Emotional Sense Research Articles

Emotional resilience and sense of danger among doctors in hospitals during periods of heightened tensions and warfare in Israel

Abstract Background The “Iron Swords” War beginning in October 2023 led to unprecedented levels of shock and trauma across Israel, significantly impacting the Israeli population and medical personnel. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the perceived personal resilience and sense of danger among physicians in hospitals located in different conflict zone proximities in Israel during this period. Methods A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted from March to August 2024, during an active phase of the war, using a structured anonymous questionnaire. Participants were 161 physicians from three hospitals: one in southern Israel near the Gaza Strip, another in northern Israel near the borders with Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, and a third in central Israel near Tel Aviv. The survey measured personal resilience using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10) and sense of danger using the Solomon & Prager scale. Statistical analyses included Kruskal-Wallis H test, multiple linear regression, two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Sobel test for mediation effects. Results The final sample included 161 physicians (54 southern, 56 central, 51 northern). The mean resilience score was 31.14 ± 5.77, and the mean sense of danger score was 8.36 ± 4.15 (scales 0–40 and 0–20, respectively). Physicians in the southern hospital reported significantly higher sense of danger scores (p = 0.005). A trend towards lower resilience scores was noted among southern hospital physicians (p = 0.068) (p = 0.068). Two-way ANOVA revealed significant main effects of hospital location and gender on resilience (p = 0.046 and p = 0.003, respectively) and sense of danger (p = 0.005 and p = 0.062, respectively). Multiple regression analysis identified hospital location (β = -0.178, p = 0.023) and gender (β = 0.229, p = 0.004) as significant predictors of resilience. Mediation analysis indicated that personal resilience partially mediated the relationship between hospital location and sense of danger (indirect effect = 0.2896, p < 0.001). Conclusions Physicians working near conflict zones report higher levels of perceived danger, though their resilience is comparable to peers in less threatened regions. Enhancing personal resilience is crucial to mitigate the heightened sense of danger. This could include regular resilience training, psychological support, and specific programs for single and childless physicians to improve safety perceptions. Additionally, fostering a supportive community with clear communication and robust emergency protocols is essential for enhancing staff resilience and safety in hospitals.

Beyond Psyche: Aesthetic Attunement and Alternative Psychological Care Through the Heart

Putting aside the idea of psyche as the universal basis of personhood in Euro-American psychology, this special issue charts new ground, engaging hybrid and alternative therapies in Japan and China that center the indigenous notion of the heart— xin in Chinese and kokoro in Japanese —as the basis for developing a novel, alternative template for psychological care. Xin is both body and mind, the ground for cognition, emotion, virtue, and bodily sensation. It is less concerned with being than with living and life, and thereby troubling ontological debates. Since xin is the means by which people experience culture, a xin-based approach to mental health care brings a new vision of inclusion. It is key to the aesthetic order associated with Confucianism. Aesthetic order requires people to tune in, artfully, to yin-yang dynamism in themselves, society, and the cosmos. Optimally, this aesthetic attunement brings about a fuller, holistic relationality. Yet, cultivating aesthetic attunement at all levels of individual and social life can become a source of distress for the heart. Heart-related distress of varying intensities eludes psychiatric diagnostic categories. Contributors to this special issue explore the possibility of establishing an embodied, felt (affective), and artful (aesthetic) template of psychological care anchored in the heart.

Participation in health promoting occupations among mothers of children aged 3-8years with and without difficulties in sensory processing.

