Association between impulsivity and cognitive capacity decrease is mediated by smartphone addiction, academic procrastination, bedtime procrastination, sleep insufficiency and daytime fatigue among medical students: a path analysis.

BACKGROUND: Medical students are at high risk for sleep disturbance. One possible cause of their sleeping problem is impulsivity. We aim to investigate the possible mediators between medical students' impulsivity and sleep outcomes. Thus, we developed and investigated a model where the predictors were attentional, non-planning, and motor impulsivity subtraits. In the final model, subjective cognitive capacity decrease was the outcome variable. In light of previous findings, academic procrastination, smartphone addiction, and bedtime procrastination were considered important mediators as well as two variables of poor sleep, sleeping insufficiency, and daytime fatigue. METHODS: Medical students (N = 211; ageM = 22.15 years; ageSD = 3.47 years; 71.6% women) were recruited to complete an online survey comprised of demographics (age, gender), self-administered scales (Abbreviated Impulsiveness Scale, Bedtime Procrastination Scale, Abbreviated Impulsiveness Scale, Academic Procrastination Scale-Short Form) and questions on tiredness, daily fatigue and subjective cognitive capacity decrease. Correlation and path analyses were implemented to examine hypothesized relationships between the variables. RESULTS: Both attentional impulsivity (ß = 0.33, p < .001) and non-planning impulsivity (ß = -0.19, p < .01) had a direct relationship with cognitive capacity decrease. Attentional impulsivity was also associated with decreased cognitive capacity with a serial mediation effect via smartphone addiction, academic procrastination, bedtime procrastination, sleep insufficiency and fatigue (estimate = 0.017, p < .01). The indirect link between non-planning impulsivity and cognitive capacity decrease was mediated by academic procrastination, bedtime procrastination, sleep insufficiency and fatigue (estimate = 0.011, p < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Inability to stay focused and plan tasks effectively (directly and indirectly) predicts poor sleep outcomes. This relationship is mediated by excessive smartphone use, academic procrastination, and bedtime procrastination. Our findings are relevant in light of self-regulatory learning, which is crucial in medical education. This is a recursive cycle of planning, emotion regulation, proper strategy selection and self-monitoring. Future interventions addressing attentional and non-planning impulsivity, problematic smartphone use, academic procrastination, and in turn, bedtime procrastination might make this routine more effective. In the conclusion section, practical implications of the results are discussed.

How to Avoid Lower Priority for Smoking Cessation Support Content on Facebook: An Analysis of Engagement Bait.

Facebook demotes "engagement bait" content that makes people interact. As a result of this sanctioning, public health content can reach fewer Facebook users. This study aims to determine the negative effect of engagement bait and find alternative techniques. In a three-year period, 791 smoking cessation support content was included (n = 791). The Facebook posts were classified into "engagement bait", "alternative techniques" and control groups. Facebook metrics were compared between the study and control groups. The reach of Facebook page fans was significantly lower in the engagement bait group compared to the control group. On the other hand, the alternative techniques had a significantly lower rate of negative Facebook interactions, as well as significantly higher click rates compared to the control group. This is the first study to reveal the sanctioning of engagement bait on smoking cessation support Facebook posts. "Engagement bait" content has a lower ranking on the Facebook Fans' Newsfeed page. Nevertheless, alternative techniques can circumvent the restrictions on engagement bait. At the same time, alternative techniques can stimulate the click rate and inhibit the rate of negative interactions.

Validation of pandemic-specific version of the Perceived Stress Scale / Az Észlelt Stressz Kérdoív járványspecifikus verziójának validálása.

