scholarly journals Mechanisms of action of conspiracy theories

2020 ◽  
Vol 52 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 141-149
Author(s):  
Ana Slavković ◽  
Vukan Slavković
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Educational Level ◽  
Psychological Factors ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Mechanisms Of Action ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Social Motives ◽  
Conspiracy Theories ◽  
Positive Image ◽  
Economic Background

The paper discusses the reasons why conspiracy theories emerge (the desire to belong, survive, be close with the members of the group, and maintain a positive image of ourselves and the community). Theories and results of research about psychological factors that are believed to influence the emergence of conspiracy theories are presented. The authors conclude that belief in conspiracy theories is highly dependent on epistemological, existential, and social motives. Research has not yet shown that these theories serve to satisfy these motives, and it is even possible to the contrary, that these theories do not strengthen social cohesion at all, do not lead to improvement of self-esteem and a more positive image of ourselves or the group we belong to. Important questions remain open and more research needs to be done about the consequences of believing in conspiracy theories, especially in vulnerable populations, which have been found to have the highest motivation to accept these theories. The tendency to believe in conspiracy theories is a phenomenon influenced by many factors. Some of these factors are belonging to a lower socio-economic background, a lower educational level, a tendency to outsource one's own responsibility for life's failures, or to neglect the genetic and educational factors that led to it. However, many other factors, such as mental health status, also determine this phenomenon. Poorly integrated, deeply insecure personalities who have not overcome the schizoid-paranoid position of development, tend to perceive the environment as perceptual and threatening, with the aim to protect their own self from deeper disintegration.

scholarly journals Do Locus of Control, Self-esteem, Hope and Shame Mediate the Relationship Between Financial Hardship and Mental Health?

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 404-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Frankham ◽  
Thomas Richardson ◽  
Nick Maguire
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Locus Of Control ◽  
Psychological Factors ◽  
Suicide Ideation ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Financial Hardship ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Mediation Analyses ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract In a longitudinal study of 104 participants, the psychological factors of economic locus of control, self-esteem, hope and shame were explored for their impact on the relationship between financial hardship and mental health. Participants completed measures of financial hardship, the psychological factors and measures of mental health three times at three-monthly intervals. A hierarchical regression analyses indicated that subjective financial hardship, hope and shame significantly predicted mental health outcomes. Mediation analyses demonstrated that hope mediated the relationship between subjective financial hardship and depression, stress and wellbeing; that shame mediated the relationship between subjective financial hardship and anxiety; and that neither shame nor hope mediated the relationship between subjective financial hardship and suicide ideation.

scholarly journals The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 538-542 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen M. Douglas ◽  
Robbie M. Sutton ◽  
Aleksandra Cichocka
Keyword(s):  
Social Group ◽  
Psychological Factors ◽  
The Self ◽  
Psychological Consequences ◽  
Conspiracy Theories ◽  
Positive Image ◽  
The Social

What psychological factors drive the popularity of conspiracy theories, which explain important events as secret plots by powerful and malevolent groups? What are the psychological consequences of adopting these theories? We review the current research and find that it answers the first of these questions more thoroughly than the second. Belief in conspiracy theories appears to be driven by motives that can be characterized as epistemic (understanding one’s environment), existential (being safe and in control of one’s environment), and social (maintaining a positive image of the self and the social group). However, little research has investigated the consequences of conspiracy belief, and to date, this research does not indicate that conspiracy belief fulfills people’s motivations. Instead, for many people, conspiracy belief may be more appealing than satisfying. Further research is needed to determine for whom, and under what conditions, conspiracy theories may satisfy key psychological motives.

