334 research outputs found
Irish educators: an evaluation of the effect of age, gender, experience, job satisfaction and personality on stress
No full textThe purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of particular variables on stress experienced by Irish educators in the primary, secondary and third level education sectors in Ireland. In a cross-sectional design, 108 educators from the primary (female=20, male =20) secondary (female=20, male =16) and third level (female=11, male =21) sector participated. Three questionnaires were used: the Minnesota Satisfaction short-form Questionnaire (Weiss, Dawis, England & Lofquist, 1967), the QUASK Stress Test (Prentice & Elliot, 2006) and the Life Orientation Test-Revised (Scheier, Carver and Bridges, 1994). Predictor variables were age, gender, experience, job satisfaction and personality traits. The criterion variable was the total stress score. The results indicate that there is a moderate relationship between stress and job satisfaction particularly among primary sector educators [r=-.424, n=108, p<.01]. However, there is little support for the effects of optimism and age, gender, experience and job satisfaction on stress among participants. Strengths and limitations and future research directions are discussed
Physical activity, its relationship with psychological wellbeing and self perception, and in keeping us all psychologically healthier
No full textThis study provided quantative correlational review of the relationship between physical
activity, psychological well being and self perception. A total of (n = 65) participants took
part in this study ranging between 18 and 40 years of age. Demographic details were also
reviewed in relation to the three variables. Measurements for the study included the Habitual
Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Psychological General Well Being Index and the Body
Esteem Scale. Results indicated a positive non significant relationship between physical
activity and psychological well being (r = .11), a significant correlation relationship between
physical activity and self perception (r = .018). No significant relationship was found
between physical activity scores and a specific gender, and no significant difference was
observed between self perception scores and gender. Author keywords: Physical exercise, psychological wellbeing, sport, self perception, mental health, physical activity, physical self perceptio
Engendering habituation to stimulus of smoking through mental simulation of smoking
No full textThis study investigates whether mental simulation of the act of smoking a cigarette can
engender habituation to the stimulus of smoking in a number of participants and, as such, result in a
reduction in the amount the individual participants smoke or score on the Fagerstrom Test for
Nicotine Dependence (FTND). It also investigates the effect, if any, an individual's personality
might play in a quit attempt. Participants Stage of Change was taken into consideration in an effort
to further gauge the affect mental simulation and tailor any future interventions using mental
simulation to a given stage. The study found that participants (n=26) showed no reduction in either
the amount smoked or the FTND score when the act of smoking is stimulated mentally. Participants
scoring high in extraversion on the EPQ-R recorded an increase in amount smoked, while those
high in neuroticism failed to significantly reduce either amount smoked or FTND score. The study
concludes that considerably more detailed research is needed to test whether the mental simulation
of smoking a cigarette can engender habituation to the stimulus of smoking. It is more than likely
that the technique of mental simulation will only have supplementary considerations in the field of
smoking cessation. Author keywords: Smoking, cessation, mental stimulation, habituation, stages of change, transtheoretical mode
Positive effects of exercise on health and wellbeing of active individuals compared to sedentary
No full textoai:https://esource.dbs.ie:10788/458Abstract: Objective: The current study examined relationships among social physique anxiety, obligation to exercise, reasons for exercise, self-esteem, body-esteem and psychological health. Participants and methods: College students and members of the general public (N = 100; 50 women, 50 men) volunteered to complete questionnaires. Results: There was no significant difference (t(98) = -1.000, p = .320) between exercise and sedentary group in the scores on psychological health. Psychological health (r = .34), obligation to exercise (r = .40), self-esteem (r = .48), and social physique anxiety (r = -.55) were statistically significantly related (p < 0.01) to body esteem levels. Conclusions: Regular exercise does appear to affect body-esteem but not psychological health when compared with sedentary. The four predictor variables were statistically significantly related to body esteem levels
The role of motivational style, self-esteem, academic stress, gender and student’s expectations in predicting academic outcomes
No full textThis study examined the role of extrinsic and extrinsic motivation, stress, self-esteem, gender
and students’ expectations in predicting academic outcomes. Participants were DBS
psychology freshman (N= 75: Male, N=149: Female). All participants completed intrinsic
and extrinsic motivation questionnaire, academic stress scale, and self-esteem scale. In
general, participants reported strong intrinsic motivation orientation than extrinsic motivation
styles. However, Female students were significantly motivated in term of fear of failure (t
(222) = -4.81, p < .001); authority expectations (t (222) = -2.03, p = .043); peer acceptance (t
(222) = -2.50, p = .013). Results showed significant gender differences in stress (t (222) = -
2.680, p = .008) significant difference in students’ expectation in term of data analysis result
(t (201) = 12.906, p < .001) and overall average result (t (201) = 14.956, p < .001).but no
significant gender differences in self-esteem. In the first predictive model power
motivation (β =.204, p = .009), self-esteem (β =.181, p = .034) positively influenced data
analysis performance. Whereas authority expectation had negative significant correlation
these results (β = -.234, p = .007). In the second model power motivation (β =.186, p = .018),
academic stress (β =.171, p = .045) positively affected end of year overall average
performance, but negative results were significantly associated with authority expectation (β
=-.216, p = .014). Both models significantly explain data analysis results (Adjusted R-sq. =
.078; F (10, 182) = 2.62, p = .005), and end of first year overall average results Adjusted Rsq.
