UK Sample Research Articles

Understanding psychological mechanisms linking social anxiety and paranoia: A cross-cultural general population survey in Thailand and the United Kingdom

Effective interventions for treating social anxiety in psychosis, and understanding mechanisms between social anxiety to paranoia are limited. This study investigated stigma, internal and external shame, social rank appraisals, self-esteem and safety behaviours as mediators between social anxiety and paranoia in cross-cultural Thai and UK samples. Participants aged ≥18-year-old completed a cross-sectional internet-delivered survey. Social anxiety, paranoia, depression, and hypothesised mediating variables were measured. Both of the Thailand and UK samples were analysed separately to explore cultural differences. Associations between social anxiety and paranoia were calculated by linear regression. Mediation analysis was used to test the indirect effects of mediators. Eight-hundred and forty-two people completed the survey (427 from Thailand: 415 from the UK). Linear relationships between social anxiety and paranoia were found across both countries. In multiple mediation analyses, the social anxiety-paranoia relationship controlling for depression was significantly mediated by external shame and safety behaviours in both countries. Self-esteem was also significant, but only in the UK. External shame and safety behaviours were significant mediators, cross-culturally, explaining the indirect pathway of the social anxiety-paranoia relationship. Interventions targeting external shame and safety behaviours should be tested in clinical population to guide intervention for psychosis. Hypothesised potential factors were discussed. • A relationship between social anxiety and paranoia was found across Thailand and the UK. • Higher social anxiety is associated with higher paranoia through shame appraisals. • External shame was a key mediator in the social anxiety and paranoia process. • Future studies should test shame appraisals to confirm findings in clinical populations.

Young people's support for various forms of e-cigarette regulation in Australia and the UK.

The aim of this study was to examine young people's support for e-cigarette policies in two countries with very different e-cigarette regulatory environments - Australia and the UK. An online survey was administered to 1,185 15-24 year olds (590 from Australia, 595 from the UK). Survey items assessed demographics, use of vaping and tobacco products, exposure to others' vaping behaviours, exposure to e-cigarette advertising, perceptions of harms associated with e-cigarettes, and support for 14 e-cigarette policies. Frequencies for support were calculated for each policy by country and overall, and a mixed effects negative binomial regression was performed to identify factors associated with support. Majority support was expressed for 10 of the 14 policies in the Australian sample and six in the UK sample. Significantly higher levels support were found among Australian respondents compared to UK respondents for all policies except one where the difference failed to reach statistical significance. Support was strongest for policies relating to preventing access by minors, including warnings on packages, and prohibiting misleading advertising. Support was weakest for policies restricting access to e-cigarettes and flavours. Factors associated with higher levels of support were harm perceptions, never having used e-cigarettes, and older age. The results suggest general support for a broad range of e-cigarette control policies among young people in Australia and the UK, despite very different e-cigarette regulatory environments in these countries. Enhancing awareness of the potential harms associated with e-cigarette use appears to be key to optimising support for the assessed policies among members of this age group.

Estimating the Relationship Between EQ-5D-5L and EQ-5D-3L: Results from a UK Population Study.

The aim of this study was to estimate the relationship between EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-5L, in both directions, using a single model. An online survey containing both variants of EQ-5D, with randomised ordering, was administered to a large UK sample in 2020. A joint statistical model of the ten EQ-5D responses (five at 5L, five at 3L), using a multi-equation ordinal regression framework was estimated. The joint model ensures mappings in either direction are fully consistent with the information in the sample and satisfy Bayes' rule. Three extensions enhance model flexibility: a copula specification allows differing degrees of correlation between the 3L and 5L responses at the upper and lower extremes of health; a normal mixture residual distribution gives flexibility in the distributional form of responses; and a common factor captures correlations in responses across the five dimensions. Almost 50,000 responses were received. Thirty-five percent of respondents reported an existing medical condition. Ninety percent of possible 3L and 43% of possible 5L health states were observed. The preferred model specification includes age, sex and the responses to the EQ-5D instrument. Close alignment to the observed data was observed both in within-sample and out-of-sample comparisons. The results from this study provide a means of translating evidence to or from EQ-5D-3L to or from 5L based on a large-scale UK population survey with randomised ordering. Mapping can be performed either using descriptive system responses, individual utility scores or summary statistics.

