Lower Levels Of Positive Affect Research Articles

Where I'm Livin’ and How I'm Feelin’: Associations among community stress, gender, and mental-emotional health among Black Americans

RationaleStructural racism is a primary avenue for the perpetuation of racial health disparities. For Black Americans, both historically and contemporarily, the neighborhood context serves as one of the most striking examples of structural racism, with stressful neighborhood contexts contributing to the well-documented inequalities in psychological functioning among this population. ObjectiveThus, in this study, we adapted an intersectional-ecological framework to investigate the links between community stress and multiple dimensions of mental-emotional health for Black men and women. MethodsDrawing on cross-sectional data from 842 Black Americans from the Milwaukee area, we tested both objective (Area Deprivation Index; ADI) and subjective (perceived neighborhood disadvantage; PND) indicators of community stress as simultaneous predictors of negative and positive affect and the odds of psychological disorder (depression, anxiety) in multilevel models, examining gender differences in these linkages. ResultsResults showed greater objective community stress was related to lower levels of negative affect for both men and women and lower odds of psychological disorder for women specifically. Greater subjective community stress was related to higher levels of negative affect and lower levels of positive affect for both men and women and to higher odds of psychological disorder for women specifically. ConclusionsFindings highlight the complex intersectional nature of the links between community stress and Black Americans' mental-emotional health. Specifically, findings demonstrate the pernicious psychological effects of perceived community stress and allude to Black Americans', particularly women's, active resistance and resilience to objective disadvantage, potentially through investing in social relationships in their neighborhoods.

COVID-19 on mind: Daily worry about the coronavirus is linked to negative affect experienced during mind-wandering and dreaming.

Despite a surge of studies on the effects of COVID-19 on our well-being, we know little about how the pandemic is reflected in people's spontaneous thoughts and experiences, such as mind-wandering (or daydreaming) during wakefulness and dreaming during sleep. We investigated whether and how COVID-19-related general concern, anxiety, and daily worry are associated with the daily fluctuation of the affective quality of mind-wandering and dreaming, and to what extent these associations can be explained by poor sleep quality. We used ecological momentary assessment by asking participants to rate the affect they experienced during mind-wandering and dreaming in daily logs over a 2-week period. Our preregistered analyses based on 1,755 dream logs from 172 individuals and 1,496 mind-wandering logs from 152 individuals showed that, on days when people reported higher levels of negative affect and lower levels of positive affect during mind-wandering, they experienced more worry. Only daily sleep quality was associated with affect experienced during dreaming at the within-person level: on nights with poorer sleep quality people reported experiencing more negative and less positive affect in dreams and were more likely to experience nightmares. However, at the between-person level, individuals who experienced more daily COVID-19 worry during the study period also reported experiencing more negative affect during mind-wandering and during dreaming. As such, the continuity between daily and nightly experiences seems to rely more on stable trait-like individual differences in affective processing. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The influence of social context and activity on the emotional well-being of forest visitors: A field study

The influence of contact with nature on emotional well-being is well-documented. Yet less is known about how social context and engaging in activities in nature settings affect emotional well-being. This field study aimed to address these issues. A questionnaire was distributed among visitors to six forests in Israel (N = 559). The questionnaire included demographic variables, type of activity (relaxing, hiking, or sport), the social configuration of visitor groups, group size, presence of children, and emotional well-being variables (positive affect, negative affect, vitality, and happiness). The results showed that engaging exclusively in relaxing activities is associated with a lower level of positive affect than engaging in all three types of activities (relaxing, hiking and sport) or than engaging in a combination of hiking and sport. The results also showed that being alone in the forest is associated with lower levels of happiness and vitality than being in the company of others. Being with children in the forest was associated with lower levels of positive affect than being there without children. Nevertheless, as the number of adults in the group with children increased, positive affect increased accordingly. The research findings extend our understanding of the emotional benefits of engaging in physical activity and being with others while spending time in natural environments. Moreover, the findings indicate that research on natural restorative environments must take the social context and forms of activity into consideration.

Contrasting the response to past and future oriented appeals for help on donation-based crowdfunding platforms

ABSTRACT Despite a large body of research on donation-based crowdfunding platforms, the ways that people appeal for help, and the impact of different appeal types, remain unclear. In particular, it is not clear the extent to which individuals benefit from a temporal orientation on the past, where they can provide personal background, or the future, where they can explain how they will benefit from donors’ help. Building on a novel dataset of 6,282 fundraising campaigns and 44,757 donor comments gathered from a donation-based crowdfunding platform, this study analyzes donors’ financial contributions and expressions of emotional responses in response to past and future oriented appeals. This analysis combines an instrumental variable approach, propensity score matching, natural language processing, and image analysis. The results indicate that verbal responses are similar for past and future oriented appeals, but that future oriented appeals are more effective for fundraising. The results further suggest that, when lower levels of positive affect are used in past oriented appeals, this combination may be linked with more rapidly diminishing financial contributions over time.

