Non-clinical Sample Of Adults Research Articles

A 'Problematic' Pattern of Power-system Functioning and its Association with psychopathological Symptoms.

Following the well-researched two-dimensional model of attachment-system functioning, based on the concepts of hyperactivation and deactivation, a two-dimensional model of the power behavioral system has recently been proposed. The power system is aimed at activating, organizing, and implementing action patterns that protect or restore a sense of power or dominance. Here, we tested predictions derived from the two-dimensional model of power-system functioning regarding the contribution of a 'problematic' high-high pattern, characterized by the coexistence of both hyperactivating and deactivating strategies, to psychopathological symptoms. A non-clinical sample of Italian adults (N = 385) completed the Power Behavioral System Scale together with self-report measures of anxiety and depression symptoms and difficulties in executive control. Multiple regression analyses showed that higher deactivation and hyperactivation scores, characteristic of the 'problematic' pattern, significantly predicted anxiety and depression symptoms as well as executive function difficulties. These results provide initial support for the pathogenic implications of the 'problematic' high-high pattern of power-system functioning.

A systematic review of the nature and efficacy of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy interventions.

In the absence of a single comprehensive systematic review of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy interventions across all settings, we reviewed the methodological quality, effectiveness and efficacy of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy interventions on irrational/rational beliefs. We explored the impact of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy on wider outcomes (e.g., mental health) and identified the characteristics of successful interventions. PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and PubMed were systematically searched up to December 2023 with 162 Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy intervention studies identified which included a validated measure of irrational/rational beliefs. Where possible, effect size for irrational/rational belief change was reported and data was analysed through a qualitative approach. Using the Mixed Methods Appraisal tool, methodological quality within the Sport and Exercise domain was assessed as good, whilst all other domains were considered low in quality, with insufficient detail provided on intervention characteristics and delivery. Most studies were conducted in the United States, within the Education domain, and assessed irrational beliefs in non-clinical adult samples. Overall, studies reported significant reductions in irrational beliefs, increases in rational beliefs and improvements in mental health outcomes (e.g., depression). More successful interventions were delivered by trained Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy practitioners, adopted the ABC framework and were longer in duration. We highlight the importance of designing and conducting rigorous future Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy research to generate clearer insights as to its impact on irrational/rational beliefs and mental health outcomes.

Psychometric properties of the Arabic translation of the Dark Future Scale questionnaire in a non-clinical sample of Arabic-speaking young adults

BackgroundThrough the years, studying negative behaviors of the worldwide population seized the spotlight from many researchers who focused on building scales in order the measure the level of worries, fear and even depression of such stressed individuals. By definition, “Future anxiety” (FA) is fueled by negative thoughts leading to intense fear of unknown future events. The Dark Future scale (DFS) measures the level of anxiety experienced towards the future. Our aim was to examine the psychometric properties of a novel Arabic translation of the DFS.MethodsA sample of 684 Arabic-speaking young adults (65.6% women) filled the DFS, TEMPS-M (temperaments) and DASS-8 (psychological distress).ResultsConfirmatory factor analyses (CFA) supported a unidimensional model of the DFS score, with all 5 items retained. This scale had good reliability. Moreover, concurrent validity demonstrated significant associations between DFS scores and psychological distress, depressive, cyclothymic, irritable and anxious temperament. Scores achieved scalar invariance across gender, with women having greater exposure to anxiety about the future.ConclusionOverall, these findings led to the conclusion that the Arabic DFS is a psychometrically valid tool for the assessment of FA. The DFS is a brief, reliable and easy to apply scale that would help researchers in psychology and psychiatry in assessing anxiety about future.

Aortic Stiffness Is Associated With Higher Nighttime Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Middle-Aged and Older Adults.

