Moral elevation is described as feeling inspired after witnessing someone perform a virtuous act. Past work suggests the features of moral elevation may be contrary to PTSD, yet few studies have directly tested its impact on relevant symptoms. This experimental study assessed changes in trauma-related cognitions and emotions from after a trauma reminder task to after an elevation induction exercise. We hypothesized that higher elevation after the induction exercise would be associated with greater reductions in cognitions and emotions. Veterans with probable PTSD (N = 38) completed measures of trauma-related cognitions and emotions, once after a written trauma narrative exercise (T1) and again after watching two videos designed to elicit elevation (T2). Veterans also completed measures of state elevation after each video. Results suggest veterans experienced small, significant decreases in self-blame (d = 0.36) and negative beliefs about others (d = 0.46), and medium, significant decreases in guilt (d = 0.68), shame (d = 0.60), and negative beliefs about self (d = 0.69) between T1 and T2. As hypothesized, higher elevation was associated with significantly greater reductions in multiple outcomes above and beyond the effects of general positive affect. Specifically, there were medium effects for changes in shame (β = −0.42, SE = 0.17, p = 0.019, Δf2 = 0.25), negative view of others (β = −0.34, SE = 0.16, p = 0.044, Δf2 = 0.20), and a large effect for changes in negative view of self (β = −0.31, SE = 0.13, p = 0.019, Δf2 = 0.54). These findings suggest elevation may be well-suited to target trauma-related symptoms and future research should further examine its clinical utility.
In recent decades, technology has changed how individuals interact with their money and with each other. A combination of financial vulnerability and low technological literacy puts many older adults at risk for identity theft, fraud, and financial exploitation. We reviewed the literature on financial capacity, financial exploitation, and digital literacy. Extant models and measures of financial capacity among older adults emphasize numeracy and basic functional skills, such as writing checks and counting change; these may not reflect the digital nature of contemporary financial activity. We propose the neuroecological model of financial capacity among older adults. This function-led model contends that financial capacity consists of neurocognitive abilities to make sound financial decisions in a complex environment, to use technology to monitor and carry out financial activities, and the ability to protect personal information and guard against fraud. This points to a need for more ecologically valid measures of financial capacity and vulnerability to financial exploitation that addresses the role of technology in everyday financial activities.
Objective: The Virtual Environment Grocery Store (VEGS; Parsons & McMahan, 2017) has demonstrated relationships with older adults’ adaptive functioning as measured both by self-report and with a performance-based test (Hardesty et al., 2021). However, age is an important predictor of adaptive functioning among older adults (Weber et al., 2019). The purpose of this study was to investigate the incremental validity of the VEGS. We hypothesized that the VEGS long delay free recall would explain variance in adaptive functioning beyond that which is accounted for by age. Method: Older adults (n = 98; age 65–90, M = 75.82, SD = 6.27) were administered the Virtual Environment Grocery Store (VEGS) and the Texas Functional Living Scale (TFLS) and completed the Instruments of Daily Activities Scale (IADLS) Questionnaire. Results: Age explained 30.8% of the variance in TFLS. Inclusion of the VEGS long delay free recall meant that the model was able to explain 48.0% of the variance (R2 change F = 1.28, p < 0.001). Age explained 17.2% of the variance in IADLS scores; the inclusion of the VEGS long delay free recall brought this to 21.5% (R2 change F = 7.03, p = 0.03). Conclusion: Among older adults, age is an important predictor of adaptive functioning as measured by self-report and performance-based test. The VEGS was able to explain substantial variance in older adults’ adaptive functioning beyond age, particularly when measured with a performance-based test. These results are consistent with the notion that the VEGS measures abilities relevant to older adult’s daily functioning.
Moral elevation is described as feeling inspired after witnessing someone perform a virtuous act. Past work suggests moral elevation may be antithetical to PTSD, yet few studies have directly tested its impact on relevant symptoms. This experimental stud¬y assessed changes in trauma-related cognitions and emotions from after a trauma reminder task to after an elevation induction exercise. We hypothesized that higher elevation after the induction exercise would be associated with greater reductions in cognitions and emotions. Veterans with probable PTSD (N=64) completed measures of trauma-related cognitions and emotions, once after a written trauma narrative exercise (T1) and again after watching two videos designed to elicit elevation (T2). Veterans also completed measures of state elevation after each video. Results suggest veterans experienced small significant decreases in self-blame, medium significant decreases in guilt, shame, and negative beliefs about others, and large significant decreases in negative beliefs about self between T1 and T2. As hypothesized, higher elevation predicted significantly greater reductions in all outcomes except self-blame, with a large effect for views of self and medium effects for guilt, shame, and views of others. These findings suggest elevation may be well-suited to target trauma-related symptoms and future research should examine its clinical utility.
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