Journal of Health Psychology

Residential childcare workers face stressors such as violence and heavy workloads, leading to stress. This scoping review aimed to synthesise research on stress in residential childcare workers and identify research gaps. APA PsycInfo, CINAHL, MEDLINE, SCOPUS and Social Work Abstracts were searched in January 2024 for papers on residential childcare worker stress. Of 3810 papers identified, 18 met the inclusion criteria. While a lot of research has focussed on predictors of burnout, there has been less research into predictors of perceived stress, hair cortisol, indirect trauma and post-traumatic symptoms. Largely, appraisals and coping have been omitted. Few findings have successful replications. Residential childcare workers face numerous stressors predicting high burnout and indirect trauma. However, there is a need to explore appraisals and coping in finer detail and replicate many of the existing findings.

Elimination of burnout and work-related mental illness in hospital doctors, at least in the short term, is unrealistic. Supporting doctors’ recovery continues to be important. Despite this, the aftermath of work-related mental illness and burnout, is not well understood. Using a descriptive phenomenological method, we describe the experience of coming to terms with mental crisis perceived to be caused or exacerbated by work stress for six senior consultant hospital doctors. Findings show that, in the aftermath of crisis, doctors engaged in two types of reflection: ‘situational sense-making’ to make sense of their experiences and ‘transformative self-reflection’, reflection in a deeper way on the experience, themselves and their lives. Transformative self-reflection led to change and in some cases growth. Not all doctors engaged in transformative self-reflection, and the process of recovery was complicated by contextual factors and when support from employers was perceived as absent, poor or acrimonious.

This study aimed to explore the stigma, barriers, and improvements needed for providing effective mental health care in community pharmacies in Jordan. A qualitative study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with 20 community pharmacists. The interviews were conducted in December 2024. Thematic analysis was applied to identify themes. A total of 20 pharmacists were interviewed. Pharmacists reported significant stigma among patients with mental health disorders, often due to societal pressures. However, within the pharmacy environment, pharmacists showed minimal stigma and demonstrated empathy. Key barriers identified included communication challenges, particularly the lack of privacy. Proposed improvements focused on enhancing education and training through workshops and continuous professional development. Community pharmacists play a critical role in mental health care but face challenges such as stigma, communication issues, and knowledge gaps. Addressing these barriers through better training could significantly enhance the ability of pharmacists to provide effective mental health support.

The intricacies of the fibromyalgia-depression link accentuate the need to further explore underlying psychosocial mechanisms. External shame resulting from fibromyalgia’s nature and associated impairment may increase the risk for depression. We explored whether being supportive and compassionate toward one’s perceived shortcomings would potentially weaken this association. This cross-sectional study comprised 138 women with fibromyalgia. Participants were recruited via patient associations and invited to complete an online survey. Descriptive, correlational, mediation and moderation analyses were performed to test the driving hypotheses. Both mediation and moderation analyses accounted for approximately 40% of the variance in depressive symptoms. Fibromyalgia severity was directly and indirectly— through external shame— associated with depressive symptoms. The shame-depressive symptoms link was weaker in participants with greater self-compassion skills. Findings point to the importance of shame and self-compassion and the need to address them in research and clinical contexts.

With widespread late- and under-diagnosing, health register code G93.3 data cannot offer an unbiased sampling frame for myalgic encephalomyelitis, complicating prevalence and demographic distribution assessments. It also remains unclear if all G93.3 cases would meet the Canada Consensus Criteria (CCC). This article describes a novel methodological approach to addressing selection bias when estimating a CCC population’s characteristics, applying an online respondent-driven sampling approach and validated DePaul University algorithms. In a sample of 660 respondents, we assess possible bias in the G93.3 diagnosis by regressing sociodemographic factors on G93.3 status, controlling for medical factors. Results support suggestions that G93.3 register data are biased against those socially deprived.

Caring for a family member with Huntington’s disease can be complex and challenging. This study set out to investigate the research question: what are the experiences of Huntington’s disease caregivers. In this qualitative study, 11 adult caregivers (6 female and 5 male, aged 49–77 years), of a family member with Huntington’s disease participated in semi-structured interviews, using either video-link or telephone. Data analysis was informed by interpretative phenomenological analysis. The analysis identified three themes related to the caregiver experience: The impact on the caregiver; The impact of the genetic risk; Accessing health care & support services. Complexities of caregiving are compounded by the lack of services available to Huntington’s disease patients, as well as the lack of knowledge and expertise related to the disease. This study highlights the need for enhanced knowledge of the disease in community services, along with access to psychological and multidisciplinary support.

