The Impact of Pathological Narcissism on Affect Following Social Rejection

Previous research has shown that narcissism is associated with interpersonal difficulties and maladaptive affective responses to social rejection. In the current studies, the authors examined two phenotypes of pathological narcissism, narcissistic grandiosity and narcissistic vulnerability, and their impact on individuals' affective responses in two distinctive social rejection paradigms. Participants from Study 1 (N = 239), recruited from a multicultural university and Amazon's Mechanical Turk, completed Cyberball, a computerized social rejection paradigm. Participants from Study 2 (N = 238) were recruited from a multicultural university and participated in an in vivo group rejection paradigm in a laboratory. Results indicated that following the rejection in both studies, narcissistic vulnerability positively predicted explicit negative affect and state anger. In addition, the positive relationship between narcissistic vulnerability and explicit negative affect was moderated by greater implicit negative affect in Study 2. The implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.

Interpersonal Problems as Mediator Between Parental Rearing Styles and Internalizing-Externalizing Problems in Adolescents

The mental health of youth is considered a big challenge in recent years for mental health professionals. Adolescents are known to have an increased prevalence of internalizing-externalizing problems that lead to adverse social, academic, and personal outcomes. This research is investigating the role of interpersonal problems as the mediator in the association of parental warmth and rejection with internalizing-externalizing problems in 732 adolescents (girls = 49%, boys = 51%) recruited through multistage sampling technique. Measures included Egna Minnen Betraffande Uppostran for Children (EMBU-C) (Saleem, Mahmood, & Subhan, 2015), the Youth version of the Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001), and the Interpersonal Difficulties Scale (Zahra & Saleem, 2020). Correlation analysis confirmed the significant association among parental warmth, parental rejection, internalizing-externalizing problems, and interpersonal problems. Findings of mediation analysis revealed that parental warmth and parental rejection have effects on internalizing-externalizing problems via interpersonal problems. Implications are discussed in terms of the counseling of adolescents.

Problem Behaviors of Children from Multicultural and Mono-cultural Families in Korea: Differences in Behavior Evaluations between Parents and Teachers

In recent years, multicultural families are increasing in Korea. In such multicultural families, there may be language and interpersonal difficulties that affect the children. Given the possibility of real problems affecting academics and the potential for bias, the perceptions of parents and teachers is of vital importance. In this study, parents' and teachers’evaluations of problem behaviors of 405 elementary school students were collected on the Korean Child Behavior Checklist and the Korean Teacher's Report Form. Studies have shown that parents in multicultural families tend to rate their children's problems more seriously than in mono cultural families in the areas of Withdrawal/Depressed, Attention Problems, and Rule-Breaking Behaviors.Teachers rated boys from multicultural families as more problematic with Withdrawal/Depressed, Attention Problems, Rule-Breaking Behaviors, and overall scores than boys from monocultural families. Parents tended to take their child's problematic behaviors more seriously than teachers.In general, younger students were found to be more vulnerable to behavioral problems. This may indicate that an intervention is needed to help the children acculturate.

Parental Mental Health Problems and the Risk of Child Maltreatment: The Potential Role of Psychotherapy

Parental mental health is a risk factor for numerous issues affecting a child’s physical and psychological development, especially the perpetration of child maltreatment. This paper aims to contribute a theoretical review of the risks faced by some children living in families with parental mental health problems and argues that psychotherapy has an essential role in resolving emotional and interpersonal difficulties, based on the example of Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT). This model has revealed benefits in interventions with several types of patients and is consequently a promising model for preventing the risk of aggressive behaviors. The programs addressing both parents and children have been proven to contribute to more informed and effective interventions.

A feasibility study of a novel work-focused relational group CBT treatment programme for moderate to severe recurrent depression

Purpose No current psychotherapeutic intervention is designed to enhance job retention in employees with moderate–severe recurrent depression. The aim of this study is to test the feasibility of a new, interdisciplinary work-focused relational group cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) treatment programme for moderate–severe depression. Design/methodology/approach The programme was based on a theoretical integration of occupational stress, psychological, social/interpersonal and bio-medical theories. It consisted of up to four 1:1 psychotherapy sessions; 12 work-focused, full-day, weekly CBT sessions facilitated by a cognitive behavioural therapist and occupational therapist; and up to four optional 1:1 sessions with an occupational therapist. Depression severity (primary outcome) and a range of secondary outcomes were assessed before (first CBT session) and after (twelfth CBT session) therapy using validated instruments. Findings Eight women (26–49 years) with moderate–severe depression participated. Five were on antidepressant medication. While there was no statistically significant change in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale depression scores after therapy (n = 5; p = 0.313), Beck Depression Inventory-II depression scores significantly decreased after therapy (n = 8; –20.0 median change, p = 0.016; 6/8 responses, 7/8 minimal clinically important differences, two remissions). There were significant improvements in the secondary outcomes of overall psychological distress, coping self-efficacy, health-related quality of life and interpersonal difficulties after therapy. All clients in work at the start of therapy remained in work at the end of therapy. The intervention was safe and had 100% retention. Research limitations/implications A major limitation was recruitment shortfall, resulting in a small sample of middle-aged women, which reduces representativeness and increases the possibility of methodological weaknesses in terms of the statistical analysis. A definitive trial would need much larger samples to improve statistical power and increase confidence in the findings. Another major limitation was that two of the authors were involved in delivering the intervention such that its generalisability is uncertain. Practical implications This novel programme was evaluated and implemented in the real world of clinical practice. It showed promising immediate positive outcomes in terms of depressive symptoms, interpersonal difficulties and job retention that warrant further exploration in a longer-term definitive study. Social implications Empirical studies focused on enhancing job retention in employees with moderate–severe recurrent depression are lacking, so this study was highly relevant to a potentially marginalised community. Originality/value While limited by a recruitment shortfall, missing data and client heterogeneity, this study showed promising immediate positive outcomes for the new programme in terms of depressive symptoms, interpersonal difficulties and job retention that warrant exploration in a definitive study.

