Positive And Negative Affect Schedule Research Articles

Evaluation of the Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the German Version of the Clinical Perfectionism Questionnaire: The CPQ-D.

The aim was to create a German version of the Clinical Perfectionism Questionnaire (CPQ-D) and to test its factor structure, reliability, and validity in a non-clinical population. We recruited N = 432 participants via an online panel. The factor structure of CPQ-D was examined. The convergent, discriminative, and incremental validity was assessed in relation to the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Exploratory factor analysis resulted in two factors. Factor 1 represented the over evaluation of striving and Factor 2 was associated to concern over mistakes. Internal consistency was acceptable with ω = .81 for the total score, ω = .77 for Factor 1, and ω = .73 for Factor 2. Convergent, discriminative, and incremental validity was demonstrated. Important to note, Item 12 should be used with caution since it showed low communality and a low item-total correlation and should therefore be further evaluated in future research. The results indicate that the German translated version of the CPQ has acceptable internal consistency, convergent, discriminative and incremental validity. Future research should test the CPQ-D scale further in clinical and non-clinical populations and assess a broader variety of scales to determine validity of the scale.

Positive and Negative Affects in Horse-assisted Coachings

The present study examines whether horses can be implemented in coaching in order to change individuals’ positive and negative affects. To this end, an experimental group (n = 46) received a horse-assisted coaching, whereas the control group (n = 46) did not receive any coaching. The short-time intervention consisted of one coaching session with a horse for a duration of two hours. Positive and negative affects were measured with the PANAS (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) in both groups using a pre-post-test-design. Results reveal that the level of positive affects increased, and the level of negative affects decreased significantly in the intervention group when compared to the control group. This outcome suggests the possibility of improving emotions and states of mood in humans through horse-assisted coaching.

Life events are associated with elevated heart rate and reduced heart complexity to acute psychological stress

The current study examined whether the exposure to life events and reported impact of life events are associated with altered cardiac reactivity to an acute psychological stressor. Participants (N = 69) completed the Life Experience Survey (LES) and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and undertook a standardized social-evaluative stress task. Cardiac activity was measured via heart rate and non-linear heart rate variability (HRV) indices Sample Entropy, SD1, SD2 and SD1/SD2 ratio. Heart rate and non-linear HRV were measured before, during and after stress exposure. Findings suggest higher heart rate reactivity in individuals reporting higher number and impact of negative and total life events. Decreases in Sample Entropy were evident for number as well as impact of life events. No associations were found for SD1, SD2 and SD1/SD2 ratio. Findings suggest that life-events are associated with elevated heart rate and diminished heart rate complexity in response to acute stress.

The relationship between psychobiological dimensions of personality and internet gaming disorder: the role of positive and negative affects

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is an important issue that was included as a tentative disorder in the DSM-5. The aim of the present study was to contribute to the increasing understanding of IGD by examining the indirect relationships between psychobiological components of personality, positive and negative affect, and IGD among a sample of Iranian university students. In a cross-sectional study, 481 Iranian university students (50.3% female; Mage = 22.41 years [SD = 4.62]) were recruited from four universities and completed self-report psychometric scales, including the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGDS), Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Structural equation modeling was used to empirically explore the relationships. The model of positive affect and negative affect being a mediator between psychobiological components of personality and IGD fit the data. Individuals with higher levels of negative affect had higher levels of IGD (r = 0.60, p < 0.001). Furthermore, bootstrapping results showed that psychobiological components of personality affected IGD via negative affect. Findings demonstrated that negative affect mediated the relationships between temperament dimensions of harm avoidance (β = .126), reward dependence (β = .054), persistence (β = −.127), as well as character dimensions of cooperativeness (β = −.047), and self-directedness (β = −.042) with IGD (all p-values <0.001). Findings contribute to the knowledge in the field, and support the proposed models showing that negative affect appears to have an important role in IGD. Clinical implications and study limitations are discussed.

