Mid Sweden University

The Sussex-Oxford Compassion Scales (SOCS) are recently developed measures of compassion, which have showed support for a five-factor structure for both other-compassion (SOCS-O) and self-compassion (SOCS-S). The study aimed to validate the Swedish translations of both the SOCS-O and the SOCS-S. A sample of adult participants was randomly split into either an exploratory sample (N = 403) or a replication sample (N = 402). The exploratory sample was used for both exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. In the replication sample, we (1) used CFA to validate results from the exploratory sample, (2) assessed measurement invariance for different groups (gender, nationality, age), and (3) evaluated psychometric properties using local fit. Results from both sub-samples support the presence of five-factor models for both SOCS-O (using 19 items) and SOCS-S (using 20 items). For both scales, measurement invariance is supported for all grouping variables, and local psychometric properties indicate good internal consistency with fairly good discriminant and convergent validity. This study supports the five-factor model of both other-compassion and self-compassion, respectively, and shows that the Swedish versions of both SOCS-O and SOCS-S are reliable and valid instruments that can be used to index compassion with general adult populations in Sweden and Finland. 

Strategic self-talk is a powerful mental skill that athletes can use to self-regulate the effects of pressure and enhance task performance. Multistates (MuSt) theory considers the combination of emotion- and action-centered self-regulation to be the most effective strategy to optimize athletes' performance and subjective experience. The aim of this study was to test the tenets of MuSt theory ona pressurized performance task, involving male junior football players (N= 20, Mage =18.6) competing at the elite level in Finland. The task tested the players' passing abilities over six trials while they applied different self-talk strategies in attempts to improve passing performance. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of strategic self-talk as a form of self-regulation. Specifically, the combination of emotion- and action-centered cue words proved to be the optimal strategy for coping with the demands of the task. The study findings have relevant practical implications for players, coaches, and practitioners.

Previous studies report a preference for larger comfortable interpersonal distance (CIPD) in individuals with child maltreatment (CM) when being approached by others. Yet, research on approaching others, as opposed to being approached, as well as on potential effects of social anxiety and depression is lacking. We investigated if CM and depressive symptoms influence CIPD and if social anxiety mediates the possible association of CM and CIPD when approaching a female stranger. One hundred ten participants with CM (CM) and 58 participants without CM (non-CM) experiences performed the stop-distance paradigm and stopped first when feeling uncomfortable (D1) and again when feeling very uncomfortable (D2). CM experiences were associated with a preference for larger CIPD, independent of depressive symptoms. All CM subtypes were associated with a larger D2. The relationship between CM and CIPD was partially mediated by social anxiety. These novel findings can help to develop interventions strengthening socially relevant skills and processes in those affected by CM, targeting alterations in social anxiety and depression. 

Background: This study assessed the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the Empathic Experience Scale (EES), a recently developed scale for empathic traits (Innamorati et al., 2019). According to previous research, EES has two dimensions: Vicarious Experience and Intuitive Understanding. Methods: We used a split-sample method with a combination of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for an adult population (N = 805) from both Sweden and Finland. Results: Our findings support previous research, favoring a two-factor model over a unidimensional model. The final model provided support for measurement invariance across different grouping variables. Consistent with previous research on empathic traits, women obtained higher scores on both dimensions of the scale compared to men. Furthermore, the EES showed high internal consistency, good discriminant, and convergent validity. 

Differentiating between various types of positive affect (PA), such as excitement, relaxation, safeness, and contentment, is important when assessing mental health. However, validated instruments measuring these types of PA are scarce, and in a Swedish context, they are nonexisting. Thus, the present study assesses the psychometric properties of the translated Swedish version of the Types of PA Scale (TPAS) using a sample of 440 Swedish adults. Corroborating previous research, confirmatory factor analyses supported a modified three-factor model (Activated PA, Relaxed PA, Safe/Content PA), showing good reliability, good convergent validity, and satisfactory discriminant validity of the factors. Furthermore, the TPAS demonstrates measurement invariance across demographics (age, gender, and education) and exhibits satisfactory construct validity by distinguishing between PA, NA and State-Trait Anxiety. Hence, the Swedish TPAS is a valid tool for measuring types of PA in the adult population of Sweden, with potential areas for improvement being discussed. 

