Assessing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on student wellbeing at universities in the UK: a conceptual analysis

Transitioning into the university environment can be both exciting and stressful for new and returning students alike. The pressure to perform well academically in an increasingly competitive environment, coupled with a vast array of lifestyle changes, can contribute to suboptimal wellbeing. Over recent years, uptake to wellbeing services within universities in the United Kingdom has grown given the concurrent rise in mental health difficulties reported. Higher education students now have to contend with a drastically altered learning landscape, owing to the discovery of novel coronavirus, Sars-Cov-2, otherwise referred to as COVID-19. In the United Kingdom, universities have moved to close their campuses to both students and non-essential staff in an effort to protect them from contracting the virus. The repercussions of these decisions have been monumental for the delivery of teaching, relationships and, importantly, the provision of student services. Ambiguity remains as to how teaching will be delivered for the forthcoming academic year. The uncertainty caused by the pandemic has yet to be considered in terms of student wellbeing and the new, mostly online, environments that students will be expected to navigate without their typical support networks. For the purpose of this paper, the concept of student wellbeing, a population level term concerned with positive emotions rather than diagnosed mental health conditions, will be considered in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak. The current paper performs a conceptual analysis on student wellbeing in United Kingdom universities with a specific lens on the psychosocial impact of the global COVID-19 outbreak. Given the unprecedented world that students now learn in, considering the impact of the pandemic on psychosocial outcomes delineates the novel challenges that researchers and practitioners must consider when implementing student wellbeing initiatives moving forward

Non-cognitive adaptive resourcefulness: scrutiny of its multidimensionality and nomological validity

Recent research has observed that Mental Toughness, Optimal Regulation, and Self-Efficacy share core features and variance. Investigators have named this commonality Non-Cognitive Adaptive Resourcefulness (NCAR). The NCAR validation study reported that the construct possesses promising psychometric properties, however, further research is required to replicate and extend these findings. Acknowledging this, the present paper using a UK-based sample of 1998 participants (Mage = 40 years, range 18-83), tested the NCAR model against competing alternatives (multidimensional and one-factor solutions), and assessed the nomological validity of NCAR in relation to Perceived Stress and Anxiety Control. Participants completed the self-report study measures online. Exploratory structural equation modelling revealed that a bifactor solution represented data more effectively than one-factor and multi-factor alternatives. Additionally, a structural equation model found that NCAR significantly predicted Perceived Stress (subfactors of Distress and Coping) and Anxiety Control (subfactors of Emotional Control, Threat Control, and Stress Control). Moreover, NCAR predicted PSS Coping and Emotional Control to a greater extent than the specific bifactors (Mental Toughness, Optimal Regulation, and Self-Efficacy). This suggested that NCAR comprises an underpinning, positive psychological energy that facilitates coping. Particularly, an enabling resource that enhances the capacity to thrive under pressure and retain emotional control in demanding and trying circumstances

Development and Evaluation of the Chronic Time Pressure Inventory

The negative effects of chronic time pressure (i.e., time shortage and feelings of being rushed) are pervasive within modern society. Noting this, and the absence of an established self-report measure, the present paper developed and evaluated the Chronic Time Pressure Inventory (CTPI). Established theory informed the generation of items, resulting in an initial 15-item measure. Study 1, using parallel analysis, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, examined CTPI factorial structure within a sample of 401 respondents. Additionally, reliability (omega and alpha) and convergent validity testing occurred by correlating the CTPI with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS10). Study 2 replicated the emergent, superior factor model in an independent sample of 163 respondents and assessed measurement invariance. Analysis further examined reliability (omega and alpha) and convergent validity. Across the two studies, results supported a bifactor solution, where a general overarching factor encompassed two discrete, but overlapping temporal factors (i.e., Feeling Harried and Cognitive Awareness of Time Shortage). Invariance testing indicated invariance of form, factor loadings, item intercepts and residuals across Study 1 and 2. The CTPI also demonstrated good internal reliability and satisfactory convergent validity with the PSS-10. Findings supported Szollos’ (2009) theoretical conceptualization of chronic time pressure and established the CTPI as a psychometrically sound, theoretically aligned measure of the construct. Indeed, results advocate the CTPI as a promising instrument for conducting survey-based research into chronic time pressure

