Measures Matter: Scales for Adaptation, Cultural Distance, and Acculturation Orientation Revisited

Building upon existing measures, four new brief acculturation scales are presented, measuring sociocultural adaptation, psychological adaptation, perceived cultural distance, and acculturation orientation. Following good scale reliability in initial samples, the English scales were translated into nine different languages (Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, and Turkish). The translated scales were administered to a large sample of sojourners (N = 1,929), demonstrating good reliability and adequate structural equivalence across languages. In line with existing theory, sociocultural adaptation and psychological adaptation were positively correlated, and showed a negative association with perceived cultural distance. General measures of well-being were correlated with adaptation and distance, with better adaptation relating to higher well-being, and more distance relating to lower well-being. Acculturation orientation toward the home and host culture were measured separately and a weak negative correlation was found between the two, supporting their independence. Arguing against dichotomization, these subscales were analyzed as continuous variables. Regression analysis showed sojourners to be better adapted, if they were oriented more toward the host culture and less toward the home culture. These new scales are proposed as alternatives to existing measures

IDENTITY ADAPTATION AND THE POTENTIAL FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL GROWTH FOLLOWING ADVERSITY FOR INJURED ATHLETES

The study was undertaken to gain a deeper understanding of the transition process out of competitive athletics experienced by competitive athletes after a career-limiting injury by examining three research questions: 1) What is the identity adaptation process of injured athletes? 2) To what extent, if any, do injured athletes experience growth following adversity? 3) What, if any, psychological skills are used in the injury/career transition processes? Nine former elite ath- letes were recruited through key informant sampling. There were three males and six females, with a mean age of 24.6 years. All participants sustained, at minimum, a season-ending injury and no longer participate in high performance athletics. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale-Plus questionnaire (AIMS-Plus), the Post Traumatic Growth Inventory-42 survey (PTGI-42), and an adapted Change Event Inventory (CEI). Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted. Transcripts were analyzed us- ing an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and themes and subthemes were identified. Analysis revealed the process of identity adaptation is influenced by pre-injury identity, auton- omy of retirement decision, transition style, current employment and time since the injury. Ac- cess to psychological skills training and competence in psychological skill usage heavily influ- enced the application of psychological skills during the rehabilitation and transition process and the outcome of using these skills. No significant evidence of growth was found using the PTGI- 42; however interview data revealed themes centred on experiencing new opportunities, the ability to transfer sport and psychological skills, changes in social supports/networks, a change in the role of sport, a realization of strength and a desire to assist others. Results indicate injured athletes are able to experience growth following adversity and speak to the dynamic process of identity adaptation. Additionally, the data emphasized the requirement for actively participating in adaptation and in the growth process to increase the opportunities for a desirable outcome for injured athletes. Future studies regarding growth and further understanding the transition process are suggested

Why do people demand health?

This paper proposes several ways to extend the standard model for health and health services. Psychological aspects such as status seeking, identity seeking and health adaptation are modelled within the framework of the Grossman model. While the two first aspects may be important psychological mechanisms, the adaptation process seems to be the most relevant process to model within a theoretical dynamic framework. As far as we know, there are no formal analyses of this process in the economic literature.Grossman; health adaption; health services

Social inclusion of Chinese immigrants in Portugal: The roles of length of residence and social networks

Focusing on Chinese immigrants, this study investigated the role of length of residence and social networks on social inclusion, which we operationalized as psychological adaptation, socio-cultural adaptation, economic adaptation and political participation in the Portuguese society. The study found that:(a) Chinese immigrants’ overall social networks was positively correlated with psychological adaptation and socio-cultural adaptation; (b)Chinese immigrants’ length of residence in the host society was positively related to psychological adaptation and socio-cultural adaptation; (c) The overall social networks but not differentiated networks mediated the relationship between immigrants’ length of residence and their socio-cultural adaptation and the relationship between length of residence and psychological adaptation. Limitations of the study and implications for further research were discussed

Psychological adaptation to extreme environments: Antarctica as a space analogue

Space analogues are settings where particular conditions can be reproduced to study physiological and psychological variables experienced in space. Antarctica is one of the most reliable analogues to assess the effects of isolation, confinement, light-dark cycle and extreme environmental conditions in human being. In the present review we describe some of the aspects of psychological adaptation to extreme latitudes. Most of the studies found some evidence about changes in emotional states during Antarctica expeditions. However, these changes are highly variable, and beneficial as well as detrimental aspects of adaptation have been described. Adaptation to extreme environments is a complex phenomenon that needs multidimensional studies to be fully understood, comprising aspects such as seasonality, psychological traits, isolation conditions and social interactions.Fil: Tortello, Camila. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas; ArgentinaFil: Barbarito, Marta. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Cuiuli, Juan Manuel. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Golombek, Diego Andrés. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Cronobiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Vigo, Daniel Eduardo. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas; ArgentinaFil: Plano, Santiago Andrés. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas; Argentin

Meaning in Life and Psychological Distress: Examining Veterans and Psychological Adaptation to Civilian Life

