European Journal of Behavioral Sciences

Freedom from Within: A Meta-Analytic Review of Mindfulness Meditation-Based Interventions in Prisons

2024-05-23T10:29:50+00:00

Mindfulness meditation-based interventions (MMBIs) are progressively being integrated into the correctional space. The current study investigated behavioral-specific MMBI trends amongst incarcerated populations, focusing on substance use and recidivism. A meta-analytic review of quantitative research explored whether prison MMBIs significantly influence criminogenic behavior. The seventeen studies included in the meta-analytic review were explicitly selected for substance use and recidivism outcomes in prison MMBI research over the past 50 years. Statistical trends in MMBIs were identified and interpreted. Substance use data demonstrated a standardized mean difference of -0.94 with a 95% confidence interval [-1.98 to -0.09]. Recidivism data showed an odds ratio of 1.34 with a 95% confidence interval [1.17 to 1.49]. The pooled effect sizes from both variables were meaningful, demonstrating both tests of overall effect as statistically significant in reducing substance use (p <0.05) and recidivism (p <0.01). The evidence from this research suggested that MMBIs within prisons serve as a valuable program to be incorporated alongside rehabilitation protocols.

Structural Validity of the Interpersonal Behaviors Questionnaire in Greek University Sport-Students

2024-06-02T15:02:59+00:00

The examination of the interpersonal behaviors of undergraduate student-athletes can contribute to the research on the perceptions of students for satisfaction and frustration of basic psychological behaviors by teachers in the context teaching classes. Aim of this study was to translate into Greek and investigate the factorial validity and internal consistency of the Interpersonal Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ; 24-item six factors). 252 full-time undergraduate student-athletes (125 males and 127 females) were used ranging in age 18 to 38 years. The results of CFA showed a good fit of the data to the model, while the multi-sample results indicated invariance for factor loadings and correlations between male and female samples. Internal consistency coefficients Cronbach alpha and interclass correlation were moderate significant. In conclusion, the IBQ-Gr version has valid and reliable psychometric properties and can be applied to examination of the perceptions interpersonal behaviors others into Greek population.

What Is Love? A Factor Analysis of Established Frameworks and a Semantic Analysis of Individual Western Beliefs

2024-06-11T12:40:37+00:00

The assessment of the construct of love has been attempted with various self-reporting questionnaires but there is no evidence that these measures are assessing the same construct. This research is attempting to develop a culturally sensitive definition for the construct of love. This research is a two-part study. The first part of the research sets out to validate eight of the widely used love (or related area) self-reporting measures. We hypothesized that there would be high collinearity between the various measures and that they would be related to the individual’s perception of love. 565 adults were surveyed and were given each of the love measures, demographic questions, an overall rating of love (0-100), as well as an open-ended question to explain their definition of love. Factor analysis revealed that several of the measures had more factors than they reported, the items were plagued with high collinearity, or they had items that did not meet the minimum threshold for model inclusion. The second study addressed the attitudes toward love in Western society using an Implicit Association Test (IAT). We hypothesized that cognitive load would vary by the categorizations of love words. 1102 individuals in the United States and Europe were given a list of 158 words and asked if the word was associated to love or not love while cognitive load, measured as latency, was recorded. The results indicated that love words are identified faster than not love words. Conclusions are consistent with Prospect Theory and the Theory of Constructed Emotions.