Integrating positive psychology and spirituality in the context of climate change.

In the context of climate change and its accompanying impact on stress and mental health, we argue that positive psychology (PP) may benefit from an integration of spirituality to better support people's wellbeing. Starting with an overview of climate change's impact on wellbeing and health, we explore the paradoxical and complex relationship between humans and nature. Following which, we will briefly define spirituality and present an evocative metaphor of the wave to portray the evolution of the field of PP. In our conclusive remarks, we argue that the field of PP has gradually become more open to integrate spirituality (since the first wave), as it evolves towards greater complexity (in its third wave). In addition to meaning, some spiritual perspectives potentially relevant to positive psychology facilitate an ecocentric view (i.e., eco-spiritualities) which allow for a better understanding of the paradoxical human-nature relationship, as we struggle to deal with the complex issues related to climate change.

Case study assessing the feasibility of using a wearable haptic device or humanoid robot to facilitate transitions in occupational therapy sessions for children with autism spectrum disorder.

INTRODUCTION: Some children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties with transitions that may lead to problem behaviours. Although the use of technologies with children with ASD is receiving increasing attention, no study has looked at their effect on transitions in activities of daily living. This study aimed to document the feasibility of (1) using two intervention technologies (NAO humanoid robot or wearable haptic device) separately to facilitate transitions in occupational therapy sessions for children with ASD and (2) the method used to document changes. METHODS: Using a single case reversal (ABA) design, two children with ASD were randomly assigned to one of the intervention technologies (humanoid robot or haptic bracelet). Each technology was used as an antecedent to stimulate the start of transitions in eight intervention sessions at a private occupational therapy clinic. Data concerning the time required for transitions, child's behaviours during transitions at the clinic and mother's perception of the child's performance in transitions at home were analysed graphically. RESULTS: When using technology, both children's behaviours were appropriate, quick and relatively stable. Also, both mothers reported improved perceptions of their child's performance in transitions. CONCLUSIONS: This exploratory study suggests no detrimental effect of using these technologies.

God Attachment: Resource or Complication in Women's and Their Partners' Adjustment to the Threat of Breast Cancer.

This study explored the role of adult attachment and God attachment in women's and their partners' adjustment to the threat of breast cancer. Women and their partners were assessed on their adult attachment, God attachment, empathic coping and couple adjustment prior to the women receiving their breast biopsy results. Results showed that a secure God attachment buffered the effects of an anxious adult attachment on the use of empathic coping for women and their partners. In addition, findings revealed that an avoidant God attachment potentially undermined the effects of a secure adult attachment on the use of empathic coping for women. For partners, an avoidant God attachment was directly related to a lesser use of empathic coping and a lower level of couple adjustment. In conclusion, findings revealed that God attachment can have implications for each partner's ability to remain empathic and satisfied in their couple relationship when faced with the threat of breast cancer.

The role of positive and negative religious/spiritual coping in women's adjustment to breast cancer: A longitudinal study.

Purpose: Investigate change in women's use of religious/spiritual coping (R/S) in relation to breast cancer.Design: Longitudinal, prospective.Sample: Fifty-six breast cancer and 82 benign diagnosis.Methods: R/S coping and depressed mood were assessed at pre-diagnosis, 3, 6, and 12 months post-diagnosis.Findings: Breast cancer patients increased their use of benevolent reappraisal coping from 3 to 6 months post-diagnosis while women with a benign diagnosis evidenced stability in this coping strategy. Negative R/S coping and depressed mood were associated concurrently and longitudinally for both diagnostic groups.Conclusions: Depressed mood and negative R/S coping are intertwined across time suggesting that women from both diagnostic groups may experience emotional and spiritual struggle in their adjustment to the threat of breast cancer.Implications for Psychosocial Providers: Clinicians need to identify and intervene early to help women address negative R/S coping as it may influence women's adjustment within the first year post-diagnosis.

Attachment to God and coping with the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer: a longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Religious/spiritual factors are important for some individuals in the context of life stress. To the authors' knowledge, the present study is the first to explore the role of women's attachment to God (anxious vs secure) in their adjustment to breast cancer. OBJECTIVE: To explore the (1) pattern of change in women's attachment to God across time and (2) relationship between attachment to God and coping behaviors and depression. METHODS: All English-speaking women who were scheduled to receive a core breast biopsy at a women's breast health center were eligible to participate in the study. Women were assessed on attachment to God, positive and negative coping, and depression at pre-diagnosis and 3, 6, and 12 months post-diagnosis. Women who received a benign diagnosis and those with a diagnosis of breast cancer participated in the study. RESULTS: Attachment to God remained stable across time for both diagnostic groups (cancer, benign). Women from both groups who had a more anxious attachment to God utilized more avoidance coping and reported more depression at different points across time. Breast cancer patients with a more anxious attachment to God reported engaging in less acceptance coping post-diagnosis. Finally, the association between attachment to God and depression was partially mediated by avoidance coping at pre-diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that a more anxious attachment to God may contribute to negative patterns of adjustment while a secure attachment may help women remain more directly engaged in their coping with the threat of breast cancer and related diagnostic procedures. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: It is suggested that clinicians remain sensitive to and assess the role of spiritual beliefs in women's adjustment to the threat of breast cancer from pre-diagnosis up to 1 year post-diagnosis. In particular, women's belief in and experience of a secure or an anxious attachment with God or higher power may function as a potential resource or as an exacerbating factor, respectively, in their adjustment to breast cancer.