An independent evaluation of the Routes into AHP Careers resource

Background People interested in a career in the Allied Health Professions (AHP), and those seeking occupational development, require effective online resources that provide up-to-date accessible information about related vocations. The Routes into Allied Health Professions (AHP) Careers Resource, which delivers this essential function launched on AHP Day, 14th October 2019. This report evaluates the effectiveness of the Resource from the perspective of the user/client. The Evaluation centres on three key domains: visibility, usability, and impact: Visibility refers to the ease with which respondents can locate the Resource on the web. This includes quality and quantity of promotional links and search engine results. Usability, in the context of web design, denotes user ‘friendliness’. Primary features include content layout, site interface, appearance, visual design and structure, ease of navigation, intuitiveness, search facilities, and readability/comprehension/clarity. Hence, key components of usability from the user/client perspective are Resource look and feel. In the present evaluation, usability relates also to accessibility, which indexes availability and responsiveness of the site. Explicitly, the expectation that the Resource provides users with current data/information in a rapid and effective manner. Finally, impact refers to the influence that the Resource has on the user/client. Particularly, the degree to which the resource elicits a favourable reaction and positively influences user/client feelings. Concomitantly, impact indexes whether users/clients perceive that the resource is beneficial to them. Specifically, that the Resource conveys important, relevant, meaningful, and helpful material. Methodology Design of the Evaluation Tool In order to assess user/client perceptions and interactions with the Resource the authors of the evaluation designed an online self-report tool. This took the form of an internet-based survey hosted by Qualtrics (see Appendix 1). Generally, researchers refer to this established, widely used approach as internet-mediated research (IMR). The advantage of IMR is that it possesses broad reach, facilitates the rapid collection of responses from diverse and distant geographical locations, and enhances disclosure by reducing social barriers. For these reasons, researchers mostly agree that IMR gathers representative, reliable and valid data. A potential disadvantage of IMR is bias in the form of common method variance (CMV). This typically occurs when participants respond in systematic ways to survey items because of poor design, or the desire to provide socially desirable responses. To prevent this in the current evaluation the self-report instrument divided information into distinct sections and utilised various response formats (i.e., 7-point Likert scale, Yes/No, open text, and select an option). Researchers generally acknowledge that these strategies reduce/eliminate bias, and encourage respondents to reflect on question content. Accordingly, the Evaluation survey comprised independent sections using different response formats that assessed Resource visibility, usability, and impact: • Demographics (i.e., age, preferred gender, ethnicity, and disability), • Reasons for using the Allied Health Professions (AHP) Careers Resource (yes/no), 2 • Experience of using the Allied Health Professions (AHP) Careers Resource (7-point Likert scale; 1= disagree strongly, 2= disagree moderately, 3= disagree moderately, 4= neither agree, nor disagree, 5= agree slightly, 6= agree moderately, 7=agree strongly), • Accessing the Allied Health Professions (AHP) Careers Resource [how and ease] (forced choice), • Careers information [increased awareness of vocational opportunities and qualifications] (yes/no) • Maximizing resource visibility, understanding/accessing AHP career, what users liked/disliked about the Resource, and further comments [open text responses]. The evaluation survey launched on the 24th of February 2019 and closed on the 9th of March 2019. Sample Criterion for inclusion was completion of survey section two (Reasons for using the AHP Careers Resource). In total 83 respondents began the evaluation. Of these, 49 (59%) reached the inclusion threshold. Thirty (36%) of the sample then progressed to survey completion. The average (mean) age of the sample was 39.91 years (standard deviation = 10.86), with a minimum age of 19 and a maximum age of 61. The sample comprised 11 men (mean age = 39.54, standard deviation = 10.89, minimum age = 22, maximum age = 61) and 38 women (mean age = 40.02, standard deviation = 10.99, minimum age = 19, maximum age = 61). In terms of ethnicity, 42 identified themselves as White: English / Welsh / Scottish / Northern Irish / British. Four participants identified as Asian, one as White: Irish, and two as any other White background. Within the sample, 42 indicated that they did not have a disability, two preferred not to say, and five reported the presence of a disability (three indicated a physical disability, and two indicated an intellectual disability)

The positive effect of narcissism on depressive symptoms through mental toughness: Narcissism may be a dark trait but it does help with seeing the world less grey

Background. Subclinical Narcissism (SN) is part of the Dark Triad (DT), which includes also the traits of Subclinical Psychopathy (SP) and Machiavellianism. SN comprises facets retained from the clinical syndrome, such as grandiosity and dominance. Previous cross-sectional and longitudinal research indicates that SN may increase Mental Toughness (MT) resulting in various positive outcomes, including lower levels of psychopathy. Method. The researchers conducted three studies (N = 364, 244 and 144 for Study 1, 2 and 3 respectively) to test if the path model from SN to higher MT predicted lower symptoms of depression (DS). An extension to the model considered Openness to Experience (OE) as a possible mediator. Participants completed self-report measures of SN, MT, OE and DS. In Study 3, participants responded to an additional measure of SN to allow differentiation between grandiose and vulnerable aspects. Results. SN exerted a negative indirect effect on DS through MT across studies; and a negative indirect effect on DS through MT and OE in Study 2. In Study 3, Grandiose SN increased MT contributing to lower DS. Vulnerable SN demonstrated the reverse pattern. MT subfactors of Control and Confidence had a mediating effect across studies. Conclusion. The current findings support the model that SN to MT predicts positive outcomes in various domains, including lower levels of psychiatric symptoms. Exploring the link between SN with prosocial traits can be particularly helpful when seeking to identify and promote SN’s adaptive tendencies against symptoms of psychopathology

Effects of saccadic eye movements on episodic & semantic memory fluency in older and younger participants