Moody and in love? The role of neuroticism and romantic relationships for momentary affect in adolescence

The affective lives of adolescents are unique in that momentary affect in this age group is more negative and variable. This study examined how neuroticism and romantic relationships (i.e., relationship involvement and relationship quality) relate to adolescents’ daily affective experiences. In a weeklong experience sampling period, 408 German adolescents ( MAge = 16.83) reported up to five times per day on their positive and negative affect. We estimated mixed-effects location scale models to analyze interindividual differences in adolescents’ affect level and variability. Adolescents with higher neuroticism experienced lower levels of positive affect, higher levels of negative affect, and higher variability of positive and negative affect. Whereas adolescents with a romantic partner did not differ from their single peers with regard to affect level, they experienced higher affect variability, although evidence for these effects was weak. Finally, among adolescents who were currently involved in a romantic relationship, those with higher relationship quality experienced more variability in their positive affect if they scored higher in neuroticism. Across models, effect sizes systematically differed between affect level and variability, positive and negative affect, as well as neuroticism facets. We discuss these findings in light of adolescents’ affective dynamics, affective development, and personality-social relationship interactions.

A - 71 Cognitive Complaints and Neuropsychological Performance in Cancer: the Role of Affect.

To examine the impact of cancer treatments in affect and in cognition. The study evaluated 115 breast cancer patients before- and 6months after-treatment, and a group of 90 cognitively healthy subjects paired for age and education at matched intervals. All participants performed a comprehensive assessment with measures of affect (HADS and PANAS), subjective complaints (FACT-Cog), and a battery of neuropsychological tests comprising memory, attention, and executive functioning domains. Comparisons were done between-groups pre-treatment, and within-groups between timepoints. Correlations between psychological and cognitive measures were made at 6months. Before treatment, patients exhibited significant lower levels of positive affect (PANAS, p = 0.003), but no complaints or cognitive impairment, when compared to controls. Longitudinal analyses revealed an effect of time, towards improvement, in HADS anxiety (p = 0.0006) and PANAS negative (p < 0.0001), in the clinical group, and a small but significant increase in subjective complaints for both groups (p < 0.001). No objective cognitive decline was found in any group across time. A pattern of significant negative correlations between HADS measures and subjective cognitive assessment was found in the two groups, suggesting that higher affective symptoms are related to more cognitive complaints. No correlations were found between affect and neuropsychological performance, or between subjective and objective cognitive assessments, in any group. Our data showed that there is a discrepancy between cognitive complaints and objective scores due to the presence of affective symptoms in breast cancer patients. Importantly, the similar pattern in matched controls assessed in the same timepoints shows that it is not attributable to cancer treatments.

The Predictors of Negative and Positive Affect among People with Dementia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and Objectives: This cross-sectional study examined the predictors of negative and positive affect among individuals with dementia. Materials and Methods: A sample of 102 Jordanian participants diagnosed with dementia was recruited from residential care facilities, and data were collected using different measures. Results: The results revealed that higher levels of negative affect were significantly associated with increased physical and verbal agitation among individuals with dementia. Conversely, lower levels of positive affect were associated with residing in a nursing home. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of recognizing the impact of both negative and positive affect on the well-being of individuals with dementia. Interventions targeting the reduction of negative affect and promoting positive affect could alleviate agitation and enhance emotional closeness in this population.

The dark side of leadership: abusive supervision and its effects on Employee's behavior and well-being

PurposeThe aim of this study is to examine the impact of abusive supervision on employees' emotional and work-related outcomes, using a theoretical framework that integrates affective events theory (AET) and self-determination theory (SDT). The research sought to explore the effects of abusive supervision on subordinates' positive and negative affect, and the subsequent impact on customer orientation and life satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachThe data for this study were collected cross-sectionally through a structured questionnaire completed by employees who have experienced abusive supervision in their current or previous jobs. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data.FindingsThe results indicated that when subordinates experienced abusive supervision, they reported lower levels of positive affect and higher levels of negative affect. These emotions, in turn, impacted their customer orientation and life satisfaction. Positive affect was found to positively influence both customer orientation and life satisfaction, while negative affect had a negative effect on life satisfaction. Surprisingly, customer orientation was positively impacted by negative affect.Originality/valueTherefore, the findings of this study suggest that positive and negative affects mediate the relationship between abusive supervision and life satisfaction, but not with customer orientation. This study advances prior research by linking the impact of an abusive supervisor to employees' customer behavior and life satisfaction, using positive and negative affects as mediators, and building upon the theories of AET and SDT.

