Positive Psychological Constructs Research Articles

Positive psychological well-being: A novel concept for improving symptoms, quality of life, and health behaviors in irritable bowel syndrome.

Though a growing body of research suggests that greater positive psychological well-being in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may be protective, existing brain-gut behavior therapies primarily target negative psychological factors. Little is known about how positive psychological factors in IBS relate to IBS symptoms, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), or adherence to key health behaviors, such as physical activity and diet modification. Accordingly, per the ORBIT model of behavioral treatment development for chronic diseases, we explored potential connections between psychological constructs and IBS symptoms, health behavior engagement (physical activity and dietary modification), and HRQoL in a qualitative study to inform the development of a novel brain-gut behavior therapy. Participants with IBS completed self-report assessments and semi-structured phone interviews about relationships between positive and negative psychological constructs, IBS symptoms, health behavior engagement, and HRQoL. Participants (n=23; 57% female) ranged in age from 25 to 79 (mean age=54). IBS subtypes were similarly represented (IBS-diarrhea [n=8], IBS-constipation [n=7], and IBS-mixed [n=8]). Participants described opposing relationships between positive and negative psychological constructs, IBS symptoms, health behavior engagement, and HRQoL, respectively, such that experiencing positive constructs largely mitigated IBS symptoms, boosted health behavior participation, and improved HRQoL, and negative constructs exacerbated symptoms, reduced health behavior participation, and worsened HRQoL. Participants with IBS linked greater positive psychological well-being to moderated IBS symptoms and better HRQoL and health behavior participation. An intervention to cultivate greater well-being may be a novel way to mitigate IBS symptoms, boost health behavior participation, and improve HRQoL in IBS.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES ON LATER-LIFE DEPRESSION: THE ROLE OF BRAIN HEALTH

Abstract Bi-directional associations between depression and cognitive functioning are magnified among aging individuals, challenging behavioral health providers who treat older adults experiencing clinical and subsyndromal depression. This symposium contributes to the science and practice of assessing and treating later-life depression while also attending to issues in professional training. The first paper presents pre-treatment data from the multi-site Optimum Study of older adults experiencing treatment-resistant depression (n = 529). The relevance of positive psychological constructs is supported with analyses showing important relationships among cognitive functioning, social participation, and psychological well-being. The second paper describes the development of an updated measure to assess behavioral health providers’ knowledge of later life depression, including brain health concerns. Psychometric data for the measure were generated from a random pool of licensed social workers (N=900) who were mailed the survey packet. The third presentation features an experimental study demonstrating that foundational information about aging, including debunking misconceptions about cognitive aging, influenced continuing education preferences of generalist Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs). Among the randomly generated pool of LPCs (N = 120), participants who received aging-specific information were more likely to later choose an aging-specific continuing education option. The fourth paper highlights recommendations for mental health practitioners working in primary care and general medical settings with older adults who have co-existing depressive symptoms and cognitive concerns. The fifth and final presentation describes cognitive behavioral clinical tools to address brain health concerns in the context of later-life depression, using the new Brain Health module of a published client workbook.

Positive psychological constructs and cognitive function: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

To synthesise evidence regarding the association between positive psychological constructs (PPCs) and cognitive function in adults aged 50+. Literature searches: Medline, PsycINFO, and Scopus (inception to February 2022). Studies were included if they reported on the association between at least one PPC and one objective measure of cognitive function in people aged 50+ without cognitive impairment at baseline. Where at least two studies reported on the same PPC and cognitive outcome, estimates were pooled through meta-analysis. In total, 37 studies were included. There was evidence of cross-sectional associations for 'meaning in life' (verbal fluency: b=0.09, 95%CI [0.07, 0.11], p<.001; memory: b=0.10, 95%CI [0.08, 0.12], p<.001), 'purpose in life' (verbal fluency: b=0.07, 95%CI [0.05, 0.08], p<.001; memory: r=0.13, 95%CI [0.08, 0.18], p<.001), and positive affect (cognitive state: r=0.25, 95%CI [0.14, 0.36], p<.001; memory: r=0.05, 95%CI [0.02, 0.08], p<.001) with various domains of cognitive function. However, no significant results were found for life satisfaction (p=.13) or longitudinal studies investigating positive affect and memory (p=.48). Other PPCs were included in narrative syntheses only. Purpose and meaning in life may be sensible primary targets for interventions to promote healthy cognitive aging. More longitudinal and causal inference research is needed to better understand this association and its implications for clinical practice.

Exploring the role of translators' emotion regulation and critical thinking ability in translation performance.