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: Egyre több adat bizonyítja, hogy a COVID-19-járvány hatással van a pszichés egészségre, beleértve a megnövekedett észlelt stresszt is. Célkituzés: Az Észlelt Stressz Kérdoív 10 tételes, járványspecifikus verziójának (PSS-PAN) megalkotása, validitásának és megbízhatóságának tesztelése. Módszer: A skála faktorstruktúráját, konvergens és divergens validitását teszteltük egy internetes vizsgálat során (n = 1164; átlagéletkor: 38,57 év; szórás: 6,27 év; 84,2% no). Eredmények: Igazoltuk a PSS-PAN egykomponensu szerkezetét. A kérdoív továbbá szignifikánsan korrelált a rövidített Beck Depresszió Kérdoív (r = 0,41; n = 1164; p<0,001), a 4 tételes Észlelt Stressz Kérdoív (r = 0,46; n = 1164; p<0,001) és az Élettel Való Elégedettség Skála pontszámaival (r = -0,29; n = 1164; p<0,001). A nok esetében a PSS-PAN átlaga szignifikánsan magasabb volt, mint a férfiaknál (t(1162) = -7,135; p<0,001), de ez a hatásnagyság nagyon csekély volt (Cohen-féle d = 0,06). A PSS-PAN átlagpontszáma szignifikánsan nem különbözött a legmagasabb iskolai végzettség kategóriái mentén (F(6;1157) = 2,035; p = 0,06; η2 = 0,01). Az alsó középosztályba tartozó résztvevok átlagpontszáma szignifikánsan magasabb volt, mint a középosztályba tartozó kitöltoké a post hoc elemzés alapján (F(4;1159) = 3,461; p = 0,01; η2 = 0,01). A skála pontszáma nem korrelált szignifikánsan az életkorral (r = -0,04; n = 1164; p = 0,13). A Cronbach-alfa 0,89 volt, vagyis a kérdoív belso megbízhatósága kiváló. Megbeszélés: A skála egykomponensu struktúrát mutatott. A többi skálával való közepesen eros és gyenge korrelációja a skála validitását igazolta, és azt, hogy a járványhoz kapcsolódó észlelt stressz külön indikátora. Pontszámát nem vagy nem erosen befolyásolta a nem, a kor, az iskolázottság vagy a szocioökonómiai státusz. Következtetés: A PSS-PAN a járványokhoz kötodo stressz mérésének megfelelo eszköze. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(35): 1391-1396. INTRODUCTION: A growing amount of evidence indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic influences mental health, including an increased level of perceived stress. OBJECTIVE: To develop and psychometrically investigate a pandemic-specific version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-PAN) that measures stress related to the pandemic. METHOD: Factor structure as well as convergent and divergent validity of the 10-item PSS-PAN were examined on the data set of an online survey (n = 1164; mean age: 38.57 years; standard deviation: 6.27 years; 84.2% women). RESULTS: A one-factor structure for the PSS-PAN was confirmed. The scale correlated significantly with scores on the Shortened Beck Depression Inventory (r = 0.41; n = 1164; p<0.001), the 4-item Perceived Stress Scale (r = 0.46; n = 1164; p<0.001), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (r = -0.29; n = 1164; p<0.001). Women's PSS-PAN scores were significantly higher than men's (t(1162) = -7.135; p<0.001) but this difference was trivial (Cohen's d = 0.06). Further, scale scores did not differ significantly across educational attainment (F(6;1157) = 2.035; p = 0.06; η2 = 0.01). Lower middle class participants' mean scores were significantly higher than those of middle-class respondents according to the post hoc test (F(4;1159) = 3.461; p = 0.01; η2 = 0.01). PSS-PAN scores did not correlate significantly with age (r = -0.04; n = 1164; p = 0.13). Cronbach's alpha was 0.89 indicating excellent internal consistency. DISCUSSION: The PSS-PAN has a single-component structure. Moderately strong and weak correlations with other scales support its convergent and divergent validity and indicate that it is a distinct indicator of pandemic-related perceived stress. Its total score was not or not strongly associated with gender, age, education level, or socioeconomic status. CONCLUSION: The PSS-PAN is a proper instrument to measure pandemic-specific perceived stress. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(35): 1391-1396.

Cognitive Functioning and Psychological Well-being in Breast Cancer Patients on Endocrine Therapy.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Anti-cancer therapies may deteriorate cognitive functioning, affective functioning and psychological well-being. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective longitudinal pilot study, premenopausal and postmenopausal patients received adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) (tamoxifen with or without LHRH analog or aromatase inhibitor) or were observed only (control group). At baseline testing and 6, 12 and 24 months thereafter, cognitive, depression and anxiety tests and quality of life (QOL) measurements were performed. RESULTS: Overall, 46 cases were evaluated. None of the studied cognitive parameters differed between the subgroups or changed by time. No differences were found regarding anxiety, depression or QOL measures either. Baseline cognitive test and QOL results were in association with later anxiety and depression. CONCLUSION: No cognitive impairment was found during the two years of ET. Baseline cognitive scores and QOL dimensions proved good predictors of later anxiety and depression.

[Health behavior change: motivational interviewing]. / Magatartás-változtatás az egészségügyben: a motivációs interjú.

Public health data show that early mortality in Hungary could be prevented by smoking cessation, reduced alcohol consumption, regular exercise, healthy diet and increased adherence. Doctor-patient encounters often highlight these aspects of health behavior. There is evidence that health behavior change is driven by internal motivation rather than external influence. This finding has led to the concept of motivational interview, which is a person-centered, goal-oriented approach to counselling. The doctor asks targeted questions to elicit the patient's motivations, strengths, internal resources, and to focus the interview around these. The quality and quantity of the patient's change talk is related to better outcomes. In addition, the interview allows the patient to express ambivalent feelings and doubts about the change. The doctor should use various communication strategies to resolve this ambivalence. Furthermore, establishing a good doctor-patient relationship is the cornerstone of the motivational interview. An optimal relationship can evoke change talk and reduce the patient's resistance, which can also result in a better outcome. The goal of the motivational interview is to focus on the 'why' to change health behavior rather than the 'how', and to utilize internal motivation instead of persuasion. This is the reason why motivational interview has become a widely-accepted evidence based approach. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(34): 1331-1337.

[Psychophysiologic and clinical aspects of EEG synchronization related to cognitive processes]. / A kognitív folyamatokkal osszefuggo EEG-szinkronizáció pszichofiziológiai es klinikai vonatkozásai.

The authors review the various forms of EEG-synchronization with special emphasis on the characteristics of the induced and enhanced rhythms. The suggested role of the various EEG frequency bands in the cognitive processes is demonstrated by examples from the literature. The relationship between linear and nonlinear electrophysiological complexity and EEG synchronization is analyzed, with a touch on the use of Omega-complexity and synchronization likelihood methods. In the present study the EEG recorded during adding and subtracting tasks was analyzed with the above methods. It was found that during the adding task the theta band increased in the frontal area, which may be related to activation of working memory processes. Mapping the scalp-distribution of synchronization likelihood also confirmed increased synchronization in the frontal area in addition to which increased values were found in the left temporo-parietal area. The analysis of linear and nonlinear EEG synchronization associated with cognitive processing is suitable to explore the task-related and region specific features of these events.