Personal Control Research Articles

Financial stress and leadership behavior: The role of leader gender.

Concern about personal finances is one of the most widespread and salient sources of stress. We advance our emerging understanding of the work-related impacts of financial stress by examining the consequences of personal financial stress on leadership behavior. Drawing on compensatory control theory, we propose that financial stress positively relates to abusive supervision via a lowered sense of personal control. Integrating social role theory, we propose that these effects are stronger for leaders who are men than leaders who are women. We test our model in a vignette-based study using a sample of leaders (N = 201) and a second multiwave, multisource field survey study among leaders and their subordinates (N = 119 leader-subordinate dyads). Across both studies, we found that financial stress was positively associated with abusive supervision via lack of control and that this relationship was stronger for men than women. In Study 2, we examined an alternative tend-and-befriend theoretical account, proposing that leaders who are women exhibit more communion-striving motivation and empathic leadership as a result of financial stress. We found some support for this alternative pathway, though not gender differences in it, and in doing so we uncovered novel outcomes of financial stress. Our results offer implications for supporting employee financial health and uncover a context wherein men (and their subordinates), rather than women, experience the costs of misalignment with societal gender expectations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Social Management for The Prevention of Addiction to Social Networks and Anxiety in University Students

Objective: The objective of this study was to explain from the preventative context the relationship between dependence on social networks and anxiety in university students. Theoretical benchmark: Dependence on social networks is an important factor that can negatively affect mental health, causing behavioral phenomena such as anxiety, stress, depression, among others. Psychosocial problems in university students are related to the presentation of certain behaviors that affect their personal development and academic formation. Method: The type of study is non-experimental and the design of the study was descriptive across the board. The sample was composed of 320 university students of the psychology course. The ARS Scale of Dependence on Social Networks and the EAS Social Anxiety Scale were used as instruments. Results and discussion: The evidence showed a statistically significant correlation between social network dependence and anxiety rho=0,575 (p=0,000). In relation to the factors, the existence of a statistically significant relationship between obsession with social networks, lack of personal control, excessive use and physiological, cognitive and behavioral factors rho>.100 (p=0,000) was determined. Conclusion: The indiscriminate use of networks is associated with symptoms of anxiety in university students. Value: Therefore, preventive actions are guided from a cognitive-behavioral approach to managing social awareness about the effects and repercussions on your professional training and your future, as well as emphasizing the importance of the effective integration of social networks through responsible use.

A cooperative learning intervention for improving a simulation-based paediatric nursing course: A quasi-experimental study

AimThis study aimed to examine if a cooperative intervention improved outcomes for a simulation-based paediatric nursing course. BackgroundFostering cooperative learning can enhance student engagement and improve learning. Simulation-based courses provide nursing students an opportunity to practice and hone nursing skills when hands-on experiences are limited. Providing instruction in cooperative learning could improve course outcomes. DesignA quasi-experimental study with pre-test/post-test assessments. MethodsThird-year nursing students enrolled in an 18-week paediatric simulation-based nursing course were purposively recruited (N = 110). One class (n = 55) received a researcher-developed cooperative learning program, which encouraged student support during class activities and simulations. The second class (control) received usual class instruction and simulations. The efficacy of the intervention was assessed by comparing mean scores at class enrolment (pre-test) and completion (post-test) for self-perceived problem-solving attitude, cooperative learning experience and knowledge of paediatric nursing. Paired t-tests compared pre-test with post-test scores for the two groups. ANCOVA examined differences in mean scores between groups. Correlations between differences in mean pre-test and post-test subscale scores for problem-solving attitude and cooperative learning experience were also examined. ResultsThere was no significant difference in age or gender between groups. Mean post-test scores on the final exam were significantly higher for students who received the intervention (85.26, 95 % CI 84.19, 86.33) compared with controls (83.61, 95 % CI 82.52, 84.69; F = 4.63, p = 0.034). There were no significant differences in total scores for problem-solving attitude or cooperative learning experience or between groups. For the intervention group, two problem solving subscales were correlated with two cooperative learning subscales: problem solving confidence with learning motivation, respectively (r = 0.302, p = 0.025) and personal control with classroom learning, respectively (r = 0.389, p = 0.003). For the control group, approach-avoidance problem solving was negatively correlated with cooperative learning efficacy (r = −0.343, p = 0.01). ConclusionsCompared with the control group, nursing students who received the cooperative learning intervention had higher scores for knowledge of paediatric nursing, as well as learning motivation and attitude and problem-solving confidence, suggesting that the researcher-designed intervention facilitated simulation-based learning as well as confidence in problem-solving. Nurse educators could easily integrate the intervention into simulation-based paediatric nursing courses to enhance students' problem-solving abilities.

