Anastasios Stalikas | Panteion University (original) (raw)

Papers by Anastasios Stalikas

Research paper thumbnail of An Integrated Positive Psychology Approach Into Counseling in Different Settings

Frontiers Research Topics

Research paper thumbnail of Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Greek Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition: Parent/Caregiver Rating Form (VABS II-Gr)

Research paper thumbnail of Sex differences in the Dark Triad are sensitive to socioeconomic conditions: the adaptive value of narcissism in the UK, Greece, and China

Current Psychology

Research has shown that levels of the Dark Triad (i.e., traits of Machiavellianism, narcissism, a... more Research has shown that levels of the Dark Triad (i.e., traits of Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) vary across sex and age, with males and younger people reporting higher scores. The Dark Triad has also been found to be associated with personal economic status. We investigated whether sex and age differences in the Dark Triad varied across countries of different socioeconomic conditions. We further explored whether the dark traits predicted personal income to different extent across countries. We utilized three samples from the UK, Greece, and China (total N = 5,854), whose socioeconomic status varied from more to less developed according to the Human Development Index. Men scored higher than women on the Dark Triad, with the magnitude of sex differences being largest in the UK, followed by Greece and China. Younger people scored higher than older people on the Dark Triad, with the effect of age varying across countries. Narcissism positively predicted income, with its...

Research paper thumbnail of Study of the Association of Insecure Attachment With the Dehumanization and Self-Dehumanization of Patients Hospitalized With Psychotic Disorder and Organic Disease

Cureus, 2022

Introduction Dehumanization is the phenomenon that concerns the non-attribution of humanness to o... more Introduction Dehumanization is the phenomenon that concerns the non-attribution of humanness to other human beings and has two dimensions, animalistic and mechanistic. The aim of the present study is to study dehumanization and self-dehumanization in patients with psychosis and organic disease. Methods The sample consisted of 200 people who were hospitalized in Athens, Greece, in 2017. Participants were asked to answer the dehumanization questionnaire, the mechanistic self-dehumanization scale, the human nature and human uniqueness characteristics questionnaire, and the adult attachment questionnaire. Results It was found that patients with organic disease and patients with psychosis do not perform mechanistic and animalistic dehumanization of themselves. Still, it seems that insecure attachment (anxiety and obsession) contributes positively to their mechanistic dehumanization and negatively to their mechanistic selfdehumanization. From the insecure attachment, only the dimensions of stress and obsession affect the mechanistic dehumanization. Conclusions It is important to take measures to train specialists in the hospital so that they can establish a safe therapeutic relationship with the patient so that patients will not resort to dehumanization and selfdehumanization as a defense against the stress of hospitalization.

Research paper thumbnail of The relation of positive emotions to post partum depression

Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 2011

Positive emotions have been implicated in the development of coping resources and resilience for ... more Positive emotions have been implicated in the development of coping resources and resilience for psychological health across various significant life events. Childbirth is often an event that incites positive emotions in a woman, and it may be that such emotions have an immobilizing effect on the onset of post natal depressive symptoms. In efforts to examine the influence of positive emotions on women during their transition into motherhood, the present study assessed 195 women across two stages: before and after childbirth. The aim of the study was to examine the variety of positive emotions that arise from childbirth, the relationship of positive emotions that arise from childbirth to maternity and other demographic variables and the relation between positive emotions that arise from childbirth and depressive post natal symptoms. Results revealed a significant manifestation of specific positive emotions such as joyfulness, pride, and interest after childbirth. Participants between the ages of 30 and 34 experienced a greater variety and intensity of positive emotions before and after. In turn, a negative relationship was found between the experience of positive emotion intensity and post natal depressive symptomatology. Factors such as education level, whether the birth was planned or not, and environmental and partner support were found to relate significantly to the manifestation of positive emotions.

