Validity and reliability study of the Turkish version of the Salutogenic Health Indicator Scale.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Salutogenic Health Indicator Scale (SHIS) among a sample of Turkish university students. METHODS: This study was conducted with 291 university students. The SHIS was evaluated in terms of language equivalence, validity and the reliability. Content validity was assessed with the content validity index (CVI). Construct validity was determined by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). A Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was used for the analysis of internal consistency, a Pearson's correlation coefficient was used for parallel form reliability, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used for the test-retest technique. RESULTS: The CVI of the SHIS was between 0.80 and 1.00. When the results of the CFA were examined, the factor loadings of all items were above 0.50. A statistically significant moderate positive correlation was found between the SHIS and the Sense of Coherence (SOC) scores for parallel form reliability (r = 0.489). Within the scope of the test-retest analysis, an ICC = 0.762 was determined (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The findings obtained from this validity and reliability study carried out on a sample of Turkish university students showed that the SHIS was both valid and reliable.

Effect of Personality Traits and Emotion Regulation Strategies on Risky Behaviors in Adolescents.

The current study investigated the effects of personality traits and emotion regulation strategies on high-risk behaviors among adolescents (N = 1,572). This study used a cross-sectional and correlational research design. Multiple linear regression was used for analysis. A 1-unit increase in extraversion and neuroticism led to a 0.391- and 0.365-unit increase in high-risk behaviors, respectively. However, a 1-unit increase in agreeableness and conscientiousness led to a 0.307- and 0.365-unit decrease in high-risk behaviors, respectively (p < 0.05). A 1-unit increase in external and internal dysfunctional emotion regulation strategies led to a 1.34- and 0.548-unit increase in high-risk behaviors, respectively. However, a 1-unit increase in internal functional emotion regulation strategies led to a 0.641-unit decrease in high-risk behaviors (p < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that age, school type, sex, grade level, father's educational level, father's child-rearing style, and school performance were associated with more high-risk behaviors (p < 0.05). There were correlations between some personality traits, emotion regulation strategies, sociodemographic characteristics, and high-risk behaviors. Early intervention programs targeting dysfunctional personality traits and emotion regulation skills in adolescence may prevent the development of risky behaviors in adulthood. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 62(2), 23-36.].

Qualitative evaluation of the life experiences of spouses of prostate cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to qualitatively evaluate the life experiences of women whose spouses had been receiving androgen deprivation therapy. METHODS: The purposive sample of the research, in which a descriptive phenomenological design was used, consisted of 15 women. The data were evaluated according to Colaizzi's phenomenological analysis steps. RESULTS: The views of the participants were classified into 7 themes: loss and grief, physical difficulties, socioeconomic difficulties, psychological difficulties, relational changes, strengths, and benefits. CONCLUSION: It was determined that women whose husbands had been receiving ADT experienced grief responses and physical, socioeconomic, and psychological difficulties. Psychological difficulties were found to include care burden, hospital stress, sexuality, and burnout. It was observed that the patients and their spouses experienced some positive and negative relational changes. Satisfaction with health services and resilience were facilitating factors for female spouses to adapt to the treatment process. It was determined that during the adaptation to the disease and treatment process, the participants had some needs such as family support, economic support, reduction of negative representations in the media, and enhancement of communication skills of health professionals. Moreover, they were found to have some benefits related to post-traumatic growth. Uro-oncology nurses can develop services intended to improve the well-being of the wives of men receiving ADT and use the knowledge and experience of uro-oncology nursing for the benefit of both patients and caregivers.

A retrospective examination of the content of violence in headlines of news related to individuals with mental disorders.

BACKGROUND: Headlines are usually read first. Since headlines are designed to be remarkable and memorable in terms of form and meaning, their impact on the positive or negative attitudes of the society towards individuals with mental illness may be greater than the news texts. AIMS: This study aimed to retrospectively examine and analyze the content of violence headlines related to people with mental disorders. METHOD: The study was designed to examine headlines retrospectively. Six-hundred-ten headlines on the websites of four nationally published newspapers in Turkey were reviewed. Headlines mentioned people with mental disorders and violent events. The News Headline Review Form was used to evaluate the headlines. Descriptive statistics, the chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used in data analysis. RESULTS: It was determined that violent events in headlines were mostly associated with homicidal behaviors (72%; n = 439), self-harming behaviors (20.2%; n = 123) and exploitation by others (7.8%; n = 40), respectively. The most common actions in headlines were, within the homicidal behaviors, "murder" (30.4%; n = 186); within the self-harming behaviors, "commit suicide" (13.6%; n = 83) and within the exploitation-by-others category, "being murdered" (4.4%; n = 27). People with mental disorders were in an active position in three fourths of the headlines on violence/aggression (77.3%; n = 471). CONCLUSION: Headlines have the effect of normalizing the relationship between violence and mental disorders, which already exists in society. Portraying violence as a typical part of a mental disorder could create social perceptions that it is the nature of these individuals to exhibit violent behavior.

The relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and solution-focused thinking in nursing students.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between emotion regulation difficulty and solution-focused thinking in nursing students. BACKGROUND: It is essential for nursing students to possess solution-focused thinking and emotion regulation skills to cope effectively with stressors arising from their developmental processes, the nature of education and the profession. This is crucial for enhancing the quality of nursing care. DESIGN: The study design was cross-sectional descriptive and correlational design. METHODS: The convenience sample of the study consisted of 416 nursing students. The research was conducted between January 20 and February 15, 2024. Data were collected in Türkiye with the difficulties in emotion regulation scale-brief form and the solution focused inventory. Data were analyzed using multivariate linear regression analysis. RESULTS: An increase of 1 unit in the level of emotion regulation difficulty was associated with a decrease of 0.236 units in participant resource activation and 0.524 units in problem disengagement (p<.001). An increase of 1 unit in the level of emotion regulation difficulty was also associated with an increase of 0.876 units in participant goal orientation (p<.001). Grade point average, grade and age were identified as factors influencing the sub-dimensions of solution-focused thinking (p<.05). CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that emotion regulation difficulty is an important predictor of solution-focused thinking in nursing students. Therefore, students' emotion regulation difficulties and solution-focused thinking should be evaluated by academic nurses from the beginning of students' enrollment. Also, it is recommended that intervention programs focusing on developing emotion regulation and solution-focused thinking skills for nursing students should be included and implemented in the nursing curriculum.

The relationship between basic psychological needs and emotional and behavioral problems in middle school students.

BACKGROUND: Basic psychological needs are universal sources of mental growth and development. PURPOSE: This study investigated the relationship between basic psychological needs and emotional and behavioral problems in middle school students. METHODOLOGY: This study adopted a cross-sectional and correlational research design. The sample consisted of 1099 students from three middle schools with different socioeconomic backgrounds. Data were collected using a sociodemographic characteristics questionnaire, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the Basic Psychological Needs Scale (BPNS). The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: A one-unit increase in autonomy, competence, and relatedness led to a 0.312, 0.263, and 0.312 decrease in emotional and behavioral problems, respectively (p < 0.05). The regression analysis showed that gender (female), academic performance (poor), mother's parenting style (authoritarian), and father's parenting style (permissive) were the risk factors affecting participants' emotional and behavioral problems (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that some basic psychological needs and sociodemographic characteristics make middle school students more likely to develop emotional and behavioral problems. Authorities should develop interventions on basic psychological needs to promote emotional and behavioral development. Researchers should assess the effectiveness of those interventions.

The moderating role of resilience in the relationship between peer pressure and risky behaviors among nursing students.

PURPOSE: To examine the moderating role of resilience in the relationship between peer pressure and risky behaviors among nursing students. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional correlational study carried out with 512 students. FINDINGS: The mean age was 20.90 ± 1.66. Of the students, 82.4% were females 99.0% were single, 71.5% had moderate socioeconomic status. While peer pressure directly made an effect on whole subdimensions for risky behaviors (p < 0.001), resilience had an effect on antisocial behavior, dropout, eating habits, and suicidal tendency (p < 0.001). Moderation was supported as the relationship between peer pressure and substance use varied by resilience level (p < 0.001). PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Students with high levels of resilience are less prone to exhibit some risky behaviors based on peer pressure. Resilience-building strategies should be incorporated into the curriculum.

Effects of the psychiatric nursing course on students' beliefs toward mental illness and psychiatric nursing perceptions in Turkey.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of the psychiatric nursing course on students' beliefs toward mental illness and psychiatric nursing perceptions. DESIGN AND METHODS: This experimental study was carried out with 80 students enrolled for the psychiatric nursing course. FINDINGS: The mean score of the Beliefs toward Mental Illness Scale decreased, and the mean score of the Psychiatric Nursing Perception Scale increased after the course. The difference between the measurements was statistically significant (p < 0.05). PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: This study shows that psychiatric nursing course is effective in decreasing students' negative beliefs toward mental illness and increasing positive psychiatric nursing perceptions. Students' attitudes about mental illness and psychiatric nursing should be determined from the very first year of their education, and their negative beliefs should be intervened with.

Opinions and experiences of nursing students about evaluating the sexual health of individuals with mental disorders: A qualitative study.

PURPOSE: To explore the views and experiences of nursing students about evaluating the sexual health of individuals with mental disorders. DESIGN AND METHODS: A phenomenological approach was used. The purposeful sampling method gathered 11 nursing students. Data were collected in-depth interviews, which were analyzed using Colaizzi's method of data analysis. FINDINGS: The findings were grouped under three themes: Barriers to sexual health evaluation, lack of supervision and knowledge, and increasing personal growth. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Barriers to sexual health evaluation need to be determined. Educators and clinicians should supervise students during clinical placement. Learning holistic care is an opportunity to increase personal growth.

