Behavioral Sciences

18 pages, 2211 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Music Listening as Coping Behavior: From Reactive Response to Sense-Making

by Mark Reybrouck, Piotr Podlipniak and David Welch

Behav. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 119; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs10070119 - 20 Jul 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 8526

Coping is a survival mechanism of living organisms. It is not merely reactive, but also involves making sense of the environment by rendering sensory information into percepts that have meaning in the context of an organism’s cognitions. Music listening, on the other hand, [...] Read more.

Coping is a survival mechanism of living organisms. It is not merely reactive, but also involves making sense of the environment by rendering sensory information into percepts that have meaning in the context of an organism’s cognitions. Music listening, on the other hand, is a complex task that embraces sensory, physiological, behavioral, and cognitive levels of processing. Being both a dispositional process that relies on our evolutionary toolkit for coping with the world and a more elaborated skill for sense-making, it goes beyond primitive action–reaction couplings by the introduction of higher-order intermediary variables between sensory input and effector reactions. Consideration of music-listening from the perspective of coping treats music as a sound environment and listening as a process that involves exploration of this environment as well as interactions with the sounds. Several issues are considered in this regard such as the conception of music as a possible stressor, the role of adaptive listening, the relation between coping and reward, the importance of self-regulation strategies in the selection of music, and the instrumental meaning of music in the sense that it can be used to modify the internal and external environment of the listener. Full article

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25 pages, 490 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Is All Dating Violence Equal? Gender and Severity Differences in Predictors of Perpetration

by Gabriela Ontiveros, Arthur Cantos, Po-Yi Chen, Ruby Charak and K. Daniel O’Leary

Behav. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 118; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs10070118 - 20 Jul 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3158

Abstract

The present study assesses the extent of perpetration of physical violence in predominately Hispanic high school students in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. The relationship between adverse childhood experiences, exposure to interparental violence, attachment, emotion regulation, and impulsivity on two distinct, mutually exclusive, [...] Read more.

The present study assesses the extent of perpetration of physical violence in predominately Hispanic high school students in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. The relationship between adverse childhood experiences, exposure to interparental violence, attachment, emotion regulation, and impulsivity on two distinct, mutually exclusive, categories of severity of physical teen dating violence (TDV) perpetration is further explored. Participants completed self-report measures as part of a larger, anonymous web-based questionnaire. Two categories (i.e., minor/moderate and severe) were created to discern the contextual variables associated with different levels of severity of physical violence perpetration by males and females. Eight-hundred and twenty-nine 14- to 18-year-old adolescents from four different high schools participated in the study, of whom 407 reported having been in a dating relationship in the last 12 months. The results demonstrate that when only the most severe item of TDV is taken into consideration, the rates of violence perpetration by males and females are almost equal and remarkably lower than those reported in the literature. However, when the assessment includes minor/moderate levels of violence, such as pushing, the rates of violence perpetration by females are twice those of males and are consistent with those reported in the literature. Furthermore, different variables are associated with different levels of severity of violence perpetration. The results support approaches that emphasize the need to take the context of the violence into consideration, since all levels are not equal. The need to take the severity of violence into account in studies assessing dating violence is highlighted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impulsivity, Cognitive and Empathic Dysfunctions in Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence against Women)

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17 pages, 337 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impulsivity and Empathy in Dating Violence among a Sample of College Females

by Arta Dodaj, Kristina Sesar and Nataša Šimić

Behav. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 117; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs10070117 - 20 Jul 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4484

Abstract

The predictive factors of violence between married couples or adolescents are well-known. However, less is known about the factors relating to intimate violence among college students. This study examined sociodemographic variables (age, duration of relationship, and relationship satisfaction), impulsivity, and empathy as predictors [...] Read more.

