This study examined the mediatory effects of self-compassion in emotional information processing, to gain an understanding of the mechanism by which emotional clarity leads to psychological health. The results of structural equation modeling showed that the mediatory effect of self-compassion between clarity of emotion and psychological health index was significant, and that the effect of clarity of emotion on adaptive emotion regulation was completely mediated by self-compassion. Those with self-kindness, mindfulness, and a sense of common humanity regulate their emotions with adaptive strategies rather than criticism or avoidance, while emotional awareness leads to psychological health. The implications of these results on emotion-focused and acceptance-based psychotherapy, and the importance of fostering self-compassion through counseling were discussed.
The aim of this study was to examine the effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on negative emotions, acceptance and quality of life among breast cancer patients. Mindfulness meditation was utilized as the primary tool to promote acceptance. The sample of in this study consisted of 15 patients collected recruited from a community health center and from online forums for breast cancer patients. The treatment group (n=6, M=47.17 years, SD=3.66) participated in an ACT program lasting 8 weeks in addition to routine medical treatment. The control group (n=9, M=50.63 years, SD=4.00) received routine medical treatment only. The results revealed that the levels of acceptance and quality of life of patients in the ACT program improved. The six-month follow-up assessment showed a continuous decrease in negative emotion and increase in acceptance and quality of life. The results suggest that the ACT program can help breast cancer patients develop psychological acceptance as well as increase their quality of life.
This study was designed to examine the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation on the relief of headaches and related negative psychological states among teachers suffering from chronic headaches. Twelve teachers (45-46 years old) at high schools in Seoul who met the criteria for ‘Chronic Daily Headache' (as defined by the International Headache Society) were assigned to either a mindfulness meditation group (M=46.50 years old, SD=9.69) or a wait-list group (M=45.67 years old, SD=10.21). The mindfulness meditation group received weekly 60-70 minute mindfulness sessions over an 8-week period. The Kabat-zinn’s Mindfulness Meditation program, with a focus on respiratory mindfulness, was utilized. The measurements in this study included the Headache Self Efficacy scale, Stress Response Inventory Short Form, Psychosocial Well-being Index Short Form, the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Results revealed that participants in the treatment group reported significantly more relief of headaches, stress, depression and negative effects than those in the wait-list group. These findings provide evidence that mindfulness meditation can help relieve headaches and stress in high school teachers suffering from chronic headaches.
The purpose of this study was to examine the attentional bias of the guilty through the Concealed Information Test (CIT) using an Eye Tracker. In other words, we examined whether the CIT using an Eye Tracker could distinguish three different groups; a guilty group, an innocent group, and another innocent group with concealed information. We separated the participants into a guilty group of 19 individuals, an innocent group of 16 individuals, and another innocent group of 16 individuals with concealed information (e.g., which item was stolen). Participants were first asked to recreate the situation in which the crime had occurred, then were provided with relevant stimulus and irrelevant stimuli. Finally, we examined participants' eye movements following the stimuli using an Eye Tracker. The results showed that groups with information such as the guilty group and the innocent group with concealed information gazed at the irrelevant stimuli longer than at the relevant stimulus. There was also a difference between the groups in the number of eye movements and gazes at the relevant stimulus. These results indicated that individuals who commit a crime or have relevant information are conscious of the relevant stimulus and try to avoid it. Moreover, their eye movements were restrained. This study examined the accuracy and the validity of the CIT using an Eye Tracker. Thus, the study has significance in that it could contribute to an increase in the practical applicability of CIT.