In recent years, the field of psychology has received more attention from researchers that work in the area of translation studies. This review set out to delve into the role of translation students' critical thinking, as a construct of cognitive psychology, and emotion regulation, as a positive psychological construct, in translation performance. The positive and significant relationship between translation students' critical thinking skill and their translation performance has been verified in the literature. Moreover, studies have revealed that emotion regulation and its regulator components, such as emotional intelligence, intuition, resilience, and professional expertise can significantly influence translation performance. This review can be beneficial for translation trainees, translation trainers, and curriculum designers to raise their awareness about the role of critical thinking and emotion regulation in translation studies.

The meaning and experience of hope by people living with dementia as expressed through poetry.

Narratives of dementia can undermine the ability of people to live well. Positive psychology, concerned with the cultivation of personal strengths, is a model through which people's capacity to have positive experiences can be researched. This study explored the meanings and experiences of hope, a positive psychological construct found to facilitate well-being, in people with dementia. People with dementia submitted poems about the meanings and their experiences of hope through an online platform. The submitted poems (n = 29) underwent thematic analysis. There were three main themes: (1) "hope is light in the darkness" encapsulated the meaning ascribed to hope as a resource that spotlights what is still possible, (2) "poetry gives voice to experiences of hope" captured the role of poetry in communicating the otherwise elusive concept of hope, and (3)"peers uphold hope and cast away the darkness" captured that participants' hope was blocked by stigmatising views held and expressed by others but facilitated through positive social interactions. People are capable of having hope in the context of dementia, with hope being a uniquely functional strength that supports wellbeing. Health professionals, family and society have a clear role in supporting people with dementia to maintain their hope.

New horizons in group psychotherapy research and practice from third wave positive psychology: a practice-friendly review.

Group psychotherapy has been shown to be equivalent to individual therapy for many disorders, including anxiety, depression, grief, eating disorders, and schizophrenia (Burlingame & Strauss, 2021). In addition to effectiveness in reducing symptoms, group offers members a sense of belonging, purpose, hope, altruism, and meaning throughout treatment (Yalom & Leszcz, 2020). These additional outcomes are especially important considering the COVID-19 pandemic and national/international conflicts, given the trauma, disruptions, and losses people have experienced. Applying recent developments in positive psychology to group therapy can enhance treatment. A practice-friendly review examined recent advances in the positive psychology literature, demonstrating how group therapy offers members unique growth opportunities in addition to reducing symptoms. Key findings from studies applying positive psychological constructs to group therapy outcomes are synthesized. Our review sheds light on the relevance of third wave positive psychology to enrich group therapy (Lomas et al., 2021). Specifically, group therapy can facilitate the development of vitalizing psychological virtues, and these can be used to assess treatment outcome: humanity, wisdom, transcendence, courage, temperance, and justice. Interrelatedly, we present support for including attachment theory and mentalization within a positive psychological group framework. Implications are explored for group therapy research, clinical work, and training.

Mindful eating, intuitive eating, and the loss of control over eating

BackgroundThe loss of control over eating (LOCE) is frequently cited as a core process of eating disturbances. In contrast, mindful eating and intuitive eating have been identified as adaptive styles of eating and have been associated with positive psychological constructs. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate whether mindful or intuitive eating are potential protective factors for the loss of control over eating. Methods1155 participants (64.2 % female) were recruited from a large university. Participants were administered select subscales of the Intuitive Eating Scale – 2nd edition (IES-2) and Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ), and the brief Loss of Control over Eating Scale (LOCES-B). ResultsControlling for BMI and age, intuitive and mindful eating were significantly associated with LOCE, F (8,966) = 114.78, p < .001, R2 = 0.49. Both IES-2 subscales were negatively associated with LOCE: 1) eating for physical rather than emotional reasons and 2) reliance on hunger and satiety cues, p < .001. One MEQ subscale was negatively associated with LOCE: disinhibition, p < .001. The MEQ subscales assessing awareness and external cues were not significantly associated with LOCE. ConclusionsResults suggest that while some forms of mindful eating and intuitive eating are potential protective factors, others may be less relevant to LOCE. These findings have implications for treatment, as they suggest intuitive eating may counteract the loss of control over eating. The findings also provide evidence for convergent validity of the LOCES by clarifying positive constructs that may protect against the development of this core eating pathology.

