Doctoral Theses / Doktorsavhandlingar Psykologiska institutionen

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://gupea-staging.ub.gu.se/handle/2077/37

News

Nya avhandlingar!

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 162

Neurocognitive Correlates and Psychological Group Treatments for Pathological Mental Fatigue
(2025-05-16) Glavå, Gustaf
Pathological mental fatigue (PMF) is associated with many injuries and diseases in the brain, and is estimated to affect tens of millions of people worldwide every year. But despite its prevalence, knowledge remains limited as to the neurocognition of PMF and treatment options for alleviating it. Therefore, the aim of this doctoral thesis was to investigate neurocognitive correlates of PMF and evaluate psychological group treatments for alleviating it. In Study I, we wanted to investigate whether and how neurocognitive function differed between healthy individuals and individuals affected by PMF. The PMF group exhibited higher global efficiency and lower modularity during both resting state and the cognitive tasks Digit Symbol Coding and Symbol Search. Additionally, the groups differed in peak oxygenated hemoglobin levels during the BASE task, with the PMF group showing lower oxygenation. In addition, the results in Study I indicated that the PMF group was slower on Digit Symbol Coding, Symbol Search and Stroop compared to the control group. The psychological group treatment Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has been shown to alleviate PMF, but knowledge has been lacking as to why patients are helped by it. In Study III we sought to provide further knowledge regarding the effects of MBSR on PMF after acquired brain injury by interviewing individuals with PMF who had undergone MBSR treatment. Similarly, in Study II, we evaluated the novel treatment program Brain Fatigue and Mindfulness (BF-M) by interviewing participants with PMF after acquired brain injury or multiple sclerosis. Studies II and III provide insights into how participants experienced the programs as a place where they could meet people with PMF and exchange experiences, learn more about PMF, and gain tools and strategies for coping with PMF in everyday life. Study II also used a randomized design to examine the relationship between measures of PMF and anxiety before and after the intervention. Results indicated reduced PMF and anxiety associated with BF-M participation. Overall, this thesis has enhanced the understanding of the neurocognitive correlates and psychological treatment of PMF. With three small-scale feasibility studies, we have indicated that those who are affected by PMF may exhibit different neurocognitive functioning compared to healthy individuals (Study I) and that PMF may be alleviated through psychological group treatment (Studies II and III). The results presented in the thesis can be used to further develop the knowledge of how to identify and treat PMF.
Ethnicity and Ethnic-racialized Identity in Swedish Educational Contexts
(2025-05-16) Abdullahi, Amina K.
The overarching aim of this thesis was to address ethnicity and ethnic-racialized identity in Swedish educational contexts. First, to gain a contextualized understanding of how ethnicity is addressed in a relevant educational context, Study I explored student teachers’ experiences of how ethnicity is framed in initial teacher education, an important educational context that prepares future teachers of adolescents. The findings in Study I showed that student teachers experienced that ethnicity was framed as something that concerns minoritized “others”. Furthermore, they experienced that “others” were framed through a focus on problems and lack of skills, and as resources in initial teacher education. Ethnicity was also framed as something sensitive, which related to student teachers’ fears of engaging in ethnicity-related discussions and related to expressions of racism in initial teacher education. Second, to contribute to the limited psychological research on ethnic-racialized identity in Sweden, and to the limited intervention research on how to support youth ethnic-racialized identity development, Study II examined whether a school-based intervention, the Identity Project, could impact ethnic-racialized identity process components (exploration participation, exploration search, and resolution) and content components (private regard and centrality). Study II indicated that the intervention had an initial positive and simultaneous effect on exploration participation and resolution, and only affected the long-term trajectory of change for exploration participation. The intervention did not have an impact on the process component exploration search or on the content components private regard and centrality. Furthermore, the intervention effects did not differ for youth with minoritized and majoritized ethnic backgrounds. Third, expanding on Study II, Study III examined if the intervention could impact adolescents’ psychosocial and academic adjustment through the processes of exploration participation and resolution, and examined whether the intervention moderated the relationship between resolution and later psychosocial and academic adjustment. Study III indicated that the intervention had a positive indirect effect on adolescents’ psychosocial and academic adjustment through ethnic-racialized identity resolution, but not through exploration participation. Consequently, only resolution was a mechanism toward better youth adjustment. The positive associations between resolution and youth adjustment did not differ between the intervention and control group, or between youth with minoritized and majoritized backgrounds. Thus, Study III suggests that the positive links between resolution and youth adjustment may be a normative part of adolescence. Taken together, this thesis contributes with empirical knowledge concerning adolescents’ ethnic-racialized identity development, presents mixed evidence of a school-based intervention on adolescents’ ethnic-racialized identity, and highlights potential challenges regarding how ethnicity is framed in the educational context that prepares their future teachers.
Ethnicity and Ethnic-Racial Identity during Adolescence: Intervention and Contexts
(2025-05-12) Sandberg, David J.
Ethnicity and ethnic-racial identity are important aspects of adolescent development in an increasingly globalized and multicultural world. This thesis aims to further the understanding of how adolescents in Sweden experience ethnicity being addressed across multiple contexts, and to evaluate different aspects of an intervention targeting ethnic-racial identity development. Central to the thesis is the Identity Project, an eight-session, school-based intervention designed to promote ethnic-racial identity exploration and resolution among adolescents. Study I examined whether individual differences in personality traits and meta-traits moderated adolescents’ responsiveness to the intervention. A total of 509 adolescents participated in the intervention study (Mage = 16.28; SDage = 0.80; migration background = 51%; female = 66%). Results revealed that adolescents with higher extraversion, a trait linked to socialization and external reward-seeking, as well as plasticity, a meta-trait linked to adaptability and exploration, benefited most from the intervention, but also that gender moderated some of the interactions between personality traits and intervention effectiveness. These findings point to the significance of individual differences in intervention efficacy, and suggest that interventions targeting identity development would benefit from being adapted to better reach all adolescents; including the introverted or less plastic ones. Study II included the same participants, but instead investigated the intervention’s effects on adolescents’ outgroup and diversity attitudes: evaluations, feelings, and engagements with individuals and lifestyles perceived as different or external from their own. The study also tested whether effects varied by migration background or educational program. Findings showed high and stable, or slightly declining, attitudes, with ethnic-racial identity exploration and resolution covarying with attitude change at only one time point. The results thus revealed that adolescents in Sweden typically hold positive attitudes toward outgroups and cultural diversity, but also challenge the notion that increased ethnic-racial identity exploration leads to positive outgroup and diversity attitudes. Study III used a focus group methodology and thematic analysis to explore adolescents’ experiences of how ethnicity is addressed in three contexts of their everyday lives: in school, on social media, and in sports. A total of 21 adolescents participated in six focus groups (Mage = 14.5; SDage = 0.5; migration background = 54%). Results indicate that ethnicity was addressed differently in different areas of the adolescents’ lives: Classrooms were considered important spaces for addressing ethnicity, but stereotype usage was also common in the school context; social media was perceived as a context where one encountered hateful remarks, but also a place where one could share positive ethnic and cultural narratives; and sports was a context in which the adolescents proposed that ethnicity does not, and should not, matter as much as in other contexts. Together, the results showcase that addressing ethnicity with perspective and afterthought can build understanding and lead to rewarding experiences, but can also do harm when addressed without reflection. With different contexts equaling different experiences, the study also highlights a need for contextual sensitivity when researching ethnicity and ethnic-racial identity. In summary, this thesis demonstrates how individual factors, such as personality traits, play an important role as antecedents in identity-related interventions. It challenges the idea of positive attitude change as a cascading effect of the Identity Project intervention, and illustrates adolescents’ own experiences of how ethnicity is addressed in three contexts of their everyday lives. Taken together, these findings suggest the need for further development concerning not only how to adequately address ethnicity in the Swedish context but also how to effectively promote positive ethnic-racial identity development through interventions.