This study aimed to examine the effects of the Well-Being Cognition List on negative mood regulation expectancy, well-being, and stress management. The participants consisted of 40 freshmen at a women's university in Seoul, who were all randomly assigned to either a well-being cognition group (n=20) or a waitlist control group (n=20). The participants in the well-being cognition group were instructed and guided to engage in well-being cognition behavior that involved positive and optimistic self-talk in order to generate a state of positive affect within themselves. They attended five education sessions and were asked to read and recite well-being cognition statements at least 10 times, twice a day over a 3-week period. Results revealed that the well-being cognition group scored significantly higher than the control group on Negative Mood Regulation Expectancies, Positive Affect, Life Orientation Test-Revised, the Satisfaction With Life Scale, and the Life Satisfaction Expectancy Scale at post-treatment assessment. Additionally, the well-being cognition group scored significantly lower on Negative Affect and the Stress Response Inventory (including physiological symptoms, depression, and anger). These results suggest that reciting 'well-being cognitions' may be an effective strategy to promote well-being and reduce stress even when applied over a short period. The implications and limitations of the study are discussed.
In this study, in order to identify how mindfulness improves each other's happiness, the previous research was reviewed, through which self-esteem and materialism were chosen as the mediating variables between mindfulness and happiness. The current study demonstrated that the prediction of happiness by mindfulness was mediated by self-esteem and materialism indirectly, not directly. Mindfulness increased self-esteem, decreased materialism, and finally, positively influenced happiness. The results indicated that mindfulness can influence life's value (materialism), as well as individual self-perception.
The purpose of this study is to analyze the nature and meaning of the recovery from gambling addiction by questing for the recovery experiences of the compulsive gambler without exaggeration from the point of view of participants themselves and to suggest the practical bases for the reason why they need GA in the process as well as the political and practical alternatives. The 12 participants of this study are attendees of GA who have recovered from gambling addiction for at least 5 years. Participants have attended GA for a minimum of 7 years and 9 months to a maximum of 28 years, and have recovered from gambling addiction for a minimum of 7 years to 27 years 10 months. The period of collecting data was from December, 2013 to April, 2014. Intensive interviewing time was spent for 90 minutes to 120 minutes one-on-one, more interviews were implemented by phone whenever they were needed. By the phenomenological approach of Colaizzi’s, 79 meaning units, 19 theme units and 5 categories were classified through from the primary sorting to the third categorizing. The recovery experiences derived from attending gambling addiction GA was classified as 5 categories 1) ‘Not receptive to GA’, 2) ‘Receptive to GA’, 3) ‘Gradual participation in GA’, 4) ‘Follows GA principles in everyday life’, 5) ‘Grace of the Greater Power'. Spiritual orientation is an important aspect of their recovery. The significance of this study lies in understanding and confirming the important role GA plays in helping gambling addicts recover from gambling addiction. The study also addresses issues that need to be solved to facilitate the recovery of gambling addiction.
The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and the fatigue, and the mediating role of the depression and anxiety in their relationship. A total of 491 participants (252 university students and 239 employees) in Daegu/Kyongbuk area participated in the study. Participants completed the fatigue(Fatigue Scale), maladaptive perfectionism (Multidimensional Perfectionism: FMPS), and depression and anxiety (BDI and BAI). Major findings of the study were the following. First, maladaptive perfectionism and the fatigue showed a significant positive correlation. Secondly, maladaptive perfectionism showed a significant positive correlation with depression and anxiety. Thirdly, depression and anxiety were significantly and positively correlated with fatigue. Fourthly, while depression fully mediated the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and the fatigue, anxiety partially mediated. As the level of maladaptive perfectionism increases, so does the level of depression and anxiety, which in turn increases the level of fatigue. Lastly, in case of the comorbidity of anxiety and depression, it completely mediated the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and fatigue. The current findings suggest that psychological factors like maladpative perfectionism, anxiety and depression should be considered in the evaluation and treatment of fatigue.
The purpose of this study was 1) to explore the mediating effects of external locus of control on the relationship between socially prescribed perfectionism and anger-in expression and 2) to compare mediating effects of other and chance factor are sub-factors of external locus of control. Three hundred eighty undergraduate students participated in study. They were asked to complete questionnaires about perfectionism, locus of control, and anger expression. The data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling. The results were as follows: (1) socially prescribed perfectionism was positively related to external locus of control and anger-in expression. (2) the relationship between socially-prescribed perfectionism and anger-in expression was completely mediated by external locus of control. (3) the results further that the other factor showed significant mediating effect. Based on these results, the implication and limitation of the study were discussed.
