A reevaluation of the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the spiritual well-being questionnaire (SWBQ)
- Authors: Gomez, Rapson , Watson, Shaun
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Religion and Health Vol. 62, no. 3 (2023), p. 2112-2130
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- Description: The 20-item Gomez and Fisher (Personal Individ Differ 35:1975–1991, 2003) Spiritual Well-Being Questionnaire (SWBQ) is a widely used measure of spiritual well-being. Its theoretical model is a higher-order model with primary factors for personal, communal, environmental, and transcendental well-being, and a secondary global spiritual well-being factor. The current study, conducted in Australia, reevaluated the factor structure of the SWBQ. Unlike previous studies, the current study also used exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) to examine the factor structure of the SWBQ and selected the preferred model using not only global model fit values, but also the clarity, reliabilities, and validities of the factors in the models. A total of 227 adults (males = 63; females = 164; M age = 26.1 years; SD = 5.2 years) completed the SWBQ. Based on the model selection criteria applied in the study, the ESEM model with four group factors was selected as the preferred model. However, there was also adequate support for the proposed theoretical higher-order model and the first-order oblique model with the four well-being factors. Concerning our preferred model, its factors showed reasonable clarity for factor loadings and (omega) reliabilities. However, only the communal domain scale was supported empirically for external validity. The implications of the findings for the theoretical model, the use of the SWBQ, and future studies are discussed. In this respect, there are three potential models (theorized higher-order model, 4-factor first-order oblique model, and the ESEM model proposed in this study) that warrant further detailed investigation with a larger, more representative population and additional validation measures. © 2022, The Author(s).
Association of fear of negative evaluation with performance anxiety : mediation by negative self-statements and moderation by positive self-statements during performance in adults
- Authors: Gomez, Rapson , Watson, Shaun , Brown, Taylor
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment Vol. 45, no. 3 (2023), p. 650-658
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- Description: Using individual differences constructs, the current study used cross-sectional data to examine the mediating role of negative self-statements during public speaking on the relationship between fear of negative evaluation and public speaking anxiety (a type of performance anxiety), and how this relationship was moderated by positive self-statements during public performance. The sample comprised 319 adults (men = 105, women = 214) from the general Australian community, with ages ranging from 18 years to 65 years. All participants completed questionnaires covering the different study variables. The findings showed that there was partial mediation by negative self-statements on the relationship between fear of negative evaluation and performance anxiety. There were also moderation effects by positive self-statements for this relationship. Additionally, moderation by positive self-statements was evident at all levels of positive self-statements. The theoretical and clinical implications of the findings for public speaking anxiety are discussed. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Associations of reinforcement sensitivity theory personality constructs, cognitive biases for negative and threatening social information, and social anxiety
- Authors: Gomez, Rapson , Watson, Shaun , Stavropoulos, Vasileios , Typuszak, Natasha
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Current Psychology Vol. 42, no. 17 (2023), p. 14159-14170
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- Description: Background: Using Kimbrel’s (2008) mediation model of social anxiety as a theoretical framework, the primary aim of the current study was to use path analysis to examine how biased cognitions for negative and threatening social information mediated the relationships for the personality constructs of the reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) with generalized and specific social anxiety (target mediation model). A secondary aim was to examine reverse mediation testing (RMT) models, in which the social anxiety constructs were viewed as mediating the relations between RST constructs and biased social cognition constructs. Methods: A total of 302 (males = 101, females = 201) adults (age ranging from 18 to 65 years) from the general community completed questionnaires measuring the behavioral inhibition system/fight-flight-freeze system (BIS/FFFS), the behavioral approach system (BAS), social comparison (SC), social ineptness (SI), and generalized and specific social anxiety. Results: The findings for the target mediation model showed that there was support for indirect effects for the BIS/FFFS and the BAS on generalized and specific social anxiety through SC and SI. For the RMT model, there was support for the indirect effect of the RST constructs with SI through generalized social anxiety. However, specific generalized anxiety did not mediate the relations of the BIS/FFFS and BAS to SC. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of cognitive therapy that targets SC and SI in the treatment of social anxiety, especially among those with high BIS/FFFS and low BAS. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Associations of UPPS-P negative urgency and positive urgency with ADHD dimensions : moderation by lack of premeditation and lack of perseverance in men and women
- Authors: Gomez, Rapson , Watson, Shaun
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Personality and Individual Differences Vol. 206, no. (2023), p.
