The present study aims to analyze the existence of different profiles in family caregivers of people with dementia according to psychosocial and resource variables. In addition, it aims to study whether there is a greater representation of each kinship group in each of the profiles and if there are differences in emotional distress among such profiles considering the kinship with the care-recipient. Participants were 288 family dementia caregivers, divided into four kinship groups (wives, husbands, sons and daughters). Psychosocial (familism, dysfunctional thoughts and experiential avoidance), resource (leisure activities and social support) and outcomes (depressive, anxious and guilt symptomatology) variables were collected. A hierarchical cluster analysis using Ward’s method, an exploratory factor analysis of two fixed factors and contingency tables were performed. Five clusters were obtained: Low psychosocial vulnerability-High resources, Low psychosocial vulnerability-Low resources, Mixed, High psychosocial vulnerability-High resources, and High psychosocial vulnerability-Low resources. Results suggested that clusters associated with lower distress were the Low psychosocial vulnerability-High resources and the High psychosocial vulnerability-High resources. Clusters associated with higher distress were the Low psychosocial vulnerability-Low resources and Mixed. High levels of dysfunctional thoughts, familism and experiential avoidance do not always have a maladaptive function. This could depend on sociocultural and resource variables such as the kinship with the caregiver or perceived social support. The identification of profiles of family caregivers potentially needing protection and vulnerable to psychological distress could help to increase the effectiveness of interventions aimed at this population.

Within teletherapy, email interventions have been studied scarcely. For this reason, this exploratory study aims to characterize the assistance provided by email in a university telepsychology service and to compare the data with the assistance provided by telephone in the same service and period. For this purpose, the records of 81 users assisted via email during the COVID–19 pandemic lockdown in Spain were analyzed. The data were compared with those of the 338 users assisted by telephone in the same period. Despite its many limitations, results indicate high satisfaction with the email modality. Users express that they prefer a preference for using email when they do not feel safe in other ways. We found a lot of variation between the number of emails exchanged and the days that each case was active. Additionally, differences were found with telephone users in aspects such as age (email users being younger) and in a depression screening (email users scoring more positively). This study concludes on the high potential of this channel for the application of certain techniques (e.g., psychoeducation) or for people with certain characteristics.

The apparently contradictory co-existence of high levels of gender equality and intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) found in Nordic countries has been termed the Nordic Paradox. The aim of this study was to examine how the Nordic Paradox is discussed and explained by Spanish professionals working in the IPVAW field. Five focus groups (n = 19) and interviews with key informants (n = 10) were conducted. Four main categories of possible explanations for the Nordic Paradox were identified: Macro-micro disconnect (i.e., discordance between individual beliefs and behaviors and macro-social norms of gender equality), IPVAW as multicausal (i.e., IPVAW defined as a multicausal phenomenon that does not necessarily have to be associated with gender equality), cultural patterns of social relationships (i.e., the role of social relationships and the way people relate to each other in the Nordic countries), and backlash effect (i.e., men’s reaction to greater equality for women). Although this study does not provide a final explanation for the Nordic paradox, its results provide us with a better understanding of the phenomenon and can help to advance research in this field.

Women with breast cancer show dissatisfaction with their appearance, a perception of loss of femininity and bodily integrity, and dissatisfaction with the outcome of the surgery. Body Appreciation (BA) is defined as positive attitudes toward one’s body, beyond satisfaction and dissatisfaction with one’s appearance. Although studies about the protective role of BA have increased, to the best of our knowledge, there are no published studies on the association between BA, body dissatisfaction, and distress in participants with breast cancer. The aims of this study are: (a) To analyze whether BA is a moderator of satisfaction with the body from before breast surgery to the one-year follow-up; and (b) to analyze whether BA is a moderator of distress from before breast surgery to the one-year follow-up. The sample consisted of 115 women diagnosed with breast cancer. Several hierarchical regression analyses were conducted. The results indicated that BA moderated the association between the appearance evaluation before the surgery and the appearance evaluation 12 months after the surgery. Although BA was a significative predictor of distress, it was not a moderator of distress from the moment before breast surgery to the one-year follow-up. This study highlights the importance of evaluating the construct of BA in participants with breast cancer using longitudinal designs and developing psychological interventions that focus on increasing BA.

