Applied Psychology Review

Impact of Negative Attribution Style on Non-Suicidal Self-Injurious Behavior among Homeless Individuals

2025-02-13T06:14:29+00:00

Non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors have been examined by researchers for several decades (Klonsky et al., 2016). Negative attribution style is considered as a possible contributing factor in explaining non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors. The current study was carried out to explore the impact of negative attribution style on such behaviors among conveniently selected 300 homeless individuals from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). The individuals were approached and briefed about the research and data collection procedure. The participants completed the Attributional Style Questionnaire and Ottawa Self-injury Inventory along with the demographic sheet. Negative attribution style was found to be positively related to non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors. The results revealed that this style positively predicted such behaviors among homeless individuals. Furthermore, it explained 13.1% variation in this type of behavior. Both subcategories of this attribution style positively predicted non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors. The results also revealed that stability explained 15.5% variation, whereas globality explained 9.6% variation in such behaviors. Moreover, the study revealed significant gender-based differences with respect to self-injurious behaviors. Strategies can be developed to target negative attribution styles and to promote positive ones. Psychosocial intervention targeting non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors can be used in this regard.

Thought-Action Fusion, Scrupulosity and Afterlife Beliefs in Young

2025-02-13T06:16:52+00:00

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between thought-action fusion and scrupulosity in young adults while investigating the mediating role of afterlife beliefs. The sample comprised of (N = 200) young adults, including men (n = 87) and women (n = 113). All the participants were Muslims with their age ranging between 18-35. To measure the constructs, Afterlife Belief Scale for Muslims, Penn Inventory of Scrupulosity-Revised, and Thought-Action Fusion Scale were used. The study data was analysed using SPSS and PROCESS Macro. Correlation analysis depicted that thought-action fusion and afterlife belief were significantly positively correlated with scrupulosity. Positive afterlife belief had a non-significant correlation with thought-action fusion. Mediation analysis confirmed the mediating role of afterlife belief in the relationship between thought-action fusion and scrupulosity. The present study has significant implications in the clinical and counselling field. The practitioners can consider a person’s afterlife belief system while dealing with the religious manifestations of OCD and scrupulosity; hence they can apply more effective therapeutic interventions according to the mediation model.

Anger in Different Roles according to Islamic Perspective: A Qualitative Inquiry

2025-02-13T06:13:27+00:00

Anger has an existential, as well as destructive value. The personal and social role in which one manifests anger is subject to exploration. Therefore, a qualitative research was conducted to understand anger in different roles according to Islamic guidelines (teachings of Quran and Hadith). For data collection, constructivism research paradigm and criterion sampling were used. A sample of 16 Muslim Scholars who have specialization in Quran and Hadith and adequate work experience of at least 5 years was selected. An interview guide was specifically formulated that majorly questioned the ways in which Islam has reflected on anger. Muslim Scholars have explained questions regarding the guidelines of anger in different predominant personal and social capacities as highlighted in Islam. They have given answers in light of Quranic references, sharing incidents of Prophet (PBUH) and his companions, as well as their experiences in dealing with people having anger issues. Quran and Hadith references were confirmed from original sources to ensure validity and authenticity of the data. Afterwards, thematic analysis was carried out. Results showed that the theme anger in different roles had 3 sub-themes, namely anger in authority, anger in parents’ role and anger in spousal role. The findings concluded that Islam doesn’t prohibit anger but guides that in every role, one needs to keep Allah’s pleasure and His guidelines in mind. The study has important implications in field of Islamic psychology as it would guide people about the appropriate anger in different roles.

Effect of Acne Vulgaris on the Body Image of Adolescents and Young Adults

2025-02-13T06:16:08+00:00

Acne vulgaris is a prevalent skin condition that often impacts individuals' psychological and emotional well-being. This study aimed to investigate the influence of acne severity on the body image of adolescents and young adults. Adolescents and young adult patients who were actively seeking treatment for their acne participated in the study. Through convenience sampling, data was collected in-person from 122 acne patients in Islamabad, encompassing both male and female participants aged between 15-32 years. Utilizing the Body Image Scale and Global Acne Grading System Scale, the findings revealed a significant positive association between the severity of acne vulgaris and body image issues. Participants with severe acne vulgaris reported more issues with body image, thereby suggesting the pervasive impact of acne vulgaris on body image. Women reported significantly higher levels of body image concerns as compared to men. However, there was no significant gender difference in terms of acne severity. These findings underscored the intricate connection between dermatological conditions and psychological health. Moreover, the findings also emphasized the need for holistic approaches of interventions that address both physical and emotional dimensions.

