Low Perceptions Of Control Research Articles

Methods to develop and evaluate attitudinal scales to measure farmer perceptions: Using sheep scab as an example.

There is limited information on the attitudes and opinions of British sheep farmers when preventing and managing sheep scab in their flocks. Attitudes are examples of latent traits, which are not directly observable. They must be measured indirectly which can be achieved using measurement scales. Attitudinal measurement scales are used frequently in research, but are seldom evaluated prior to use, particularly in veterinary research. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify and assess latent traits which influence the control of sheep scab with the use of exploratory factor analysis, and then further evaluate these factors with the use of item response theory to determine how they perform as scales. An online survey was completed by 726 British sheep farmers during October 2021 (725 useable responses), which included a section with 37 belief statements related to the opinions and attitudes of sheep farmers around the management of sheep scab. These belief statements were developed and adapted from previous research. During the analysis, they were subjected to exploratory factor analysis, which suggested that the scales performed reasonably well. The scales were then evaluated further by item response theory. The graded response models for each attitudinal scale were assessed by graphical evaluation. They demonstrated that the scales were able to distinguish those respondents with low perceptions of control, responsibility, and trust, and those who had high perceptions of luck. This study provides insights into some of the factors influencing the management of sheep scab, and how well these scales perform. Additionally, it further highlights the importance of evaluating attitudinal scales for use in research, and that exploratory factor analysis alone does not provide enough information on how well they perform.

Effects of clinical clerkship in education for physical and occupational therapy students: a multifaceted examination using objective indices.

This study aimed to determine the effects of clinical clerkship in physical and occupational therapy students' education on their stress, sleep, and technical skill acquisition. We compared responses to the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire and the Athens Insomnia Scale, and students' clinical training grades between a traditional clinical training group (n=48) and a clinical clerkship group (n=48). Compared with the traditional group, the clinical clerkship group showed significantly higher scores on the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire for quantitative and qualitative burden, and significantly lower scores for the extent of control over tasks, irritability, fatigue, depression, and physical ailment. Scores for vitality and supervisor support were also significantly higher in the clinical clerkship group than the traditional group. The median Athens Insomnia Scale score was significantly lower in the clinical clerkship group. Clinical training grades for fundamental attitude and treatment techniques were significantly higher in the clinical clerkship group than in the traditional group. Students that experienced clinical clerkship perceived quantitative and qualitative burdens, which may be attributable to the level of interaction with patients during training. Their perception of low control over tasks may be because their supervisors described tasks specifically. However, the clinical clerkship group showed lower mental and physical stress than the traditional group. These students perceived they had supervisor support, which may be attributable to increased communication with their supervisor. Clinical clerkship was also linked to better sleep status than traditional training. Continuing clinical clerkship is necessary to develop students' technical clinical skills.

Effects of alcohol and perceived controllability in optimistic offender drivers

The aim of this study was to analyse how the complexity of the situational context in driving and the effect of alcohol influence the use of internal and external factors in prefactual thoughts and performance in a simulated driving task performed by optimistic and pessimistic drivers who attend rehabilitation courses. 72 drivers took part on a voluntary basis. 21 of them were offender drivers attending intervention, awareness, and rehabilitation courses for recouping points deducted from their licences. 43 drivers were attending courses for advanced professional driving licences or the like. The participants followed a route in a driving simulator. At the training stage, we adjusted the task difficulty to induce a high or low perception of control; in addition, we established the condition of alcohol intake or not. On the basis of the outcome obtained in this stage, the participants had to report the resources they required for improving their outcomes. We used different factor ANOVAs to analyse our results. In all cases, the tests were conducted a posteriori with Bonferroni adjustment in order to analyse the interactions. The most interesting differences are noted under the condition of high difficulty and no alcohol intake, where lower control is induced among the participants and where the drivers have not consumed alcohol. In contrast to non-offending pessimistic and optimistic drivers, optimistic offender drivers think their results would be better if there were external factors. We may contend that optimistic offender drivers think they are more likely to achieve the outcomes they want. This thinking may be motivated by the fact that this group does not perform better than the rest of the groups.

