| 1. |
- Björk, Elina, et al.
(author)
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The ABCD of Parasocial Relationships: Associations to Social Comparison Orientation and Self-Esteem
- 2021
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In: APS 2021 Virtual Convention.
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The Multidimensional Measure for Parasocial Relationships was found reliable, valid, and having a bifactor structure comprising four correlated dimensions: Affective, Behavioral, Cognitive, and Decisional. Moreover, high levels of commitment with parasocial relationships in these four dimensions was associated with high social comparison orientation, which in turn led to low self-esteem.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Garcia, Danilo, 1973, et al.
(author)
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Innovative Methods for Affectivity Profiling: Latent Profile Analysis
- 2023
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In: The Affective Profiles Model - 20 Years of Research and Beyond. - Cham : Springer. ; , s. 49-65
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: During the past 20 years, an increasing number of studies have used the affective profiles model as the backdrop for the investigation of between and within individual differences in various biological, psychological, and social constructs related to well-being and ill-being. In most of the literature, researchers use individuals’ self-reported affectivity for profiling throughout three different approaches: (1) dividing scores into high and low in reference to the median, (2) cluster analysis, and (3) the rank order of each individual in a large sample from the general population (i.e., percentiles). Nevertheless, a less used approach has been the Latent Profile Analysis (LPA). Aim: In this Chapter, we investigated and verified the prevalence of the theorized affective profiles in a large adult population using LPA, mapped the prevalence of these affective profiles to gender and age, and investigated differences in life satisfaction and harmony in life. Method: The sample consisted of residents of the USA who had participated in three different published studies (e.g., Garcia et al., 2015a, 2015b; Nima et al., 2020a, 2020b) and one unpublished study. The samples were amalgamated for this specific Chapter and comprised 4781 individuals (2459 males, 2243 females, plus 79 who did not report gender) with a mean age of 34.66 years (SD = 12.12). While all participants self-reported affect, 2427 participants self-reported both life satisfaction and harmony in life, and the rest reported either life satisfaction or harmony in life. We used several fit indices and analyses of variance to validate the best representation of the affective profiles model. Results: The best fitting model generated by LPA consisted of three profiles: self-fulfilling (60% of participants), moderate affective (27% of participants), and high affective (13% of participants). The comparison of positive affect and negative affect between and within profiles indicated that individuals with these profiles were different from each other in expected ways. Regarding demographic variables, we found that the moderate affective profile was more prevalent among females and younger individuals, while the self-fulfilling and the high affective profiles were more prevalent among males and older individuals. Furthermore, individuals with a moderate affective profile had significantly lower levels of life satisfaction and harmony in life compared to those with the other two profiles. However, in contrast to past studies in Europe using other methods for affectivity profiling, individuals with a high affective profile had higher levels of life satisfaction, but equal levels of harmony in life, than individuals with a self-fulfilling profile. Conclusions: The LPA method successfully yielded a valid representation of the complex adaptive affectivity meta-system. For researchers who intend to use this method, we recommend the different fit indices used here to choose the best fitting model (1), to further validate the profiles in the chosen model by investigating between- and within-profiles differences in affectivity (2), to consider both age and gender (3), and to interpret any results in the context of cultural values that might influence the way individuals both pursue and experience emotions (4).
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| 4. |
- Garcia, Danilo, 1973, et al.
(author)
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Psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the satisfaction with life scale in a sample of individuals with mental illness
- 2021
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In: PeerJ. - : PeerJ. - 2167-8359. ; 9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Health assessment among individuals with mental health problems often involves measures of ill-being (e.g., anxiety, depression). Health is, however, defined as a state of physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease (WHO, 1948, 2001). Hence, in order to address mental illness during the 21st century, we need to develop methods for the prevention, identification and treatment of mental illness; but also, for the promotion, identification, and maintenance of well-being. In this context, over three decades of subjective well-being research have resulted in the development of measures of positive aspects of human life, such as, the Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener et al., 1985). Our aim was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Satisfaction with Life Scale in a Swedish population of individuals with mental illness using both Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT). Method: A total of 264 participants (age mean = 43.46, SD = 13.31) diagnosed with different types of mental illness answered to the Swedish version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (five items, 7-point scale: 1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). Results: We found positive and significant relationships between the five items of the scale (r ranging from 0.37 to 0.75), good reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.86), and that the one-factor solution had best goodness of fit (loadings between 0.52–0.88, p < 0.001). Additionally, there were no significant differences in comparative fit indexes regarding gender and occupation status. All items had high discrimination values (between 1.95–3.81), but item 5 (“If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing”); which had a moderate discrimination value (1.17) and the highest estimated difficulty on response 7 (3.06). Moreover, item 2 (“The conditions of my life are excellent”) had less discrimination and redundant difficulty with both item 1 (“In most ways my life is close to my ideal”; 2.03) on response 7 and with item 3 (“I am satisfied with my life”; –1.21) on response 1. The five items together provided good information, with especial good reliability and small standard error within −1.00 up to about 2.00 and the highest amount of test information at 0.00 of the level of life satisfaction within this population. Conclusions: Consistent with previous research, the scale had good reliability and provided good information across most of the latent trait range. In addition, within this population, sociodemographic factors such as gender and occupation status do not influence how individuals respond to the items in the scale. However, the items couldn’t measure extreme levels of low/high life satisfaction. We suggest replication of these findings, the test of additional items, and the modification of items 2 and 5 in order to use the scale among individuals with mental illness.