Research paper thumbnail of Psychometric Evidence of the 10-Item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC10, Greek Version) and the Predictive Power of Resilience on Well-Being and Distress

Open Journal of Social Sciences

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the construct validity of CD-RISC10 in a sample of 1089... more The purpose of this study was to evaluate the construct validity of CD-RISC10 in a sample of 1089 Greek adults of the general population. The CD-RISC10 factor structure was evaluated first with EFA in a 20% subsample and confirmed with CFA (CFA1) in a different 40% subsample. A cross-validation CFA followed (CFA2) in a third 40% subsample (i.e. of equal power with CFA1). Model fit comparison using −2ΔLL difference test suggested a bidimensional structure but bifactor ancillary measures indicated that multidimensionality was weak to exclude the unidimensional structure. Full weak measurement invariance across gender for this unidimensional model was successfully established in the entire sample. Partial strong measurement invariance was established after freeing intercepts of 2 items and partial strict after freeing the error variance of 1 item. Internal consistency reliability (α) was equal to three different model-based reliability calculations (CR) at adequate levels (.85), corroborating one another, although CD-RISC10 was not tau-equivalent. The average variance extracted was .37 to evaluate model-based convergent validity. Convergent and discriminant validity were evaluated further with correlation analysis with a resilience measure, life satisfaction, affectivity, depression, anxiety, and stress with all associations to the expected direction. The predictive validity of CD-RISC10 was evaluated with a SEM model of resilience regressed on two higher-order latent factors of subjective well-being (SWB) and psychological distress, yielding significant strong positive and negative effects respectively. Male scored significantly higher than females thus, normative data were calculated over the total sample and also separately by gender.

Research paper thumbnail of The Relationships between Character Strengths and Subjective Wellbeing: Evidence from Greece under Lockdown during COVID-19 Pandemic

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

COVID-19 was first identified in December 2019. As long as this type of coronavirus was new, the ... more COVID-19 was first identified in December 2019. As long as this type of coronavirus was new, the main way for governments to avoid the spread of the infection was enforced quarantine. Besides public health protection, quarantine can have a psychological impact on the residents, with main symptoms being angst, anxiety, depressive, and PTSD symptoms. As it has been found that character strengths can promote subjective wellbeing, the purpose of the study was to examine this relationship under the new situation of quarantine in the Greek population in adults who were in quarantine for at least two weeks. The total sample consisted of 354 participants who were aged 18–72-years-old. A total of 263 participants were women (74.3%), 91 were men (25.7%), and 94.6% of them were highly educated. The sample was a convenience sample. The tools used were PANAS, PERMA and finally VIA-114GR. The data analysis was completed using SPSS software version 26.0 (IBM Corp. Released 2019. IBM SPSS Statistic...

Research paper thumbnail of The Effect of Personality Traits on the Quality of Life of Health Professionals in COVID-19 Reference Hospital

Research paper thumbnail of Psychological Implications of Nostalgic Scents of Childhood

Psychology

There is wide-ranging literature on the emotional effects of odors but, so far, little focus on s... more There is wide-ranging literature on the emotional effects of odors but, so far, little focus on scents that evoke nostalgia and their psychological functions. This study examines the effects of nostalgia-induced scents, more specifically what are the psychological implications of scents from childhood that evoke nostalgia. The test participants sampled five childhood scents, rating each scent as to the extent to which they were familiar and elicited nostalgia and positive emotions. The study found that one of the tested childhood scents, bubblegum, was considered the most familiar but also the most nostalgic, eliciting higher self-esteem, social connection, optimism, and inspiration. Our research findings on olfaction contribute to the existing small body of experimental research on olfactory nostalgia and facilitate the understanding of the psychological implications, triggers and affective response linked with nostalgia-induced scents.

Research paper thumbnail of Be Your Best You: An Evaluation of a Positive Psychology Intervention Programme in Greece

Research paper thumbnail of Health-related Quality of Life in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Children with Down Syndrome

Research paper thumbnail of Applied Psychometrics: The Steps of Scale Development and Standardization Process

Psychology

This work focuses on presenting the development process of a self-reporting measurement instrumen... more This work focuses on presenting the development process of a self-reporting measurement instrument. Numerous scale development procedures are reviewed. They are all summarized into an overall framework of consecutive steps. A concise description is contained in each step. Issues covered comprise the following. First, the theoretical underpinning of the scale construct is described, along with the response specifications and response formats available (most popular like Likert and some more elaborated). Then the item writing guidelines follow together with strategies for discarding poor items when finalizing the item pool. The item selection criteria described comprise an expert panel review, pretesting and item analysis. Finally, the dimensionality evaluation is summarized along with test scoring and standardizing (norming). Scale construction has implications on research conclusions, affecting reliability and the statistical significance of the effects obtained or stated differently the accuracy and sensitivity of the instruments.