Understanding health data social licence: An international comparison of community attitudes towards health data use across Canada and Australia

ObjectiveResearch has found general but conditional support for health data being used for public benefit. The term “social licence” describes which uses of health data the public supports and under what conditions. Here, we aim to compare two approaches to understanding community attitudes towards health data use, and how social licence may differ, between Canadian and Australian populations. ApproachFactors that affect community support for health data use include the specific population, the type(s) of data, and the engagement approach used. In Canada, facilitated dialogues were held to explore whether (i) there were uses of health data that diverse members of the public all supported and (ii) there was consensus on essential requirements for health data social licence. In Australia, national surveys and citizens’ juries were conducted to better understand (i) attitudes towards private sector data use and (ii) the ethical, legal and social implications of using general practice data in research. ResultsDespite the different approaches taken, many conditions for social licence were similar across Canadian and Australian participants. Both groups agreed on conditions for health data social licence related to equity, governance, privacy and transparency. However, there was a stark contrast between levels of support for private sector data use, personal control and consent. ConclusionThis comparative exercise contributes valuable insights into the ongoing dialogue surrounding community attitudes towards health data use. Continued research monitoring health data social licence across populations is imperative for public trust while gaining full benefits from health data use in research.

Tolerating injustice when feeling in control: Personal control enhances the link between collectivism and coercion in the face of disease threats

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, authorities worldwide imposed coercive regulations aimed at curbing the virus’s spread, often at the expense of individuals who were considered potential threats to public health. We argue that individual differences in their support for such actions can be understood from the perspective of an evolved “behavioral immune system”. We conducted two studies within the context of the “zero-COVID” policy in Mainland China. Study 1 recruited 819 Shanghai residents during a strict citywide lockdown and found that individuals’ collectivistic orientation and personal control over their lives predicted their tolerance of injustices involved in disease-control measures. Moreover, the effect of psychological collectivism was enhanced by personal control. Study 2 (N = 403) partly replicated these findings using hypothetical scenarios related to various fictitious viruses. Notably, the effects found in Study 1 only manifested in scenarios involving ambivalent pathogens, which are seldom fatal but highly contagious. Building on the functional flexibility principle of the behavioral immune system theory, we discussed the unique role of ambivalent pathogen signals in generating within-society variability and fine-tuning behavioral immune responses.

The effect of psychoeducation with health coaching method on HbA1c levels Among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Different dangerous and life-threatening complications, such as hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, and metabolic ketoacidosis are caused by uncontrolled Diabetes Mellitus (DM). Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the effect of psychoeducation with health coaching methods in type 2 DM patients on HbA1c levels.In this context, a quasi-experimental design was adopted with pre-and post-test control group methods. The sample size for the intervention and control groups was 30 type 2 DM patients who were routinely controlled at the Kalijudan Surabaya Community Health Center between March to April 2023 using a simple random sampling method. The intervention group received psychoeducational intervention using the health coaching method with six sessions through 3 meetings and module media, while the control only received module education media. Furthermore, the HbA1c level was taken before and after intervention, and the effect was measured using the t-test.The results showed that pre-test and post-test HbA1c levels were decreased (mean 9.06; 5.98) and increased (mean 9.13; 10.59) in the intervention and control groups, respectively. Psychoeducation with the health coaching method and provision of modules to patients was more effective compared to groups only given modules (0.000).In conclusion, this intervention motivated patients subjected to treatment, facilitated increased personal control, and built confidence in managing diabetes independently. The implication obtained was an increase in the ability of patients to make self-care decisions.

