Social problem-solving in intimate partner violence victims: Exploring the relative contributions of shame and PTSD symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the contributions of shame and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms to two dimensions of social problem-solving. METHOD: A sample of 426 women who were seeking mental health assistance following experiences of intimate partner violence completed self-report and clinician measures. Separate path analyses were conducted for problem orientation and problem-solving styles. RESULTS: In the model examining problem orientation, higher levels of shame were significantly associated with lower levels of positive problem orientation (f2 = 0.32) and higher levels of negative problem orientation (f2 = 0.92), with large effects noted. PTSD symptoms were significantly, positively associated with negative problem orientation (f2 = 0.3, large effect). When examining problem-solving styles, shame showed a significant negative association with rational style (f2 = 0.08, small effect) and significant positive associations with impulsive style (f2 = 0.45, large effect) and avoidant style (f2 = 0.48, large effect). PTSD symptoms did not return significant associations with any of the three problem-solving styles. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that shame holds notable associations with both dimensions of social problem-solving, relative to PTSD symptoms, and are discussed in light of current models of post-trauma functioning. Implications for clinical care and early intervention efforts are highlighted.

Examining the Process and Impact of Social Problem Solving in Autistic Children.

Social problem solving (SPS) represents a social cognitive reasoning process that gives way to behavior when individuals are navigating challenging social situations. Autistic individuals have been shown to struggle with specific aspects of SPS, which, in turn, has been related to social difficulties in children. However, no previous work has measured how SPS components not only relate to one another but also discretely and conjointly predict autism-related symptoms and social difficulties in autistic children, specifically. Fifty-eight autistic children (44 male; 6-10 years old, Mage=8.67, SDage=1.31) completed a self-administered, computerized assessment of SPS. To elucidate how SPS components discretely, and combined, contribute to autism-related symptoms and social difficulties, commonality analyses were conducted for each measure assessing autism-related symptoms and social difficulties. Socially normative problem identification, goal preference, and solution preference were related to fewer parent-reported autism-related social difficulties. Measures related to autism symptomatology, social perspective taking, and emotion recognition were not significantly associated with discrete SPS components in this sample. The problem identification aspect of SPS contributed the most unique variance to parent-reported autism-related social difficulties, while shared variance across all SPS components accounted for substantial variance in both parent-reported autism-related social difficulties models. Results suggest that SPS components are interrelated, but distinct, constructs in the autistic population. These findings not only further clarify the impact of SPS components on autism-related symptoms and social difficulties, but also have implications for refining SPS-focused interventions in the autistic population.

Social problem solving moderates emotion reactivity in predicting suicide ideation among college students.

Objective: To evaluate the hypothesis that social problem solving (SPS) moderates strong emotion reactivity (ER) to stressful events in predicting suicide ideation (SI). Participants: 200 college students: mean age = 20.33; 75% women; 58% white. Methods: Participants completed the following self-report inventories: Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation, Emotion Reactivity Scale, and Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised. Results: Regression and slope analyses found SPS to moderate the association between ER and SI. Specifically, (a) as ER increased, SI increased significantly less for average problem solvers as compared to ineffective problem solvers, and (b) SI increased only slightly for effective problem solvers as ER increased. A secondary exploratory analysis found 20 college students who previously attempted suicide reported more negative ER, less effective SPS, and higher SI, as compared to a group of 20 sex-and age-matched peers. Conclusions: Effective social problem solving serves to decrease the likelihood that college students will experience higher levels of suicide ideation even when their negative emotion reactivity is high. Clinical implications for treatment and prevention are discussed.

Facets of social problem-solving as moderators of the real-time relation between social rejection and negative affect in an at-risk sample.

