Grandiose narcissism indirectly associates with lower psychopathology across five countries.

Using five independent non-clinical cross-cultural samples (total N = 3649; overall Mage = 29.31; 31% male and 69% female), this study explored the extent to which Dark Triad traits were indirectly associated with symptoms of psychopathology through mental toughness. Although Machiavellianism and psychopathy have not been studied extensively in this context, previous research (both cross-sectional and longitudinal) reports that grandiose narcissism increases mental toughness contributing indirectly to positive outcomes such as lower anxiety, stress, and depression. Accordingly, this study examined Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism in the context of mental toughness and psychopathology. A particular focus was placed on investigating negative relationships between grandiose narcissism and psychopathology. Participants completed self-report measures assessing the Dark Triad, mental toughness, and psychopathology. In all samples, grandiose narcissism exerted moderate negative, indirect associations with anxiety, stress, and depression through mental toughness. Relationships between Machiavellianism and psychopathy and psychopathology were generally weak and positive but varied across countries. Findings provided further cross-cultural support for a mediation model in which grandiose narcissism is related to higher mental toughness and lower psychopathology. Outcomes from this study indicate that exploration of the link between grandiose narcissism and resilience traits such as mental toughness can provide important conceptual insights into the adaptive properties of narcissism, and help to explain why grandiose narcissism is associated with a decrease in some psychopathological symptoms.

Cultural Differences in How People Deal with Ridicule and Laughter: Differential Item Functioning between the Taiwanese Chinese and Canadian English Versions of the PhoPhiKat-45.

The PhoPhiKat-45 measures three dispositions toward ridicule and laughter, including gelotophobia (i.e., the fear of being laughed at), gelotophilia (i.e., the joy of being laughed at), and katagelasticism (i.e., the joy of laughing at others). Despite numerous cultural adaptations, there is a paucity of cross-cultural studies investigating measurement invariance of this measure. Undergraduate students from a Canadian university (N = 1467; 71.4% females) and 14 universities in Taiwan (N = 1274; 64.6% females) completed the English and Chinese PhoPhiKat-45 measures, respectively. Item response theory and differential item functioning analyses demonstrated that most items were well-distributed across the latent continuum. Five of 45 items were flagged for DIF, but all values had negligible effect sizes (McFadden's pseudo R2 < 0.13). The Canadian sample was further subdivided into subsamples who identified as European White born in Canada (n = 567) and Chinese born in China, Hong Kong, or Taiwan (n = 180). In the subgroup analyses, no evidence of DIF was found. Findings support the utility of this measure across these languages and samples.

Development, Factor Structure, and Psychometric Validation of the Impostor Phenomenon Assessment: A Novel Assessment of Impostor Phenomenon.

Despite growing attention surrounding impostor phenomenon (also known as "imposter syndrome"), recent reviews have suggested that current measures may be inadequate in capturing the complex and multifaceted nature of this construct. The objective of the current studies was to clarify the theoretical conceptualization of impostor phenomenon based on experiences in an achievement-oriented setting. We conducted a review of the literature and developed an item pool for a novel impostor phenomenon assessment (IPA) (Study 1). Exploratory factor analyses (Study 1) and confirmatory factor analyses (Study 2) assessed this initial item pool to determine the factor structure and initial psychometric properties of the preliminary IPA (Studies 2 and 3). Our findings offer preliminary evidence for the reliability and validity of the IPA as a novel measure of impostor phenomenon.

Perpetrator Blame Attribution in Heterosexual Intimate Partner Violence: The Role of Gender and Perceived Injury.

Partner violence resulting in physical injury is more often blamed on men than women for perpetrating the same offence, as men are often perceived to be more capable of inflicting injury. The current study used vignettes in a mixed-model design to examine the influence of perpetrator and observer gender, and weapon presence on observer blame. A split-plot analysis of variance produced a significant effect of perpetrator gender and an interaction effect of perpetrator gender and weapon presence. These findings suggest that perpetrator gender may be more important than weapon presence when examining observer perceptions.

The Revised Assessment of Sadistic Personality (ASP-8): Evidence for Validity across Four Countries.