Psychometric properties and validation of the Portuguese version of the Anxiety Control Questionnaire Revised (ACQ-R)

Early experiences appear to influence the sense of unpredictability and uncontrollability of both life events and emotions in vulnerable individuals. The perception of low control has been considered a general psychological vulnerability factor in emotional disorders. One of the most commonly used measures of perceived control is the Anxiety Control Questionnaire-Revised (ACQ-R). However, its internal structure has shown structural inconsistencies among several studies finding two or three factors. Our aim is to analyze the internal structure of the Portuguese adaptation of the ACQ-R in a general population sample of 267 individuals, in a confirmatory way, as well as to explore sources of validity evidence (i.e., correlations with the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule). A three-factor solution showed the best data fit(χ2 = 150.12, degrees of freedom = 87, p < .0001, Root Mean Square Error Approximation = 0.052, 90% Confidence Interval = 0.038–0.066, Confirmatory Fit Index = 0.935, Tucker Lewis Index = 0.921). We found moderate positive correlations between the ACQ-R dimensions and anxiety, depression, stress, and negative affect, as well as between small and moderate negative associations with positive affect. All measures presented satisfactory Cronbach alphas (from .77 to .92). The Portuguese version of the ACQ-R showed good psychometric properties and the same internal structure of its original version.

Negative Illness Perceptions are Associated With a Pronociceptive Modulation Profile and Augmented Pelvic Pain.

A patient's personal interpretations of a health threat or "illness perceptions" (IPs) are associated with their clinical outcomes. This study explored whether IPs are associated with pain severity and ability to modulate pain in women with chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS), as well as the predictive value of IPs on myofascial manual therapy (MMT) success. Illness Perceptions Questionnaire-Revised (IPQ-R), mechanical and heat pain thresholds, mechanical temporal summation, and conditioned pain modulation (CPM) were evaluated in CPPS patients (n=39) before, and 3 months after MMT. CPPS severity was obtained by the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI). Stronger perceptions of illness chronicity were correlated with less efficient CPM (r=0.488, P=0.002) and increased mechanical pain intensity (r=0.405, P=0.02). Lower perceptions of control over illness were associated with enhanced mechanical temporal summation (r=0.399, P=0.01). Higher BPI scores were correlated with emotional representations (negative emotional representations) and severe consequences due to CPPS. Regression analyses revealed that negative IPs predict less efficient MMT. Cognitive representations play a unique role in CPPS expression and MMT outcomes. The interplay between negative IPs and a pronociceptive modulation profile, mediated by enhanced facilitatory and reduced inhibitory processes, may be involved in the manifestation of CPPS.

Cognitive profile of optimistic and pessimistic drivers attending re-education courses

The aim was to analyse the extent to which optimistic offender drivers differ from dispositional pessimists in their prefactual thoughts generated under different conditions of induced control. Three hundred and sixty-one drivers from the Spanish cities of Salamanca and Valencia took part on a voluntary basis. One hundred and sixty-five of them were offender drivers attending intervention, awareness and rehabilitation courses for recouping the points deducted from their licences. One hundred and ninety-six drivers were attending courses for advanced professional driving licences or similar. The participants followed a route in a driving simulator. At the training stage, we adjusted the task’s difficulty to induce a high or low perception of control. Based on the outcome obtained in this stage, the participants had to report the resources they required for improving their outcomes. We used different factor ANOVAS to analyse our results. In low control driving conditions, optimistic offender drivers thought they might drive better if external factors favoured them, and they gave less importance to internal factors. In the same conditions, pessimistic offender drivers think that both external and internal factors would improve their driving. In high control driving conditions, pessimistic offender drivers record the biggest differences; they might drive better if internal factors favoured them, and they also reported external factors to a lesser extent. We may contend that optimistic offender drivers think they are more likely to achieve the outcomes they want than the outcomes they do not, regardless of the driving conditions, and they think they are more skilful than their peers.

