Eugene Y. Chan

A randomised controlled trial of a group intervention to reduce engulfment and self-stigmatisation in first episode schizophrenia

Abstract Young people coping with first episode schizophrenia may be predisposed to illness engulfment whereby the illness entirely defines self-concept. They require psychosocial intervention to preserve an identity distinct from illness, promote hopefulness, and minimise the impact of stigma, enabling them to embrace a healthy sense of self and an optimistic future. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a group intervention designed to promote healthy self-concepts by reducing self-stigmatisation and engulfment among young adults recovering from first episode schizophrenia. Participants at two first episode psychosis clinics, one in Toronto and one in Ottawa, were assigned to one of two groups: intervention plus treatment as usual, or a control with only treatment as usual. A repeated measures analysis revealed that immediately post-intervention, the treatment group significantly improved on engulfment, hope, and quality of life measures compared with the control. No improvement was observed in self-concept, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and stigma. Intervening early in the course of the illness to address engulfment and self-stigmatisation may enable young people to acquire positive attitudes toward themselves and the future. Future longitudinal data are needed to determine whether this intervention will prevent the development of chronicity and demoralisation over time.

Mindfulness promotes sustainable tourism: the case of Uluru

ABSTRACT Mindfulness refers to the state of being aware, taking note of what is going on within oneself, without any judgment. Mindfulness has been shown to affect decision-making, empathy, and sustainability in non-tourism contexts. We conducted an experiment to see if mindfulness can promote sustainable behaviours in a tourism context. After listening to a mindfulness-inducing audio track, participants expressed a lower preference for a group tour to Uluru, NT, Australia, that prominently featured climbing the sandstone formation as part of the package. Process data suggested that being mindful made participants more aware of the environmental and cultural consequences of their decisions. Our findings contribute to the growing literature on the many positive impacts of mindfulness on individual and social well-being – this time within a tourism context in which both mindfulness and sustainability are showing important applications as well as consequences.

Jerkies, tacos, and burgers: Subjective socioeconomic status and meat preference

In mankinds evolutionary past, those who consumed meat were strong and powerful and thus man saw meat as indicative of social status. This symbolic connection between meat and status persists today. Thus, based upon psychological theories of compensation, individuals low on subjective socioeconomic status (SES) should have a greater preference for meat, as meat may be substitutable for the status that they lack. Three experiments tested this premise. Participants who felt low on subjective SES preferred meat-based foods compared to participants who felt high on it (Experiment 1). The effect is driven by a desire for status (Experiments 2-3) and not by felt hunger or power (Experiments 1-2) and not generalizable to plant foods (Experiment 3). The results suggest a symbolic link between meat and status, which has intriguingly not yet been empirically shown, and we also demonstrate a consequence of the link for food preference. The results may be of use for doctors who advise eating less meat to improve physical health and for environmental advocates who argue that meat consumption exacerbates global warming. We will also discuss the contributions of and further avenues based on our work.