Suicide Attempters, Suicide Ideators, and Non-Ideators

Crisis ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 294-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tobias Teismann ◽  
Laura Paashaus ◽  
Paula Siegmann ◽  
Peter Nyhuis ◽  
Marcus Wolter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Suicide Ideation ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Positive Mental Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Reasons For Living ◽  
Suicide Attempters

Abstract. Background: Suicide ideation is a prerequisite for suicide attempts. However, the majority of ideators will never act on their thoughts. It is therefore crucial to understand factors that differentiate those who consider suicide from those who make suicide attempts. Aim: Our aim was to investigate the role of protective factors in differentiating non-ideators, suicide ideators, and suicide attempters. Method: Inpatients without suicide ideation ( n = 32) were compared with inpatients with current suicide ideation ( n = 37) and with inpatients with current suicide ideation and a lifetime history of suicide attempts ( n = 26) regarding positive mental health, self-esteem, trust in higher guidance, social support, and reasons for living. Results: Non-ideators reported more positive mental health, social support, reasons for living, and self-esteem than suicide ideators and suicide attempters did. No group differences were found regarding trust in higher guidance. Suicide ideators and suicide attempters did not differ regarding any of the study variables. Limitations: Results stem from a cross-sectional study of suicide attempts; thus, neither directionality nor generalizability to fatal suicide attempts can be determined. Conclusion: Various protective factors are best characterized to distinguish ideators from nonsuicidal inpatients. However, the same variables seem to offer no information about the difference between ideators and attempters.

Stigmatisation of mental illness in the workplace: evidence and consequences

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (02) ◽  
pp. 102-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Bezborodovs ◽  
G. Thornicroft
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Everyday Life ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Work Place ◽  
Stigma And Discrimination ◽  
Workplace Stigma

SummaryWork plays an important part in everyday life. For people experiencing mental health problems employment may both provide a source of income, improved self-esteem and stability, and influence the course and outcomes of the disorder. Yet in many countries the work-place consistently surfaces as the context where people with mental health problems feel stigmatised and discriminated the most. This paper will review the existing evidence of stigma and discrimination in the workplace, consider the consequences of workplace stigma on the lives of people experiencing mental health problems, and discuss implications for further action.

Mental Health Status and Health-Related Quality of Life among Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Patients in Thailand: A Multi-Site Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 103 (11) ◽  
pp. 1185-1193
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Mental Health Status ◽  
Health Related Quality ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related

Background: The systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients oftentimes suffer from both physical and psychosocial challenges that may lead to low health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, limited research has been done in this area. Objective: To examined mental health status and HRQoL among SLE patients in Thailand. Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional study conducted at the rheumatology clinic of four major hospitals in Thailand. The paper-based questionnaire consisted of demographic, health history such as depression, anxiety, stress Scale (DASS-21), and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSE), and the disease-specific Lupus Quality of Life scale (LupusQoL). Depending on the variable’s level of measurement such as categorical or continuous, Spearman’s Rho or Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficients were used to explore the relationships among the variables. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to identify the predictors of LupusQoL. Results: Among the 387 participants, many might have experienced depression, anxiety, and stress (30%, 51%, and 29%, respectively). Self-esteem among the participants was good (31.8 out of 40). All eight domains of LupusQoL were affected with intimate relationship domain being impacted the most. The overall LupusQoL was significantly associated with the number of prescribed medications (r=–0.23), depression (r=–0.70), anxiety (r=–0.58), stress (r=–0.67), and self-esteem (r=0.59), p<0.001. Significant predictors of the overall LupusQoL were mental health status (depression, anxiety, and stress) and self-esteem, F (3, 81)=43.10, p<0.001, adjusted R²=0.60. Conclusion: SLE patients should be holistically assessed in both physical and psychological aspects. In addition to proper medical treatments, healthcare providers should use a multidisciplinary team approach to resolve the patients’ psychosocial issues, which in turn, may increase the patients’ quality of life. Self-care education may be necessary to help the patients manage the condition and decrease the number of medications. Keywords: Mental health, Quality of life, SLE, Thailand

Pengaruh Self Help Group Terhadap Tingkat Harga Diri Keluarga Dengan Penderita Skizofrenia Di Poli Jiwa Puskesmas Kalitidu

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Errix Kristian Julianto ◽  
Yusuf Efendi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
The Self ◽  
Wilcoxon Test ◽  
Health Clinic ◽  
Mental Health Clinic ◽  
Self Help ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Self Help Group