Social rejection predicts negative affect, and theoretical work suggests that problem-solving deficits strengthen this relation in real-time. Nevertheless, few studies have explicitly tested this relation, particularly in samples at risk for suicide. This may be particularly important as social rejection and negative affect are significant predictors of suicide. The aim of the current study was to examine whether cognitive (i.e., perceiving problems as threats) and behavioral (i.e., avoidance) facets of problem-solving deficits moderated the real-time relation between social rejection and negative affect. The sample consisted of 49 young adults with past-month suicidal ideation. Demographic information, social problem-solving deficits, as well as depressive/anxiety symptoms and stress levels were assessed at baseline. Social rejection and negative affect were assessed using ecological momentary assessment over the following 28 days. Dynamic structural equation modeling was used to assess relations among study variables. After accounting for depressive/anxiety symptoms, stress levels, sex, and age, only avoidance of problems bolstered the real-time positive relation between social rejection severity and negative affect (b = 0.04, 95% credibility interval [0.003, 0.072]). Individuals with suicidal ideation who possess an avoidant problem-solving style may be particularly likely to experience heightened negative affect following social rejection and may benefit from instruction in problem-solving skills.

Exploring social problem-solving profiles among Hungarian high school and university students.

Treating social problem-solving as a construct comprised of a number of components enables us to examine patterns formed by the components. However, variable-centered research has paid little attention to exploring these patterns to date. A person-centered approach may enable us to identify distinct profiles for groups. Our study aimed to investigate whether it is possible to establish homogeneous profiles for groups based on social problem-solving factors (positive and negative orientation, rationality, impulsivity, and avoidance). Furthermore, the study sought to explore whether there is any difference among these groups regarding self-efficacy, a fundamental component of social problem-solving. We used cluster analysis to examine social problem-solving and self-efficacy among 543 Hungarian secondary school students and 277 Hungarian university students. We identified three homogeneous groups that had shared characteristics in the two age samples (optimistic-hasty; optimistic-reflective; resigned-procrastinator). Four further groups were identified among adolescents (resigned-distancer; insecure-reflective; insecure-hasty; resigned-brooder); and an additional three among young adults (optimistic-modest; tense-hasty; tense-reflective). The relationships among the social problem-solving factors and self-efficacy differed among the profiles. Taking into account the profiles explored in this study may help identify groups that need improvement, and contribute to interventions being better suited to the needs of a particular group.

Parental Attachment, Self-Esteem, Social Problem-Solving, Intimate Partner Violence Victimization in Emerging Adulthood.

Emerging adults can experience conflicts with their dating partner, leading to intimate partner violence (IPV). In order to understand the vulnerability factors involved in IPV victimization, the current study explored a serial multiple mediation model to determine the links between parental attachment (to the father and mother), self-esteem, and social problem solving (SPS) on the three forms of IPV (psychological, physical and sexual). Based on an online survey, 756 emerging adults (84.8% women, mean age = 23.52) completed self-report questionnaires related to parental attachment, self-esteem, SPS (avoidance and impulsive/carelessness style), and IPV during the past year. The study design was cross-sectional and data were analyzed through partial least structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique. The findings did not support serial multiple mediation model, as the indirect effects of the two specific mediation models were not significant. However, the total indirect effects were significant, indicating a cascade effect chain of events between the variables; insecure parental attachment was related to lower self-esteem, which was associated with poor SPS skills (especially impulsive/carelessness style), which in turn was associated with both psychological and physical violence victimization. The implications of the findings for promoting the life skills of emerging adults, such as problem solving or self-esteem, to enable them to handle their relationship conflicts are discussed.

IPV in emerging adults shows specific dynamics, different from those of adults. Understanding the interactions of vulnerability factors of these IPV, particularly among victims, is important for developing prevention programs based on evidence. Using a new multiple mediation approach, this study explores the interactions between parental attachment, self-esteem, problem solving and IPV victimization. It highlights the need to act on life skills such as problem solving or self-esteem to prevent IPV victimization.

Self-Esteem, Social Problem Solving and Intimate Partner Violence Victimization in Emerging Adulthood.

