Turkish Sample Research Articles

The Mediator Role of Psychological Resilience in the Relationship of Cognitive Flexibility and Fear of COVID-19

Covid-19 pandemic is thought to cause a lot of short or long-term mental disorders. In order to reduce these problems the pandemic will create to minimum, it is believed that psychological resilience and cognitive flexibility have an important function. In this respect, the direct and indirect relationships and the mediating role between the psychological resilience, cognitive flexibility and fear of Covid-19 were examined in a Turkish sample consisting of 511 people. The data obtained from this sample group were analyzed by structural equality model. Indirect effect estimate of psychological resilience for was tested with the SPSS Macro Process application on the basis of the bootstrap test. As a result of the analysis found that, mediating role of psychological resilience is significant in the relationship between cognitive flexibility and Covid-19 fear.

Physical Activity Involvement and Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Turkish Validity and Reliability of Parent-Reported Involvement Scale

The aim of this study was to test Turkish the validity and reliability of Parent-Reported Involvement Scale: PRIS, and to determine activity involvement level of children with autism who have training table tennis as physical activity. Data were collected from 126 parents who have a child with autism. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were respectively used to test factor structure of the scale in Turkish language. The structure with 3-factor of the scale was analyzed by the Maximum Likelihood and Cronbach’s alphas was calculated for the subscales to evaluate its internal consistency. In addition, correlation between factors were examined with Pearson Correlation Analysis. According to conducted EFA results, the model consisted of 3 subscales. The CFA results proved that model fit indexes (χ2/df= 2.05, GFI= .88, CFI= .88, NFI= .91, SRMR= .09, RMSEA= .09) were within perfect compliance limits with acceptable and supported 3-factor structure of the scale. In addition, the factor loadings of the scale ranged from .48 to .98 and the Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficients were respectively measured as .87, .86, and .87 for “interest intensity”, “social bonding” and “identity expression” sub-dimensions. According to the results obtained, it could be assumed that structure with the 3-factor of the PRIS was a valid and reliable measurement tool todetermine level of leisure involvement of children with autism towards leisure activity. Consequently, it may think that PRIS could be used in Turkish samples in the future research with autism children.

A current view on the neglected topic of male child sexual abuse in the context of literature

AbstractDespite the growing numbers, awareness and reporting rates of male child sexual abuse (MCSA) are still well below the real values, especially in developing countries like Turkey. We examined MCSA to determine the predisposing factors, the characteristics of perpetrators and victims, and the consequences of sexual abuse in a Turkish sample. We retrospectively analysed the files and forensic reports of 51 MCSA victims aged between 6 and 18. The mean age of children was 13.6 ± 3.8 years, and the mean age at the time of abuse was 11.1 ± 3.52. The average exposure time for sexual abuse was 91 ± 226.8 days, and the frequency was 2.4 ± 2.47 times. 17.6 per cent of them had previously been sexually abused. Disclosure times until legal notification was 240.1 ± 552.25 days. Most (56.9 per cent) had suffered anal penetration, developed post traumatic stress disorder, and needed medical treatment. Most perpetrators (58.8 per cent) were strangers outside the family, reaching the children from the neighbourhood. In conclusion, although the number of our sample is limited, the results of our study will contribute valuably to the literature, given that there are few studies on MCSA. Further studies with large samples evaluating MCSA in multidimensional ways are needed to raise awareness and protect vulnerable children.

Turkish Validity and Reliability of the Hikikomori (Social Withdrawal) Scale (HQ-25)

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Hikikomori (HQ-25) scale. Participants: The sample of the study consisted of 418 nursing students. Methods: Language and content validity and exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were used in the validity-reliability analysis of scale. In addition, Cronbach's Alpha coefficient, item-total score correlation, and test-retest reliability methods were used. CFA, it was observed that three-factor structure of scale was preserved in the Turkish sample as well. Significant correlations were found between the scale and other scales (p<0.01). Results: As a result, it was adapted into Turkish, revealing that the scale is valid and reliable in measuring the social withdrawal behavior of individuals. It is recommended to evaluate using the scale in risky groups in terms of social withdrawal.

