Vaccine hesitancy and post-vaccination adherence to safety measures: A mixed-method study.

Background: Despite being recognized as one of the most successful public health measures, vaccination is still considered to be unnecessary and unreliable in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study utilized a two-pronged approach in analyzing vaccine hesitancy and health behaviors after vaccination by employing a mixed-method design. Phase 1 was aimed at identifying predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and acceptance among the Pakistani population using protection motivation theory (PMT), whereas Phase 2 was aimed at exploring the factors related to the vaccination of COVID-19. Method: A convenient sample of 1,736 individuals from the vaccine-eligible population (12 years and above) was selected to collect data on vaccine hesitancy and acceptance (Phase 1). Phase 2 of the study explored post-vaccination health behaviors, especially adherence to safety measures for COVID-19, through 23 in-depth interviews with the vaccinated population. Results: Multiple regression analyses showed that response cost is a major predictor of vaccine hesitancy (in Phase 1). In terms of the role of demographic variables, the results showed that being male (for severity: B = -0.481; threat appraisal: B = -0.737), old age (B = -0.044), not vaccinated, and not infected with COVID-19 (themselves and family members) are strongly associated with vaccination hesitancy. Results of thematic analysis in Phase 2 revealed that perceived individual experience and insensitivity toward the severity of the disease are strongly associated with a lack of adherence to safety measures of COVID-19. Faith and religious beliefs and reliance on traditional remedies are also key predictors of people's general non-compliance to health behaviors. One interesting aspect that was revealed in the analysis was the general financially and socially destabilized situation in the context of developing countries that contributed to general apathy in the pandemic situation. Conclusion: The findings of the current study may help in devising a health model for the public from the developing world to deal with future pandemic situations.

Mediating Role of Psychological Maladjustment in Relation Between Dark Triad, Psychological Distress and Subjective Happiness of Pakistani Emerging Adults.

The transition from adolescence to adulthood is fraught with challenges that might have impacts on later life and personality development. Earlier research investigated Dark Triad traits in connection to emotional problems. The current study, on the other hand, focused on investigating the mediating role of psychological maladjustment in the relation of Dark Triad traits, psychological distress, and subjective happiness in emerging adults. A sample of 546 participants aged 18-25 years (M = 21.2 years) from Pakistan have participated to complete an online survey. Standardized assessment tools were used to measure the targeted variables. Results indicated that Machiavellianism and psychopathy were positively associated with psychological distress, whereas narcissism appeared to be a non-significant predictor. Subjective happiness was positively associated with Machiavellianism and negatively associated with psychopathy. In addition, mediation analysis through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) indicated that the Dark Triad traits (Machiavellianism and psychopathology), psychological distress, and subjective wellbeing were explained by psychological maladjustment. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Children's social emotional competence in Pakistan and Sweden: Factor structure and measurement invariance of the Social Competence Scale (teacher edition).

Introduction: Social emotional competence is fundamental to the positive development of children and youth. Accurately understanding and assessing children's social emotional competencies, using psychometrically sound instruments, are essential to global efforts to support children's social emotional learning, academic achievements, and health. This study examined the psychometric properties of a teacher-reported measure of young children's social emotional competence, the Social Competence Scale - Teacher edition (SCS-T), in two samples of children growing up with varied economic resources/conditions, cultural norms, and educational experiences, namely Pakistan (N = 396) and Sweden (N = 309). Methods: Participants were aged 4-6 years old. The study design was cross-sectional. Results and Discussion: Using structural equation modelling, bi-factor confirmatory factor analysis models implying shared variance, among all items and domain-specific shared variance, among the prosocial items, emotion regulation items, and academic skills items resulted in good fitting models in each respective sample. Invariance testing across samples revealed a subset of items from each factor structure with partial scalar invariance, whereby five items had equal thresholds and could be comparable across the two samples. Thus, results provided partial support for hypotheses 1, 2, and 3, in that the posited three factor model (H1) was not clearly supported and a bi-factor model evidenced the best fit, among tested models, for both samples. Further, partial scalar invariance (H3) was found for five items out of 25 items, concerning social competence and academic skills. In regards, to the posited research question, the results of Z-tests showed significant (p < 0.001) latent mean differences between the samples. Compared to the Swedish sample, the Pakistani sample was 1.80 units lower on social competence (z = -6.41, p < 0.001) and 1.86 units lower on academic skills (z = -7.87, p < 0.001). The implications of these findings in light of efforts to promote positive child development in diverse parts of the world are considered.

Emotional Intelligence: Emotional Expression and Emotional Regulation for Intrinsic and Extrinsic Emotional Satisfaction.

Purpose: Theorists have constructed emotional intelligence differently, based on which the literature reveals different diversified scales to measure emotional intelligence. These scales are quite lengthy to respond and have been criticized for producing varying results. The current paper projects the findings of 3 consecutive studies carried out to summarize and simplify the existing models of emotional intelligence and to produce a brief measure in this regard. Methods: Based on the review of the earlier models of emotional intelligence, emotional intelligence was comprehended as an "ability to express and regulate emotions for intrinsic and extrinsic emotional satisfaction". "Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS)", comprising 12 items in English, was developed and validated through principal component analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis through a series of 3 consecutive studies which involved 1894 participants from Pakistan. The validity of EIS was tested step by step for its face, content, factorial, convergent, and discriminant validity. The reliability was measured through internal consistency and item-total and item-scale correlations. Results: EIS was revealed to be a valid and reliable scale to measure emotional intelligence through 4 core factors, ie, emotional expression, emotional regulation, intrinsic emotional satisfaction, and extrinsic emotional satisfaction. The additional findings revealed significantly higher levels of emotional intelligence among men as compared to women; significantly positive correlation of emotional intelligence with social intelligence, positive emotional effects, age, and education; and a significantly inverse correlation between emotional intelligence and the negative emotional effects. Conclusion: The current paper reported the development and validation of a new scale on emotional intelligence by comprehending and summarizing the earlier models of emotional intelligence.

