Introduction
The 8-item Stress Mindset Measure-General (SMM-G) is an instrument designed to assess stress-is-enhancing and stress-is-debilitating mindsets. The stress-is-enhancing stress mindset ...positively correlates with well-being indices and work productivity and negatively correlates with depression and anxiety scores. Mindset could be changed after a psychological, psychoeducational, or psychotherapeutic intervention.
Objectives
We aim to adapt the SMM-G for adolescents and to explore its factor structure and psychometric properties in a sample of Russian students.
Methods
A total of 564 Russian students (337 men, 229 women) from 9 universities aged 17 to 23 years (М=19,9) participated in the study. We computed reliability indicators, conducted exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).
Results
Psychometric indicators are shown in Table 1. As a result of EFA (maximum likelihood, varimax rotation), two factors (eigenvalues 3,430 and 1,645) were extracted, accounting for 42,9% and 20,6% explained variance. Then, we tested the proposed model via CFA (Table 2).
Table 1.
Psychometric indicators
Mean value ± std
Cronbach`s alpha
Test-retest reliability (n=179, one month between assessments)
1,175±0,165
0,805
0,563
The first factor includes all odd-numbered questions, while the second factor contains all even-numbered questions. This is consistent with the questionnaire’s structure, leading to a natural interpretation of factors as the stress-is-enhancing and stress-is-debilitating mindsets.
Table 2.
CFA results
Fit indices
Acceptable values
One-Factor Model
Two-Factor Model
CMIN/DF
≤5
7,516
4,298
GFI
≥0,9
0,895
0,959
AGFI
≥0,9
0,828
0,902
CFI
≥0,9
0,680
0,890
RMSEA
≤0,08
0,107
0,076
Conclusions
Russian adaptation of SMM-G has shown good psychometric characteristics and constitutes a useful assessment instrument.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
Introduction
Mothers of terminally ill children experience chronic stress that can lead to physical and emotional exhaustion. A better understanding of their experiences, resources, and ...vulnerabilities can help plan psychological interventions.
Objectives
The research is aimed to study mothers’ appraisals of their life situation related to the child’s terminal illness and their coping strategies.
Methods
Participants: 21 women (aged 26-49) whose children were patients at the hospice. Women answered a set of open-ended questions and completed questionnaires: “Appraisal Criteria of the Difficulty of a Life Situation”, “Types of Orientations in Difficult Situation”, “Ways of Coping Checklist”. Data were analyzed with Pearson’s r.
Results
Planned coping was associated with evaluations of opportunity (r=0.78) and threat to the future (r=0.61). Despite the deteriorating health status of most of the children, women reported a high degree of subjective control. This might be related to outside help. Participants stated that helping by the family, doctors, and psychologists was essential. Unexpectedly, the “need for a quick and active response” score correlates with that for the coping strategy “fantasizing” (r=0.62). This can be explained by the depletion of resources; deprivation of sleep and active rest is often observed. An important feature is that half of the participants report high self-blame.
Conclusions
We suggest that self-blame, an analysis of opportunities, and probable future scenarios are important psychotherapy targets for mothers of terminally ill children. The consequences of threat appraisal are twofold: admitting the threat can be painful, but it also mobilizes one’s energy. Funding: The study was funded by RFBR, project number 20-013-00838.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
The taxonomic typification of dinocyst assemblages was carried out on the basis of a qualitative and quantitative assessment of their generic composition for the Northern Hemisphere in the ...Cenomanian–Turonian time to identify correlation taxa. Three types of dinocyst assemblages were identified in the Cenomanian. Cenomanian dinocyst assemblages are poorly differentiated; a large number of cosmopolitan genera were identified, which is in good agreement with paleobotanical data indicating a very warm, humid climate. Three types of dinocyst assemblages were established for the Turonian. The number of cosmopolitan dinocyst genera decreases and species endemism sharply increases in some Turonian basins. The differentiation of assemblages increases and their correlation potential decreases. However, the identified common genera and species of dinocysts in different types of assemblages provide the possibility of interregional correlation of Upper Cretaceous deposits at the stage, substage, and, at some sections, even more detailed levels in different climatic zones.
Introduction
Future firefighters are trained and selected for a job requiring the ability to perform well under high stress and time pressure.
Objectives
The research is focused on the experimental ...study of fire cadets’ cognitive performance indicators (speed/accuracy) under stress.
Methods
The study follows Solomon Four Group Design with two variables: stress stimuli (exposure/non-exposure) and participants’ background (50 male fire cadets; 50 male civilian students). Stress stimuli consisted of emergencies’ photos, audio, videos. ECG, EMG, systolic wave amplitude, pulse transit time were measured during the experiment to determine the respondents’ stress levels. The cognitive reflection test (CRT) was performed. Mann-Whitney U-test, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient were used.