Social emotional processes during the third wave of COVID-19: Results from a close replication study in a Turkish sample.

Until recently, for almost 3 years, we used face masks to protect against COVID-19. Face masks disrupted our perception of socially relevant information, and impacted our social judgements as a result of the new social norms around wearing masks imposed by the pandemic. To shed light on such pandemic-induced changes in social emotional processes, Calbi et al. analysed data from an Italian sample collected in Spring 2020. They assessed valence, social distance and physical distance ratings for neutral, happy and angry male and female faces covered with a scarf or a mask. A year later, we used the same stimuli to investigate the same measures in a Turkish sample. We found that females attributed more negative valence ratings than males to angry faces, and that angry and neutral faces of females were rated more negatively than those of males. Scarf stimuli were evaluated more negatively in terms of valence. Participants attributed greater distance to more negative faces (angry > neutral > happy) and to scarf than the mask stimuli. Also, females attributed greater social and physical distance than males. These results may be explained by gender-stereotypic socialisation processes, and changes in people's perception of health behaviours during the pandemic.

Maternal childhood trauma and postpartum well-being in a Turkish sample: The path from attachment to alexithymia

Childhood traumas predispose adult individuals to develop insecure attachment styles in close relationships and alexithymia features causing limitations in emotional capacity. For new mothers, postpartum is a period in itself that may increase mood problems such as depression and anxiety and mothers may question their efficacy in their maternal role. Thus, the purpose of the current research was to examine the relationship between maternal childhood trauma, mood problems, and self-efficacy via serial mediation of insecure attachment styles and alexithymia. A sample of postpartum Turkish mothers with healthy singleton infants (N = 63, Mage = 29.19) participated in the research. Mothers filled out the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form, the Perceived Maternal Parenting Self-Efficacy Tool, CES-Depression Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory-II, and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale during a home visit when the infants were one month old. In statistical analyses, the PROCESS macro for serial multiple mediation was applied. The results indicated that the relationship between maternal childhood trauma and postpartum depression and anxiety was serially mediated by anxious attachment and, in turn, alexithymia. On the other hand, the serial mediator roles of insecure attachment styles and alexithymia on the relationship between maternal childhood trauma and postpartum self-efficacy were not significant; rather, the direct effect of maternal childhood trauma on postpartum self-efficacy was significant. Findings suggest anxious, rather than avoidant, attachment, and alexithymia as intervention targets to buffer the effects of maternal childhood trauma on postpartum mood problems and self-efficacy, which may consequently prevent the intergenerational transmission of risk.

Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the vital signs monitoring on pediatric wards scale (Ped-V scale)

PurposeThe aim of this study should be to adopt the Turkish version of the vital signs monitoring on pediatric wards scale (Ped-V scale). Design and methodThis methodological study was carried out with 331 pediatric nurses aged 18–65 between September 2022 and November 2022. The data were collected using an online questionnaire including a Descriptive Information Form and the Ped-V scale. Before starting the implementation of the study, the language adaptation of the scale was made, then expert opinion was taken and a pilot application was made. Then the main sampling was applied and evaluated. Explanatory and confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha, and item-total score analysis were used for data analysis. ResultsIt was determined that the scale consisted of 30 items and four sub-dimensions and that four sub-dimensions explained 42.91% of the total variance. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that all factor loads were >0.30. According to the confirmatory factor analysis, all of the fit indices were >0.80, and the RMSEA was <0.080. Cronbach's alpha was determined as 0.88 for the total scale and >0.60 for all sub-dimensions. ConclusionAs a result of the analyses, it was determined that the Ped-V scale was a valid and reliable measurement tool for the Turkish sample. Practice implicationsUsing the Ped-V scale, it can help to determine the attitudes of nurses working in pediatric clinics toward monitoring vital signs and to plan in-service training if there is a problem.

Culturally constituted universals: Evidential basis of belief matters.