BODY IMAGE DAN SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING PADA REMAJA PUTRI LANGKAH AWAL MENCINTAI DIRI SENDIRI

Female teenage have considerable challenges in their developmental tasks. One of the developmental tasks in this period is social adaptation process, gain recognition as members of a new group in their surrounding. Need of acceptance and group conformity made them facing challenges as a female and teenagers. Challenges will arise when they begin to be faced with the mismatch between expectations and demands in standard of beauty which is represented through an assessment of body image. Subjective well-being is a self-evaluation of one's life based on a cognitive evaluation of life satisfaction and an evaluation of affective and positive emotions (Diener, Lucas & Oishi, 2012). The purpose of this study was to eximine the correlation between body image and Subjective WellBeing in female teenagers. This is quantitative study with a correlational survey method, using purposive sampling technique. Data collected from 91 female teenagers at SMAN 4 Batam in tenth grade to twelve grade. Instrument for data collection is Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and Multidimensional Body- Self Relations Questionnaire-Appearance Scale (MBRSQ-AS) with alpha Cronbach α=.941. Result showed using Product Moment Pearson that body image significantly correlated with Subjective WellBeing at level 0,589 (p <0.05

The psychological effect of COVID-19 quarantine on Greek young adults: Risk factors and the protective role of daily routine and altruism.

To save lives and slow the spread of COVID‐19 Greece imposed a country‐wide, 6‐week lockdown and a stay‐at‐home order at an early stage. This study examines the effect of quarantine on young adults by assessing depression, anxiety, stress and the experience of positive and negative affect. The role of potential risk factors such as disruption of normal life, perceived threat of the disease, acquaintance with someone infected and gender; and protective factors, such as adherence to a daily routine and altruism was evaluated. An online questionnaire entailing demographics, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS‐21), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), measures of life disruption, perceived threat and adherence to a daily routine and an altruism scale was completed by 1018 undergraduates. Increased levels of depression, anxiety, stress and negative affect were found. Life disruption and perceived threat of the disease were risk factors in all psychological distress measures, while a stable, satisfying daily routine and altruism mitigated the negative consequences. Gender was a moderator. Acknowledging the psychological effect of quarantine on young adults should be the starting point for interventions. Helping people build a new routine and assign an altruistic meaning to the confinement can protect psychological health.

Association between resilience and burnout of front-line nurses at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic: Positive and negative affect as mediators in Wuhan.

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is having a dramatic effect on the mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs). Upon the emergence of the COVID‐19 pandemic, the Chinese government dispatched about 42 000 HCWs to Wuhan City and Hubei Province to fight this pandemic. This study briefly examines front‐line nurses who experienced burnout, with the main objective of investigating the mediating roles of positive and negative affect in the relationship between resilience and burnout in Wuhan hospitals at the peak of the COVID‐19 pandemic. A total of 180 front‐line nurses voluntarily participated via a social media group. They completed the online questionnaires, including the Maslach Burnout Inventory‐General Survey (MBI‐GS), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD‐RISC), demographics, and work‐related characteristics. Structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis was used to examine the mediating effect of positive and negative affect on the relationship between resilience and burnout. The total prevalence of burnout was 51.7%, of which 15.0% were severe burnout. These preliminary results revealed that positive and negative affect fully mediated the effects of resilience on burnout, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment of front‐line nurses. It is necessary to know the impact of resilience on HCWs with burnout through the positive and negative affect of individual backgrounds and situations, and how policymakers can deploy resilience interventions to support front‐line HCWs.