Although there are many studies examining the psychosocial vulnerability factors of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization in emerging adulthood, little is known about the life skills that may be involved, such as social problem solving (SPS) and self-esteem. The aim of the current study is to explore the relationships between SPS, self-esteem, and types (i.e., psychological, physical and sexual) and severity of IPV victimization in emerging adulthood. Based on a French online survey, 929 emerging adults (84.6% of whom were women with a mean age of 23.6) completed self-report questionnaires related to SPS (problem orientations and problem-solving styles), self-esteem and IPV victimization. The results showed that positive SPS skills and higher self-esteem were associated with lower severity of IPV. Multivariate analyses showed that the most associated factors of severe forms of IPV were avoidant and impulsive/carelessness styles. Minor sexual violence was positively associated with lower self-esteem and rational problem-solving skills, while minor psychological victimization was related to avoidant style. Upon completion of this study, it can be said that conflicts which escalate into IPV may be associated with dysfunctional conflict resolution styles, highlighting the importance of interventions that promote the development of life skills in order to prevent IPV.

Social problem-solving attitudes and performance as a function of differences in trait and state worry.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study investigated problem-solving attitudes and state-dependent, performance-based problem-solving abilities of individuals with high trait worry as compared to those low in trait worry. Secondary objectives involved investigating the relationship between problem-solving effectiveness and processes hypothesized to influence worry and problem-solving (i.e., working memory, attentional control, emotional dysregulation, and concreteness of thought). METHODS: A 2 (group: high worry, n = 68, vs. low worry, n = 66) X 2 (induction type: worry vs. neutral mentation) factorial design was employed to investigate the differential effects of state worry, and neutral mentation for comparison, on performance-based problem-solving effectiveness. Independent samples t-tests tested for group differences in self-reported problem-solving attitudes. Multiple regression analyses were used to investigate if aforementioned processes predict problem-solving effectiveness. RESULTS: Previous findings that individuals with high trait worry endorse greater tendencies to self-report unconstructive problem-solving attitudes were replicated. Contrary to predictions, there were no significant within or between group differences on problem-solving performance. Concreteness of problem solutions was the only consistent predictor of problem-solving effectiveness. LIMITATIONS: Study did not directly assess problem-solving for personal problems. CONCLUSIONS: Disparities in self-appraisal may account for lack of worry-related performance differences. Findings suggest that when employing problem-solving interventions with a high worry population, emphasis should be placed on changing maladaptive problem attitudes. Nonclinical and clinical populations alike may benefit from incorporating training in concreteness in problem-solving therapy.

Development and Validation of a Shortened Form of SELweb EE, a Web-Based Assessment of Children's Social and Emotional Competence.

This article describes the development and validation of a shortened form of SELweb EE, a web-based assessment for social-emotional skills in the early elementary grades. Using a Rasch approach, in the first study, we used data from two archival data sets to reduce the number of items in three subtests to create short forms that maintained item fit, item difficulty, item discrimination, and test information function range. In the second study, we created and administered a short form of SELweb EE to a demographically diverse cross-validation sample of 22,683 students. We evaluated the shortened assessment subtests' score reliability, fit to a hypothesized factor structure, and association with age and other variables to evaluate criterion-related validity. Findings from this study suggest that score reliabilities, factor structure, and criterion-related validity for the short form are similar to corresponding properties of the long form. In addition, using a confirmatory factor analysis framework, the short form of SELweb EE demonstrated evidence of configural, metric, and scalar invariance across sex, ethnicity, and language. Shortening SELweb EE reduced the mean administration duration from 36 to 24 minutes. This reduction substantially increases its usability and feasibility while maintaining its psychometric merit.

Can the Effect of Problem Solvers' Characteristics on Adolescents' Cooperative Problem Solving Ability Be Improved by Group Sizes?