Age-related changes in older adults' anger and sadness: The role of perceived control.

This longitudinal study examined the experience of sadness and anger in a sample of older adults. Based on the discrete emotion theory of affective aging, it was expected that sadness, but not anger, would increase in older adulthood over time. In addition, we hypothesized that inter- and intraindividual differences in low perceptions of control would be more strongly associated with sadness than anger. The 10-year study followed 187 community-dwelling older adults (Mage = 72.25, SDage = 5.81). At each of six waves, participants' levels of sadness, anger, perceived control, and sociodemographic characteristics were assessed. Hierarchical linear modeling demonstrated that sadness, but not anger, linearly increased over time. These increases in sadness were evident only among older adults who reported low (but not high) levels of perceived control across the study period, and who experienced longitudinal declines (but not increases) in perceived control. In addition, nonlinear within-person reductions in perceived control predicted participants' sadness in the entire sample, but were associated with anger only in early, and not in advanced, old age. These findings support the discrete emotion theory of affective aging by documenting the distinctiveness of older adults' anger and sadness. These two negative emotions differ in terms of both age-related changes and predictive person-related perceptions of control. (PsycINFO Database Record

Engaging in Coordination of Health and Disability Services as Described by Older Adults: Processes and Influential Factors

There is little consensus on the definition and design of effective care coordination for older adults with chronic conditions, and the majority of care coordination models minimize the role and voice of older patients. Our objectives are to examine how older adults perceive and engage in the process of care coordination of health and disability support services and the factors that influence their engagement. Thirty-seven older adults with chronic conditions and 9 geriatric case managers participated in semistructured interviews that focused on older adults' experiences with self-managing and coordinating their health and support services. Interview data were systematically analyzed for themes. The interview data revealed that involving older adults in care coordination is a complex, multistage process, conceptualized as making self-health assessments, making informed decisions about care, and executing and coordinating care. The findings indicate that a number of factors facilitate older adults' decision and capacity to become involved in the coordination of their care, including their perceptions about how their condition impacted their everyday lives, and availability of intrinsic resources, tangible resources, and social network. Low perceptions of control over health and lack of such resources constrain their involvement. Practitioners may facilitate older adults' involvement in care coordination by using language with older patients that emphasizes psychosocial experiences in addition to medical symptomatology. They may also provide targeted support for patients with limited facilitating factors to promote involvement at multiple stages of the care coordination process.

Understanding Parental Support of Child Physical Activity Behavior

To examine parental support of child physical activity with an adapted theory of planned behavior model. A representative sample of Canadian mothers (N = 663) who completed measures of family priorities, social cognition, and child physical activity. An assessment of family priorities showed that mothers ranked physical activity almost as high as homework and far higher than other activities. Attitude about providing support for child physical activity predicted intention, yet only perceived control over support predicted behavior. Mothers perceive great import of physical activity for their children but they are inhibited by a low perception of control.

Perception of control, coping and psychological stress of infertile women undergoing IVF