Interaction of emotional regulation and outdoor thermal perception: A pilot study in a cold region of China

Emotions affect cognition, perception, and response to the external world. In this study, six open spaces on a university campus in Xi'an, China were selected to detect emotional responses to thermal perceptions from 516 staff and students. Respondents' emotional changes and subjective thermal sensation vote (TSV) were recorded as they completed a stressful task. Responses were rated using a Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and thermal comfort questionnaires. Respondents' subjective thermal sensation changes, emotional responses, and influence factors on thermal sensation under different physiological equivalent temperature (PET) ranges were analyzed. Results showed that: (1) As air temperature (Ta), globe temperature (Tg) and mean radiation temperature (Tmrt) increased, positive affect (PA) varied as an inverted V-shaped trend, but negative affect (NA) showed the opposite trend. Sky view factors were negatively related to PA, and positively related to NA in summer. Visible green index was negatively related to PA in winter. (2) Neutral PET, neutral PET ranges, preferred PET and thermal acceptable ranges were 19.4 °C, 12.2–26.6 °C, 25.2 °C and 12.9–33.9 °C before a stressful task, 16.3 °C, 8.1–24.5 °C, 24.3 °C and 11.2–33.5 °C after the stressful task, and 20.0 °C, 12.7–27.3 °C, 25.3 °C and 14.1–36.3 °C after recovery, respectively. (3) Wind speed (Va) and Tmrt were the primary meteorological parameters that influenced respondents' thermal sensation. TSV approached to neutral as PA increased; increasing NA may increase TSV. Additionally, the influence of emotional regulation on TSV varied as the range of PET changed.

Audio Described vs. Audiovisual Porn: Cortisol, Heart Rate and Engagement in Visually Impaired vs. Sighted Participants.

Audio description remains the cornerstone of accessibility for visually impaired audiences to all sorts of audiovisual content, including porn. Existing work points to the efficacy of audio description to guarantee immersion and emotional engagement, but evidence on its role in sexual arousal and engagement in porn is still scant. The present study takes on this challenge by comparing sighted and visually impaired participants’ experiences with porn in terms of their physiological response [i.e., cortisol and heart rate (HR)] and self-report measures of affect [Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS); Watson et al., 1988], anxiety [State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI); Spielberger et al., 1970], sexual reactivity and arousal [Sexual Inhibition/Sexual Excitation Scale (SIS/SES); Moyano and Sierra (2014); and the Ratings of Sexual Arousal (RSA); Mosher (2011)], and narrative engagement or transportation [The Transport Narrative Questionnaire, Green and Brock (2013)]. 69 Spanish participants were allocated into three different groups: 25 sighted participants who watched and heard the porn scenes in their audio-visual version (AV); 22 sighted participants who listened to the audio described version without images (AD); and 22 visually impaired participants who also listened to the audio described version without images (ONCE). Overall, results on physiological and self-report measures revealed no significant differences between groups or different versions of the clips. The analysis of cortisol reactivity to porn as the maximum increase or decrease in cortisol (t+12) with respect to baseline values (t−20) revealed no significant differences between the groups, but pointed to a higher percentage of non-responders than responders in the three groups, the highest being found in the ONCE group. As for participants’ cardiac response to the clips, no significant differences were found across the groups, with the highest HR levels being registered in the baseline phase. Self-report measures revealed significant between-group differences in negative affect. The ONCE group displayed the highest pre-task levels of negative affect and was the only group that showed a decrease in negative affect after exposure to the clips. Sighted and visually impaired participants reported to be moderately aroused and immersed in the films, regardless of exposure to AV or AD porn. In addition, correlations found between participants’ levels of self-report sexual arousal and transportation and post-task affect pointed to a positive relationship between exposure to porn and perceived levels of sexual arousal and affect. Results from the study reflected the efficacy of audio description in providing sighted and visually impaired audiences with a similar experience to that offered by original AV porn scenes. This study is exploratory but provides valid, initial groundwork for further research on the impact of audio description on porn reception.

The Onset of Falls Reduces Subjective Well-Being. Findings of a Nationally Representative Longitudinal Study.

