Investigating the relationship between perfectionism and self-compassion: research protocol

Background: Perfectionism is a multidimensional personality trait characterised by high personal standards, self-critical evaluation and concern over mistakes (Frost, Marten, Lahart, & Rosenblate, 1990). Preliminary findings suggest that some forms of perfectionism are negatively correlated with self-compassion (Neff, 2003a), a mindset characterised by being moved by your own suffering and acknowledging that you are worthy of care and understanding (Brion, Leary, & Drabkin, 2014). However, there have been no further studies that investigate this relationship. Method: A combined perfectionism measure (79 items; Stoeber & Madigan, 2016) and the Self-Compassion Scale (26 items; Neff, 2003a) will be administered online. This study requires a sample of 400-500 participants. Analysis: Part I: Psychometric test construction via item reduction and factor analysis. Part II: Testing a structural equation model of the relationship between perfectionism and self-compassion. Discussion: This study will develop a new measure of perfectionism and provide new information about how perfectionism relates to self-compassion. Its findings have the potential to significantly impact therapeutic approaches to mental health and wellbeing

Latent Class Analysis and Latent Profile Analysis

Latent class analysis (LCA) and latent profile analysis (LPA) are powerful techniques that enable researchers to glean insights into “hidden” psychological experiences to create typologies and profiles to provide better-informed community-based policies and practice. These analytic methods have been used in a variety of domains, such as: psychosis symptomatology in the general population (Kibowski & Williams, 2012; Murphy, Shevlin, & Adamson, 2007; Shevlin, Murphy, Dorahy, & Adamson, 2007); substance abuse (Cleveland, Collins, Lanza, Greenberg, & Feinberg, 2010; James, McField, & Montgomery, 2013), peer victimization (Nylund, Bellmore, Nishina, & Graham, 2007), and anti-social/self-defeating behavior (Rosato & Baer, 2010). LCA and LPA are versatile methods of dealing with data of interest to community-based researchers in a deep and psychologically grounded way. This chapter will address the nuances of how and when to use LCA and LPA. Case studies of LCA and LPA will also be presented to illustrate the applicability of these techniques

The ‘common sense’ memory belief system and its implications

Memory experts, the police, and the public, completed a memory questionnaire containing a series of statements about autobiographical memory. The statements covered issues such as the nature of memory, determinants of accuracy, the relation of emotion and trauma to memory, and respondents indicated their agreement/disagreement with each of the statements. The police and public were found to share a ‘common sense’ memory belief system (CSMBS) in which memories were like videos/photographs, and accuracy was determined by the number of details recalled and also by their vividness. In direct contrast the scientific memory belief system, held by memory researchers, largely based on scientific evidence, was the opposite of the CSMBS and memories were judged to be fragmentary, number of details and their nature did not predict accuracy, and memories and their details could be in error and even false. The problematic nature of the CSBMS, which is pervasive in society, in raising the probability of flawed judgments of memory evidence is considered and, by way of illustration, applied to the (very high) attrition rate in complaints of rape

A multidimensional approach to perfectionism and self-compassion

Preliminary research suggests that maladaptive perfectionism impedes the development of self-compassion, a self-attitude with numerous biopsychosocial benefits (MacBeth and Gumley, 2012; Neff and Knox, 2017). The precise relationship between these constructs remains unclear, but if accurately modelled could foster an understanding of the barriers that perfectionists experience to being self-compassionate, enabling focused interventions to be developed. This general population study (N=428) used structural equation modelling to investigate how multidimensional perfectionism related to multidimensional self-compassion. The negative perfectionism dimensions of Concern over mistakes and Discrepancy significantly predicted lower levels of overall self-compassion and its positive dimensions of Self-kindness, Common humanity and Mindfulness. Findings were discussed in relation to the development of population-tailored, dual-focused, interventions aimed at reducing perfectionism and increasing self-compassion

Schizotypal traits and their relation to rejection sensitivity in the general population: the mediation by quality of life, agreeableness and neuroticism

