Attachment Orientations Mediate the Effect of World Assumptions on Posttraumatic Stress in Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Recent research indicates that world assumptions are broad cognitive-affective schemas that affect attachment orientations in close relationships which in turn affect psychological symptoms severity. The present study analyzed if adult attachment mediated the effect of world assumptions (worthiness of the self, benevolence and meaningfulness of the world) on PTSD symptoms (PTS), in survivors of childhood sexual abuse during treatment for PTSD. Sample included 327 individuals who were sexually abused in childhood. Variables were assessed using self-report measures. Structural equation modeling was conducted to examine if the effect of world assumptions at the beginning of psychotherapeutic treatment (T1) on PTS levels 12 months after the beginning of psychotherapeutic treatment (T3) was mediated by both attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety six months after the beginning of treatment (T2). Attachment avoidance fully mediated the effect of both worthiness of the self and benevolence of the world at T1 on PTS at T3 was mediated by both attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance at T2. Findings suggest that world assumptions are broad cognitive-affective schemas about the self and the world that have their actual expression in close relationships which mediate the effect of world assumptions on PTS levels.

THE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF APPROACHES TO EVALUATION OF VALUE-BASED ORIENTATIONS FOR SOCIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS IN THE FIELD OF CORRUPTION

The topicality of the research is stipulated by the growing necessity to investigate the degree of corruption perception in societies capable to reveal the motives, cultural and socialpsychological tendencies to corruption offences to develop a set of measures aimed at eliminating social and cultural reasons of the corruption. The current paper suggests applying methods of personal and societal value-based orientations estimation as such investigations. The paper is aimed at analysis comparing four most known and successful techniques on value-based orientations estimation (Schwartz value survey, Rokeach value survey, the Diagnostics of person value orientations structure by S.Bubnova, and the World assumptions scale by R. Janoff-Bulman adapted by O.Kravtsova) in the context of its applicability to determine the degree of the corruption perception. The paper shows advantages and disadvantages of the analyzed methods for the corruption perception researches. It was determined that for the use in corruption perception researches, some of the considered methods require the inclusion of additional issues on corruption component. The authors propose the formulation of such issues by Schwartz survey and adapted Janoff-Bulman scale. The results of the research represent the evaluation of each of the considered techniques from 1 to 4 points scale by the following criteria: survey scale, complexity of survey, complexity of analysis and interpretation of results, complexity of corruption perception issues integration.

Gender, Myths, and Assumptions: Correlates of Risk Perception in Sexual Assault Scenarios

Sexual violence continues to plague college campuses even with the implementation of bystander intervention programs. Previous research has demonstrated that diminished situational risk recognition increases the risk for sexual assault victimization. However, there is a paucity of research comparing men’s and women’s risk perception in sexual assault scenarios, risk perception from a victim or perpetrator perspective, or the role of previous sexual violence history, rape myth acceptance, and world assumptions on sexual risk perception. The current study examined male and female college students’ risk perception while reading a sexual assault scenario. Participants also completed measures of victim and perpetrator blame, rape myth acceptance, and beliefs in a just world. The results suggested that men’s and women’s risk perception is influenced by different rape myths and world assumptions. Specifically, women’s risk perception and victim blame are associated with sexual communication myths and beliefs in the randomness of the world, while men’s risk perception and victim blame are related to the acceptance of myths that women ask for sexual assault and that the world is a just, cruel place. The results call for the incorporation of additional training on how rape myths and world assumptions may impact risk recognition and intervention in sexual assault education. It will also be important to target different barriers to intervention for men and women.

Basic beliefs and network activity strategies of students

В статье представлены результаты теоретико-эмпирического исследования особенностей базисных убеждений студентов с разными стратегиями сетевой коммуникации. Базисные убеждения выделены как личностные компоненты, детерминирующие выбор поведения в сетевой коммуникации. Авторами использовались методика «Шкала базисных убеждений» (World assumptions scale – WAS) Р. Янов-Бульман (О. Кравцова), «Опросник установок по отношению к Интернету» (Э. Губенко), «Опросник поведения в Интернете» (А. Жичкина). В статье описаны взаимосвязи и результаты сравнительного анализа по направлениям профессиональной подготовки базисных убеждений, стратегий сетевой активности и установок по отношению к Интернету. Показано, что студентам с выраженными «ресурсными» базисными убеждениями характерно конструктивное пользование Интернетом. Превалирование «нересурсных» базисных убеждений студенческой молодежи может способствовать их ориентированности на проблемное пользование Интернетом. Статья предназначена для психологов, преподавателей вузов и исследователей в области психологии личности в контексте информационно-коммуникационных технологий. The article presents the results of a theoretical and empirical study of the features of the basic beliefs of students with different strategies of network communication. Basic beliefs are highlighted as personal components that determine the choice of behavior in network communication. The authors used the methodic «World assumptions scale – WAS» by Ronnie Yanov Bulman (O. Kravtsova), "Questionnaire of attitudes towards the Internet" (E. Gubenko), Internet Behavior Questionnaire (A. Zhichkina). The article describes the relationship and the results of a comparative analysis in the areas of professional training of basic beliefs, strategies of network activity and attitudes towards the Internet. It is shown that the students with pronounced “resource” basic beliefs are characterized by constructive use of the Internet. The prevalence of “non-resource” basic beliefs among student youth can contribute to their focus on problematic Internet use. The article is intended for psychologists, University-teachers and researchers in the field of personality psychology in the context of information and communication technologies.