= .064; F (10, 182) = 2.30, p = .014).
The findings provide greater insight into the psychological factors influencing first year
undergraduate psychology students’ performance when entering university. Author keywords: motivation, intrinsic, extrinsic, stress, self-esteem,
expectations, academic
performanc
Substance dependence, hopelessness and associated variables: correlations across gender in Ireland
No full textThe purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between sex, hopelessness levels and substance dependence levels alongside other associated variables among substance users in Ireland. The study consisted of a cross-sectional, psychometric and between-subjects design. Participants included 16 clients attending a six-month rehabilitative program at Coolmine Therapeutic Community, and 54 non-clinical substance users from the general public in Ireland. A purpose-designed questionnaire, The Leeds Dependence Questionnaire (LDQ), The Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Perceived Stress Scale, BriefCope Scale were used. Hopelessness, gender, previous treatment, family dependence history, stress levels, and coping styles are the predictor variables. Substance dependency level is the criterion variable. A multiple regression analysis indicated the combination of the 23 predictor variables has a significant predictive value in relation to substance user's levels of dependence (Adjusted R Square = 0.686, F(23,46) = 7.558, p>0.05)
Understanding the role of emotion in connection with Music preference and chords in musical compositions
No full textThe aim of the study is to investigate the role of musical chords on emotions. Major modes are believed to be associated with happiness, while Minor modes are associated with sadness. The experiment was devised to produce music stimuli with conflicting cues in 4 conditions, (major, major inverted to minor, minor, and minor inverted to major). The participants (n = 118) rated their emotions with the GEMS-45 scale and their musical preference with the STOMP(R) prior to music stimuli, additionally the subjects described their personal experiences with music. The subjects rated their emotions after the stimulus and found that there were no differences on emotive states(sublimity/vitality/unease) due to chord conditions. There were however differences in emotions such as nostalgia and wonder with pre-test and post-test analysis which showed the beneficial effects music has on the individual. The study also demonstrated the significant differences of musical taste between age groups
Acculturative stress, resilience, religiosity and depression amongst non-Irish nationals living in Dublin
No full textThe purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between acculturative stress and depression in non-Irish nationals living in Dublin. Moderating factors included resilience and religiosity (measured as frequency of religious worship attendance and intrinsic religiosity), and mediating factors of gender, age, marital status, country of origin, and English language proficiency were taken into account. Participants were 70 foreign nationals (29 male and 41 female, mean age 32.84), obtained through snowball sampling. A cross-sectional design was employed. An analysis of covariance suggested a relationship between acculturative stress and depression, as well as a relationship between resilience and depression. A Pearson's r correlation coefficient suggested a positive relationship between acculturative stress and depression, and a negative relationship between resilience and depression. Limitations included small sample size, and high frequency of missing values in data. Further research is recommended
Deaf, hard-of-hearing or hearing : is my social scene an anxious one?
No full textThe current research examines whether deaf and hard-of-hearing person's experience more social anxiety than hearing persons. A total of 109 participants (55 hearing and 54 deaf / hard-of-hearing) filled out a questionnaire that incorporated 2 anxiety scales (SAD & IAS) and 2 elements of the EPQ-R questionnaire (extroversion and neuroticism). The research employed a between-subjects unrelated questionnaire design. Results indicate deaf and hard-of-hearing persons experience more social anxiety (p <.01) and are more prone towards introversion than hearing persons (p <.01). The current research has accentuated the urgent need of an investigation of the causal factors of social anxiety among this population. From this basis the field of psychology can give practical assistance by means of interventions to decrease social anxiety levels
Personality traits and addiction levels : testing core personality traits and their relationship to addiction levels
No full textA personality addiction hypoFinal Year Project is used to discover if personality traits are predictive of substance abuse. Target participants consisted of 25 individuals from the Ballymun methadone dispensing clinic and 25 individuals from the Ballymun job centre. The current study explored personality effects on addiction levels while controlling for peer use, family influences, education levels, sensation seeking qualities and impulsiveness. The Big Five Inventory (John & Srivastava, 1999) is used to measure personality while the Leeds Dependence Questionnaire is used to measure addiction. Multiple regression analysis shows the predictor variables have significant predictive values in relation to dependency levels. (Adjusted R Square = 0.0477, F(13, 35)=4.374, P<0.05). The 'intensity' aspect of sensation-seeking was shown to have a significant moderately strong effect on dependency levels (Standardised Beta = .296, p< 0.05)
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