Schizotypal traits are a cluster of personality styles suggesting a potential liability for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. Rejection sensitivity is evident all along this continuum. This study aimed to determine whether the relation between schizotypy and rejection sensitivity was mediated by psychosocial quality of life (QOL), neuroticism and agreeableness. Three hundred and eighteen participants from a predominantly University student population completed an online survey measuring schizotypy, rejection sensitivity, quality of life, and the five-factor personality traits. A regression analysis determined the prediction of rejection sensitivity by the facets of the other variables. Analyses examined the mediation of the relation between interpersonal schizotypy and rejection sensitivity by psychological QOL, social QOL, neuroticism, and agreeableness. Interpersonal schizotypal traits were cognitive disorganisation which includes social anxiety, and introvertive anhedonia which includes a lack of pleasure in social activities. Interpersonal schizotypy predicted greater rejection sensitivity. Psychological QOL, social QOL, neuroticism, and agreeableness mediated the relation between interpersonal schizotypy and rejection sensitivity. To conclude, a higher level of interpersonal schizotypy relates to greater rejection sensitivity. This association is mediated by psychosocial factors that lower one’s ability to have positive feelings and trusting relationships, and personality traits that increase worrying and lower prosocial behaviour

A new measure of workplace innovation

Despite the popularity of Workplace Innovation (WI) and its demonstrable utility for supporting both organisational productivity and employee well-being, there is at present no reliable and valid measure of WI practices for use in research and workplace settings. The aim of this paper is to present the development of a measure of WI climate. The study involved 855 individuals across all levels of three organisations, and a survey of WI practices that was based on four underlying elements: jobs and teams; organisational structures, management and procedures; employee-driven improvement and innovation; and co-created leadership and employee voice. The original list of items was developed in consultation with employers and practitioners. WI was assessed as climate perceptions. A series of analyses were undertaken on the measure, demonstrating good psychometric properties, including consistency of the factor structure, internal reliability, construct validity, and criterion validity. Support for reliability and validity of the new 19-item measure with four elements is presented. Employees who experienced the four elements of WI climate more positively also enjoyed greater work engagement and job satisfaction, outlining criterion validity of the new measure. The availability of a rigorous and reliable measure of WI climate offers a tool for practitioners and researchers tasked with communicating and promoting WI in diverse workplace settings and with diverse groups of stakeholders. We hope that this new measure of WI will stimulate further research on the role of WI in promoting healthy and productive workplaces

Neurophysiological correlates of excitement in men with recent-onset psychosis

Objective: Right frontal function, as indicated by the N200 component of the event-related potential during target detection, has previously been associated with excitement (excitement, impulsivity, hostility, uncooperativeness) in men with a long-term diagnosis of schizophrenia. The current study investigated excitement in relation to N200 in men who had recently experienced their first episode of psychosis. Subjects and methods: Twenty men who had recently suffered their first psychotic episode underwent a clinical interview and auditory oddball task. Results: Multiple linear regression analysis showed that 58% of the variance in the excitement symptom cluster was explained by a positive association with frontal midline N200 amplitude and an inverse association with right frontal N200 amplitude. The latter was not apparent in the initial correlation, suggesting suppression by the midline activity. These associations were not explained by drug use, medication or negative symptoms. However, the correlation between excitement and midline N200 was stronger in drug users, and that between right frontal N200 and excitement was stronger in nonusers. Conclusion: Findings support the independent contributions to excitement of mechanisms reflected in midline and right frontal N200 amplitude respectively during the early stages of psychosis

The Dark Empath: Characterising dark traits in the presence of empathy

A novel psychological construct characterised by high empathy and dark traits: the Dark Empath (DE) is identified and described relative to personality, aggression, dark triad (DT) facets and wellbeing. Participants (n= 991) were assessed for narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, cognitive empathy and affective empathy. Sub-cohorts also completed measures of (i) personality (BIG5), indirect interpersonal aggression (n = 301); (ii) DT facets of vulnerable and grandiose narcissism, primary and secondary psychopathy and Machiavellianism (n = 285); and (iii) wellbeing (depression, anxiety, stress, anhedonia, self-compassion; n = 240). Latent profile analysis identified a four-class solution comprising the traditional DT (n = 128; high DT, low empathy), DE (n = 175; high DT, high empathy), Empaths (n =357; low DT, high empathy) and Typicals (n= 331; low DT, average empathy). DT and DE were higher in aggression and DT facets, and lower in agreeableness than Typicals and Empaths. DE had higher extraversion and agreeableness, and lower aggression than DT. DE and DT did not differ in grandiose and vulnerable DT facets, but DT showed lower wellbeing. The DE is less aggressive and shows better wellbeing than DT, but partially maintains an antagonistic core, despite having high extraversion. The presence of empathy did not increase risk of vulnerability in the DE