The three troubles of the triply troubled. Forensic perspectives on patients with a mental disorder, substance use disorder, and a history of violent crimes
(2025-05-02) Green, Johan
Patients in the forensic mental health services who suffer from a mental disorder, substance use disorder, and a high risk of violence are sometimes referred to as the "triply troubled". These patients have poor prognoses for both disorders and suffer heightened risks of relapse, criminal recidivism, and substance-related mortality. The overall aim of this thesis was to generate knowledge concerning the triply troubled patient group in order to better guide treatment development and improve patient outcomes. Study I explored clinic staff members' experiences with implementing clinical guidelines for substance use treatment in a high security forensic mental health service facility in Sweden. Interviews with staff at the start of implementation (N = 12) and one year later (N = 7) revealed the challenges with treating co-occurring disorders. Staff reported a division in attitudes regarding the legitimacy of substance use disorder, highlighting the underlying stigmatisation of the condition. Educational opportunities, sustained organisational support and motivation enhancing interventions emerged as important investments to facilitate tailored interventions for the heterogeneous patient group. In Study II person-oriented mixture modelling was used to investigate clinically relevant subgroups of patients. A three-step latent class analysis of patients’ (N = 98) primary mental disorders and substance use history identified four distinct patient types. Class 1 (42%) consisted of patients with a psychotic disorder, substance use disorder, and polysubstance use. Patients in class 2 (26%) also had a psychotic disorder but with cannabis-limited substance use. Class 3 (22%) was characterised by autism and almost no risk of substance use. Class 4 was the smallest class (10%) and was characterised by borderline personality disorder and polysubstance use. Both polysubstance use classes (1 and 4) had a significantly more extensive lifetime history of aggression, had an earlier age of onset of criminality and had a more extensive criminal past. The characteristics of these patient types suggest that co-occurring disorders cannot be treated as separate problems, and that treatment must be adapted to the severity of substance use and the specific mental disorder with which it co-occurs. Study III explored patients' experiences with co-occurring disorders and forensic treatment. An interpretative phenomenological analysis of interviews (N = 13) showed that the three troubles of the triply troubled are conceived of as expressions of a self-sustaining ecosystem often referred to as simply "it." Being enmeshed in "it" meant that substance use interventions would also have to target every other aspect of patients' lives with which substance use had become associated. Results suggest that forensic services are often considered rigid and overly focused on diagnoses with which patients do not fully agree. This thesis contributes to the empirical foundation for treatment development for co-occurring mental and substance use disorders in forensic mental health services. It offers insights from three perspectives: staff experiences, patient typology, and patient-reported experiences. These contributions have significant clinical implications for developing integrated, patient-centred treatment approaches for this complex patient group.
Children subjected to family violence: a retrospective study of life situation and trauma-focused treatment
(2025-01-22) Onsjö, Marja; Onsj, Marja
Child maltreatment is a risk factor for developing serious psychopathology. Trauma-focused treatment is effective, but not all children benefit from it. The experiences of affected children are a vital source of knowledge for improving interventions, but research focusing on them is limited. The aim of this thesis was to investigate how treatment for children subjected to family violence can be improved by exploring the experiences of the children affected. The participating children were interviewed, retrospectively, about their experiences of the treatment they had been offered at the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) four–five years earlier, and about their life situation at the time. The material in studies I and II was analysed using inductive thematic analysis. In Study III a convergent mixed-method design was employed, separately analysing both qualitative and quantitative data, followed by a synthesis of both methodologies. Study I focused on the children’s life situation before and while they were receiving interventions from the CAMHS. Thirteen children were interviewed, and the results indicated that many had continued to live in unsafe circumstances, and that experiences of ongoing conflict and violence at home and elsewhere were common. Study II focused on the experiences of the treatment the children had been offered at the CAMHS. Seventeen children were interviewed, many of whom emphasized the importance of receiving treatment for children subjected to family violence. The importance of the therapeutic relationship being characterized by empathy and curiosity was highlighted. Their own agency and motivation had been decisive for many, but other factors, such as the family situation, had influenced their ability to engage in therapy. Study III aimed to gain a deeper understanding of changes in trauma-related symptoms in children and youths who had taken part in traumafocused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT) four–five years earlier. Nine participants were assessed and interviewed. The analysis revealed that, while the majority still reported being affected by the violence, most reported a reduction in symptoms immediately after treatment and at the follow-up years later. However, participants who did not report any immediate reduction in symptoms often presented trauma-related symptoms, frequently accompanied by additional severe mental health issues, at the follow-up. In conclusion, the findings emphasize the importance of not viewing children as isolated units, detached from their broader life context. Many children continued to live in chaotic environments, sometimes enduring violence at home during treatment without the therapist’s knowledge. This underscores the need to understand the complexities faced by children subjected to family violence and illuminates the importance of, in addition to providing trauma-focused treatments such as TF-CBT, recognizing the need for parental interventions and safety measures. In implementing treatments for children affected by family violence, these children’s agency and the many factors that influence their life circumstances and overall well-being should also be acknowledged.