Patient Perceptions of Weight Stigma Experiences in Healthcare: A Qualitative Analysis.

Weight stigma is the social devaluation and denigration of individuals because of their excess body weight, resulting in poorer physical and mental health and healthcare avoidance. Attribution Theory and Goffman's theory of spoiled identity provided a general overarching framework for understanding weight stigma experiences. Our purpose was to explore weight stigma experiences from a broad range of perspectives emphasizing identities typically excluded in the weight stigma literature. We conducted a qualitative descriptive study with data drawn from 73 substantive narrative comments from participants who responded to a larger survey. Analysis developed five themes: Working on weight, Not being overweight, Lack of help and empathy, Exposure and embarrassment and Positive experiences. Individuals who would be clinically assessed as overweight, especially men, often did not identify with having a weight problem and found the framing of personal responsibility for weight empowering. Participants with larger body sizes more often attributed embarrassment and shame about weight to treatment in the clinical setting. Older participants were more likely to have positive experiences. The findings suggest ongoing tension between the framing of weight as a personal responsibility as opposed to a multifactorial condition with many uncontrollable aspects. Gender, age and body size shaped respondent perspectives, with some young male respondents finding empowerment through perceived personal control of weight. The healthcare system perpetuates weight stigma through lack of adequate equipment and excessively weight-centric medical counselling. Recommending a healthy lifestyle to patients without support or personalized medical assessment may perpetuate weight stigma and associated detrimental health outcomes. Patients with obesity and overweight were integral to this study, providing comments for our qualitative analyses.

How are illness representations of gambling disorder associated with gambling behaviors? A latent profile analysis

Gambling disorder (GD) is a behavioral addiction that causes serious harm to individuals’ mental health and social functioning. This study aimed to explore whether gamblers’ illness representations (IR) for GD are related to disordered and/or controlled patterns of gambling under the framework of commonsense model of self-regulation (CSM). Based on CSM, different facets of IR do not exist in isolation but together form a total illness schema; we hence used a person-centered analysis method, latent profile analysis (LPA), to classify gamblers by their overall IR for GD (including consequences, personal and treatment control, timeline cyclical, emotional representations, and coherence) into groups and then tested whether these groups differed in GD symptoms, controlled gambling behaviors, and help-seeking intention. An anonymous online survey was conducted on a social media platform, and valid responses from 589 past-year adult gamblers were collected. LPA results supported a four-profile model, revealing four profiles of GD representations: the weak-perception profile, average profile, tensed-up profile, and rational profile. Significant differences were found in all outcome variables in these four profile groups. In particular, the rational group exhibited the lowest levels of GD symptoms and impaired behavioral control, the highest levels of responsible and controlled gambling, and the highest levels of help-seeking intention, whereas the weak-perception group reported the lowest levels of responsible and controlled gambling behaviors. The findings provide empirical support for the application of CSM to addictive behaviors, as well as preliminary evidence for the potential use of CSM-based interventions for GD prevention.

Public health contributions of entomological surveillance of West Nile virus (WNV) and other mosquito-borne arboviruses in a context of climate change.