The study aimed to examine: (i) the association between perception of infertility controllability and coping strategies; and (ii) the association between perception of infertility controllability and coping strategies to psychological distress, applying multivariate statistical techniques to control for the effects of demographic variables. This cross-sectional study included 137 women with fertility problems undergoing IVF in a public hospital. All participants completed questionnaires that measured fertility-related stress, state anxiety, depressive symptomatology, perception of control and coping strategies. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated between all study variables, followed by hierarchical multiple linear regression. Low perception of personal and treatment controllability was associated with frequent use of avoidance coping and high perception of treatment controllability was positively associated with problem-focused coping. Multivariate analysis showed that, when controlling for demographic factors, low perception of personal control and avoidance coping were positively associated with fertility-related stress and state anxiety, and problem-appraisal coping was negatively and significantly associated with fertility-related stress and depressive symptomatology scores. The findings of this study merit the understanding of the role of control perception and coping in psychological stress of infertile women to identify beforehand those women who might be at risk of experiencing high stress and in need of support.Infertility and its treatment are severe stressors and many women undergoing fertility treatment experience significant emotional distress. The existing literature indicates that several factors may influence emotional reactions to infertility and fertility treatment, including coping strategies and sense of controllability. This study showed that low perception of controllability was associated with avoidance coping. In addition, the study demonstrated that perception of infertility controllability and coping strategies were related to psychological stress. Therefore, healthcare professionals should enhance the implementation of interventions and support services for infertile women undergoing fertility treatment in order to enhance sense of control and alter coping skills of those women believed to be at risk.

Acceptance-based behavioral therapy for GAD: effects on outcomes from three theoretical models

Although cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is efficacious in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), many individuals remain symptomatic following treatment, indicating a need for further treatment development. As a result, many researchers have developed unique cognitive-behavioral therapies that highlight specific targets for intervention. The current study examined the effect of an acceptance-based behavioral therapy for GAD on the proposed targets for intervention highlighted in several theoretical models: emotion regulation difficulties, intolerance of uncertainty, and low perceptions of control. Clients were randomly assigned to immediate (n=15) or delayed (n=16) treatment. Individuals treated with the acceptance-based behavioral therapy reported significantly fewer difficulties in emotion regulation and fear of emotional responses, as well as greater tolerance of uncertainty and perceived control over anxiety than individuals in the waitlist control condition. In addition, these effects were maintained at 3- and 9-month follow-up assessments. The present study provides promising evidence that an acceptance-based behavioral therapy for GAD has significant effects on the unique targets of intervention highlighted in several prominent theoretical models of GAD.

Socioeconomic Status and Health

A robust, linear association between socioeconomic status (SES) and health has been identified across many populations and endpoints. This relationship is typically monotonic, so that each step down the SES hierarchy brings increased vulnerability to disease and premature mortality. Despite growing attention to health disparities, scientists and policy makers have made little progress toward confronting their causes and implementing effective solutions. Using the Reserve Capacity Model (Gallo & Matthews, 2003) as an organizing framework, the current article examines the contribution of resilient psychosocial resources to socioeconomic disparities in physical health. Findings suggest that deficient psychosocial resources, such as low perceptions of control and social support, may be one of many factors that connect low SES with poor health. Additional research is needed to test these relationships and their underlying mechanisms, to consider interventions to enhance reserve capacity, and to evaluate the efficacy of such efforts in fostering resilience to socioeconomic hardship.

Hepatitis B screening in the Turkish-Dutch population in Rotterdam, the Netherlands; qualitative assessment of socio-cultural determinants

BackgroundHepatitis B is an important health problem in the Turkish community in the Netherlands. Increased voluntary screening is necessary in this community, to detect individuals eligible for treatment and to prevent further transmission of the disease.MethodsWe investigated socio-cultural determinants associated with hepatitis B screening in male and female, first and second generation Turkish migrants, by means of Focus Group Discussions.ResultsSocio-cultural themes related to hepatitis B screening were identified; these were social norm, social support, sensitivity regarding sexuality, reputation, responsiveness to authority, religious responsibility, cleanliness and religious doctrine regarding health and disease, and the perceived efficacy of Dutch health care services. Motivating factors were the (religious) responsibility for one's health, the perceived obligation when being invited for screening, and social support to get tested for hepatitis B. Perceived barriers were the association of hepatitis B screening with STDs or sexual activity, the perception of low control over one's health, and the perceived low efficacy of the Dutch health care services. Reputation could act as either a motivator or barrier.ConclusionThis study identified relevant socio-cultural themes related to hepatitis B screening, which may serve to customize interventions aimed at the promotion of voluntary hepatitis B screening in the Turkish-Dutch population in the Netherlands.