Research paper thumbnail of Benevolent and Corrective Humor, Life Satisfaction, and Broad Humor Dimensions: Extending the Nomological Network of the BenCor Across 25 Countries

Journal of Happiness Studies

Research paper thumbnail of Using Bifactor EFA, Bifactor CFA and Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling to Validate Factor Structure of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, Greek Version

Psychology

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the structure, invariance, reliability, convergent and ... more The purpose of this study was to evaluate the structure, invariance, reliability, convergent and discriminant validity of the MLQ with exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis in 1561 Greek adults. After sample-splitting, a two-factor EFA and a two-factor bifactor EFA model were tested in the first sample. Then, seven CFA models were tested (three ICM-CFA models, two bifactor CFA models and two ESEM models) in the second sample. Two-factor ESEM representation was notably better than the ICM-CFA models and marginally better than the bifactor model. Optimal ESEM model was successfully cross-validated in a third sample. MLQ was also proved to be invariant across gender. Internal consistency reliability was adequate. Convergent and discriminant validity were also examined. Considering all findings, MLQ is gender invariant, reliable and valid to use in Greek cultural context.

Research paper thumbnail of The Relationships Between Client Resistance and Attachment to Therapist in Psychotherapy

Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy

Through the lens of contemporary views on client resistance and attachment theory, which underpin... more Through the lens of contemporary views on client resistance and attachment theory, which underpins the role of security in psychotherapy, the present study examines the relation between client resistance and client attachment to therapist. Forty-six clients and 19 therapists in long-term psychotherapy completed the Client Attachment to Therapist Scale and a therapistreported questionnaire for client resistance, respectively, in three different times including the therapist’s summer holidays, so as to take into consideration the role of the therapist’s temporary absence as a real relationship component. Results indicate that resistance is negatively associated with clients’ secure attachment to their therapists, while it is positively associated with insecure attachment patterns. Also, holidays in psychotherapy were found to intervene in the interrelation between client’s resistive behaviors and attachment security. These preliminary findings indicate the interpersonal and statelike character of client resistance, a conceptual shift that augments clinical work as clients and their resistances are seen in more benevolent terms.

Research paper thumbnail of The Relationships Between Client Resistance and Attachment to Therapist in Psychotherapy

Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 2018

Through the lens of contemporary views on client resistance and attachment theory, which underpin... more Through the lens of contemporary views on client resistance and attachment theory, which underpins the role of security in psychotherapy, the present study examines the relation between client resistance and client attachment to therapist. Forty-six clients and 19 therapists in long-term psychotherapy completed the Client Attachment to Therapist Scale and a therapistreported questionnaire for client resistance, respectively, in three different times including the therapist’s summer holidays, so as to take into consideration the role of the therapist’s temporary absence as a real relationship component. Results indicate that resistance is negatively associated with clients’ secure attachment to their therapists, while it is positively associated with insecure attachment patterns. Also, holidays in psychotherapy were found to intervene in the interrelation between client’s resistive behaviors and attachment security. These preliminary findings indicate the interpersonal and statelike ...

Research paper thumbnail of Using Bifactor EFA, Bifactor CFA and Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling to Validate Factor Structure of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, Greek Version

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the structure, invariance, reliability, convergent and ... more The purpose of this study was to evaluate the structure, invariance, reliability, convergent and discriminant validity of the MLQ with exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis in 1561 Greek adults. After sample-splitting, a two-factor EFA and a two-factor bifactor EFA model were tested in the first sample. Then, seven CFA models were tested (three ICM-CFA models, two bifactor CFA models and two ESEM models) in the second sample. Two-factor ESEM representation was notably better than the ICM-CFA models and marginally better than the bifactor model. Optimal ESEM model was successfully cross-validated in a third sample. MLQ was also proved to be invariant across gender. Internal consistency reliability was adequate. Convergent and discriminant validity were also examined. Considering all findings, MLQ is gender invariant, reliable and valid to use in Greek cultural context.