Parental Control, Self–Construal and Well-Being: Evidence from Individualistic and Collective Culture

The aim of this study is to examine the associations of perceived parenting, self-construal and psychological flourishing within a cross-cultural perspective. Instruments tapping into four types of perceived parenting style (psychological control, behavioural control, autonomous support, and responsiveness), positive and negative affect, relational self and flourishing were administered to a sample of 579 university students from France (n = 325) and Turkey (n = 324). Latent profile analysis (LPA) and ANOVA tests were performed. The results showed that French university students presented lower levels of positive affect, negative affect and psychological flourishing compared to Turkish university students. Differences were found between these two groups in terms of psychological and behavioural control, and their respective consequences on self-construal and psychological flourishing. Turkish parents present higher levels of psychological and behavioural control in their relationships with their children compared to French counterparts.

Interoception, Affect, and Cognition in Older Adults

ABSTRACT Interoception is the detection of signals that arise from within the body. Interoceptive sensitivity has been found to be associated with affect and cognition among younger adults, and examination of these relationships in older adult samples is beginning to emerge. Here, we take an exploratory approach to determine how demographic, affective, and cognitive variables relate to interoceptive sensitivity in neurologically normal older adults, aged 60–91 years old. Ninety-one participants completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery, self-report questionnaires, and a heartbeat counting task to measure interoceptive sensitivity. Our findings revealed several relationships: 1) interoceptive sensitivity was inversely correlated with measures of positive emotionality: participants with higher interoceptive sensitivity tended to have lower levels of positive affect and trait extraversion; 2) interoceptive sensitivity was found to positively correlate with cognition: participants who performed better on the heartbeat-counting task also tended to perform better on a measure of delayed verbal memory; and 3) when examining the predictors of interoceptive sensitivity in a single hierarchical regression model, higher interoceptive sensitivity was related to: higher time estimation, lower positive affect, lower extraversion, and higher verbal memory. In total, the model accounted for 38% of the variability in interoceptive sensitivity (R 2 = .38). These results suggest that, among older adults, interoceptive sensitivity is facilitative for aspects of cognition but perhaps disruptive for certain aspects of emotional experience.

Mother-child neural synchronization is time linked to mother-child positive affective state matching.

In the first years of life, in which self-regulation occurs via external means, mother-child synchronization of positive affect (PA) facilitates regulation of child homeostatic systems. Mother-child affective synchrony may contribute to mother-child synchronization of neural systems, but limited research has explored this possibility. Participants were 41 healthy mother-child dyads (56% girls; Mage = 24.76 months; s.d. = 8.77 months, Range = 10-42 months). Mothers' and children's brain activities were assessed simultaneously using near-infrared spectroscopy while engaging in dyadic play. Mother and child PA during play were coded separately to characterize periods in which mothers and children (i) matched on high PA, (ii) matched on low/no PA or (iii) showed a mismatch in PA. Models evaluated moment-to-moment correlations between affective matching and neural synchrony in mother-child dyads. Greater positive affective synchrony, in which mother and child showed similarly high levels of PA but not similarly low levels of PA, was related to greater synchrony in medial and lateral frontal and temporoparietal regions. Age moderated associations between mother and child neural activities but only during moments of high PA state matching. Positive, synchronous mother-child interactions may foster greater neural responding in affective and social regions important for self-regulation and interpersonal bonds.

Positive Affect Predicted Death Anxiety in Health Workers during the Covid-19 Pandemic

During Covid-19 pandemic, the research on health workers’ mental health grew significantly and it documented the coexistence of well-being, and trauma/negative affect, with a specific emphasis on death anxiety (DA). However, no studies focused on understanding the factors associated with death anxiety, and the protective role of well-being. The aim of this study is to examine the predictors of DA in a sample of 173 Italian health workers, assessed with indicators of psychological distress (anxiety, depression stress) and well-being (positive affect, positive mental health and post-traumatic growth). The regression model revealed that DA was predicted only by positive affect and gender. Female workers and those with lower levels of positive affect were the most vulnerable. This investigation provides new understanding on the features of DA in health workers, and it confirms the importance of maintaining and/or promoting the well-being of this population, particularly under stressful working conditions.