This study aimed to investigate the relationships between parental acceptance and rejection, ambivalence over emotional expressiveness, interpersonal anxiety, and the subjective well-being of college students, and to examine the mediating effects of ambivalence over emotional expressiveness or interpersonal anxiety between parental acceptance-rejection and subjective well-being. The participants were 362 male and female college students, whose average age was 21.48 (SD=2.27). The psychological tests used in this research included the following: Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ), Ambivalence over Emotional Expressiveness Questionnaire (AEQ), Interaction Anxiousness Scale (IAS), Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). The results indicated that the perceived parental acceptance of college students was negatively correlated with ambivalence over emotional expressiveness and interpersonal anxiety, but positively correlated with subjective well-being. Inversely, parental rejection was positively correlated with ambivalence over emotional expressiveness and interpersonal anxiety, but negatively correlated with subjective well-being. Ambivalence over emotional expressiveness and interpersonal anxiety were negatively correlated with the subjective well-being of college students. Stepwise regression analysis showed that maternal acceptance accounted for the most variance in the subjective well-being of college students, and additional accountabilities of ambivalence over emotional expressiveness for self-protection, interpersonal anxiety and paternal rejection were significant. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that accountabilities of ambivalence over emotional expressiveness for self-protection as well as interpersonal anxiety partially mediated parental acceptance-rejection and subjective well-being. The negative effects of parental acceptance and rejection, ambivalence over emotional expressiveness, and interpersonal anxiety were compared with previous studies and the direction for further studies as well as the clinical meaning of this study was suggested.
The purpose of this study was to examine the moderating effect of avoidant personality belief and experiential avoidance on the relation between perceived stress and depression. Self-report data were collected from 328 university students (131 male and 197 female) located in the GyeongNam area. The following questionnaires were utilized: Perceived Stress Scale(PSS), Personality Belief Questionnaire(PBQ), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-Ⅱ(AAQ-Ⅱ), and Korea Depression Scale(KDS). Hierarchical analysis was applied to verify the moderating effect of avoidant personality belief and experiential avoidance on the relation between perceived stress and depression. The study results were as follows. Perceived stress was positively correlated with avoidant patterns (avoidant personality belief, experiential avoidance) and depression. Perceived stress, avoidant personality belief and experiential avoidance significantly predicted the level of depression. Avoidant personality belief and experiential avoidance moderated the relation between perceived stress and depression among adults, implying that the level of avoidant personality belief; and experiential avoidance plays an important role as a protective factor in reducing depression in adults with perceived stresses. However, there was a difference in moderating effects between genders. The moderating effect of avoidant personality belief works for both genders but experiential avoidance had no effect in the female group. The findings and implications were discussed.
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of dysfunctional communication behavior and self-compassion between marital conflict and marital satisfaction. Firstly, we investigated the marital conflict effect on the marital satisfaction. Secondly, we examined if dysfunctional communication behavior, a risk factor, mediated the association between marital conflict and marital satisfaction. Finally, we examined the moderating effect of self-compassion as a protective factor between marital conflict and marital satisfaction. For this study, 282 married people from Daegu, Gyeongbuk, Gyeonggido had assessments for marital conflict, marital satisfaction, dysfunctional communication behavior and self-compassion. The result of the tests showed that marital conflict had a negative effect on marital conflict. In addition, the dysfunctional communication behavior mediated partially between marital conflict and marital satisfaction. The moderate effect of self-compassion between marital conflict and marital satisfaction was not statistically significant. However additional analysis revealed that marital conflict and marital satisfaction were significantly different based on the level of self-compassion. Several implications of these results and limitations of the study were discussed.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between job-seeking stress, resilience and the subjective well-being of college students, and to examine the role of resilience in job-seeking stress and subjective well-being. The participants were 329 college students, whose average age was 22.40 (SD=1.74). Job-seeking stress, resilience, positive/negative emotion, and life satisfaction were measured for this study. The results indicated that female students experienced greater job-seeking stress according to their personality as well as lower feelings of competence, anger control, and life satisfaction than male students. Job-seeking stress was negatively correlated with resilience and the subjective well-being of college students, while resilience was positively correlated with subjective well-being. Positive attitude, a factor of resilience, accounted for the most variance, with approximately 41% variance of subjective well-being among the college students. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that resilience partially mediated job-seeking stress and subjective well-being. The dysfunction of job-seeking stress and the positive effect of resilience were compared with previous studies and some theories, and the direction for further studies as well as the clinical meaning of this study was addressed. These findings reiterate the negative effects of job-seeking stress on the well-being of college students, and indicate the role of resilience in the relationship between job-seeking stress and subjective well-being. Thus, further studies on this relationship and discussion of its clinical implications are needed.