Psychological wellbeing and the association with burnout in a cohort of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Burnout, depression, and anxiety are prevalent among healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic and have been previously shown to contribute to poor health outcomes and reduced quality of care. Positive psychological constructs such as positive affect and meaning and purpose are related to resilience in the face of significant stress. No studies have examined these associations among a cohort of HCWs during this pandemic. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of depression, anxiety, positive affect, and meaning and purpose with burnout among HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. We utilized data from a cross-sectional survey conducted between September 29-December 8, 2021, among a cohort of 2,411 HCWs from a large, tertiary academic health care system in the Chicago area. We employed the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures for depression, anxiety, positive affect, and meaning and purpose and burnout was measured by the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI). The majority (80.88%) of HCWs in this study identified as White, Non-Hispanic race/ethnicity, female sex (82.37%), and roughly one third were between ages 30-39 years old (30.98%). Registered nurses (26.96%) accounted for the largest single occupation group. The mean burnout score was 36.87 (SD = 7.65), with 53.38% of participants classified as having burnout, and registered nurses demonstrating the highest proportions of burnout (63.54%). Higher depression (coef = 0.15, SE = 0.03, p < 0.001) and anxiety (coef = 0.25, SE = 0.02, p < 0.001) scores were associated with higher burnout in multivariable linear regression models. Increased positive affect (coef= -0.19, SE= 0.02, p < 0.001) and meaning and purpose (coef= -0.12, SE= 0.01, p < 0.001) scores were significantly associated with reduced burnout. Positive affect and meaning and purpose were inversely associated with burnout among a cohort of HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous studies of positive affect and meaning and purpose suggest the potential buffering effect that these indices may have on burnout. Future research is needed to examine the effect of positive affect and meaning and purpose on mitigating the negative impacts of burnout, depression, and anxiety among HCWs as they cope with the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Positive psychology and attitudes to ageing in people aged 50 and over in the United Kingdom

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether attitudes to ageing were associated with attitudes to positive psychology constructs. Methods : A cross-sectional online survey of 572 UK adults aged 50+ (mean age 64.6 years, SD = 8.4, 73.8% female) assessed attitudes to ageing using the Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire (AAQ) in relation to measures of positive psychology including (1) belief in a just world—Just World Scale (JWS-Self and JWS-Other), (2) sense of coherence—Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC) and (3) positive well-being—Control, Autonomy, Self-Realization, and Pleasure Scale (CASP-19). Other factors included difficulties with hearing and eyesight, relative and carer status and demographics. Results: People with hearing and eyesight difficulties had lower CASP-19 and SOC scores, and more negative attitudes to ageing compared to people without sensory problems. Hierarchical regression analyses showed all three positive psychology scales predicted more positive attitudes to ageing. Being a carer for a person with dementia was associated with more negative attitudes to ageing. Conclusion: Whereas health and sensory problems relate to more negative attitudes to ageing, this study highlights the importance of positive psychological factors which could inform approaches seeking to promote well-being and health in older people.

Considerations for Advancing the Conceptualization of Well-being.

In this commentary, we raise several points regarding Park and colleagues' emotional well-being framework. First, we question whether the term emotional well-being is appropriate and whether a new framework is necessary, and we argue that the field may be better served through other efforts, such as clarifying the distinctions between different well-being constructs and providing guidance on best practices for measurement and intervention. In addition, we note that by placing well-being on the opposite end of the spectrum from despair and depression, Park and colleagues have overlooked the influences of stress, distress, and life challenges on shaping positive aspects of well-being, and vice versa. Furthermore, we challenge the conceptualization of well-being as encompassing how positive an individual feels generally and about life overall. In its current form, this definition of well-being is overly static and trait-like, whereas a process-oriented conceptualization would more closely align with how well-being unfolds in real-life contexts and would be more suitable for identifying mechanistic targets for intervention. Finally, we raise the concern that the process for developing this definition of well-being did not actively involve input from diverse communities that have historically been disserved and underrepresented in research, practice, and policy. The cultural differences in constituents of well-being as well as evidence demonstrating that key positive psychological constructs (e.g., positive affect, sense of control) are less health-protective in racial/ethnic minorities than in whites necessitate greater integration of perspectives from underrepresented communities to build a more inclusive and accurate understanding of well-being.

Conceptualisation and psychometric evaluation of positive psychological outcome measures used in adolescents and young adults living with HIV: a mixed scoping and systematic review protocol

IntroductionSub-Saharan Africa bears the greatest burden of HIV. Concomitant mental disorders are common, necessitating the integration of mental healthcare into routine HIV care. Consequently, it is necessary to holistically evaluate...

Do Positive Psychological Factors Equally Predict Resistance to Upper Respiratory Infections in African and European Americans?