Introduction: The prevalence of older individuals experiencing a fall is high. Moreover, falls can have deleterious effects on health status. Additionally, falls can affect the subjective well-being of individuals. However, there is a lack of studies examining the link between falls and subjective well-being. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate whether the onset of falling is associated with (intraindividual) decreases in subjective well-being in men and women.Materials and Methods: Longitudinal data (from wave 5 to wave 6) were taken from a population-based sample of individuals residing in private households in Germany [in our analytical sample: 3,906 observations (men), and 3,718 observations (women)]. Positive and negative affect were quantified using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Life satisfaction was assessed using the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS).Results: Adjusting for various potential confounders, fixed effects regressions showed that the onset of falls was associated with a decrease in positive affect (β = 0.08, p < 0.01), and an increase in negative affect (β = 0.07, p < 0.01) among men. While the onset of falls was not associated with changes in positive affect in women, it was associated with a decrease in negative affect in women (β = 0.06, p < 0.05). Sex differences were significant. The onset of falls was not associated with decreases in life satisfaction in men, nor in women.Discussion: The present study particularly highlights the link between the onset of falls and reduced affective well-being among men. Avoiding falls may contribute to maintaining affective well-being among middle-aged and older men.

The effects of playing the COSMA cognitive games in dementia

Brain Training games are increasingly gaining attention as a non-pharmacological intervention to promote well-being and quality of life in people living with dementia. Herein we present the COSMA software and a pilot study to evaluate its impact on the emotions of people in the spectrum of dementia. The software was created in accordance to the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines as a ‘brain-stimulating’ software for use by people with cognitive impairment i.e., mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early dementia. The pilot study aims to investigate whether the current COSMA game designs have an impact on emotions in people with MCI and early dementia. The emotional evaluation before and after playing COSMA games was carried out using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Our findings demonstrated a small, but significant increase in positive emotions (MCI: p= 0.041; early dementia: p= 0.042) and decrease in negative emotions (MCI: p= 0.001; early dementia: p&lt; 0.001). These preliminary results showed that people with MCI and early dementia experienced positive emotions while playing the COSMA games, suggesting that people with cognitive impairment may benefit from using the COSMA software regularly.

A 16-week concurrent exercise program improves emotional well-being and emotional distress in middle-aged women: the FLAMENCO project randomized controlled trial.

To analyze the influence of a supervised concurrent exercise program on emotional well-being and emotional distress in middle-aged women. This randomized controlled trial included 150 middle-aged women recruited for the FLAMENCO project. Participants were allocated into counseling (n = 75) or exercise (n = 75) groups. The counseling group attended conferences on healthy lifestyle (including diet and physical activity topics). The exercise group followed a 60-min concurrent (aerobic + resistance) exercise training 3 days/wk for 16 weeks. Emotional health was assessed with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) in two diverse timeframes, state (PANAS-S) and trait (PANAS-T) ranging from 10 to 50, where higher scores reflect greater affective emotional health/experience (positive affect subscale) and greater emotional distress (negative affect subscale). The differences between the counseling and exercise groups in PANAS were analyzed by linear regression. The total number of women for the per-protocol analyses was 111 divided into the counseling (n = 53) and exercise (n = 58) groups. After adjusting for body mass index and Mediterranean diet adherence, PANAS-S and PANAS-T-positive affect scores increased by 3.81 and 3.02, respectively, in the exercise group whereas they decreased by 0.15 and increased by 0.51 in the counseling group (both, P < 0.05). PANAS-T negative affect decreased by 4.10 in the exercise group whereas only decreased by 0.9 in the counseling group (P < 0.05). A 16-week concurrent exercise program improved emotional experience in middle-aged women. Specifically, women in the exercise group significantly improved their emotional well-being and emotional distress through greater changes in positive affect and negative affect compared with the counseling group.

Factor Structure of the PANAS With Bayesian Structural Equation Modeling in a Chinese Sample.