Irritability and anger: Insights From Non-Clinical Samples and Patients with Premenstrual Dysphoria
(2024-05-16) Gröndal, Maria
Feelings of irritability or anger are common experiences, both in healthy individuals and in those with pathological conditions. However, the explication and operationalization of the differences and similarities between irritability and anger in research and clinical settings are inadequate and confounded. The overall aim of this thesis was to advance the scientific comprehension of irritability and anger in both a non-clinical population and in individuals experiencing severe premenstrual irritability and anger. The four included studies involve self-report measures of irritability and anger, examining their internal relationships as well as associations with both self-reported and behaviorally assessed impulsivity and aggression. Study I (N = 471) evaluated the empirical relationship between irritability and anger and explored how they interact with various forms of impulsivity in a non-clinical sample. The findings suggest that emotion-related impulsivity (urgency) might influence the threshold at which internally experienced irritability transforms into outwardly expressed anger. Study II (N = 143) investigated whether behavioral measures in a laboratory aggression test (the Anger-Infused Ultimatum Game) are sensitive to variations in self-reported irritability and trait anger in a non-clinical sample. Results showed that, while trait anger was positively associated with reactive aggression, irritability was not. The final two studies were based on data from a randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial evaluating the effects of SSRI (escitalopram) treatment in a group of naturally cycling women with severe premenstrual irritability and anger. In Study III (N = 34), while irritability/anger was reduced as a result of escitalopram treatment (vs. placebo), no effect of escitalopram on reactive aggression was found in the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm. Escitalopram did influence aggression in the Anger-Infused Ultimatum Game, but only for individuals whose outward (but not inward) expressions of anger were markedly elevated in the symptomatic phase of the menstrual cycle. In Study IV (N = 27), a beneficial effect of escitalopram treatment (vs. placebo) was found in some aspects of impulsivity and inattentiveness as measured using the Conners Continuous Performance Test (3rd Edition). Furthermore, emotion-related impulsivity (urgency) was found to significantly increase in the luteal (vs. follicular) phase in the absence of escitalopram treatment. Based on the findings of the four studies, the thesis demonstrates that irritability and anger have distinct explanatory importance, which enhances our understanding of individual variations in emotional experiences. Moreover, the findings enhance the comprehension of the behavioral consequences of SSRI treatment for premenstrual irritability/anger and provide additional insight into the role of impulsivity throughout the menstrual cycle. These insights have both theoretical and clinical implications.
Peer Sexual Harassment in the Transition from Childhood to Adolescence
(2024-04-25) Karlsson Valik, Andrea
Peer sexual harassment is common among adolescents at school and is associated with adverse psychological outcomes for those involved. Despite this, research on peer sexual harassment in the transition from childhood to adolescence is lacking. The overarching aim of this doctoral thesis was to address peer sexual harassment in the developmentally sensitive period of the transition between childhood and adolescence. The included studies were conducted within the three-year longitudinal PRISE project, with data collected annually in Grades 4 (T1) to 6 (T3) from one cohort of students via questionnaires. In Study I (N = 1007) the aim was to evaluate a new scale, the Peer Sexual Harassment Scale-Child (PSH-C), designed to capture peer sexual harassment in the transition between childhood and adolescence in the school context. Results showed that the PSH-C displayed good psychometric properties, and revealed a two-dimensional structure of the scale in both ten-year-old boys and girls: one dimension reflecting direct verbal sexual aggression and the other reflecting general sexual harassment. Compared to previous research on older adolescents, the results suggest that the peer sexual harassment construct may be structured differently in early adolescence, and gender differences may be less profound. In Study II (N = 997), the lack of knowledge of peer sexual harassment in the transition between childhood and adolescence was addressed by using the PSH-C to examine associations between victimization, perpetration, or witnessing and emotional problems, and how these associations were moderated by gender and class occurrence of peer sexual harassment among ten-year-olds. Results showed that 45% of the participants reported victimization through, 17% perpetration of, and 60% witnessing sexual harassment, with vast overlaps between roles. Sexual harassment victimization and witnessing were related to more emotional problems compared to those not involved. Among those who were victimized, girls reported more emotional problems than boys; while among those who perpetrated, girls reported fewer emotional problems than boys. Both the prevalence of sexual harassment and associations between sexual harassment and emotional problems varied across classrooms, emphasizing the need to take into account contextual factors. Study III aimed to longitudinally examine between-individual, within-individual, and within-school-class variability of the association between peer sexual harassment victimization and emotional problems across early adolescence (ages 10-12 years), also testing the moderating effect of gender (T1 N = 997, T2 N = 966, T3 N = 879). Results showed that victimization was related to more emotional problems across time among both girls and boys, but victimized girls reported more emotional problems than victimized boys. The association between victimization and emotional problems became weaker over time, but not for every individual or in every school class. Instead, adolescents reporting more initial emotional problems reported more emotional problems when victimized over time; and in school classes with lower initial levels of adolescent emotional problems, adolescents reported more emotional problems when victimized over time. Together, the studies contribute to a nuanced understanding of peer sexual harassment during the critical transition from childhood to adolescence, highlighting both developmental and contextual factors.
Theory of Mind Development in Swedish Preschoolers: Relations with Language, Executive function, Temperament, and the Social Environment
(2024-02-26) Sehlstedt, Isac
Understanding others in social situations is a cornerstone of any lifespan. A part of social understanding comes from appreciating other’s intentions, desires, and knowledge, which can be called an understanding of others’ Theory of Mind. However, the measurement of Theory of Mind has predominantly been performed using cross-sectional designs and one type of Theory of Mind test, measuring false belief. Other alternatives that capture a scale measure of Theory of Mind better reflecting a continuum of development across a wider age range are now available. The current thesis investigates this scale longitudinally in relation to previously affirmed, but also less or unexplored, individual and social factors. In brief, the present dissertation finds limited support for individual but some support for social factors. The crucial finding is that Theory of Mind is only marginally related to the investigated factors, apart from Theory of Mind itself. Three studies support the conclusions put forth. Study I is a psychometric investigation of the Theory of Mind scale in Swedish preschoolers ages 3–5. The scale was psychometrically examined longitudinally as a 3- and 4-step scale in separate age groups (i.e., at three, four, or five years of age) and for boys and girls, respectively. The results showed that the scale was longitudinally consistent for both versions of the scale. Concerning the separate age groups, the scale was reliable as a 3-step scale in almost all investigated groups. However, the 4-step scale was only reliable when including all age groups (i.e., 3–5-year-old children). This suggests that Theory of Mind scales that include more than three steps might not be appropriate for all preschool ages. Study II predominantly investigated the Theory of Mind scale in relation to individual factors, namely executive function, productive language, and temperament. Socioeconomic status was included as a control variable. The individual factors related to Theory of Mind ability were executive function (when analyzed against the 3-step scale) and the temperament variable Shyness (both for the 3- and 4-step scales). Socioeconomic status was also related to ToM at three years of age. Study III investigated relations between ToM development and social factors: socioeconomic status, number of siblings, and parental use of mental state words (i.e., mention of cognition, emotion, or desire words). The children’s executive function and productive language were included as control variables. Parental use of cognition words was most often found to be related to Theory of Mind, but emotion and desire words were also related, to a lesser extent. In addition, the parents' frequency of spoken cognition words and emotion vocabulary size were related to a faster Theory of Mind development in children. Socioeconomic status and children’s productive language were also associated with ToM at four years of age. In summary, social factors received continued support as factors in Theory of Mind development. However, barely any individual factors surfaced in controlled analyses with Theory of Mind. With a specific focus on longitudinal studies of the development of children’s ability to understand other minds, the current thesis uniquely contributes to our understanding of Theory of Mind development in the preschool ages.