It is important to understand how people respond to conflicting information in a world that is saturated with misinformation and disinformation. In the context of an emerging environmental health risk – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), we examined how personal relevance and conflicting information affected individuals’ risk perception, information processing, and information seeking intention. Results from a 2 (high vs low personal relevance) × 2 (conflicting vs consistent information) experimental survey (N = 1062) showed that compared to a combination of low relevance and consistent information, high relevance and conflicting information led to greater risk perception, while high relevance and consistent information led to lower information seeking intention. We also investigated the moderating role of intolerance of uncertainty on participants’ responses to conflicting information. Findings from this study provide important theoretical and practical implications for health communication related to PFAS contamination and other novel environmental health risks.

Patient influencers are a type of social media influencer who build patient communities and share specific health information based on their “lived experience.” The current study applied the Health Promotion Model because patient influencers may be health promotion agents; these nuanced social media influencers are at the intersection of peer-to-peer communication and health promotion, engaging communities of patients about health and chronic disease self-management. Interviews (N = 37) were conducted to better understand patient influencers’ promotion of chronic disease self-management behaviors. Three themes were identified: representing the disease community; acting as intermediary of information; and supporting good health. Patient influencers communicated motivational strategies to followers by sharing their own experiences, including their personal experiences with chronic disease, behavioral perceptions, for example, perceived benefits and barriers, and their behavioral outcomes. Patients want to engage in self-management behaviors that produce value, and patient influencers help co-create value through the sharing of content and “lived experience.”

Engagement in positive experiences in everyday life has been associated with better long-term survival, but research assessing associations with other measures of long-term physical health is limited. In the current study, data collected from the Midlife in the US Study (N=1,182) in 2004-2017 were used to examine whether frequency of engagement in a range of positive experiences is associated with three domains of health (subjective, functional, and morbidity) over an average seven-year follow-up period. Potential cognitive-affective and physiological mediators of these associations were assessed. Greater positive experience frequency was associated with better self-rated health (SRH), less difficulty in performing basic activities of daily living (BADLs), and lower comorbidity (count of dichotomous indicators assessing history of lung-related, autoimmune, blood pressure, blood glucose, and neurological disorders). Cognitive-affective factors (positive affect, depression, and perceived stress) mediated the associations with SRH and BADLs. Positive experiences may impact long-term physical health and warrant further study.

Women differ from men in many health indicators. We tested the extent to which such differences can be explained by gender constructs in a representative Canadian cohort (N = 2423). Institutionalized gender (education, income) and seven gender domains (e.g., perceived discrimination, work strain, caregiver strain) were assessed in their association with scales assessing health and well-being, and in several self-reported health conditions. Women reported higher rates of poor mental and physical health, depressive symptoms, stress, and major depressive disorder, while men reported more cardiovascular risk factors, heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Gender variables (in particular, perceived discrimination, caregiver strain, and low income) fully explained negative health indicators in women and strongly contributed to those in men. Social support and preparedness to take risks were protective factors. Findings suggest substantial contributions of gender variables in health disparities between women and men, highlighting modifiable prevention and intervention targets.

Fitness-based social media is growing in popularity, however its effects on exercise motivation and behaviour are underexplored in men. A cross-sectional design was used to investigate this in 224 male social media users (mean age = 32.76, range = 18–50, 81.8% White) in the UK. Questionnaires on social media use, (Overall, Platform and Fitness Social Media Use) and exercise (Motivation, Frequency and History) were completed. Results showed that Fitness Social Media Use was significantly positively associated with Exercise Frequency (number of exercise sessions per week) but not Exercise History (length of time consistently exercised for). Overall Social Media Use was significantly negatively associated with Exercise History. Fitness Social Media Use was more strongly associated with autonomous motivations (rather than controlled). Findings suggest fitness social media use may be associated with short-term, but not long-term exercise behaviour, but its links to exercise motivation are complex and likely bidirectional.

The autonomous and controlled motivations underpinning goal pursuit directly impact physical activity and mental well-being and are important for healthy behavior adherence. Psychological variables can also affect physical activity and mental well-being. This study tested the association between goal motives, psychological variables, physical activity, and mental well-being using structural equation modelling. Adults (N = 323; mean age =32.46 ± 13.12 y) completed a cross-sectional survey measuring goal motives, motivation, affective experiences, self-efficacy, physical activity, and mental well-being. Our analysis showed support for the proposed model fit: (χ²(6) = 14.16, p = .028, RMSEA = .07, CFI = .99, TLI = .97). In contrast to controlled goal motives, autonomous goal motives were positively related to the psychological variables associated with physical activity and mental well-being. Motivation and affective experiences were positively associated with physical activity. Self-efficacy was positively associated with mental well-being. Intricacies of the associations between goal motives, psychological variables, physical activity, and mental well-being are discussed.