Differences in the sequence with which children pass the tasks in Wellman and Liu's (2004) theory of mind (ToM) battery is increasingly bringing into question the universal and cultural specifics of children's developing understanding of others' minds. Children from China, Iran, and Turkey pass the knowledge access (KA) task of the battery earlier than they pass the diverse beliefs (DB) task (e.g., Selcuk etal., 2018). This pattern is the reverse of what has been documented with children from Australia and the US (e.g., Peterson etal., 2005). This paper presents three studies with Turkish samples that explore the possible reasons for developmental sequence and performance differences in the ToM battery. Study 1 investigated Turkish-speaking adults' judgments of appropriateness for different epistemic verbs as used in the DB and false belief (FB) tasks. Study 2 investigated whether adults' performance (i.e., accuracy, reaction time) on FB tasks were affected by culturally preferred uses of these verbs. Collectively these studies showed that adults found different epistemic language ("guess," "think," and the Turkish-specific "falsely think") to be appropriate for different belief-based tasks. However, there was no difference in adults' performance based on epistemic language. In Study 3, Turkish-speaking preschoolers' performance in belief-related tasks based on variations in epistemic language and epistemic features (i.e., presence of evidence) was investigated. Among five modifications, Turkish children benefited only from a modification that involved the manipulation of the epistemological basis for ambiguous beliefs (i.e., visual evidence for belief). RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Turkish adults find different epistemic language ("guess," "think," and the Turkish-specific "falsely-think") to be appropriate for different belief-based tasks (diverse and false belief tasks). Turkish adults' performance on false belief (FB) tasks is not affected by epistemic language. Turkish children perform better in diverse beliefs (DB) task if an epistemological basis for ambiguous beliefs (i.e., visual evidence for either belief) is provided.

Maternal childhood trauma, postpartum mood problems, and self-efficacy in a Turkish sample: The path from attachment styles to alexithymia

Childhood traumas predispose adult individuals to develop insecure attachment styles in close relationships and alexithymia features causing limitations in an emotional capacity. For new mothers, postpartum is a period in itself that may increase mood problems such as depression and anxiety and mothers may question their efficacy in their maternal role. Thus, the purpose of the current research was to examine the relationship between maternal childhood trauma, mood problems, and self-efficacy via serial mediation of insecure attachment styles and alexithymia. A sample of postpartum Turkish mothers with healthy singleton infants (N = 63, Xage = 29.19) participated in the research. Mothers filled out the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form, the Perceived Maternal Parenting Self-Efficacy Tool, CES-Depression Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory-II, and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale during a home visit when the infants were one month old. In statistical analyses, the PROCESS macro for serial multiple mediation was applied. The results indicated that the relationship between maternal childhood trauma and postpartum depression and anxiety was serially mediated by anxious attachment and, in turn, alexithymia. On the other hand, the serial mediator roles of insecure attachment styles and alexithymia on the relationship between maternal childhood trauma and postpartum self-efficacy were not significant; rather, the direct effect of maternal childhood trauma on postpartum self-efficacy was significant. Findings suggest anxious, rather than avoidant, attachment and alexithymia as intervention targets to buffer the effects of maternal childhood trauma on postpartum mood problems and self-efficacy, which may consequently prevent the intergenerational transmission of risk.

Predicting the intention to protect wolves and the intention to protect human interests in a Turkish and German university student sample: the role of wildlife value orientations, religiosity, and emotions toward wildlife

ABSTRACT Based on the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), with an additional focus on Wildlife Value Orientations (WVOs), emotions, and religiosity, we investigated factors predicting the intention to protect wolves or protect human interests in a sample of Turkish and German university students. Our findings revealed that mutualism negatively predicted the perceived severity of the threat from wolves, but positively predicted the perceived efficacy to cope with this threat in both samples. Negative emotions toward the wolf were a strong predictor of intentions to protect human interests against the wolf in both samples, and negatively predicted the intention to protect wolves in the German sample. Religiosity positively predicted the WVO of domination and negatively predicted the mutualism WVO in the Turkish sample, while it played no significant role in the German sample. Our results showed that both PMT and WVOs are suitable frameworks to explain protection intentions toward wildlife in both countries.