Enhancing the Patient’s Role: Exploring patient influence in acceptance-based cognitive behavior therapy delivered via internet
(2024-02-23) Nissling, Linnea
Background: The global primary health care declaration emphasizes empowering patients to exert influence over their own health. A person-centered approach to care involves a shift from the traditional passive patient role to active involvement in health care decisions. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) increases access to care and is effective for various mental health conditions. Aims: The overarching aim of this doctoral thesis was to enhance the patient’s role by exploring how patient influence can be conceptualized and integrated into acceptance-based transdiagnostic ICBT for anxiety disorders treated in Swedish primary care. Results: Four studies were performed within the scope of this doctoral dissertation. Study I used mixed methods to investigate patient experiences and the feasibility and acceptability of adding peer support workers (PSWs) into acceptance-influenced ICBT for anxiety disorders. Incorporating PSWs into ICBT was practically feasible and well received by participants in a small sample of primary care patients (n=9). The qualitative results emphasized the personal relationship in therapeutic guidance and the sense of empowerment from sharing experiences. Study II was an RCT investigating a patient-driven acceptance-influenced ICBT for patients with anxiety disorders treated in primary care (n=55). Participants in the patient-driven intervention chose and self-tailored their treatment, resulting in greater perceived control and reduced anxiety symptoms compared to standard treatment. A medium-sized association was observed between changes in anxiety symptoms and empowerment. Study III assessed the effectiveness of an internet-delivered acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for adolescents with anxiety disorders in an RCT. Participants (n=52) were a self-selected group recruited from all over Sweden. The treatment was effective in increasing quality of life and psychological flexibility and had a positive effect on post-treatment diagnoses. A strong association was found between changes in psychological flexibility and anxiety symptoms. Study IV was a psychometric evaluation of the Swedish version of the Empowerment Scale – Making Decisions conducted on clinical patients in primary care (n=210) and psychiatric care (n=221) using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results showed that none of the previously suggested factor solutions, tested through CFA, could be confirmed in our samples of primary care and psychiatric care patients and that it is doubtful whether the scale represents a single empowerment construct. Conclusions: This doctoral thesis contributes to the field of internet-delivered mental health interventions by exploring the integration of patient influence through acceptance and commitment therapy, incorporating patient-driven components, and making patients’ experiences part of treatment. The research underscores the potential for improving treatment outcomes and quality of life, promoting psychological flexibility, belonging, and a sense of control over one’s care. The studies serve as a foundation for future research and development, paving the way for person-centered and tailored approaches in digital mental health treatments
To Love and Work - Romantic and Occupational Identity in Early Adulthood
(2024-01-23) Järdmo, Caroline
The general aim of this thesis was to explore aspects of identity in early adulthood, namely occupation and romantic relationships, in the cultural context of Sweden in the 21st century. In order to explore narrative identity concerning occupation, Studies I and II examined narratives about occupational experiences, which were repeated across interview occasions by 59 early adults (ages 25, 29, and 33). Study I investigated identity content in the repeated narratives to determine which experiences continued to be part of the occupational identity across early adulthood. Participants repeated narratives that concerned: the birth of an interest that led to occupational orientation; outcomes of occupational exploration; having a compass for occupational direction; and passively ending up in an occupation. They also repeatedly narrated about external influence on their occupational choices. This study thus illustrates which experiences continue to be part of the occupational identity across early adulthood. Study II, in order to investigate the meaning of change in narrative identity concerning occupation, examined how repeated narratives changed across early adulthood. The results showed that, over time, early adults changed their repeated narratives about their occupational identity into stories about gained insights, transformed views on past challenges, and increased agency. Participants also added content that accentuated their competence and showed how their motivation for their present occupation had increased. Thus, the findings show how narrators create something new from their past experiences in order to continue to make sense of their lives. While Studies I and II investigated narrative identity concerning occupational experiences, Study III focused on romantic relationships. This study explored romantic identity content among 12 early adults, aged 33, who were in long-term relationships but did not select their partner as the most important person to them when they needed love and support. The results showed that these early adults’ everyday experiences of romantic relationships were characterized by ambivalence, a strive for independence, and relating to their partner as a person to have fun with rather than someone to share a deep connection with. Participants also expressed disagreement with what they perceived as norms concerning romantic relationships in Swedish society. Study III thus shows that these early adults, who did not consider their long-term partner the most important person to them when in need of love and support, had a complex approach to relational norms, whereby they followed the norm of being in a long-term relationship while in different ways expressing distance regarding romantic relationships. To conclude, the three studies in this thesis highlight the impact of cultural context, social roles, and the individual’s everyday experiences on two of the most important aspects of identity in early adulthood – love and work. By studying individuals’ repeated narratives and accounts of their own experiences across early adulthood, we can better understand how identity is complex, continuous, and changing at this time in life.