The predictive factors of violence between married couples or adolescents are well-known. However, less is known about the factors relating to intimate violence among college students. This study examined sociodemographic variables (age, duration of relationship, and relationship satisfaction), impulsivity, and empathy as predictors of dating violence, using data from 474 female college students from the University of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The sample completed online the Conflict Tactics Scale 2 Short Form, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and the Short Impulsive Behavior Scale. The results indicated a higher prevalence of victimization than perpetration for psychological aggression. The obtained data showed that younger women and those in longer relationships, as well as those unsatisfied with their relationship, are more prone to experience psychological victimization or perpetration. Relationship satisfaction was also shown to be a predictor of physical perpetration causing injury. Impulsivity facets were found to have a differential weight in explaining dating violence. Empathy was shown to be a significant predictor of dating victimization, specifically “perspective taking” for psychological victimization and empathic concern for sexual victimization. These results suggest the need to develop specific interventions and prevention programs focused on relationship satisfaction, impulsivity, and empathy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impulsivity, Cognitive and Empathic Dysfunctions in Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence against Women)

17 pages, 2897 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Combined Effect of Exercise and Behavioral Therapy for Depression and Anxiety: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

by Kelsey Bourbeau, Terence Moriarty, Akeisha Ayanniyi and Micah Zuhl

Behav. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 116; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs10070116 - 14 Jul 2020

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 8395

Abstract

Behavioral therapy (BT) and exercise are efficacious treatments for depression and anxiety when employed separately. The combination of BT and exercise (BT+Ex) may augment improvements but the combined effect of these therapies is not fully elucidated. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to [...] Read more.

Behavioral therapy (BT) and exercise are efficacious treatments for depression and anxiety when employed separately. The combination of BT and exercise (BT+Ex) may augment improvements but the combined effect of these therapies is not fully elucidated. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine if BT+Ex yielded a significant reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms compared to BT alone (BT). Randomized controlled studies published prior to September 2019 were searched among several databases (PUBMED, MEDLINE, PsychArticle, and Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials). Studies that measured depression and anxiety symptoms following BT+Ex vs. BT were extracted and analyzed. The effect of these therapies on depression and anxiety were analyzed. Subgroup analyses were performed to evaluate the effect of exercise intensity (moderate and high), exercise type (aerobic and combined exercise), and baseline levels of depression. The moderating effects of gender, age, and treatment duration were performed. Data were extracted from 18 studies (1686 participants, mean age = 47 years, 65% female). There was a significant effect of BT+Ex on symptoms of depression. The effect of BT+Ex was significant for moderate intensity exercise and elevated baseline levels of depression. Age moderated the effect for depression. There was a significant effect of BT+Ex on depressive symptoms in humans. Exercise intensity and elevated depressive symptoms may play a role in the effect of exercise. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Health Psychology)

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14 pages, 417 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Relationship Benefits of Auto Maintenance and Repair Service: A Case Study of Korea

by Jinpyo Hong, Boyoung Kim and Sungho Oh

Behav. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 115; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs10070115 - 12 Jul 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4483

Abstract

This study aimed to empirically examine what effects confidence, social, and economic benefit factors have on continuous relationship orientation through the mediation of service trust, service satisfaction, and customer engagement factors in the auto maintenance and repair service sector. This study carried out [...] Read more.

This study aimed to empirically examine what effects confidence, social, and economic benefit factors have on continuous relationship orientation through the mediation of service trust, service satisfaction, and customer engagement factors in the auto maintenance and repair service sector. This study carried out a questionnaire survey with 319 customers using auto maintenance and repair service and verified hypotheses. As a result of the analysis, the confidence and social benefits of auto maintenance and repair service affected service trust, while the confidence and economic benefits affected service satisfaction. Service trust did not affect customer engagement or long-term relationship continuity but affected them when it mediated service satisfaction. Consequently, it was revealed that confidence benefit should be consolidated and that professionalism or service quality excellence in maintenance or repair becomes the most important factors to produce customer engagement or long-term relationship continuity in the auto maintenance and repair service. Although it is vital to improve trust or service, it is confirmed that a relationship can be maintained only if the auto maintenance or repair service is satisfactory. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Organizational Behaviors)

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16 pages, 358 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Parents’ Past Bonding Experience with Their Parents Interacts with Current Parenting Stress to Influence the Quality of Interaction with Their Child

by Atiqah Azhari, Ariel Wan Ting Wong, Mengyu Lim, Jan Paolo Macapinlac Balagtas, Giulio Gabrieli, Peipei Setoh and Gianluca Esposito

Behav. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 114; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs10070114 - 07 Jul 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5622

Abstract

Healthy dyadic interactions serve as a foundation for child development and are typically characterised by mutual emotional availability of both the parent and child. However, several parental factors might undermine optimal parent–child interactions, including the parent’s current parenting stress levels and the parent’s [...] Read more.