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- Description: The study examined how dimensions of Whiteside and Lynam's (2003) UPPS-P model of impulsivity (lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, negative urgency, and positive urgency) were associated directly and interactively with the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) dimensions of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity in men and women separately. A total of 550 adults (men = 147, women = 403), ages ranging from 18 to 65 years, from the general community completed questionnaires covering the study variables. For women, there was support for the additive model for the prediction of inattention, and both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity were predicted by lack of premeditation × positive urgency. For men, inattention was predicted by lack of premeditation × negative urgency, and lack of premeditation × positive urgency. In all instances, low levels of premeditation reduced the relationships between the urgency dimensions and ADHD dimensions. The theoretical and clinical implications of the findings are discussed. © 2023 The Author(s)
Confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory structural equation modeling of the factor structure of the Social Thoughts and Beliefs Scale (STABS)
- Authors: Gomez, Rapson , Stavropoulos, Vasileios , Watson, Shaun , Brown, Taylor
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Advances in Psychology Research Chapter 3 p. 55-76
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- Description: The Social Thoughts and Beliefs Scale (STABS) is a valuable tool often used in clinical practice involving social anxiety. However, it is argued that the factor structure of the STABS has yet to be clearly established. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine the factor structure of the STABS using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM). Firstly, comparing the first-order CFA, ESEM, bifactor CFA (BCFA), and bifactor ESEM (BESEM) models with group/specific factors for social comparison (SC) and social ineptness (SI). Participants were 329 individuals (males = 109, females = 220), aged between 18 and 71 years, from the general community. While the ESEM, BCFA, and BESEM models with group/specific factors for SC and SI showed adequate fit, the specific factors in the BCFA and BESEM models were poorly defined in these models, relative to the ESEM model. There was support for the internal consistency reliabilities (omega) and external validities of the factors in the ESEM model. Thus, the ESEM model with specific factors for SC and SI was selected as the preferred model. The practical implications and revisions of the STABS are discussed. © 2023 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Efficacy of a digital mental health biopsychosocial transdiagnostic intervention with or without therapist assistance for adults with anxiety and depression : adaptive randomized controlled trial
- Authors: Andrews, Brooke , Klein, Britt , Nguyen, Huy , Corboy, Denise , McLaren, Suzanne , Watson, Shaun
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Medical Internet Research Vol. 25, no. (2023), p.
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- Description: Background: Digital mental health (DMH) interventions incorporating elements that adapt to the evolving needs of consumers have the potential to further our understanding of the optimal intensity of therapist assistance and inform stepped-care models. Objective: The primary objective was to compare the efficacy of a transdiagnostic biopsychosocial DMH program, with or without therapist assistance for adults with subthreshold symptoms or a diagnosis of anxiety or depression. Methods: In a randomized adaptive clinical trial design, all participants had access to the DMH program, with eligibility to have their program augmented with therapist assistance determined by program engagement or symptom severity. Participants who met stepped-care criteria were randomized to have their treatment program augmented with either low-intensity (10 min/week of video chat support for 7 weeks) or high-intensity (50 min/week of video chat support for 7 weeks) therapist assistance. A total of 103 participants (mean age 34.17, SD 10.50 years) were assessed before (week 0), during (weeks 3 and 6), and after the intervention (week 9) and at the 3-month follow-up (week 21). The effects of 3 treatment conditions (DMH program only, DMH program+low-intensity therapist assistance, and DMH program+high-intensity therapist assistance) on changes in the 2 primary outcomes of anxiety (7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale [GAD-7]) and depression (9-item Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9]) were assessed using the Cohen d, reliable change index, and mixed-effects linear regression analyses. Results: There were no substantial differences in the outcome measures among intervention conditions. However, there were significant time effect changes in most outcomes over time. All 3 intervention conditions demonstrated strong and significant treatment effect changes in GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores, with absolute Cohen d values ranging from 0.82 to 1.79 (all P<.05). The mixed-effects models revealed that, in the Life Flex program–only condition at week 3, mean GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores significantly decreased from baseline by 3.54 and 4.38 (all P<.001), respectively. At weeks 6, 9, and 21, GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores significantly decreased from baseline by at least 6 and 7 points (all P<.001), respectively. Nonresponders at week 3 who were stepped up to therapist assistance increased program engagement and treatment response. At the postintervention time point and 3-month follow-up, 67% (44/65) and 69% (34/49) of the participants, respectively, no longer met diagnostic criteria for anxiety or depression. Conclusions: The findings highlight that early detection of low engagement and non–treatment response presents an opportunity to effectively intervene by incorporating an adaptive design. Although the study findings indicate that therapist assistance was no more effective than the DMH intervention program alone for reducing symptoms of anxiety or depression, the data highlight the potential influence of participant selection bias and participant preferences within stepped-care treatment models. ©Brooke Andrews, Britt Klein, Huy Van Nguyen, Denise Corboy, Suzanne McLaren, Shaun Watson.
Evaluation of various support intensities of digital mental health treatment for reducing anxiety and depression in adults : protocol for a mixed methods, adaptive, randomized clinical trial
- Authors: Andrews, Brooke , Klein, Britt , McLaren, Suzanne , Watson, Shaun , Corboy, Denise
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: JMIR Research Protocols Vol. 12, no. (2023), p.
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- Description: Background: Anxiety and depression are leading causes of disease worldwide, requiring timely access to evidence-based treatment. Digital mental health (dMH) interventions increase accessibility to evidence-based psychological services delivered in a variety of web-based formats (eg, self-help and therapist-assisted interventions). Robust and rigorous studies of adaptive web-based intervention designs are scarce. No identified randomized clinical trial has investigated the efficacy of a 2-stage adaptive design, whereby the program-only condition or no support dMH treatment program is augmented by either low or high therapist assistance, if a participant does not improve or engage in the program-only condition. Objective: The primary objective is to assess whether low or high therapist-assisted support delivered via video chat is more effective in reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms compared with a dMH program–only condition. The secondary objective is to evaluate the role of motivation; self-efficacy; and preferences in participant engagement, adherence, and clinical outcomes (anxiety and depression symptoms) among the 3 treatment conditions (program only, low-intensity therapist assistance, and high-intensity therapist assistance). A mixed methods analysis of factors affecting participant attrition, participant reasons for nonengagement and withdrawal, and therapist training and implementation of dMH interventions will be completed. Qualitative data regarding participant and therapist experiences and satisfaction with video chat assessment and treatment will also be analyzed. Methods: Australian adults (N=137) with symptoms or a diagnosis of anxiety or depression will be screened for eligibility and given access to the 8-module Life Flex dMH treatment program. On day 15, participants who meet the augmentation criteria will be stepped up via block randomization to receive therapist assistance delivered via video chat for either 10 minutes (low intensity) or 50 minutes (high intensity) per week. This adaptive trial will implement a mixed methods design, with outcomes assessed before the intervention (week 0), during the intervention (weeks 3 and 6), after the intervention (week 9), and at the 3-month follow-up (week 21). Results: The primary outcome measures are for anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder–7) and depression severity (Patient Health Questionnaire–9). Measures of working alliance, health status, health resources, preferences, self-efficacy, and motivation will be used for secondary outcomes. Qualitative methods will be used to explore participant and therapist experiences of video chat assessment and treatment, participant reasons for withdrawal and nonengagement, and therapist training and implementation experiences. Data collection commenced in November 2020 and was completed at the end of March 2022. Conclusions: This is the first mixed methods adaptive trial to explore the comparative efficacy of different intensity levels of self-help and a therapist-assisted dMH intervention program delivered via video chat for adults with anxiety or depression. Anticipated results may have implications for the implementation of dMH interventions. © Brooke Andrews, Britt Klein, Suzanne McLaren, Shaun Watson, Denise Corboy. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 28.04.2023.
