This study investigated the relationship between social camouflaging, life satisfaction, and depression symptoms in Polish women with ADHD. It aimed to fill a research gap in understanding ADHD ...manifestations in women, particularly focusing on social camouflaging-a concept known in autism, referring to strategies used to mask symptoms in social interactions.
A total of 329 women with ADHD took part in an online survey. The survey measured ADHD symptoms using the ADHD Self Report Scale (ASRS-vI.I), life satisfaction with the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), and depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Additionally, a novel set of questions, inspired by the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) but tailored for ADHD, was utilized to assess social camouflaging.
Results indicated a significant negative association between social camouflaging and life satisfaction and a positive correlation with depressive symptoms, even after controlling for demographic variables. Additionally, factors like being in a relationship and having a positive subjective financial situation correlated with higher well-being.
Reliance on self-report measures, the cross-sectional design, and participants' self-reported ADHD diagnosis are the main limitations of the study.
The research underscores the importance of social camouflaging in understanding ADHD in women, suggesting that efforts to mask symptoms and meet societal expectations may link to lower life satisfaction and increased depressive symptoms. These findings advocate for continued research into these dynamics to develop more effective support for women with ADHD.
Previous studies carried out in different countries have indicated that young adults experienced higher levels of emotional distress, in the form of depressive and anxiety symptoms, than older age ...groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known about which pandemic-related difficulties and factors may contribute to these forms of emotional distress in various age groups.
The aim of the current study was to investigate: (i) differences in levels of depressive and generalized anxiety symptoms in four age groups in the Polish population during the COVID-19 lockdown; (ii) differences in perceived difficulties related to the pandemic in these groups; and (iii) which factors and difficulties related to the pandemic are the best predictors of generalized anxiety and depressive symptoms in various age groups during the COVID-19 lockdown.
A total of 1115 participants (aged 18–85) took part in the study. The sample was representative of the Polish population in terms of sex, age, and place of residence. Participants completed the following online: the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, a Scale of Perceived Health and Life Risk of COVID-19, a Social Support Scale, and a Scale of Pandemic-Related Difficulties.
Younger age groups (18–29 and 30–44) experienced higher levels of depressive and generalized anxiety symptoms than older adults (45–59 and 60–85 years). Household relationship difficulties were among the most significant predictors of depressive and generalized anxiety symptoms in all age groups. Fear and uncertainty related to the spread of the virus was one of the most important predictors of emotional distress in all the groups apart from the adults between 18 and 29 years, whereas difficulties related to external restrictions were one of the most significant predictors of depressive and anxiety symptoms exclusively in the youngest group.
The youngest adults and those experiencing difficulties in relationships among household members are the most vulnerable to depressive and generalized anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 lockdown. It is important to plan preventive and therapeutic interventions to support these at-risk individuals in dealing with the various challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
•Younger adults experienced higher levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms than older adults during the COVID-19 lockdown.•Household relationship difficulties were one of the strongest predictors of depression and anxiety in all the age groups.•Fear of the virus spread was a significant predictor of emotional distress in all groups apart from the youngest adults.•Difficulties related to external restrictions were significant predictors of depression and anxiety in the youngest group.
There is a need to have reliable and accessible screening measures of mentalizing ability to investigate the role of this capacity in social functioning and its development, emergence of ...psychopathological conditions, as well as to understand its role in psychotherapeutic processes. The 8-itemed Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ-8) has been developed for this purpose, however its factor structure and psychometric properties are unclear. The aim of the current study was to further investigate the factor structure of the RFQ-8 and explore its psychometric properties in a Polish sample. 538 participants aged 17-50 (M = 21.44, SD = 2.92) took part in the study. They were asked to complete the RFQ-8, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), the Relationship Structures (ECR-RS) questionnaire and the Borderline Personality Inventory (BPI). Results of both exploratory and confirmatory analysis indicated that the RFQ-8 may be regarded as a scale measuring a unidimensional construct. Our results confirmed good construct validity for the unidimensional RFQ-8, suggesting that the one-dimensional RFQ specifically assesses uncertainty concerning mental states. Our findings highlight the need for further studies investigating the factor structure and psychometric properties of the RFQ-8.
Identity integration, as opposed to identity diffusion, has been associated with greater self-esteem, meaning in life, and functioning. Trauma may have negative effects on identity; however, few ...studies have examined trauma and identity among adolescents, particularly those with psychiatric disorders. Moreover, factors that may promote healthy identity in adolescents who have experienced trauma have not been identified. This study aimed to test associations between childhood maltreatment and identity diffusion among adolescents with psychiatric disorders, and evaluated reflective function (RF) as a mediator of these associations.
107 adolescents (Mage = 15.36, 75.7% female) who were inpatient at a psychiatric hospital in the United States completed self-report measures of childhood maltreatment (physical, sexual, and emotional abuse; physical and emotional neglect; total maltreatment), identity diffusion, and RF. Path analysis was used to test two models of the relations between childhood maltreatment, RF, and identity diffusion.
Total maltreatment and all forms of maltreatment except physical abuse were significantly associated with identity diffusion at the bivariate level. In path analysis (Model 1), emotional and physical neglect were directly associated with identity diffusion, and RF mediated the association between emotional abuse and identity diffusion. In Model 2, RF partially mediated the association between overall level of maltreatment and identity diffusion.
Emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical neglect, and total combined maltreatment exposure may be risk factors for adolescent identity diffusion. Targeting RF may help to build healthy identity among adolescents with symptoms of psychiatric disorders who have experienced maltreatment, particularly emotional abuse.
Conspiracy theories about COVID-19 pose a serious threat to public health by providing false information and undermining official health recommendations. However, existing studies rarely employed ...longitudinal designs, precluding the determination of the directionality between endorsement of conspiracy theories and its societal consequences. Also, relatively little research examined whether the association between protective health behaviour and the endorsement of conspiracy theories is affected by the content of a given theory.