Veterans’ transition from the military to civilian life can be conceptualized as a cultural transition (i.e., acculturation). This transition means leaving the familiarity and consistency of military life and attempting to integrate one’s values, skills, expectations, and identity as a service member into the dominant civilian culture. The present study seeks to examine the psychological adaptation component of acculturation (i.e., the individual’s feelings and perceptions of being in the new culture) in a veteran sample, as it relates to meaning in life. The existing body of veteran literature has demonstrated that meaning and purpose (a distinct component of meaning) are important protective factors for human flourishing and positive psychological functioning. However, research examining the role of meaning in veteran psychological adaptation specifically is lacking. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between meaning in life and veteran psychological adaptation to civilian life, as well as the role of psychological distress (i.e., symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress) in this relationship. A significant positive relationship was observed between meaning in life and psychological adaptation among veterans. Additionally, psychological distress and the symptom categories of depression, anxiety, and stress emerged as significant mediators in the aforementioned relationship, as veterans who reported greater meaning in life tended to report lower levels of psychological distress and better psychological adaptation. Taken together, the present findings highlight the potential for meaning and psychological distress to serve as protective and risk factors, respectively, in veteran psychological adaptation to civilian life

Chinese students' psychological and sociocultural adjustments to Britain: an empirical study

This paper reports an empirical study of the psychological and sociocultural adjustments of two cohorts of Chinese students taking a foundation course in English language at a British university. Using Zung's (1965) Self-Rating Depression Scale and a modification of Ward and Kennedy's (1999) Sociocultural Adaptation Scale, quantitative data were obtained on the students' adjustment experiences, and these were correlated with other variables such as grade point average, age and length of stay in Britain. Interview data provided a richer picture of their experiences. The study found that the majority of students had few psychological or sociocultural adjustment difficulties. Nevertheless, social interaction with non-Chinese was consistently identified as problematic and this, as well as difficulties in adjusting to daily life, were very highly correlated with psychological stress. End-of-course grade point average was found to be negatively correlated with the psychological stress experienced near the beginning of the academic year. The paper calls for further research to follow up these findings, and concludes with a list of suggestions for universities to help address overseas students' psychological and sociocultural adjustment needs

Acculturation and Adaptation of Syrian Refugees in Turkey: The role of (dis)concordance of acculturation orientations and identity threat

The present chapter examined the social-psychological factors associated with the adaptation of Syrian refugees in Turkey. Specifically, building on the mutuality approach to acculturation, the current research considered both the role of refugees’ acculturation orientations towards culture maintenance and contact with the Turkish society, refugees’ meta-perceived acculturation orientations of the Turkish host society and the impact of perceived (dis)concordance of acculturation orientations and perceived identity threat (i.e., discrimination) on their psychological and sociocultural adaptation. This research extends previous research conducted with Syrian refugees in Turkey by examining both psychological and sociocultural adaptation of refugees and by considering the specific impact of (dis)concordance of acculturation orientations. Using data from a survey (109 participants) the results showed a negative association between own culture maintenance and psychological adaptation, whereas own desire for contact was not associated with sociocultural adaptation. Extending previous research, refugees’ perceived acculturation orientations from Turkish society, particularly perceived desire for contact, were positively related to psychological and sociocultural adaptation (albeit marginally for the latter). Finally, perceived discordance of acculturation was negatively related to psychological and sociocultural adaptation and positively related to perceived discrimination. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

The exploration of psychological mechanism underlying ibasyo feeling in female undergraduates : the relations with over-adaptation, depression, and self-esteem.

The present study explored the relationships among "ibashyo" feeling , over-adaptation, and psychological health in female undergraduates. "Ibasyo" Feeling Scale (Kishi & Moroi, 2011), Over-Adaptation Scale (Ishizu & Ambo, 2008), the Self-rating Depression Scale (Zung, 1965), and Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1979) were administered to female undergraduates (N=424). By the factor analysis (likelihood method with promax rotations), five factors for "Ibasyo" Feeling Scale and four factors for Over-Adaptation Scale were extracted. According to the covariance structure analysis, over-adaptation deteriorated positive feeling for "ibasyo" and psychological health, and positive feeling for "ibasyo" heightened the psychological health. The significance of research in psychological mechanism underlying "ibasyo" feeling was discussed.論

Why do investors sell losers? How adaptation to losses affects future capitulation decisions

According to disposition effect theory, people hold losing investments too long. However, many investors eventually sell at a loss, and little is known about which psychological factors contribute to these capitulation decisions. This study integrates prospect theory, utility maximization theory, and theory on reference point adaptation to argue that the combination of a negative expectation about an investment’s future performance and a low level of adaptation to previous losses leads to a greater capitulation probability. The test of this hypothesis in a dynamic experimental setting reveals that a larger total loss and longer time spent in a losing position lead to downward adaptations of the reference point. Negative expectations about future investment performance lead to a greater capitulation probability. Consistent with the theoretical framework, empirical evidence supports the relevance of the interaction between adaptation and expectation as a determinant of capitulation decisions. Keywords: Investments , Adaptation , Reference Point , Capitulation , Selling Decisions , Disposition Effect , Financial Markets JEL Classification: D91, D03, D8