Factor structure of the symptoms of alcohol use, gaming, and gambling addictions
- Authors: Gomez, Rapson , Stavropoulos, Vasileios , Brown, Taylor , Watson, Shaun
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction Vol. 21, no. 5 (2023), p. 3345-3361
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- Description: Alcohol use, gaming, and gambling addictions are recognized in some form by the major clinical classification symptoms. The current study applied confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) models to compare four different models comprising the symptoms of these addictions. The four models were one-factor (all different types of addiction symptoms loading on a single factor), two-factor (alcohol use and internet/gambling latent factors), three-factor (alcohol use, internet gaming, and gambling symptoms loading only on their respective target latent factors), and bi-factor (alcohol use, internet gaming, and gambling symptoms loading on their respective target latent factor and also on the general addiction factor) models. A general community sample of 968 adults (males = 622, females = 315) completed rating scales with symptoms for the three addictions and also for drug use addiction and distress. Both the three-factor and bi-factor models showed a good fit. However, between these models, only the factors of the three-factor model showed good clarity, reliabilities, and external validities, thereby suggesting that this be the best model to represent ratings of alcohol use, internet gaming, and gambling together. The theoretical, taxonomic, and clinical implications of the findings are discussed. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Reinforcement sensitivity theory of personality questionnaire : measurement and structural invariance across age and gender groups
- Authors: Gomez, Rapson , Stavropoulos, Vasileios , Watson, Shaun , Footitt, Trent , Corr, Philip
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction Vol. 21, no. 1 (2023), p. 131-144
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- Description: Revised reinforcement sensitivity theory (r-RST) of personality is a major neuropsychological theory of motivation, emotion, and personality. To measure the specific components of r-RST, the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Personality Questionnaire (RST-PQ; Corr & Cooper(Psychological Assessment 28(11), 1427–1400, 2016) has been developed. The current study examined the measurement (configural, metric, scalar, and residual) and structural (factor variances, covariances) invariance across gender and age groups for an exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) version of the theorized six-factor oblique model. A total of 901 adults (M = 32.07, SD = 16.38) from the general community completed ratings of the RST-PQ. Multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported full measurement and structural invariance. There was also no difference for the six latent mean scores across gender and age. The psychometric and practical implications of the findings are discussed. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Therapist training in video chat technology for use in an adaptive digital mental health intervention: Challenges, facilitators and implications for training models
- Authors: Andrews, Brooke , Klein, Britt , Corboy, Denise , McLaren, Suzanne , Watson, Shaun
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Counselling and Psychotherapy Research Vol. 23, no. 3 (2023), p. 818-829
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- Description: Objective: This qualitative study investigated therapist training experiences, elements of skill acquisition, and barriers and facilitators associated with conducting assessments, and the delivery of low- and high-intensity therapist assistance delivered via video chat technology, adjunctive to a transdiagnostic digital mental health intervention programme for anxiety and depression. Methodology: In total, 34 semistructured interviews were conducted with 20 therapists. Twenty interviews explored experiences of training to administer a clinical assessment tool, and 14 additional interviews explored training experiences of delivering low- and high-intensity therapist assistance via video chat technology. Results: Reflexive thematic analysis identified three themes: video chat skill acquisition, competencies transferrable to video chat and video chat service quality. Training and supervision were identified as important to scaffold skill development, and therapists described surprise that their skill set was transferrable to video chat. The most cited barrier to the adoption of video chat was the management of risk and distress, along with environmental suitability. Frequently cited facilitators to the adoption of video chat included stable Internet connection, protocols and resources. Conclusion: The benefits of video chat technology and digital mental health interventions can be maximised through the expansion and integration of training into existing teaching curricula. If therapists are familiarised and competent to deliver mental health services via the Internet, as well as in person, the future adoption of blended and stepped-care models is likely to be increased. © 2023 The Authors. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Video chat therapist assistance in an adaptive digital intervention for anxiety and depression : reflections from participants and therapists
