Associations Between Secret-Keeping and Quality of Life in Older Adults.

This study examined the effects of secrecy on quality of life in a sample consisting of older adults (>50 years; N = 301). Three key components of secrecy were examined with the Tilburg Secrecy Scale-25 (TSS25; possession of a secret, self-concealment, and cognitive preoccupation). The TSS25 distinguishes between the tendency to conceal personal information (self-concealment) and the tendency to worry or ruminate about the secret (cognitive preoccupation), thereby enabling investigation of the effects of secrecy on quality of life in detail. Confirming previous findings in younger samples, we found a positive effect of possession of a secret on quality of life, after controlling for both TSS25's self-concealment and cognitive preoccupation. This suggests that keeping secrets may have a positive association with quality of life in older adults as well, as long as they do not have the tendency to self-conceal and are not cognitively preoccupied with their secret.

Measurement invariance of the Illness Invalidation Inventory (3*I) across language, rheumatic disease and gender.

OBJECTIVES: The Illness Invalidation Inventory (3*I) assesses patients' perception of responses of others that are perceived as denying, lecturing, not supporting and not acknowledging the condition of the patient. It includes two factors: 'discounting' and 'lack of understanding'. In order to use the 3*I to compare and pool scores across groups and countries, the questionnaire must have measurement invariance; that is, it should measure identical concepts with the same factor structure across groups. The aim of this study was to examine measurement invariance of the 3*I across rheumatic diseases, gender and languages. METHODS: Participants with rheumatic disease from various countries completed an online study using the 3*I, which was presented in Dutch, English, French, German, Portuguese and Spanish; 6057 people with rheumatic diseases participated. Single and multiple group confirmatory factor analyses were used to test the factorial structure and measurement invariance of the 3*I with Mplus. RESULTS: The model with strong measurement invariance, that is, equal factor loadings and thresholds (distribution cut-points) across gender and rheumatic disease (fibromyalgia vs other rheumatic diseases) had the best fit estimates for the Dutch version, and good fit estimates across the six language versions. CONCLUSIONS: The 3*I showed measurement invariance across gender, rheumatic disease and language. Therefore, it is appropriate to compare and pool scores of the 3*I across groups. Future research may use the questionnaire to examine antecedents and consequences of invalidation as well as the effect of treatments targeting invalidation.

Psychological characteristics of BDSM practitioners.

INTRODUCTION: It has been generally thought that the practice of bondage-discipline, dominance-submission, sadism-masochism (BDSM) is in some form associated with psychopathology. However, several more recent studies suggest a relative good psychological health of BDSM practitioners. AIM: The aim of this study was to compare scores of BDSM practitioners and a control group on various fundamental psychological characteristics. METHODS: For this aim, 902 BDSM and 434 control participants completely filled out online questionnaires. Associations were examined using χ(2) tests of independence with φ and Cramer's V as effect size measures and eta or Pearson's correlation. Group differences were tested using analysis of covariance, with partial η(2) as effect size measure. A priori contrasts were tested using α = 0.01 to correct for multiple testing; for all other tests we used α = 0.05, two tailed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The study used Big Five personality dimensions (NEO Five-Factor Inventory), attachment styles (Attachment Styles Questionnaire), rejection sensitivity (Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire), and subjective well-being (World Health Organization-Five Well-being Index). RESULTS: The results mostly suggest favorable psychological characteristics of BDSM practitioners compared with the control group; BDSM practitioners were less neurotic, more extraverted, more open to new experiences, more conscientious, less rejection sensitive, had higher subjective well-being, yet were less agreeable. Comparing the four groups, if differences were observed, BDSM scores were generally more favorably for those with a dominant than a submissive role, with least favorable scores for controls. CONCLUSION: We conclude that BDSM may be thought of as a recreational leisure, rather than the expression of psychopathological processes.

A comparative study of the dimensionality of the self-concealment scale using principal components analysis and Mokken scale analysis.

