Research snapshot

Museum visitors more likely to have positive intentions if they feel good about being green.

A number of tourist venues are implementing measures to minimise harm to the environment, for example by recycling items, installing energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, using eco-friendly architectural design, selling environmentally friendly foods, and encouraging sustainable practices among visitors and employees.

Researchers in South Korea examined factors that influence museum visitors’ willingness to practice green activities. A model was tested via a field survey of 270 museum visitors. The strongest influence on intention of being green was positive anticipated feelings about being green. Such feelings were directly and indirectly influenced by environmental awareness, which in turn influenced the intention of being environmentally responsible.

These findings highlight the potential of influencing visitors’ (to museums and other tourist venues) environmental attitude by enhancing their feelings of being proud, confident and worthy through adopting environmentally responsible intentions.

doi.org/10.2224/sbp.6558

Brothers and sisters of chronically ill children may experience difficulties at school.

While it is known children with chronic illness often experience difficulties at school, little is known about whether their siblings do also. In an Australian study, interviews were undertaken with 27 parents, about the experiences of 31 siblings. Forty-five per cent of siblings were believed to be having school difficulties related to the ill child, including lack of attention from teachers, reduced attention from parents at home; increased stress or anxiety at school; increased absenteeism, and changes in behaviour from increased carer responsibilities.

Anxiety impacted on school behaviour in different ways, including through withdrawing from social activities, misbehaving and truanting. The researchers recommend a school-based sibling support model with psycho-education for staff and siblings, individualised psychological support for siblings, normalising the sibling experience, and providing consistent support.

doi.org/10.1017/edp.2018.3

Emotional vulnerability linked to greater risks.

A Swedish study examined the influence of emotional reserve on post-concussion symptoms following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Patients (n=122) were recruited from three emergency departments. They were assessed within one week of injury and one-year post-injury. It revealed more symptoms of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress in the acute stage for patients who developed post-concussion symptoms than in those who did not.

At one year post-injury, patients with post-concussion symptoms reported more mental health difficulties pre-injury and concurrent with the injury, a lower level of functioning before the injury and more stress. They also showed more physical symptoms of anxiety, mistrust, embitterment and less resilience.

This research suggests psychological vulnerability prior to injury can influence the emergence and persistence of post-concussion symptoms after mTBI. The researchers recommend considering pre-injury emotional and cognitive state in clinical management of post-concussion symptoms.

doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020884

Similar to other countries, the profession of psychology in Italy would benefit from a national professional organisation and regulations.

School psychology is a profession in at least 83 countries, although there are considerable differences across countries in the practice of the profession. Research from Italy provides an example of the role of school psychologists in the Italian education system. Online surveys were completed by principals or teachers from schools in the district and interviews were conducted with key informants (including psychologists). School psychologists were present in the majority of the schools. The majority of their work involves consultations with students and classroom intervention. Teachers indicated their appreciation of services provided by school psychologists. However, there are significant barriers to adequately fulfilling their role, including the lack of a clear professional position, inconsistent valuing of their role and budget constraints. The researchers highlighted a need for a national professional organisation for school psychologists and national regional regulations for the practice of psychology in schools.

doi.org/10.1080/21683603.2018.1443858

Social support and good health may be protective.

The predictors of mental health among individuals experiencing homelessness are not well understood. A Canadian study sought to uncover such predictors via interviews with 501 single men and women experiencing homelessness. For both men and women, predictors of better mental health included a higher level of social support and the presence of fewer chronic health conditions. For women, older age, absence of a mental health diagnosis and not having experienced a recent physical attack were additional predictors of better mental health. For men, better mental health was predicted by the absence of unmet mental health needs within the past year. It highlights the importance of helping those experiencing homelessness and recognising gender differences on the impact of homelessness on mental health.

doi.org/10.1080/10530789.2018.1441677

Parents may be able to influence their adolescent’s involvement in delinquency and substance use through confidence in their parenting ability, emotional closeness and encouragement of open disclosure.