- Authors: Andrews, Brooke , Klein, Britt , Corboy, Denise , McLaren, Suzanne , Watson, Shaun
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Professional psychology, research and practice Vol. 54, no. 6 (2023), p. 418-429
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- Description: The purpose of this article is to qualitatively explore participant and therapist experiences of the therapeutic alliance, perceived benefits, challenges, and areas for improvement when using video chat as a mode of therapist assistance within an adaptive digital mental health intervention. In total, 74 semistructured interviews were completed with participants and therapists who participated in an adaptive clinical trial. The participant interviews explored experiences of attending a clinical assessment via video chat and experiences of receiving low- or high-intensity therapist assistance via video chat. Interviews completed with therapists explored their experience of administrating a clinical assessment tool and delivering therapist assistance, both via video chat. Reflexive thematic analysis identified four themes: using video chat, characteristics of therapeutic relationships, task-specific experiences, and utility and adoption of video chat. Both participants and therapists were able to adapt to the modality of video chat and develop positive therapeutic alliances. They reported satisfaction with video chat for conducting clinical assessments and delivering therapist assistance. Concerns were identified by both participants and therapists with low-intensity therapist assistance. This study identified elements of task-specific experiences and human characteristics as more influential in participant and therapist experience than the modality of video chat technology. Implications for assessing suitability for the modality of video chat and low- and high-intensity models of therapist assistance are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)
Confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory structural equation modeling of the factor structure of the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE)
- Authors: Gomez, Rapson , Brown, Taylor , Watson, Shaun , Stavropoulos, Vasileios
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: PLoS ONE Vol. 17, no. 2 February (2022), p.
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- Description: The Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) is a multiple dimensional measure of cognitive empathy [comprising primary factors for perspective taking (PT), online simulation (OS)], and affective empathy [comprising primary factors for emotion contagion (EC), proximal responsivity (PRO), and peripheral responsivity (PER)]. This study used independent clusters confirmatory factor analysis (ICM-CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) to examine the scale’s factor structure. A general community sample of 203 (men = 43, women = 160) between 17 and 63 years completed the QCAE. Although both the five-factor oblique and second order factor models showed good model fit, and clarity in the pattern of factor loadings, in the second-order factor model, none of the primary factors loaded significantly on their respective secondary factors, thereby favoring the five-factor oblique model. The factors in this model were supported in terms of external validity. Despite this, the factor for PRO in this model showed low reliability for meaning interpretation. A revised four-factor oblique model without the PRO factor showed good fit, clarity in the pattern of factor loadings, and reliability and validity for the factors in this model, thereby suggesting this to be the best model to represent ratings on the QCAE. Copyright: © 2022 Gomez et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Inter-relationships between ADHD, ODD and impulsivity dimensions in emerging adults revealed by network analysis: extending the ‘trait impulsivity hypothesis’
- Authors: Gomez, Rapson , Stavropoulos, Vasileios , Watson, Shaun , Brown, Taylor , Chen, Wai
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Heliyon Vol. 8, no. 10 (2022), p.