Although aggression has been associated with suicidal behavior among individual with alcohol use disorders (AUD), little is known about the mechanism this association. hypothesized that aggression an indirect effect on suicidal behavior and this relationship mediated by acquired capability for suicide the ability to overcome the fear and pain associated with suicide (Van Orden et al., 2008). Participants were patients undergoing residential alcohol use disorder treatment at local hospitals in Korea. As hypothesized, the relationship between aggression and suicidal behavior was partially mediated by acquired capability for suicide. Our findings the role of acquired capability in the association between aggression and suicidal behavior in AUD individuals. Implications for suicide risk assessment individuals with AUD discussed.
A prospective study was conducted on the details of 'gaming-related beliefs' and the relationships between respective details and adolescents gaming addiction. Attitude and beliefs, which function as preceding factors, were specifically listed. Relevant information is used to increase the efficacy and effectiveness of the preventive education for gaming addiction and cognitive behavioral therapy. Through an Internet panel survey, 313 frequent gamers were analyzed by using a gaming-related belief assessment scale and a gaming problematic symptom assessment scale. In this short-term longitudinal study, data collected on the 1st, 5th and 10th month were analyzed by using the latent growth modeling. The results showed that gaming addiction level decreased linearly over time. Based on each construct, a linear relationship between intercept and slope was verified. The gaming-related beliefs (15 items) had a significant relationship with the slope of gaming addiction level. The results showed that gaming-related beliefs were the cause of gaming addiction. We discussed the use of detailed cognitions and beliefs for the prevention of gaming addiction and cognitive behavioral therapy.
We examined the effect of Nolen-Hoeksema's response styles, response style ratio approach (rumination scores divided by the sum of distraction and problem-solving scores), and the expanded response style ratio approach (the sum of rumination and mood avoidance scores divided by the sum of distraction, problem-solving, and mindfulness scores) on depression in middle and high school students (N=629). The results indicated that in adolescents, RSQ ratio scores were more strongly associated with depression than RSQ rumination. Second, the expanded ratio scores accounted for additional variance in depression scores, controlling for RSQ ratio and RSQ rumination scores. Third, the proportion of high rumination/high distraction and low rumination/low distraction was higher than high rumination/low distraction and low rumination/high distraction. The adolescents sample study corroborated previous findings that a Nolen-Hoeksema's response style ratio approach more strongly predicts depressive symptoms than rumination scores. Furthermore, the study also provided the first support for the hypothesis that expanded response style ratio scores that add mindfulness and mood avoidance response styles to the Nolen-Hoeksema's response style theory additionally account for depressive symptoms. Finally, the findings were discussed in terms of limitations and treatment implications across the ratio approach.