"Why me?" - women's use of spiritual causal attributions in making sense of breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: This study addressed the role of positive (event is due to God's Love or to God's Will) and negative (event is due to God's Anger) spiritual causal attributions in women's adjustment to breast cancer. DESIGN: Ninety-three women diagnosed with breast cancer were assessed at six times from pre-diagnosis through two years post-surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Women completed positive and negative measures of spiritual causal attributions (e.g. God's Love), cognitive appraisals (e.g. threat), coping behaviour (e.g. avoidance) and well-being (e.g. distress). RESULTS: Positive spiritual attributions were consistently related to positive aspects of adjustment (e.g. positive appraisal, acceptance coping, and/or emotional well-being) while negative spiritual attribution was related to negative factors (e.g. appraisals of loss and uncontrollability, avoidance coping, and/or emotional distress). Path analyses revealed that the effects of positive and negative spiritual attributions on well-being were mediated by general cognitive appraisal and coping behaviour. Cross-lagged correlational analysis revealed a 'downward spiral' effect wherein the negative attribution of God's Anger at pre-diagnosis predicted greater distress at 1 week pre-surgery which in turn predicted an increase in the negative attribution and so on across time. CONCLUSION: Although positive spiritual attributions may help women maintain an attitude of hope and acceptance in the face of cancer, results indicate that the effects of negative spiritual attribution can play a significant role in undermining their well-being.

Impaired Facial Affect Perception in Unaffected Children at Familial Risk for Panic Disorder.

Recent studies suggest that impaired processing of facial affect has a familial component and may reflect a marker of liability to psychopathology. This study investigated whether facial affect processing is impaired in offspring with parental panic disorder (PD). Psychiatrically healthy children with parental PD (n = 51) and age and sex matched control children with no parental psychopathology (n = 51) completed a standard facial recognition task. High-risk children made more errors recognizing fearful faces than controls and misattributed fear and angry facial affect as surprised. High-risk females also made more errors recognizing sad faces compared to low risk females and misattributed sadness as fear. No difference emerged for self-rated anxiety while viewing facial expressions. However, self-rated anxiety correlated moderately with misrecognition of fearful facial affect in high-risk children. Overall, our data suggest that the ability to correctly recognize negative facial emotions is impaired in children with parental PD. Further research is needed to confirm if these deficits represent a trait marker of liability for PD and elucidate the contribution of genetic and family environmental influences.

A multifaith spiritually based intervention versus supportive therapy for generalized anxiety disorder: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: We have previously reported that a multifaith spiritually based intervention (SBI) may have efficacy in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). This randomized pilot trial tested whether the SBI had greater efficacy than a nonspecific control condition in GAD. METHOD: Twenty-three participants with GAD of at least moderate severity were randomized to 12 individual sessions of the SBI (n = 11) or supportive psychotherapy (SP)--our control condition (n = 12). RESULTS: Intent-to-treat analysis revealed the SBI fared better than SP in decreasing blind clinician ratings of anxiety and illness severity and self-report worry and intolerance of uncertainty, with large between-group effect sizes. The SBI also produced greater changes in spiritual well-being. Results remained the same when supplementary analyses were performed on the completer sample. Treatment gains were maintained at 3-months follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This small pilot trial demonstrates that a nondenominational SBI has greater efficacy than a rigorous control in improving symptoms of GAD and enhancing spiritual well-being. These results are encouraging and further research on the efficacy of the SBI and its underlying mechanisms is warranted.

Parental bonds in children at high and low familial risk for panic disorder.

A rejecting and overprotective parenting style is considered to be an important risk factor for the development of anxiety disorders. This study examined the role of perceived parental bonding as a potential environmental risk factor for panic disorder (PD) in unaffected offspring with parental PD. Children with a biological parent with PD (n = 71) and children of parents with no psychiatric history (n = 80) participated in the study. Results indicate that high risk children do not perceive their parents as being more protective and less caring than low risk controls. The optimal bonding type (high care, low protection) was the most frequently reported parenting style across groups. The constraining type of maternal bonding (high care, high protection) was less frequently reported by high risk children (p < 0.05). Overall, these data suggest that parental PD does not compromise the parent-child bonds in never-ill offspring.