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- Description: Background: The trait-impulsivity hypothesis posits impulsivity as the underlying substrate of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptom expressions. The current study applied network analysis to evaluate the inter-relationships of dimensions within ADHD (inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity) and ODD (anger/irritable, vindictiveness, and argumentative/defiant behavior) with components of impulsivity as captured by the UPPS-P model (negative urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, sensation seeking, and positive urgency). Method: A total of 324 emerging adults (women = 246) from the general community completed questionnaires covering these dimensions. Results: Our findings showed that the ADHD and ODD dimensions were associated differentially with different types of impulsivity, in their unique patterns of network connectivities, a possibility that has had little attention in the trait-impulsivity hypothesis literature. Conclusions: This study is the first to tease out the unique associations of the ADHD and ODD dimensions with different types of impulsivity, and in that way provide new contributions to our understanding of the existing trait impulsivity theory. Our findings would be especially relevant to those interested in understanding how different dimensions of trait impulsivity underly the ADHD and ODD dimensions. © 2022 The Authors
Network analyses of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) symptoms in children
- Authors: Gomez, Rapson , Stavropoulos, Vasileios , Gomez, Andre , Brown, Taylor , Watson, Shaun
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: BMC Psychiatry Vol. 22, no. 1 (2022), p. 263-263
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- Description: Based on parent and teacher ratings of their children, this study used regularized partial correlation network analysis (EBIC glasso) to examine the structure of DSM-5 Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) symptoms. Parent and teachers (N = 934) from the general community in Malaysia completed questionnaires covering DSM-5 ODD symptoms. The most central ODD symptom for parent ratings was anger, followed by argue. For teacher ratings, it was anger, followed by defy. For both parent and teacher ratings, the networks revealed at least medium effect size connections for temper and argue, defy, and argue, blames others, and annoy, and spiteful and angry. Overall, the findings were highly comparable across parent and teacher ratings, and they showed a novel understanding of the structure of the ODD symptoms. The clinical implications of the findings for assessment and treatment of ODD are discussed.
Personality inventory for DSM–5-brief form (PID-5-BF) : measurement invariance across men and women
- Authors: Gomez, Rapson , Watson, Shaun , Brown, Taylor , Stavropoulos, Vasileios
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment Vol. 14, no. 3 (2022), p. 334-338
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- Description: The study examined the measurement invariance (configural, metric, scalar, and residual) of the Personality Inventory for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM–5) Brief Form (PID-5-BF; Krueger et al., 2013) across gender for the theorized Five-Factor oblique model. A large group of adults (N = 502), with ages ranging from 18 to 67 years, from the Australian general community completed the PID-5-BF. When the
Unique associations of revised-reinforcement sensitivity theory constructs with social anxiety
- Authors: Gomez, Rapson , Stavropoulos, Vasileios , Watson, Shaun , Brown, Taylor , Corr, Philip
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction Vol. 20, no. 5 (2022), p. 2838-2850
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- Description: Revised reinforcement sensitivity theory (r-RST) is a major neuropsychological theory of motivation, emotion, and personality. We report the results of a study that examined the unique relationships of the r-RST constructs with two forms of anxiety: social interaction and social performance. Five hundred and seventy-two adults completed the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Personality Questionnaire (RST-PQ) alongside measures of social interaction anxiety and social performance anxiety. Regression results revealed that, as predicted, both social interaction anxiety and social performance anxiety were linked uniquely and positively with the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) scale score. In addition, social performance anxiety was associated uniquely and positively with the fight-flight-freeze system (FFFS) scale score. The theoretical and clinical implications of the findings for social anxiety are discussed. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
A preliminary investigation of the effect of ethical labeling and moral self-image on the expected and perceived flavor and aroma of beer
- Authors: Doorn, George , Ferguson, Rose , Watson, Shaun , Timora, Justin , Berends, Dylan , Moore, Chris
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Beverages Vol. 7, no. 2 (2021), p.