Academic Stress Level Determination among College Students in Times of Covid-19 Pandemic

This study measured the level of academic stress among students regarding personal inadequacy, fear of failure, interpersonal difficulties with teachers, and inadequate learning resources in times of Covid-19 pandemic Using a descriptive-comparative approach. Slovin's formula was used to identify the respondents with a stratified random sampling technique to generate the required sample size of the study. The results revealed that the level of academic stress in times of the Covid-19 pandemic is high. It is also revealed that there is no significant difference in the level of academic stress when respondents are grouped according to sex, year level, and the number of hours spent for modular learning per day and provided significant difference when grouped according to course. Demographic profiles show that most of the students belong to the poor classification of monthly family income and with a low allowance for internet subscriptions. It also shows that with the intensity of requirements in the course pack, most students allocated many hours to answer the lessons per day. Present findings suggest that the institution must address intervention schemes through academic and non-academic services.

Attachment, Mentalization, and Criterion B of the Alternative DSM-5 Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD)

Background The mentalization theory posits that interpersonal difficulties and maladaptive personality traits develop from an insecure attachment pattern with one’s caregiver and corresponding deficits in mentalizing—the ability to understand others’ and one’s own mental states. Mentalizing deficits have been theorized as the basis for all psychopathology, with the paradigmatic case being Borderline Personality Disorder. Nevertheless, developments in the personality field indicate personality pathology is best represented dimensionally, and such a proposal was outlined by the Alternative DSM-5 Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD). Despite evidence linking the mentalization theory to personality disorders, however, it has yet to be applied to Criterion B of the AMPD. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the moderating role of mentalizing in the relation between attachment and Criterion B maladaptive trait function in a sample of undergraduates. We hypothesized a model in which: (1) attachment insecurity would be positively associated with the Negative Affectivity, Antagonism, and Disinhibition personality domains; (2) mentalizing ability would be negatively associated with these domains; and, (3) there would be an interaction effect between attachment and mentalizing when predicting these same domains. Methods Personality domains were measured dimensionally via the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5-SF), while the dependence and avoidance domains of attachment were assessed via the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ). Mentalizing ability was tapped by the Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC). The AMPD personality domains and trait facets were examined as dependent variables; attachment dependence, attachment avoidance, and overall mentalizing ability were entered as independent variables; and interaction terms between mentalizing and each attachment dimension were used to test moderation via MANCOVAs. Results Consistent with expectations, results indicated overall mentalizing moderated the relation between attachment avoidance and Negative Affectivity. Posthoc analyses revealed similar effects on the relations between attachment avoidance and the Emotional Lability, Hostility, and Perseveration trait facets; however, there were no significant moderation findings related to attachment dependence. Conclusions These results support the mentalization theory’s application to Criterion B of the AMPD, particularly in relation to the links between Negative Affectivity and borderline-related traits, and encourage future research of dimensional maladaptive personality. They further bolster support for understanding maladaptive personality as a dimensional construct.

Emotion regulation difficulties and interpersonal problems during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Predicting anxiety and depression

Background: Central components of psychological functioning, such as difficulties in emotion regulation and interpersonal problems are likely to have been substantially impacted by COVID-19 and the amelioration measures of societal lock-down and social distancing. In turn, these factors are likely to predict mental health outcomes, such as symptoms of depression and anxiety throughout the pandemic and beyond. Methods: To investigate this issue, we conducted an internet-based survey with 10,061 responders at the height of lock-down (T1). After social distancing measures had been eased (T2), 4,936 responders (49.1%) completed the survey again. Results: Emotion regulation difficulties, interpersonal problems, and symptoms of depression and anxiety decreased from T1 to T2, but changes were minor. After controlling for age and gender, emotion regulation- and interpersonal difficulties were associated with anxiety and depression throughout the study period, and changes in all domains occurred in concert. More extensive problems with emotion regulation at T1 predicted greater reductions in both symptom domains as amelioration measures were eased, while the converse was true for interpersonal problems. Furthermore, the impact of initial emotion regulation difficulties on subsequent changes in both anxiety- and depressive symptoms was dependent on the level of interpersonal difficulties, so that high interpersonal problem load at T1 reversed the effect of emotion regulation difficulties on symptom development. Conclusions: The results suggest that emotion regulation- and interpersonal difficulties are highly central to mental health during the pandemic, and may be important targets for remediation to reduce mental health problems throughout the course of the pandemic and beyond.