Research has demonstrated that performing a sequence of saccadic horizontal eye movements prior to retrieval facilitates performance on tests of episodic memory. This has been observed in both laboratory tasks of retention and autobiographical memory. To date, the work has centred on performance in younger individuals. This paper extends previous investigations by examining the effects of saccadic eye movements in older persons. Autobiographical episodic and semantic memory fluency was assessed in younger (age range 18-35, mean = 22.50), and older (age range 55-87, mean = 70.35) participants following saccadic (vs. fixation control) manipulations. The main effects of eye movements and age were found for episodic autobiographical memory (greater fluency after eye movements and in younger participants). Semantic autobiographical memory showed a main effect of age (greater fluency in younger participants), whereas general semantic memory showed no effect of age or eye movement. These findings indicate that saccadic horizontal eye movements can enhance episodic personal memory in older individuals. This has implications as a technique to improve autobiographical recollection in the elderly and as an adjunct in reminiscence therapy

Mental toughness questionnaire (MTQ18): a Russian version

A special role in the study of personal security problems is played by the study of psychological stability and mental toughness, the development of which involves the ability of a person to focus on one occupation without dispersing their forces, the ability to bring any business started to completion, overcoming the fear of the new, an adequate attitude to their mistakes, the ability to think in a positive way, resistance to force-majeure situations and the ability do not give in to impulses, stress resistance and other qualities. In the article, the authors proposed a Mental Toughness Questionnaire. The 18-item Mental Toughness Questionnaire (MTQ18) is a brief, widely used measure of mental toughness. The MTQ18 derives from the longer MTQ48, which comprises four independent but correlated factors (Challenge, Commitment, Control and Confidence). Despite sampling items from across MTQ48 dimensions, the MTQ18 (as intended) provides a global, unidimensional score. The current paper translated the MTQ18 into Russian, and consequently assessed validity and reliability (factorial, internal and convergent) in a general population sample of 1150 participants (432 male and 718 female). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed the MTQ18 possessed additional variance to that accounted for by a unidimensional solution. Moreover, analyses via exploratory structural equation modelling demonstrated better data-model fit for a four-factor model than CFA. However, factors of Control and Challenge demonstrated inconsistent item loadings. Tests of convergent validity revealed the MTQ18 correlated with theoretically related measures. Overall, although the MTQ18 was a psychometrically acceptable measure, issues with factorial structure require reconciliation in future research

Neuropsychological and cognitive perceptual characteristics

The present project examined individuals who claim to possess paranormal abilities. Historically, the study of this area (via consideration of mediums, psychics, spiritualists, etc) is important because it has influenced the development of parapsychological/psychological concepts. Although healthy/well-adjusted subjects often report supernatural experiences, previous research indicates that experiencers differ in subtle cognitive/perceptual ways. Accordingly, three-phases examined whether individuals with self-professed paranormal ability possess a unique psychological profile. PHASE 1 - Identified neuro/psychological differences as a function of self-ascribed paranormal ability. This method was innovative because it classified differences in anomalistic experience. Three groups emerged differing in personal ascription of paranormal powers: no ability, self professed ability, and paranormal practitioners (i.e., Mediums, Psychics, Spiritualists, and Fortune-Tellers). Latent profile analysis (LPA) identified discrete classes that categorised important variations in paranormal experience and ability. These represented common differentiations in the frequencies of Paranormal Experience, Paranormal Practitioner Visiting, and Paranormal Ability. An additional advantage of LPA was the ability to compare emergent classes on levels of paranormal belief and measures of thinking style. Each profile grouped individuals based on mutually exclusive relationships between experiential indices. For instance, not all experiencers visited paranormal practitioners, nor did they profess supernatural ability. In addition, individuals reported multiple experiences and visited paranormal practitioners, but claimed little or no paranormal ability. PHASE 2 - This study investigated relationships between inter-class variations in paranormal experience and executive functions of mediums/psychics, experiencers & normal population. Results revealed breadth of paranormal experience was associated with higher levels of Executive Functioning difficulties for General Executive Function, Working Memory, Decision Making, and Paranormal Belief. PHASE 3 - This study examined personal perceptions (involvements) and comprehensions (interpretations) of self-ascribed paranormal abilities across 12 semi-structured interviews. Analysis revealed that self-ascription is a complex process. Interviewees narrated rich and detailed accounts that made sense of declared capabilities. They contextualised, rationalised, and provided evidence to support claims ❑ PHASE 1 - Provided categorisation of sample subpopulations based on heterogeneous paranormal histories. These reflected the fact that people accrue experience in quantitatively and qualitatively different ways. Findings revealed subclinical delusion formation and thinking style varied as a function of self-professed paranormal ability. ❑ PHASE 2 - Revealed differences between self-professed ability groups on Belief in the Paranormal, Proneness to Reality Testing Deficits, and Emotion-Based Reasoning. Specifically, paranormal practitioners possessed higher scores on these variables compared with self-professed ability and no ability groups. Overall, inter-class comparisons identified subtle differences in executive functions related to experience. Further research is necessary to confirm these outcomes, since the present study was exploratory, sampled only a limited subset of executive functions, and used subjective, self-report measures. ❑ PHASE 3 - Narratives and interviewees accounts reflected individual attempts to rationalize and understand self-ascribed paranormal abilities