Perceived stress and affective experience in Italian teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic: correlation with coping and emotion regulation strategies

The COVID-19 pandemic has represented a source of stress for teachers by adding new challenges. The objective of this study was to assess the association between emotion regulation and coping strategies, on the one hand, and perceived stress and affective experience on the other among teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. A sample of 1178 of Italian pre-primary, primary, and secondary school teachers completed an online survey. Three hierarchical linear regression analyses were run to evaluate teachers’ emotion regulation, coping strategies, years of teaching experience, perceived workload, and perceptions about online teaching in predicting their perceived stress and positive and negative affect. The findings showed that cognitive reappraisal and positive attitude were associated with a lower level of perceived stress and negative affect and a higher level of positive affect. Problem orientation strategies were also associated with a higher level of positive affect. By contrast, expressive suppression was correlated with a higher level of perceived stress. Avoidance coping strategies were associated with higher perceived stress and negative affect and a lower level of positive affect. The perceived burden of online teaching was positively related with perceived stress and negative affect. Confidence in using educational technologies predicted lower levels of perceived stress, and previous online teaching experience was positively correlated with positive affect. The findings of this study could be useful for implementing teacher training programmes on emotion regulation and coping strategies to reduce stress and promote positive affect.

Stressor anticipation and subsequent affective well-being: A link potentially explained by perseverative cognitions.

Anticipatory stress can prospectively and negatively influence diverse outcomes, including cognitive performance and emotional well-being. It has been suggested that perseverative cognitions (e.g., worry, rumination) during the anticipation period constitute a key mechanism driving these effects. The present study investigated the temporal dynamics among stressor anticipation, perseverative cognitions, and affective well-being. To accurately test the suggested mechanism, we focused on how these dynamics unfold within individuals over time. To that end, we analyzed data from an ecological momentary assessment study in an ethnically diverse sample (N = 243, 25-65 year olds, 68.7% Hispanic or non-Hispanic Black; 14 days, 5 measurement occasions per day) using dynamic structural equation modeling. Anticipating an upcoming stressor was linked to higher levels of perseverative cognitions approximately 3 hours later. At times when individuals reported higher levels of recent perseverative cognitions than typical for them, they also reported higher levels of negative affect and lower levels of positive affect. Mediational modeling indicated that perseverative cognitions accounted for the persistent effects of previous stressor anticipation on negative as well as positive affect several hours later. These findings suggest that perseverative cognitions may play an important role in explaining the detrimental effects of anticipatory stress on subsequent emotional well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Positive affect as a resource and the mediating role of mindfulness on employees during times of disruption

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the importance of employee state of mind through the lens of Conservation of Resources Theory, emphasizing the importance of mindfulness for employee productivity.Design/methodology/approachA survey consisting of previously validated instruments was administered to alumni of an MBA program, with 321 responses received from fully employed participants. The relationships among constructs were tested using partial least squares path modeling.FindingsThe effect of Work–Life Integration on Perceived Productivity in both groups of employees is fully mediated by Work Mindfulness. Interestingly, perceived Productivity of “negatively-minded” employees was driven by support and resources provided by their employers, but “positively-minded” employees did not require such support to boost their productivity.Originality/valueMindfulness has the potential to be beneficial in the workplace during periods of stress. Our results found that state of mind of individuals is an important construct to identify, particularly for those experiencing negative affect. For both groups, mindfulness mediated the results, suggesting actively incorporating mindfulness practices and training could be beneficial particularly for those with low levels of positive affect.

Self-control, goal interference, and the binge-watching experience: An event reconstruction study

High-speed internet connections and online streaming services gave rise to the possibility to binge-watch multiple television shows in one sitting. Binge-watching can be characterized as a problematic behavior but also as an enjoyable way to engage with television shows. This study investigates whether self-control explains the valence of binge-watching experiences as measured using the event reconstruction method. The study tests whether lower levels of trait self-control predict higher levels of negative affect and lower levels of positive affect during binge-watching. Additionally, the study tests whether these relationships are mediated by situational aspects of self-control (plans, goal interference, or automaticity). Regression analyses show that participants with higher trait self-control report lower levels of tiredness, boredom, guilt, and sadness when binge-watching compared to less self-controlled participants. These associations are partly explained by binge-watching interfering less with higher order goals for highly self-controlled participants. Lower levels of trait self-control are also associated with a stronger increase in happiness on initiating binge-watching and increased feelings of guilt after binge-watching. Overall, the study suggests that binge-watching is particularly pleasant when it does not interfere with other goals, which is more likely the case for individuals with high trait self-control.

Self-determination in Physical Exercise Predicts Creative Personality of College Students: The Moderating Role of Positive Affect.