Adaptation and validation of the Johnson-Lecci scale to assess anti-white bias among black UK minority group members.

The present study (total N = 901) set out to construct and validate a culturally sensitive instrument to examine anti-White bias among Black UK minority group members. Our novel measure of anti-White bias-which we called the AWB scale-was based upon the Johnson-Lecci scale (JLS; 2003) a questionnaire designed to measure anti-White attitudes among Black Americans. Studies 1 and 2 provided converging evidence for the AWB's four-factor dimensionality, its structural characteristics, its temporal stability and its external validity in Black UK samples, attesting to the consistency of minorities' experience of anti-majority bias in two very different societal contexts. Moreover, Study 3 evidenced our measure's utility for understanding reactions to various relevant contemporary societal events. Theoretical contributions to the literature on intergroup bias are delineated and compared with majority-to-minority prejudice.

The prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress and their relationship to length of service in the UK police force

Policing is considered a highly stressful role, and police officers are at risk of mental health issues during their service. This is an area which has gained increasing attention in recent years, but further research, using validated measures, is needed to help identify other factors that are important and ensure further development as well as evidence-based, bespoke intervention. The current study sought to explore the general prevalence of stress, depression and anxiety in a UK sample of police officers, to examine whether length of service moderates the effects of stress, depression and anxiety, and whether certain personality traits protect against these. A self-report questionnaire was completed by 177 serving UK police officers from 10 different regions. Results revealed clinical levels of anxiety and depression, and comorbid presentations of major depression and anxiety, at rates significantly higher than reported in the general population. Results indicated officers are most at risk of experiencing stress during the first 15 years of their service, and that officers’ stress was organisational rather than trauma related. Additionally, officers higher in traits of extraversion and lower in neuroticism reported lower anxiety. The results of these findings are discussed, and suggestions have been made based on the current findings.

Digital access constraints predict worse mental health among adolescents during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing social restrictions disrupted young people’s social interactions and resulted in several periods during which school closures necessitated online learning. We hypothesised that digitally excluded young people would demonstrate greater deterioration in their mental health than their digitally connected peers during this time. We analysed representative mental health data from a sample of UK 10–15-year-olds (N = 1387) who completed a mental health inventory in 2017–2019 and thrice during the pandemic (July 2020, November 2020 and March 2021). We employed longitudinal modelling to describe trajectories of adolescent mental health for participants with and without access to a computer or a good internet connection for schoolwork. Adolescent mental health symptoms rose early in the COVID-19 pandemic, with the highest mean Total Difficulties score around December 2020. The worsening and subsequent recovery of mental health during the pandemic was greatly pronounced among those without access to a computer, although we did not find evidence for a similar effect among those without a good internet connection. We conclude that lack of access to a computer is a tractable risk factor that likely compounds other adversities facing children and young people during periods of social isolation or educational disruption.

Can the UK AQ-10 be applicable to Chinese samples with autism spectrum disorder in Hong Kong? Cross-cultural similarities and differences.

The current study aimed at testing and developing alternative short versions of autism spectrum quotient (AQ-10) (adult [self-report], adult [parent-report], adolescent, and child versions) for use in Hong Kong. First, the various versions of AQ-10 developed in the United Kingdom (the AQ-10-UK) were applied to Hong Kong Chinese samples and demonstrated satisfactory discriminative power (AUCs 0.77-0.94). Second, the Hong Kong Chinese versions of AQ-10 (AQ-10-HK) were developed, using the same methodology as in the original UK study. There were some changes in the choice of items and cut-offs. The AQ-10-HK demonstrated slightly greater discriminative power (AUCs 0.88-0.97) to that of the AQ-10-UK, but the differences in AUCs were not statistically significant. Compared to the corresponding full-length versions, both the UK and HK short forms did not seem to lose any significant discriminative power. Yet, the various versions of AQ, be they the full-length or AQ-10, appeared to consistently exhibit slightly smaller AUCs with the Hong Kong Chinese samples than with the UK samples. So, this study found both cross-cultural similarities and differences. The AQ-10-HK was recommended for local practice to maximize the advantage gained. Yet, for international multi-site research collaboration, involving the UK and HK, the original AQ-10-UK can be used for direct comparison of data.