Cooperative problem solving (CPS) is an essential ability in people's daily life. When individuals with different problem-solvers' characteristics (orientation and style) are assigned to different group sizes to solve social tasks, what are the differences in the performance of CPS ability? Based on this, through online experimental tasks, the present study examined the effect of problem-solving orientation and style on CPS ability in online social tasks. Meanwhile, it explored the role of group sizes as an environmental variable. The results showed that the more positive the problem-solving orientation, the better the performance of individual CPS ability. In addition, the more rational the problem-solving styles and the larger the group sizes, the higher the scores of participants' CPS ability. This study provides a new theoretical perspective for the complex relationship between the characteristics of problem solvers and CPS ability, and also provides empirical support for the cultivation of the CPS ability of adolescents.

Mediating Role of Social Problem-Solving on the Relationship between Autistic Traits and Depression in a Non-Clinical Iranian Sample.

Background: Research on the role of social problem-solving in the relationship between autistic traits and depression is still in its nascent stage and more detailed research is required. Methods: We aimed to investigate the mediating role of problem-solving in the relationship between autistic traits and depression. A sample of 376 university students were assessed on depression, problem-solving and autism-spectrum quotient in 2019 at Shahed University, Tehran, Iran. Results: Social problem-solving played the role of a partial mediator in the relationship between autistic traits and depression. Positive problem orientation and negative problem-solving style fully mediated the effects of autistic traits on depression. Conclusion: Since people with autistic traits have deficits in problem-solving strategies, they may be vulnerable to symptoms of depression. Increasing the ability of positive problem-solving and decreasing negative problem orientation may serve as a buffer against depression in people with autistic traits.

Social problem solving as a mediator of stress and chronic prostatitis symptomology.

Social problem solving (SPS), the process by which individuals attempt to cope with stressful life problems, has previously been found to mediate the relationship between stress and disorder-related symptomatology among several medical patient populations. The present study sought to identify a similar relationship among a sample of 63 men diagnosed with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Results found that SPS mediated the relationship between two different measures of stress and CP/CPPS symptoms. These results suggest that attempts to foster patients' SPS efficacy may help reduce CP/CPPS-related negative symptoms.

A network analysis of social problem-solving and anxiety/depression in adolescents.

Social problem-solving (SPS) involves the cognitive-behavioral processes through which an individual identifies and copes with everyday problems; it is considered to contribute to anxiety and depression. The Social Problem-Solving Inventory Revised is a popular tool measuring SPS problem orientations and problem-solving styles. Only a negative problem orientation (NPO) is considered strongly related to anxiety and depression. In the present study, we investigated the detailed connections among the five components of SPS and 14 anxiety-depression symptoms and specified the role of NPO and other components in the anxiety-depression network. We employed network analysis, constructed circular and multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) networks, and calculated the network centrality, bridge centrality, and stability of centrality indices. The results were as follows: (1) the MDS network showed a clustering of anxiety and depression symptoms, with NPO and avoidance style components from SPS being close to the anxiety-depression network (demonstrated by large bridge betweenness and bridge closeness); (2) the NPO and positive problem orientation from SPS were most influential on the whole network, though with an opposite effect; (3) strength was the most stable index [correlation stability (CS) coefficient = 0.516] among the centrality indices with case-dropping bootstraps. We also discussed this network from various perspectives and commented on the clinical implications and limitations of this study.

Social problem solving and trait socioemotional abilities in ambulatory stroke patients.

INTRODUCTION: Stroke has been associated with sociocognitive impairment, so far well documented for emotion recognition and Theory of Mind. However, more complex abilities, such as social problem solving, which directly facilitate appropriate behavior in social situations have been neglected in previous research. METHOD: The present study aimed to address this gap by focusing on performance-based social problem solving abilities and self-reported socioemotional abilities (i.e., empathy and alexithymia) in outpatient stroke patients (n = 36) compared to a group of healthy controls (n = 36) equivalent on age, gender, and education. In further analyses, potential lateralization effects and correlations between social problem solving/socioemotional functioning and demographic and clinical data were investigated. RESULTS: In the main analyses, patients were impaired in their ability to freely generate appropriate solutions for challenging interpersonal situations depicted in written scenarios but performed on a comparable level as healthy controls when they had to choose the optimal solution presented amidst a range of less optimal options. While showing difficulty in identifying the awkward elements in the scenarios, the patient group nevertheless rated the degree of discomfort attributed to these elements on a level comparable to the control group. On the self-report measures, stroke patients reported overall higher degrees of alexithymia (i.e., an inability to describe and identify one's own and other persons´ emotions) and more personal distress in response to other individuals´ emotional suffering as assessed by self-report. CONCLUSIONS: The present results suggest that stroke is associated with a broad impact on socioemotional and social problem solving abilities. As difficulties in social problem solving might be associated with increased psychosocial burden they ought to be addressed in stroke rehabilitation.