The family and the patient An investigation of mental health problems, risk factors, and support for members of the families of psychiatric patients
(2023-04-28) Wirehag Nordh, Emme-Lina
The aim of this thesis was to improve knowledge of the members of the families of patients in contact with psychiatry by investigating mental health problems, risk factors, and support received. The thesis is based on three studies from two clinical research projects, one in adult psychiatry and one in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). Parent-rated questionnaire data were used in all three studies. Study I was cross-sectional and investigated mental health problems and risk factors experienced by 8–17-year-old children (N = 87) of parents in treatment for depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder in adult psychiatry. Findings indicate more mental health problems in these children than children in the general population, and that one third had symptoms at clinical levels. Risk factors associated with more children’s symptoms were younger child age and exposure to multiple risk factors, as well as parents reporting low perceived parental control relating to how they can handle their child’s behaviour. In Study II, data from three waves of measurement (baseline, 6, and 12 months) were used to evaluate the effectiveness of preventive interventions used in routine care in adult psychiatry to support 8–17-year-old children of parents in treatment for depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. Families (N = 62), including 89 children, received the intervention available at the patient’s psychiatry unit: Family Talk Intervention (FTI), n = 35; Let’s Talk about Children (LTC), n = 16; or intervention as usual (IAU), n = 38. Findings indicate that the development of child mental health problems over time differed significantly between groups. Mental health problems did not increase in children receiving the FTI and LTC interventions but did increase in children in the IAU group. Furthermore, parents receiving the FTI and LTC reported strengthened perceived parental control in relation to handling rearing situations with their children, compared with the IAU group. Study III investigated mental health problems in parents (N = 111) of 5–17-year-old children (N = 98) referred to CAMHS. Findings indicate that many parents (41%) experienced elevated levels of mental health problems at the time of the child’s first appointment and that, in these families, children were reported to have more symptoms and the proportion of families experiencing problematic family functioning was higher. Parents with elevated mental health problems reported having received group-based parent training/education to a greater extent during the first year of contact with CAMHS, and they rated participation in treatment planning significantly lower, than did parents below the cut-off for their own mental health problems. Taken together, the studies show that mental health problems in the members of the families of psychiatric patients are common, which underscore the importance of identifying the needs of the whole family when a patient is seen in psychiatry, to ensure that appropriate support is initiated. In adult psychiatry, investigating multiple relevant risk factors relating to the child, parent, and family can provide information about the child’s and family’s needs. Findings support the continued use of two preventive interventions to support the children of patients with depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. In child psychiatry, findings underscore the importance of addressing co-occurring parental mental health problems and that families experiencing co-occurring problems could need more extensive support, as the children were reported to have higher levels of mental health problems and more families were reported to have problematic family functioning. To meet the varying needs of families of psychiatric patients, findings indicate that interventions are needed at different levels of prevention and treatment.
Navigating Emerging Adulthood with the Experience of Being Bullied in School
(2023-03-08) Lidberg, Johan
The overall aim of this thesis is to broaden the understanding of long-term outcomes of experiencing bullying victimization in school, related to the developmental period of emerging adulthood as well as how it can be under-stood in terms of resilience and outcomes of body-related concerns. Study I investigated how 15 emerging adults (Mage=29.00, SD=0.37), subjected to bullying victimization in school and suffering from poor psychological health in emerging adulthood, described their victimization experiences and perceived long-term outcomes of these experiences. The findings related to the time of victimization revealed a long duration of victimization, problems adjusting to the bullying; experiences of not receiving help from school per-sonnel; and depression, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts. The perceived long-term outcomes were: feelings of insecurity; actively avoiding social situations; an identity of viewing oneself as worthless; and body image prob-lems. Together, the long-term negative outcomes were found to have the potential to impair the developmental processes in emerging adulthood. Study II investigated how resilience was manifested in the experiences of 15 emerging adults (Mage=29.13, SD=0.52) with good psychological health despite experiences of childhood bullying victimization. Interviews were analysed, first deductively and then inductively, using concepts from resili-ence: protective factors and resilience as a dynamic process over time. The findings showed that the participants exhibited agency in handling the vic-timization, and that they had resources of social support who were prepared to help. As emerging adults the participants had been able to use their vic-timization experiences to help others, and perceived their experiences of handling the victimization as learning experiences that could be used in dif-ficult situations as emerging adults. These findings indicate that resilience in relation to experiences of bullying victimization is best understood as an evolving process, whereby the individual interacts with their environment in an adaptive process, leading to positive development over time. Study III investigated the association between being bullied in school and body-related concerns – body esteem, body shame and body-ideal internalization – in emerging adulthood. The sample comprised 502 individuals (304 wom-en and 198 men) who had participated in a longitudinal study when they were 10, 14 and 28 years old. The results showed that emerging adults who had been subjected to bullying victimization in school at age 10 and/or 14 had a poorer view of their general appearance and weight; they also reported more body shame than non-victimized emerging adults did. The results show that negative experiences of one’s body and appearance are still an active agent of negative influence in emerging adults nearly two decades after they were subjected to bullying victimization in school. Taken together, the three studies in this thesis point to the importance of understanding how experi-ences of bullying in school are related to the period of emerging adulthood, a time of both challenges and opportunities. This can help us better understand how experiences of being bullied in school can come to be translated into problems later in life, with body-related concerns being an overlooked but important aspect of how experiences of bullying victimization can be en-graved on a body that one has learnt to hate and reject. Furthermore, the studies in this thesis indicate that exposure to bullying in school is depend-ent on the context in which it occurs. Social support from both school and home as well as other social contexts outside school must be recognized as the potential resilience-building structures they are in preventing bullying victimization experiences from leading to negative long-term outcomes.
Come lie with me: On deception by groups and the concept of statement consistency
(2022-10-13) Sakrisvold, Marthe Lefsaker
Research on the topic of group deception has primarily focused on cooffenders. The aim of this thesis was to further our understanding of group deception by examining the context of honest and deceptive alibis corroborated by witnesses. Specifically, the deceptive pairs contained one partly innocent member, and this setup provides a different group dynamic as compared to cooffending groups with only guilty members. Furthermore, this thesis aimed to increase our knowledge of the consistency of such corroborated statements. Study I examined whether the consistency of corroborated honest and deceptive alibi-witness statements was moderated by the salience of event details. In line with the expectations and previous research, all pairs obtained lower betweenperson consistency scores for less salient details—however, truth-tellers’ consistency scores dropped considerably more than liars’. Study II applied strategic interviewing through memory-enhancing tactics, and examined whether this would increase the differences between honest and deceptive pairs on a within-subject measure. Contrary to the predictions, both honest and deceptive participants responded similarly to the memory-enhancing tactics. Study III approached the topic of counter-interrogation strategies in a new way, and observed honest and deceptive pairs’ conversations while preparing for their interview in addition to collecting self-reported measures. The results partly supported the hypotheses. In line with the expectations, liars were concerned with establishing a story, keeping it simple and being consistent—and truth-tellers were concerned with being honest and detailed. However, contrary to the expectations truth-tellers were also concerned with establishing a story. Study IV manipulated between-person consistency in vignettes, and operationalised inconsistency both in terms of low degree of overlap as well as the presence of contradictions. The study examined whether these different operationalisations of statement consistency affected veracity judgements. Results showed that in line with the expectations and previous research, believability was rated lower, and guilt was rated higher for contradicting versus consistent statements. However, statements with a low degree of overlap were not rated less believable or more guilty than the consistent statements, which might imply that people are inattentive to overlap as a representation of inconsistency. In sum, this thesis illustrates that whether or not honest and deceptive pairs differ in between-person consistency seems to depend on the salience of the details, but also on how consistency is operationalised. Previous group deception literature on beliefs about statement consistency and counter-interrogation strategies is dominated by self-reports, and empirical studies testing between-person consistency primarily examine the degree of overlap. In order to move the field forward, we must empirically approach these topics with a wider range of designs (such as dialogue observations and vignettes) and be aware of—and systematically examine—different operationalisations.