Physical activity may be an important factor for understanding health and psychosocial outcomes following military service. The purpose of this analysis was to evaluate the association between physical activity and biopsychosocial outcomes in post-9/11 Veterans. We also evaluated the interaction of physical activity with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis and traumatic brain injury (TBI) history. Data were cross-sectional from 549 post-9/11 Veterans. Hierarchical linear regression models were used to investigate relationships between self-reported physical activity and biopsychosocial outcomes. Physical activity was significantly associated with better outcomes beyond PTSD and TBI, including depression (B = −1.03), neurobehavioral symptoms (B = −1.06), sleep quality (B = −0.36), pain interference (B = −0.18), and quality of life (B = 1.38). Promoting physical activity could enhance mental and physical health in Veterans, independent of PTSD diagnosis or TBI history. Exercise programs may be particularly beneficial for addressing specific biopsychosocial concerns among Veterans.

The unique social context of college predisposes students to higher level of psychological distress that affects their health behaviors and obesity risk. This study examined social context, lifestyle behaviors of diet, physical activity, and sleep in the association between psychological distress and BMI. Participants from a large public university in Southern California (N = 690, 70.4% female, mean age = 22.15) completed an in-class survey and 7-day at-home food questionnaire. Results indicated that higher level of distress was associated with unhealthy diet, less physical activity, and poor sleep quality. Gender stratified analyses showed significant distress × sleep interaction with BMI among males, and living in fraternity housing associated with less physical activity. Among females, sorority membership and living in dorms associated with unhealthy diet. Future research and behavioral interventions should consider the unique social context of college, and design intervention strategies that aim to lower psychological distress and improve sleep quality.

Adolescent and young adult (AYA) mental health issues are increasingly prominent, with physical activity recognized as an effective improvement method. However, intervention studies often overlook mental health differences among groups with varying physical activity levels. This study uses network analysis to explore mental health structures and core characteristics among these groups to support targeted strategies. A total of 1784 adolescents and 1459 young adults participated in a survey assessing physical activity and psychological factors. Results showed that groups with higher physical activity levels scored higher on life satisfaction and positive affect, and lower on stress, anxiety, and depression. Network analysis revealed that life satisfaction and panic occupy central positions in the mental health network, showing consistency across different physically active groups. Thus, physical activity positively affects AYA mental health. Interventions enhancing life satisfaction and reducing panic are key for improving mental health, providing insights for universal and targeted strategies.

Self-monitoring (SM) of diet and exercise is a useful strategy for weight management, either as a standalone treatment or as part of behavioral weight loss (BWL) interventions. However, rates of adherence to SM are often low among Hispanic/Latina women. In this qualitative study, 14 Hispanic/Latina women with overweight or obesity attended focus groups and were asked to identify perceived barriers to SM and suggestions for improving adherence. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Major barriers included avoidance, cultural features, mental health, and negative perceptions of SM. Major suggestions were to intervene on multiple levels (i.e. community, group, individual), incorporate mental healthcare, reduce the burden of tracking, and prioritize health rather than weight. Future studies should empirically test the novel suggestions identified in this study to determine whether they increase SM adherence.

Discrimination (unfair treatment due to group membership) is relatively common among adolescents and has been linked to poor sleep and physical health. Individual differences in physiological functioning may moderate these associations. A sample of 323 youth (48% boys, 52% girls; 58.5% White, 40.9% Black, mean age = 17.38 years, SD = 10.18 months) participated. Adolescents reported on discrimination and health, wore actigraphs to measure sleep, and came to the laboratory to assess respiratory sinus arrythmia reactivity (RSA-R) to two stressful tasks. Results indicate that discrimination was directly associated with health. Furthermore, discrimination interacted with RSA-R to predict sleep and health. Discrimination was related to more sleep activity and poorer health when RSA increased relative to baseline (augmentation), and better sleep quality (higher efficiency, fewer long wake episodes), when RSA decreased relative to baseline (suppression). Findings support the importance of examining physiological regulation as a protective/vulnerability factor when attempting to explicate relations between discrimination and health.