Drivers of the Intention to Receive a COVID-19 Booster Vaccine: Insights from the UK and Australia.

As the global pandemic perpetuates, keeping the population vaccinated will be imperative to maintain societal protection from the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus. However, while empirical evidence regarding predictors of the intention to receive a first COVID-19 vaccine has amassed, our understanding regarding the psychological and behavioral drivers of continued COVID-19 vaccination remains limited. In this pre-registered study (UK: AsPredicted#78370|Australia: AsPredicted#81667), factors predicting the intention to receive a COVID-19 booster vaccine were investigated in two adult samples from the UK (N = 1222) and Australia (N = 1197) that were nationally representative on factors of age, gender, and geographic location. High levels of booster intent were found (73% and 67%, respectively). Exploratory Structural Equation Modelling (ESEM) revealed three key predictors of the intention to receive a booster vaccine that emerged across both UK and Australian samples: concern regarding the COVID-19 virus, positive perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccines, and the perceived severity of side effects experienced to the last COVID-19 vaccine dose. Several additional factors (age, months since the last COVID-19 vaccine, familiarity with side effects, and regularly receiving the influenza vaccine) were present in the Australian dataset. These findings provide important evidence that targeting psychological perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccine and virus may serve to maintain participation in the COVID-19 vaccination programme, paving the way for future behavioural research in this area.

Evaluating the transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2 from sewage pollution

The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in untreated sewage has been confirmed in many countries but its incidence and infection risk in contaminated waters is poorly understood. The River Thames in the UK receives untreated sewage from 57 Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), with many discharging dozens of times per year. This study investigated if such discharges provide a pathway for environmental transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Samples of wastewater, surface water, and sediment collected close to six CSOs on the River Thames were assayed over eight months for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and infectious virus. Bivalves were also sampled as an indicator species of viral bioaccumulation. Sediment and water samples from the Danube and Sava rivers in Serbia, where raw sewage is also discharged in high volumes, were assayed as a positive control. No evidence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA or infectious virus was found in UK samples, in contrast to RNA positive samples from Serbia. Furthermore, this study shows that infectious SARS-CoV-2 inoculum is stable in Thames water and sediment for <3 days, while SARS-CoV-2 RNA is detectable for at least seven days. This indicates that dilution of wastewater likely limits environmental transmission, and that detection of viral RNA alone is not an indication of pathogen spillover.

Sure-thing vs. probabilistic charitable giving: Experimental evidence on the role of individual differences in risky and ambiguous charitable decision-making.

Charities differ, among other things, alongside the likelihood that their interventions succeed and produce the desired outcomes and alongside the extent that such likelihood can even be articulated numerically. In this paper, we investigate what best explains charitable giving behaviour regarding charities that have interventions that will succeed with a quantifiable and high probability (sure-thing charities) and charities that have interventions that only have a small and hard to quantify probability of bringing about the desired end (probabilistic charities). We study individual differences in risk/ambiguity attitudes, empathy, numeracy, optimism, and donor type (warm glow vs. pure altruistic donor type) as potential predictors of this choice. We conduct a money incentivised, pre-registered experiment on Prolific on a representative UK sample (n = 1,506) to investigate participant choices (i) between these two types of charities and (ii) about one randomly selected charity. Overall, we find little to no evidence that individual differences predict choices regarding decisions about sure-thing and probabilistic charities, with the exception that a purely altruistic donor type predicts donations to probabilistic charities when participants were presented with a randomly selected charity in (ii). Conducting exploratory equivalence tests, we find that the data provide robust evidence in favour of the absence of an effect (or a negligibly small effect) where we fail to reject the null. This is corroborated by exploratory Bayesian analyses. We take this paper to be contributing to the literature on charitable giving via this comprehensive null-result in pursuit of contributing to a cumulative science.

