Psychometric properties of the Hebrew Modified Dental Anxiety Scale in adult Israeli population

Dental anxiety results in the neglect of oral hygiene and poor oral health, requiring an accurate screening tool for dental practitioners to evaluate dental anxiety. The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) is frequently used cross-culturally. The present study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the Hebrew version of the MDSA. A total of 553 (mean age 35.87 years, SD = 13.14) Israeli participants were recruited through means of social media, mailing lists, and forums. The sample was randomly divided into two population sets. Dental anxiety was evaluated using the Hebrew version of the MDAS. The psychometric evaluation consisted of exploratory factor analysis (study 1, n = 274) and confirmatory factor analysis (study 2, n = 279). Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to assess internal consistency. Results showed high internal consistency (0.93) for the Hebrew version of the MDAS. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a single factor solution. Findings demonstrated 13.4% of Israeli participants with dental anxiety. Younger participants, females, participants with lower education, lower income, and more religious participants reported higher dental anxiety. In conclusion, the Hebrew version of the MDAS demonstrated high reliability and validity. It is recommended to use the Hebrew version of the MDAS to evaluate dental anxiety in Israeli dental settings.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Unveiling the association between body image dissatisfaction and dental anxiety

Background: Increased demands for invasive and non-invasive treatments related to body image disturbances are seen worldwide. These demands may be related to body image dissatisfaction. No study to date investigated the relationship between body image dissatisfaction and dental anxiety (namely, anticipatory dental anxiety and treatment dental anxiety) among a non-clinical population. The current study aims to unveil such relationships. Methods: Dentally anxious people may choose to ‘cope’ with their anxiety via unnecessary invasive procedures related to their body image dissatisfaction. In the current study, 553 individuals completed an online survey assessing their dental anxiety, dental neglect, and body image via self-report questionnaires. Results: Body image dissatisfaction was significantly correlated with dental anxiety. In contrast to previous studies, dental neglect was negatively associated with dental anxiety. Additionally, no link was found between body image dissatisfaction and dental neglect. Conclusions: The current study highlights the importance of addressing these factors prior to invasive procedures.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Vaccine hesitancy prospectively predicts nocebo side-effects following COVID-19 vaccination

The directionality between vaccine hesitancy and COVID-19 vaccine side-effects has not been hitherto examined. We hypothesized a nocebo effect, whereby vaccine hesitancy towards the second Pfizer vaccination dose predicts subsequent side-effects for a booster dose, beyond other effects. We expected these nocebo effects to be driven by (mis)information in males and prior experience in females. A representative sample of older adults (n = 756, mean age = 68.9 ± 3.43) were questioned in a typical cross-lagged design (wave 1 following a second Pfizer dose, wave 2 after their booster). As hypothesized, earlier vaccine hesitancy predicted subsequent booster side-effects for females (β = 0.10 p = 0.025, f 2 = 0.02) and males (β = 0.34, p < 0.001, f 2 = 0.16); effects were stronger in males (χ2Δ (1) = 4.34, p = 0.03). The (W1-to-W2) side-effect autoregression was stronger in females (β = .34, p < 0.001; males β = 0.18, p < 0.001), χ2Δ (1) = 26.86, p < 0.001. Results show that a quantifiable and meaningful portion of COVID-19 vaccine side-effects is predicted by vaccine hesitancy, demonstrating that side-effects comprise a psychosomatic nocebo component in vaccinated individuals. The data reveal distinct risk levels for future side-effects, suggesting the need to tailor public health messaging

Early maladaptive schemas and ICD-11 CPTSD symptoms: Treatment considerations

ObjectivesEarly maladaptive schemas (EMS) can result from adverse interpersonal traumatic experiences. The ICD-11 updated the concept of disorders following traumatic experiences with the new disorder of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). There is now a need to develop and test interventions for CPTSD. An essential step in identifying interventions that are particularly relevant to the treatment of CPTSD is to explore psychological constructs associated more closely with CPTSD compared to PTSD. The current study explored the associations of EMS with PTSD and CPTSD.DesignThe sample consisted of 603 adults (mean age = 41.65, SD = 13.8), recruited through social media and e-mails, and who responded to an online questionnaire.MethodsParticipants completed measures of demographic, traumatic life events, EMS, PTSD and CPTSD symptoms.ResultsOverall, results suggest that participants with CPTSD present with higher schema elevations across all schemas compared to those with PTSD or no diagnosis. Secondly, the schemas of emotional deprivation, abandonment/instability, social isolation/alienation, defectiveness/shame, enmeshment/undeveloped self, subjugation, emotional inhibition and insufficient self-control/self-discipline were significantly associated with the symptom clusters of CPTSD. Finally, results indicate that different schemas form significant associations with the individual symptom clusters of CPTSD.ConclusionsAlthough results require replication in clinical samples, initial findings suggest that specific EMS may be important psychological correlates of CPTSD symptoms. Wider treatment considerations of these findings are discussed