Research paper thumbnail of Validation of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) in a Greek Sample

Psychology, 2016

Over the past few years, the concern for psychological well-being has emerged as one of the most ... more Over the past few years, the concern for psychological well-being has emerged as one of the most crucial targets for social scientists and health professionals. One of the factors that contribute to psychological health is finding meaning in ones' life. Contemporary literature distinguishes between two types of meaning in life, namely 1) searching for meaning in life and 2) meaning in life achievement. The most prominent psychometric tool for the measurement of meaning in life is the Meaning in Life Questionnaire. The present study aimed at validating the MLQ in a sample of 6287 Greek adults. Exploratory factor analysis revealed two principal factors matching the factorial structure of the original validation. Results showed overall that all items have satisfactory psychometric properties. Further research and validation targets are discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Examining counselor interventions and client progress in the context of the therapeutic alliance

Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 2001

Counselor%20and%20client%20statements%20from%2021%20sessions%20with%20counselors %20were%20used%2... more Counselor%20and%20client%20statements%20from%2021%20sessions%20with%20counselors %20were%20used%20to%20examine%20the%20relationship%20of%20counselor%20response %20modes%20to%20categories%20of%20client%20good%20moments%20at% ...

Research paper thumbnail of Perspective divergence in the working alliance

Psychotherapy Research, 2005

The aim of this study was to investigate the divergence of client and trainee-therapist views of ... more The aim of this study was to investigate the divergence of client and trainee-therapist views of the different aspects of the alliance over the course of counseling and to relate those divergences to session-level therapeutic impacts. Forty-eight trainees and their clients completed therapies averaging 14 sessions. Results indicate that divergences in perspective did not influence the clients' evaluations of the impact of their sessions. Only client ratings of the alliance were significantly correlated with positive session impacts. Measurements of the alliance taken at early, middle, and late phases indicated that, although both client-and therapist-rated alliance scores increased over time, convergence did not increase as therapy progressed. Implications for conceptualizing divergence as an expectable process that may not be a hindrance to positive therapy and the differences between experienced and trainee-therapists are discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of An Integrated Positive Psychology Approach Into Counseling in Different Settings

Frontiers Research Topics

Research paper thumbnail of Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Greek Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition: Parent/Caregiver Rating Form (VABS II-Gr)

Research paper thumbnail of Sex differences in the Dark Triad are sensitive to socioeconomic conditions: the adaptive value of narcissism in the UK, Greece, and China

Current Psychology

Research has shown that levels of the Dark Triad (i.e., traits of Machiavellianism, narcissism, a... more Research has shown that levels of the Dark Triad (i.e., traits of Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) vary across sex and age, with males and younger people reporting higher scores. The Dark Triad has also been found to be associated with personal economic status. We investigated whether sex and age differences in the Dark Triad varied across countries of different socioeconomic conditions. We further explored whether the dark traits predicted personal income to different extent across countries. We utilized three samples from the UK, Greece, and China (total N = 5,854), whose socioeconomic status varied from more to less developed according to the Human Development Index. Men scored higher than women on the Dark Triad, with the magnitude of sex differences being largest in the UK, followed by Greece and China. Younger people scored higher than older people on the Dark Triad, with the effect of age varying across countries. Narcissism positively predicted income, with its...

Research paper thumbnail of Study of the Association of Insecure Attachment With the Dehumanization and Self-Dehumanization of Patients Hospitalized With Psychotic Disorder and Organic Disease

Cureus, 2022

Introduction Dehumanization is the phenomenon that concerns the non-attribution of humanness to o... more Introduction Dehumanization is the phenomenon that concerns the non-attribution of humanness to other human beings and has two dimensions, animalistic and mechanistic. The aim of the present study is to study dehumanization and self-dehumanization in patients with psychosis and organic disease. Methods The sample consisted of 200 people who were hospitalized in Athens, Greece, in 2017. Participants were asked to answer the dehumanization questionnaire, the mechanistic self-dehumanization scale, the human nature and human uniqueness characteristics questionnaire, and the adult attachment questionnaire. Results It was found that patients with organic disease and patients with psychosis do not perform mechanistic and animalistic dehumanization of themselves. Still, it seems that insecure attachment (anxiety and obsession) contributes positively to their mechanistic dehumanization and negatively to their mechanistic selfdehumanization. From the insecure attachment, only the dimensions of stress and obsession affect the mechanistic dehumanization. Conclusions It is important to take measures to train specialists in the hospital so that they can establish a safe therapeutic relationship with the patient so that patients will not resort to dehumanization and selfdehumanization as a defense against the stress of hospitalization.