Teachers are particularly affected by stress and burnout. Recovery experiences are crucial to counteract the harmful continuation of everyday life stress reactions. There is a lack of knowledge regarding recovery experiences and its importance for burnout among compulsory school teachers. The aim of the present study was to investigate (1) the levels of burnout and different recovery experiences during leisure time among female compulsory school teachers in Sweden, and (2) to which extent different recovery experiences explain burnout. In a non-random sample of female compulsory school teachers (n = 570) and a random sample from a general female working population (n = 457/393), the participants self-rated their levels of burnout and their recovery experiences during leisure time via the brief version of the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure and the Recovery Experience Questionnaire, respectively. Independent t-tests showed that, compared to the general female working population, the female compulsory school teachers scored (1) significantly higher on burnout (with a high magnitude of effect, d = 0.87), and (2) significantly lower on recovery experiences (d = 0.38–1.23). In total, recovery experiences explained 37% of the variance in burnout. Among the four recovery experiences being investigated, Psychological detachment explained the highest variance in burnout (27%), with Mastery and Control also being significant predictors in the model. Surprisingly, the variance of Relaxation in explaining burnout was close to zero. The study suggests enhancing the circumstances that foster psychological detachment among female compulsory school teachers in Sweden and further investigation of recovery experiences among teachers.

The veterinary profession seems to be particularly affected by mental health problems than other occupational groups, primarily a consequence of exposure to various sources of psychological distress that is common within the profession (e.g., euthanasia administration, and client interactions). This article is the first to investigate the association between work-specific factors and wellbeing in the veterinary profession in Sweden. A cross-sectional survey sampled 280 (256 females) Sweden-registered veterinarians and nurses (235 veterinarians, 45 veterinary nurses). Multiple platforms and methods were used to increase diversity and inclusiveness in the sample. In this study, we investigated the associations between psychological wellbeing by including variables from several studies that have previously been associated with decreased wellbeing within the veterinary profession in order to get a more comprehensive picture of factors that may contribute to increased risk of mental illness. Results showed that, after adjusting for the influence of psychosocial working environment factors, except for variables related to euthanasia which were not associated with decreased wellbeing, measures indexing difficult client interactions were, on the other hand, associated with decreased wellbeing. Thus, negative experiences from client interactions suggest that these could be candidates for the development and maintenance of poor wellbeing among individuals within the veterinary profession. This research can potentially assist in designing more targeted intervention studies and serve educational purposes for both staff and future professionals. 

The intimacy questionnaire by Birnie (2009; Birnie-Porter & Lydon, 2013) is a promising measure of relationship intimacy due to its strong theoretical background, the inclusion of lay conceptions and the differentiation of emotional and sexual intimacy. This study aimed to validate our German translation of Birnie’s questionnaire, which we labeled Intimacy Scale (IS). In two independent samples (379 and 203 individuals), confirmatory factor analyses showed best support for a bifactor S-1 model, with a strong general intimacy factor and a small specific factor, capturing unique portions of the variance related to sexual intimacy. The general intimacy factor correlated very highly and to the point of redundancy with relationship quality. Taken together, the IS may be useful as measure of relationship quality with a general (intimacy) factor. Future research is needed to improve the factorial structure of the scale. 

The aim of this study was to identify characteristics that differentiate patients who complete suicide (SC) from patients with suicide attempts (SA) while undergoing treatment in Norway. We examined data from the Norwegian System of Patient Injury Compensation (Norsk Pasientskade Erstatning—NPE). Data were extracted from NPE case records from a 10-year period (2009–2019) for 356 individuals who attempted (n = 78) or died by (n = 278) suicide. The two groups differed significantly in the types of medical errors identified by experts. Inadequate suicide risk assessment tended to be proportionally and significantly more prevalent among SC compared to SA. There was a weak but significant trend that SA had received medication only, whereas SC had received both medication and psychotherapy. There were no significant differences with respect to age group, gender, diagnostic category, number of previous suicide attempts, inpatient/outpatient status, or category of responsible clinic. We conclude that suicide attempters and suicide completers differed in terms of identified medical errors. Focusing on the prevention of these and other types of errors could help to reduce the number of suicides of patients in treatment. 

Background: Emotional reactivity is an important construct to consider when studying mental disorders. This study was conducted to translate and assess the factor structure, construct validity and internal consistency of a German version of the Emotion Reactivity Scale (ERS), which is an originally English questionnaire assessing three components of emotional reactivity: sensitivity, intensity and persistence of emotions. Methods: The German ERS and a range of questionnaires used to assess convergent and discriminant validity were completed by 334 German speaking Swiss participants. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis showed strong support for a bi-factor model, with evaluation indices pointing to a unidimensional construct rather than to domain specific factors. The questionnaire showed good reliability and the factor structure was similar across gender. The ERS showed convergent validity with general psychopathology, behavioral inhibition, negative affect, orienting sensitivity, depressive symptoms and symptoms of disordered eating, and discriminant validity with behavioral activation and alcohol consumption. Conclusions: Findings support the construct validity of the German ERS and suggest that it assesses a unidimensional construct with high internal consistency. Accounting for the unidimensional nature of the scale and aiming for efficient assessment tools, future research could, based on these findings, develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a short version of the ERS.