Volume 19, Issue 1, 2026.

Clinical psychology

• The Protective Role of Vigor in Volunteering Against Somatic and Psychological Symptoms in EMDR Therapists

  Zolotareva, A.A.; Vitko, J.S.; Kazennaya, E.V.

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  Zolotareva, A.A., Vitko, J.S., Kazennaya, E.V. (2026). The Protective Role of Vigor in Volunteering Against Somatic and Psychological Symptoms in EMDR Therapists. Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 19(1), 96–108. DOI: 10.11621/pir.2026.0106

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  • Background. Empirical evidence highlights that psychotherapists and applied psychologists experience stress, anxiety, depression, emotional exhaustion, secondary traumatic stress, and other symptoms of somatic and psychological distress. Although studies suggest that volunteering can protect somatic and psychological well-being in the general population, these relationships have not been investigated in mental health professionals.

    Objective. This study aimed to examine the role of volunteering and work-related characteristics in symptoms of somatic and psychological distress among psychotherapists and applied psychologists.

    Design. The study had a cross-sectional design. The participants were psychotherapists and applied psychologists who provided volunteer Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy sessions. One hundred and twenty volunteer EMDR therapists filled out the forms measuring somatic, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, job satisfaction, meaningfulness of work, and engagement in volunteering.

    Results. Correlation analyses showed that symptoms of somatic and psychological distress were negatively associated with job satisfaction, vigor in volunteering, and dedication in volunteering. Regression analyses revealed that vigor in volunteering was the only significant negative predictor of somatic (β = -.247, p = .049), anxiety (β = -.263, p = .004), and depressive symptoms (β = -.263, p = .034).

    Conclusion. This study contributes to our knowledge of the benefits of volunteering for the somatic and psychological well-being of EMDR therapists. From a practical standpoint, these findings suggest that psychotherapists and applied psychologists might be encouraged to frame pro bono work as a form of emotional and professional self-regulation. Furthermore, training programs could integrate pro bono activities into their curricula.

    
    

    Keywords: anxiety/ applied psychology/ depression/ psychotherapy/ somatic symptoms

    DOI: 10.11621/pir.2026.0106

• Neuropsychological Assessment and Rehabilitation of Patients with Impaired Monitoring as a Component of Executive Functions

  Larin, I.A.; Komarova, A.Yu.; Sandalova, Yu.A.; Kovyazina, M.S.; Varako, N.A.; Winegardner, J.; Daminov, V.D.

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  Larin, I.A., Komarova, A.Yu., Sandalova, Yu.A., Kovyazina, M.S., Varako, N.A., Winegardner, J., Daminov, V.D. (2026). Neuropsychological Assessment and Rehabilitation of Patients with Impaired Monitoring as a Component of Executive Functions. Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 19(1), 109–125. DOI: 10.11621/pir.2026.0107

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  • Background. There is a high prevalence of impairments in executive functions in various neurological diseases (stroke, traumatic brain injury, neurodegenerative disorders), which severely limits patients’ independence and quality of life. The study integrates the theory of the systematic, step-by-step formation of mental actions and concepts by Galperin, Luria's approach to neuropsychology, and modern foreign rehabilitation techniques (e.g., strategies from the "Goal Management Training" program).

    Objective. To assess the impact of a specialized neuropsychological training program on monitoring process indicators in patients with brain damage of various etiology. 

    Design. The study involved 48 patients with brain damage of various etiology, aged from 23 to 74 years (M_age = 57.6; SD = 11.13; 17 women and 31 men). The patients were divided into an experimental group and a control group.

    Results. A specialized training program aimed at improving monitoring process indicators in patients with impaired executive functions was developed, as well as a neuropsychological diagnostic protocol for assessing monitoring. We did not observe a training effect when comparing the monitoring index values before and after the training within the experimental group. However, we found significant differences between the experimental and control groups when analyzing the indices based on the results of the post-test assessment (U = 170, p = .008, p_bonferroni = .032), along with significant improvements in five monitoring indicators and the total Frontal Assessment Battery score in the patients of the experimental group.

    Conclusion. The training effect, when comparing the experimental and control groups at the post-test, may be interpreted within the framework of intra-systemic semantic reorganization and the initial formation of a new mental action of selection and implementation of a solution in which monitoring actively participates. This interpretation is preliminary and requires further empirical validation. In future research, we plan to focus the training on the formation of the mental action of control.

    
    

    Keywords: executive functions/ monitoring/ neuropsychological rehabilitation/ P.Ya Galperin's theory/ restorative learning

    DOI: 10.11621/pir.2026.0107

Cognitive psychology

• Experimental Testing of the Affective Consequences of Nostalgia

  Tsigeman, E.S.; Sivov, A.Y.; Mararitsa, L.V.; Likhanov, M.V.; Bartseva, K.V.; Alenina, E.A.; Soldatova, E.L.

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  Tsigeman, E.S., Sivov, A.Y., Mararitsa, L.V., Likhanov, M.V., Bartseva, K.V., Alenina, E.A., Soldatova E.L. (2026). Experimental Testing of the Affective Consequences of Nostalgia. Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 19(1), 32–55. DOI: 10.11621/pir.2026.0103

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  • Background. The inconsistent evidence regarding nostalgia’s affective outcomes suggests that its effects may not be uniform, but contingent on individual characteristics, a possibility that has received limited empirical attention.

    Objective. To examine how induced nostalgia influences positive and negative affect, while accounting for age, gender, and overall well-being.

    Design. A sample of 122 participants (balanced by gender and across three age groups: 20-35, 36-50, and 51-65 years) completed an Event Reflection Task to elicit either nostalgic memories or recollections of daily life events. Positive and negative affect were measured before and after the nostalgia induction and general well-being was measured after the intervention.