ABSTRAKSelf Help Group merupakan kelompok-kelompok termasuk orang dengan ikatan bersama yang secara sukarela datang bersama-sama untuk berbagi, menjangkau dan belajar satu sama lain dalam lingkungan yang terpercaya, mendukung dan terbuka (Knight, 2014). Tujuan penelitian ini adalah Menganalisis pengaruh Pengaruh Self Help Group  Terhadap Tingkat Harga Diri Keluarga Dengan Penderita Skizofrenia Di Poli Jiwa Puskesmas KalitiduDesain penelitian ii menggunakan Pre eksperiment dengan pendekatan one group pre-posttest design. Populasi pada penelitian ini adalah Seluruh keluarga penderita Skizofrenia di PKU Jiwa Kalitidu yang berjumlah 32 dengan teknik total sampling diperoleh 32 responden. Instrumen yang digunakan adalah kuesioner Harga diri. Kemudian penelitian ini dianalisa menggunakan wilcoxon sign rank.Dari hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa lebih dari sebagian responden mempunyai tingkat harga diri rendah yaitu terdapat 18 (56,2%) responden sebelum di beri self help group sedangkan setelah diberikan Self Help group menunjukkan bahwa sebagian besar responden mempunyai harga diri tinggi yaitu terdapat 25 (78,1%)  responden. Berdasarkan uji statistik dengan menggunakan SPSS uji Wilcoxon  Signed Ranks antara nilai pre test dan post test menunjukkan bahwa kondisi responden sebelum dan setelah dilakukan intervensi dengan self help group pada harga diri dengan  nilai uji wilcoxon  sebesar 0, 001 dengan nilai kesalahan sebesar   0,05.Berdasarkan hasil penelitian dapat disimpulkan ada pengaruh dari Self Help Group terhadap harga diri  keluarga dengan penderita depresi di poli jiwa puskesmas kalitidu Bojonegoro. Diharapkan para keluarga dengan penderita depresi di poli jiwa puskesmas kalitidu bojonegoro tetap aktif dalam mengikuti kegiatan Self Help Group di poli jiwa puskesmas kalitidu bojonegoro sehingga keluarga mampu meningkatkan harga diri. Kata Kunci       : Self Help Group, Harga diri, Skizofrenia  ABSTRACTSelf Help Groups are groups including people with common ties who voluntarily come together to share, reach out and learn from each other in a trusted, supportive and open environment (Knight, 2014). The purpose of this study was to Analyze the effect of Self Help Group Influence on the Self-Esteem Level of Family with Schizophrenia Patients in Psychiatric Poly at Puskesmas Kalitidu. This research design uses Pre experiment with one group pre-posttest design approach. The population in this study were all families of Schizophrenics in PKU Kalitidu Mental, amounting to 32 with a total sampling technique obtained by 32 respondents. The instrument used was the self-esteem questionnaire. Then this study was analyzed using Wilcoxon sign rank.From the results of the study showed that more than a few respondents had low levels of self-esteem, there were 18 (56.2%) respondents before being given a self-help group while after being given a Self-Help group showed that most respondents had high self-esteem ie there were 25 (78 , 1%) of respondents. Based on statistical tests using the SPSS Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test between the pre test and post test values indicate that the condition of respondents before and after intervention with self help groups on self-esteem with Wilcoxon test values of 0, 001 with an error value of 0.05. Based on the results of the study it can be concluded that there is an effect of the Self Help Group on the self-esteem of families with depressed patients at the mental health clinic of Bojonegoro kalitidu. It is expected that families with depression sufferers at the Kalitidu Bojonegoro mental health clinic remain active in participating in the Self Help Group activities in the mental health clinic at Kalitidu Bojonegoro so that families are able to increase self-esteem.Keywords         : Self Help Group, Self-Esteem, Schizophreni

scholarly journals A Sequential Path Model Testing: Emotional Intelligence, Resilient Coping and Self-Esteem as Predictors of Depressive Symptoms during Unemployment

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 697
Author(s):  
María Angeles Peláez-Fernández ◽  
Lourdes Rey ◽  
Natalio Extremera
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Job Search ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Path Model ◽  
Southern Europe ◽  
Path Analyses ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