Meaning in Life among Older Adults: An Integrative Model

Meaning in life (MIL) among older adults has a significant physical and mental health impact. This study aimed to present an integrative model of factors that contribute to variability in MIL among older adults, including background characteristics (gender, age, employment status, religiosity), personality characteristics (locus of control, self-efficacy, optimism), and psycho-social factors (psychological distress and loneliness). Participants (751 older adults, Mage = 72.27, SD = 6.28; 446 female, 305 male) responded to a questionnaire in-person or online. Measures included: demographic variables, Short Scale for the Assessment of Locus of Control, New General Self-Efficacy Scale, Life Orientation Test&ndash;Revised, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, and Hughes Short Scale for Measuring Loneliness. Hierarchical regression revealed that younger and religious older adults reported higher MIL levels than older and non-religious older adults. Internal locus of control, higher self-efficacy, and higher optimism were linked to higher MIL levels. Higher psychological distress and loneliness were associated with lower MIL levels, with psychological distress contributing the most of all variables in the study model to explain the variance in MIL among older adults. Employed older old adults reported lower MIL levels than those unemployed. The study emphasizes the importance of an integrative approach in the examination of MIL among older adults

Depression and Medicine Use among Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Psychosocial Resources and COVID-19 Perceived Susceptibility

A relationship was found between the COVID-19 pandemic and depression among older adults and between depressed mood and increased use of antidepressant medication among older adults during the pandemic. With the aim of broadening the understanding of these relationships, the study examined whether COVID-19 perceived susceptibility mediates the relationship between psychosocial resources (optimism and perceived social support) and depressive symptoms and medication use. Participants included 383 older adults (M = 71.75, SD = 6.77) reporting on socio-demographics, health characteristics, depression, optimism, social support, and COVID-19 perceived susceptibility. Medication use was retrieved from participants medical files. Lower optimism, lower social support, and higher COVID-19 perceived susceptibility were associated with greater depression, related with higher medication use. The findings emphasize the buffering effect of psychosocial resources on the adverse effects of depression affecting older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, and consequently, the increased use of medication in this population. Practitioners should focus interventions on enhancing optimism and expanding social support among older adults. Moreover, interventions focused on alleviating depression among older adults should aim at improving perceptions of perceived susceptibility in the older population

Associations among loneliness, internal locus of control and subjective accelerated ageing in older adults who received the booster vaccination

Background A rise in loneliness among older adults since the COVID-19 outbreak, even after vaccination, has been highlighted. Loneliness has deleterious consequences, with specific effects on perceptions of the ageing process during the COVID-19 pandemic. Coping with stressful life events and the challenges of ageing may result in a perception of acceleration of this process. Aim Studies have shown a buffering effect of an internal locus of control in the relationship between COVID-19 stress and mental distress. The current study examined whether loneliness predicts subjective accelerated ageing and whether internal locus of control moderates this relationship. Method Two waves of community-dwelling older adults (M = 70.44, s.d. = 5.95; age range 61–88 years), vaccinated three times, were sampled by a web-survey company. Participants completed the questionnaire after the beginning of the third vaccination campaign and reported again 4 months later on loneliness, internal locus of control and subjective accelerated ageing level in the second wave. Results Participants with higher levels of loneliness presented 4 months later with higher subjective accelerated ageing. Participants with a low level of internal locus of control presented 4 months later with high subjective accelerated ageing, regardless of their loneliness level. Participants with a high level of internal locus of control and a low level of loneliness presented with the lowest subjective accelerated ageing 4 months later. Conclusions The findings emphasise the deleterious effects of loneliness and low internal locus of control on older adults’ perception of their ageing process. Practitioners should focus their interventions not only on loneliness but also on improving the sense of internal locus of control to improve subjective accelerated ageing

Factors associated with current posttraumatic stress disorder among COVID-19 vaccinated older adults in Israel

This is the first study to examine COVID-19 vaccine-related stressors in the context of current posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms amongst older adults exposed to traumatic events prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, with particular focus on the associations between ageism, vaccine-related stressors and PTSD. Five hundred and sixty-three participants aged 65 and above reported exposure to at least one traumatic event, their current PTSD level, physical and mental health, ageist attitudes, and vaccine related stressors. Univariate logistic regression revealed that depressive symptoms, ageism, vaccine hesitancy and severity of side effects were the main factors associated with clinical levels of current PTSD. These results suggest that older adults were vulnerable to intensified PTSD symptoms, not only as a result of greater depression, but also as a consequence of other factors, including ageism, vaccination hesitancy and vaccination side effects. Practitioners would benefit from awareness to these factors

Psychometric properties of the Hebrew Modified Dental Anxiety Scale in adult Israeli population

Dental anxiety results in the neglect of oral hygiene and poor oral health, requiring an accurate screening tool for dental practitioners to evaluate dental anxiety. The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) is frequently used cross-culturally. The present study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the Hebrew version of the MDSA. A total of 553 (mean age 35.87 years, SD = 13.14) Israeli participants were recruited through means of social media, mailing lists, and forums. The sample was randomly divided into two population sets. Dental anxiety was evaluated using the Hebrew version of the MDAS. The psychometric evaluation consisted of exploratory factor analysis (study 1, n = 274) and confirmatory factor analysis (study 2, n = 279). Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to assess internal consistency. Results showed high internal consistency (0.93) for the Hebrew version of the MDAS. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a single factor solution. Findings demonstrated 13.4% of Israeli participants with dental anxiety. Younger participants, females, participants with lower education, lower income, and more religious participants reported higher dental anxiety. In conclusion, the Hebrew version of the MDAS demonstrated high reliability and validity. It is recommended to use the Hebrew version of the MDAS to evaluate dental anxiety in Israeli dental settings