Cognitive appraisals, emotional reactions, and their associations with three forms of peer-victimization

Victimized students’ cognitive appraisals (perceived threat, control) are related to emotional reactions. Furthermore, psychosocial wellbeing is differentially associated with form of victimization (direct vs. indirect), suggesting that emotional reactions to direct and indirect victimization may also differ. The present study therefore evaluated appraisals and emotional reactions within the context of verbal, physical, and indirect victimization experiences, testing a mediational model which considers appraisals to mediate the effect of victimization upon emotional reaction. Participants were 146 students (44% male) aged 10-13 years attending mainstream schools in Scotland (UK). Self-report measures assessed peer-victimization (physical, verbal, indirect), appraisal (control, threat) and emotional reaction (anger, sadness). All forms of victimization were positively associated with both emotions. Threat appraisals were positively associated with all forms of victimization and control appraisals were negatively associated with physical victimization. The relationships between appraisals and emotions varied according to victimization type. The effects of victimization upon emotions were not mediated via appraisals. These results extend our understanding of the relationships between victimization and affect

Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction, Stress-Related Appraisals, and Dancers’ Cortisol and Anxiety Responses \ud

Self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000) posits basic psychological need satisfaction (BPNS) as essential for optimal functioning and health. Grounded in this framework, the current study examined the role of BPNS in dancers’ cognitive appraisals and hormonal and emotional responses to performance stress. Dancers reported their degree of BPNS 1 month before a solo performance. Threat and challenge appraisals of the solo were recorded 2 hr before the performance. Salivary cortisol and anxiety were measured 15 min before, and 15, 30, 45, and 60 min postperformance. Higher BPNS was associated with lower cortisol responses and anxiety intensity. Challenge appraisals mediated the association between BPNS and cortisol. Threat appraisals mediated the BPNS–anxiety intensity relationship. These findings point to the potential importance of performers’ BPNS for optimal emotional and hormonal homeostasis in performance conditions.\ud \u

Cognitive mediators of the effect of peer victimization on loneliness

The impact of stress on psychological adjustment may be mediated by cognitive interpretations (i.e., appraisals) of events for individuals. Defining characteristics of loneliness suggest that appraisals of blame, threat, and perceived control may be particularly important in this domain. AIMS: To evaluate the extent to which cognitive appraisals (perceived control, threat, and blame) can mediate the effect of peer victimization on loneliness. SAMPLE: One hundred and ten children (54 boys, 56 girls) aged 8-12 years attending mainstream schools in Scotland. METHOD: Self-report measures of peer victimization, appraisal, and loneliness. RESULTS: Perceived control partially mediated the effects of peer victimization on loneliness, but neither blame nor threat were mediators. All three measures of control were significantly associated with loneliness at the bivariate level, but only perceived control was significant when the appraisals were entered as predictors in a hierarchical multiple linear regression. CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the importance of research designs assessing multiple categories of appraisal. Furthermore, they suggest that intervention efforts aiming to combat feelings of loneliness within a peer victimization context should address children's appraisals of perceived control

Maladaptive cognitive appraisals in children with high-functioning autism : associations with fear, anxiety and theory of mind

Despite the well-documented success of cognitive restructuring techniques in the treatment of anxiety disorders, there is still little clarity on which cognitions underpin fear and anxiety in children with high-functioning spectrum disorders (HFASD). This study examined whether certain cognitive appraisals, known to be associated with fear and anxiety in non-HFASD groups, may help explain these emotions in children with HFASD. It also investigated relations between these cognitive appraisals and theory-of-mind (TOM). Using a vignette approach, appraisals, fear and anxiety were assessed in 22 children with HFASD and 22 typically developing (TD) children. The two groups differed significantly on all four appraisal types. Anxiety was negatively correlated with future expectancy and positively with problem-focused coping potential in the HFASD group, but was not correlated with appraisals in the TD group. Emotion-focused coping potential was the only appraisal correlated with fear in the HFASD group and only self-accountability in the TD group. Linear regression analysis found appraisals of emotion-focused coping potential, problem-focused coping potential and future expectancy to be significant predictors of TOM ability in the HFASD group. These findings indicate that specific, problematic patterns of appraisal may characterise children with HFASD

Precompetitive achievement goals, stress appraisals, emotions, and coping among athletes

Grounded in Lazarus’ (1991, 1999, 2000) Cognitive-Motivational-Relational theory of emotions, we tested a model of achievement goals, stress appraisals, emotions, and coping. We predicted that pre-competitive achievement goals would be associated with appraisals; appraisals with emotions; and emotions with coping in our model. The mediating effects of emotions among the overall sample of 827 athletes and two stratified random sub-samples were also explored. The results of this study support our proposed model in the overall sample and the stratified sub-samples. Further, emotion mediated the relationship between appraisal and coping. Mediation analyses revealed that there were indirect effects of pleasant and unpleasant emotions, which indicates the importance of examining multiple emotions to reveal a more accurate representation of the overall stress process. Our findings indicate that both appraisals and emotions are just as important in shaping coping

Cross-sectional and prospective associations between cognitive appraisals and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms following stroke

This study examined cross-sectional and prospective associations between cognitive appraisals and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms following stroke. While in hospital, stroke patients (n=81) completed questionnaires assessing cognitive appraisals (i.e., negative cognitions about the self, negative cognitions about the world, and self-blame) and PTSD symptoms. PTSD symptoms were assessed again 3 months later when all patients had been discharged from hospital (n=70). Significant correlations were found between the time 1 measures of negative cognitions about the self and the world, but not self-blame, and the severity of PTSD symptoms measured at time 1 and at time 2. Regression analyses revealed that cognitive appraisals explained a significant amount of variance in the severity of PTSD symptoms at time 1, with negative cognitions about the self-emerging as a significant predictor. In contrast, time 1 cognitive appraisals were unable to explain additional variance in time 2 PTSD severity over and above that explained by time 1 PTSD severity. The findings therefore provide only weak support for Ehlers and Clark's cognitive model of PTSD

Residential Appraisal and the Lending Process: A Survey of Issues

This article surveys mainly academic literature for issues concerning the use of appraisals in the residential lending process. The development of appraisal methodologies is reviewed, and the strengths and weaknesses of various appraisal techniques are assessed. Issues relating to the use of neighborhood characteristics in appraisals for lending purposes are also explored. Finally, institutional incentives that give rise to biased and self-serving appraisals and possible solutions to these incentive problems are examined.

A developmental investigation of the relationship between appraisals and peer self-esteem in children experiencing peer-aggression

Transactional models of stress and coping emphasize the role played by cognitive appraisals in determining psychological adjustment (Lazarus, 1999). This proposition has been supported by research examining young people's adjustment in relation to family conflict and break-up (Grych et al., 1992). Furthermore, this literature suggests that there is a change in the relationship between appraisals and adjustment at around 10 years of age: specificity of appraisal type (e.g. threat, blame) becomes relevant to outcome after 10 years, whereas before 10 there are either no effects of appraisal on adjustment or a diffuse effect of 'negative' appraisals more generally (Jouriles et al., 2000). However, it is currently unclear whether this developmental progression can be generalized from familial- to social-stressors experienced by children and young people. The current study therefore evaluates the model within the context of a commonly experienced social childhood stressor: peer-aggression