Translation and Validation of the Negative Core Beliefs Inventory (NCBI) in Urdu

2025-02-13T06:11:36+00:00

The recently developed Negative Core Beliefs Inventory (NCBI) aligns with Beck’s theoretical framework on negative core beliefs. It assesses two key dimensions: self-related and other-related negative core beliefs, along with four sub-dimensions specific to self-related beliefs. Despite its widespread utility, the NCBI had not been translated into Urdu. Therefore, this study aimed to translate and validate the NCBI for Urdu-speaking populations. The forward-backward translation approach was employed to obtain a precise and context-specific translation. The factor structure of NCBI Urdu translation was confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) with Amos, based on a sample of 421 young adults (aged 17-25). The CFA results demonstrated acceptable fit indices for subfactors of belief about self and a decent fit for the factor solution of the NCBI translation. Moreover, SEM also demonstrated a significant fit to the first and second-level factors of the NCBI Urdu Translation, showing excellent psychometric properties. The convergent and discriminant validity were determined using a sample of 279 young adults, wherein the NCBI original scale and its Urdu translation were used as concurrent validity measure, while Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) was used as a discriminant validity measure. The results revealed a marked positive correlation between the NCBI and its Urdu translation, in contrast, the NCBI Urdu translation showed a significantly high negative correlation with SWLS. Thus, the NCBI Urdu translation proved to be a valid measure for a non-clinical Pakistani normative sample, although it still needs to be evaluated on a clinical population.

From Hostility to Vulnerability: Twitter's Shifting Discourse on Masculinity and its Implications

2025-02-13T06:12:42+00:00

Toxic masculinity refers to negative attitudes and behaviours including aggression, violence, dominance over other genders and weak, restricted positive emotional expression typically associated with men. It further includes marginalising any other who doesn’t believe or abide by these values. Through triangulating qualitative methods including thematic analysis, sentiment analysis integration and in-depth interview analysis, this study seeks to conceptualise the multifaceted nature of toxic masculinity on Twitter(X). Furthermore, the research explores the harmful influence of toxic masculinity while also highlighting the instances of resistance and the emergence of evolving discussions on masculinity within online communities. Repositioned masculinities and sexualization of women, aggression and intimidation, emotional suppression, and constructing and constricting gendered frontiers emerged as the main themes of the study. Despite the algorithmic bias, social media offers great potential to provide insights towards identifying the issues and possibilities of developing inclusive and safe online spaces. The environments where vulnerability finds acceptance and harmful norms are effectively challenged. Thereby, this research paves the way for further investigation by employing diverse methods and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration to shift the narrative and promote safe spaces. Moreover, it attempts to fully grasp the evolving tapestry of masculinity in the digital age and address its complex manifestations.

Trust, Romantic Love and Marital Satisfaction in Love and Arranged Marriage Couples

2025-02-13T06:15:28+00:00

Marriage represents the union of two individuals shaped by cultural and societal norms. In contemporary times, the prevalence of love marriages has increased, influenced by Western culture, while arranged marriages remain deeply rooted in cultural practices specific to various regions. This study aims to explore the relationship between trust, romantic love and marital satisfaction among couples who married for love and those who whose marriages were arranged. From a correlational research design, the hypothesis asserts that trust, as an independent variable, predicts romantic love and marital satisfaction in both types of marriages. The study included a sample of 261 couples (147 love-marriage and 114 arranged-marriage from Lahore, Pakistan. The data collection utilized trust scale, romantic love scale and marital satisfaction scale, all adapted into Urdu. Statistical analyses included psychometric assessments, Pearson product-moment correlation, regression analysis and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Findings revealed that romantic love was significantly correlated with marital satisfaction among husbands in both types of marriages. For wives, romantic love was seen to have a significant relationship with trust. However, regression analysis indicated that trust did not predict marital satisfaction or romantic love in either group. MANOVA results demonstrated higher levels of trust in love-marriage couples while greater romantic love and marital satisfaction was observed among wives compared to husbands in both marriage types. This research contributes to understanding the dynamics of trust, romantic love and marital satisfaction in different marital frameworks, offering insights for future studies and practical applications in relationship counseling and education.

Attachment Styles, Interpersonal Cognitive Distortions, and Loneliness among Undergraduate University Students in Karachi, Pakistan

2025-02-13T06:17:53+00:00

Attachment styles signify an important aspect in interpersonal cognitive distortions which can influence social relationships and lead towards loneliness. The current study aimed to explore the relationship between attachment styles, interpersonal cognitive distortions, and loneliness among undergraduate university students in Karachi, Pakistan. A sample of 670 undergraduate university students (Male =294, Female =376) within the age range of 18 to 25 years (M=20.81, SD=1.63) completed the survey. Revised Adult Attachment Scale (RAAS), Interpersonal Cognitive Distortion Scale (ICDS), and UCLA Loneliness Scale (Revised Version 3) were used as tools to collect the required data. Afterwards, Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 26) was employed for data analysis. Significant correlations were found among attachment styles, interpersonal cognitive distortions, and loneliness. Furthermore, male students reported to have higher levels of interpersonal misperception (M =9.09, SD = 2.49) as compared to female students. The findings of the current research have implications for developing therapeutic interventions fostering healthy attachment styles to reduce interpersonal cognitive distortions and loneliness for better social integration.