may, in turn, negatively impact individuals’ mental health. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the relationships between loneliness, rumination, and depression, as well as the mediating role of rumination in the relationship between loneliness and depression in university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was circulated, collecting a final sample of 288 university students (Mage = 22.01, SD = 3.45, range = 18–55, 75.7% female). Study variables were measured utilizing self-report questionnaires. Results: In line with the hypotheses, rumination partially mediated the relationship between loneliness and depression. Discussion: Therefore, ruminative thoughts may be one of the key factors contributing to lonely university students’ susceptibility to depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.


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