Grazia Ceschi | Université de Genève (original) (raw)

Papers by Grazia Ceschi

PsycTESTS Dataset, Dec 31, 2011

Like employees of any company or organization, humanitarian aid workers (HAW) are subject to comm... more Like employees of any company or organization, humanitarian aid workers (HAW) are subject to common mental disorders (CMD), such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. CMDs can be challenging at individual and organizational levels and, ultimately, can also have adverse consequences on the people HAW try to help.The objectives of this study were to measure the point prevalence of PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms among HAW and compare the results to those found in the literature.A cross-sectional online survey was conducted on 432 International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) employees, both national and international, deployed in three countries. Results show an overall prevalence for PTSD symptoms ranging from 11.3% to 14.6%, for anxiety symptoms from 13.0% to 56.7%, and for depression symptoms from 19.9% to 41.9%. Sub-group analyses show that risk factors of developing PTSD are being national rather than international staff, being younger rather than older, and having a lower income/salary rather than a higher one. Anxiety risk factors are being a woman, not being in a relationship, working in Lebanon and Myanmar rather than Nigeria, being younger rather than older, and having a higher income/salary rather than a lower one. Depression risk factors are not being in a relationship, being national staff rather than international staff, working in Lebanon and Myanmar rather than Nigeria, being younger rather than older, and being senior rather than junior staff.Further investigation is needed to assess additional key variables in order to better pinpoint risk and protective factors, target the sub-groups most at risk, and suggest adequate psychosocial support in order to reduce CMD prevalence.

http://isrctn.com/, Jun 5, 2015

Dunod eBooks, Apr 17, 2019

Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 2012

Both 4-factor models demonstrated a good fit; however, the Simms et al. (2002) model with intrusi... more Both 4-factor models demonstrated a good fit; however, the Simms et al. (2002) model with intrusions, avoidance, dysphoria, and hyperarousal factors showed the best fit. Scores calculated for the Simms et al. (2002) factors showed good reliability and validity. The study also examined lifetime stressful event reporting and PTSD severity. "Stressful" events not traditionally defined as "traumatic" (e.g., death of a loved one) were frequently endorsed as the respondent's most stressful event (i.e., index event) and corresponded to a possible PTSD diagnosis. Furthermore, PTSD severity was associated with negative emotional appraisals of the index event (DSM-IV criterion A2 for PTSD) and lifetime cumulative stressful event intensity whereas PTSD severity was not associated with the degree of physical harm of the index event (criterion A1). Lifetime stressful experiences are discussed in light of evidence supporting a dysphoria component in PTSD.

European Journal of Psychotraumatology, Sep 29, 2014

Background: Traumatic exposure may modulate the expression of impulsive behavioral dispositions a... more Background: Traumatic exposure may modulate the expression of impulsive behavioral dispositions and change the implementation of emotion regulation strategies associated with depressive mood. Past studies resulted in only limited comprehension of these relationships, especially because they failed to consider impulsivity as a multifactorial construct. Objective: Based on Whiteside and Lynam's multidimensional model that identifies four distinct dispositional facets of impulsive-like behaviors, namely urgency, (lack of) premeditation, (lack of) perseverance, and sensation seeking (UPPS), the current study used a sample of community volunteers to investigate whether an interaction exists between impulsivity facets and lifetime trauma exposure in predicting cognitive emotion regulation and depressive mood. Methods: Ninety-three adults completed questionnaires measuring lifetime trauma exposure, impulsivity, cognitive emotion regulation, and depressive mood. Results: Results showed that trauma-exposed participants with a strong disposition toward urgency (predisposition to act rashly in intense emotional contexts) tended to use fewer appropriate cognitive emotion regulation strategies than other individuals. Unexpectedly, participants lacking in perseverance (predisposition to have difficulties concentrating on demanding tasks) used more appropriate emotion regulation strategies if they had experienced traumatic events during their life than if they had not. Emotion regulation mediated the path between these two impulsivity facets and depressive mood. Conclusions: Together, these findings suggest that impulsivity has a differential impact on emotion regulation and depressive mood depending on lifetime exposure to environmental factors, especially traumatic events.

Applied Cognitive Psychology, 2007

Phenomenal characteristics of autobiographical memories and imagined experiences were examined in... more Phenomenal characteristics of autobiographical memories and imagined experiences were examined in checking- and non-checking-prone individuals. Participants were asked to retrieve a positive, a negative and a neutral memory, and to imagine a positive, a negative and a neutral experience. They were then requested to evaluate each event according to characteristics such as sensory and contextual details. The main results revealed that non-checking-prone participants reported more general vividness than checking-prone individuals for real events. In addition, non-checking-prone individuals reported more visual details and vividness for real than imagined experiences, while no difference between real and imagined events was found for checking-prone participants. These results suggest that checking-prone participants report poor memories of real events, which could in turn explain their difficulties distinguishing between real and imagined events. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, Oct 1, 2014

Clark and Wells' (1995) model of social phobia proposes that there are 3 types of maladaptive sel... more Clark and Wells' (1995) model of social phobia proposes that there are 3 types of maladaptive self-beliefs responsible for social anxiety (high standard, conditional, and unconditional beliefs). Wong and Moulds (2009) recently developed the 15-item Self-Beliefs Social Anxiety (SBSA) scale that measures the strength of the self-belief types proposed by this model. They tested the structural validity of the SBSA and found that a correlated 3-factor model best fitted the data. However, they conducted their analyses on an undergraduate sample restricted in terms of age range and educational levels. Additionally, no previous study has tested whether this 3-factor solution is replicable. Moreover, no cross-cultural adaptation of the scale has been conducted. The present study was designed to address these issues. We tested whether the SBSA best fit with a 3-factor solution among a French-speaking community sample (N ϭ 611). Confirmatory factor analyses replicated the model implied by Wong and Moulds (2011a), and, more generally, the theoretical model of Clark and Wells (1995). Moreover, good scale reliability and concurrent validity were observed.

Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, Oct 1, 2008

Traumatic events have predicted depressive symptoms. Despite this consensus, it remains unclear a... more Traumatic events have predicted depressive symptoms. Despite this consensus, it remains unclear as to whether the relationship between trauma and depression is consistently mediated by a negative cognitive schema, such as low self-esteem, or whether trauma influences mood independently of low self-esteem. This study tested these relationships while considering depressive symptom types. One hundred thirty-two students reported the number of traumatic events experienced and self-esteem and depression levels. Results indicated 2 depressive symptom types: "cognitive-affective" and "somatic." Structural Equation Modeling tested an unmediated path from trauma to depressive symptoms and a path mediated by selfesteem. Results supported the unmediated relationship between trauma and "cognitive-affective" depressive symptoms, and did not support mediation by self-esteem. Findings are discussed in view of a dimensional rather than categorical approach to depression, and in consideration of alternative symptom clusters resulting from trauma in addition to those captured by posttraumatic stress disorder.

Behaviour Research and Therapy, Sep 1, 2016

Depression is a highly prevalent condition worldwide, yet multiple barriers to treatments means t... more Depression is a highly prevalent condition worldwide, yet multiple barriers to treatments means that the development of low intensive and easily accessible psychological interventions is crucially needed. The current study sought to investigate the efficacy of a brief, self-administered imagery cognitive bias modification (imagery CBM) procedure delivered online to a sample of 101 individuals with depressive symptoms. Compared to a closely matched control condition or a waitlist condition, imagery CBM led to greater improvements in depressive symptoms (d ¼ 0.86, 95% CI ¼ [0.33, 1.3] and d ¼ 1.17, 95% CI ¼ [0.62, 1.65]) interpretation bias and anhedonia. Despite the limitation to a two week follow-up, the study findings highlight the potential of imagery CBM as a brief, easily accessible intervention for depression that can be delivered remotely in peoples' home.

Revue Européenne de Psychologie Appliquée, Sep 1, 2006

Foa et al. (2002) presented a new instrument, the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R),... more Foa et al. (2002) presented a new instrument, the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R), designed to evaluate the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in both clinical and nonclinical individuals. The present study investigates the psychometric properties of a French version of this scale. The OCI-R French version was completed by 583 undergraduate students. The results revealed satisfactory internal consistency as measured by Cronbach's alpha coefficients (ranging from 0.63 to 0.86). In addition, the six-factor structure found by Foa et al. (2002) was confirmed in our sample by a confirmatory factor analysis. In brief, the French version of the OCI-R seems satisfactory for measuring Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders (OCD) symptoms in non-clinical samples. Future research is, however, needed to confirm these data in a sample of OCD patients. Recently, a new instrument, the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (OCI, Foa et al., 1998) was developed to overcome these limitations. This new scale was validated not only with OCD patients, but also with non-psychiatric controls. Thus, the scale is intended to be administered to both clinical and non-clinical individuals. Moreover, this inventory was specifically developed to assess the heterogeneous symptoms of OCD.

Addictive Behaviors, Jun 1, 2007

Cigarette smoking is a very important health problem and represents the largest preventable risk ... more Cigarette smoking is a very important health problem and represents the largest preventable risk factor for premature death in developed countries. A considerable body of research indicates that impulsivity is a central etiological concept in many theoretical models of tobacco addiction. The aim of this study is to analyse which dimensions of impulsivity are related to cigarette craving. To this end, 40 undergraduate psychology students were screened using the revised Questionnaire on Smoking Urges (QSU-12) and the French adaptation of the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS). This scale identifies four distinct components associated with impulsive behaviour: urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking. The results showed that urgency is a significant predictor of tobacco cravings, while depression and anxiety are not.

Personality and Individual Differences, Oct 1, 2005

This study investigates whether young adults who possess a repressive coping style differ from ot... more This study investigates whether young adults who possess a repressive coping style differ from other individuals in their understanding of coping strategies, such as active influence or reappraisal. Ninety-five adults were divided into four groups according to their coping style and were asked to report their possible emotions, appraisals and coping strategies with reference to scenarios describing daily hassles. These

Behaviour Change, Jun 1, 2011

A diathesis-stress perspective of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) predicts that exposure to a... more A diathesis-stress perspective of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) predicts that exposure to adverse events and personality dispositions jointly influence OCS. Gray and McNaughton's (2000) model of personality posits that, faced with challenging circumstances, individuals with a high sensitivity to punishment (SP) will be more prone to OCS because they cannot avoid the downward spiral into anxiety. The current study investigates OCS severity in relation to lifetime exposure to adverse events (AE), SP, and sensitivity to reward (SR) in 122 nonclinical adults. The results indicate that OCS severity is predicted by AE, SP and SR. Interestingly, the impact of adverse experiences is moderated by SR and not SP. These findings suggest that: (1) exposure to adverse events and SP are independent OCS risk factors, and (2) exposure to adverse events is more critical for reward dependent people. This is discussed in light of responsibility and 'not just right experiences' in OCS, along with the role of impulsivity in the obsessivecompulsive disorder spectrum.

... Language : English. Author, co-author : Jermann, Françoise []. Adam, Stéphane mailto [Univers... more ... Language : English. Author, co-author : Jermann, Françoise []. Adam, Stéphane mailto [Université de Liège - ULg > Département Psychologies et cliniques des systèmes humains > Psychologie de la sénescence >]. Ceschi, Grazia []. ...