Subclinical sadism, characterized by infliction of cruelty, aggression, or humiliation on another for subjugation or pleasure, provides important information in the prediction of aversive behaviors that have implications for individuals' and society's well-being worldwide. Given sadism's universal relevance, it is imperative that researchers ensure valid and reliable trait measurement not only among English-speaking individuals, but also cross-nationally among countries in which sadism remains relatively understudied. The objective of the current research was to validate the revised version of the Assessment of Sadistic Personality (ASP-8) (Plouffe et al., 2017) across samples of Russian (n = 1087, Mage = 37.36, SD = 10.36), Greek (n = 1195, Mage = 35.64, SDage = 13.08), Serbian (n = 443, Mage = 28.10, SDage = 6.60), and British (n = 511, Mage = 28.50, SDage = 11.62) adults. Overall, results supported the reliability, dimensionality, and scalar/partial scalar measurement invariance of the ASP-8 across cross-national samples. Convergent and discriminant validity were mostly supported through correlations with general personality traits, the Dark Triad, emotional intelligence, mental toughness, depression, anxiety, stress, satisfaction with life, aggression, and attitudes toward social groups. Based on our findings, we recommend the use of the ASP-8 in future investigations of aversive traits.

The State-Trait Model of Cheerfulness: Tests of Measurement Invariance and Latent Mean Differences in European and Chinese Canadian Students.

The State-Trait Cheerfulness Inventory (STCI) assesses latent traits and states of cheerfulness, seriousness, and bad mood to represent the temperamental basis of humor. The present study (1) tested the generalizability of the three-factor model in both state and trait versions of the STCI across European Canadian (N = 489) and first generation Chinese Canadian (N = 147) participants completing the English version of the STCI and (2) compared latent mean differences. Results indicated the confirmatory factor analyses of the three-factor model for European White participants born in Canada and Chinese participants born in China showed adequate fit for both trait and state measures. Furthermore, substantial equivalence of factor model parameters and partial scalar invariance were found for both the state and trait STCI measures. In examining latent mean differences, European White Canadian participants reported significantly higher trait cheerfulness, z = 3.30, p < .001, d = 0.84, and lower trait bad mood z = 3.25, p < .01, d = 0.80 compared to the Chinese Canadian groups. European White Canadian participants reported significantly lower state bad mood, z = 3.59, p < .001, d = 1.15, compared to the Chinese Canadian groups. Limitations and future directions based on study findings are discussed.

What is Transferred and How Much is Retained? A Simulation Study of Complex Surgical Skills.

INTRODUCTION: Studies indicate that learning surgical skills on low-fidelity models is equally beneficial to learning on high-fidelity models in terms of skills retention and transfer. However, it is unclear how low-fidelity simulation training impacts retention and transfer in novice learners, particularly on complex surgical tasks that incorporate multiple challenging skills. This study explores the capacity of complete novices to learn and transfer complex surgical skills from a low-fidelity model to a high-fidelity simulation after a delay. METHODS: Task-naïve medical and nonmedical undergraduate students (n = 62) participated in a three-phase prospective double-arm randomized (2:1) experimental study. Participants completed two skills training sessions (end-to-side anastomosis) on a low-fidelity bench model. After a 4-week delay, participants completed the task again either using the low-fidelity model or a high-fidelity model (cadaver) and were assessed using a validated checklist. RESULTS: There was a significant time × fidelity group interaction (P = 0.004). Simple effects analysis indicated the high-fidelity group (Mdiff = 4.18, P < 0.001) performed significantly worse (P = 0.003) in phase 3 relative to phase 2 compared to the low-fidelity group (Mdiff = 0.75, P = 0.39). Post hoc logistic regression analysis indicated that radial suturing technique and economy of motion skills were less likely to be completed correctly for those in the high-fidelity group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that for novice populations, relying on low-fidelity simulation training as a source of teaching complex skills may not provide a reliable transfer to high-fidelity models and in turn clinical settings.

The Interactive Relationship Between Instructor Perceptions and Learner Personality on Surgical Skills Performance.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the association between learner personality and capacity to be trained (i.e., performance improvement) on a surgical task, and how instructor perceptions of the learners' capacity to be trained interact with learner personality and performance during training and feedback. There is meaningful heterogeneity in the degree of learner surgical skills acquisition despite receiving the same amount of training. While learner personality may independently contribute to skill acquisition, the instructor-learner feedback process is also important to consider. To better understand this interpersonal relationship, it is necessary to also consider instructor factors (i.e., perceptions), and how this may contribute to learner variability in skills training. DESIGN: This exploratory study employed a prospective two-phase design. Medical and non-medical undergraduate students (N = 62) completed measures of personality and participated in two 20-minute training sessions with expert feedback 2 weeks apart, performing an end-to-side anastomosis on a low-fidelity model. Learner performance and instructors' perceptions of a learner's capacity to be trained were assessed. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-two medical and non-medical undergraduate students. RESULTS: There was a significant interaction between learner Extraversion and instructor's perceptions of learner capacity to be trained. Higher learner Extraversion was only associated with an increase in performance improvement for those who were considered trainable (OR = 4.83, p = 0.017). Post hoc analysis revealed a significant difference in the amount of feedback provided to participants who were considered trainable (M = 9.45) versus not trainable (M = 16.48). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the importance of both individual learner factors and instructor perceptions on surgical skill acquisition.