The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) is the most widely used self-report instrument for assessing affect. However, there are inconsistent findings regarding the factor structure of the PANAS. In this study, we applied Bayesian structural equation modeling (BSEM) to investigate the structure of the PANAS using data from a sample of 893 Chinese middle and high school students. Four models, the orthogonal two-, the oblique two-, the three-, and the bi-factor models were tested with prior specifications including approximately zero cross-loadings and residual covariances. The results indicated that the orthogonal two-factor model specified with informative priors for both cross-loadings and residual correlations has the best model fit. Confirmatory factor analysis with the maximum likelihood estimator (ML-CFA) based on modifications from BSEM analysis showed improved model fit compared to ML-CFA based on frequentist analysis, which is the evidence for the merit of BSEM for addressing misspecifications.

The Relationships Between Self-compassion, Positive and Negative Affect, and Marital Quality in Infertile Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Objectives: Infertility presents extensive psychological effects on infertile couple’s marital life, especially in women during infertility treatment. Studying the essential psychological factors and their correlations on a large scale could rehabilitate the mental health of infertile women and facilitate the stressful process of infertility treatment. This systematic review aimed to study the literature and relationships among self-compassion, positive and negative affect, and marital quality in infertile women. Methods: To examine the considered association, a comprehensive literature search was performed to identify relevant articles in English and Persian published from 2000 to May 2020 and indexed in Pubmed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Science Direct, Jstore, Cochrane Library, Medline, SID, Irandoc, Civilica, and Magiran. The study eligibility criteria included only infertile couples/women who were clinically diagnosed with infertility. The measurement tools used by studies consisted of at least one of the following: Self-Compassion Scale (SCS); Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS); Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS), and infertility-related questionnaires. The search strategy of this review was per PICO (Population, Intervention, Control, and Outcomes) and included the terms Self-Compassion (SC), Positive and Negative Affect (PANA), and Marital Quality (MQ) in infertile women. To identify further eligible studies, the bibliographies of primary articles were manually searched to meet the inclusion criteria. The quality of studies was graded by GRADE from the Cochrane handbook. The studies were investigated concerning design, risk of bias, inconsistency, indirectness, imprecision, and publication. Results: SC could play a mediating role in the relationship with PANA, and MQ in infertile women undergoing infertility treatment. Discussion: This systematic review highlighted the importance of addressing psychological characteristics which can affect the biopsychological health of infertile women undergoing infertility treatment.

Test-retest reliability and correlates of the 6-min walk test in people with alcohol use disorders.

People with alcohol use disorders (AUD) are at a higher risk for physical co-morbidities. Consequently, their daily life functioning needs to be reliably assessed and followed-up. We examined the reliability of the 6-min walk test (6MWT) in a cohort of inpatients with AUD. Secondary aims were to assess minimal detectable changes (MDC95 ), practice effects and associations of the 6MWT with demographical and clinical variables. Two 6MWTs were administered within 3 days to 45 (32♂) inpatients with a DSM-5 diagnosis of AUD. Physical complaints before and after the 6MWT were recorded. Patients performed a standing broad jump to assess muscle strength and completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Patients walked 636.3±82.3 meters and 638.1±77.6 meters at the first and second test. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.94 (95% confidence interval 0.90-0.97). The MDC95 was 15 meters for men and 9 meters for women. No practice effect was detected. The presence of feet or ankle problems or pain before the test, dyspnea after the test, impaired muscle strength and lower PANAS positive affect scores were independently related to shorter 6MWT distance accounting for 67.3% of the variance. The 6MWT is a reliable tool for evaluating the functional exercise capacity in inpatients with AUD. Health care professionals should consider musculoskeletal and respiratory symptoms when interpreting fitness test outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Sleep and chronotype in relation to work-related stress and negative affect: The moderating role of a flexible start of work

