Self-efficacy beliefs in managing positive emotions: Associations with positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction across gender and ages.

Two studies were carried out on a Spanish population to explore the extent to which different self-efficacy beliefs in managing positive emotions are associated with common indicators of wellbeing, such as positive and negative affect or life satisfaction. The first study was conducted on 483 participants and attested to the factorial structure of three different self-efficacy beliefs: (a) perceived self-efficacy in expressing positive emotions; (b) perceived self-efficacy in retrieving memories of positive emotional experiences; and (c) perceived self-efficacy in using humor. The second study was carried out on 1,087 individuals between 19 and 80 years of age, and it provided evidence of the factorial invariance of the scales across age and gender. Furthermore, this latter study showed the association of self-efficacy in managing positive affect (SEMPA) with high chronic positive and low negative affect, and with high life satisfaction, controlling for gender and age. In younger participants, stronger associations were found between perceived self-efficacy in using humor and life satisfaction compared to older subjects. These findings may guide the design of interventions aimed at enhancing the potential benefits that could be drawn from the proper management of positive emotions.

Community profiling focus group: An empowering tool for immigrant community groups.

Community psychology profiling, a complex and lengthy intervention methodology, can play an important role in enhancing social cohesion and integrating immigrants into local communities. In this pilot research intervention, we wanted to investigate if the Community Profiling Focus Group, which is flexible and a less time-consuming methodology could be employed to initiate empowering processes in marginalized community groups such as immigrants. Five focus groups were carried out with different immigrants. Overall our research shows that, though immigrants had deep concerns mostly on work issues and low acceptance of foreigners, participating in the Community Profiling Focus Group enabled them to be more proactive and to identify objectives they could reach jointly to increase their empowerment and integration in their communities.

The Impact Of Dispositional Variables Of Elders, Relatives, And Paid Caregivers On Elders' Empowerment And Life Satisfaction.

Background/Study Context: The impact of dispositional characteristic of elders' closest network members on elders' life satisfaction and empowerment has remained largely unexplored. This innovative study aimed to assess the impact of dispositional variables of elders, relatives, and paid caregivers on life satisfaction and empowerment of elders. METHODS: One hundred forty-three triads (one elder, one paid caregiver, and one relative) completed six scales measuring modifiable personality characteristics (loneliness, optimism, regulation of positive and negative emotions), life satisfaction, and sense of empowerment. RESULTS: Two dispositional variables of relatives (positivity and ability to set goals) and one dispositional variable of care workers (self-satisfaction) were significantly related to life satisfaction of elders. Positivity of elders and the capacity to set objectives of the family members affected empowerment of elders. CONCLUSION: Future interventions aiming to improve life satisfaction and empowerment of elders should focus on these modifiable dispositional variables.

Dispositional characteristics, relational well-being and perceived life satisfaction and empowerment of elders.

OBJECTIVES: The broad purpose of this research is to identify the key modifiable variables most related to elders' life satisfaction and empowerment in order to improve the efficacy of interventions projects. Our study aims to integrate the theoretical perspectives of personality and community psychology focusing both on dispositional characteristics and relational well-being of elders, investigating triads, composed by an elder, a paid caregiver and the most involved relative. This study explores the impact of (1) some socio-demographic characteristics of elders, (2) some modifiable dispositional variables of elders and (3) elders' relational well-being on elders' empowerment and life satisfaction. METHOD: The study involved 429 people in 143 triads. Semi-structured interviews with elders, paid caregiver and close relatives were used to construct a new pilot measure of elders' relational well-being. Life Satisfaction, Empowerment, Loneliness, Positivity, Humor and Emotions self-efficacy scales were also administered. Hierarchical multiple regressions were performed. RESULTS: Elders' positivity, relational well-being of elders and living alone were significantly related to empowerment. Elders' relational well-being and positivity significantly contributed to life satisfaction. DISCUSSION: Interventions to increase empowerment and life satisfaction should focus primarily on augmenting positivity and relational well-being integrating the theoretical premises of both personality and community psychology.

Gender differences in personal values of national and local Italian politicians, activists and voters.

Theorists of politics of presence postulate that women elected to political office would still hold values similar to ordinary women and therefore represent them better than male politicians. Gender differences in personal values, which underline and give coherence to core political values, have been found among voters: males score higher on self-enhancement values (power and achievement) and females higher on self-transcendence values (universalism and benevolence). Our study aims to explore if gender differences in personal values are still present among activists, local and national politicians. We administer a shortened version of the Portrait Values Questionnaire to 233 Italian national politicians (46% females), 425 local politicians (56% females), 626 political activists (44% females), and 3249 ordinary citizens (49% females). Our results confirm only partially politics of presence theory: females at all levels of political involvement score higher in self-transcendent values that emphasise concern for the welfare of others, but no significant gender differences emerge for self-enhancement, which favour the pursuit of self-interest. Our findings support ethical struggles for more balanced gender representation: a higher proportion of women in politics could strengthen the political representation of self-transcendence values.