Results
There were no differences between students and fire cadets in CRT time (p=0.515, students: 118.1±38.6 sec, cadets: 143.5±78.1 sec) and accuracy (p=0.246, students: 1.2±0.9, cadets: 1.4±0.9). Fire cadets in the stress exposure group (mean time=122, mean accuracy=1.22) performed CRT significantly faster (p=0.039) than non-exposed cadets (mean time=166, mean accuracy=1.56). The accuracy difference was insignificant (p=0.206). Fire cadets with prior emergency work experience (n=30, mean time=159.7, mean accuracy=1.6) were no different from other cadets (n=20, mean time=159.7, mean accuracy=1.1) both in time (p=0.289) and accuracy(p=0.07). The performance difference between civilian student groups was insignificant (exposure: mean time=123, mean accuracy=1.32; non-exposure: mean time=113, mean accuracy=1.06).
Conclusions
Stress exposure enhances fire cadets’ CRT performance (in speed, but not in accuracy). Emergency work experience did not contribute to this effect, which could be explained by the self-selection effect (since only people inclined to emergency work choose to become a firefighter).
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
Introduction
Maladaptive defense mechanisms can play a role in maintaining the inadequate social and psychological adaptation of patients.
Objectives
This study aims to establish if denial is one of ...the central psychological defense mechanisms in patients with somatoform disorder.
Methods
10 female patients at Moscow Clinical hospital №33 with somatoform disorder and panic attacks (aged 20 to 43) and 20 female participants of the control group (aged 19 to 35) were presented with 10 pictures of the Thematic Apperception Test. Pictures were previously annotated into 4 groups: neutral stimuli (2, 6GF), provoking self-blame / depression ideation stimuli (3GF,14, 15, 17GF), provoking aggression ideation stimuli (8ВМ, 18 GF, 9GF), provoking aggression/self-blame ideation stimuli (13 MF). We conducted content analyses of stories. Mann-Whitney U-test was used.
Results
Table 1 presents analyses categories, examples of stories, and group differences.
Table 1
Category
Example
Patients,% of stories
Control group,% of stories
Mann-Whitney U-test
Denial of interpersonal/internal conflict
«It is a beautiful day. The girl is enjoying the sunlight. Her life is going well» (17GF).
90%
47%*
р<0,01
Denial of aggressive ideation
«She won`t smother her, she just wants to scare her a little» (18 GF).
70%
30%
р<0,05
Denial of depressive /self-blame ideation
«Is she dead or not? I think, no. They were having sex and now they are sleepy» (13MF).
*
Several patients told more than 1 story to a picture.
Conclusions
Patients with the somatoform disorder tended to use descriptions without interpersonal or internal conflicts and/or to deny any characters‘ negative intentions or the negative consequences of their actions.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
Introduction
Women with reproductive difficulties often feel stigmatized and isolated. Information concerning their specific experience can help plan psychosocial interventions.
Objectives
The study ...aims to analyze reproductive difficulties representations in women with different coping orientations.
Methods
Participants: 48 women (aged 24-43) from support groups arranged by the “You Are Not Alone” non-profit organization for women with reproductive issues. Based on the questionnaire “Types of Orientations in Difficult Situation”, participants were divided into three groups: approach coping (N=16), avoidance coping (N=9), ambivalent coping (N=23). Content analysis was conducted based on stories about reproduction difficulties experiences.
Results
Table 1
Groups
Categories
Approach coping
Ambivalent coping
Avoidance coping
1.Emotions
Negative emotions
31%
43%
Hope
31%
Mobilization to solve the problem
48%
Severe emotional state
9%
67%
No emotion
38%
33%
2.Goals
Birth of a child
81%
61%
44%
Acceptance/inner harmony
13%
26%
Understanding the cause of difficulties
7%
13%
Maintaining the integrity of the body
56%
3.Worst-case scenario
No child
56%
70%
33%
Illness/depression/insanity
13%
44%
Own death
13%
4%
22%
Denial of the possibility of the worst-case scenario
19%
9%
4.Best-case scenario
Having a child
100%
91%
67%
Accepting infertility
6%
Improving own health
33%
Objective indicator:
perinatal losses
6%
27%
14%
Conclusions
We identified three types of representation of reproductive difficulties in women: approaching the goal of having a child; avoidance (fear of own death/illness/insanity or not having a child); ambivalent coping (alternating approach/avoidance). Funding: The study was funded by RFBR, project number 20-013-00838.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
•Sensors for NO2 based on epitaxial graphene were fabricated.•Prototype of a portable device for environmental monitoring was made.•Prototype allowed fast and reproducible measurements of NO2 ...concentration in the range 5ppb–50ppb.
Gas sensor operating in part-per billion (ppb) range is required for environmental monitoring of nitrogen dioxide. Currently there is a lack of cheap sensors, which can operate in this concentration range. In this work, an ultrasensitive gas sensor based on epitaxial graphene on SiC has been proposed. The sensor exhibits a strong and reproducible response to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) for concentrations in air down to 1ppb. A prototype of a portable device for environmental monitoring which utilizes a combination of sample gas exposure at room temperature and sensor’s recovery at elevated temperature has been made. Prototype allows fast and reproducible measurements of NO2 concentration in the typical range for environmental pollution (5ppb–50ppb).