Examining the Relationships Between Childhood Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence, the Dark Tetrad of Personality, and Violence Perpetration in Adulthood.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major international public health concern that poses significant mental and physical health risks for affected individuals. To improve prevention efforts, it is imperative that researchers and government bodies understand risk factors for IPV. One such risk factor concerns the extent to which violence is intergenerational, such that exposure to violence predisposes individuals to engage in violence toward intimate partners. The purpose of this research is to assess childhood exposure to violence as a risk factor for perpetration of IPV in adulthood, and to evaluate the Dark Tetrad personality traits as mediators in this relationship. We recruited 153 men and 246 women (age range = 18-73, Mage = 33.50, SDage = 10.26) through Amazon's Mechanical Turk to complete a series of questionnaires and an open-ended IPV perpetration assessment. Results showed no relationship between IPV perpetration and childhood IPV exposure, indicating that mediation analyses were not possible. Possible explanations are discussed. Follow-up exploratory analyses demonstrated that gender moderated the relationships between childhood IPV exposure and levels of Factor 1 psychopathy and Machiavellianism. Specifically, men who were exposed to IPV in childhood were more likely to develop higher levels of Factor 1 psychopathy and Machiavellianism, whereas women were not. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of providing researchers and clinicians with a greater understanding of environmental events preceding maladaptive trait development. It is also important for researchers and clinicians to consider gender differences in pathways between exposure to IPV and subsequent development of dark personality traits. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

The State-Trait Cheerfulness Inventory State Version-Short Form (STCI-S18): An Examination of Language Use and Psychometric Properties.

The State-Trait Cheerfulness Inventory-State Version (STCI-S) measures three states of cheerfulness, seriousness, and bad mood as the temperamental basis of humor. The present study investigates (1) the development and psychometric validation of a newly developed short version and (2) test-criterion validity with state measures and language use. Study 1 (N = 933) confirmed the three-dimensional structure, and both the short and standard versions demonstrated strong psychometric properties. Study 2 (N = 617) replicated these findings in a separate sample. Study 3 (N = 750) demonstrated expected intercorrelations with self-report state measures (i.e., inspiration, self-esteem, depression, anxiety). Participants were randomized to expressive writing conditions (i.e., writing about a retrospective cheerful, serious, or bad mood scenario). Unacquainted judges' and participants' ratings of three states in their respective scenarios converged (.44 < r < .62). Retrospective states cheerfulness, seriousness, and bad mood were associated with linguistic categories (e.g., emotional tone, clout, achievement, insight) identified in the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) software. The impact of personality states on word usage may only be evident in specific contexts and situations. Presence of distinctive language use in these writing samples further demonstrated test-criterion validity and practicality of the STCI-S18.

Assessing Resilience in Older Adulthood: Development and Validation of the Resilience Scale for Older Adults.

This study presents on the initial development and validation of the Resilience Scale for Older Adults (RSOA). This new measure is based on a theoretical model of resilience grounded in qualitative research conducted with older adults. The scale consists of four resilience protective factors with 11 underlying facets. The Intrapersonal factor consists of Perseverance and Determination, Self-Efficacy and Independence, Purpose and Meaning, and Positive Perspective. The Interpersonal factor consists of Sense of Community, Family Support, and Friend/Neighbour Support. The Spiritual factor consists of Faith and Prayer, and the Experiential factor consists of Previous Adversity and Proactivity. The findings of three independent studies using older adult samples support the four-factor, 11-facet structure of the RSOA. Results also provide promising initial reliability and validity information, and analysis of gender invariance suggests that the factor structure is comparable across men and women. Implications for the applicability of the RSOA in research and clinical settings are discussed.

Dark triads, tetrads, tents, and cores: Why navigate (research) the jungle of dark personality models without a compass (criterion)?

This comprehensive review summarizes and evaluates the present state of the Dark Triad research literature (or more broadly, the dark personality trait literature), and as such serves both a pedagogical purpose, by providing an introduction or primer on the dark personality literature and a scientific purpose by directing future research on key issues that still have not been sufficiently addressed. In this review, we discuss and critique current operational conceptualizations of what it means for a personality trait to be classified as 'dark'. Also discussed is the Dark Core, as well as quantitative issues such as limitations of commonly used statistical treatments, such as multivariate analyses, bifactor modeling, and composite measures, and proposed solutions to some of these issues. Based on a comprehensive and critical appraisal of the literature, future directions are suggested to drive the dark trait field towards a more organized, parsimonious, and productive future.