Research paper thumbnail of The relation of positive emotions to post partum depression

Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 2011

Positive emotions have been implicated in the development of coping resources and resilience for ... more Positive emotions have been implicated in the development of coping resources and resilience for psychological health across various significant life events. Childbirth is often an event that incites positive emotions in a woman, and it may be that such emotions have an immobilizing effect on the onset of post natal depressive symptoms. In efforts to examine the influence of positive emotions on women during their transition into motherhood, the present study assessed 195 women across two stages: before and after childbirth. The aim of the study was to examine the variety of positive emotions that arise from childbirth, the relationship of positive emotions that arise from childbirth to maternity and other demographic variables and the relation between positive emotions that arise from childbirth and depressive post natal symptoms. Results revealed a significant manifestation of specific positive emotions such as joyfulness, pride, and interest after childbirth. Participants between the ages of 30 and 34 experienced a greater variety and intensity of positive emotions before and after. In turn, a negative relationship was found between the experience of positive emotion intensity and post natal depressive symptomatology. Factors such as education level, whether the birth was planned or not, and environmental and partner support were found to relate significantly to the manifestation of positive emotions.

Research paper thumbnail of Psychometric Evidence of the 10-Item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC10, Greek Version) and the Predictive Power of Resilience on Well-Being and Distress

Open Journal of Social Sciences

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the construct validity of CD-RISC10 in a sample of 1089... more The purpose of this study was to evaluate the construct validity of CD-RISC10 in a sample of 1089 Greek adults of the general population. The CD-RISC10 factor structure was evaluated first with EFA in a 20% subsample and confirmed with CFA (CFA1) in a different 40% subsample. A cross-validation CFA followed (CFA2) in a third 40% subsample (i.e. of equal power with CFA1). Model fit comparison using −2ΔLL difference test suggested a bidimensional structure but bifactor ancillary measures indicated that multidimensionality was weak to exclude the unidimensional structure. Full weak measurement invariance across gender for this unidimensional model was successfully established in the entire sample. Partial strong measurement invariance was established after freeing intercepts of 2 items and partial strict after freeing the error variance of 1 item. Internal consistency reliability (α) was equal to three different model-based reliability calculations (CR) at adequate levels (.85), corroborating one another, although CD-RISC10 was not tau-equivalent. The average variance extracted was .37 to evaluate model-based convergent validity. Convergent and discriminant validity were evaluated further with correlation analysis with a resilience measure, life satisfaction, affectivity, depression, anxiety, and stress with all associations to the expected direction. The predictive validity of CD-RISC10 was evaluated with a SEM model of resilience regressed on two higher-order latent factors of subjective well-being (SWB) and psychological distress, yielding significant strong positive and negative effects respectively. Male scored significantly higher than females thus, normative data were calculated over the total sample and also separately by gender.

Research paper thumbnail of The Relationships between Character Strengths and Subjective Wellbeing: Evidence from Greece under Lockdown during COVID-19 Pandemic

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

COVID-19 was first identified in December 2019. As long as this type of coronavirus was new, the ... more COVID-19 was first identified in December 2019. As long as this type of coronavirus was new, the main way for governments to avoid the spread of the infection was enforced quarantine. Besides public health protection, quarantine can have a psychological impact on the residents, with main symptoms being angst, anxiety, depressive, and PTSD symptoms. As it has been found that character strengths can promote subjective wellbeing, the purpose of the study was to examine this relationship under the new situation of quarantine in the Greek population in adults who were in quarantine for at least two weeks. The total sample consisted of 354 participants who were aged 18–72-years-old. A total of 263 participants were women (74.3%), 91 were men (25.7%), and 94.6% of them were highly educated. The sample was a convenience sample. The tools used were PANAS, PERMA and finally VIA-114GR. The data analysis was completed using SPSS software version 26.0 (IBM Corp. Released 2019. IBM SPSS Statistic...