Research has consistently shown that positive psychological constructs are linked to better physical health, but few studies have examined the role that race plays in this connection. We explored whether positive self-evaluations were equally protective against upper respiratory infection for 271 African American adults and 700 European American adults in a series of virus-exposure studies. Participants were assessed at baseline for psychological functioning and physical health, quarantined and exposed experimentally to a respiratory virus, and then monitored for infection and symptoms. Regression analyses revealed significant interactions between race and multiple positive psychological factors; several factors that were helpful to European Americans were unhelpful or even harmful to African Americans. Building on past work showing cross-cultural variation in the health correlates of affect, this study provides evidence that the health benefits of positive psychological constructs may not be universal and points to the need to explore factors that underpin these observed differential patterns.

A thematic analysis of Tweets about purpose in life

ABSTRACT Researchers have grown increasingly interested in studying the effects of purpose and in cultivating purpose among lay people. However, little is known about how people discuss purpose in their daily lives; understanding this would be useful to mental health professionals and purpose-fostering programs trying to help people cultivate purpose. Using key words and phrases generated through natural language processing, we identified 2,000 Tweets referencing purpose and used them to conduct three thematic analyses. Findings suggest that people regard the pursuit of purpose as a socially desirable aim, that they find the search for purpose to be anxiety-provoking, and that they believe purposes can be cultivated even if they are not necessarily sure how to go about doing so. This study highlights a novel and potentially useful method for studying lay conceptions of positive psychological constructs, and it outlines implications of our findings for the study and support of purpose.

Positive Organizational Psychology Factors as Serial Multiple Mediators of the Relationship between Organization Support and Job Satisfaction Among Peer Support Specialists.

Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of peer support specialists in helping people with severe mental illness increase community tenure, decrease hospitalization, boost treatment satisfaction, improve social functioning, and increase quality of life. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate positive organizational psychology constructs as serial multiple mediators of the relationships between perceived organizational support and job satisfaction among peer support specialists. One hundred and twenty-one peer support specialists from the Texas statewide peer certification training programs and the National Association of Peer Supporters participated in the present study. These peer support specialists completed an online survey composed of self-report measures related to perceived organizational support, positive organizational psychology factors, and job satisfaction. A serial multiple mediation (SMMA) analysis was conducted to evaluate autonomous motivation to work, work engagement, and organizational commitment as mediators of the relationship between perceived organizational support and job satisfaction. The SMMA model accounted for 49% of the variation in job satisfaction scores (R2 =. 49, f2 = 0.96 [> 0.35], a large effect size). Autonomous motivation to work, work engagement, and organizational commitment were significantly associated with job satisfaction after controlling for the effect of perceived organizational support. Perceived organizational support increased autonomous motivation to work, work engagement, organizational commitment, and job satisfaction. Peer support specialists are integral members of the interdisciplinary mental health treatment team. Leaders of community-based mental health and rehabilitation agencies who are committed to hire and retain peer support specialists must provide strong organizational support and develop interventions to increase peer support specialists' autonomous motivation to work, work engagement, and organizational commitment as a job retention and career development strategy.

The Mediating Effect of PsyCap on Social Entrepreneurial Intention by Gender and Pandemic

This study investigated the mediating effect of positive psychological capital (PsyCap) on social entrepreneurial intention (SEI) by gender and the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey data were collected from two cohorts of graduating senior business college students at a Sino-American University in China. The samples of 249 and 253 responses came from before and during the pandemic situation. The pandemic affected SEI differently by gender. Results indicated that females were more likely to change their perceptions of environmental factors than males. However, positive psychological capital (PsyCap) universally mediates the relationship between environmental factors and SEI. Notably, hope emerged as a positive and universal psychological construct that creates and sustains SEI regardless of the pandemic and gender. This study contributes to the literature on RL, SEI, and PsyCap, which has implications for education and public policy about promoting responsible social leadership. Suggestions are also provided for future research.

Reasons for living, positive psychological constructs and their relationship with suicide ideation in people with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Positive psychological constructs such as reasons for living, self-esteem and resilience have previously been shown to act as protective psychological barriers against negative psychological outcomes, including suicide ideation in both clinical populations and the general population. This study aims to explore the positive psychological constructs of reasons for living, self-esteem, resilience and their relationship with suicide ideation and predictors of suicide ideation (depression, hopelessness) for N = 50 people who have a severe TBI and are currently receiving community rehabilitation at Liverpool Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit (LBIRU), NSW. Results indicated good reliability for the use of the RFLI with people who have TBI, with the most frequently endorsed subscale (range 0–5) being “survival and coping beliefs” (4.7 ± 1.0) and the least frequently being “fear of suicide” (2.2 ± 1.1). The shortened version of the RFLI (BRFLI) also displayed good reliability. Positive psychological constructs (reasons for living, resilience, self-esteem) were all significantly inversely associated with suicide and suicide predictors (depression, hopelessness). This study suggests that positive psychological constructs can act as a buffer against suicide ideation after moderate to severe TBI.

