Elaine Duncan

Time Perspective and Correlates of Wellbeing

This study investigated correlates of five time perspectives (TPs) and the Balanced Time Perspective (BTP) construct proposed by Zimbardo and colleagues. Two hundred and sixty Scottish participants completed the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI: Zimbardo and Boyd, 1999), Subjective Happiness Scale (Lyubomirsky and Lepper, 1999) and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (Brown and Ryan, 2003). The most prevalent TP profile was moderate to high scores on all five TPs of the ZTPI. BTP participants were significantly happier and more mindful. Happiness and mindfulness were positively correlated but a future TP did not correlate with subjective happiness.

The experience of emotions in everyday life

Abstract A total of 47 employed adults were asked to record, in structured diaries, details of four episodes of emotion from the set that we regard as basic (happiness, sadness, anger, fear, disgust) and also to note occurrences of other emotions not in this set. Subjects experienced an average of about one episode of consciously recognised emotion a day, and in rating intensities they said that 11% of episodes were as intense as they could imagine. Anger was the most frequent of the basic emotions, and disgust the least frequent. There were no significant differences in rates or intensities of basic emotions as a function of gender. We predicted 69% of these emotions correctly from the goal-relevant events that elicited them: happiness was typically caused by achievements, sadness by losses, anger by frustration, and fear by threat, but the causation of disgust was more difficult to identify. In 31% of episodes pairs of basic emotions occurred in mixtures. Positive emotions tended to help plans, while ne...

The Effects of Guided Written Disclosure on Psychological Symptoms Among Parents of Children With Cancer

This study examines whether structured writing about receiving a diagnosis and treatment for pediatric cancer reduces distress among highly distressed parents of children with cancer (PCWC). Eight PCWC completed measures of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and depressive symptoms at two baselines, and again after writing, with 1-month gaps between assessments. Using a guided disclosure protocol (GDP), parents were asked to write about receiving the diagnosis first in a chronological manner, then to explicitly label their emotions at the time of diagnosis and explain the impact of the childs illness on their life. Finally, they were asked to reflect on current feelings, future coping ability, and personal growth. Although symptoms of distress did not change between baselines, significant reductions were found in PTSS from the first baseline to postwriting, but not in depression. This preliminary study suggests that the GDP may reduce PTSS in distressed PCWC.

Can written disclosure reduce psychological distress and increase objectively measured injury mobility of student-athletes? A randomized controlled trial

Injured students-athletes took part in a randomized controlled trial to test whether written disclosure could reduce psychological distress and improve injury mobility. Writing took place alongside prescribed physical rehabilitation and consisted of three 20-minute writing sessions, once a week for three consecutive weeks. Participants in the experimental injury-writing group followed a structured form of written disclosure, called the guided disclosure protocol (GDP). They firstly, wrote about the onset of their injury in a chronological manner, secondly, they explicitly labelled their emotions and described the impact of the injury, finally they wrote about future coping and psychological growth. Controls wrote about nonemotional and noninjury related topics. In addition to self-report measures, a physiotherapist, blind to experimental condition, assessed mobility at the injury site. Although self-report indices remained unchanged, the GDP group evidenced a significant improvement in injury mobility compared to controls.

Objective assessment of intensity categorization of the previous day physical activity recall questionnaire in 11–13 year old children

The Previous Day Physical Activity Recall (PDPAR) self-report questionnaire asks children to categories their time in 30 min blocks under activity codes and activity intensity (ActInt). Text and visual descriptors of ActInt are used which include posture and stepping intensity. This study aimed to objectively examine postures and stepping activity associated with PDPAR ActInt. Forty-three (19M/24F) 11-13 year children completed the PDPAR and wore a physical activity monitor (8 d). Within 30 min blocks the % sitting/lying, standing and stepping, steps, cadence and sit-to-stand transitions (STS) were examined by PDPAR ActInt across and within all activity codes. Data (14 083 30 min blocks) showed from light to moderate ActInt lower sedentary time, higher standing and stepping time, steps, sit-to-stand transitions and cadence (all P < 0.001). Between moderate and hard ActInt, time sedentary was lower and time stepping, steps and STS higher (all P < 0.005). No significant differences between hard and very hard. There was a wide variation of activity levels between activity codes within ActInt. ActInt within the PDPAR was not used consistently between activity codes. However, over all codes children demonstrated that they could distinguish between light and moderate and in some objective measures between moderate and hard, but not between hard and very hard ActInt.

The prevalence of upright non-stepping time in comparison to stepping time in 11–13 year old school children across seasons

Evidence suggests that behaviours such as standing are beneficial for our health. Unfortunately, little is known of the prevalence of this state, its importance in relation to time spent stepping or variation across seasons. The aim of this study was to quantify, in young adolescents, the prevalence and seasonal changes in time spent upright and not stepping (UNSt(time)) as well as time spent upright and stepping (USt(time)), and their contribution to overall upright time (U(time)). Thirty-three adolescents (12.2 ± 0.3 y) wore the activPAL activity monitor during four school days on two occasions: November/December (winter) and May/June (summer). UNSt(time) contributed 60% of daily U(time) at winter (Mean = 196 min) and 53% at summer (Mean = 171 min); a significant seasonal effect, p < 0.001. USt(time) was significantly greater in summer compared to winter (153 min versus 131 min, p < 0.001). The effects in UNSt(time) could be explained through significant seasonal differences during the school hours (09:00-16:00), whereas the effects in USt(time) could be explained through significant seasonal differences in the evening period (16:00-22:00). Adolescents spent a greater amount of time upright and not stepping than they did stepping, in both winter and summer. The observed seasonal effects for both UNSt(time) and USt(time) provide important information for behaviour change intervention programs.

Diary keeping and well-being.

In a pilot study, 177 female students completed a diary-keeping survey and measures of well-being. Diary keepers reported lower well-being than non-diary keepers.