This study focuses on the transformational leadership-work engagement relationship by investigating resource and demand pathways for daily off-work recovery and employee wellbeing (EWB). While previous research highlighted how transformational leadership energizes employees to engage at work, energy is a finite resource requiring daily restoration for EWB. Yet, how the leader’s energizing effect relates to daily employees’ recovery remains unknown. Following job demands-resource-recovery theory, we test two pathways that relate the transformational leadership-work engagement relationship to daily employee recovery: (a) Resource-based via resource-building, (b) demand-based via increased demands. Utilizing a 10-day, two daily measurement (N = 88) study, multilevel path analyses revealed: transformational leadership predicted via work engagement (b = .17, p < .05) role clarity (b = .56, p < .01), then positive (b = .39, p < .01), and negative work-nonwork spillover (b = –.38, p < .01). Positive work-nonwork spillover predicted recovery positively (b = .25, p < .01), negative work-nonwork spillover negatively (b = –.40, p < .01). Recovery predicted EWB for positive (b = .38, p < .01) and for negative (b = –.43, p < .01) affect. Work engagement predicted workload (b = .35, p < .01), further negative (b = .33, p < .01) and positive work-nonwork spillover (b = –.16, p < .01), hampering EWB. As one pathway effect might cancel the other, the main effect of transformational leadership on EWB was not significant in the integrative model (p > .05). Results highlight dark and bright sides of the transformational leadership-work engagement relationship regarding daily recovery.

Using a 1-year longitudinal design, we examined the role of personal demands and personal resources in long-term health impairment and motivational processes among master students. Based on the job demands-resources theory and transactional model of stress, we hypothesized that students’ personal demands (i.e., irrational performance demands, awfulizing and irrational need for control) predict perceived study demands one year later, and indirectly relate to burnout. Furthermore, we predicted that personal resources indirectly associate with study engagement via students’ perceived study resources one year later. These hypotheses were tested in a sample of Dutch master students (N = 220 at T1 and T2) using structural equation modelling. As hypothesized, personal demands and personal resources at T1 predicted study demands and study resources one year later (T2, β = .25–.42, p <. 05), respectively. Study-home interference [study demand] mediated the association between personal demands and burnout (β = .08, p = .029), whereas opportunities for development [study resource] mediated the association between personal resources and study engagement (β = .08, p = .014). Hence, personal demands and personal resources relate indirectly to students’ burnout and engagement one year later via a heightened level of specific study demands and study resources. Accordingly, the present research expands the propositions of the JD-R Theory by proposing personal demands as a relevant factor for students’ long-term well-being.

Building upon existing research conducted in face-to-face universities, our research explored whether, in the context of a distance learning institution, the positive association between subjective socioeconomic status and academic performance can be explained by students’ sense of belonging. To that end, we conducted a three-wave correlational study with 2,261 students enrolled in Social Psychology in a distance learning university. At the start of the academic year, we measured participants’ subjective socioeconomic status relative to other students alongside their initial expectations in terms of time investment and grades and other relevant covariates. Midway through the course, we assessed their sense of belonging to the university and, at the end, we recorded their grades. Results suggested that sense of belonging potentially serves as a mediating factor in the positive relationship between subjective socioeconomic status and grades even after accounting for variables like initial grade expectations, time commitment, gender, age, and employment situation. These findings emphasize the pivotal role of students’ psychological connection to the university in shaping their academic achievement, even within the expanding landscape of distance education.

Wearable sleep trackers are increasingly used in applied psychology. Particularly, the recent boom in the fitness tracking industry has resulted in a number of relatively inexpensive consumer-oriented devices that further enlarge the potential applications of ambulatory sleep monitoring. While being largely positioned as wellness tools, wearable sleep trackers could be considered useful health devices supported by a growing number of independent peer-reviewed studies evaluating their accuracy. The inclusion of sensors that monitor cardiorespiratory physiology, diurnal activity data, and other environmental signals allows for a comprehensive and multidimensional approach to sleep health and its impact on psychological well-being. Moreover, the increasingly common combination of wearable trackers and experience sampling methods has the potential to uncover within-individual processes linking sleep to daily experiences, behaviors, and other psychosocial factors. Here, we provide a concise overview of the state-of-the-art, challenges, and opportunities of using wearable sleep-tracking technology in applied psychology. Specifically, we review key device profiles, capabilities, and limitations. By providing representative examples, we highlight how scholars and practitioners can fully exploit the potential of wearable sleep trackers while being aware of the most critical pitfalls characterizing these devices. Overall, consumer wearable sleep trackers are increasingly recognized as a valuable method to investigate, assess, and improve sleep health. Incorporating such devices in research and professional practice might significantly improve the quantity and quality of the collected information while opening the possibility of involving large samples over representative time periods. However, a rigorous and informed approach to their use is necessary.