Parents´ experience of living with a child displaying oppositional defiant disorder. Top-down and bottom-up approaches to gain a deeper understanding of the complexity
(2022-05-11) Ljungström, Britt-Marie
Clinical levels of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) during childhood are considered a significant marker of risk to develop mental illness later in life. If serious behavior problems begin as early as preschool years and persist through childhood and adolescence, there is a risk that the behaviors will turn into more severe behavior problems and develop into criminality and antisocial behavior in adulthood. The overall purpose of this thesis was to gain a deeper insight into the complexity in families with children who exhibit ODD behaviors and get a deeper understanding of the risk factors and conditions that may complicate the impact of a comprehensive parent training (PT) program for parents with children displaying symptoms of ODD. Fifty-seven children with clinical levels of ODD participated in study I, 19 of those in study II and, 30 of those in study III. The result from study I showed that the diagnostic criteria for ODD helped to identify and distinguish commonly occurring oppositional behavior from disruptive behavior problems (DBPs), but the accepted diagnostic criteria did not cover the entire range of problematic behaviors, especially those behaviors that constitute a risk for later antisocial behavior. Study II focused on the parents´ descriptions of the complexity in the family and parenting situation. The parents highlight the need to address parents´ own mental health problems, parental alliance, lack of parental strategies, capacity for emotional regulation, parents´ perceived helplessness, parental stress, sense if isolation and absence of supportive social networks. A careful assessment before parents join a parent training (PT) program should lead to a better adaptation of the PT program to the parents´ situation. Study III showed that it is neither risk factors alone, nor protective factors alone, that lead to different outcomes for children whose parents participated in a PT program; rather, a combination of risk and protective factors determine the outcome. Study III has led to hypotheses about combinations of factors leading to different outcomes. Aggressiveness in combination with either ADHD or negative emotionality (NE) in children, when parents simultaneously have mental health problems, or a lower education level, seems to constitute risks for families and lead to a negative outcome after intervention with a PT program. In all three studies, it has been shown that a subgroup of children displaying ODD in preschool and early school age, exhibit serious disruptive behavior problems. Early detection and early interventions are most important for families with children displaying ODD, to prevent the development of more serious behavior problems and antisocial behaviors in adulthood. Keywords: ODD, parenting training program, aggression, negative emotionality
The Measurement of Subjective Well-Being: Item Response Theory, Classical Test Theory, and Multidimensional Item Response Theory
(2022-04-25) Ali, Al Nima
For over 35 years, modern science has conceptualized happiness as subjective well-being, which has until recently been understood as a dual construct consisting of an affective component (positive and negative affect) and a cognitive component (life satisfaction). Nevertheless, for the last five years, theoretical work and both quantitative and qualitative empirical work have suggested that the concept of subjective well-being omits both a lay and an Eastern way of understanding happiness. For instance, laypeople primarily define manifestations of happiness in terms of psychological balance and harmony, rather than just affect and satisfaction. The question is whether, rather than constituting a dual general construct, these three components (i.e., affect, life satisfaction, and harmony in life) form a tridimensional model of subjective well-being. In three studies, 1962 participants self-reported their experience of different positive and negative emotions (Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule), their satisfaction with life in relation to their own self-imposed ideal (Satisfaction with Life Scale), and their experience of harmony in life (Harmony in Life Scale). The responses were analyzed using unidimensional item response theory (Study 1), classical test theory (Study 2), and multidimensional item response theory (Study 3). In general, in all three studies the 30 subjective well-being items in the model displayed good psychometric properties. However, Studies 1 and 3 showed that there was less reliability for respondents with extreme latent scores in all subjective well-being dimensions. At the item level, all three studies indicated that specific items need to be modified, added, or removed. Second, at the scale level, the subjective well-being instruments have the capability to measure a good portion of people’s happiness but lack the capability to measure subjective well-being among individuals who are extremely happy or extremely unhappy. Moreover, at the model level, the results indicate that the best way to conceptualize subjective well-being is as a latent construct with three dimensions (i.e., affective, cognitive, and behavioral) and four components (i.e., positive affect, negative affect, life satisfaction, and harmony in life) in which a person’s unique response to each item is directly influenced by her global subjective well-being, but at the same time also by her affective experience, sense of life satisfaction, and sense of harmony in life. In Study 3 specifically, the results indicate that people’s levels in each subjective well-being component can compensate for low and high levels in any of the other components. In other words, this is a clear indication of the tridimensional nature of subjective well-being. For people in general, actively affecting emotions, cognitions, and behavior might help to develop sustainable happiness, resilience, and an outlook of unity even amidst the current and future challenges of the twenty-first century.