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between aortic stiffening and brachial and central ambulatory blood pressure (AMBP) in a nonclinical sample of middle-aged and older adults (MA/O). We hypothesized aortic stiffness would be positively associated with 24-hr, daytime, and nighttime brachial and central AMBP. Fifty-one participants aged ≥50yr (21 males and 30 females, mean age 63.4±9.0yr) with a body mass index <35 kg/m 2 who also had a resting brachial blood pressure (BP) <160/100mmHg with or without BP medications were recruited for this cross-sectional analysis. All participants underwent measures of aortic stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity [cfPWV]) and 24-hr AMBP monitoring. Bivariate correlations assessed the relationship between cfPWV, brachial, and central AMBP. Partial correlations were used to independently adjust for traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors including age, sex, waist circumference, glucose, and augmentation index normalized to heart rate 75bpm, a surrogate measure of arterial stiffness, and in a multivariable combined model. Nighttime brachial systolic BP ( r =0.31) and central systolic BP ( r =0.30) were correlated with cfPWV in the multivariable combined model ( P ≤.05). Nighttime brachial pulse pressure and central pulse pressure were correlated with cfPWV after independently adjusting for all CVD risk factors ( P ≤.05, all) but not when combined in the multivariable model ( P >.05). Higher nighttime brachial and central AMBP with older age are related, in part, to greater aortic stiffening. Therefore, interventions to lower or prevent aortic stiffening may also lower nighttime BP in MA/O adults to lower CVD risk.

Mentalizing as a Predictor of Well-Being and Emotion Regulation: Longitudinal Evidence from a Community Sample of Young Adults.

Background: In recent years, mentalizing - the capacity to understand one's own and others' intentional mental states in social contexts - has been considered to be a protective capacity that enables adaptive processing of stress-related emotional arousal, benefits general well-being and underpins adaptive emotion regulation. Objective: Several studies using cross-sectional research designs have demonstrated the potential health-promoting effect of mentalizing in non-clinical samples. However, longitudinal evidence is scarce. The present study aimed to investigate whether mentalizing predicts well-being and emotion regulation strategies in a non-clinical sample of mainly young adults using a prospective longitudinal design. Methods: In a prospective research design, 135 participants completed questionnaires assessing well-being, psychological symptom severity and mentalizing capacity at baseline (T1). Twelve months later (T2), emotion regulation strategies (suppression and cognitive reappraisal), well-being and psychological symptom severity were assessed by self-report. The data were analyzed using multivariate linear regression analysis. Results: Impairments in mentalizing were a significant negative predictor of well-being 12months later. Furthermore, impairments in mentalizing positively predicted suppression of emotional states at T2. No association was found between deficits in mentalizing and cognitive reappraisal of emotional states over the course of 1year. Conclusion: The findings indicate that mentalizing is longitudinally associated with mental health indicators in a non-clinical adult sample. Specifically, ineffective mentalizing was associated with impaired psychological well-being and a tendency to suppress intense emotional states over a period of 1year. Future research should replicate these findings using multiple measurement timepoints to etablish causality.

A Pilot Study of the Convergent and Discriminant Validity of the Dutch Version of the Parametric Go/No-Go Task.

The parametric go/no-go (PGNG) task is a computerized task that is designed to measure cognitive flexibility, response inhibition, and working memory. The PGNG task has been shown to measure core executive functions (EFs) in a psychometrically sound, brief, and ecologically valid manner. To analyze the psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the PGNG task in a convenience sample of nonclinical adults. The sample consisted of 74 highly educated adults, with an average age of 36 years. Forty-two participants completed test battery A to investigate the task's convergent validity; 36 participants completed test battery B to investigate the task's discriminant validity. The results were analyzed using a repeated-measures ANOVA, Friedman's test, paired-samples t test, and correlation analyses. Level 3 of the PGNG task places increased demands on sustained attention, response inhibition, and set-shifting. Several moderate correlations between level 3 and a complex EFs measure supported the convergent validity of this level of the PGNG task. The convergent validity of levels 1 and 2 was not supported. No significant correlations were found between PGNG levels and non-EF tests, supporting discriminant validity. Our study included a rather homogenous sample of highly educated participants, which might explain the convergent validity of level 3 of the Dutch version of the PGNG task. Hence, to overcome these potentially confounding factors, the Dutch version of the PGNG task should be investigated in a larger and more heterogeneous population in terms of age and educational level.