Associations Between E-cigarettes and Subsequent Cocaine Use in Adolescence: An Analysis of the UK Millennium Cohort Study.

Nicotine exposure via early combustible cigarette smoking can prime the adolescent brain for subsequent cocaine use. However, there is limited evidence whether e-cigarette use, a nicotine delivery system that is increasingly popular among youth, is associated with later cocaine use. We examine the association between e-cigarette use by the age of 14 years and cocaine use by the age of 17 years. The Millennium Cohort Study is a nationally representative sample of 18 552 9-month-old children born between September 2000 and January 2002 in the United Kingdom. Follow-up interviews and surveys were collected from children and their caregivers at modal ages 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, and 17 years. Our analytic sample included 340 youth who had used e-cigarettes by age 14 years (exposure variable), matched using coarsened exact matching, to 4867 nicotine naïve youth on childhood common liability confounders and demographics measured from infancy to age 11. The outcome was cocaine use by the modal age of 17 years. Of the 5207 successfully matched youth, 7.6% of adolescent e-cigarette users by age 14 years used cocaine by age 17 years versus 3.1% of non-e-cigarette users. Multivariable logistic regression in the matched sample indicated that e-cigarette use by age 14 years was associated with 2.7 times higher odds of cocaine use by age 17 years (95% CI, 1.75 to 4.28). These findings in a UK sample showed that e-cigarette use in early adolescence is associated with higher odds of cocaine use later in adolescence, similar to risks posed by tobacco cigarette smoking. In this large-scale prospective cohort study (n = 5207), youth who had used e-cigarettes by the age of 14 years were matched to nicotine naïve youth on childhood common liability confounders and demographics measured from infancy to age 11 years (e.g. school engagement, risk-taking propensity, delinquency, peer and parental smoking, parental educational attainment). After matching, 7.6% of age 14 years e-cigarette users had subsequently used cocaine by the age of 17 years versus 3.1% of non-e-cigarette users. Although e-cigarettes are promoted as a strategy for nicotine-dependent users to reduce the harms of combustible cigarettes, the evidence here suggests that for nicotine naïve youth, they may increase the risk of subsequent cocaine use.

Household disposal of pharmaceuticals: attitudes and risk perception in a UK sample

Pharmaceuticals can enter the environment through disposal in toilets, sinks and general waste. In the UK, household medicines are correctly disposed of by returning them to a pharmacy. This study examined household patterns of medicine waste, storage and disposal practices via a cross-sectional survey with 663 UK adults. Multiple regression was used to explore the contribution of key variables on self-reported medicines disposal behaviour. Analysis demonstrated that age, information, awareness, probability, attitude and intention all predicted correct disposal behaviour. Results indicate that multiple factors influence different disposal destinations uniquely. Affect and age increase disposal in sink/toilet but reduce disposal in bin. Presence of children increase bin and sink/toilet disposal but decrease pharmacy returns. Awareness and received information on correct disposal reduce bin disposal and increase pharmacy returns. The results suggest people use different mental models for each destination with disposal in sink/toilets and bins considered quicker and safer in the presence of children or for those feeling anxious. It is important to understand the capability, opportunity and motivation people have to return medicines to the pharmacy in addition to raising awareness of correct medicine disposal.

Income loss and diet quality during the first COVID-19 lockdown in a UK and Australian sample: the role of distress as a potential mediator

Income loss and diet quality during the first COVID-19 lockdown in a UK and Australian sample: the role of distress as a potential mediator

An online survey of dietary quality during complementary feeding; associations with maternal feeding self-efficacy and adherence to dietary recommendations