Participation in personally significant occupations often contributes to quality of life. Parenting a child with difficulties in sensory processing may present challenges that can affect subjective and objective components of parental participation, thus possibly decreasing their quality of life. This study aimed to compare these components between mothers of children with and without difficulties in sensory processing and explore their relationship with maternal quality of life. Seventy mothers of children aged 3-8years with (50%) and without difficulties in sensory processing completed questionnaires measuring subjective occupational experience, objective frequency of participation in health promoting activities, and quality of life. No consumer or community involvement occurred. Satisfaction with participation competence as well as objective frequency of participation in health promoting activities among mothers from the study group was found to be significantly lower than the control group. Additionally, a significant moderately strong correlation was found between these variables and the quality of life of all mothers. Subjective and objective participation in health promoting activities is lower in mothers of children with difficulties in sensory processing. Additionally, the quality of life in all mothers was linked to their perceived capability and frequency of engagement in health-promoting activities. Raising awareness to the experience of mothers of children with challenges in sensory processing may help bring to attention the importance of enhancing mothers' engagement in health-promoting activities. Mothering a child with difficulties in sensory processing can influence parents' emotional states and sense of competence, affecting how mothers take part in activities that support their health and quality of life. In this study, 70 mothers of children aged 3-8, with and without difficulties in sensory processing, were asked about how often they participate in activities that promote their health, their experiences, and about their quality of life. The mothers of children with difficulties in sensory processing felt less confident in their abilities and did fewer activities that support their health. Also, in all the mothers, their quality of life was related to how competent they feel and how often they performed these types of activities. This shows how important it is to support mothers of children with sensory processing difficulties helping them feel confident and join in activities that support their health. It is a reminder that family-focussed intervention is key to making sure mothers are doing well too.

Perioperative Use of Intravenous Lidocaine Infusion to Decrease Postoperative Opioids in Colorectal Surgery: A Randomized Prospective Study

Pain is defined as an unpleasant sensory and emotional sensation provoked by real tissue damage and manifested by autonomic, psychological, and behavioral reactions. Improvement of postoperative pain control remains a significant challenge among clinicians. 40 patients aged 30-60 years, ASA 1-2 scheduled for colorectal surgery, were divided into two groups 20 patients each. Lidocaine group: (n= 20) received bolus intravenous lidocaine 20 min before incision with a dose of 1.5mg/kg followed by lidocaine infusion with a dose of 1.5mg/kg/h. Control group: (n= 20) receive intravenous lidocaine only. After premedication with a bolus dose of lidocaine at induction, the heart rate was lower in the interventional group compared with the control one until 12 hours post-operatively, then returned to be equal by 24 hours. Between recovery and one hour postoperative, intraoperative serial differences were significant only for the intervention group. After premedication and during the operation until 24 hours, postoperative mean blood pressure was significantly higher among controls. This returns to be equal by 48 hours and beyond. The postoperative VAS score and analgesic requirements were significantly lower in the lidocaine infusion group. Perioperative lidocaine infusion provides analgesia, low pain score, and decreases postoperative opioid consumption in laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

The relationship between social odour awareness and emotional contagion susceptibility in females.

Previous research has shown a strong link between our sense of smell and emotion. More recently, the importance we attach to olfaction has been found to relate to our susceptibility to 'catch' the emotions of others. We explore this further by examining the relation between a newly developed measure of olfaction (social odour scale, SOS), which measures awareness of social odours, and emotional contagion susceptibility in female participants. The study therefore aimed to test the strength of this relationship and also help validate the English language version of the SOS. Female (n = 148) participants completed an online study that measured odour awareness [SOS; important of odour questionnaire, IOQ] and emotional contagion (EC). We found that the English version of the SOS yielded high reliability and supported the previous factor structure of the scale; additionally, we demonstrated a strong association between the SOS and IOQ which provides criterion validity for its usage. The study also revealed that whilst both the SOS and IOQ were positively associated with EC, the SOS was the more accurate predictor. These findings provide further validation for the use of the SOS and suggest that our subjective awareness of olfaction, especially concerning 'social odours' is an accurate predictor of emotional contagion.

An In Silico Approach to Exploring the Antinociceptive Biological Activities of Linalool and its Metabolites.