In a longitudinal study of 550 parents and their adolescents (average age of 13 and 14), Swedish researchers examined whether different aspects of the parent-adolescent relationship predict parental knowledge and whether this, in turn, predicted adolescents’ self-reported delinquent behaviour and substance use. Statistical modelling showed adolescent disclosure was the strongest predictor of parental knowledge, and was the strongest predictor of less risky adolescent behaviour. Parenting competence and adolescents’ connectedness to parents also indirectly predicted less risky behaviours, via their influence on adolescent disclosure, parental solicitation and parental control. This research suggests adolescents are less likely to engage in risky behaviours if their parents are confident in their parenting ability and if there is a close parent-adolescent relationship in which adolescent disclosure is encouraged.

doi.org/10.1037/fam0000436

Research suggests most people aspire to achieve 70% of the highest possible level of happiness.

In two multinational studies researchers examined the extent to which people aspire to the highest possible level of something good (happiness, pleasure, freedom, health, self-esteem, life span and intelligence), if all practical constraints are removed (the maximisation principle). Across both studies, participants’ ideal levels of something good (self-ideals) lay 70 to 80 percent between total presence and total absence of each of the positive qualities. Only a minority of people aspired to 100 percent. However, one-third of participants aspired to 100 per cent health, whereas less than one in ten aimed for 100 per cent happiness. Women, older participants and richer participants were more likely to aspire to maximum levels than men, younger participants and less wealthy participants.

doi.org/10.1177/0956797618768058

Self-regulation skills can be effectively taught to young people and can lead to improved school achievement, social skills and mental health and lower risk of substance abuse.

A growing number of interventions are being developed to improve self-regulation skills in children and adolescents. This includes helping young people improve their ability to control their emotions, have positive interactions with others, avoid inappropriate or aggressive behaviour, and engage in self-directed learning. British researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the effectiveness of such interventions at improving self-regulation and improving other health and social outcomes. Overall, the interventions were found to be effective in improving self-regulation. There was insufficient data to conduct a meta-analysis on the effectiveness of the interventions on improving health and social outcomes but the systematic review suggested that improving self-regulation led to better academic achievement, reduced frequency of school suspensions, enhanced social skills, better mental health, and less substance abuse. Interventions were found to be effective across all age groups and in both community and school settings. A wide range of interventions were found to be helpful in improving self-regulation, including curriculum-based interventions, mindfulness and yoga interventions, family-based programs, physical-activity-based interventions and other social and person-skills-based interventions.

doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.0232

The personality of criminal offenders informs treatment.

Mental illness and substance use disorders are common among inmates, but personality factors influence the success of treatment and the likelihood of reoffending. In an American study, statistical modelling of the interview and survey responses of 2388 male inmates identified six subgroups with distinct personality profiles. Inmates classified as ‘Average’ offenders scored higher than most groups on cognitive ability but scored near the sample’s mean across most measures of personality, psychopathology, criminality, substance use, and impulsivity. Psychopathic-Positive Affect offenders scored highly on measures of psychopathology and positive affect, had the most severe marijuana and alcohol use and committed the greatest number of violent crimes. Offenders classified as Low Executive Functioning scored poorly on executive function and cognitive ability but very highly on measures of positive affect. In a fourth group (Externalising offenders) inmates scored just below the same mean across all measures of personality but demonstrated severe impulsivity and substance use. The Psychopathic-Negative offenders group comprised inmates who showed the most severe scores on measures of psychopathology, substance use, psychopathy, negative affect and impulsivity. In the final group (High Well-Being offenders) inmates showed the highest scores for positive affect and the lowest scores for substance use, psychopathology, impulsivity and criminality. Treatment recommendations for the different subgroups are provided, such as use of cognitive-behavioural therapy for Average and Externalising offenders, mindfulness-based treatment for Low Executive Functioning offenders and dialectical behavioural therapy for Psychopathic-Negative Offenders.

doi.org/10.1177/0093854818770693