BackgroundParents are the gatekeepers of nutrition in early life and their feeding practices form children’s dietary behaviours. Although maternal characteristics have been associated with certain feeding practices, their relationship with overall quality of complementary feeding diets has not been explored. This study aimed to: assess dietary quality in complementary feeding age; explore its association with maternal and child characteristics; and evaluate the association between complementary feeding practices and child weight.MethodsAn online cross-sectional survey captured data from a self-selected sample of mothers living in the UK with a healthy full-term child in complementary feeding age. A total of 466 mothers completed a questionnaire on their complementary feeding practices, demographics, anthropometrics, rates of maternal food neophobia, feeding self-efficacy, social support, postnatal depression and infant temperament. Dietary quality was assessed using the Complementary Feeding Utility Index (CFUI). Children were classified into underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese.ResultsMajority of participants reported high levels of dietary quality as determined by a mean CFUI score of 80%. High dietary quality was associated with reliance on the NHS recommendation on timing of complementary feeding and maternal self-efficacy in promoting a healthy diet and limiting non-recommended foods. Responsive feeding, longer breastfeeding duration, frequent exposure to fruits and to a high variety of protein-rich animal foods were significantly associated with lighter child weight status. Consumption of sweetened drinks and delayed introduction of lumpy foods were associated with heavier child weight status.ConclusionsThis study provided an evaluation of dietary quality in complementary feeding in a UK sample of children and explored its relationship with maternal and child attributes. Increasing understanding of the current complementary feeding recommendations and strengthening maternal feeding self-efficacy may be key for healthcare professionals and researchers to improving complementary feeding practices.

Seeking Good Work in the COVID-19 Recovery: Shifting Priorities and Employment Choices Among Workers.

Disruption to working lives spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic may shape people's preferences for future employment. We aimed to identify the components of work prioritized by a UK sample and the employment changes they had considered since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. A nationally representative longitudinal household survey was conducted in Wales at two time points between 2020 and 2021. Those in poorer health prioritized flexibility and were more likely to consider retiring. Those with limiting preexisting conditions or low mental well-being were more likely to consider becoming self-employed. Those experiencing financial insecurity (including those with high wage precarity or those furloughed) were more likely to consider retraining, becoming self-employed, or securing permanent employment. Ensuring flexible, secure, and autonomous work is accessible for individuals facing greater employment-related insecurity may be key.

The Impact of R&D Innovation Success on the Relationship between R&D Investment and Financial Leverage

This paper explores the interrelationship between R&amp;D investment, financial leverage, and a firm’s R&amp;D innovation success. Using a sample of UK and EU firms, we predict that changes in one-year-ahead R&amp;D investment are negatively associated with changes in financial leverage in the current period. Crucially, we also predict that this negative association is positively moderated by the extent to which firms are successful in generating commercially viable and technically feasible innovations from their R&amp;D work. We use insights from International Accounting Standard (IAS) 38: Intangible Assets to measure R&amp;D innovation success. Our empirical findings offer strong support for each of our theoretical predictions. Consequently, we contribute to the extant literature by demonstrating that R&amp;D innovation success influences how firms finance their subsequent investments in R&amp;D. Our work also shows that accounting disclosures have the potential to play an important role in open innovation networks.

Is employer collection of diversity data attractive to potential job seekers? Ethnicity and sex differences and a UK–Sweden comparison

PurposeMany organisations monitor statistics on the background of job applicants to inform diversity management, a practice known as equality monitoring (EM). The study examines perceptions of EM and employers that use it. Additionally, it aims to assess potentially salient group differences in attitudes towards EM, focussing on perceived history of employment discrimination, ethnicity, sex, and a comparison between the UK and Sweden – two countries which differ extensively in EM prevalence.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional self-report survey assessed attitudes toward EM, attraction to employers using it, pro-equality and diversity attitudes, perceived history of employment discrimination and background characteristics (e.g. ethnicity and sex), and compared a UK and Sweden sample (N = 925).FindingsThe results reveal positive perceptions of EM overall. Although no differences were observed between UK ethnic majority and minority respondents, White British men rate employers using EM as less attractive with increasing levels of perceived past discrimination. Women have more positive perceptions than men. Finally, the UK sample rated EM more positively than the Sweden sample.Originality/valueDespite EM being widespread, the study is the first to investigate detailed perceptions of it, making group and country comparisons. Results support the use of EM in HRM but highlight the need for clear communication to avoid confusion with positive discrimination, which is perceived negatively in some majority group members, and to allay fears of data misuse. Recommendations are made for future implementation.

