The Effects of Warning Smokers on Perceived Risk, Worry, and Motivation to Quit

Background  Research concerning motives for smoking cessation has focused on beliefs (cognitions) that people have, especially risk perceptions, with less attention directed to worry (negative affect) concerning one’s smoking. Purpose  We tested a manipulation to encourage smokers to think and worry more about their smoking behavior. We contrasted risk perceptions and worry as predictors of contemplation to quit smoking. Methods  Smokers were randomly assigned to two conditions in which they carried personal digital assistants for 2 weeks. When signaled, smokers read smoking consequence statements or daily hassle statements. Results  After 2 weeks, experimental smokers reported greater perceived risk and worry about developing a medical condition compared to control smokers. Both perceived risk and worry independently mediated the relationship between the experimental manipulation and increased contemplation to quit smoking; however, worry was the strongest mediator in a multiple mediation model. Conclusion  Worry may be foremost for motivating smokers to attempt quitting.     

The Alcohol Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) in an Acute Mental Health Setting

Up to sixty percent of people admitted to acute mental health services in Australia present with a clinically significant co-occurring drug and/or alcohol problem. These individuals experience poorer health outcomes when compared to the general population and to those people who have a mental illness but have no co-morbid alcohol and drug problems. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that many nurses working in the area do not have the knowledge and skills and confidence to work effectively with this patient population. Drug and alcohol assessment tools, considered the gold standard, generally assess only one substance at a time or provide little specific information on the particular substance of use or abuse. An amended version of the World Health Organisation, (WHO) Alcohol Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test Version 3 (ASSIST V3.0) and associated brief interventions was implemented following an in-vivo education program at an acute mental health inpatient unit in Western Australia. This before and after intervention’ study utilised a self-rating questionnaire and a knowledge quiz to assess nurses’ knowledge of drug and alcohol issues as well as their level of confidence to work with people who have a mental illness and co-occurring drug and alcohol problems. Translation of acquired knowledge into patient care was also evaluated through a review of patient medical records. Significant improvement in nurses’ knowledge was reported along with increased clinical confidence and skills to identify, assess, and manage this group of patients and to provide them with information and referral to appropriate agencies in the community.     

Peritraumatic Reaction Courses During War: Gender,Serious Mental Illness,and Exposure

Objective: We assessed in vivo symptom courses of early psychological responses during war and investigated the influence of exposure, gender, and a prior diagnosis of severe mental illness (SMI). Method: Participants were 181 highly exposed individuals from the general population and community psychiatric rehabilitation centers. A 30-day twice-daily Internet-smartphone-based intensive assessment two weeks into the 2014 Israel–Gaza war estimated peritraumatic symptom clusters, sense of threat, negative emotions and cognitions, and siren exposure during two periods that varied in exposure level. Piecewise growth curve modeling procedures were performed. Results: We found different courses for most variables, gender, and SMI status. Women were more reactive two weeks into the war but reduced their reactivity level at a faster pace than males, reaching lower symptom levels one month later. Women’s courses were characterized by arousal, negative emotionality, sense of threat, and reactivity to siren exposure. No-SMI men had a stable course followed by a significant reduction in arousal, negative emotions, avoidance, and perceived threat during a “return to routine” lower-level intensity period of the war. Individuals with SMI had higher reactivity levels at study onset; but while women with SMI improved over time, men with SMI worsened. SMI reactivity was characterized by negative cognitions, intrusions, and avoidance. Conclusions: Early reactions during prolonged exposure to war are variable, dynamic, and affected by exposure context. Symptoms, emotions, and cognitions develop differentially over time and are affected by gender and mental health status. The identification of various early stress courses should inform primary intervention strategies.     

Health Message Framing Effects on Attitudes,Intentions, and Behavior: A Meta-analytic Review

Background  

Message framing has been an important focus in health communication research, yet prior meta-analyses found limited support for using framing to increase persuasiveness of health messages.     