Although previous studies indicated that intrinsic motivation and positive affect were important for creativity and proved the benefits of physical exercise for creativity, little is known about underlying this relationship between self-determination in physical exercise and creative personality among college students. Based on prior studies and theoretical models, the current study investigated the relationship between self-determination in physical exercise and creativity and the moderating role of positive affect in the relationship between self-determination in physical exercise and creative personality. This model was analyzed with 1,201 Chinese college students (Mean age = 20.10 years, SD = 0.93). Participants filled out the physical exercise self-determination scale, the Williams creativity assessment packet, and the satisfaction with life scale. The results indicated that self-determination in physical exercise was significantly positively correlated with the creative personality of college students, including risk-taking, curiosity, challenge, and imagination. Moreover, self-determination in physical exercise could significantly positively predict the creative personality of college students. Moderation analysis further showed that the relationship between self-determination in physical exercise and creative personality was robust for college students with low levels of positive affect. These findings suggest the importance of cultivating students' creative ability through improving exercise autonomy, especially for those college students with a low level of positive affect.

Define and characterize the anhedonia in major depressive disorder: An explorative study

BackgroundAlthough anhedonia is a key symptom of major depressive disorder (MDD), there is neither a concise nor effective method to distinguish and define anhedonia in MDD. The current study attempts to answer two questions based on validating the Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (DARS) in Chinese MDD patients: 1) whether anhedonia subgroup can be identified? 2) whether patients with anhedonia display unique psychosocial and clinical features? MethodsIn the discovery sample, 533 MDD patients and 124 healthy controls were recruited into a multicenter study. For replication, a further 112 first-episode, drug-naïve MDD patients were recruited. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify the latent subgroups based on their hedonic function measured by the DARS. According to the categorization, ROC curves were applied to find the cut-off value. Lasso regression was performed to characterize psychological and clinical features linked to anhedonia. ResultsThe data-driven approach identified and validated the anhedonia subgroup, and proposed that the cut-off value for distinguishing anhedonia was 28.5 based on the total score of DARS. Lasso regression demonstrated that melancholia, lower levels of positive affect and education, more severe depressive symptoms, older age were associated with anhedonia in MDD patients. ConclusionThis study used a data-driven approach to propose a new and convenient method for distinguishing the anhedonia of MDD patients with unique psychological and clinical features. Identifying the subtype may contribute to pinpointing more specific biomarkers in shedding light on the mechanisms of anhedonia in MDD.Trial registration: TNDTAD study, NCT03294525; TOSD study, NCT03148522

Positive affect decreases the negative association between social mobility belief and physical health among Chinese rural-to-urban migrant adolescents

ObjectiveThe belief in upward social mobility promotes the mental health and social adaptation of disadvantaged adolescents. However, efforts for upward mobility may facilitate psychosocial adaptation while undermining physical health for minority youth from disadvantaged backgrounds. Therefore, we aimed to examine how social mobility belief is associated with mental and physical health among Chinese rural-to-urban migrant adolescents and explore whether positive affect acts as a protective factor moderating these relationships. MethodA total of 158 rural-to-urban migrant adolescents aged 10–14 completed a self-report questionnaire and underwent medical examination. ResultsSocial mobility belief and positive affect were positively related to mental health (general self-efficacy). Positive affect interacted with social mobility belief in predicting physical health (self-rated health and allostatic load). For migrant adolescents with low levels of positive affect, strong belief in social mobility was associated with poor self-rated health and high allostatic load. For migrant adolescents with high levels of positive affect, their physical health was better and not associated with social mobility belief. ConclusionsSocial mobility belief showed a double-edged sword effect; it was positively associated with mental adaptation while negatively associated with physical health among Chinese rural-to-urban migrant adolescents. Positive affect acted as a protective factor for decreasing the negative association between social mobility belief and physical health.

Semantic Self-Images and Well-Being in Young and Older Adults: Does the Accessibility Matter?

In the present study we investigated whether and how age group, dimensions of well-being and their interactions predicted the phenomenological properties of semantic self-images, taking also into account the different levels of accessibility of self-images (i.e., order of generation). Results on the first self-image revealed that, independently of age, higher levels of life satisfaction predicted higher likelihood of positive than negative statement and higher levels of negative affect and life satisfaction predicted higher levels of personal relevance of the self-image. When all self-images were considered, for higher levels of life satisfaction neutral and positive self-images were more likely than negative ones, and for lower levels of positive affect, neutral images were more likely than negative ones. Moreover, young adults were more likely than older adults to report neutral rather than negative self-images and, for higher levels of positive affect, they were more likely to report neutral and positive images instead of negative ones. These results suggest that the accessibility of semantic self-images should be taken into account in the investigation of the complex association between well-being and semantic self-images. Theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.