Social Problem Solving in Survivors of Pediatric Brain Tumor.

OBJECTIVES: Psychosocial late effects among survivors of pediatric brain tumors are common. For school-aged survivors, social skills deficits and isolation present a particular challenge. Social problem-solving is a social skill that is an important determinant of social outcomes and may yield a potential target for intervention. METHODS: School-aged youth (N = 65) 8-12 years of age (10.59 ± 1.36 years; 55.4% female, 86.2% white) who were 5.23 (SD = 2.44, range 2-10.9) years post-treatment for a brain tumor completed the Attributions and Coping Questionnaire, a measure of social problem-solving that uses vignettes to assess attribution of intent, subsequent emotional response, and imagined behavioral response to an interpersonal problem. Youth also completed self-reports of social functioning (PROMIS Peer Relationships, Self-Perception Profile). A caregiver completed additional measures of child social functioning (NIH Toolbox-Emotion Measures). RESULTS: Survivors attributed unpleasant situations to accidental causes (neutral attribution) and responded in ways that prioritized the friendship (appeasement) or relied on adult intervention. Self-reported social functioning was higher among those who were less likely to avoid challenging social problem-solving situations. CONCLUSIONS: Findings identified characteristic social problem-solving approaches among survivors, including a tendency to attribute ambiguous situations to accidental causes and to request adult assistance and/or maintain social relationships. This may indicate a possible avenue for intervention, with a focus on increasing survivors' understanding of the causes of potentially negative peer interactions and reducing their reliance on adults.

Generalization Task for Developing Social Problem-Solving Skills among Young People with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This study aims to examine the usefulness of an ad hoc worksheet for an Interpersonal Problem-Solving Skills Program (SCI-Labour) the effectiveness of which was tested by Bonete, Calero, and Fernández-Parra (2015). Data were taken from 44 adolescents and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (age M = 19.73; SD = 3.53; 39 men and 5 women; IQ M = 96.27, SD = 15.98), compared to a matched group (in age, sex, and nonverbal IQ) of 48 neurotypical participants. The task was conceived to promote the generalization of interpersonal problem-solving skills by thinking on different possible scenarios in the workplace after the training sessions. The results show lower scores in the worksheet delivered for homework (ESCI-Generalization Task) in the ASD Group compared to neurotypicals in total scores and all domains (Problem Definition, Quality of Causes, and Solution Suitability) prior to program participation. In addition, after treatment, improvement of the ASD Group was observed in the Total Score ESCI-Generalization Task and in the domains of Problem Definition, Quality of Causes, Number or Alternatives and Consequences, Time, and Solution Suitability. This is a valuable task in furthering learning within the SCI-Labour Program and may be a supplementary material in addressing the difficulties of interpersonal skills within this population, both in the workplace and in daily life. In conclusion, this task may provide useful information for identifying key difficulties among this population and could be implemented in a clinical setting as a complement to the SCI-Labour Program.

The role of positive self-compassion, distress tolerance, and social problem-solving in the relationship between perfectionism and disordered eating among racially and ethnically diverse college students.