Across three studies, we explored the link between an abstract mindset and subjective well-being (SWB) in participants with real and/or perceived financial scarcity. In Studies 1 and 2, samples presented real objective financial vulnerability: Adolescents from lower-middle income districts (Study 1; N = 256), and adults without higher education and with very low incomes (Study 2; N = 210). In Studies 1 and 2 participants completed a survey including measures of thinking style and SWB. In Studies 2 and 3 perception of financial difficulty and SWB were also measured. Study 3 (N = 161) used a sample of university students and employed an experimental design manipulating participants’ thinking style (i.e., concrete versus abstract mindset conditions); additionally, all participants were induced to perceive financial scarcity. Correlations revealed a significant and positive relationship between an abstract thinking style and SWB (Studies 1 and 2). Thus, these results showed that a relatively more abstract thinking style was associated with greater life satisfaction. In Studies 2 and 3 mediation analyses indicated that adults who presented a more abstract thinking style, perceived lower financial difficulties and then reported greater SWB. Overall, given that an abstract thinking style can be induced, these results offer a new intervention approach for improving the SWB of people living in situations of financial scarcity.

Flexible work arrangements, such as teleworking, have gained massive and unprecedented usage for creating work environments that foster well-being and productivity. Yet empirical evidence is still scant and not much is known about the role of organizational climate(s) in this process. Accordingly, the present study was set out to investigate the mediating mechanisms linking flexible teleworking to scientific productivity by considering climate for well-being dimensions, the climates for excellence and for innovation, and eudaemonic well-being as mediating constructs. Data were collected from 358 members of 48 Spanish European Research Council (ERC) granted teams and analyses were conducted both at the individual and team level, after checking for the relevant aggregation indexes. Relevant and significant relations were found within the hypothesized statistical model both at the individual and team level of analysis. The climate dimension of team support and the climate for innovation, together with eudaimonic well-being, resulted to be linked by significant relationships suggesting a potential mediating path. Also, empirical evidence supported considering gender as a control variable for the relationship between flexible teleworking and the climate dimension of work-life balance. In conclusion, climate variables and eudaimonic well-being represent relevant variables for the explanation of the relationship between flexible teleworking and scientific productivity. Practical and theoretical implications, and limitations are further discussed in the article.

The main goal of the present research is to develop and validate the Perceived Economic Inequality Scale (PEIS), an instrument measuring individuals’ perceptions of economic inequality at the national level. The study was conducted on a representative sample of the Italian population (N = 1,446, 51% women). The factorial structure of the scale was assessed through cross-validated exploratory-confirmatory factor analyses. To inspect the PEIS psychometric properties, item and correlation analyses were performed. The results showed that the PEIS is a valid and reliable unidimensional measure of perceived economic inequality at the national level. Further support of the PEIS construct validity was provided by the correlation of the scale score with the perceived wage gap and ideological beliefs like the economic system justification, social dominance orientation, meritocratic beliefs, and participants’ political orientation. Crucially, multigroup confirmatory factor analysis supported configural, metric, and scalar invariances of the scale across socio-demographic groups. The PEIS allows researchers to assess the subjective component of economic inequality by also serving as a useful tool for unpacking the psychological correlates of perceived inequality.

The aim of the present study was to conduct a preliminary study of the Stanford Gender-Related Variables for Health Research (GVHR) adapted to the Spanish population, testing its factor structure, sex factorial invariance and relationship with health variables. Participants were 438 adults between 19–73 years old (M = 31.90, SD = 12.12) who completed the GVHR and measures of health-related quality of life, psychological health, and health-risk behaviors. The confirmatory factorial analysis of the GVHR indicated an acceptable fit to the 7-factor structure as proposed for the North American population. Emotional intelligence and independence factors had low internal consistency, therefore, a five-factor model was tenable in the Spanish population. Sex scalar invariance was tenable, indicating that the factors latent means can be meaningfully compared across sex. Univariate logistic regressions indicated that women reported worse mental and physical health and more health limitations, but this effect dissipated when gender variables were considered. Caregiver and work strain stood out as the variables related to gender that predicted worse health-related quality of life, psychological health, and health-risk behaviors. In conclusion, factorial structure of the GVHR may differ from one culture to another. Additionally, the variables related to gender in the GVHR give a better account of the differences in health compared to biological sex.

Intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) is a public health problem that affects women worldwide. Consequently, victims frequently go to healthcare centers, usually with a cover reason. To address this problem, national and autonomic protocols to respond to IPVAW in health systems have been developed in Spain. In this regard, the role of primary care physicians (PCPs) will be essential for addressing IPVAW, but they could encounter obstacles in doing so. The purpose of this study was to explore how IPVAW is addressed in healthcare centers in Spain. This study synthesized the information available in the protocols to address IPVAW among health care workers in Spain and analyzed it according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Additionally, PCPs’ perspectives on these protocols and the nature of IPVAW attention from healthcare centers were explored through a focus group. The findings displayed that, although the protocols mostly conform to WHO guidelines, they are insufficient to address IPVAW. Generally, PCPs were unaware of the existence of the protocols and referred to the lack of training in IPVAW and protocol use as one of the main obstacles to intervening, along with a lack of time and feelings as well as cultural, educational, and political factors. The adoption of measures to ensure that PCPs apply these protocols correctly and to approach PCPs’ obstacles for addressing IPVAW in consultations will be crucial for the care of victims.

Co-active coping is a fundamental construct in organizational and work environments as it allows for the exploration of individual and group behaviors within organizations. The aim of this study was to develop a new scale called the Co-Active Coping Inventory in the Chilean context. The sample was comprised of 1,442 workers with an average age of 30.48 years (SD = 11.13). 55% were public-sector workers, 34.5% were workers in private commercial organizations, and 10.5% belonged to non-profit private organizations. Different exploratory factor analyses were performed, and the best exploratory model was verified with a confirmatory factor analysis. In addition, multiple linear regressions were used to analyze which dimensions of co-active coping helped predict workers’ burnout (emotional exhaustion, affective hardening, and personal fulfillment) and symptomatology (psychological and somatic). Based on the exploratory and confirmatory approach, the Co-Active Coping Inventory showed a good fit to a structure of five correlated factors (Reflective Action, Rash Action, Search for Spiritual Support, Search for Affective Support and Evasion), demonstrating measurement invariance in terms of sex and type of organization. The different domains of co-active coping explain between 20% (emotional exhaustion) and 41% (affective hardening) of occupational burnout and around 3–5% of workers’ symptomatology, with reflective action being the most important variable. These results indicate that the new scale has suitable psychometric properties; it can assess coping strategies in the Chilean organizational context in a reliable and valid way. These coping strategies have demonstrated certain importance in relation to organizational and clinical variables.

Fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) is a method for assessing the effects of configurations of variables leading to an outcome. The recent growth of interest in this technique in organizational psychology is proving this method to be an important tool for addressing new and decisive research hypotheses. However, the effectiveness of fsQCA is dictated not only by its general principles, but also by how well these are understood and applied in the research community. Consequently, a guide that covers the fundamental ideas and tenets of the approach is required to aid the research community in its comprehension and practical application. The current study seeks to offer an understanding of FsQCA by providing: (a) A complete description of the method highlighting some of the most important theoretical-methodological aspects; (b) a perspective on the most used guidelines and recommendations, and (c) step-by-step instructions on how to carry out FsQCA in R using the QCA package. Data from 120 employees and supervisors derived from a company based in central Italy were used o best to illustrate how to carry out fsQCA. Codes for conducting the analyses from the QCA package for R accompany the tutorial and can be adapted to a new dataset.

On March 11, 2004, Madrid suffered one of the worst terrorist attacks in the history of Spain, leaving more than 190 dead and 2,000 injured. For years, the psychological consequences of the attacks have been studied; however, its long-term effects on symptomatology and especially on well-being remains unknown. This study aims to explore, through a qualitative approach, pathways and obstacles to the well-being of those affected directly or indirectly by the attacks of March 11 in Madrid. Two focus groups were held, one for indirect victims and one for direct victims. Subsequently, a thematic analysis of the materials obtained was carried out. More than 10 years after the attacks, most of the participants reported great difficulty in achieving well-being. Acceptance and victims’ associations seemed to act as key facilitators, while symptoms, political institutions and the media were the main obstacles. Direct and indirect victims presented similar data although aspects such as guilt and family relationships played a different role in their well-being.