We discuss and contrast 2 methods for investigating the dimensionality of data from tests and questionnaires: the popular principal components analysis (PCA) and the more recent Mokken scale analysis (MSA; Mokken, 1971). First, we discuss the theoretical similarities and differences between both methods. Then, we use both methods to analyze data collected by means of Larson and Chastain's (1990) Self-Concealment Scale (SCS). We present the different results and highlight the instances in which the methods complement one another so as to obtain a stronger result than would be obtained using only 1 method. Finally, we discuss the implications of the results for the dimensionality of the SCS and provide recommendations for both the further development of the SCS and the future use of PCA and MSA in personality research.

The relations between secrecy, rejection sensitivity and autonomy-connectedness.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of two attachment-related variables on secrecy: rejection sensitivity and autonomy-connectedness. We hypothesized that rejection sensitivity is positively associated with secrecy, and autonomy-connectedness negatively with rejection sensitivity and secrecy. These hypotheses were generally corroborated in a sample of 303 university students. Moreover, we found that autonomy-connectedness at least partly explained the association between rejection sensitivity and secrecy. Self-awareness was negatively related to secrecy, suggesting that being aware of what one needs and thinks and being able to realize one's needs in social interactions reduce the tendency to keep secrets. In addition, interesting gender effects were found suggesting that men have a higher tendency to have secrets than women after controlling for the effects of autonomy-connectedness and rejection sensitivity. Our findings deepen the insight into possible reasons behind established associations between rejection sensitivity and secrecy, and may have clinical implications.

Dimensionality Analysis of the Thought Suppression Inventory: Combining EFA, MSA, and CFA.

The Thought Suppression Inventory (TSI; Rassin, European Journal of Personality 17: 285-298, 2003) was designed to measure thought intrusion, thought suppression and successful thought suppression. Given the importance to distinguish between these three aspects of thought control, the aim of this study was to scrutinize the dimensionality of the TSI. In a sample of 333 Dutch senior citizins, we examined (1) the dimensionality of the TSI using various procedures such as PAF, Mokken scale analysis (MSA) and CFA, and (2) the scale properties of the TSI. PAF favored a two factor solution, however, MSA and CFA suggested that three dimensions most adequately capture the structure of the TSI. Although all scales obtained at least medium scalability coefficients, several items were identified that are psychometrically unsound and may benefit from rewording or replacement. The findings suggest that the TSI is a three-dimensional questionnaire as originally proposed by Rassin (European Journal of Personality 17: 285-298, 2003) measuring thought intrusion, thought suppression, and successful thought suppression.

The use of virtual reality and audiovisual eyeglass systems as adjunct analgesic techniques: a review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: This review focuses on the application of technologically advanced methods of audiovisual distraction as adjunct analgesic techniques; more specifically, (a) virtual reality (VR) and (b) audiovisual (A/V) eyeglass systems (A/V distraction). PURPOSE: It is assumed that distraction taxes the patient's limited attention capacity, resulting in the withdrawal of attention from the noxious stimulus with a subsequent reduction in pain. METHODS: Twenty studies evaluating the analgesic potential of both methods in different patient groups and in healthy volunteers were identified in the scientific literature. RESULTS: Although the majority of these studies are hampered by serious methodological drawbacks, particularly a small number of participants, the results nevertheless strongly suggest that both VR and A/V distraction can be a very promising analgesic technique that may be used safely and effectively for the reduction of pain and discomfort during medical procedures. An additional important aspect is that few negative side effects have been reported. CONCLUSIONS: Directions for future research are presented.

Consensual validity parameters of the Zuckerman-Kuhlman personality questionnaire: evidence from self-reports and spouse reports.

One way of validating questionnaire responses is correlating them with ratings made by external assessors who know the ratee well: This is known as consensual validity. In this study, we assessed the consensual validity of the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ; Zuckerman, 2002; Zuckerman, Kuhlman, Joireman, Teta, & Kraft, 1993). A multitrait-multimethod matrix of self-reported and spouse reported personality ratings was used to establish convergent and discriminant validity by means of Campbell and Fiske's (1959) evaluative criteria. Self-reports of 86 men and 85 women were correlated with their spouses' reports. Intraclass correlations ranged from .47 to .63 for the 5 dimensions, providing strong evidence of convergent and discriminant validity. The results obtained favor the use of the ZKPQ as a valid self-report measure of personality traits.