Psychosocial factors and adjustment to chronic pain in spinal cord injury: replication and cross-validation.

Recent studies have documented the importance of psychological factors in the experience of chronic pain in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). The current study sought to replicate and extend previous work demonstrating associations among specific pain-related beliefs, coping, mental health, and pain outcomes in persons with SCI. A return-by-mail survey assessing psychological functioning and pain was completed by 130 individuals with SCI. Measures included short forms of the Survey of Pain Attitudes and the Chronic Pain Coping Inventory. After factor analysis, multiple regression was used to predict pain outcomes (psychological functioning and pain interference) after controlling for pain intensity. Results indicated that psychological factors, particularly beliefs about pain (including catastrophizing) and pain-related coping strategies (including passive coping), were significant predictors of pain outcomes and accounted for 21% to 25% of unique variance. Zero-order correlations suggested that the specific variables most closely associated with negative pain outcomes were perception of oneself as disabled, perceptions of low control over pain, and tendency to catastrophize. In general, negative attributions and coping were stronger predictors of pain adjustment than were positive ones. Results highlight the importance of psychological factors in understanding chronic pain in persons with SCI and provide further support for the biopsychosocial model.

Low perception of control as a cognitive factor of eating disorders. Its independent effects on measures of eating disorders and its interactive effects with perfectionism and self-esteem

Objective There is a large body of research about perfectionism and low self-esteem in eating disorders (ED). However, little is known about the influence in ED of a distorted cognition in the domain of control: the perception of low control. The present study examined the main and interactive effects of concern over mistakes (an important dimension of perfectionism), self-esteem, and perception of control on drive for thinness, bulimia, and body dissatisfaction. Method Forty individuals with ED and 55 controls completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, the Anxiety Control Questionnaire, the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and the three symptomatic scales of the Eating Disorder Inventory, which are drive for thinness, bulimia and body dissatisfaction. Multiple linear regression was used to test the hypothesis that perception of low control has a significant effect on the symptomatic scales of the EDI. Results The ED group had significantly lower perception of control and self-esteem and higher concern over mistakes, drive for thinness, bulimia, and body dissatisfaction than the control group. Analysis of interactive effects suggested that a combination of a low perception of control and a low self-esteem seems to moderate the effects of concern over mistakes on drive for thinness, bulimia, and body dissatisfaction. Discussion ED are associated with a tendency to worry about mistakes, a low sense of self-esteem, and a low perception of control over internal feelings and external events. Perception of control and self-esteem seems to moderate the predictive power of concern mistakes on symptoms of ED. The results suggest that a low perception of control is an important cognitive factor in ED.

Perceptions of Stress and Coping Strategies Among Adults With Mild Mental Retardation: Insight Into Psychological Distress

Stress, coping, perceptions of control, and psychological distress of 88 adults with mild mental retardation were assessed. Stressful interpersonal interactions and concerns over personal competencies occurred most frequently. Frequency and stress impact were positively associated with a composite score of psychological distress. Active coping was associated with less psychological distress than distraction or avoidant coping. Perceptions of control were positively related to active coping and negatively related to avoidant coping. Active coping was related to less psychological distress when used with perceptions of high control than with perceptions of low control. Decreasing opportunities for stress and increasing accurate perceptions of control and subsequently active coping may reduce psychological distress among people with mild mental retardation.

The illness representations of multiple sclerosis and their relations to outcome.