Pain is characterized by the unpleasant sensory and emotional sensation associated with actual or potential tissue damage, whereas nociception refers to the mechanism by which noxious stimuli are transmitted from the periphery to the CNS. The main drugs used to treat pain are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and opioid analgesics, which have side effects that limit their use. Therefore, in the search for new drugs with potential antinociceptive effects, essential oils have been studied, whose constituents (monoterpenes) are emerging as a new therapeutic possibility. Among them, linalool and its metabolites stand out. The present study aims to investigate the antinociceptive potential of linalool and its metabolites through a screening using an in silico approach. Molecular docking was used to evaluate possible interactions with important targets involved in antinociceptive activity, such as α2-adrenergic, GABAergic, muscarinic, opioid, adenosinergic, transient potential, and glutamatergic receptors. The compounds in the investigated series obtained negative energies for all enzymes, representing satisfactory interactions with the targets and highlighting the multi-target potential of the L4 metabolite. Linalool and its metabolites have a high likelihood of modulatory activity against the targets involved in nociception and are potential candidates for future drugs.

Exploring Emotional Vulnerability and Sense of Agency in the Digital Realm: A Three-Year Case Study of an EFL Teacher in South Korea

This study presents the findings from a longitudinal case study on a Korean English teacher’s experience of emotional vulnerability and professional development in online teaching. Grounded in an ecological perspective on teacher agency and emotional vulnerability, the study investigates how and why the teacher exercised agency in navigating her emotional challenges and adapting to the virtual teaching environment. Data were collected from various sources, including interviews, observations, field notes, and artifacts, for three years. The findings showed that the intricate connection between the teacher’s multiple and dynamic emotions, beliefs, and concurrent working environments significantly influences her engagement in digital teaching practices. Furthermore, the teacher’s emotional vulnerability in virtual teaching facilitated her engagement in reflective and action-oriented practices, leading to a more proactive approach to exploring and implementing alternative teaching methods online. The findings highlight the interplay between emotions, agency, and identity development, emphasizing the importance of experiencing, understanding, negotiating, and expressing emotions to discover potential alternative teaching resources and methods in ever-changing teaching environments. This study provides insights into how teachers can leverage their emotions and exercise teacher agency to enhance their professional growth and adaptability in digital learning environments.

Understanding Emotions in Adolescents: Validation of the Indonesian Version of the Adolescent Alexithymia Scale

Adolescence, marked by significant changes, often leads to emotional tension and instability associated with alexithymia. This study aimed to validate the Indonesian version of the Adolescent Alexithymia Scale, hypothesizing that its internal structure was unidimensional. Participants included 70 adolescents aged 13 to 18 years (M_age = 16.44; SD = 1.44). Data were collected using the Indonesian version of the Adolescent Alexithymia Scale, consisting of 24 items representing the four alexithymia indicators. The results revealed that the scale has a unidimensional internal structure, with 11 valid items, and sufficient validity and reliability coefficients. These items collectively represent the four main characteristics of alexithymia. The most dominant indicator is the difficulty in identifying and distinguishing between feelings and emotional bodily sensations. This research implies that this scale needs to be tested on different populations and in different contexts.

“The very process made me happier!” Is pleasure research an affective intervention?

ABSTRACT Participating in research on aversive topics can produce discomfort. However, the affective consequences of taking part in hedonic research are unknown. Positive psychology interventions (PPIs) harness personal strengths, values, beliefs, and emotions to promote optimal functioning. A growing body of evidence suggests they can be effective in addressing a range of mental health conditions and promoting well-being. Savoring is one of the more potent classes of PPIs, and even brief interventions can shift positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) in directions conducive to greater well-being. In a study of 1,804 Australian adults, we found that responding to an online survey asking about pleasure produced a small but significant increase in PA and a substantial reduction in NA. The magnitude of the effects was comparable with other published PPIs. We briefly discuss this finding in the context of emotional sensibility and consider the nexus between intervention and research.

Distinct patterns of hippocampal subfieldvolumes predict coping strategies, emotion regulation, and impulsivity in healthy adults.