Overshadowing and salience attribution in relation to cannabis use

Aberrant attentional salience has been implicated in the cannabis-psychosis association. Here, history and frequency of cannabis use were examined against changes in overshadowing (OS), a cue competition paradigm that involves salience processing. Additionally, we examined the association between OS and alternative measures of aberrant salience, as well as schizotypy, in a non-clinical adult sample.280 participants completed an online geometry learning-based OS task, while a subset (N = 149) also completed the Salience Attribution Task (SAT) measure of aberrant salience. All completed the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), Aberrant Salience Inventory (ASI), and the modified Cannabis Experience Questionnaire (CEQmv). Differences across OS and SAT performance stages and between cannabis use groups were assessed using mixed ANOVAs. Multiple regression and correlational analyses assessed the relationships between OS and SAT task metrics and SPQ and ASI subscale scores.Current cannabis users had significantly lower OS scores during the testing phase relative to those who do not use cannabis, at medium effect sizes. Schizotypy or ASI scores did not mediate this relationship. In the SAT, current cannabis users presented significantly higher implicit aberrant salience relative to non-users. Scores in the first training phase of the OS task significantly predicted higher explicit aberrant and adaptive salience scores in the SAT.These data indicate an association between regular cannabis use and abnormalities in cue competition effects in a healthy adult sample. Comparisons of OS and SAT cast new light on putative overlapping mechanisms underlying performance across different measures of salience.

Self-defining memories in older adults: Distribution across lifespan and characteristics of the reminiscence bump

Many studies have investigated the temporal distribution of autobiographical memories, but none has focused on Self-Defining Memories (SDMs), i.e. memories that are particularly important for personal identity, in a large non-clinical sample. No study has examined the temporal distribution of Self-Defining Memories (SDMs), i.e. memories that are particularly important for personal identity, in a large non-clinical sample of older adults. Moreover, we examined for the first time the characteristics of SDMs located in RB. Two hundred and eighty elderly adults aged from 65 to 90 years old reported three SDMs. Participants were non-institutionalized retirees screened for global cognitive function. Participants were asked to recall three SDMs. They also completed the Mini-Mental State Examination. The period from 0 to 9 years corresponds to a very limited recall of SDMs. A RB appears between for the 10–24 years period. Recalled memories are enhanced after the age of 50. The temporal distribution of recalled SDMs differed according to thematic content and emotion. The percentage of positive SDMs was the highest in RB compared with other life periods. Specificity, meaning-making, tension, redemption and contamination did not differ for bump SDMs versus non-bump SDMs. In addition, differences between men and women were observed. Our results confirm the existence of the classical temporal distribution of autobiographical memories for SDMs. Recalling positive bump SDMs might improve well-being in older adults.

The prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder and the acceptance of cosmetic surgery in a nonclinical sample of Hungarian adults

