Prenatal bonds among Polish expectant couples: a brief version of the parental antenatal attachment scales.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the psychometric properties of the Maternal and Paternal Attachment Scales (MAAS/PAAS) in a Polish sample of expectant couples. BACKGROUND: A parental prenatal bond is important for the psychological and health outcomes of children and parents. The MAAS/PAAS is one of the well-established measures for parental prenatal bonding. However, there is a lack of Polish investigations of the factor structure and construct validity of these scales. METHODS: The sample consisted of 341 Polish expectant couples who were surveyed about their prenatal bond, closeness with their unborn child, relationship satisfaction, and gender-role attitudes towards parenthood. The reliability and construct validity of the MAAS/PAAS were evaluated. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and a Principal Axis Factoring (PAF) were conducted. RESULTS: The obtained results did not confirm the original factor structures of the MAAS/PAAS. However, in the proposed  single 11-item version for the MAAS/PAAS, two factors equivalent to the original structure were extracted. The scale reliability for the brief MAAS/PAAS version was good. The construct validity was confirmed. CONCLUSION: The single Polish brief version for the MAAS/PAAS is a reliable and valid measure to use in Polish context. The obtained results support the importance of couple functioning for the MAAS/PAAS.

Closeness with a partner and parental bond with a child during the transition to parenthood.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the dyadic interdependence of the relationships between partners' perception of closeness with one another and their pre- and postnatal bonds with a child. RESEARCH DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 213 first-time expectant couples participated in the study both during pregnancy (1st stage) and after the child's birth (2nd stage). MEASUREMENTS: The participants completed the following measures: the one-item pictorial Inclusion of Other into the Self (IOS) scale and the brief maternal and paternal versions of the Antenatal Attachment Scales (MAAS/PAAS, respectively) and Postnatal Attachment Scales (MPAS/PPAS, respectively). FINDINGS: The Actor-Partner Interdependence Models (APIM) for distinguishable dyads were performed and revealed the positive effect of parents' perceptions of closeness with their partners regarding both their own and their partners' bond with their child during pregnancy. However, after the child's birth, for both mothers and fathers, only their own perception of closeness with their partners was associated with their bond with their child. Moreover, only the actor effects of bonding with a child during pregnancy as well as the change in perception of closeness with a partner on the partner's bond with their child after birth were found (no partner effect). KEY CONCLUSIONS: Couple attributes during the transition to parenthood should be emphasized to promote the development of parental pre- and postnatal bonds.

Distance learning in higher education during COVID-19: The role of basic psychological needs and intrinsic motivation for persistence and procrastination-a multi-country study.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, higher educational institutions worldwide switched to emergency distance learning in early 2020. The less structured environment of distance learning forced students to regulate their learning and motivation more independently. According to self-determination theory (SDT), satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence and social relatedness affects intrinsic motivation, which in turn relates to more active or passive learning behavior. As the social context plays a major role for basic need satisfaction, distance learning may impair basic need satisfaction and thus intrinsic motivation and learning behavior. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between basic need satisfaction and procrastination and persistence in the context of emergency distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in a cross-sectional study. We also investigated the mediating role of intrinsic motivation in this relationship. Furthermore, to test the universal importance of SDT for intrinsic motivation and learning behavior under these circumstances in different countries, we collected data in Europe, Asia and North America. A total of N = 15,462 participants from Albania, Austria, China, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Kosovo, Lithuania, Poland, Malta, North Macedonia, Romania, Sweden, and the US answered questions regarding perceived competence, autonomy, social relatedness, intrinsic motivation, procrastination, persistence, and sociodemographic background. Our results support SDT's claim of universality regarding the relation between basic psychological need fulfilment, intrinsic motivation, procrastination, and persistence. However, whereas perceived competence had the highest direct effect on procrastination and persistence, social relatedness was mainly influential via intrinsic motivation.

Adolescent well-being and learning in times of COVID-19-A multi-country study of basic psychological need satisfaction, learning behavior, and the mediating roles of positive emotion and intrinsic motivation.