The main aims of the present study were to explore the illness representations of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) and investigate the relationship of these beliefs to outcome. Based on Leventhal et al.'s self-regulation model, the commonly accepted generic five-component structure of illness representations including identity, time-line, consequences, cause, and cure/controllability was used. A cross-sectional, correlational design was employed for the study. Interrelationships among the illness representation components and the relationships between the components and outcome were explored using Pearson's r. To determine the contribution of the illness representation components to the explained variance in outcome, a series of stepwise multiple regression analyses was used. A total of 99 participants took part in the study. A series of measures were completed to assess (1). illness representations and (2). five specific areas of outcome. Participants' illness representations of MS were consistent with the medical nature and understanding of this illness indicating that they held the perceptions of a strong illness identity, chronic time-line, no particular cause and no cure. Beliefs in the serious consequences of MS and limited control were also reported. Some important interrelationships among the illness representation components were demonstrated where a strong illness identity, chronic time-line view and perception of low control were related to more serious consequences. Overall, evidence was provided to suggest that illness representations contribute to outcome. The consequences component was associated with, and contributed to, the explained variance for each of the five outcome areas, indicating that the perception that MS has many negative effects on an individual's life was associated with greater levels of difficulty in all of the outcome areas. In addition, for each of the outcome variables, different combinations of illness representation components explained their variance. For example, higher levels of depression were associated with perceptions of a stronger illness identity, more serious consequences, acute time-line, and low control. Overall support is provided for the application of the five-component structure of illness representations to MS and the likely contribution of such beliefs to outcome. The concept of illness representations therefore provides a useful framework for understanding the psychosocial effects of this illness.

Self-esteem, cortisol reactivity, and depressed mood mediated by perceptions of control

This study investigated cortisol reactivity (CR) as a moderator and perceptions of control as a mediator between low self-esteem (SE) and depressed mood. Fifty-four participants completed SE and mood inventories before an uncontrollable laboratory stressor. Salivary cortisol was determined before and after the stressor. Analyses indicated significance for SE ( β=−0.30), CR ( β=−0.92) and their interaction ( β=−0.90) in predicting depressed mood ( P=0.03 for all). Low SE and decreased CR predicted the highest levels of depressed mood. The interaction indicated that depressed mood was predicted by increases in cortisol in individuals with higher SE, but by decreases in cortisol in individuals with lower SE. These relationships were statistically explained by low perceptions of control at baseline. Findings support biopsychological explanations for depression, with SE, CR, and uncontrollability as putative markers of depressed mood that may be even more pronounced in depressive disorders.

Attributions and emotional reactions to the identity disclosure ("coming out") of a homosexual child.

This study examined factors that contribute to parental rejection of gay and lesbian youth. College students (N = 356) were asked to imagine being the parent of an adolescent son who recently disclosed that he was gay. Consistent with study hypotheses and based on attribution and moral affect theory, results of regression analyses indicated that greater perceptions of control over homosexuality, higher proneness to experience shame, and lower proneness to experience guilt were associated with increasing negative reactions toward an imagined homosexual child. Also in line with study hypotheses, greater willingness to offer help to the hypothetical child was predicted by lower perceptions of control over homosexuality, less intensely unfavorable emotional reactions, less proneness to experience guilt, and greater reported likelihood of experiencing affection toward him. Theoretical and clinical implications of this research are discussed.

Psychosocial recovery from a cardiac event: The influence of perceived control

To determine the relationship between patients' feelings of control at baseline and psychosocial recovery 6 months after their cardiac event. One hundred seventy-six patients who had had myocardial infarction, had undergone coronary artery bypass or both. In this longitudinal, comparative survey patients with high perceptions of control were compared with those with low perceptions of control at baseline to determine differences in psychosocial recovery 6 months later. Psychosocial recovery was operationalized as anxiety, depression, and hostility (measured by Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist) and overall psychosocial adjustment to illness (measured by Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale). Significant differences were seen in psychosocial recovery between patients with feelings of high control versus those with feelings of low control (p = 0.006). Patients with feelings of high control at baseline were less anxious (p = 0.002), less depressed (p = 0.001), less hostile (p = 0.02), and had better psychosocial adjustment (p = 0.009) at a 6-month follow-up than those with feelings of low control. Feelings of perceived control are important for psychosocial recovery after a cardiac event.