Pet Ownership and Wellbeing During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Importance of Resilience and Attachment to Pets

ABSTRACT The governmental restrictions in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic led to social isolation, with many people spending more time at home with their pets. The relationships between pet ownership, pet attachment, and wellbeing were examined using two online surveys: one in the early stages of the pandemic (May, 2020) and the other over one year later (September, 2021). Resilience, optimism, and basic psychological need satisfaction (i.e., autonomy, competence, and relatedness) were examined as potential moderators. Study 1 had an international sample of 495 participants (70% pet owners), while study 2 had a UK sample of 243 participants (57% pet owners). Most participants reported that their pets provided emotional comfort and had a positive impact on their lives during the early stages of the pandemic. Pet ownership and pet attachment were positively associated with wellbeing in people with low levels of resilience. Conversely, people with high resilience who were pet owners or had higher pet attachment had lower wellbeing than non-pet owners and those less attached. Optimism and basic psychological need satisfaction were not significant moderators. Although some of the associations found in study 1 might have been specific to the beginning of the pandemic, other results were replicated a year later in the UK sample when social restrictions were eased (study 2). The findings from the two studies suggest that higher scores on a subscale of pet attachment, which involves the pet playing a more central role than humans in the owner's life, might be directly linked to lower resilience and wellbeing and increased loneliness. The combination of high resilience and higher levels of pet attachment or pet ownership might be unfavorable. Nonetheless, pet ownership and healthy human–animal bonds can be protective factors for people with low levels of resilience.

Grip Strength Trajectories and Cognition in English and Chilean Older Adults: A Cross-Cohort Study.

Growing evidence about the link between cognitive and physical decline suggests the early changes in physical functioning as a potential biomarker for cognitive impairment. Thus, we compared grip-strength trajectories over 12–16 years in three groups classified according to their cognitive status (two stable patterns, normal and impaired cognitive performance, and a declining pattern) in two representative UK and Chilean older adult samples. The samples consisted of 7069 UK (ELSA) and 1363 Chilean participants (ALEXANDROS). Linear Mixed models were performed. Adjustments included socio-demographics and health variables. The Declined and Impaired group had significantly lower grip-strength at baseline when compared to the Non-Impaired. In ELSA, the Declined and Impaired showed a faster decline in their grip strength compared to the Non-Impaired group but differences disappeared in the fully adjusted models. In ALEXANDROS, the differences were only found between the Declined and Non-Impaired and they were partially attenuated by covariates. Our study provides robust evidence of the association between grip strength and cognitive performance and how socio-economic factors might be key to understanding this association and their variability across countries. This has implications for future epidemiological research, as hand-grip strength measurements have the potential to be used as an indicator of cognitive performance.

The role of health-based food choice motives in explaining the relationship between lower socioeconomic position and higher BMI in UK and US adults

Background/ObjectivesLower socioeconomic position (SEP) is associated with increased risk of higher BMI and developing obesity. No research to date has directly examined whether SEP differences in health-based food choice motives or executive function explain why lower SEP is associated with higher BMI.Subjects/MethodsWe analysed observational data from large samples of UK (N = 4130) and US (N = 1898) adults which included measures of SEP (education level, household income and subjective social status) and self-reported BMI. Participants also completed validated self-report measures on the extent to which their day-to-day food choices were motivated by health and weight control, as well as completing computerized tasks measuring inhibitory control (Stroop task) and working memory (Digit span task).ResultsAcross both UK and US adults, the relationship between indicators of lower SEP and higher BMI were consistently explained by participants from lower SEP backgrounds reporting being less motivated by health when making food choices, which accounted for 18–28% of the association between lower SEP and higher BMI. There was no evidence that measures of executive function explained associations between SEP and BMI or moderated relations between food choice motives and higher BMI.ConclusionsSEP differences in health-based food choice motives may play an important role in explaining why lower SEP is associated with an increased risk of higher BMI.