Recent studies have suggested that the hippocampus (HC) is involved in cognitive and behavioral functions beyond memory.We aimed to investigate how the volume of each subfield of the HC is associated with distinct patterns of coping strategies, emotion regulation, and impulsivity in a healthy population. We studied a total of 218 healthy subjects using the Leipzig mind-brain-body dataset. Participants were assessed for coping strategies, emotion regulation, and impulsivity using the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire(CERQ), Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced (COPE), Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS), and Behavioral Activation and Inhibition System (BAS/BIS). The associations between HC subfield volumes including CA1, CA2/3, CA4/DG, SR-SL-SM, and subiculum, and behavioral scores were examined using multiple linear regression models adjusted for possible confounders, including age, sex, years of education, handedness, total intracranial volume (ICV), and HC volume. The use of emotional support, venting, and positive reframing coping strategies were significantly and positively correlated with total, total right, and total left HC volumes. Venting was significantly associated with CA1 after adjusting for age, sex, handedness, and education (P=0.001, B = 0.265, P-FDR = 0.005).No significant association was observed between CERQ subscales and HC subfieldvolumesafter controlling for confounders and multiple analyses. However,sensation-seeking subscale of the UPPS-P was positively correlated with total and right CA2-CA3 volumes after adjustments for age, sex, handedness, ICV, and HC volumes(P=0.002, B = 0.266, P-FDR = 0.035).BAS and BIS subscales did not showsignificant relationshipwith HC subfield volumes. Patterns ofHC subfieldsvolumes are associated with copingstrategies, impulsivity, and emotion regulation.In particular, using emotional support, positive reframing, venting, and sensation seeking aresignificantly associated with certain HC subfield volumes.These findings suggest that the hippocampus may play a crucial role in modulating emotional responses and behavioral adaptations, offering potential targets for therapeutic interventions.

Making Sense of Emotions in Massive Layoffs: The Case of #techlayoffs

Making Sense of Emotions in Massive Layoffs: The Case of #techlayoffs

Cinematic Activism and Tasmania’s Lake Pedder: How Film Shaped Environmental History

Film has played a seminal role in Australian environmental history, as an instrument of advocacy to shape political disputes and government actions. Such cinematic activism originated in the 1960s with the dispute over the damming of Tasmania’s iconic Lake Pedder. Here, documentary filmmaking was used by the protagonists to influence public opinion and convey rival views of the remote wilderness lake. For conservationists, film helped build an emotional connection and sense of place, whilst for pro-dam proponents, film helped curate an ideology of economic progress. The protagonists’ mutually reinforcing tactics, especially the intermediary role of the Tasmanian Department of Film Production, combined with the outstanding beauty of Lake Pedder, drove the turn to cinematic activism. Understanding how these films were produced and screened is also important to appreciating their significance for cinematic activism.

The Effectiveness of Role-Playing Training on Emotional Self-disclosure and Sense of Coherence in Students with Hearing Loss

Background: Hearing loss can lead to various complications, including difficulties in language and speech development, as well as cognitive, psychological, social, occupational, educational, and learning impairments. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of role-playing training on emotional self-disclosure (ESDS) and sense of coherence in students with hearing loss. Methods: The study was a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest approach and a control group. The statistical population included all students with hearing loss in the first and second high schools for the exceptional in Ahvaz City in 2023. A sample of 30 individuals was selected using the convenience sampling method and randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group (15 participants each). Students completed the Emotional Self-disclosure Scale and Sense of Coherence Questionnaire in both pretest and posttest phases. The experimental group received role-playing training in ten 90-minute sessions. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance. Results: Role-playing training had a significant positive effect on both emotional self-disclosure and sense of coherence in students with hearing loss (P = 0.001). The post-test results showed that the experimental group scored significantly higher than the control group in emotional self-disclosure (147.73 ± 15.11 vs. 102.60 ± 16.18) and sense of coherence (97.40 ± 13.86 vs. 67.80 ± 8.14) (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Role-playing training can be a valuable intervention for enhancing the emotional well-being of students with hearing loss. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on interventions aimed at improving emotional well-being in students with hearing loss. Role-playing training emerges as a promising approach with the potential for implementation in educational and therapeutic settings.