Healthy dyadic interactions serve as a foundation for child development and are typically characterised by mutual emotional availability of both the parent and child. However, several parental factors might undermine optimal parent–child interactions, including the parent’s current parenting stress levels and the parent’s past bonding experiences with his/her own parents. To date, no study has investigated the possible interaction of parenting stress and parental bonding history with their own parents on the quality of emotional availability during play interactions. In this study, 29 father–child dyads (18 boys, 11 girls; father’s age = 38.07 years, child’s age = 42.21 months) and 36 mother–child dyads (21 boys, 15 girls; mother’s age = 34.75 years, child’s age = 41.72 months) from different families were recruited to participate in a 10-min play session after reporting on their current parenting stress and past care and overprotection experience with their parents. We measured the emotional availability of mother–child and father–child play across four adult subscales (i.e., sensitivity, structuring, non-intrusiveness, non-hostility) and two child subscales (i.e., involvement and responsiveness). Regression slope analyses showed that parenting stress stemming from having a difficult child predicts adult non-hostility, and is moderated by the parents’ previously experienced maternal overprotection. When parenting stress is low, higher maternal overprotection experienced by the parent in the past would predict greater non-hostility during play. This finding suggests that parents’ present stress levels and past bonding experiences with their parents interact to influence the quality of dyadic interaction with their child. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Developmental Psychology)

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10 pages, 412 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing Existential Thinking through Death Education: A Qualitative Study among High School Students

by Ines Testoni, Lorenza Palazzo, Ciro De Vincenzo and Michael Alexander Wieser

Behav. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 113; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs10070113 - 07 Jul 2020

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5826

Abstract

The censorship of death-related issues is widespread in contemporary Western culture because the boundary between death and life is substantially managed in medical areas. In the context of Italian educational initiatives, to remove this limitation, 215 high school students in Southern Italy were [...] Read more.

The censorship of death-related issues is widespread in contemporary Western culture because the boundary between death and life is substantially managed in medical areas. In the context of Italian educational initiatives, to remove this limitation, 215 high school students in Southern Italy were educated on death through conventional and informal lessons. The students answered a questionnaire with open questions to survey their emotional and reflective experiences. Their answers were qualitatively, thematically analysed to explore how the representation of death can follow a death education course, and if this experience can be managed without harmful effects. The students’ answers narrated how the course reduced their anxiety linked to these themes, on the one hand improving communication between peers by making it more authentic and empathic and, on the other, providing alternative perspectives on life. Indeed, the project offered an opportunity to discuss something strongly heartfelt but rarely faced, and the survey confirmed that the research objectives were fully achieved. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Social Psychology)

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10 pages, 1097 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Fairytale Semantic Differential Technique: A Cross-Cultural Application

by Victor Petrenko and Olga Mitina

Behav. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 112; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs10070112 - 06 Jul 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3009

Abstract

The “Fairytale Semantic Differential” method, in which the respondent assesses several fairytale characters according to a set of personal characteristics, is designed for individual psychological work with children 4–10 years old. Personality characteristics, according to which the characters are evaluated, are formulated in [...] Read more.

The “Fairytale Semantic Differential” method, in which the respondent assesses several fairytale characters according to a set of personal characteristics, is designed for individual psychological work with children 4–10 years old. Personality characteristics, according to which the characters are evaluated, are formulated in terms understandable to child respondents, i.e., these are words that parents and teachers use when dealing with children of this age. An analysis of the child’s attitude to a certain fairytale character makes it possible to determine the individual properties of his/her moral value sphere. Quantitative indicators that can be calculated on the basis of the data collected by the questionnaire are discussed. These indicators characterize the child’s personality, his/her understanding of interpersonal relationships, the dimensionality of the categorial space of interpersonal perception, the content of these categories and its hierarchy, the level of cognitive development in this domain, and the degree of socialization. The results of an empirical study that was conducted in Moscow, Baku, and Tashkent are presented. Age and sex differences were found in the cognitive complexity of interpersonal perception and socialization. Also, an example of individual semantic space is presented. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue XVI European Congress of Psychology)

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25 pages, 2171 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Communication Adjustment in Engineering Professional and Student Project Meetings

by Kristina Nestsiarovich, Dirk Pons and Sid Becker

Behav. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs10070111 - 06 Jul 2020

Viewed by 3273

Abstract

Background: communication is important for project teams. There is a need to better understand how members respond to communication at project meetings, and how this affects the team roles the participants adopt. Methods: observational data were collected from (a) two engineering organisations and [...] Read more.