Learning Innovative Methodologies to Foster Personal, Organizational and Community Empowerment through Online and Face-to-Face Community Psychology Courses / Aprendiendo metodologías innovadoras para fomentar el empoderamiento personal, organizacional y comunitario a través de cursos de psicología comunitaria en línea y cara a cara

This paper aims to illustrate the contextual factors that inspired some Italian community psychologists to develop three innovative intervention methodologies to foster personal, organizational and community empowerment. We also summarize several studies we conducted to explore the comparative efficacy of traditional and more innovative online teaching, in helping community psychology students master the competencies needed to carry out these three different intervention modalities. These studies showed that both face-to-face and online collaborative learning settings were effective not only in promoting students' professional competencies, but also in enhancing their social capital and sociopolitical empowerment. Implications for a wider use of online settings to share community psychology values, principles and practices elaborated in different parts of the world are discussed.

El objetivo de este trabajo es ilustrar los factores contextuales que inspiraron a algunos psicólogos comunitarios italianos a desarrollar tres metodologías de intervención innovadoras que fomentan el empoderamiento personal, organizacional y comunitario. También se resumen varios estudios que llevamos a cabo para explorar la eficacia comparativa entre la enseñanza tradicional y una línea online más innovadora, ayudando de esta manera a estudiantes de psicología comunitaria en el dominio de las competencias requeridas para desarrollar estas tres modalidades diferentes de intervención. Estos estudios demostraron que tanto el aprendizaje cara a cara como el colaborativo online fueron eficaces no solo en la promoción de las competencias profesionales de los estudiantes, sino también en el aumento de su capital social y empo-deramiento sociopolítico. Se discute la aplicación más amplia de configuraciones online para compartir los valores, principios y prácticas de la psicología comunitaria elaboradas en diferentes partes del mundo.

Gender differences in online collaborative learning groups promoting affective education and social capital

This paper reports the results of a study aimed to establish whether the amount and types of conflicts vary in all male, all female and mixed gender groups working in asynchronous collaborative learning online settings. Sixty psychology majors were divided into three groups conducted online by the same teacher. The study show that the levels of participation in the three groups varied in relation to gender composition. Further the results evidenced all female group did have more conflicts then male and mixed groups, but primarily they did not have interpersonal. The female groups´ conflicts seem to be related to goal-oriented process of work.(AU)

Esse artigo apresenta os resultados de um estudo destinado a estabelecer os tipos e a quantidade de conflitos existentes entre homens, mulheres e grupos mistos que atuam de modo assíncrono num modelo de aprendizagem colaborativa online. 60 psicólogos especialistas foram divididos em três grupos de trabalho online orientados pelo mesmo professor. O estudo mostra que os níveis de participação nesses grupos distintos variaram com relação a composição genérica dos mesmos. Além disso, os resultados evidenciaram que todos os grupos femininos revelaram um número muito maior de conflitos em comparação aos formados apenas por homens ou mistos, mas primariamente não apresentaram conflitos interpessoais. Os conflitos dos grupos femininos eram relacionados com a escolha da meta do processo de trabalho.(AU)

Gender differences in online collaborative learning groups promoting affective education and social capital

This paper reports the results of a study aimed to establish whether the amount and types of conflicts vary in all male, all female and mixed gender groups working in asynchronous collaborative learning online settings. Sixty psychology majors were divided into three groups conducted online by the same teacher. The study show that the levels of participation in the three groups varied in relation to gender composition. Further the results evidenced all female group did have more conflicts then male and mixed groups, but primarily they did not have interpersonal. The female groups´ conflicts seem to be related to goal-oriented process of work.

Esse artigo apresenta os resultados de um estudo destinado a estabelecer os tipos e a quantidade de conflitos existentes entre homens, mulheres e grupos mistos que atuam de modo assíncrono num modelo de aprendizagem colaborativa online. 60 psicólogos especialistas foram divididos em três grupos de trabalho online orientados pelo mesmo professor. O estudo mostra que os níveis de participação nesses grupos distintos variaram com relação a composição genérica dos mesmos. Além disso, os resultados evidenciaram que todos os grupos femininos revelaram um número muito maior de conflitos em comparação aos formados apenas por homens ou mistos, mas primariamente não apresentaram conflitos interpessoais. Os conflitos dos grupos femininos eram relacionados com a escolha da meta do processo de trabalho.