Working Towards Competence: A Novel Application of Borderline Regression to a Task-Specific Checklist for Technical Skills in Novices.

OBJECTIVE: Demonstrated competence through frequent assessment is an expected goal for progressive development in competency-based medical education curricula. The Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill (OSATS) is considered a valid method of formative assessment, but in few instances have standards been set for determining competence. The present study used borderline regression methods to examine standard setting of performance on a complex technical task with novices assessed using an OSATS checklist. METHODS: This was a single institution prospective single arm experimental design study. Participants were 58 non-medical undergraduate students with no previous surgical experience, who observed a computer-based training module on end-to-side vascular anastomosis. Subsequently, participants were provided two 20-minute training sessions, two weeks apart where they received expert feedback whilst performing the task on a low-fidelity model. After each training session, participants completed the task unaided. Sessions were recorded and assessed using an OSATS checklist retrospectively by experts. RESULTS: Paired t-test analyses indicate that for both the checklist total score (t(52) = 8.05, p < 0.001) and the global rating score (t(53) = 8.15, p < 0.001), individuals performed significantly better in Phase 2. Borderline regression analyses indicated that in Phase 1 (R2 = .60) and Phase 2 (R2 = .75), the OSATS checklist could adequately capture variation in performance in novices. Further, the checklist could reliably classify novices at three of the five global rating performance levels. Pass rates determined by regression equations improved from Phase 1 to Phase 2 on all global rating levels. CONCLUSIONS: With the increasing focus on competency-based medical education, it is imperative that training programs have the capacity to accurately assess outcomes and set minimum performance standards. Borderline regression methods can accurately differentiate novice learners of varying performance levels before and after training on a complex technical skill task using an OSATS checklist.

Rapid and sound assessment of well-being within a multi-dimensional approach: The Well-being Numerical Rating Scales (WB-NRSs).

The assessment of well-being remains an important topic for many disciplines including medical, psychological, social, educational, and economic fields. The present study assesses the reliability and validity of a five-item instrument for evaluating physical, psychological, spiritual, relational, and general well-being. This measure uniquely utilizes a segmented numeric version of the visual analog scale in which a respondent selects a whole number that best reflects the intensity of the investigated characteristic. In study one, 939 clinical (i.e., diagnosed with cancer and liver disease with cirrhosis) and non-clinical (i.e., undergraduate students and their family and acquaintances) participants between the ages of 18 to 87 years (M = 47.20 years, SD = 19.62, 54% males) were recruited. Results showed items have strong discriminant ability and the spread of threshold parameters attests to the appropriateness of the response categories. Moreover, convergent and discriminant validity were found with other self-report measures (e.g., depression, anxiety, optimism, well-being) and the measure showed responsiveness to two separate interventions for clinical populations. In study two, 287 Canadian (ages ranged from 18 to 30 years; M = 20.78, SD = 3.32; 23% males) and 342 Italian undergraduate psychology students (age ranged from 18 to 29 years, M = 21.21 years, SD = 1.73, 38% males) were recruited to complete self-report questionnaires. IRT-based differential item functioning analyses provided evidence that the item properties were similar for the Italian and English versions of the scale. Additionally, the validity results obtained in study one were replicated and similar relationships between criterion variables were found when comparing the Italian- and the English-speaking samples. Overall, the current study provides evidence that the Italian and English versions of the WB-NRSs offer added value in research focused on well-being and in assessing well-being changes prompted by intervention programs.

Development and psychometric validation of the interRAI ChYMH externalizing subscale.

The interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health (ChYMH) is a standardized assessment instrument utilized in over 60 mental health agencies that promotes seamless transition across public healthcare sectors. The purpose of this study was to develop and assess the reliability and validity of the externalizing subscale on the interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health (ChYMH). Part one invited a panel of experts (i.e. doctoral-level clinical psychologists) to assess content validity of the items relevant to externalizing behaviors. Items that experts deemed representative of externalizing symptoms underwent unrestricted factor analyses in a sample of children/youths 4 to 18 years of age (N = 3,464) collected across 39 mental health agencies. The final externalizing subscale showed strong content representativeness, high internal consistency, and good structural validity for a two-dimensional model of reactive and proactive externalizing behavior. In part two, Bayesian correlations demonstrated that the interRAI ChYMH externalizing subscale showed strong associations with externalizing subscales, anger, and disruptive behavior measures from various assessment instruments (i.e. Beck Youth Inventories, Social Skills Improvement System, Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale, Child Behavior Checklist, Brief Child and Family Phone Interview). Overall, the externalizing subscale demonstrated strong measurement properties for the assessment of behavioral disturbances.