Clinical Perspectives on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Long-term, Naturalistic Follow-ups in Childhood and in Adulthood
(2022-04-21) Nylander, Elin
The overall aim of this thesis was to evaluate the long-term outcome of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in childhood and in adulthood, as it is presented in typical patients in real-world settings. Study I assessed treatment outcome and predictive factors after 1 year in 253 children with ADHD. We compared drug treatment with regular counselling with regard to their effectiveness in reducing core ADHD symptoms and improving real-life functioning. The evaluations were made through telephone interviews (Brief Child and Family Phone Interview; BCFPI) with a parent. BCFPI contains a number of subscales, we used: ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Separation Anxiety, General Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Depression, Overall functioning, Family situation, and Parental depression. Regardless of treatment mode, our results clearly indicated reduced symptom severity on most relevant subscales. According to the effect sizes, the treatment effects were largest with regard to ADHD-, ODD-, and Child functioning subscales. When analysing the two treatment modes separately, the medicated patients improved between referral and 1-year follow-up on subscales ADHD, ODD, GAD, Depression, Child functioning, and Family situation; the counselled patients improved over time on subscales of ODD and Depression only. Comparing the two treatment groups directly revealed differences only with regard to subscales ADHD (large effect size) and Child functioning (medium effect size). Potential confounders obscured unanimous interpretation: firstly, the medicated group was on average diagnosed more rapidly and hence received treatment for a longer period of time. Secondly, medicated children had more appointments and their parents attended the proffered ADHD-programs to a greater extent. This means that one cannot safely attribute the improvement to the medication alone. Important predictors for improvement of parent-rated ADHD symptoms and overall functioning level included male sex, on-going medication, previous symptom severity, and overall functioning level. Exploratory analyses revealed that successful treatment of ADHD, regardless of treatment mode, also significantly ameliorated comorbid symptoms. The aim of Study II was to evaluate treatment outcome and predictive factors after 5 years in 137 of the children from Study I. They were still younger than 18 at the time of follow-up. As in Study I, we wished to compare drug treatment to regular counselling with regard to their effectiveness in reducing core ADHD symptoms and improving real-life functioning. We also wished to map temporal patterns and compare the three measurement points (referral, 1-year outcome, and 5-year outcome). The evaluations were made through BCFPI telephone interviews with a parent. Overall, children with ADHD improved after 5 years, both according to symptom severity and improved real-life functioning. No differences between treatment groups were found on any BCFPI subscale, including the ADHD- and the Child functioning subscales. Thus, the superiority of medication, apparent at the 1-year follow-up, had dissipated at the 5-year follow-up. Important predictors for the treatment outcome of parent-rated ADHD symptoms and functioning level after 5 years included baseline ADHD- and ODD-symptom severity as well as baseline functioning level and how the child’s symptoms affected family life. Study III monitored 52 persons diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood over 5 years. We recorded self-report symptom ratings (Brown ADD scale [BADDS]; Adult Self-Report Scale [ASRS]) and clinicians’ ratings (Global Assessment of functioning [GAF]; Clinical Global Impressions -Severity [CGI-S]) of symptom severity at baseline and again at the 5-year follow-up. We attempted to identify outcome (core ADHD symptom severity and real-life functioning) predictors using rating scores at baseline, along with measures of medication intensity, psychiatric comorbidity, cognitive ability, age, and sex. After 5 years, patients were improved with fewer and/or less severe ADHD symptoms compared with baseline. Note, however, that the average patient still had clinically significant levels of symptoms with functional deficits. Baseline self-reports of ADHD symptoms predicted their own 5-year outcome and low baseline functioning level predicted improved global functioning at follow-up. Factors that typically predicted treatment outcome in ADHD in many previous studies, such as medication, comorbidity, IQ, age, or sex did not anticipate long-term outcomes according to this study. The aim of Study IV was to investigate Quantified behavioural Test (QbTest+) performance in a group of 67 adult patients diagnosed with ADHD. Forty-one of them completed a second QbTest+ 4 years later. This computer-based attentional test is often employed in the assessment of ADHD. Overall, there was large individual variability in QbTest+ scores at baseline, but the majority (65%) scored in the clinical range despite being on stimulant treatment during the test. Out of the 13 patients who suspended medication prior to the test, 11 (85%) scored above the clinical cut-off. There were modest concurrent associations between QbTest+ cardinals and symptom self-ratings. Performance on the QbTest+ was improved at the follow-up test and fewer patients scored in the clinical range (34%). The scores on the QbInattention cardinal at baseline correlated positively with BADDS and ASRS self-ratings at the 4-year follow-up.
Internet-based psychological interventions for alcohol use disorder. Treating addiction and supporting concerned significant others
(2022-03-30) Eék, Niels
The aim of this doctoral thesis was to investigate the efficacy of three internet interventions for alcohol problems: (1) high-intensity internet treatment (ePlus) compared to (2) an unguided low-intensity internet treatment (eChange) and waiting list (WL) conditions, for people with AUD (Study I, with a long-term follow-up in Study II), and (3) an internet-based version of CRAFT for concerned significant others (CSOs) to individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) (Study III). The primary outcomes in Study I and Study II were two measures of the participants’ alcohol consumption: number of standard drinks per week and number of heavy drinking days (HDDs) per week. The primary outcome in Study III was treatment engagement, as expressed in the IPs’ initiative to seek treatment. In Study I (N = 166), a significant reduction was seen in number of standard drinks as well as HDDs for both the ePlus and the eChange group compared to the WL group. The reduction in standard drinks per week was maintained after 6 months for both intervention groups. There was no statistically significant difference between ePlus and eChange in number of standard drinks, but participants in the ePlus program had significantly fewer HDDs compared to participants in the eChange program at post-treatment, but this difference was no longer seen at 6-month follow-up. Participants in the ePlus program displayed greater treatment satisfaction than did participants in the eChange program. The results in Study II (N = 143) showed that, compared to pre-treatment, both treatment groups had lower alcohol consumption at both long-term follow-ups (12 and 24 months). Compared to post-treatment, there was increased alcohol consumption in the ePlus group on both follow-up occasions, but lower alcohol consumption in the eChange group. Although one group had increased and the other group had decreased consumption at the 12-month follow-up compared to the end of treatment, comparisons of the two groups at both long-term follow-ups showed no statistically significant differences between them. In Study III (N = 94), the results showed that although twice as many CSOs in the iCRAFT condition reported IP treatment engagement, this difference was not statistically significant. The rate of treatment seeking reported for CSOs in the iCRAFT group was lower compared with previous studies. In summary, the results indicate that both ePlus and eChange is effective in reducing alcohol consumption in both short and long term, and ePlus is more effective in reducing HDDs immediately after treatment. In the long term, there were no significant differences between the two treatments. Both interventions may have potential as alternatives to traditional treatment forms, and their different structures (long vs. short, human guidance vs. no human guidance) open up for possibilities for clinics and patients to choose what suits them best. Results on iCRAFT were unexpected, as previous research on CRAFT using a face-to-face approach has shown substantial effects, which points to a need to further develop iCRAFT. Keywords: alcohol use disorder, internet-based treatment, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, relapse prevention, Community Reinforcement and Family Training
On the psychology of environmental policy and the influence of social norms
(2022-03-03) Ejelöv, Emma
Current environmental challenges, such as greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution, are large-scale problems that will be difficult to solve without the intervention of governments or the coordinated cooperation of a large number of people. While governments can steer citizen behavior in a pro-environmental direction by the use of environmental policies, the implementation of such policies is often hindered by negative public opinion. In other cases, it may not be desirable for governments to regulate citizen behavior. In such situations, large-scale cooperation among citizens can be encouraged by communicating social norms in favor of pro-environmental behavior. In this thesis, I apply a psychological perspective on environmental policy research to understand how laypeople perceive policies, and how social norms can be utilized to promote environmental policy acceptability and behavior intentions. As some research on laypeople attitudes towards environmental policies use categorizations that are made on assumptions of how laypeople perceive such policies, the aim of Study 1 is to provide empirically valid categorizations of policies based on laypeople attitudes towards the policies. We assessed the attitudes of 2911 Swedish citizens towards 44 environmental policies currently in use in Sweden. An exploratory factor analysis indicated that Swedish citizens perceive three categories of policies, one consisting of push policies (regulatory and market-based policies using disincentives), one of pull policies (market-based instruments using incentives) and one of informational policies (such as labeling). Results suggest that some current policy categorizations used in research may not adequately capture how Swedish citizens perceive environmental policies. Study 2 consists of two experiments investigating how normative information, in the form of public opinion, may affect attitudes toward environmental policies when the policy issue is perceived to be polarized along ideological lines. The results of a total of 928 American citizens indicated that an outgroup norm may promote acceptability of environmental policies when the policy is perceived to ideologically belong to the person’s in-group. For example, when conservatives are positive toward a perceived liberal policy, liberals become more positive towards the policy. Conversely, we found that conservatives became more positive toward a perceived liberal policy when exposed to information that other conservatives were positive toward the policy. This is suggestive of a positive effect of an in-group norm when the policy is perceived as an outgroup policy. These results suggest that careful use of the public opinion from different political groups may be used to promote environmental policy acceptability in a polarized context. Study 3 investigates whether the influence of descriptive norms is moderated by perceptions that normative behavior is performed due to either intrinsic or extrinsic motivation. We hypothesized that pro-environmental descriptive norms would be more influential when attributing others’ pro-environmental behavior as intrinsically rather than extrinsically, motivated. Over two experiments (N = 1326), we compared participants’ intention to purchase pro-environmental products between four conditions: control condition vs intrinsic norm vs extrinsic norm (Exp. 1) vs injunctive norm (Exp. 2). Results consistently showed a significant increase in pro-environmental purchase intention in the intrinsic norm condition compared to both extrinsic norm condition (Exp. 2) and no-information control condition (Exp. 1 & 2).