The Turkish version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale: Measurement Invariance across Gender

The purpose of this study was to investigate the measurement invariance in the Turkish version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale according to gender among university students. A convenience sample of 312 university students (194 females) was participated in the study. Multi-group confirmatory factorial analyses were performed to examine the measurement invariance. The results showed a first-order one-factor solution fitted to the Turkish sample. The findings revealed that the configural and metric invariances were achieved with respect to gender. However, scalar invariance could not be reached across gender. When constrained the parameter of item four across gender, then partial scalar invariance was achieved. Ongoing analysis showed that strict invariance was achieved across gender. Establishing at least partial scalar invariance is important in that it permits comparison of latent means between subgroups. Understanding how satisfaction with life differs depending on gender and culture in the context of psychological well-being could lead a deeper conceptualization of this attribute. Moreover, this study emphasizes that valid inferences are only possible with well-developed psychometric tools.

Determination of the psychometric properties of the digital addiction scale for children

AimTo determine the psychometric properties of the Digital Addiction Scale for Children. Design and methodThis methodological study included 506 children aged 9–12 years. Data were collected using the child and family information form, the digital addiction scale for children and the digital game addiction scale for children. The data were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis Cronbach's alpha, convergent validity, and gender-based measurement invariance analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied using Mplus 8.7 with robust maximum likelihood estimation procedures. ResultsConfirmatory factor were performed for construct validity. The scale was found to have good model fit indicators. The factor loadings of all the components were found to be >0.40. Convergent validity of Digital addiction scale for children and digital game addiction scale showed a significant positive high correlation. The total Cronbach alpha value of the scale was determined as 0.94, and the Cronbach alpha values of the subscales as Interpersonal 0.89, and Intrapersonal 0.91. ConclusionThe use of the digital addiction scale for children was determined to be a valid and reliable scale for the screening of digital device use and digital addiction in a Turkish sample. Practice implicationsNurses and other health professionals have an important role in detecting situations that put children's health at risk and promoting positive behaviors. It is especially important that school health nurses use valid and reliable tools that can determine children's digital addictions. Since this scale is easy and practical, it is thought that it will contribute significantly to the literature.

The role of Anatolia between Asia and Europe: A case study of oak gall wasp species, Cynips quercus (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae)

In this study, we used DNA sequence data of a western Palearctic oak gall wasp species, Cynips quercus, showing distribution from Europe to Iran to answer the following questions: i) Do the eastern C. quercus populations have higher genetic diversity than the European populations?, ii) Are the eastern populations source for the European populations?, iii) What is the possible date of divergence between the Asian and European populations? For these purposes, we analysed 88 cytochrome b sequences representing Iran, Türkiye, Hungary, and Spain. Our analyses revealed that the highest genetic diversity was in Türkiye followed by Iran, Hungary, and Spain, respectively. Iranian samples were most divergent from the Spain and Hungary sequences. Pairwise comparisons showed that the highest gene flow was between Türkiye and Hungary, and between Türkiye and Iran, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis grouped the Turkish haplotypes with the Iranian sequences, and Spain was grouped with Hungary. Network analysis revealed that the western Turkish samples were separated from eastern sequences, and all of the eastern Turkish sequences were clustered with the Iranian samples meanwhile a western Turkish lineage provided a source to Hungary and then to Spain. Times of divergence analysis estimated that the Turkish lineage split from the Iranian lineage around 4,67 million years ago, and Hungarian and Spanish lineages diverged from each other about 3 million years ago. Correspondingly, our analyses suggested that Anatolia played a key role as a bridge between the Asian and European populations of C. quercus.