Abstract Objectives The present study investigated the relationships between sleep (sleep duration and need for additional sleep time in the morning), chronotype, work-related stress, and negative affect in daytime workers. Furthermore, it was examined whether a flexible start of work moderates these relationships. Methods A cross-sectional online study was conducted. Participants were 438 (247 female) daytime workers between 18 and 73 years (mean = 37.68, standard deviation = 12.39). The questionnaire included the “sleep duration” subscale of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), two subscales of the Trier Inventory for the Assessment of Chronic Stress (TICS), the negative affect scale of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), questions regarding how many minutes participants would like to sleep longer in the morning, and how flexible their start of work is. Results Short sleep duration and a greater need for additional sleep in the morning were significantly associated with late chronotype. Shorter sleep duration, a greater need for additional sleep, and a late chronotype were associated with higher work-related stress and negative affect. A flexible start of work moderated these relationships: People with longer sleep duration, less need for additional sleep time, and an early chronotype showed lower stress and negative affect levels when having a flexible start of work. A flexible start of work showed no or negative effects on workers with shorter sleep duration, a greater need for additional sleep time, or a late chronotype. Conclusions The effect of a flexible start of work for daytime worker’s well-being depends on a person’s individual sleep timing and chronotype.

Effect of Prosody of Rhythmic Yoga-Based Recitation on Positive and Negative Affect among Adolescents: A Four-Armed Comparative Study

Background: Adolescence is a critical period of maturation and immense emotional and behavioral changes. Yoga-based rhythmic recitations have been established to improve emotional personality features. Aim: The current four-arm comparative study attempted to appreciate the rhythmic recitations/prosody on Emotional personality among adolescents. Method: 138 adolescents (age 12.11 ± 0.76 years) satisfying inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited and randomly allocated into four groups i.e., Humming the recitation following a Chanda (HR), Chanting a mantra (CM), Reading an English phrase, and Silent sitting, based on sections of their respective grades. Group intervention was done for 5 minutes, 3 times a day, for 30 days. According to their allocated group was provided. Subjects were assessed with positive and negative Affect Schedules (PANAS) at baseline and post-intervention. Result: There was no difference in both domains of PANAS in within group analysis. However, the positive affect was statistically significant when compared between the groups (p&gt;0.01). A post-hoc analysis revealed the superiority of the CM and HM groups in positive affect alone when compared with other two groups. Conclusion: There was no statistical difference between CM and HM groups in both domains of PANAS. A humming prosody and mantra chanting demonstrated a similar effect on the amelioration of a positive Emotional personality among adolescents.

The Relationship Between the Implementation of Statutory Preventative Measures, Perceived Susceptibility of COVID-19, and Personality Traits in the Initial Stage of Corona-Related Lockdown: A German and Austrian Population Online Survey.

Background: Particularly during the early and middle stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, a population's compliance with precautionary measures (e.g., hygiene rules, smart working, travel restrictions, and quarantine) is paramount in preventing the virus from spreading.Objective: The investigation and documentation of different socio-demographic and personality-specific factors in regards to preventative measures and consequent specific health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the Health Belief Model.Method: An online survey was conducted on N = 3,006 individuals living in Germany and Austria during the early stages of lockdown. The questionnaire consisted of a self-administered section, exploring the dimensions posited in the Health Belief Model: perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, perceived barriers, perceived benefits of health-promoting measures, and engagement in health-promoting behaviors. Additionally, the following standardized scales were used to record personality determinants: the Stress Coping Style Questionnaire SVF 78 to evaluate coping and processing strategies in stressful circumstances, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) to assess the emotional state induced by the coronavirus crisis, the UI-18 scale to diagnose the intolerance of uncertainty, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) to assess anxiety.Results: In line with the Health Belief model, four groups were created based on perceived susceptibility and engagement in health-promoting behaviors, and consequently studied in relation to personality determinants. Those four groups differed significantly in regards to almost all personality dimensions (p ≤ 0.005). Group 1 (n = 450) shows a reduced engagement with protective measures and displays underestimation of the COVID-19-pandemic. Group 2 (n = 984) displays many positive personality variables and high compliance with protective measures. Group 3 (n = 468) perceives the subjective risk of disease as high, but high emotional discomfort and stress caused by the protective measures leads to the activation of a complex fear defense. Group 4 (n = 1,004) is highly anxious and therefore compliant.Conclusion: This typification has implications for establishing the appropriate support systems. This is particularly important to encourage compliance with preventive regulations within the groups, which showed poor abidance for several reasons. For Group 1, further education on the realistic threat and efficient protective measures is as central as the fostering of empathy for others; with its resource-conscious exemplary behavior Group 2 could be used as a positive social role model. Group 3 would benefit from promoting self-care, while Group 4 requires information on psychosocial assistance availability in order to mitigate the high stress to which the group members are subjected.