Climate change is likely to increase the risk of human transmission of arboviruses endemic to Canada, including West Nile virus (WNV), Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) and California serogroup virus (CSV), calling for enhanced surveillance, including entomological surveillance targeting mosquito vectors. A scoping review was carried out to document the public health contributions of entomological surveillance of arboviruses of importance in Canada. The Ovid® and EBSCO platforms and the grey literature were searched to identify documents published between 2009 and 2023, in English or French, dealing with entomological surveillance of arboviruses of interest, conducted annually for human health purposes under the aegis of a government authority, with specified public health objectives and actions. The 42 selected publications mainly reported two public health objectives of adult mosquito surveillance: early warning of viral circulation and assessment of the level of risk of human transmission. Recommended actions included clinical preparedness, risk communication, promotion of personal protection measures and vector control. The main objectives of immature mosquito surveillance were to identify sites with high larval densities, in order to reduce/eliminate them and target the application of larvicides. In a context of climate change favouring the spread of arboviruses, this study highlights the potential public health contributions of regular entomological surveillance of endemic arboviruses of importance in Canada. It helps support concrete actions to protect the health of the population from the risks of arboviral transmission.

The Prevalence of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome among Polish Women without Pre-Existing Cardiovascular Conditions and Diabetes: A Multicenter Study in Poland.

Background: A very prevalent problem worldwide is not only the high prevalence of chronic conditions but also the high frequency of their underdiagnosis and unhealthy lifestyles, both resulting in the development and inadequate treatment of civilization diseases. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of abnormal metabolic parameters among Polish women aged >35 years who have not yet been diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes or chronic kidney disease, as well as evaluate their lifestyles and look for relationships between individual lifestyle parameters and metabolic abnormalities. Methods: This was a multicenter, cross-sectional, observational study conducted on a group of women aged ≥ 35 years without previous cardiovascular disease, diabetes or chronic kidney disease. As part of the study, patients had anthropometric measurements and laboratory tests performed (serum glucose, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, non-HDL cholesterol and triglycerides) and completed the HLPCQ (the Healthy Lifestyle and Personal Control Questionnaire). Obesity was defined as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. Abdominal obesity was defined as a waist circumference ≥ 88 cm. Results: The study included 672 women considered healthy. In the analyzed group of women, 20.6% met the criteria for a diagnosis of obesity based on BMI, and 36.8% were diagnosed with abdominal obesity. In addition, 16.8% of the women had an abnormal fasting blood glucose result. Moreover, 46.4% of the women's blood pressure measurements were above the normal range, and as many as 57.7% of the women had abnormal non-HDL levels. In addition, 150 women met the criteria for a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. These conditions were far more common in women diagnosed with obesity. Physical activity was associated with a reduced risk of developing obesity and metabolic syndrome. Conclusions: The underdiagnosis of chronic conditions in the study population is high. More than 20% of women met the criteria for a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome, the prevalence of which was significantly higher in patients with obesity. A healthy lifestyle was associated with a reduced risk of developing metabolic syndrome and its individual components. It is necessary to actively search for chronic conditions in patients, which requires the involvement of not only healthcare system employees but also government representatives.

The Best of Both Worlds: Affiliation and Agency in Traditional and Gig Work Choices

The opportunity to construct a career and the prevalence of virtual work are hallmarks of the extant environment that makes career decisions and workforce recruitment increasingly complex. We seek to understand jobseekers’ choices in this context, which allows for great personal control and independence. We draw on the career self-management stream of social-cognitive career theory to inform our examination of the influences of certain applicant work preferences and individual characteristics on preferences for gig or traditional work and related job-seeking behaviors. Findings from this study indicate that a sense of agency and need for affiliation are significantly related to new and transitional job seekers’ willingness to pursue face-to-face versus gig work opportunities. Additionally, this work revealed a positive relationship between a preference for face-to-face and gig work options, indicating that incorporating a combination of the two may be optimal for employees and employers.