A diagnostic comparison of Spanish and Turkish middle school students’ proportional reasoning

This small-scale comparative study investigated Spanish and Turkish middle school students’ mastery of four core cognitive skills required for proportional reasoning using the log-linear cognitive diagnosis model. We compared students in the two samples for their proportional reasoning and provided a diagnostic assessment of their strengths and weaknesses. The study included 314 Spanish eighth grade and 282 Turkish seventh grade students. The students were administered a proportional reasoning test with 22 multiple-choice items. We found significant differences between the two samples in two of the cognitive skills. While the Spanish sample were better at understanding nonproportional relationships, the Turkish sample were better at understanding the concept of ratio. Furthermore, while the Spanish sample had a more dispersed distribution of students among different attribute profiles, the Turkish sample mostly consisted of either low-performing or high-performing students. To better understand the similarities and differences between the two samples, we compared students’ performance on some specific test items. The study shows how cognitive diagnostic models, which are not widely used in small-scale comparative studies, can be very useful in revealing similarities and differences between two samples that cannot be detected by traditional psychometric models.

Self-criticism and romantic relationship satisfaction as serial mediators of links between childhood psychological maltreatment and loneliness

BackgroundPsychological maltreatment may be one of the causes of adults' loneliness despite having a partner. There are some links between psychological maltreatment, self-criticism, relationship satisfaction, and loneliness in the literature. But the nature of these links requires further explanation. ObjectiveThe present study examined the serial mediation role of self-criticism and romantic relationship satisfaction on the pathway from childhood psychological maltreatment to loneliness, in a Turkish sample. Participants and settingsIn total 403 individuals (Female = 294, Male = 109) participated from 53 different cities in Türkiye. Participants were either dating (65.8 %), had a fiancée (4 %), or were married (30.3 %). MethodThe data was collected using Psychological Maltreatment Questionnaire, UCLA Loneliness Scale, Self-criticism Rumination Scale, and the Relationship Assessment Scale. ResultsStructural equation modeling results indicated that self-criticism and romantic relationship satisfaction fully mediated the impact of psychological maltreatment on loneliness. The model was a good fit [χ2 (29, N = 403) = 63.846, p < .001; χ2/df = 2.20; SRMR = 0.061; RMSEA = 0.055; GFI = 0.969; CFI = 0.979; NFI = 0.963; IFI = 0.979]. ConclusionsChildhood experiences of psychological maltreatment can continue to haunt individuals, even as adults. Although being in a relationship can help individuals with their loneliness, psychologically maltreated adults may feel lonely in their relationships due to self-criticism and dissatisfaction. Interventions focused on childhood psychological maltreatment and self-criticism may help lonely adults. Along with this focus, relationship satisfaction can be addressed in family/couple counseling.

Adaptation of the Penal Attitudes Scale for use in Turkey

Penal attitudes represent how people justify punishment assigned to offenders or what they perceive punishment’s function to be. The purpose of this study is to adapt the Penal Attitudes Scale (PENAS) for use in Turkey in Turkish and to test the resultant psychometric properties of the translated scale. For adaptation, a translation/back-translation method was applied. Respondents (N = 389) voluntarily participated in this study and completed the PENAS, Moral Foundations Questionnaire and Perceptions Toward Criminals Scale. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed that the six-structure PENAS is reliable and valid in the Turkish sample. Finally, the penal attitudes scale demonstrated good construct validity, showing statistically significant correlations with moral foundations and perceptions about the morality and social networks of criminals. Ultimately, the PENAS is a reliable, valid and highly useful instrument for the Turkish population.

Thematic Content Analysis of Repugnant Intrusions in Highly Religious Canadian and Turkish Samples.

The degreeof religiosity, a culturally relevant concept, has been associated with obsessivephenomena such as obsessional symptoms, the nature of unwanted intrusive thoughts, and responses to intrusive thoughts. Although previous research reported that repugnant (i.e., sexual and religious) intrusions had the lowest endorsement rates, these were also the most difficult to control and more likely to turn into obsessions. Highly religious individuals are more likely to be distressed by repugnant intrusions as the repugnant nature of intrusive thoughts critically threatens the perceived self. Thus, individuals with high religiosity may be more likely to respond to repugnant intrusions with dysfunctional strategies and thus become more vulnerable to OCD. This study presents the endorsement rates and qualitative features of sexual and religious intrusions among highly religious Canadian and Turkish samples. Highly religious participants were interviewed using the International Intrusive Thoughts Interview Schedule (IITIS). Thematic content analysis of the IITIS data was conducted with MAXQDA. Sexual intrusion themes of Forceful Sex, Gay Sex, Immoral Sex, and Sex with Undesirable People were identified in both samples. Religious intrusion themes of Questioning, How They Are Perceived by God, Violating Religious Doctrines, Punishment by God, and Worship also emerged in both samples. The percentages of these themes suggested the presence of cross-cultural qualitative similarities and differences.

Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Stress Scale for Nurses Providing End-of-Life Care for Children.

This study was carried out to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Stress Scale for Pediatric Nurses Performing End-of-Life Care for Children in Turkey. This was a methodological study conducted with 222 pediatric nurses. Data were collected using the information form for pediatric nurses and the "stress scale for nurses performing end-of-life care for children." Content and construct validity, item analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and internal consistency were used to evaluate the data. The Global Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs Summit checklist was followed in this study. The content validity index of the scale was 0.93. Item-total score correlation values ranged from 0.594 to 0.885. The 5-factor structure of the scale was confirmed as a result of confirmatory factor analysis. Factor loads were greater than 0.30, and fit indices were greater than 0.80. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the Turkish version of the scale was 0.97. The stress scale for nurses performing end-of-life care for children is a valid and reliable measurement tool for the Turkish sample. This scale facilitates the assessment of the stress levels of pediatric nurses who provide end-of-life care to children. Also, this scale can be used in interventional studies to improve the well-being of pediatric nurses.

Examination of Psychometric Properties of the Turkish Version of The Eating Disorders Diagnostic Scale-DSM5 (EDDS)

This study aimed to adapt the Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale-DSM 5 Version (EDDS-DSM-5) as a diagnostic and statistical tool in the Turkish population and to examine its validity and reliability. After the translation procedures were completed, a demographic form, EDDS-DSM-5, and The Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) were administered to participants (i.e., 237 females, 84 males, and 4 non-binary). Internal reliability, test-retest reliability, concurrent validity, and factor structure of EDDS were examined. EDDS had four factors: (1) Body Concern (BC), (2) Binge Eating (BE), (3) Self-induced Compensatory Behaviors (SICB), and (4) Overeating Concern (OC), explaining the variance ranging from 8-20%. The internal reliability of the scale (α = .85) and the test-retest reliability (ICC: .97 [.93 – .98]) were found to be satisfactory. In terms of concurrent validity, the results of correlational analysis between EDDS symptom composite scores and EDE-Q total scores indicated a significant correlation (r = .61, p &amp;lt; .001). EDDS is a reliable and valid instrument for the Turkish sample. The current data highlighted the importance of generating additional tools which combine self-report measures with clinical observations for evaluating more complex and emotional dimensions of eating disorders other than concrete indicators.

All you fear is love: The roles of rejection by intimate others

AbstractInterpersonal acceptance‐rejection theory (IPARTheory) asserts that recollections of parental rejection in childhood tend to result in psychological maladjustment and intimacy problems in later romantic relationships. Informed by IPARTheory, we investigated the association between maternal &amp; paternal rejection, and fear of intimacy by the mediating role of psychological maladjustment in a Turkish sample with 462 mostly young adults. We further explored the moderator role of gender in Model 1 and the moderating roles of both gender and intimate partner rejection in Model 2. Model 1 revealed that adults who had experienced maternal and paternal rejection in childhood tended to be psychologically maladjusted. Consequently, they also tended to have a fear of intimacy, regardless of gender. Model 2 revealed that women who recall having been rejected in childhood by their mothers tended to be psychologically maladjusted and to have a significant fear of intimacy when they also experienced moderate or more than moderate intimate‐partner rejection. However, both women and men who experienced paternal rejection in childhood tended to be psychologically maladjusted and to experience a greater fear of intimacy when they perceived any degree of intimate partner rejection. Implications of the results for theory, research, and practice are discussed.