Extension of Goal-Directed Behavior Model for Post-Pandemic Korean Travel Intentions to Alternative Local Destinations: Perceived Risk and Knowledge

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, tourists have been increasingly concerned over various risks of international travel, while knowledge of the pandemic appears to vary significantly. In addition, as travel restrictions continue to impact adversely on international tourism, tourism efforts should be placed more on the domestic markets. Via structural equation modeling, this study unearthed different risk factors impacting Korean travelers’ choices of alternative local destinations in the post-pandemic era. In addition, this study extended the goal-directed behavior framework with the acquisition of perceived risk and knowledge of COVID-19, which was proven to hold a significantly superior explanatory power of tourists’ decisions of local alternatives over foreign countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, desire was found to play an imminent mediating role in the conceptual model, maximizing the impact of perceived risk on travel intentions. Henceforth, this research offers meaningful theoretical implication as the first empirical study to deepen the goal-directed behaviour framework with perceived risk and knowledge in the context of post-COVID-19 era. It also serves as insightful knowledge for Korean tourism authorities and practitioners to understand local tourists’ decision-making processes and tailor effective recovery strategy for domestic tourism.”     

Perceived Risk and Mental Health Problems among Healthcare Professionals during COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring the Mediating Effects of Resilience and Coronavirus Fear

During coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, healthcare professionals were particularly at high-risk of developing symptoms of mental health problems due to being on the frontline in the battle against COVID-19. This study examined the mediating roles of resilience and coronavirus fear in the relationship between perceived risk and mental health problems among healthcare professionals including doctors and nurses who were actively treating patients confirmed with COVID-19. We recruited 204 healthcare professionals (50% females) with a mean age of 32.92 years (SD?=?7.01). Results showed that perceived risk and coronavirus fear positively predicted depression, anxiety, and stress while resilience negatively predicted those mental health problems. Coronavirus fear mediated the relationship between perceived risk and resilience, depression, anxiety, and stress. Additionally, resilience mitigated the effect of coronavirus fear on depression, anxiety, and stress. This study is among the first indicating the importance of resilience and fear as a critical mechanism that explains the relationship between perceived risk and mental health problems among health professionals directly caring for COVID-19 patients.

     

Bridges to Better Health and Wellness: An Adapted Health Care Manager Intervention for Hispanics with Serious Mental Illness

This study examined the feasibility, acceptability, and initial impact of bridges to better health and wellness (B2BHW), a culturally-adapted health care manager intervention for Hispanics with serious mental illness (SMI). Thirty-four Hispanics with SMI and at risk for cardiovascular disease were enrolled. Mixed-linear models were used to examine changes over 12-months on patient activation, self-efficacy, patient-rated quality of care, receipt of preventive primary care services, and quality of life. The majority of participants completed the intervention (85%) with high satisfaction. Significant improvements were found for patient activation, self-efficacy, patients’ ratings of quality of care, and receipt of preventive primary care.     

Severity, timing, and duration of reactions to trauma in the population: an example from Mexico.

Normative data describing acute reactions to trauma are few.Of 2509 Mexican adults interviewed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, 1241 met trauma exposure criteria for index events occurring more than 1 year previously.The modal response, describing 45%, was a reaction to trauma that was mild (present but below levels of posttraumatic stress disorder symptom criteria), immediate (within the first month), and transient (over within a year). Nonetheless, 29% experienced immediate and serious reactions. Of these, 44% had chronic posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Those whose reactions were serious and chronic differed in many ways from those whose reactions were serious but transient. They had more traumatic events during their lives, and their index events were more likely to have occurred in childhood and to have involved violence. They had more symptoms and functional impairment after the trauma and higher levels of depressive and somatic symptoms when data were collected.Psychiatrically significant reactions to trauma persist often enough to justify their detection and treatment. Persons in need of acute intervention can be identified on the basis of the nature and severity of the initial response as well as characteristics of the stressor.     

Fear conditioning,persistence of disruptive behavior and psychopathic traits: an fMRI study

Children diagnosed with Disruptive Behavior Disorders (DBD), especially those with psychopathic traits, are at risk of developing persistent and severe antisocial behavior. Deficient fear conditioning may be a key mechanism underlying persistence, and has been associated with altered regional brain function in adult antisocial populations. In this study, we investigated the associations between the neural correlates of fear conditioning, persistence of childhood-onset DBD during adolescence and psychopathic traits. From a cohort of children arrested before the age of 12 years, participants who were diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder or Conduct Disorder in previous waves (mean age of onset 6.5 years, s.d. 3.2) were reassessed at mean age 17.6 years (s.d. 1.4) and categorized as persistent (n=25) or desistent (n=25) DBD. Using the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory and functional magnetic resonance imaging during a fear conditioning task, these subgroups were compared with 26 matched healthy controls from the same cohort. Both persistent and desistent DBD subgroups were found to show higher activation in fear processing-related brain areas during fear conditioning compared with healthy controls. In addition, regression analyses revealed that impulsive-irresponsible and grandiose-manipulative psychopathic traits were associated with higher activation, whereas callous-unemotional psychopathic traits were related to lower activation in fear-related areas. Finally, the association between neural activation and DBD subgroup membership was mediated by impulsive-irresponsible psychopathic traits. These results provide evidence for heterogeneity in the neurobiological mechanisms underlying psychopathic traits and antisocial behavior and, as such, underscore the need to develop personalized interventions.     