Estimates and demographic correlates of hoarding disorder in non-clinical sample in Pakistan.

Objective: To establish sample estimates of hoarding behaviour with demographic correlates in a non-clinical sample. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted in Islamabad, Pakistan, from February to April, 2018, and comprised data collected from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi after approval from the COMSATS University, Islamabad. Data was collected using a self-developed demographic sheet, along with the hoarding rating scale. Data was analysed using SPSS, Version 20. RESULTS: Of the 375 subjects, 118(31.5%) were males and 257(68.5%) were females. The overall mean age was 42.25±13.007 years. Mean hoarding rating scale score was 8.34±6.69, with 76(20.3%) subjects falling in the clinical range of hoarding tendencies. There was a significant difference in the scores for Early Adulthood, Middle Adulthood and Late Adulthood (p<0.001). Gender comparison revealed significant difference (p<0.001). A significant positive correlation between hoarding and age was found (p<0.01) whereas a negative correlation was found between hoarding and monthly household income (p<0.01). Conclusion: Hoarding tendencies were found to be in the clinical range for one-fifth of the sample.

A hemispheric comparison of cognitive dysfunction and sleep quality impairment in Middle Cerebral Artery infarction.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the severity of cognitive dysfunction and sleep quality impairment in patients with middle cerebral artery (MCA) strokes across the left and right hemisphere. Moreover, it also study gender differences with respect to MCA strokes. METHODS: The study was conducted from February 2019 - May 2019 at COMSATS University, Islamabad. A total sample size of N=55 middle cerebral artery ischemic infarct patients was selected with N=29 left middle cerebral artery ischemic infarct patients and N=26 right middle cerebral artery ischemic infarct patients. The sample was assessed on The Neurocognitive Assessment Battery for stroke patients (N-CABS) & The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index-Urdu (PSQI-U). RESULTS: The mean age of the sample was 50.96 years. There was a significant difference among scores of cognitive dysfunction between Left MCA (M=47.28, SD=12.87) and Right MCA stroke patients (M=29.7, S=21.41), t (53) =-6.80, p<0.001. Similarly, there was significant difference among scores of sleep disturbance between Left MCA (M=6.90, SD=2.93) and Right MCA (M=10.35, SD=3.97), t (53) =-3.68, p<0.001. Gender comparisons reveal that there is no significant difference between males and females for both, cognitive dysfunction and sleep quality impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive dysfunction and sleep quality impairment due to MCA strokes is significant between left and right hemispheres respectively, regardless of gender, assessed with N-CABS and PSQI-U. Further studies are required to analyse other demographic correlates related to MCA strokes.

Accuracy of consensual stereotypes in moral foundations: A gender analysis.

The current study explored the accuracy of consensual moral stereotypes that women and men hold about each other, as well as whether the gender differences in morality found in previous literature replicate on a sample of Pakistani individuals. A sample of 300 was used with an equal number of men and women. Data from 50 of the respondents was collected online, whereas the rest was collected in person from universities. The 30-item Moral Foundations Questionnaire (MFQ30) was used as a measure of five Moral Foundations, which are the basic elements of moral psychology as posited by Moral Foundations Theory. Men and women answered the questionnaire for themselves and then a second time, according to their perception of how a typical member of the other gender would respond which gave a measure of their stereotype. Comparison of actual scores of men and women revealed a statistically significant difference where women scored higher than men on the Harm foundation (p = 0.001). All other foundations, except for the Authority foundation showed the same pattern of differences as the previous literature, although they did not reach statistical significance. Stereotypes about men held by women were inaccurate underestimations on the Harm and Fairness foundations. The stereotype about women, held by men, was accurate on the Fairness foundation and inaccurate on the Authority foundation in the direction of underestimation. This research serves to further the study of Moral Foundations Theory as well as exploring the reasons behind the inaccurate moral stereotypes that men and women hold about each other, and actual gender differences in morality.

Cultural adaptation of preschool PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) curriculum for Pakistani children.

Cultural adaptation of evidence-based programmes has gained importance primarily owing to its perceived impact on the established effectiveness of a programme. To date, many researchers have proposed different frameworks for systematic adaptation process. This article presents the cultural adaptation of preschool Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) curriculum for Pakistani children using the heuristic framework of adaptation (Barrera & Castro, 2006). The study was completed in four steps: information gathering, preliminary adaptation design, preliminary adaptation test and adaptation refinement. Feedbacks on programme content suggested universality of the core programme components. Suggested changes were mostly surface structure: language, presentation of materials, conceptual equivalence of concepts, training needs of implementation staff and frequency of programme delivery. In-depth analysis was done to acquire cultural equivalence. Pilot testing of the outcome measures showed strong internal consistency. The results were further discussed with reference to similar work undertaken in other cultures.