To change, but not to preserve! Norm conformity following control threat only emerges for change norms but not for status quo norms

ABSTRACT Collectively pursuing social change may help people experience a sense of agency through their group when personal control is threatened, thereby restoring their sense of control. Accordingly, we proposed and found in two studies (N = 177 & 178) that following an experimentally manipulated threat to personal control, group members conform only to ingroup norms (vs. non-norms) framed as proposing social change, but not to those framed as preserving the status quo (in Study 1, we found this only for highly identified group members). This demonstrates the importance of collectively pursued social change for group-based control processes and qualifies the widely held belief that people reject change under conditions of threat.

"How will I ever know I didn't bring it on myself?": Navigating personal responsibility in public health messaging on dementia risk.

Public health messaging increasingly emphasizes the importance of "lifestyle interventions" to reduce dementia risk. Our study aimed to understand how people interpret and respond to information about dementia risk. In a second sub-aim, we examined how these interpretations may contribute to dementia-related lifestyle stigma. We engaged in a secondary analysis of 50 semi-structured interviews using a framework approach to understand, from the perspective of community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults, how they may interpret, make sense of, and respond to information about dementia risk and risk reduction. During the interpretive and narrative phase, the authors began to elucidate participant responses analytically and identified that these responses could be interpreted within the health locus of control literature. Of the 23 participants who discussed dementia risk, 13 felt some sense of personal responsibility and control over their dementia risk. Of those 13, four participants believed they had personal responsibility and control and actively engaged in lifestyle interventions. The remaining nine participants also engaged in lifestyle interventions, aiming to find comfort in knowing they had done what they could to reduce their risk and working to alleviate self-attribution of blame if diagnosed with dementia. The tendency to internalize responsibility may inadvertently contribute to the stigmatization of dementia as a 'lifestyle disease' creating dementia-related lifestyle stigma. Recognizing the multifaceted nature of dementia risk, including environmental and external factors beyond individual control, is essential to combatting the 'lifestyle stigma' increasingly associated with the condition.

Influences of HPV disease perceptions, vaccine accessibility, and information exposure on social media on HPV vaccination uptake among 11,678 mothers with daughters aged 9–17 years in China: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundMothers play a crucial role in influencing their daughters’ HPV vaccination decisions. Addressing barriers to receiving HPV vaccination among mothers of girls may achieve two goals in one strike: increasing vaccination coverage among both mothers and their daughters. This study aims to examine the HPV vaccination uptake and its determinants among mothers of girls in China at both the individual and interpersonal levels.MethodsFrom July to October 2023, a cross-sectional online study was conducted to investigate HPV vaccine refusal for daughters aged 9–17 years among 11,678 mothers in Shenzhen, China. A randomized selection method was employed, targeting 11 primary schools and 13 secondary schools in Shenzhen. The research team invited mothers of girls to participate in an anonymous online survey. Multilevel logistic regression models (level 1: schools; level 2: individual participants) were employed to analyze the data.ResultsAmong 11,678 mothers, 41.1% self-reported receiving at least one dose of HPV vaccination. Through multilevel logistic regression analysis, eight items measuring illness representations of HPV, which refers to how people think about HPV, were associated with higher HPV vaccination uptake (AOR: 1.02–1.14). These items included identity (identifying symptoms of HPV), timeline (whether HPV is acute/chronic), negative consequences, personal and treatment control (whether HPV is under volitional control), concern, negative emotions, and coherence (overall understanding of HPV). In addition, participants refusing HPV vaccines for the index daughters (AOR: 0.82, 95%CI: 0.76, 0.89) had lower vaccine uptake. Perceived more difficulties in accessing the 9-valent vaccines (AOR: 1.06, 95%CI: 1.04, 1.08) and more satisfaction with vaccine-related promotional materials (AOR: 1.50, 95%CI: 1.46, 1.54) at the individual level were associated with higher vaccine uptake. At the interpersonal factors, higher frequency of exposure to testimonials given by others about HPV vaccination on social media (AOR: 1.19, 95%CI: 1.14, 1.25) and thoughtful consideration of the veracity of the information (AOR: 1.11, 95%CI: 1.07, 1.16) were correlated with higher HPV vaccination uptake.ConclusionsThese findings offer essential implications for modifying HPV disease perceptions, addressing difficulties in accessing the 9-valent HPV vaccines, and enhancing health communication needs to improve HPV vaccine uptake among mothers of girls.