The aim of this study was to identify and comprehend the multidimensional model of risk factors and protective factors of risk behaviors of youth. In this study, 627 middle and high school students in Gyeonggi-do were asked to administer to the following scales: Risk Factors Scale, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-Ⅱ, Sensation Seeking Scale (V), K-DHS, Life Competence Diagnostic Scale, Risk Behaviors Scale, and Impulsivity act on risk behaviors. As a result, sensation-seeking was found to have an independent effect, acting as a mediate variable. Despite that risk factors existed, life-competence bumpered on the risk behaviors of adolescents. Therefore, life-competence had an effect on risky behaviors, as a moderating variable in adverse environments. Hope and life-competence were verified as dual-mediators between impulsivity and risk behaviors. These results showed that the cumulative compensatory model was fit for explaining the risk factors among adolescents at risk. In the case of low levels of risk, hope acted as a mediating variable, but not at the high level of risk. However, life-competence, as a moderating variable between sensation-seeking and risk factors, acted in high-level risk environments. In conclusion, the multi-dimensional model of risk factors and protective factors of youth was more appropriate than the previous single-dimensional model. These outcomes suggest that a more tailored-intervention should be provided for moderating the risk behaviors of at-risk adolescents.
The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in cognitive processing according to social anxiety level, during and after the experience of the social situation. We focused on post-event processing as the expected cognitive processes after the social anxiety experience. For this study, 18 students each from the high and low social anxiety group were asked to make an impromptu 3-minutes speech in front of 4 experiment confederates while being videotaped. The 4 experiment confederates also evaluated the speech of participants during the experiment. Two days later, participants were asked to participate in a follow-up study. The result of the study showed that the group with high social anxiety overall had formed a negative impression about speech, as compared to the group with low social anxiety. However, when the participants were presented more specific evaluation items, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups. Secondly, the group with high social anxiety were more immersed in the post-event processing, as compared to the group with low social anxiety. Third, the hypothesized recognition bias was found in the follow-up evaluation study, and the recognition bias for negative items was more noticeable than those for positive items. Finally, the several implications and limitations of the study were discussed.
This study explored the differential developmental changes in the emotional recognition abilities of elderly childhood and early adolescent students according to gender using a web based Emotional Recognition Test-Revised (ERT-R). These periods were selected because they were considered the peak of brain development and the period approaching emotional stability. For healthy interpersonal relationships and social activity after these periods, emotional recognition abilities were also considered. ERT-R was developed for administering, scoring, recording and analyzing results for web tests, and the number and ratio of correct responses as well as the response speed for correct responses were measured by 1/100 seconds. In the global correct response ratio of ERT-R, female participants showed better emotional recognition abilities, and the developmental ageing effect was significant. Simple emotional recognition ability did not show any significant difference. However, in emotional discrimination, students at the elderly childhood stage showed significant differential changes than others. For the subtotal of contextual understanding, gender difference was significant, but differential developmental change was not. Among the subscales of contextual understanding, males showed significant differential developmental changes in happy and sad emotions. In conclusion, basic emotional recognition abilities had developed by elderly childhood, but some emotional discrimination and contextual understanding abilities were lower or showed more delayed developmental tendency in males than in female.
There are few published case studies qualitatively analyzing the clinical progress of cancer patients participating in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in detail. The present qualitative case study purported to show the effects of Korean Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (K-MBSR) on salivatory cortisol, CRP, blood pressure, sleep quality, anxiety, depression, & mindfulness skills in cancer patients diagnosed and treated at a University Hospital. It was expected that the K-MBSR would provide benefits to psychological and physical health. Four patients who participated in 8 or more sessions of K-MBSR were selected for the case study, and a detailed quantitative analysis was carried out on the process of the treatment sessions. The K-MBSR program, adapted by Chang Hyun-Gab, consists of informal meditation (eating meditation, walking meditation) and formal meditation (body scan, breathing meditation, soft hatha yoga). The dependent measures employed were the KIMS mindfulness scale, BDI, BAI, PSQI, and salivary cortisol. The patients participated in 90-minute weekly sessions, and were required to perform homework of practicing meditation daily at home for at least 6 days, utilizing the provided handout on soft hatha yoga and meditation instruction audio-tape. In addition, participants were expected to write a meditation practice diary, to be presented in the subsequent session. The results seem to show the significant benevolent effects on salivatory cortisol, blood pressure, sleep quality, anxiety and depression.