Introduction
Studies show that coping skills are factors in successful rehabilitation.
Objectives
The research is aimed to study the drug users` perception of the current life situation and their ...coping strategies.
Methods
Patients at the Free Narcological Clinic in Azerbaijan (n=46; 37 men, 9 women, aged 18 to 59) participated in our study after 10-12 days (stage 1) of a rehabilitation program. We used a structured interview, projective drawings (“The image of change”, “My difficult life situation”), and a questionnaire, “Appraisal Criteria of the Difficulty of a Life Situation”. The control group consisted of 35 non-drug users. Content analysis and t-test were used.
Results
While the majority of patients (77%) failed to describe any coping strategy they use in difficult life situations, all of them assessed their difficult life situation as under control—an outlook that was significantly more optimistic than the evaluation of the control group (р=0.009). The most frequently mentioned life goals were avoiding the problem (39%) and regaining health (37%). However, analysis of obstacles to achieving life goals shows that 49% of drug users mentioned no obstacles or indicated that “there are no obstacles”. Drug addiction as an obstacle is mentioned in only 4% of the responses; “environment of drug addicts” occurs as the main obstacle in 20%.
Conclusions
Drug users in stage 1 of the rehabilitation program have an unrealistic sense of control, few coping strategies, and do not perceive drug addiction as posing а serious obstacle to achieving their life goals. Funding: The study was funded by RFBR, project number 20-013-00838.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
Introduction
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a complex condition with high comorbidity.
Objectives
This study aims to verify whether patients with AN are more aggressive towards themselves than towards ...others; namely, we measure the levels of autoaggressive/aggressive ideation, negative emotions regarding self/others, as well as self-harm behavior.
Methods
10 female patients with AN (2 of them also had bulimia nervosa) and 20 female participants of the control group were presented with Structured Interview, Rosenzweig Picture-Frustration Test (P‐F), Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory, I-structural Test of Ammon, Boyko Communication Aggression Inventory, Boyko Self-directed Emotion Accumulation Inventory (BSEAI). Mann-Whitney U-test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient were used.
Results
Table 1
Structured interview indicator
Control group
AN patients
Suicide attempts
10%
60%
Self-harm behavior
35%
60%
Piercing/tattoos
20%
50%
Depression (self-report)
40%
90%
There were no significant differences in aggression levels between groups. However, patients with AN showed less extrapunitive reactions: blaming others, requiring others to resolve the situation (P-F, р=0.013) and more intropunitive reactions: self-blame, feeling responsible/guilty for the situation (P-F, р=0.031). AN patients had more self-directed negative emotions and impulses (BSEAI, р=0.01), more self-harm behavior (see table 1). There were no correlations between autoaggression and aggression scales in the control group, but there were 9 correlations between them in the AN group (p<0.05, r>0.76).
Conclusions
Patients with AN are more inclined to self-blame, negative ideas about themselves, self-harm behavior, but have the same aggression level as the control group. The interconnection of aggression and autoaggression is different in patients with anorexia nervosa compared to the control group.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
Introduction
Future firefighters are selected and trained to perform well under pressure and stress.
Objectives
The research is focused on the experimental study of fire cadets’ memory capacity under ...stress.
Methods
The study follows Solomon Four Group Design with two variables: stress stimuli (exposure/non-exposure), fire cadets (n=50)/civilian students (n=40). Two series of The Digit Span Test measurements (DST) were performed. Heart rate, EMG, systolic wave amplitude, pulse transit time were measured during the experiment to determine the respondents’ stress levels.
Results
Memory capacity in fire cadets under stress (n=30) significantly increased (Wilcoxon match-pairs rank test, р = 0.001; 1st DST series, neutral stimuli: M=6.53, SE=0.17, SD=0.96; 2st DST series, stressful stimuli: M=7.3, SE=0.21, SD=1.16), the obtained effect size was medium (Cohen’s d = 0.7232). There was no significant change in memory capacity in civilian students under stress (n=20, Wilcoxon test, р=0.452; 1st DST series, neutral stimuli: M=6.78, SE=0.23, SD=1.02; 2st DST series, stressful stimuli: M=6.7, SE=0.23, SD=1.04). Moreover, there was no significant change in memory capacity in fire cadets that were not under stress (n=20, Wilcoxon test, р = 0.628; 1st DST series, neutral stimuli: M=6.88, SE=0.16, SD=0.70; 2st DST series, neutral stimuli: M=6.78, SE=0.16, SD=0.73). Systolic wave amplitude in the stress-exposed groups changed more pronouncedly in students (Mann–Whitney test, z=-2.131; p = 0.033) compared to cadets.
Conclusions
In most of the fire cadets, moderate stress exposure resulted in a memory capacity increase.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
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