Focusing on the ideological and worldview premises of moral reasoning, our study (N = 313) has as a starting point the well-known relationship between morality and distributive justice norms. We examined the serially mediating role of progressiveness on morality, moral absolutism, and consistency norm on the relationship between ideological/worldview perspectives and distributional criteria. Three groups of respondents were formed based on participants’ ideological and worldview perceptions and then serial mediation analysis was conducted. The present findings suggest that morality is predicted by ideology and worldview and predicts attitudes toward the norms of equity and welfare chauvinism, through moral absolutism and interpretations of consistency norm, thus confirming our hypothesis. Moderate Passive Individualists emerged as the group who adopts the most progressive and inclusive attitude towards moral evaluations and practices, while Demobilized Collectivists and Neoliberals maintain a more conservative attitude towards issues that are subjected to moral framing. Our findings shed light on the crucial role of consistency norm, which has not received enough attention until now.

Being married has been associated with a better attitude to aging and a buffer against stressful situations, factors that influence mental health. The study analyzes the role of self-perceptions of aging and stress related to the COVID–19 pandemic in the association between marital satisfaction and participants’ mental health. 246 people older than 40 years in a marital/partner relationship were assessed. A path analysis was tested, where self-perceptions of aging and stress from the COVID–19 situation were proposed as mechanisms of action in the association between marital satisfaction and anxious and depressive symptoms. Marital satisfaction, self-perceptions of aging, and stress associated with the COVID–19 pandemic significantly contributed to the model and explained 31% of the variance in participants´ anxious symptomatology, and 42% of the variance in depressive symptomatology. The indirect path of self-perceptions of aging and stress associated with the COVID–19 pandemic in the link between marital satisfaction and anxious and depressive symptoms was statistically significant for both outcome variables. The findings of this study suggest that lower perceived marital satisfaction is associated with higher levels of negative self-perceptions of aging and with higher anxiety and depressive symptoms. Public significance statements: This study suggests that higher marital satisfaction may be a buffer for negative self-perception of aging, and both factors are related with experiencing less stress from COVID–19. These links are associated with less anxious and depressive symptoms.

The study explores the meanings that family caregivers of people with dementia ascribe to the past, present, and future of their role as a caregiver, and how their integration into caregiving trajectories is related to caregivers’ burdens and gains. The sample was made up of 197 family caregivers (M age = 62.1, SD = 12.3, 70.1% females). They completed three incomplete sentences regarding their past, present, and future caring role, the Zarit Burden Interview and the Gains Associated with Caregiving scale. Sentence completions were content analyzed, and the associations between the resulting trajectories and burdens and gains were studied by means of a one-way ANOVA. Caregivers differed in the meanings ascribed to past, present, and future of their role. Stable-negative (M = 43.6, SD = 13.3), regressive (M = 43.3, SD = 12.7), and present-enhancing (M = 37.4, SD = 13.7) trajectories showed higher levels of burdens than progressive (M = 31.3, SD = 12.3) and/or stable-positive trajectories (M = 26.1, SD = 13.7). Progressive trajectories (M = 38.9, SD = 15.7) were related to more gains than regressive trajectories (M = 28.6, SD = 12.7). Family caregivers’ evaluations of their past, present, and future are not only important separately, but their combination into caregiving trajectories is also relevant. Such trajectories might be relevant when designing interventions to help caregivers reduce their burden levels and increase the benefits ascribed to their experience. The most adaptive trajectory identified was the progressive one, whereas the regressive trajectory was the most dysfunctional.

The watching eyes effect has gained significant attention in recent years both from scientists and from policy makers and professionals in the field. The phenomenon posits that the mere presence of eye cues can promote prosocial behavior. However, there is a growing debate about the generality of the effect across various measures and contexts. This review seeks to combine various distinct -and formerly isolated- perspectives by identifying four key components for effective interventions based on the watching eyes effect: Anonymity, crowdedness, costs, and exposure. Eye cues need to reduce perceived anonymity, be placed in non-crowded places, target low-cost prosocial acts and appear for a short amount of time. Next to these conditions, we discuss implications for other cues to reputation and recommend directions that will stimulate further research and applications in society.