A conceptualization and psychometric evaluation of positive psychological outcome measures used in adolescents and young adults living with HIV: A mixed scoping and systematic review.

Sub-Saharan Africa bears the greatest burden of HIV, with comorbid mental conditions highly prevalent in people living with HIV. It is important to evaluate the mental health of adolescents and young adults living with HIV (AYALHIV) comprehensively by measuring both negative and positive psychological constructs. There has been a proliferation of interest in positive psychological outcome measures, but the evidence of their psychometric robustness is fragmented. This review sought to: 1) Identify positive psychological outcomes and corresponding outcome measures used in AYALHIV in sub-Saharan Africa. 2) Critically appraise the psychometrics of the identified outcome measures. Two reviewers independently searched articles in PubMed, Scopus, Africa-Wide Information, CINAHL, Psych INFO and Google Scholar. Searches were conducted from November 2022 to February 2023. Two separate reviewers independently reviewed retrieved articles. We applied a narrative synthesis to map the key constructs. The risk of bias across studies was evaluated using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist. The quality of the psychometric properties was rated using the COSMIN checklist and qualitatively synthesized using the modified Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation checklist. We identified 15 positive psychological constructs: body appreciation, confidence, coping, flourishing, meaningfulness, personal control, positive outlook, resilience, self-management, self-compassion, self-concept, self-efficacy, self-esteem, self-worth and transcendence, that had been used to assess ALHIV. The most measured constructs were resilience, self-concept, self-esteem, coping and self-efficacy. Construct validity and internal consistency were the properties most frequently considered, while content validity and structural validity were assessed less often. Few studies performed complete validations; thus, evidence for psychometric robustness was fragmented. However, this review shows the initial evidence of the feasibility of using positive psychological outcomes in low-resource settings. Instead of creating new outcome measures, researchers are recommended to leverage the existing measures, adapt them for use and, if appropriate, strive to maintain the factorial structure to facilitate comparisons. PROSPERO-CRD42022325172.

Anxiety and fear of cancer recurrence as predictors of subsequent pain interference in early cancer survivorship: Exploring the moderating roles of cognitive and emotional factors.

Following treatment, cancer survivors often experience pain that negatively impacts their quality of life. Although both anxiety and fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) have been shown to exacerbate pain interference, less is known about either the temporal relationship between anxiety/FCR and pain interference or modifiable cognitive/emotional factors that might moderate that relationship among cancer survivors. This longitudinal study aims to advance our understanding of the impact of both anxiety and FCR following primary cancer treatment on subsequent pain interference. We also examined potentially modifiable moderators (i.e., cancer-related illness beliefs and emotion regulation difficulties) of the relationship between anxiety/FCR and subsequent pain interference. Adults (N = 397; 67% female; Mage = 59.1 years) diagnosed with breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer completed self-report measures at baseline (average of 2.5 months following treatment completion) and at 6-month follow-up. Both greater anxiety and FCR not only predicted subsequent pain interference, but also predicted increases in pain interference over time. Additionally, complex interaction patterns were observed between anxiety and the potential moderators on pain interference. Specifically, lower Personal Control beliefs and higher Consequences beliefs were associated with greater pain interference for those with lower levels of anxiety/FCR. Emotion regulation difficulties also moderated the anxiety-pain interference link (i.e., was more strongly associated with greater pain interference at lower levels of anxiety), but not the FCR-pain link. Chronicity beliefs did not interact with anxiety or FCR in predicting pain interference. This study advances our understanding of the role of anxiety/FCR on pain interference over time as well as potential psychological treatment targets for individuals at greater risk for longer-term pain following cancer treatment.

