Being fit and feeling pleased: the mediational role of physical self-efficacy in UAE women residents

High prevalence of mood disorders among women in the UAE might be derived from low levels of physical activity. The present study aimed to explore the underlying mechanism through which physical activity affects mood by examining the possible mediating role of physical self-efficacy. A cross-sectional investigation was performed on a population opportunistically sampled among women in the UAE (n = 160). The analysis was based on the Baron and Kenny four steps mediation model which allowed the identification of the mediation effect through a series of simple and multiple linear regression analyses. The results confirmed that physical self-efficacy mediates the relationship between physical activity and mood but only partially. In consequence, exercise-based interventions designed to improve mood should also include physical self-efficacy enhancement, as this may constitute a complementary mechanism of mood regulation. Implications for women in the UAE are discussed in light of such results

Psychosocial associations of emotion-regulation strategies in young adults residing in the United Arab Emirates.

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Azhar, H. , Baig, Z. , Koleth, S. , Mohammad, K. and Petkari, E. (2019), Psychosocial associations of emotion‐regulation strategies in young adults residing in the United Arab Emirates. Psych J. doi:10.1002/pchj.272, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/pchj.272 This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived VersionsThe management and expression of emotions can have a positive impact on psychological health and overall functioning. Thus, it is crucial to focus on the study of emotion regulation and the strategies young adults employ to achieve it, namely cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression, as well as their associations with the long neglected psychosocial factors. The current study aimed at exploring the associations between psychosocial factors and the two emotion-regulation strategies, after controlling for potential sociodemographic confounders. This study used a sample of 136 participants from the Indian subcontinent living in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, aged 18-25 years, who completed instruments measuring social anxiety, social support, and parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, permissive) as well as the use of the emotion-regulation strategies of suppression and reappraisal. The results indicated that having experienced authoritarian parenting and perceiving low social support were associated with the use of suppression, while having experienced authoritative parenting and low levels of social anxiety were associated with the use of emotional reappraisal. Our study provides evidence on the importance of psychosocial factors for the use of emotion-regulation strategies and suggests their modification for the promotion of adaptive ways of managing emotions

Physical Activity And Mood In Women UAE Residents: The Mediational Role Of Physical Self-Efficacy

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Stigma towards schizophrenia in Cyprus: Does studying a mental health related programme make a difference?

Background and aims: Students from mental health related programmes may display stigmatising attitudes towards people of schizophrenia, however there are no data available on this population in Cyprus. The purpose of the present study was (a) to examine the levels of contact and stigma towards schizophrenia in Cypriot students of programmes related to mental health and students of other programmes and (b) to examine whether the successful recognition of a person with schizophrenia through a vignette and the estimation of severity levels was related to stigmatising attitudes. Methods: The participants were undergraduate students purposively selected across Cypriot universities (N = 152). A vignette depicting a person with schizophrenia, followed by the OMI to examine stigma and the BAE to examine contact with mental illness were used to collect the data. Results: The results showed that studying a mental health related programme and being a man was associated with more positive views related to social integration. No further stigma dimensions were predicted by the included variables. Similarly, level of contact and being able to identify the mental condition and estimate its severity was not related to stigma. Conclusion: The results emphasise the need to develop educational interventions to tackle stigma across students independently of their study programme and enhance mental health related programmes with opportunities for structured contact with patients with mental illness. © The Author(s) 2021