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| 5. |
- Garcia, Danilo, et al.
(author)
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The A(ffect) B(ehavior) C(ognition) D(ecision) of parasocial relationships : A pilot study on the psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Measure of Parasocial Relationships (MMPR)
- 2022
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In: Heliyon. - : Elsevier BV. - 2405-8440. ; 8:10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of this pilot study was to preliminary test the psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Measure of Parasocial Relationships (MMPR), a self-report that assess people's attitude (affect, cognition, and behavior) towards social media figures and to what extent people perceive that media figures influence their daily life decisions (e.g., consumption, exercise, nutrition). In short, the MMPR measures how and to what extent people are committed to such one-sided relationships and interactions through social media platforms. Besides factor structural analyses (four different models) and internal consistency, we also tested the MMPR's concurrent validity by investigating if, as hypothesized, the association between commitment to parasocial relationships and self-esteem is mediated by its positive association to social comparison. Participants (N = 259) answered to the MMPR, the Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. As expected, the MMPR loaded in four dimensions and had good internal consistency (e.g., Cronbach's Alphas were between .66-.75 for the four dimensions and .85 for the whole measure). The bifactor model with correlated factors had the best fit indexes (CFI = .95, RMSEA = .07). Moreover, the direct effect of MMPR was positive on social comparison (β = .18, p < .01), the direct effect of social comparison on self-esteem was negative (β = -.51, p < .001), and the indirect effect of MMPR on self-esteem was negative (β = -.09, p < .01). In sum, our results suggest that parasocial relationships through social media platforms consist of four necessary and correlated dimensions (A: Affective; B: Behavioral; C: Cognitive; and D: Decisional). Moreover, the MMPR successfully assessed that high level of commitment with parasocial relationships are positively associated with the tendency to compare oneself to others, which in turn leads to low levels of self-esteem. Hence, the MMPR has sound psychometric properties and is a good candidate for further analyses.
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| 6. |
- Garcia, Danilo, 1973, et al.
(author)
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Validation of the 18-item Swedish Version of Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scales
- 2021
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In: APS 2021 Virtual Convention.
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- We found that the 18-item Swedish version of Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scales had the expected relationships with subjective well-being, lifestyle habits, and health issues. We also found that, although a six-factor solution had a good fit, a five-factor solution was the best fitting model for this specific version.
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| 7. |
- Granjard, Alexandre, et al.
(author)
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Occupation and life satisfaction among individuals with mental illness: The mediation role of self-reported psychophysiological health
- 2021
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In: PeerJ. - : PeerJ. - 2376-5992 .- 2167-8359. ; 9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Unemployment can diminish physical, psychological and social health. In this context, research shows that people with mental illness have even more difficulties finding occupation. Thus, some countries, such as Sweden, strive after creating job opportunities for this specific group. We investigated the effect of having an occupation on life satisfaction among individuals with mental illness and whether self-reported physical and psychological health mediated the relationship between being (un)employed and life satisfaction. Method: Two-hundred eighty-seven individuals (148 males, 134 females, and 5 missing information) with mental illness, who received support and services from Swedish Municipalities in Blekinge, self-reported occupation, life satisfaction, and physical and psychological health. Results: Participants who reported having an occupation reported also significantly higher levels of life satisfaction, physical health, and psychological health compared to those without occupation. Nevertheless, these differences were rather small (Eta2 < 0.06). Moreover, the indirect effect of having an occupation on life satisfaction through physical and psychological health was significant. Finally, the total indirect effect of physical and psychological health (i.e., psychophysiological health) accounted for 53% of the total effect of having an occupation on life satisfaction. Conclusion: For individuals with mental illness there seems to be an almost equal importance of indirect and direct effects of having an occupation on their levels of life satisfaction. More specifically, while there are differences in life satisfaction within this population in relation to having an occupation, having an occupation leads to the sense of good psychophysiological health, which in turn helps individuals with mental illness to feel satisfied with their lives.
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| 8. |
- Guerra, Matheus, et al.
(author)
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Effects of a 10-Week Physical Activity Intervention on Asylum Seekers' Physiological Health
- 2022
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In: Brain Sciences. - : MDPI. - 2076-3425. ; 12:7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: The rise in armed conflicts has contributed to an increase in the number of asylum seekers. Prolonged asylum processes may negatively affect asylum seekers' health and lead to inactivity. Studies show that physical activity interventions are associated with improvements in health outcomes. However, there are a limited number of studies investigating the associations of physical activity on asylum seekers' health. Methods: Participants (263 males and 204 females), mostly from Syria, were assessed before and after a 10-week intervention for VO2 max, body mass index (BMI), skeletal muscle mass (SMM), body fat, and visceral fat. Linear mixed models were used to test differences within groups, and a linear regression model analysis was performed to test whether physiological variables predicted adherence. Results: Participants' VO2 max increased: males by 2.96 mL/min/kg and females 2.57 mL/min/kg. Increased SMM percentages were seen in both genders: females by 0.38% and males 0.23%. Visceral fat area decreased: males by 0.73 cm(2) and females 5.44 cm(2). Conclusions: Participants showed significant increases in VO2 max and SMM and decreased visceral fat. This study provides an insight into asylum seekers' health and serves as a starting point to new interventions in which physical activity is used as a tool to promote and improve vulnerable populations' health.