Background: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a common, often undiagnosed, serious condition. The relationship between body dysmorphic disorder and cosmetic surgery is rather complex, as many patients with body dysmorphic disorder search for cosmetic solutions for the imagined defect in appearance. Aims: To assess the prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder and its relationship to the acceptance and use of cosmetic services and body-related variables among Hungarian adults. Methods: Body weight and height, body satisfaction, health state, aesthetic intervention-related experiences, and plans were assessed by a self-report online questionnaire that included the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire and the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale. Six hundred three subjects (94% women, n = 567, 6% men, n = 36, age M = 40.16 years, SD = 13.32 years) joined the research on a social media platform. Results: The prevalence of BDD is 8.1% (n = 49), 8.1% (n = 46) in women, and 8.3% (n = 3) in men. The BDD-positive group had higher BMI (U = 9641.5, p = 0.028), more plastic surgeries (χ2(1) = 19.682 , p = 0.012), and more acceptance of cosmetic surgery (U = 6664, p &lt; 0.001). The risk of BDD is significantly higher in those who have a lower education (OR = 0.424, p = 0.031), accept cosmetic surgery (OR = 1.031, p = 0.025), plan plastic surgery (OR = 0.351, p = 0.027) and are more dissatisfied with their body (OR = 0.397, p &lt; 0.001). Consideration of cosmetic surgery (U = 7433, p = 0.006) and planning for future plastic surgeries χ2(1) = 7.943, p = 0.019) are more frequent in females. Sixty-six women (11.6%) have already had some intervention, 26.4% plan, and 10.4% probably plan cosmetic surgery, while these data are 11.1%, 8.3% and 5.6% in males. These symptoms occur more frequently among women according to Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire: avoidance behavior (33.9% vs. 16.7%, χ2(1) = 4.539, p = 0.033), significant mental suffering caused by the perceived flaw(s) (29.8% vs. 13.9%, χ2(1) = 4.178, p = 0.041). The Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale total score has a significant positive relationship with BDD caseness (β = 0.100, p = 0.011) and the number of blepharoplasties (β = 0.111, p = 0.005) and significant negative relationship with the planning of cosmetic surgery (β = –0.491, p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: The prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder is high in this non-clinical, unselected Hungarian sample. The risk for body dysmorphic disorder is higher in those interested in cosmetic services; screening for this body image disorder is necessary.

Changes in responses of the amygdala and hippocampus during fear conditioning are associated with persecutory beliefs

The persecutory delusion is the most common symptom of psychosis, yet its underlying neurobiological mechanisms are poorly understood. Prior studies have suggested that abnormalities in medial temporal lobe-dependent associative learning may contribute to this symptom. In the current study, this hypothesis was tested in a non-clinical sample of young adults without histories of psychiatric treatment (n = 64), who underwent classical Pavlovian fear conditioning while fMRI data were collected. During the fear conditioning procedure, participants viewed images of faces which were paired (the CS+) or not paired (the CS−) with an aversive stimulus (a mild electrical shock). Fear conditioning-related neural responses were measured in two medial temporal lobe regions, the amygdala and hippocampus, and in other closely connected brain regions of the salience and default networks. The participants without persecutory beliefs (n = 43) showed greater responses to the CS− compared to the CS+ in the right amygdala and hippocampus, while the participants with persecutory beliefs (n = 21) failed to exhibit this response. These between-group differences were not accounted for by symptoms of depression, anxiety or a psychosis risk syndrome. However, the severity of subclinical psychotic symptoms overall was correlated with the level of this aberrant response in the amygdala (p = .013) and hippocampus (p = .033). Thus, these findings provide evidence for a disruption of medial temporal lobe-dependent associative learning in young people with subclinical psychotic symptoms, specifically persecutory thinking.

An Ecological Mobile Momentary Intervention to Support Dynamic Goal Pursuit: Feasibility and Acceptability Study.

Individuals can experience difficulties pursuing their goals amid multiple competing priorities in their environment. Effective goal dynamics require flexible and generalizable pursuit skills. Supporting successful goal pursuit requires a perpetually adapting intervention responsive to internal states. The purpose of this study was to (1) develop a flexible intervention that can adapt to an individual's changing short to medium-term goals and be applied to their daily life and (2) examine the feasibility and acceptability of the just-in-time adaptive intervention for goal pursuit. This study involved 3 iterations to test and systematically enhance all aspects of the intervention. During the pilot phase, 73 participants engaged in an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) over 1 month. After week 1, they attended an intervention training session and received just-in-time intervention prompts during the following 3 weeks. The training employed the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, and Behavior (COM-B) framework for goal setting, along with mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII). Subsequent prompts, triggered by variability in goal pursuit, guided the participants to engage in MCII in relation to their current goal. We evaluated feasibility and acceptability, efficacy, and individual change processes by combining intensive (single-case experimental design) and extensive methods. The results suggest that the digital intervention was feasible and acceptable to participants. Compliance with the intervention was high (n=63, 86%). The participants endorsed high acceptability ratings relating to both the study procedures and the intervention. All participants (N=73, 100%) demonstrated significant improvements in goal pursuit with an average difference of 0.495 units in the outcome (P<.001). The results of the dynamic network modeling suggest that self-monitoring behavior (EMA) and implementing the MCII strategy may aid in goal reprioritization, where goal pursuit itself is a driver of further goal pursuit. This pilot study demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of a just-in-time adaptive intervention among a nonclinical adult sample. This intervention used self-monitoring of behavior, the COM-B framework, and MCII strategies to improve dynamic goal pursuit. It was delivered via an Ecological Momentary Intervention (EMI) procedure. Future research should consider the utility of this approach as an additional intervention element within psychological interventions to improve goal pursuit. Sustaining goal pursuit throughout interventions is central to their effectiveness and warrants further evaluation.