Research paper thumbnail of The Effect of Personality Traits on the Quality of Life of Health Professionals in COVID-19 Reference Hospital

Research paper thumbnail of Psychological Implications of Nostalgic Scents of Childhood

Psychology

There is wide-ranging literature on the emotional effects of odors but, so far, little focus on s... more There is wide-ranging literature on the emotional effects of odors but, so far, little focus on scents that evoke nostalgia and their psychological functions. This study examines the effects of nostalgia-induced scents, more specifically what are the psychological implications of scents from childhood that evoke nostalgia. The test participants sampled five childhood scents, rating each scent as to the extent to which they were familiar and elicited nostalgia and positive emotions. The study found that one of the tested childhood scents, bubblegum, was considered the most familiar but also the most nostalgic, eliciting higher self-esteem, social connection, optimism, and inspiration. Our research findings on olfaction contribute to the existing small body of experimental research on olfactory nostalgia and facilitate the understanding of the psychological implications, triggers and affective response linked with nostalgia-induced scents.

Research paper thumbnail of Be Your Best You: An Evaluation of a Positive Psychology Intervention Programme in Greece

Research paper thumbnail of Health-related Quality of Life in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Children with Down Syndrome

Research paper thumbnail of Applied Psychometrics: The Steps of Scale Development and Standardization Process

Psychology

This work focuses on presenting the development process of a self-reporting measurement instrumen... more This work focuses on presenting the development process of a self-reporting measurement instrument. Numerous scale development procedures are reviewed. They are all summarized into an overall framework of consecutive steps. A concise description is contained in each step. Issues covered comprise the following. First, the theoretical underpinning of the scale construct is described, along with the response specifications and response formats available (most popular like Likert and some more elaborated). Then the item writing guidelines follow together with strategies for discarding poor items when finalizing the item pool. The item selection criteria described comprise an expert panel review, pretesting and item analysis. Finally, the dimensionality evaluation is summarized along with test scoring and standardizing (norming). Scale construction has implications on research conclusions, affecting reliability and the statistical significance of the effects obtained or stated differently the accuracy and sensitivity of the instruments.

Research paper thumbnail of Benevolent and Corrective Humor, Life Satisfaction, and Broad Humor Dimensions: Extending the Nomological Network of the BenCor Across 25 Countries

Journal of Happiness Studies

Research paper thumbnail of Using Bifactor EFA, Bifactor CFA and Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling to Validate Factor Structure of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, Greek Version

Psychology

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the structure, invariance, reliability, convergent and ... more The purpose of this study was to evaluate the structure, invariance, reliability, convergent and discriminant validity of the MLQ with exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis in 1561 Greek adults. After sample-splitting, a two-factor EFA and a two-factor bifactor EFA model were tested in the first sample. Then, seven CFA models were tested (three ICM-CFA models, two bifactor CFA models and two ESEM models) in the second sample. Two-factor ESEM representation was notably better than the ICM-CFA models and marginally better than the bifactor model. Optimal ESEM model was successfully cross-validated in a third sample. MLQ was also proved to be invariant across gender. Internal consistency reliability was adequate. Convergent and discriminant validity were also examined. Considering all findings, MLQ is gender invariant, reliable and valid to use in Greek cultural context.

Research paper thumbnail of The Relationships Between Client Resistance and Attachment to Therapist in Psychotherapy

Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy

Through the lens of contemporary views on client resistance and attachment theory, which underpin... more Through the lens of contemporary views on client resistance and attachment theory, which underpins the role of security in psychotherapy, the present study examines the relation between client resistance and client attachment to therapist. Forty-six clients and 19 therapists in long-term psychotherapy completed the Client Attachment to Therapist Scale and a therapistreported questionnaire for client resistance, respectively, in three different times including the therapist’s summer holidays, so as to take into consideration the role of the therapist’s temporary absence as a real relationship component. Results indicate that resistance is negatively associated with clients’ secure attachment to their therapists, while it is positively associated with insecure attachment patterns. Also, holidays in psychotherapy were found to intervene in the interrelation between client’s resistive behaviors and attachment security. These preliminary findings indicate the interpersonal and statelike character of client resistance, a conceptual shift that augments clinical work as clients and their resistances are seen in more benevolent terms.