Two studies examined the link between sleep quality and conspiracy theory beliefs, as well as the underlying mechanisms. In Study 1 (n = 540), participants with poorer sleep quality over the past month reported higher conspiracy beliefs about the 2019 Notre Dame fire when exposed to Notre Dame fire conspiracy theories compared to non-conspiracy information. Study 2 (n = 575) investigated the underlying psychological mechanisms connecting poor sleep quality with increased conspiracy beliefs and whether insomnia shows a similar pattern. We found that poorer sleep quality and insomnia were positively correlated with conspiracy theory beliefs – conspiracy mentality and belief in specific conspiracy theories. A consistent indirect effect through depression was uncovered, although there were inconsistent indirect relationships between both sleep quality and insomnia with conspiracy beliefs for anger and paranoia. These findings suggest that improving sleep quality could reduce susceptibility to conspiracy theories, highlighting the need for sleep-focussed interventions.

This study used data from the Sao Paulo Epidemiologic Sleep Study (EPISONO) undertaken in 2007, with a follow-up study in 2015. Women who took part in both editions of the study were distributed in two groups: those with insomnia symptoms (GIS) and those without insomnia symptoms (GWIS). To evaluate groups over time, the Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Beck Depression Index, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment were used. Additionally, full-night polysomnography was used to assess the participants’ sleep pattern. The GWIS presented significantly less fatigue, anxiety, and depression, and better results in all domains of quality of life, in both EPISONO editions. Moreover, time had a significant impact on the levels of fatigue and depression, regardless of groups. Insomnia symptoms were associated with higher levels of fatigue, anxiety and depression and a lower perception of quality of life, regardless of time.

This study investigates the impact of sleep disorders on biological aging, examining the mediating role of depressive symptoms and the moderating effect of a healthy lifestyle. Data were drawn from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the years 2005–2014, with a sample of 18,862 participants aged 20–79. Biological aging was assessed using the Klemera-Doubal method (KDM-BA), depressive symptoms were measured with the PHQ-9 scale, and lifestyle factors were evaluated based on smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity. Results indicate that sleep disorders significantly accelerate biological aging (B = 4.347, p < 0.001), with depressive symptoms acting as a mediator (indirect effect B = 1.127, p < 0.001). A healthy lifestyle moderates these effects, reducing both depressive symptoms and biological aging (B = −0.205, p < 0.001). These findings highlight the importance of addressing sleep disorders and promoting a healthy lifestyle to mitigate their adverse effects on biological aging and promote better health and longevity.

Current literature on tobacco dependence often overlooks the nuanced interplay between individual and psychosocial factors over time. This study employed Random Intercept-Latent Transition Analysis to examine the progression of tobacco dependence among established smokers, focusing on how demographic variables and psychosocial influences impact transitions between dependence levels. Data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study across three waves (n = 12,823; 45.3% female) were analyzed. Four latent classes were identified: Stable Low Dependence, Increasing Dependence, Worsening Dependence, and Stable High Dependence. Younger individuals and Hispanic populations were more likely to progress to higher dependence levels, with family and peer influences linked to worsening dependence. These findings highlight the need for personalized, culturally sensitive interventions that address specific stages of tobacco dependence, informing more effective tobacco control strategies that consider both individual and contextual factors.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder that imposes significant life impairment. Smoking is an addictive and potentially exacerbating behavior that may be important to IBS, but the psychological factors linking IBS and smoking remain underexplored. This study aims to investigate gastrointestinal-specific anxiety (GI-specific anxiety) in relation to smoking processes among adults with IBS who smoke. The sample consisted of 263 adults who met the criteria for IBS and reported smoking at least 5 cigarettes per day for the past year (Mean age = 44.1 years, SD = 12.71, 52.1% female). Hierarchical regression results indicated that higher GI-specific anxiety was statistically significantly associated with greater perceived barriers for smoking cessation, increased negative affect reduction smoking expectancies, and stronger urges to smoke for relief of negative affect. The present investigation found that GI-specific anxiety is an important construct informing smoking among individuals with IBS. Future research considerations are explored.

The current research aims to explore the conflict between smoking and health goals among intermittent compared to daily smokers (ITSs vs DSs). A mouse-tracking paradigm was used to assess participants’ choice between smoking and healthier activities (e.g. walking with a friend) and the conflict they experienced while making this choice as a function of smoking patterns (intermittent vs daily) and dependence motives (e.g. craving) measured by the Brief Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (WISDM). ITSs experienced more choice conflict than DSs, particularly at lower levels of dependence motives. Higher levels of conflict were in turn related to a lower likelihood to choose smoking. The results suggest that smoking behavior among ITSs is not yet automatized and may be influenced by health goals. Understanding the role of health and other goals among ITSs may provide critical insights for prevention and intervention.