Background: communication is important for project teams. There is a need to better understand how members respond to communication at project meetings, and how this affects the team roles the participants adopt. Methods: observational data were collected from (a) two engineering organisations and (b) five university engineering student teams. A mixed methods approach was used, comprising observations (recorded with the interaction diagram method), questionnaires and interviews. Results: participants adjusted their communication style to the behaviour of other people and to different communication settings. This happened with three different dynamics: micro-level (grounding processes in conversation), mezzo-level (emotional and rational regulation) and macro-level (over a period of time). Originality: a new theory was presented for the process of team behaviour during project meetings; specifically, role adoption and communication behavioural changes. Participants change their team roles within three different dynamics: at the macro-, mezzo- and micro-levels, corresponding to the organisation, project and meeting, respectively. The changing of team roles in project meetings arises from rational and emotional regulation. The findings have the potential to assist managers and supervisors to better understand and manage the team dynamics on their projects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Organizational Behaviors)

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13 pages, 246 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Endless Grief in Waiting: A Qualitative Study of the Relationship between Ambiguous Loss and Anticipatory Mourning amongst the Relatives of Missing Persons in Italy

by Ines Testoni, Chiara Franco, Lorenza Palazzo, Erika Iacona, Adriano Zamperini and Michael Alexander Wieser

Behav. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 110; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs10070110 - 06 Jul 2020

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 7102

Abstract

This article presents the results of a qualitative study aiming to consider the relationship between ambiguous loss and anticipatory mourning amongst relatives of missing people in Italy. Eight people participated in the research, narrating their experiences of losing a beloved person (one found [...] Read more.

This article presents the results of a qualitative study aiming to consider the relationship between ambiguous loss and anticipatory mourning amongst relatives of missing people in Italy. Eight people participated in the research, narrating their experiences of losing a beloved person (one found alive, three found dead, and four still missing). Findings suggest the presence of a particular form of ambiguous loss, characterised by traits typical of both prolonged and traumatic grief. These findings describe how families are faced with an emotional vortex related to a never-ending wait, and how the mourning is solved only when the missing person is found dead or alive. The discovery of a corpse is traumatic but it allows mourners to fully recognise their grief. When a person is found, it changes the relationship in a positive way. When neither of these events happen, mourners have two different kinds of reactions: they experience either a prolonged grief or a drive to solve their suffering by helping other people (post-traumatic growth). In this study, it is highlighted how a community can be useful or detrimental in this process, and the importance of psychological and social support to prevent significant clinical outcomes is stressed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Psychological Perspectives on Death and Dying—between Normality and the COVID-19 Emergency)

13 pages, 2143 KiB

Open AccessCase Report

Targeting Complex Orthography in the Treatment of a Bilingual Aphasia with Acquired Dysgraphia: The Case of a Malay/English Speaker with Conduction Aphasia

by Mohd Azmarul A Aziz, Rogayah A Razak and Maria Garraffa

Behav. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 109; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs10070109 - 05 Jul 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5953

Abstract

Background: Disruption of spoken language in people with aphasia tends to interfere with the ability to write, which is referred to as dysgraphia. This study examined the effectiveness of the anagram and copy treatment (ACT), administered in English on a bilingual Malay/English patient [...] Read more.

Background: Disruption of spoken language in people with aphasia tends to interfere with the ability to write, which is referred to as dysgraphia. This study examined the effectiveness of the anagram and copy treatment (ACT), administered in English on a bilingual Malay/English patient with conduction aphasia (GM). ACT is the arrangement of component letters presented in scrambled order (i.e., an anagram) so that the patient could use the letters to form target words, followed by repeated copying of the word. Methods: A single-subject multiple-baseline design was used with sets of English words (both nouns and verbs) sequentially targeted for treatment. Prior to the treatment, a series of single word writing and reading baselines were conducted in two languages: English and Malay. The ACT treatment was done in English, the language reported as more dominant for reading by the patient. Probes assessing generalizations to untrained pictures were presented at 8th, 13th, and 18th sessions. Results: GM showed steady and incremental improvement in the writing of trained nouns and verbs, with generalizations to untrained English nouns and verbs. Conclusions: Single word writing treatment in a non-transparent language may improve dysgraphia among adults with bilingual aphasia through the administration of a structured and systematic treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bilingual Aphasia)

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9 pages, 264 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comorbid Anxiety Increases Suicidal Risk in Bipolar Depression: Analysis of 9720 Adolescent Inpatients

by Ozge Ceren Amuk and Rikinkumar S. Patel

Behav. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 108; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs10070108 - 04 Jul 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3483

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the risk of association between suicidal behaviors and comorbid anxiety disorders in adolescents with bipolar depression. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using the nationwide inpatient sample (NIS) from the United States. This study included 9720 adolescent inpatients with bipolar [...] Read more.