Is Interoception Deficit Linking Alexithymia and Eating Spectrum Symptoms? Study on a Non-Clinical Sample of Young Adults.

We investigated if interoceptive deficits could be the link between alexithymic traits and eating spectrum manifestations in a non-clinical sample. One-hundred sixty-one young adults (mean age: 23.2 ± 2.4 years) were evaluated with the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20), the Interoceptive Accuracy Scale (IAS), the Interoceptive Confusion Questionnaire (ICQ), and the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26). Questionnaires were administered with an online procedure (Microsoft Form, Office 365 A1, Pisa, Italy) (Study Protocol #0012005/2023). We compared ICQ, IAS, and TAS-20 scores in subjects who met the threshold for a potential eating spectrum disorder according to EAT-26 scores ≥ 20 (n = 27) vs. subjects who scored <20 (n = 134), with an ANCOVA corrected for 'age' and 'gender'. Subjects with EAT-26 ≥ 20, scored significantly higher at ICQ (54.4 ± 13.2 vs. 50.2 ± 6.8; p = 0.011), TAS-20 'Total Score' (60.8 ± 11.9 vs. 58.1 ± 9.2; p = 0.006), and TAS-20 'Identifying Feelings' (21.5 ± 7.6 vs. 17.3 ± 5.8; p = 0.0001). A binary logistic regression analysis, with EAT-26 scores < 20 vs. ≥20 as the dependent variable, and ICQ, IAS, TAS-20 total scores and dimensions, age, and gender (categorical) as covariates, showed that the only variable predicting eating spectrum symptomatology was 'ICQ Total Score' (OR = 1.075, 95% CI: 1.016-1.139; p = 0.013). Interoceptive confusion was the dimension linking the occurrence of alexithymic traits and eating spectrum manifestations.

Risky Sexual Behavior and Psychopathy: Testing the Relationship in a Non-Clinical Sample of Young Adults in Hong Kong.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between risky sexual behavior (RSB) and psychopathy in a non-clinical sample of 714 Hong Kong adults, shedding light on sex differences. Our findings reveal that males exhibit significantly higher mean levels of RSB (general, penetrative, and nonpenetrative), as well as egocentric (Factor 1) and callous (Factor 3) traits of psychopathy, along with increased sexual desire compared to females. Regression analyses indicate that elevated levels of antisociality (Factor 2) and callousness (Factor 3) traits of psychopathy, along with sexual desire, emerge as significant risk factors for engaging in general, penetrative, and nonpenetrative RSB. Intriguingly, higher age and being in a long-term relationship are associated with RSB. The implications of this study suggest potential avenues for reducing, if not entirely preventing, the inclination to engage in RSB in the presence of psychopathic traits.

Psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the short entrapment scale in a non-clinical sample of young adults

BackgroundEntrapment is the feeling of wanting to leave an unbearable situation but believing that there are no options to do so. An Arabic entrapment Scale will assist healthcare professionals in the region in the prevention of suicide as the tool is tailored to the specific sociocultural context, which would enhance entrapment detection.ObjectiveIn the current study, we aim to evaluate the psychometric properties of a translated Arabic version of the Entrapment Scale Short Form (E-SF).MethodsThree hundred eighty-nine Lebanese citizens were enrolled in this cross-sectional study.ResultsThe mean age of participants was 23.03 years (SD = 2.93), 69.4% being women. To examine the factor structure of the entrapment scale, we used an exploratory-to-confirmatory factor analysis (EFA-to-CFA) strategy. EFA and CFA results indicated that the fit of the unidimensional model of the Arabic Entrapment Scale (A-ES) was generally acceptable. Composite reliability of scores was adequate in the total sample (ω = .87). All indices suggested that configural, metric, and scalar invariance was supported across genders. Entrapment was positively and significantly correlated with suicidal ideation, alcohol use disorder, psychological distress, and orthorexia nervosa, suggesting convergent and divergent validity.ConclusionThe A-ES was found to be a valid and reliable tool to assess the degree of entrapment in Lebanese young adults. The A-ES will assist healthcare professionals in the region in the prevention of suicide as the tool is tailored to the specific sociocultural context, which would enhance entrapment detection.

Trait irritability and temporal discounting: Exploring potential sociocultural moderators

Irritability is linked with poor clinical outcomes in adults. However, few studies have examined the mechanisms linking these associations, and none examine whether sociocultural factors moderate these associations. Given evidence that both pediatric irritability and lower social class are associated with preferences for smaller immediate versus larger delayed rewards (i.e., temporal discounting [TD]), the present study examines irritability, social class, and TD rates in two independent adult samples (N = 362; N = 415). We also examine if resource predictability and uncertainty moderate irritability-TD associations. Trait irritability was unrelated to TD rates in either sample. Higher subjective and objective social class and higher rates of predictability in one's life were associated with lower TD rates, but only in Sample 2 and only for one of the TD tasks. Only beliefs about uncertainty in one's life interacted with trait irritability to predict TD rate and was limited to Sample 2 and one TD task. These results suggest that trait irritability in a non-clinical adult sample is not related to impulsive decision-making assessed via TD tasks and highlight the importance of sociocultural factors in irritability research.

Living with a friend mediates PTSD and CPTSD symptoms among trauma-exposed Ukrainians during the second year of 2022 Russian invasion

Purpose This study aims to develop and test multivariable psychosocial prediction models of perceived post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) symptoms development among trauma-exposed Ukrainian adults (n = 761) after 1.5 years of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Design/methodology/approach This research was designed as a survey in line with the methodology of “Transparent reporting of a multivariable prediction model for individual prognosis or diagnosis” checklist. The survey included a questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics and specifics of trauma exposure, as well as validated self-reported inventories: The International Trauma Questionnaire, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire – version 2, Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale-10 and the Modified BBC Subjective Well-being Scale. Findings Regression analysis revealed different prediction models for PTSD and CPTSD symptoms, explaining 18.4% and 41.4% of their variance with five and eight predictors, respectively. Four variables were similar in predicting PTSD and CPTSD: war-relatedness of trauma, living with a friend, perceived physical health and regret for the past. War-relatedness of trauma the respondents were exposed to was among the strongest predictors for PTSD and CPTSD severity. However, living with a friend was almost equally strong in mitigating these mental consequences. Regret for past and lowly rated physical health were assessed as relatively weaker but statistically significant predictors in this study. Originality/value Upon the original theoretical framework, two psychosocial prediction models were developed for PTSD and CPTSD symptoms in a non-clinical sample of trauma-exposed Ukrainian adults.

The Brief Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire: Validation of the French Version in Non-clinical Adults.

