Institutional status and identity dimensions to cardiovascular stress responses

This study aimed to examine the effect of shared social identity (i.e., whether the source of information about a stressor comes from an ingroup vs. outgroup member) and message content (i.e., whether people were informed that the task is stressful vs. challenging) on cardiovascular reactivity to stress (CVR) across two higher education institutions differing in status (University vs. Institute of Technology [IoT]). The study employed a quasi-experimental 2 × 2 × 2 design. 80 healthy undergraduate students (38 female, 47.5%) were recruited from two institutions—a University (n = 40) and an IoT (n = 40). All students underwent a standardised cardiovascular stress testing protocol (i.e., baseline rest period, manipulation, stress task). Blood pressure and heart rate were continuously monitored throughout. Results indicated that IoT students who were informed that the task would be stressful by an outgroup member (a University student) displayed relatively higher SBP reactivity (M = 17.53, SD = 4.72). Interestingly, those from the University who were informed that the task would be stressful by an ingroup member (also a University student) similarly displayed high level of reactivity (M = 19.45, SD = 4.33). It appears that being told the task is stressful had different effects depending on what institution the person was in, and who provided the information. These findings provide preliminary evidence to suggest that cardiovascular responses to stress may not simply be impacted by the source or content, but also the status or social position of the informants group.</p

‘Sins of their fathers’: Social groups parental incarceration and positive psychological outcomes across time in the US and UK

Paternal incarceration (PI) is recognised as a severely stigmatising event that undermines social connections leaving affected children isolated and vulnerable. However, few studies have explored social group membership as a potential mediator of positive outcomes. This paper analysed data from two national contexts, Scotland and the United States, to examine the potential for social group membership in childhood to mediate the association between PI and child behavioural and emotional outcomes. Study 1 reported on cross-sectional data from the Growing Up in Scotland dataset of children aged 12 years. Study 2 used longitudinal data from the Fragile Families cohort study (USA) of children aged 9 years and then 15 years. Children and parents completed measures of PI, children's group membership, as well as positive functioning. In Study 1, a mediated indirect effect of PI on prosocial behaviour via children's group membership was observed. In Study 2, children's reported social group membership mediated the effect of PI on positive adolescent functioning longitudinally. Whilst experiences of PI at age 9 were linked with lower group membership at age 15, group membership was associated with higher levels of positive adolescent functioning. This has implications for the support families receive when a parent is incarcerated to avoid children serving sentences for ‘the sins of their fathers’.</p

PROTOCOL: Group‐based interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of the role of trauma type

This is the protocol for a Campbell systematic review. The primary objective is to assess the effects of group‐based treatments on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomology in people diagnosed with PTSD (by a clinician or screening instrument) or referred to a PTSD treatment group for their symptoms by a medical professional. We will also examine a range of moderators that may affect the efficacy of group‐based treatments, including the nature of the trauma (inter-personal, stigmatized) and the group fit (in terms of gender and shared vs. unshared trauma). Further, we will also explore what, if any, group‐based and social identity factors are recorded and how they relate to PTSD outcomes.</p

Sexual violence and traumatic identity change: evidence of collective post-traumatic growth

Recent research indicates that social identities play a crucial role in the connection between adversity, post-traumatic stress, and overall psychological well-being. Understanding of how trauma influences collective dimensions of the self, positively or negatively, is limited. This study focuses on analysing publicly accessible narratives of four women who chose to waive their anonymity after the conviction of the men who had attacked and sexually assaulted them in Ireland. Thematic analysis highlighted two themes that signal (i) collective dimensions to this personal trauma, (ii) attempts to reconstruct social identities in the aftermath of trauma. Women presented their experiences as having the potential to amplify positive connections with others despite the wider embedded sociocultural understanding of sexual assault. These changes were associated with redefinition of social identities. Discussion highlights the potential for personal and intimate trauma to result in positive social identity change; a phenomenon that we label collective post-traumatic growth.</p

Moral Identity predicts adherence to COVID-19 mitigation procedures depending on political ideology: A comparison between the USA and New Zealand

 Reducing the spread of infectious viruses (e.g., COVID-19) can depend on societal compliance with effective  mitigations. Identifying factors that influence adherence can inform public policy. In many cases, public health  messaging has become highly moralized, focusing on the need to act for the greater good. In such contexts, a  person’s moral identity may influence behavior and serve to increase compliance through different mechanisms:  if a person sees compliance as the right thing to do (internalization) and/or if a person perceives compliance  as something others will notice as the right thing to do (symbolization). We argue that in societies that are more  politically polarized, people’s political ideology may interact with their moral identity to predict compliance.  We hypothesized that where polarization is high (e.g., USA), moral identity should positively predict compliance  for liberals to a greater extent than for conservatives. However, this effect would not occur where polarization is  low (e.g., New Zealand). Moral identity, political ideology, and support for three different COVID-19 mitigation  measures were assessed in both nations (N  =  1,980). Results show that while moral identity can influence  compliance, the political context of the nation must also be taken into account </p

Solidarity matters: prototypicality and minority and majority adherence to national COVID-19 health advice

The effectiveness of measures introduced to minimise the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19) depends on compliance from all members of society. The Irish response to COVID-19 has been framed as a collective effort, fostering national solidarity. However, dominant representations of the national community often unreflexively reaffirm the prototypicality of majority group members, implicitly marginalizing minority group members. This may have implications for adherence behaviours. We propose that majority/minority membership of the national community predicts adherence to COVID-19 health advice via prototypicality and national solidarity. In Study 1, we collected data online from Irish residents (N = 1,185) during the first wave of restrictions in Ireland’s response. In Study 2, we collected data from Irish residents (N = 537) during the second wave of restrictions, with more targeted sampling of minority groups. Based on these two studies, there is no difference between minority and majority group members’ adherence behaviours. However, mediation analysis showed that greater adherence to COVID-19 health advice is shown when group members perceive themselves to be prototypical of the Irish national community, and thereby show greater national solidarity. In Study 3, we manipulated an appeal to adhere to restrictions (N = 689) and show that an inclusive solidarity appeal increased reported intentions to adhere to COVID-19 restrictions compared to an exclusive solidarity appeal among minority group members. These findings suggest that appeals to national solidarity in response to COVID-19 will be most successful when they reference the diversity of the nation

The effects of secondary stressors, social identity, and social support on perceived stress and resilience: Findings from the COVID-19 pandemic

Primary stressors are direct outcomes of extreme events (e.g., viruses, floodwater) whereas secondary stressors  stem from pre-disaster life circumstances and societal arrangements (e.g., illness, problematic pre-disaster policies) or from inefficient responses to the extreme event. Secondary stressors can cause significant long-term  damage to people affected but are also tractable and amenable to change. In this study we explored the association between secondary stressors, social identity processes, social support, and perceived stress and resilience.  Pre-registered analyses of data from the COVIDiSTRESS Global Survey Round II (N = 14,600; 43 countries) show  that secondary stressors are positively associated with perceived stress and negatively associated with resilience,  even when controlling for the effects of primary stressors. Being a woman or having lower socioeconomic status  (SES) is associated with higher exposure to secondary stressors, higher perceived stress, and lower resilience.  Importantly, social identification is positively associated with expected support and with increased resilience and  lower perceived stress. However, neither gender, SES, or social identification moderated the relationship between secondary stressors and perceived stress and resilience. In conclusion, systemic reforms and the availability of social support are paramount to reducing the effects of secondary stressors. </p