The Predictive Role of Chinese English as a Foreign Language Teachers' Psychological Capital in Their Job Commitment and Academic Optimism.

Positive psychology (PP) has received increasing attention in the field of education. Therefore, it would be of utmost importance to analyze the relationship between the constructs falling under the category of positive psychology and other constructs to pave the way for both educational authorities and teachers themselves. Reviewing the previous studies, it turned out that there have been no studies to discuss the interplay between teachers’ psychological capital and their job commitment and academic optimism particularly in the context of China. To fill this gap, the current study set out to inspect the function of Chinese English as a Foreign language (EFL) teachers’ psychological capital in promoting their job commitment and academic optimism. To accomplish this, 316 Chinese teachers (i.e., 97 males, 219 females) were asked to complete “Psychological Capital Scale,” “Job Commitment Scale,” and “Academic Optimism Scale.” The results of regression analyses revealed that Chinese EFL teachers’ psychological capital can strongly predict their job commitment and academic optimism. The conclusion and implications of the results are finally discussed and it is mentioned that both educational authorities and teachers can benefit from this study and make the experience of teaching much more productive.

On the Role of Chinese English as a Foreign Language: Teachers' Well-Being and Loving Pedagogy in Their Academic Engagement.

Positive emotions are regarded as vital issues in English as a foreign language (EFL) instruction. This study attempted to consider the relationships between Chinese EFL teachers’ psychological well-being, loving Pedagogy, and work engagement as the constructs of positive psychology in academic contexts. It also tried to examine the contribution of psychological well-being and loving pedagogy in work engagement. To this end, 414 Chinese EFL teachers including participated in this study. The three questionnaires called Dispositions toward Loving Pedagogy Scale, Index of Psychological Well-Being at Work, and Self-report Engagement Questionnaire were distributed among learners. The findings showed significant relationships between well-being, loving pedagogy, and work engagement. Moreover, the results indicated that teachers’ psychological well-being significantly predicted their work engagement. This study provided some implications for teachers, teacher educators, and educational policy-makers to raise their awareness of adopting loving pedagogy and boosting teacher well-being for the enhancement of teacher involvement in academic contexts.

Taking stock: A meta-analysis of the effects of foreign language enjoyment

Studies examining the positive emotion of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) have recently increased exponentially, as researchers are applying the tenets of positive psychology in applied linguistics. It is therefore an appropriate time to take stock of the current literature and conduct a preliminary meta-analysis. The relationships between FLE and four variables, namely, foreign language anxiety (FLA), willingness to communicate (WTC), academic achievement, and self-perceived achievement were examined. A total of k = 96 effect sizes were analyzed with an overall sample size of N = 28,166 in random-effects models with correlation coefficients. There was a moderate negative correlation between FLE and FLA. In turn, moderate positive correlations were found between FLE and WTC, FLE and academic achievement, and FLE and self-perceived achievement. These positive associations confirm the value of FLE in FL learning and further affirm the need for researchers to examine positive psychology constructs in the foreign language classroom.

The (quiet) ego and sales: Transcending self-interest and its relationship with adaptive selling

There is consistent empirical support for the benefits of using adaptive selling behaviors with customers. However, the identification of trainable salesperson antecedents remains elusive in practice with respect to what enables salespeople to adapt their behaviors. We suggest that the salesperson’s personal resources provide unique, unexplored opportunities in the sales and marketing literature. Specifically, we examine quiet ego, a positive psychological construct, and assert its potential as an explanatory variable for adaptive selling behaviors. Using a job demands-resources framework, we develop a conceptual model to better understand the effects of quiet ego on selling behaviors and salesperson performance. Further, we examine its effects when moderated by a common demand in sales, role conflict. A cross-sectional study that includes data from business-to-business sales professionals is used to test the proposed arguments in the model. Our findings suggest that quiet ego promotes adaptive selling behaviors in customer interactions and indirectly increases sales performance. However, its effects may be limited based on the level of role conflict experienced by the salesperson. A quiet ego may also provide a cost-effective means to assist salespeople in their selling behaviors.