Belief in Personal Control and Its Relationship to some Variables among Secondary School Students

The research aims to identify the belief in personal control among secondary school students and its relationship to some variables. The descriptive, correlational approach was adopted, and to achieve the objectives of the research, the scale (Berrenberg, 1987) was adopted. The measure of the belief in personal control consisted of (45) items, with (19) items for the dimension General external control, (17) items for the exaggerated control dimension, and (9) items for the divine mediation dimension. On a five-point scale (strongly agree, agree, I have no opinion, reject, strongly reject), and after verifying the standard properties of the scale in terms of validity and reliability, the scale was applied to the research sample of (400) male and female students, with (204) male and (196) male students. A female student, from the specialization (scientific, literary), and they were selected by random stratified methods. After statistical analysis of the data obtained from the sample using a one-sample t-test, the results concluded that the members of the sample, middle school students, enjoy a good level of belief in personal control, and based on the results that were reached To this end, the two researchers proposed a set of recommendations and proposals.

A framework for assessing the energy performance of Personalized Environmental Control Systems (PECS) for heating, cooling and ventilation

This study presents a methodological framework for assessing the energy performance of Personal Environmental Control Systems (PECS), aiming to address the existing gaps in standardized evaluation approaches. Initially, a systematic approach to delineate the distinct spatial control volumes associated with PECS is presented, facilitating the classification and comparison of various system types. Utilizing this framework, the study introduces definitions for energy efficiency and effectiveness specific to PECS, providing a procedure for the experimental assessment of the quantities related to these definitions. To validate the proposed framework, the method was applied to an illustrative case study involving two PECS under varying operational conditions – heating and cooling. The experimental results provide insights into the energy performance of the evaluated PECS, highlighting the framework's applicability and effectiveness in assessing their energy efficiency. The study underscores the importance of systematically evaluating PECS energy performance, offering a robust methodology that can guide future research and development efforts in this domain.

Prolonged unemployment is associated with control loss and personal as well as social disengagement.

The need for control is a fundamental human motivation, that when deprived can lead to broad and substantial changes in human behavior. We aimed to assess the consequences of control deprivation in a real-life situation that poses a severe threat to personal control: a prolonged unemployment. Using a sample N = 1055 of unemployed (n = 748) versus working (n = 307) individuals, we examined predictions derived from two models of reactions to control deprivation: control-regaining and disengagement/withdrawal. We found that length unemployment is correlated with a psychological state strongly interfering with psychological as well as social functioning. While control-regaining models of responding to lack of control have received virtually no support from our findings, our results provide evidence that long-term unemployed individuals are more disengaged than working individuals. They are more apathetic, less likely to engage in control-regaining efforts and in active forms of construing one's own future.

Unveiling the Psychological Consequences of Illness Perception in Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis: A Parent-Child Study.

Previous research has emphasized the significant role of illness perception in chronic diseases, including Multiple Sclerosis. Limited research has been conducted on exploring illness perception in Pediatric Onset Multiple Sclerosis (POMS), parental illness perception, and the impact of differences in their illness perceptions on the emotional well-being of the child. This study included 65 dyads of children aged 10-17 and their parents, divided into the following two groups: (I) 32 dyads of children with POMS and their parents; and (II) 33 dyads of healthy children and their parents. Overall, 73.1% and 43.8% of the children with POMS met the criteria for probable anxiety and depression, respectively, compared to 27.3% and 0% of the healthy children. Differences were found between the dimensions of illness perception in the POMS children and their parents, in the areas of consequences, personal control, identity, and control factors. Multinomial Logistic Regression indicated that differences in child-parent illness perception increased the likelihood of comorbid anxiety and depression by 37%. These findings underscore the importance of alignment between children with POMS and their parents in illness perception. Healthcare providers should prioritize interventions that address illness perceptions and be mindful of the potential impact on depression and anxiety comorbidity.