Research paper thumbnail of The Relationships Between Client Resistance and Attachment to Therapist in Psychotherapy

Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 2018

Through the lens of contemporary views on client resistance and attachment theory, which underpin... more Through the lens of contemporary views on client resistance and attachment theory, which underpins the role of security in psychotherapy, the present study examines the relation between client resistance and client attachment to therapist. Forty-six clients and 19 therapists in long-term psychotherapy completed the Client Attachment to Therapist Scale and a therapistreported questionnaire for client resistance, respectively, in three different times including the therapist’s summer holidays, so as to take into consideration the role of the therapist’s temporary absence as a real relationship component. Results indicate that resistance is negatively associated with clients’ secure attachment to their therapists, while it is positively associated with insecure attachment patterns. Also, holidays in psychotherapy were found to intervene in the interrelation between client’s resistive behaviors and attachment security. These preliminary findings indicate the interpersonal and statelike ...

Research paper thumbnail of Using Bifactor EFA, Bifactor CFA and Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling to Validate Factor Structure of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, Greek Version

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the structure, invariance, reliability, convergent and ... more The purpose of this study was to evaluate the structure, invariance, reliability, convergent and discriminant validity of the MLQ with exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis in 1561 Greek adults. After sample-splitting, a two-factor EFA and a two-factor bifactor EFA model were tested in the first sample. Then, seven CFA models were tested (three ICM-CFA models, two bifactor CFA models and two ESEM models) in the second sample. Two-factor ESEM representation was notably better than the ICM-CFA models and marginally better than the bifactor model. Optimal ESEM model was successfully cross-validated in a third sample. MLQ was also proved to be invariant across gender. Internal consistency reliability was adequate. Convergent and discriminant validity were also examined. Considering all findings, MLQ is gender invariant, reliable and valid to use in Greek cultural context.

Research paper thumbnail of Validation of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) in a Greek Sample

Psychology, 2016

Over the past few years, the concern for psychological well-being has emerged as one of the most ... more Over the past few years, the concern for psychological well-being has emerged as one of the most crucial targets for social scientists and health professionals. One of the factors that contribute to psychological health is finding meaning in ones' life. Contemporary literature distinguishes between two types of meaning in life, namely 1) searching for meaning in life and 2) meaning in life achievement. The most prominent psychometric tool for the measurement of meaning in life is the Meaning in Life Questionnaire. The present study aimed at validating the MLQ in a sample of 6287 Greek adults. Exploratory factor analysis revealed two principal factors matching the factorial structure of the original validation. Results showed overall that all items have satisfactory psychometric properties. Further research and validation targets are discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Examining counselor interventions and client progress in the context of the therapeutic alliance

Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 2001

Counselor%20and%20client%20statements%20from%2021%20sessions%20with%20counselors %20were%20used%2... more Counselor%20and%20client%20statements%20from%2021%20sessions%20with%20counselors %20were%20used%20to%20examine%20the%20relationship%20of%20counselor%20response %20modes%20to%20categories%20of%20client%20good%20moments%20at% ...

Research paper thumbnail of Perspective divergence in the working alliance

Psychotherapy Research, 2005

The aim of this study was to investigate the divergence of client and trainee-therapist views of ... more The aim of this study was to investigate the divergence of client and trainee-therapist views of the different aspects of the alliance over the course of counseling and to relate those divergences to session-level therapeutic impacts. Forty-eight trainees and their clients completed therapies averaging 14 sessions. Results indicate that divergences in perspective did not influence the clients' evaluations of the impact of their sessions. Only client ratings of the alliance were significantly correlated with positive session impacts. Measurements of the alliance taken at early, middle, and late phases indicated that, although both client-and therapist-rated alliance scores increased over time, convergence did not increase as therapy progressed. Implications for conceptualizing divergence as an expectable process that may not be a hindrance to positive therapy and the differences between experienced and trainee-therapists are discussed.