Development and Linguistic Cue Analysis of the State-Trait Cheerfulness Inventory-Short Form.

The present study derived a short form of the State-Trait Cheerfulness Inventory-Trait Version (STCI-T30) using an item response theory framework. Latent trait test-retest correlations and reliability across the latent continuum in the STCI-T30 remained high. Moreover, the STCI-T30 showed external validity with criterion variables (e.g., playfulness) and a short writing task completed by these participants was rated by unacquainted judges to infer the author's cheerfulness, seriousness, and bad-mood. Results suggested significant self-other and inter-judge agreement of cheerfulness, seriousness, and bad-mood and linguistic cues analysis suggested cheerfulness and bad-mood manifested through writing in tone, social processes, and affect.

The relationship of compassion and self-compassion with personality and emotional intelligence.

The two studies presented in this article examine the relationships of personality traits and trait emotional intelligence (EI) with compassion and self-compassion in samples of Italian workers. Study 1 explored the relationship between trait EI and both compassion and self-compassion, controlling for the effects of personality traits in 219 workers of private Italian organizations. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that trait EI explained variance beyond that accounted for by personality traits in relation to both compassion and self-compassion. Study 2 analyzed the contribution of trait EI in mediating the relationship between personality traits and both compassion and self-compassion of 231 workers from public Italian organizations with results supporting the mediating role of trait EI.

The erosion of ambiguity tolerance and sustainment of perfectionism in undergraduate medical training: results from multiple samplings of a single cohort.

BACKGROUND: Medicine is a field that is simultaneously factual and ambiguous. Medical students have their first exposure to full time clinical practice during clerkship. While studies have examined medical trainees' tolerance of ambiguity (TOA), the extent to which TOA is affected by clinical experiences and its association with perfectionism is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of clerkship experience on TOA and perfectionism in medical students. METHODS: This was a multiple sampling, single cohort study of students in their first year of clinical clerkship which is comprised of 6 core rotations. Consenting students completed an online anonymous survey assessing their tolerance of ambiguity (TOA) and perfectionism in their first (pre) and last (post) 12 weeks of their clinical clerkship year. Tolerance of Ambiguity in Medical Students and Doctors (TAMSAD) and The Big Three perfectionism scale-short form (BTPS-SF) were used to assess TOA and perfectionism respectively. Pre-Post mean comparisons of TOA and perfectionism were assessed via t-tests. RESULTS: From a cohort of 174 clinical clerkship students, 51 students responded to pre-survey, 62 responded to post-survey. Clerkship was associated with a significant decrease in TOA (p < 0.00) with mean pre-TOA scores of 59.57 and post TOA of 43.8. Perfectionism scores were not significantly different over time (p > 0.05). There was a moderate inverse correlation between TOA and perfectionism before clerkship (r = 0.32) that increased slightly after clerkship (r = 0.39). Those preferring primary care specialties had significantly lower rigid and total perfectionism scores in pre-clerkship than those choosing other specialties, but this difference was not found post-clerkship. CONCLUSION: Exposure to clerkship decreased TOA while perfectionism remained stable in medical students. These results were not expected as exposure has been previously shown to increase TOA. The frequency of rotation changes maintaining a cycle of anxiety may be an underlying factor accounting for these results. Overall these results require further investigation to better characterize the role of clinical exposure on TOA.

Measuring self-control across gender, age, language, and clinical status: A validation study of the Italian version of the Brief Self- Control Scale (BSCS).

The present study aims to develop and validate an Italian version of the Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS). A large sample of Italian-speaking participants (N = 1139) completed the BSCS and measures of personality and individual dispositions. A clinical sample (N = 217) was administered the Italian version and an English-speaking sample (N = 274) completed the original version to test measurement invariance. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the best fit was observed for a shortened two-factor model (i.e., impulse control and self-discipline). Metric invariance across languages and partial strong invariance across genders, ages, and clinical status were demonstrated. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability for the total scale were adequate, and validity was established based on its correlations with related constructs and confirming that males and young individuals are more likely to have lower self-control. Results support the use of the shortened BSCS version to assess self-control in Italian-speaking individuals.