Internet Gambling, Health, Smoking and Alcohol Use: Findings from the 2007 British Gambling Prevalence Survey

This study provides analysis of a representative national sample of Internet gamblers. Using participant data from the 2007 British Gambling Prevalence Survey (n = 9003 adults aged 16 years and over), all participants who had gambled online, bet online, and/or who had used a betting exchange in the last 12 months (6% of the total sample) were compared with all other gamblers who had not gambled via the Internet (62% of the sample). Results showed that Internet gambling and non-Internet gambling had a significant association with smoking (nicotine) and drinking (alcohol). Self-reported general health status was not significantly associated with Internet gambling but was significantly associated with offline gambling. Analysis of DSM-IV scores showed that problem gambling prevalence rate was significantly higher among Internet gamblers than non-Internet gamblers (5% versus 0.5%) and that Internet gamblers were significantly more likely to endorse individual DSM-IV items compared to non-Internet gamblers.     

A Comparative Study of Smoking in American and Japanese Adolescents: Self,Social Influences,and Health Beliefs

Adolescent health-endangering behaviors are often explained in relation to psychosocial factors. The present study examined how differing psychosocial factors affect smoking by comparing American and Japanese adolescents. Participants in this study were 844 American (374 boys, 401 girls, and 69 undefined) and 734 Japanese (426 boys, 297 girls, and 11 undefined) students from the 7th to 12th grade. The average age of the American sample was 15.24 years old (SD = 2.05); the average age of the Japanese sample was 15.78 (SD = 1.16). Multiple regression analysis with a moderation analysis was conducted to examine the effects of culture on smoking status. A significant moderation effect of culture was found for the perceived prevalence of smoking among peers—perceived prevalence predicted smoking in the past month for Japanese adolescents but not for Americans. The results suggest that Japanese adolescents’ smoking behavior is influenced by the collectivistic nature of their culture.

     

Supervision Practices in Allied Mental Health: Relationships of Supervision Characteristics to Perceived Impact and Job Satisfaction

This study examined whether supervision characteristics impacted on mental health practice and morale, and developed a new Supervision Attitude Scale (SAS). Telephone surveys were conducted with a representative sample of 272 staff from public mental health services across Queensland. Although supervision was widely received and positively rated, it had low average intensity, and assessment and training of skills was rarely incorporated. Perceived impact on practice was associated with acquisition of skills and positive attitudes to supervisors, but extent of supervision was related to impact only if it was from within the profession. Intention to resign was unrelated to extent of supervision, but was associated with positive attitudes to supervisors, accessibility, high impact, and empathy or praise in supervision sessions. The SAS had high internal consistency, and its intercorrelations were consistent with it being a measure of relationship positivity. The study supported the role of supervision in retention and in improving practice. It also highlighted supervision characteristics that might be targeted in training, and provided preliminary data on a new measure.     

Locus of Control and Self-Efficacy: Potential Mediators of Stress,Illness, and Utilization of Health Services in College Students

Although many studies examine the biological phenomena that mediate the relationship between stress and illness, more research is needed regarding psychological variables that may mediate this relationship. Thus, the current study investigates the mediating effects of locus of control and self-efficacy in the relationships among stress, illness, and the utilization of health services in a sample of 159 college students. Results suggest that participants who endorse higher levels of stress also endorse higher levels of illness, higher levels of external locus of control, and lower levels of self-efficacy. In addition, structural equation modeling suggests that there are direct relationships between stress and illness and between illness and the utilization of health services. Further, locus of control appears to be a partial mediator in the relationship between stress and illness. Given the link established between stress and illness and the individual differences associated with reactions to stressful situations, it is important for future examinations to continue to identify potential mediators of the stress-illness link.