On Retirement and Cognitive Aging from a Life-Span Perspective
(2021-11-24) Zulka, Linn Elena
Retirement is a major life event potentially affecting domains such as cognitive functioning and well-being. The main aim of this thesis was to assess whether retirement influences cognitive functioning and how inter- and intra-individual differences in psychological and lifestyle factors moderate the association. A secondary purpose was to evaluate whether general intelligence, as measured at age 18, and social contacts later in life may function as resources for successful adaptation to retirement from work. In Study I, we systematically reviewed current literature to evaluate patterns of findings regarding the impact of retirement on cognition. Peer-reviewed studies (n = 20) with longitudinal designs were reviewed. The studies reported negative, positive, and no effect of retirement on cognitive function. These conflicting results were explained neither by variations in study characteristics nor by the use of different measures of cognitive abilities. We found a positive trend for cognitive functioning for retirement from physically demanding jobs. For retirement from cognitively demanding jobs, the evidence was conflicting. Studies II, III and IV were based on data from the HEalth, Aging and Retirement in Sweden (HEARTS) study (n = 5913). In Study II (n = 631), we examined whether retirement influenced cognitive functioning, and modeled the interaction between job demands before retirement, changes in leisure activities over the retirement transition, and their relationship to post retirement cognitive functioning. Results indicated that retirement did not generally led to poorer cognitive development. Furthermore, increased cognitive stimulation, through cognitively demanding leisure activities, had beneficial effects on post-retirement memory development among individuals who reported low previous cognitive work demands. In Study III (n = 3851), we investigated the relationship between the Big Five personality traits and the level of and change in reasoning ability in the years around retirement. Higher levels of extraversion, conscientiousness, and neuroticism were related to lower levels of reasoning ability, whereas higher levels of openness were associated with higher levels of reasoning ability. We found no association between any of the Big Five personality traits and the rate of change in reasoning ability in the years around retirement. In Study IV, we merged HEARTS data with IQ measures derived from military conscription (n = 924). We found that IQ in young adulthood was unrelated to levels of life satisfaction before retirement. However, increases in contact with friends were associated with increases in life satisfaction and this increase was strongest for individuals with lower IQ scores. To conclude, our findings provide evidence that retirement does not generally negatively affect cognitive functioning, at least from a short-term perspective. Cognitive functioning in the years around retirement relates to different possibly modifiable psychological and lifestyle factors that potentially stimulate positive cognitive developments.
Psychology for sustainable shared mobility: An investigation of the use of private cars and carsharing services
(2021-11-17) Martins Silva Ramos, Érika
What are people’s travel patterns – both users and non-users of carsharing and private cars in European cities? What are the main psychological aspects of and motives for making a travel mode choice? This thesis aims to investigate the relationship of habits with attitudinal, normative and motivational aspects to understand the use of private cars and carsharing. Study I presents a classification of motives considered relevant when selecting a mode of transport. It examines the relative importance of driving habits, car attitudes, descriptive norms and motives for transport mode choices for commuting, shopping trips, child-related trips and leisure trips. Socio-demographic variables primarily predicted child-related and commuting trips. Leisure and shopping trips were mainly predicted by driving habits. Driving habit was a common and robust predictor among all trip purposes. In Study II, three mobility styles are identified among the users of carsharing through cluster analysis: a segment that uses different modes of transportation but has low environmental awareness, a segment highly dependent on private car use but that has high environmental awareness and a third segment which also has high environmental awareness and the highest percentage of car-free households. Two mobility styles were identified for the non-users: a segment less favourable to carsharing, with a medium level of environmental awareness and high dependence on private car use, and a segment with the lowest frequency of travel in general and the highest level of environmental awareness. Study III investigates the determinants of intention to use carsharing services using an integrated model of psychological predictors of travel behaviour, with further discussion about the analysis of invariance (configural, metric, scalar) and its relevance for comparisons between groups. The groups were classified as users and non-users of carsharing in Italy and Sweden. The latent variable control was the main predictor of intention to use carsharing, driving habits had stronger negative effects for users of carsharing than for non-users, subjective norms positively predicted the intention to use carsharing among all groups, trust was a predictor of intention only for the Italian groups and climate morality had a small negative effect on only the Swedish groups. Study IV indicates different preferences of carsharing business models depending on the trip purpose, with a trade-off between free-floating (FF) and round-trip station-based (RTSB) business models. The peer-to-peer (P2P) business model stood out for short holiday trips. Age, educational level, and income affected the probabilities of choosing different carsharing operators. When it comes to driving habits and trust in the service, users of FF and RTSB differ substantially. The results from this thesis can be used as support for governance aiming to promote sustainable transportation by fostering the use of carsharing.

Browse

Recent Submissions