Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) lowers depression and anxiety in clinical populations, but its preventive utility in alleviating subthreshold depression and anxiety symptoms or perceived stress in the general population is uncertain. In this single-blinded randomized controlled trial 70 participants (28 men; Mage 49,33 years, 18-75 age range) were allocated to four groups: early active or sham tVNS and late active or sham tVNS to explore outcome changes between the preintervention and postintervention in active and sham groups, changes after active and sham stimulation ended in the early groups, or outcomes during waiting time in the late groups. Early intervention and sham groups received daily 4 h tVNS between Day 0 and 13, while late intervention and sham groups received tVNS between day 14 and 28. Active tVNS was delivered via transcutaneous electrical stimulation on the left tragus and sham tVNS was applied on the left earlobe. Affective symptoms and stress were measured with questionnaires. Effects of active tVNS stimulation were superior to sham stimulation in early phase groups, but not in late phase groups, for anxiety symptoms and perceived stress, with no superior effects of tVNS against sham detected for depressive symptoms. Our study tentatively indicates that tVNS application could be scaled-up to a population level to potentially mitigate stress vulnerability and higher anxiety, which are often prevalent in older adults and increased in the ageing process.
From the Middle Ages to the modern era, Christianity and its traditional institution, the Catholic Church, have profoundly shaped Europe’s cultural traditions, social norms, and political structures, leaving a lasting influence on public and private life, including human–animal relationships across the continent. Based on the affiliative social-tuning hypothesis and collective narcissism theory, we tested in study 1 (n = 378, 75% women) whether Catholic affiliation or commitment to Catholic practices better predicts instrumental violence against animals. In study 2 (n = 866, 51% women), we examined whether Catholic beliefs about animals and collective narcissism are positively related to such violence. We also expected the relationship between Catholic collective narcissism and instrumental violence against animals to be moderated by gender and Catholic beliefs about animals. Both studies were conducted on Polish samples, where Catholicism is predominantly traditional and conservative, shaping culture, identity, and the political landscape. Results showed that people affiliated with Catholicism were more likely than atheists to accept violence against animals; however, commitment to religious practices was a better predictor than Catholic affiliation itself. Furthermore, we found that traditional Catholic beliefs about animals were positively associated with instrumental violence, while modern beliefs and beliefs about the animal soul were negatively associated. Finally, testing a moderation model, we found that Catholic collective narcissism was positively related to the acceptance of instrumental violence against animals among Catholics in Poland, but only when modern beliefs about animals were low; when these beliefs were high, the relationship was negative. Our findings provide new insights into human–animal relationships, highlighting the role of religious factors in attitudes toward animals. This understanding is critical for developing strategies to reduce violence against animals and promote ecological sustainability.
Pozostałe osiągnięcia naukoweArtykuły (zamknięty dostęp)Journal article
The article is devoted to the institution of hearing children in civil proceedings. The study reviews international law regulations, the Constitution of the Republic of Poland and lower-level acts – provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure concerning the hearing of children in judicial and non-judicial proceedings. It presents the evolution of the institution, the latest legal changes, particularly with regard to the manner of preparing and conducting hearings of children and the conditions for their organisation, as well as relevant case law. It characterises this activity, taking into account its course and legal gaps that affect current court practice. The discussion also cites examples of good practices in conducting hearings of children, both in Poland and in other countries.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a key representative of the so-called the third wave of cognitive-behavioral therapies, which in recent years it has been becoming more and more popular in Poland. The aim of the article is to present the theoretical foundations and practical implications regarding the use of ACT therapy in working with parents of children experiencing bullying. The text presents the theoretical basis of the analyzed approach – the model of psychological flexibility and the main assumptions of therapy which is based on the acceptance of what is beyond control and involvement in activities that give meaning to life and they are close to the values. Parents of children experiencing bullying wave to experience a number of dilemmas regarding the recognition and understanding of their child’s situation, doubts when choosing the right way to respond, strong fear for the health and life of their children, and a number of other emotions, such as anger, sadness or disappointment. The article presents examples of methods and strategies for working with unpleasant emotions, negative thoughts and dilemmas that accompany parents of children experiencing peer violence on a daily basis. All conclusions were also collected from conducted research on the attitudes, dilemmas and emotions of this group of parents and the effectiveness of ACT therapy in working with parents and their children.
Adverse and positive childhood experiences (ACEs and PCEs, respectively) are known to influence various health-related outcomes in adulthood, including eating behaviors. Emotional eating is considered a maladaptive eating style, whereas intuitive eating is perceived as an adaptive one. Understanding how ACEs and PCEs relate to these eating styles could inform targeted interventions. This study investigated the relationship between the types of ACEs and PCEs and eating styles (emotional and intuitive eating) among a national sample of Polish adults (n = 2231). ACEs were assessed using the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire and PCEs using the Benevolent Childhood Experiences Scale. The two eating styles were also assessed: maladaptive (emotional eating) via the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-13) and adaptive (intuitive eating) via the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2). Network analysis revealed that emotional eating was positively associated with three ACEs: sexual abuse, unmet basic needs (e.g., access to food) and a lack of family love. However, emotional eating style was not associated with any PCEs. Intuitive eating was positively associated with three PCEs: comforting beliefs, fun activities, and self-acceptance. Similarly, intuitive eating was not associated with any ACEs. Body mass index (BMI) was positively associated with emotional eating and negatively associated with intuitive eating. Our findings suggest that PCEs and ACEs are independent predictors of opposing eating styles in adulthood. The results of this study can contribute to the development of effective interventions to promote the physical and mental well-being of adults.