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| 9. |
- Kazemitabar, Maryam, et al.
(author)
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Does auditory attentional bias determine craving for methamphetamine? A pilot study using a word recognition dichotic listening task
- 2022
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In: Heliyon. - : Elsevier BV. - 2405-8440. ; 8:11, s. 1-7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Obtaining reliable data under explicit evaluations is one of the most complicated challenges in assessing drug users' status. Respondents are likely to give answers that are to their advantage or deliberately deceitful. Regarding drug use, intense and inevitable drug craving is known as one of the main causes of relapse and treatment failure. As a matter of fact, drug craving is directly correlated to attentional bias toward drug-related stimuli, while drug-related stimuli capture drug users' attention as a result of craving. Most methods for studying selective attention and attentional bias have been developed for visual modality. However, stimuli that capture drug users’ attention are not always visual, they could be auditory. AIMS: We examined if a modified word recognition dichotic listening task discriminated between methamphetamine users and non-users. Moreover, we investigated further the reliability and validity of this new paradigm. METHODS: A total of 30 adult males participated in the study (15 methamphetamine users and 15 non-users). The word recognition dichotic listening task included two stimuli narratives/sequences (one neutral and one methamphetamine-related) that were presented simultaneously via headphones, one stimuli sequence to each ear. The participants were instructed to only pay attention to the neutral stimuli and to ignore the drug-related stimuli. Afterward, participants were asked to indicate in a list which words they recognized from the listening task and responded to the Desire for Drug Questionnaire, which was modified to address methamphetamine craving. In addition, a month after the experiment, we assessed therapy adherence among participants who were methamphetamine users. RESULTS: Methamphetamine users had a significantly lower performance in the word recognition dichotic task compared to non-users (t = 4.30, p < .001; Cohen’s d = 6.13). Importantly, the average performance on the task was significantly higher among methamphetamine users who continued their treatment one month later compared to those who quitted (t = −2.56, p < .05; Hedges' g = 1.28). Moreover, the intraclass correlation coefficient with 95% interval confidence for the word recognition dichotic listening task scores was excellent (ICC = 0.90) and the scores were significantly correlated with self-reported methamphetamine craving (r = −.47, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The modified word recognition dichotic listening task successfully discriminated between individuals who craved methamphetamine from those who did not. This new paradigm demonstrated high reliability and validity in the present pilot study. Due to the importance of preventing unreliable responses when assessing drug cravings, the current method can be, after further validation, utilized in both research and clinical practices.
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| 10. |
- Kazemitabar, Maryam, et al.
(author)
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School Health Assessment Tools: A Systematic Review of Measurement in Primary Schools
- 2020
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In: PeerJ. - : PeerJ. - 2167-8359. ; 8, s. 1-21
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: This systematic review aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the school health’s assessment tools in primary schools through COSMIN Risk of Bias checklist. We examined the studies that have addressed the measurement properties of school-health instruments to give a clear overview of the quality of all available tools measuring school health in primary schools. This systematic review was registered in PROPERO with the Registration ID: CRD42020158158. Method: Databases of EBSCOhost, PubMed, ProQuest, Wily, PROSPERO, and OpenGrey were systematically searched without any time limitation to find all full-text English journal articles studied at least one of the COSMIN checklist measurement properties of a school-health assessment tool in primary schools. The instruments should be constructed based on a school health model. The eligible studies were assessed by COSMIN Risk of Bias checklist to report their quality of methodology for each measurement property and for the whole study by rating high, moderate or low quality. Results: At the final screening just seven studies remained for review. Four studies were tool development, three of them were rated as “adequate” and the other study as “very good”; five studies examined the content validity, three of them were appraised as “very good”, and the two remaining as “inadequate”. All seven studies measured structural validity, three of them were evaluated as “very good”, three other were scored as “adequate”, and the last study as “inadequate”. All the seven studies investigated the internal consistency, five of them were assessed as “very good”, one was rated as “doubtful”, and the last one as “inadequate”. Just one study examined the cross-cultural validity and was rated as “adequate”. Finally, all seven studies measured reliability, two of them were rated as “very good” and the rest five studies were appraised as “doubtful”. All rating was based on COSMIN checklist criteria for quality of measurement properties assessment. Conclusion: The number of studies addressing school health assessment tools was very low and therefore not sufficient. Hence, there is a serious need to investigate the psychometric properties of the available instruments measuring school health at primary schools. Moreover, the studies included in the present systematic review did not fulfill all the criteria of the COSMIN checklist for assessing measurement properties. We suggest that future studies consider these criteria for measuring psychometric properties and developing school health assessment tools.
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