Various studies indicate the role of experiential avoidance (EA) in the onset and maintenance of mental health disorders such as depression or anxiety disorders. The Brief Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire (BEAQ) is a quick tool to assess EA. This study aimed to translate the BEAQ into French and to validate it in a sample of non-clinical adults. The BEAQ was translated from English into French using the translation and back-translation technique. The translated questionnaire was submitted to 93 psychology students to identify unclear/ambiguous items. Then, the final French and the original versions of the BEAQ were administered to 64 bilingual individuals two weeks apart to assess the scale's content validity and test-retest reliability. Finally, the BEAQ-French and other scales were administered to 580 non-clinical adults to assess its factor structure and its convergent and discriminant validity. Results showed no significant difference between the English and French versions of the BEAQ. The BEAQ demonstrated high internal consistency and good test-retest reliability. Confirmatory factor analyses did not support the one-factor structure of the BEAQ. Exploratory factor analyses revealed a two-factor structure. The BEAQ presented satisfactory convergent and discriminant validity with related measures and measures of neuroticism, negative affect and mental health problems. The results suggest that the BEAQ-French is a reliable tool for assessing EA. Unlike the original version, the BEAQ-French exhibits a two-factor rather than a one-factor structure. Further research is needed to confirm this two-factor structure and to assess more precisely the convergent validity of the scale.

An evaluation of the Ultimatum Game as a measure of irritability and anger.

The Ultimatum Game is an effective tool for understanding how social decision-making is influenced by emotions in both research and clinical settings. Previous findings have shown that the Ultimatum Game can evoke negative emotions, especially anger and aggression. In a sample of non-clinical adults (N = 143) we evaluated the sensitivity of an anger-infused version of the Ultimatum Game to individual differences in anger and irritability. Findings showed significant relationships between anger and aggressive behaviors in the Ultimatum game, but no association between irritability and aggressive behavior were observed. This indicates that the anger-infused Ultimatum Game is a promising method for studying individual differences in trait anger and anger expression. However, the relationship between decision-making in the anger-infused Ultimatum Game and irritability is less straight forward and needs further investigation. Therefore, when studying the behavioral responses of irritability, it would be beneficial to capture other behaviors beyond aggressive responses.

Psychometric properties of the Romanian version of the borderline personality questionnaire in a sample of nonclinical adults

People with borderline personality disorder (BPD) feel instability in self-image, affects and relationships. The current study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Borderline Personality Questionnaire (BPQ) in a sample of 737 nonclinical Romanian adults. Results indicated mostly satisfactory internal consistency for the subscales and high internal consistency for the total score of the scale. A factor analysis showed a one-factor solution that accounted for 50.21 % of the observed variance. Evidence for convergent validity, tested by evaluating the associations between borderline traits, anxiety, depression, stress, life satisfaction and impulsivity traits, was confirmed, but the assumptions for divergent validity were not met. Results are discussed considering previous studies. Future research is needed to fully evaluate its psychometric properties.

Early Maladaptive Schemas’ Associations with Big-Five Personality Traits in Two Non-Clinical Adult Samples from Different Cultural Backgrounds

Introduction: While personality traits and early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) can affect an individual’s behavior and well-being, the links between these constructs are under-researched, especially in non-clinical samples. Aims: Two studies were conducted to address these links, intending to explore their specifics, as previous research evidenced various associations’ models. Methods: In Study 1, the sample consisted of 120 respondents (65.0% females) living in the UK and the USA. In Study 2, the sample consisted of 244 respondents (68.0% females) living in Lithuania. In both studies, most of the respondents were aged 18-25. The survey was administered online. Studies 1 and 2 applied the Big Five Inventory and Young Schema Questionnaire. Results: In Study 1, neuroticism was significantly positively associated with 17 EMSs. Extraversion stood significantly negatively related to 12 EMSs, conscientiousness was significantly negatively related to 15 EMSs, openmindedness stood significantly negatively related to 2 EMSs, but significantly positively related to admiration, and agreeableness appeared significantly negatively related to 9 EMSs. In Study 2, neuroticism was significantly positively associated with 16 EMSs. Extraversion stood significantly negatively related to 9 EMSs, conscientiousness was significantly negatively related to 12 EMSs, open-mindedness and agreeableness were significantly negatively related to 10 EMSs. Conclusions: Study 2 partly failed to replicate the results of Study 1, which implies that the model of links between EMSs and personality traits could be impacted by cultural factors, and needs further investigation.