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- Description: Ethical labelling has been shown to influence taste/flavour perception. Across two experiments, the present study examined how ethical labelling and moral self-image influenced both the expected (Experiment One) and perceived (Experiment Two) taste/flavour characteristics of beer. In Experiment One, 170 participants read either a ‘moral’ or ‘control’ label describing a brewery, after which they were presented with an image of a beer. Participants then completed a Beer Taste Perception Questionnaire and the Moral Self-Image Scale. In Experiment Two, 59 participants were exposed to either the moral or control label before tasting a beer and completing the same questionnaires from Experiment One. The results of Experiment One indicated that label type moderated the relationship between moral self-image and the intensity ratings of the beer. Specifically, in the presence of a control label, the expected intensity of the beer’s flavour increased as moral self-image increased. Experiment Two found no evidence that the moral label influenced the perceived taste of the beer. However, the results showed that as moral self-image became more positive the perceived refreshingness of the beer increased. This study provides novel evidence of the potential relationship between an individual’s moral self-image and the expected and perceived taste/flavour characteristics of beer. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Reinforcement sensitivity theory of personality questionnaire : factor structure based on CFA and ESEM, and Associations with ADHD
- Authors: Gomez, Rapson , Watson, Shaun , Wynen, Johan , Trawley, Steven , Stavropoulos, Vasileios , Corr, Philip
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Personality Assessment Vol. 103, no. 4 (2021), p. 523-534
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- Description: Revised reinforcement sensitivity theory (r-RST) of personality is a major neuropsychological theory of motivation, emotion and personality. This paper presents the results of a study examining: (1) the factor structure of the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Personality Questionnaire (RST-PQ) using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM); and (2) the relationships of the r-RST constructs in the RST-PQ with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptom groups of inattention (IA) and hyperactivity/impulsivity (HI). A total of 572 (Sample 1) and 309 (Sample 2) adults completed the RST-PQ. Participants in Sample 2 also completed a questionnaire measuring ADHD symptoms. Results revealed more support for the ESEM model with six factors than the CFA model. For both the ESEM and CFA models, both IA and HI symptom groups were associated positively with the RST-PQ constructs of behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and behavioral approach system (BAS) Impulsivity, with IA also associated negatively with the BAS-Goal-Drive Persistence. The theoretical implications of these findings for understanding the factor structure of the RST-PQ, and for ADHD (IA and HI) in terms of r-RST, are discussed. © 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Associations of behavioral inhibition system with negatively biased social cognitions : moderation by the behavioral approach system
- Authors: Gomez, Rapson , Watson, Shaun , Stavropoulos, Vasileios
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Personality and Individual Differences Vol. 166, no. (2020), p.
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- Description: Using the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and behavioral approach system (BAS) subscales of the BIS/BAS Scales (Carver & White, 1994), this study examined how the association of the BIS and the negatively biased social cognitions of social comparison, social ineptness, negative self-statements, and fear of negative evaluation, were moderated by BAS-Drive and BAS-Reward Responsiveness. A total of 302 (males = 101, females = 201) adults (age ranging from 18 to 65 years) from the general community completed questionnaires covering the different study variables. The findings indicted moderation by BAS-D for the predictions of social comparison, social ineptness, and negative self-statements, and moderation by BAS-RR for the predictions of social ineptness, negative self-statements, and fear of negative evaluation. For moderation effects, moderation was present at lower levels of BAS-D, and at higher levels of BAS-RR. © 2020
Happy hour? A preliminary study of the effect of induced joviality and sadness on beer perception
- Authors: Desira, Beth , Watson, Shaun , Van Doorn, George , Timora, Justin , Spence, Charles
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Beverages Vol. 6, no. 2 (2020), p. 1-14
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- Description: Our emotions influence our perception. In order to determine whether emotion influences the perception of beer, 32 participants watched either a scene from the movie Wall-E to induce joviality, or a short clip from the Shawshank Redemption to induce sadness. The participants were then required to sample up to 250 mL of Yenda Pale Ale beer and rate it on a variety of taste and flavor characteristics (e.g., bitterness), before completing the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-X (PANAS-X). The data were analyzed using Bayesian t-tests and Null Hypothesis Significance Tests (NHSTs). After applying conservative corrections for multiple comparisons, NHSTs failed to reach statistical significance. However, the effect sizes suggested that inducing joviality, relative to inducing sadness, resulted in the beer being rated as (a) tasting more pleasant, (b) tasting sweeter, and (c) being of higher quality. Following the induction of joviality, participants were also willing to pay more for the beer. The Bayesian analyses indicated that induced emotion can influence flavor perception for complex taste stimuli. The effect sizes and Bayesian analyses are interpreted in terms of Feelings-as-Information theory. These preliminary findings can tentatively be applied to real-world environments such as venues that serve and/or market alcohol. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
- Description: Funding: This research was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), grant number AH/L007053/1 awarded to C.S.