The unemployment rate has dramatically increased in southern Europe in the last decade. Although it is well-known that unemployment impairs mental health, the specific roles of personal resources like emotional intelligence (EI) and potential underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Prior studies have shown that resilience and self-esteem are mediators in the link between EI and mental health. The present study aims to bridge these gaps by testing a sequential path model. Specifically, we propose that EI is associated with lower depressive symptoms, which is explained by higher resilient coping strategies and a resulting increased self-esteem among unemployed individuals. A sample of Spanish unemployed persons completed measures of EI, resilience, self-esteem and depression. The results showed that higher levels of EI were positively associated with resilience and self-esteem and negatively related to depressive symptoms. Path analyses showed that resilience and self-esteem mediated the relation between EI and depression in sequence. These findings suggest that EI plays a key role in promoting mental health and provide preliminary evidence regarding potential mechanisms through which EI contributes to mental health during unemployment. Implications for assessing the absence of these positive resources in developing effective job search programs geared toward promoting mental health and re-employment are discussed.

scholarly journals The risk of preterm birth in combinations of mental disorder and socioeconomic position among Danish women

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
C K Knudsen ◽  
A M S Christensen ◽  
S Heuckendorff ◽  
K Fonager ◽  
C Overgaard
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Socioeconomic Position ◽  
Educational Level ◽  
Lower Degree ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Additive Interaction ◽  
Educational Levels ◽  
Mental Health Conditions ◽  
First Time

Abstract Background Inequality in preterm birth is a public health challenge requiring identification of pregnant women at particularly high risk of preterm birth. Therefore, the aim was to estimate the risk of preterm birth in women with different combinations of mental health conditions and socioeconomic position. Methods Based on Danish registries, we conducted a nationwide cohort study including all first-time mothers giving birth to a singleton liveborn infant in Denmark between 2000 through 2016. We examined the risk of preterm birth (&lt;37 weeks of gestation) in different combinations of mental health conditions (no, minor, and moderate/severe) and educational level (high, intermediate, and low) in three age strata (&lt;25, 25-30, and &gt;30 years). The relative risk of preterm birth was estimated using Poisson regression with a robust error variance. We measured the attributable proportion to assess additive interaction between the effects of exposures. Results Of the 415,523 included first time mothers, 29,069 (7,0%) gave birth preterm. The risk of preterm birth increased in combinations of higher degree of mental health conditions, lower degree of educational level, and increasing age. Women aged&gt;30 years with moderate/severe mental health conditions and low educational level had the highest risk of preterm birth (13.7%). The analysis of additive interaction revealed only a limited additional effect of being exposed to mental health conditions and lower educational levels in each age strata. However, positive additive interaction was found between age&gt;30 year and combinations of mental health conditions and educational level. Conclusions Substantial inequality in preterm birth remains with increasing risk in women with combinations of higher degree of mental health conditions and lower degree of educational level. In the prevention of inequality in preterm birth special attention on women aged&gt;30 years exposed to mental health conditions and lower educational levels is essential

Parental alienation: the impact on men’s mental health

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo Sher
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Separation Anxiety ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Parental Alienation ◽  
Adult Men ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
High Conflict ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Parental alienation is defined as a mental state in which a child, usually one whose parents are engaged in a high-conflict separation or divorce, allies himself strongly with one parent (the preferred parent) and rejects a relationship with the other parent (the alienated parent) without legitimate justification. Parental alienation may affect men’s mental health: a) parental alienation negatively influences mental health of male children and adolescents who are victims of parental alienation. Alienated children/adolescents display guilt, sadness, and depressed mood; low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence; distress and frustration; lack of impulse control, substance abuse and delinquent behavior; separation anxiety, fears and phobias; hypochondria and increased tendency to develop psychosomatic illness; suicidal ideation and suicide attempt; sleep and eating disorders; educational problems; enuresis and encopresis; b) parental alienation negatively affects the mental health of adult men who were victims of parental alienation when they were children and/or adolescents. Long-term effects of parental alienation include low self-esteem, depression, drug/alcohol abuse, lack of trust, alienation from own children, divorce, problems with identity and not having a sense of belonging or roots, choosing not to have children to avoid being rejected by them, low achievement, anger and bitterness over the time lost with the alienated parent; c) parental alienation negatively influences mental health of men who are alienated from their children. Fathers who have lost some or all contact with their children for months or years following separation or divorce may be depressed and suicidal.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document