Effects of dance on mood and potential of dance as a mental health intervention

Background Restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in people having to find new ways to exercise. One such way is dance, an activity that can be undertaken at home and adapted to suit most people’s abilities. Dance has been shown to have physical and psychological benefits, but little is known about the effect of dance on mood according to dance style.Aim To explore the effect of dance on mood in two groups of participants – one engaging in ballet and the other in tap – compared with a control group, and to assess whether the effect of dance on mood differs depending on dance style.Methods Eighty-two participants (78 females) recruited from three dance schools and clubs in the Midlands and the north-east of England completed the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) mood scale. Participants in the intervention groups completed the PANAS before and after participating in a ballet class or a tap class. Participants in the control group completed the PANAS before and after a one-hour wait in a similar environment to the two dance groups.Results Participating in a dance class, whether ballet or tap, resulted in greater improvements in mood than being in the control group. Both age and dance class status predicted improved mood, but age was a stronger predictor than dance class status. There was no statistically significant difference in mood improvements between those attending a ballet class and those attending a tap class.Conclusion Dance may offer a way of enhancing mood, particularly for those who are restricted to exercising at home. Mental health nurses could consider using dance as a mental health intervention in addition to more traditional therapeutic approaches, potentially as a social prescription intervention.

The role of psychological variables in improving resilience: Comparison of an online intervention with a face-to-face intervention. A randomised controlled clinical trial in students of health sciences

BackgroundMost studies on improving resilience lack representative samples and pre- and post-intervention assessments. Results regarding the effectiveness of online interventions versus face-to-face interventions are mixed. ObjectivesTo evaluate the effectiveness of online and face-to-face programmes for the improvement of coping strategies to develop resilience to stressful situations, and to assess their relationship with personality traits, mood, and academic stressors. DesignRandomised controlled clinical trial. Three-armed parallel design. Participants245 students of the Nursing and Physical Therapy Degree. MethodsStudents were randomly assigned to the control group (CG), intervention group 1 (IG-1, face-to-face) or intervention group 2 (IG-2, online). They were assessed after the intervention with the following instruments: the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Academic Stressors Scale, the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the NEO-FFI scale. ResultsNegative affect was higher in IG-1 (p = 0.12). The greatest stressors were methodological deficiencies of the teaching staff, academic overload, and beliefs about academic performance. The most widely used coping strategies were “Active Problem-Focused Coping” and “Seeking Social Support”. There were differences between IG-1 and IG-2 only regarding “Focus on and Venting of Emotions” (p = 0.086). On the Resilience scale, “Persistence, Tenacity, and Self-Efficacy” was higher in the CG, and there were differences with IG-1 (p = 0.06). With respect to the traits measured by the NEO-FFI questionnaire, higher levels of emotional instability (neuroticism) were observed in IG-1 than in the CG (p = 0.06). ConclusionsThe results of both interventions are similar, with increased self-awareness of negative personality traits, which is useful for those ignoring their areas for improvement. In addition, these factors are further increased in individuals with high levels of neuroticism and low levels of extraversion. The online intervention was as effective as the face-to-face intervention.