Qualitative examination of the attitudes of healthcare workers in Turkey regarding COVID-19 vaccines.

PURPOSE: The attitudes of healthcare workers toward COVID-19 vaccines ensure that health services are able to run without interruption and potentially have a role in the messaging about vaccination that they convey to the public. Hence, healthcare workers' attitudes ultimately have a significant role in controlling the pandemic. This study aimed to qualitatively investigate the attitudes of healthcare workers in Turkey in relation to COVID-19 vaccines. METHODS: The study used the phenomenological approach. The sample consisted of 36 healthcare workers who were employed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected online using focus group interviews. A total of four focus group interviews were conducted. FINDINGS: Following analysis of the data, the attitudes of healthcare workers in Turkey toward the COVID-19 vaccine were divided into three themes: "influencing factors," "priority group" and "trust." CONCLUSIONS: Vaccination was found to create negative emotions among some of the healthcare workers. Their opinions about the COVID-19 vaccines were affected by the negative emotions and burnout they experienced during the pandemic. In addition, they saw the vaccination process as impacted by contraindications and uncertainty about the duration of the protection, the balance of the benefits and harm of the vaccines, and by vaccine myths and prejudices about the country where the vaccine was developed. Healthcare professionals expressed the need for trust to be established in the whole vaccination process. They suggested that different vaccine options should be offered, that the appointment and process notification system for vaccination should be improved, that evidence-based information about vaccines should be provided and that a safe environment should be created. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Vaccine hesitancy can be addressed by careful attention to the application of vaccination programs, correct and effective use of social media, transparent, and precise management of political processes, and the provision of evidence-based information about the vaccines.

Experiences and opinions of nurses working in psychiatric wards on assessing patients' sexual health: A qualitative study.

PURPOSE: To determine the experiences and opinions of nurses working in psychiatric wards regarding the assessment of patients' sexual health. DESIGN AND METHODS: A qualitative, interpretative phenomenological design was used. Purposeful, snowball sampling identified eight nurses. Data were collected online through in-depth, individual interviews, and analyzed with Colaizzi's seven-step method. FINDINGS: The nurses' experiences and opinions were grouped under three themes: challenges, requirements, and opportunities. The theme of challenges was divided into attitude and environment; the requirements theme was divided into training, self-knowledge, and procedural arrangements; the opportunities theme was divided into awareness. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Psychiatric nurses should know their sexual values and integrate personal/professional values. Institutions should train nurses in assessment' importance and scope and establish procedures/guidelines, supporting sexual health assessments.

Experiences and psychosocial problems of nurses caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Turkey: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Nurses, who are playing an important role during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, are exposed to a range of psychosocial stressors due to unforeseen risks. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to determine the experiences and psychosocial problems of nurses caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Turkey. SETTINGS: The data were collected between 9 May and 12 May 2020, in Istanbul, Turkey. PARTICIPANTS: The study sample consisted of 10 nurses, who cared for patients diagnosed with COVID-19. METHODS: The research employed the descriptive phenomenological approach. The interviews were conducted face-to-face via the internet and were analysed with Colaizzi's seven-step method. RESULTS: The experiences and psychosocial problems among nurses caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were categorised under three themes, which were further divided into subcategories. The theme of the effects of the outbreak was divided into working conditions, psychological effects and social effects; the theme of short-term coping strategies was divided into normalisation, refusal to dwell on experiences, avoidance, expression of emotions and distraction; and the theme of necessities was divided into psychosocial support and resource management. CONCLUSION: The nurses caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Turkey were adversely affected, both psychologically and socially, by the pandemic; they used short-term coping strategies, and they needed psychosocial support and resource management. They also faced stigmatising attitudes and experiencing burnout and were at risk for secondary traumas due to witnessing disease and death.

Turkish newspaper articles mentioning people with mental illness: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Because a great majority of the public knows about mental disorders primarily through printed or visual media, the attitudes exhibited in mass media might be predictive in stigmatizing individuals with mental disorders. AIM: The aim of this study was to retrospectively assess the articles in Turkish newspapers that mention individuals with mental disorders. METHOD: This study was designed to retrospectively investigate and analyze newspaper content in Turkey; the newspapers' circulation information was collected by examining the websites of the four newspapers with above 1% of the total circulation. The News Evaluation Form was used to evaluate a sampling of articles that met the inclusion criteria of having appeared in the lifestyle and agenda pages of newspapers, and of using neutral or negative labeling keywords about psychiatric patients. RESULTS: Almost all the articles reviewed were negative toward individuals with mental disorders. Three quarters of the reports were forensic, among which two thirds of the individuals with mental disorders were criminalized, and one third were victims of crime. In approximately half of the news reports, most images were related to the news and were not protected. Although not all the articles contain stigmatizing elements directed toward people with mental disorders, two thirds of the subjects' images in the news were found to have stigmatizing elements. CONCLUSION: Media has an impact on attitudes toward people with mental disorders mostly negatively along with individual experiences and peer interactions.