Eating disorders (EDs) are associated with high levels of distress, functional impairment, and morbidity. Perfectionism has been consistently identified as an important factor in the etiology and maintenance of disordered eating, and as a promising target for treatment efforts. To address the detrimental effects of perfectionism on disordered eating, further research is needed to better understand what mechanisms may influence the relationship between these variables. In the present research, we examined three constructs related to self-regulation as potential mediators of the relationship between perfectionism and disordered eating: positive self-compassion, distress tolerance, and social problem-solving. We collected data from a sample of racially and ethnically diverse undergraduate students (N = 280) using an online questionnaire battery. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we developed measurement and structural models to meet criteria for good fit and tested the hypothesized relationships. Distress tolerance emerged as a robust, statistically significant mediator of the relationship between perfectionism and disordered eating. Social problem-solving and self-compassion did not mediate this relationship. Distress tolerance may counterbalance the cognitive load associated with perfectionism; freeing up mental resources to focus on resisting urges for immediate relief through engagement in maladaptive disordered eating.

Patterns of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Social Problem-Solving, and Mental Health Among Latina Immigrants.

Researchers have established the long-term negative impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on mental health. Evidence also shows that different types of ACEs often co-occur and that ACEs profiles have differential impact on mental health. However, this prior research has often omitted first-generation Latino immigrants-a growing segment of the population, with potentially higher risk for ACEs, decreased access to mental health services, and increased risk for remaining in poor mental health. In this study, we conducted a cluster analysis using a sample of 336 Latina immigrant to examine: (1) patterns of ACEs, and (2) the mediating role of social problem-solving in the association between ACEs and mental health (depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms [PTSD]) and life satisfaction. We identified 5 clusters: (a) Global ACEs (n = 52, 15.5%), (b) Community Violence and Physical Abuse (n = 80, 23.8%), (c) Physical and Emotional Abuse (n = 72, 21.4%), (d) Household Dysfunction with Physical and Emotional Abuse (n = 56, 16.7%), and (e) Low ACEs (n = 76, 22.6%). The clusters differed by social problem-solving, chronic life burden, mental health, and life satisfaction. Compared to the Low Abuse cluster, the Community Violence and Physical Abuse, and Global ACEs clusters were significantly more likely to have higher depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. Social problem-solving was independently associated with all mental health variables and life satisfaction, and mediated the association between ACEs and depression and anxiety for those in the Community Violence and Physical Abuse cluster. Our study sheds light on how ACEs are experienced by Latina immigrants. Social problem-solving also emerged as a significant determinant of mental health and life satisfaction, and may be a point of intervention for improving mental health in this population.

Longitudinal associations between psychological capital and problem-solving among social workers: A two-wave cross-lagged study.

Social workers are tasked with the heavy responsibility of addressing societal problems and helping people in need, so the ability to solve a wide range of problems efficiently and effectively is essential for their daily responsibilities. Although recent studies have provided evidence for the salutary effects of psychological capital (PsyCap), including hope, efficacy, resilience and optimism, on job performance and well-being, the mechanism through which PsyCap operates has not been empirically examined. Adopting the social problem-solving theory, this study proposes that PsyCap is a positive psychological resource that enhances the ability to solve work problems, which provides an explanation for how PsyCap can produce work-related benefits. Due to hopeful, efficacious, resilient and optimistic attributes, social workers who possess a high level of PsyCap are expected to engage in rational problem-solving. Since social workers who possess a low level of PsyCap have less psychological resources to deal with job demands, they are expected to engage in impulsivity-carelessness and avoidance strategies. A 2-wave longitudinal study with a 3-month interval was conducted on a sample of 400 full-time social workers in Hong Kong. Cross-lagged analysis showed that PsyCap at T1 increased rational problem-solving and decreased avoidance at T2. These effects were nonreciprocal. A follow-up qualitative study was conducted to contextualise and enrich the quantitative findings. In-depth interviews revealed that social workers faced task-related, interpersonal and organisational problems. They took an active or passive approach to problems depending on their level of PsyCap. Theoretical and practical implications for the social service sector are discussed.