This study examines the conditional indirect effect of discrimination on alcohol problems among transfeminine people of color, moderated by financial instability. An online cross-sectional survey (N = 80) was conducted from October 2021 to May 2022 with transfeminine adults of color with a history of alcohol problems. Using Hayes’ PROCESS Macro, results showed that past-year discrimination was associated with higher drinking motives, greater alcohol use, and more alcohol-related problems. Among participants experiencing financial instability, past-year discrimination was associated with greater alcohol use and subsequent alcohol problems. Conversely, among financially stable participants, past-year discrimination was associated with less alcohol use and fewer alcohol problems. Findings highlight that economic deprivation amplifies the impact of discrimination-related stress on alcohol problems. Addressing basic needs is essential to mitigating these effects. This study underscores the importance of transgender inclusive policies while calling for further research on longitudinal outcomes.

A considerable proportion of patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) experience emotional problems due to the continual demands of the disease, which may persist throughout life without appropriate support. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention and provide early indications of its capacity to impact psychosocial outcomes for adolescents with T1D. Twenty-two participants were randomised to one of two groups: (1) ACT intervention for 6 weeks or (2) standard care. Given the ease of recruitment, high rate of attendance for the ACT intervention and the positive responses to the intervention, the intervention was deemed feasible and acceptable to adolescents with T1D. Outcomes trended towards enhanced Quality of Life and reduced Diabetes Distress. Future work should consider a larger scale randomised controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of the intervention for T1D and other chronic illnesses.

This mixed-method study examined whether and how perceived executive function (EF) is linked to self-reported self-management in 173 people diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) during adulthood, combining a cross-sectional survey with thematic analysis of 11 interviews. Stronger global EF significantly predicted better self-management (B = −0.04, t(165) = 4.15; p < 0.001) after controlling for demographic factors. Stronger perceptions of EF correlated with better self-reported adherence to dietary behaviour, glucose monitoring and physical activity, but not medication-taking or cooperation with healthcare teams. Qualitative interviews identified key challenges in self-management requiring stronger EF including planning behaviours, maintaining attention and vigilance over time and responding flexibly to changing demands. Strategies which reduce demands on EF, such as establishing routines and delegating control of tasks, helped to improve self-management. Adults with perceived EF impairments may struggle to effectively manage T1D, suggesting supportive interventions should aim to reduce the cognitive demands of self-management.

This study examined the experiences of stigmatising language among adults living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes in Ireland, and its associations with psychological outcomes using a cross-sectional design. Multiple regression analyses revealed significant associations between stigmatising language from family, friends, healthcare providers, the media and colleagues and higher anxious symptoms (β’s = 0.27–0.47, p’s < .001), depressive symptoms (β’s = 0.25–0.42, p’s ≤ 0.002), and diabetes distress (β’s = 0.34–0.57, p’s < 0.001). Lower diabetes treatment satisfaction was significantly associated with stigmatising language from healthcare providers (β = −0.47, p < 0.001). Additionally, there were no significant associations between wellbeing and stigmatising language from any source (p’s > 0.002). These findings emphasise the importance of respectful communication to enhance psychosocial outcomes for people living with diabetes.

This study employed a pre-post design to examine the relationship between physical activity (PA) and mental health among college students (N = 743) at the end of the semester. Data on PA and mental health indicators, including stress, anxiety, and depression, were collected during the third week of the semester and the week before final exams. Results revealed a significant decline in PA levels from an average of 2381.18 MET-min/week at the beginning of the semester to 1818.53 MET-min/week at the end. Concurrently, stress, anxiety, and depression levels increased significantly. Regression analyses indicated that PA at the end of the semester significantly predicted lower levels of stress (β = −0.115, p < 0.001) and depression (β = −0.058, p = 0.047) after controlling for baseline measures, but was not significantly associated with anxiety, even after controlling for age, gender, and initial levels of these indicators at the beginning of the semester.

Alcohol consumption increases longer-term health risks, including cancer. Many adults at midlife in Aotearoa New Zealand drink frequently but may not be aware of such risks. This study examined midlife adults’ awareness of alcohol and health risks and their knowledge of government low-risk drinking guidelines. A convenience sample of 502 adults (aged 40–65 years; 70% female) completed an online questionnaire. Almost all respondents reported they were aware of health risks associated with alcohol consumption. When unprompted, 41% of the sample named cancer as a health risk; when asked if they knew that alcohol use was associated with cancer, 61% agreed. For one-third of these respondents, this awareness did not motivate them to drink less. Most knew government drinking guidelines existed although did not know what they were. To support midlife adults to drink less, we need more insight into how they make sense of the long-term health risks of alcohol.