The sudden switch to distance education to contain the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally altered adolescents' lives around the globe. The present research aims to identify psychological characteristics that relate to adolescents' well-being in terms of positive emotion and intrinsic learning motivation, and key characteristics of their learning behavior in a situation of unplanned, involuntary distance education. Following Self-Determination Theory, experienced competence, autonomy, and relatedness were assumed to relate to active learning behavior (i.e., engagement and persistence), and negatively relate to passive learning behavior (i.e., procrastination), mediated via positive emotion and intrinsic learning motivation. Data were collected via online questionnaires in altogether eight countries from Europe, Asia, and North America (N = 25,305) and comparable results across countries were expected. Experienced competence was consistently found to relate to positive emotion and intrinsic learning motivation, and, in turn, active learning behavior in terms of engagement and persistence. The study results further highlight the role of perceived relatedness for positive emotion. The high proportions of explained variance speak in favor of taking these central results into account when designing distance education in times of COVID-19.

Personality traits, dieting self-efficacy and health behaviors in emerging adult women: implications for health promotion and education.

Background: The purpose of this study was to explore the associations between personality traits and dieting self-efficacy as well as health behaviors among emerging adult women. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the sample consisted of 161 participants in age from 19 to 25 years, who were administered the NEO-Five-Factor Inventory, the Health BehaviorsInventory (HBI), and the Dieting Self-Efficacy Scale (DIET-SE). Results: Our findings indicated that personality traits explained both health behaviors and dieting self-efficacy (F = 6.21, df = 5,155, P<0.001, F = 6.42, df = 5,155, P<0.001, respectively).Neuroticism (B = -0.45, P<0.01) and agreeableness (B = 0.39, P<0.01) were investigated as significant predictors of females' health behaviors, whereas extraversion (B = -0.40, P<0.001),agreeableness (B = 0.20, P<0.05), and conscientiousness (B = 0.33, P<0.01) were related to dieting self-efficacy. In addition, the results suggested the mediational effect of dieting self efficacy in the relationship between personality traits (i.e., consciousness and agreeableness)and general health behaviors. Conclusion: The role of personality traits for dieting self-efficacy as well as physical health among emerging adult women was confirmed. As dieting self-efficacy turned out to be a mediation factor, the findings may be used in psychoeducation for patients.

Parents' personality and maternal experiences in childcare as predictors of postpartum depression in couples in transition to parenthood. / Osobowosc rodziców i doswiadczenia matek w opiece nad dzieckiem jako predyktory depresji poporodowej u par w okresie przejscia do rodzicielstwa.

OBJECTIVES: Analysis of interrelationships between the five global personality dimensions of both parents and mothers' experiences regarding feeding the baby/childcare, as well as determining their role as predictors of postpartum depression. METHODS: 223 first-time expectant couples participated in the study (I stage), and 143 couples from this group were examined about five months after the childbirth (II stage). The following questionnaires were used:the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Mother and Baby Scale (MBAS). RESULTS: EPDS scores were interrelated in couples. Both parents' Neuroticism measured before the childbirth was associated with higher levels of self-assessed and partner's postpartum depression. Mothers'Neuroticism negatively correlated with global confidence regarding childcare and the child's positive alertness during feeding (which was also associated with a higher female Extraversion). Maternal global confidence in childcare negatively correlated with postpartum depression in both partners. Perceived child's alertness and mother's global confidence significantly mediated the relationship between mothers' Neuroticism (and their Extraversion in the case of child's alertness), and theEPDS scorein women. Partners' similarity in Neuroticism was associated with worse functioning of mothers (higher EPDS scores, lack of confidence), whereas similarity in Openness to experience negatively correlated with fathers' EPDS score, and positively with mothers' global confidence. CONCLUSIONS: Complex associations between postpartum depression scores and personality dimensions of men and women, and mother's experiences indicate the need to include fathers and couples in studies. Offering the possibility to meet with lactation consultants might be an essential element of support system for new parents.