A four-wave longitudinal panel survey on the association between belief in a wide range of conspiracy theories about COVID-19 and protective behaviour was carried out on a representative sample of Polish citizens (T1 = 1130, T2 = 971, T3 = 818, T4 = 688). Analyses were performed using Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Models.
The results showed a reciprocal, bidirectional association between conspiracy mentality and protective behaviour. The same effect was also observed between protective behaviour and threat of authoritarianism. We did not find evidence that specific COVID-19 related conspiracy theories directly (and differently) predict within-person changes in protective behaviour over time.
Our results showed that the association between various conspiracy-related variables and anti-pandemic COVID-19 variables differs at within- and between-person levels. Changes in the adherence to pro-health measures were negatively predicted by conspiracy mentality and a feeling of threat that the solutions introduced by the government may limit civil rights. Specific conspiracy beliefs were significantly related to protective behaviour only at the between-person level.
•Longitudinal directionality between conspiracy beliefs and COVID-19 protective behaviour.•Reciprocal association between protective behaviour and conspiracy mentality.•Reciprocal association between protective behaviour and threat of authoritarianism.•Other conspiracy beliefs related to protective behaviour only at the between-person level.
•Sexual abuse and physical neglect have an indirect effect on greater suicidal ideation via generalized guilt and depressive symptoms.•Physical abuse has an indirect effect on greater suicidal ...ideation via generalized guilt and shame and depressive symptoms.•Emotional neglect has an indirect effect on greater suicidal ideation via depressive symptoms.
Previous studies demonstrated positive relations between various forms of maltreatment and suicidal ideation in youth; however, mechanisms underlying these relationships are not well understood. We propose that the experience of maltreatment in childhood may lead to high levels of generalized guilt and shame, resulting in an increase of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts in adolescents. The aim of the current study was to test our model of relations between these constructs using path analysis.
112 inpatient adolescents aged 12-17 years completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire to measure various types of maltreatment, the Personal Feelings Questionnaire to evaluate generalized guilt and shame, the Beck Depression Inventory-II to assess depressive symptoms, and the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale to assess suicidal ideation.
Findings partly confirmed the theoretical model. Indirect positive effects of sexual and emotional abuse, as well as emotional and physical neglect on suicidal ideation via generalized self-conscious emotion and/or depression were demonstrated. In contrast to our predictions, indirect negative effects of physical abuse on suicidal thoughts via generalized guilt and shame and depression were found.
Sample characterized by predominately Caucasian inpatient adolescents from financially stable and well-educated environments, over-reliance on self-report measures and the lack of a longitudinal design were main limitations of the study.
The study provides novel information on the potential mechanisms underlying the association between childhood maltreatment and suicidal ideation in adolescents. Generalized guilt and/or shame could be possible targets for interventions for victims of some forms of maltreatment to reduce depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation.
To investigate firefighters’ multidimensional attitude toward death and psychological distress, 60 firefighters completed the Death Attitude Profile-Revised and the General Health Questionnaire-28. ...As predicted, fear of death and escape acceptance were positively related to severe depression and anxiety/insomnia. However, contrary to predictions, neutral acceptance and death avoidance were not associated with psychological distress. Our results indicate that it would be advisable to examine the effectiveness of preventive and therapeutic interventions for firefighters aimed at reducing the fear of death and escape acceptance.
Since parenting practices have been shown to play an important role in the development of a child’s emotional, cognitive and social functioning, it is important to reliably measure this construct ...across various cultures and countries. A widely used instrument to assess parenting practices is the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ). However, no previous studies have verified the five-factor structure of this measure using confirmatory factor analysis. The aim of this study was to verify factor structure and examine psychometric properties of the Parent Global Report version of the APQ in a Polish sample. A total of 911 mothers and 497 fathers of children in the age range of 6–13 years from the community sample completed the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire as well as the Rating Scales for Parents assessing symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the five-factor model is characterized by a good fit in the Polish sample of mothers and quite a good fit in the sample of fathers. The Polish version of the APQ has a good construct validity. Children’s ODD symptoms were positively correlated with negative parenting practices and negatively with positive parenting practices. Children’s ADHD symptoms were the most strongly correlated with the inconsistent discipline subscale. Relations between ADHD and ODD symptoms and positive parenting practices were lower than with negative parenting practices. Our study confirms the five-factor structure of the Polish version of the APQ for parents and shows that parenting practices can be reliably measured in a Polish sample with the use of the Parent Global Report version of the APQ.
We investigated longitudinal relations between individual willingness to undergo vaccination against COVID-19 and three social factors: conspiracy mentality, prosociality, and authoritarianism.
This ...longitudinal study comprised four measurement points. The first wave sample included 1130 responses and was representative of the Polish population in terms of gender, age, and place of residence. Analyses were performed using random intercept cross-lagged panel models.
We observed bidirectional positive cross-lagged relationships between prosociality and willingness to undergo vaccination in the first three waves of measurement. Authoritarianism and conspiracy mentality translated into a lower willingness to vaccinate between the third and fourth points of measurement when the vaccination became a near-term possibility.
Eliciting prosocial motivation to vaccinate can be paramount in overcoming vaccine hesitancy. Because conspiracy thinking may be a crucial barrier to willingness to be vaccinated, it is critical to focus on planning interventions and campaigns undermining conspiracy theories about COVID-19.
•We conducted longitudinal study of vaccine hesitancy.•Analyses were performed using random-intercept cross-lagged panel models.•Bidirectional positive cross-lagged relationships between prosociality and willingness to undergo vaccination was observed.•Authoritarianism and conspiracy mentality translated into a lower willingness to undergo vaccination
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