Time, Care, and Sustainability: Temporal Conflicts and Housing Renovation

ABSTRACT This paper contributes to the wider discourse on sustainability and housing by showing how the dynamics of temporality and care plays out in processes of renovation. We explore five empirical cases of renovation of rental housing estates on the outskirts of Gothenburg, Sweden. Our study draws on the analysis of documents, observations, and qualitative interviews with key actors. We consider renovation a caring practice, both in the practical sense of “caring for” and in the emotional and ethical sense of “caring about”. We argue that conflicts between stakeholders in renovation processes are better understood through attending to the ways in which notions of care are intertwined with the temporal organization of peoples’ lives and organizational processes. We conclude that unawareness or negligence towards the various temporalities involved in renovation processes provide obstacles for collective processes of caring and raising sustainability concerns in renovation processes.

The Significance of Meta-Emotions for Reflecting on Ourselves and Others

Meta-emotions are emotions about emotions, such as, for example, shame about anger. An important subset of meta-emotions constitutes a special case of co-experienced emotions, in which one emotion is directed at another emotion experienced by a subject at the same time. By making us reflectively aware of our own first-order emotions and suggesting an evaluation of them, meta-emotions enable reflection on our own emotional sensibility. In this paper, I explore the roles of meta-emotions in the context of affective empathy. I show that, whereas meta-emotions on the side of the target person increase the complexity of empathy’s success conditions, meta-emotions on the side of the empathiser expand the role of meta-emotions for self-reflection and give rise to parallel phenomena of other-directed reflection. Exploring the roles of meta-emotions in the context of affective empathy allows us to better understand the significance of meta-emotions, as well as the functions of affective empathy.

The Relationship between Sense of Presence, Emotional Response, and Clinical Outcomes in Virtual Reality-Based Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia: An Exploratory Correlational Study.

Avatar therapy (AT) is a novel virtual reality-based psychotherapy that has been developed to treat auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) in treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Various psychotherapeutic components, such as emotions and sense of presence, could contribute to clinical outcomes. However, the interplay between sense of presence, emotions, and clinical response has seldom been investigated. This study aimed to explore the relations between sense of presence, emotions, and clinical outcomes in AT. To conduct this investigation, data from previous and ongoing AT trials were used. Sense of presence and emotions were assessed using standardized questionnaires. AVH were evaluated using the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales. While sense of presence was positively associated with positive emotions such as control and serenity, no significant associations were found for negative emotions. Moreover, a higher level of sense of presence was associated with a bigger decrease in AVH. Overall, positive emotions seem to be associated with sense of presence in AT. Sense of presence also seems to be involved in the therapeutic outcome, thereby suggesting that this could be an important component related to clinical response. More studies are needed to confirm these trends, which could be generalized to other virtual reality-based psychotherapies.

Impact of indoor thermal environment on human thermal comfort, psychological response, and performance during winter in Jaipur, India

It is crucial to investigate the effects of indoor thermal environmental conditions on human performance, especially in India, during the winter when there is a significant need for space heating to maintain human comfort conditions. The present study was conducted in a controlled climate during winter, with 96 participants exposed to four air temperatures: 15 °C, 18 °C, 21 °C, and 24 °C. Participant's thermal comfort, emotion, and self-rated workload were assessed using a subjective questionnaire, while their performance was quantitatively evaluated using a neurobehavioral test. The data was analyzed to establish how the various thermal environmental factors influence performance, workload, emotion, and thermal sensations. The results show that the highest performance within the experimental thermal environmental conditions was observed when the thermal sensation ranges from neutral to slightly warm (+0.20) at the 23.5 °C mean standard effective temperature. At the same sensation, the occupant's mood disturbance and the mental workload for completing the task were minimal. These results would be helpful for facility managers of buildings by giving them insight into the impact of under or over-heating spaces on occupant performance during winter in the composite climate of India.