Objective: To evaluate the risk of association between suicidal behaviors and comorbid anxiety disorders in adolescents with bipolar depression. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using the nationwide inpatient sample (NIS) from the United States. This study included 9720 adolescent inpatients with bipolar depression and further grouped by co-diagnosis of anxiety disorders. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the odds ratio (OR) of suicidal behaviors due to comorbid anxiety after controlling demographic confounders and psychiatric comorbidities. Results: Out of total inpatients, 34.8% (n = 3385) had comorbid anxiety disorders with a predominance in females (70.3%) and White patients (67.7%). About 54.1% of inpatients with comorbid anxiety had suicidal behaviors versus 44.6% in the non-anxiety cohort (p < 0.001). Comorbid anxiety disorders were associated with 1.35 times higher odds (95% CI 1.23–1.47, p < 0.001) for suicidal behaviors. Conclusion: Suicidal behaviors are significantly prevalent in bipolar depression adolescents with comorbid anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders are an independent risk factor in bipolar depression that increase the risk of suicidal behaviors by 35%. This necessitates careful assessment and management of comorbid anxiety disorders in bipolar youth to mitigate suicidality. Full article

15 pages, 424 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pediatric Patients Treated for Leukemia Back to School: A Mixed-Method Analysis of Narratives about Daily Life and Illness Experience

by Marta Tremolada, Livia Taverna, Sabrina Bonichini, Marta Pillon, Alessandra Biffi and Maria Caterina Putti

Behav. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 107; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs10070107 - 01 Jul 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3318

Abstract

In the last few years, more children and adolescents healed from leukemia go back to their daily life, even if they can show some psycho-social difficulties. The study adopted semi-structured interviews and a mixed-method approach to examine the narratives of 75 children and [...] Read more.

In the last few years, more children and adolescents healed from leukemia go back to their daily life, even if they can show some psycho-social difficulties. The study adopted semi-structured interviews and a mixed-method approach to examine the narratives of 75 children and adolescents about their return to school post 2-years treatment for leukemia. The aims are to collect their illness experiences, to understand how they feel about school and daily routines and to identify the best socio-demographic and illness predictors of a good re-adaptation to school and daily life. The results show that by increasing age and when the pediatric patient have received a hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, at the stop-therapy time, her/his perception about relationships at school and academic performance decrease, especially if his/her feelings about the disease and follow-up visits are negative. Full article

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11 pages, 661 KiB

Open AccessArticle

She Thinks in English, But She Wants in Mandarin: Differences in Singaporean Bilingual English–Mandarin Maternal Mental-State-Talk

by Michelle Cheng, Peipei Setoh, Marc H. Bornstein and Gianluca Esposito

Behav. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs10070106 - 27 Jun 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3973

Abstract

Chinese-speaking parents are believed to use less cognitive mental-state-talk than their English-speaking counterparts on account of their cultural goals in socializing their children to follow an interdependence script. Here, we investigated bilingual English–Mandarin Singaporean mothers who associate different functions for each language as [...] Read more.

Chinese-speaking parents are believed to use less cognitive mental-state-talk than their English-speaking counterparts on account of their cultural goals in socializing their children to follow an interdependence script. Here, we investigated bilingual English–Mandarin Singaporean mothers who associate different functions for each language as prescribed by their government: English for school and Mandarin for in-group contexts. English and Mandarin maternal mental-state-talk from bilingual English–Mandarin mothers with their toddlers was examined. Mothers produced more ‘’cognitive’’ terms in English than in Mandarin and more ‘’desire’’ terms in Mandarin than in English. We show that mental-state-talk differs between bilingual parents’ languages, suggesting that mothers adjust their mental-state-talk to reflect the functions of each language. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Educational Psychology)

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Behav. Sci., Volume 10, Issue 7 (July 2020) – 14 articles

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