Experiences of Living With the Nonmotor Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease: A Photovoice Study.

Nonmotor symptoms (NMSs) are frequently experienced by people with Parkinson's disease (PD) and are often perceived as their most bothersome symptoms. However, these remain poorly understood with suboptimal clinical management. These unmet needs are an important determinant of health-related quality of life (QoL) in PD. The aim of this study was to gain insights into the experience of living with the NMS of PD in real-time using participatory action methodology. Using the photovoice method, 14 people with PD took photographs to document their experiences of living with the NMS of PD. They composed corresponding written narratives to capture the impact of NMS on their daily activities and QoL. In total, 152 photographs and corresponding narratives were analysed using thematic analysis with an inductive approach. Four interrelated themes were identified. Emotional well-being and sense of self encompassed a process of adjustment to living with PD. Engaging in valued activities, adopting a positive mindsetand utilising coping strategies were thought to enhance confidence and self-esteem. Social support and societal awareness highlighted the importance of supportive relationships and socialising to aid participation and avoid isolation. Barriers to social engagement included the unpredictability of NMS and nonvisible NMS being neglected or misunderstood. Findings demonstrated the far-reaching impact of nonmotor aspects of PD on emotional, occupationaland social dimensions. These needs could be addressed through person-centred and comprehensive approaches to care. This study utilised a participatory research approach allowing participants to choose the subjects that mattered to them and how to present their results. Additionally, a group workshop was held with people with PD, their family membersand healthcare professionals to guide theme development.

Investigating the Effects of Inclusive Environments on the Mental Health of Queer Individuals : A Study With the Rose City Rollers

Purpose: Portland, OR, is home to the world’s largest roller derby organization, the Rose City Rollers (RCR). Having the spotlight held upon the community, the organization takes immense pride in communicating its ongoing embrace of its queer and uniquely diverse players. With historical and present prejudice against the LGBT+ community, derby stands as a haven for players looking for a place that will embrace each player's identity. The purpose of the study is to see how RCR’s openly queer settings specifically impact the well-being of its queer members. Methods: November 2023, I conducted three interviews and a research group using three Rose City Rollers skaters’. The players had been recruited through the organization, where I was looking for a specific skill level and team applicable to each of the three participants. The players ended up being all B/C level skaters who belonged to the wreckers team. Additionally, each person self-identified as being a part of the LGBT+ community. Results: Three major themes were continuously mentioned by the participants. They talked about the amount of emotional validation and sense of community found in roller derby, as well as how the vocality of a community fosters trust in its members. The participants brought up the importance of representation of queer individuals and how that contributes to positive mental health and self-esteem. Conclusion: The roller derby players from this study had an overwhelmingly positive outlook on the effects RCR had on their mental health. Having RCR foster a safe and representative community for a vast population allowed the participants to freely express themselves. The combination of deep emotional validation, persistent activism, and representation fostered trust within each member interviewed. With that they had also felt seen and empowered, highlighting the importance of constant activism and representation for queer Individuals.

Invisible, Uncontrollable, Unpredictable: Illness Experiences in Women with Sjögren Syndrome.

Background/Objectives: Sjögren's Syndrome (SS) is a chronic degenerative rheumatic disease. Because of its chronic nature, it significantly affects the quality of life of those who suffer from it. Methods: This qualitative study investigated disease experience among women suffering from SS to understand its impact on their overall well-being. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 women who suffer from SS. Interviews were analyzed using the Grounded Theory methodology, using open, axial, and selective coding. Results: Three central phenomena of disease experience were identified: invisibility; uncontrollability; and unpredictability. Conclusions: SS disease experience has a strong imprint on emotional well-being and sense of self-control among middle-aged women. Understanding SS impacts on women's lives is important to better understand the disease and contribute to recognizing potential areas of management and social support in relevant windows of opportunity within the health-disease continuum.