    Results. Negative and ambivalent affect decreased after both experimental and control interventions. Gender and age did not moderate the effect of nostalgia induction on affect. Well-being moderated affective outcomes of nostalgia induction, with individuals higher in well-being experiencing greater increases in positive affect and greater decreases in negative and ambivalent affect (co-activation of positive and negative affect) after nostalgia induction.

    Conclusion. The emotional impact of nostalgia appears to be independent of age or gender, but affected by individual differences in well-being. These findings help to clarify previous inconsistencies in the literature and suggest that nostalgia may be most emotionally beneficial for those already in a stable emotional state.

    Keywords: nostalgia/ emotions/ positive and negative affect/ ambivalent affect/ well-being

    DOI: 10.11621/pir.2026.0103

Differential psychology

• Parent–Child Relationships and Locus of Control in Two-Child Families

  Rzhanova, I.E.; Alekseeva, O.S.

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  Rzhanova, I.E., Alekseeva, O.S. (2026). Parent–Child Relationships and Locus of Control in Two-Child Families. Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 19(1), 56–69. DOI: 10.11621/pir.2026.0104

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  • Background. In a rapidly changing society, locus of control becomes an important psychological indicator reflecting an individual’s readiness to actively manage their own life. Research shows that an internal locus of control is associated with higher levels of psychological well-being, academic achievement, and social responsibility. The relevance of studying the factors that influence the development of locus of control in childhood and adolescence is determined by its high plasticity during this period and the possibility of targeted influence through the family environment.

    Objective. The present study focuses on the relationship between parental and child locus of control in the context of parent–child relationships in intact two-child families. Particular attention is given to the analysis of both direct and indirect influences (through parental attitudes) of parental locus of control on children’s locus of control.

    Design. The sample consisted of 278 families (N = 1,112 individuals). The Questionnaire of Locus Control and the “Parent-Child Interaction” questionnaire were used for assessment. Data analysis was conducted using the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model (APIM).

    Results. Parents with a more internal locus of control demonstrated more positive attitudes toward their children, which in turn was positively associated with the development of an internal locus of control in siblings. Maternal locus of control was found to play a particularly important role, exerting both direct and indirect influences on children’s locus of control. Within the parental dyad, maternal influence was expressed not only as actor effects but also as partner effects, through its impact on paternal attitudes toward the children. It was also shown that children’s subjective perception of a parental positive attitude is a particularly significant mediator between parental and child locus of control.

    Conclusion. The obtained data emphasize the significance of the family environment, specifically positive parental attitude, in the formation of locus of control in children.

    
    

    Keywords: locus of control/ parent-child relationships/ siblings/ family environment/ ActorPartner Interdependence Model (APIM)

    DOI: 10.11621/pir.2026.0104

• Altered System-Level Integration Between Working Memory and Gaze Dynamics in Children Treated for Posterior Fossa Tumors

  Mironets, S.A. ; Ismatullina, V.I.; Adamovich, T.V.; Malykh, S. B.

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  Mironets, S.A., Ismatullina, V.I., Adamovich, T.V., Malykh, S.B. (2026). Altered System-Level Integration Between Working Memory and Gaze Dynamics in Children Treated for Posterior Fossa Tumors. Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 19(1), 70–95. DOI: 10.11621/pir.2026.0105

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  • Background. In recent years, experimental studies concerning the role of the cerebellum in cognitive functions and a variety of language deficits have been conducted.

    Objective. To evaluate the impact of posterior fossa tumors (PFT) on spatial working memory and eye-movement behavior during reading in children and to compare the system-level organization of working memory and gaze-related parameters between patients and typically developing peers.

    Design. This retrospective cohort study applied advanced analytical methods, including Drift Diffusion Modeling (DDM) and Recurrence Quantification Analysis (RQA), to capture the temporal dynamics of cognitive processing and oculomotor control. The study included 119 children aged 8 to 17 years: 59 survivors of posterior fossa tumors and 60 healthy controls. Working memory was assessed using the Spatial Span task from the CANTAB battery, modeled using DDM parameters, while eye movements during reading were recorded with eye tracking and analyzed using RQA. Network analysis was conducted to characterize cross-domain integration between working memory dynamics and gaze behavior.

    Results. Our findings indicate that cerebellar disruption due to tumor and treatment affects not only isolated aspects of reading or eye-movement behavior, but also the functional coordination between working memory and oculomotor control. Stronger working memory capacity was associated with more organized and predictable gaze dynamics in controls, whereas patients showed reduced flexibility and altered connectivity patterns. RQA parameters captured a unified dynamical system, linking cognitive control and motor implementation during reading.

    Conclusion. These findings highlight the importance of considering subtle, system-level disruptions in posterior fossa tumor patients and underscore the relevance of using multimodal, temporally sensitive approaches when designing rehabilitation protocols.

    
    

    Keywords: cerebellum/ posterior fossa tumor/ eye movements/ working memory/ visual-spatial ability/ reading

    DOI: 10.11621/pir.2026.0105

Psychometrics

• Validation of the Relational Self-Esteem Scale in Ecuador Unidimensional Structure and Gender Invariance

  Larzabal-Fernández, A.; Mayorga-Lascano, M.; Lascano-Arias, G.; Valdiviezo Rodríguez, D.C.; Játiva Morillo, R.; Moreta-Herrera, R.

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  Larzabal-Fernández, A., Mayorga-Lascano, M., Lascano-Arias, G., Valdiviezo Rodríguez, D.C., Játiva Morillo, R., Moreta-Herrera, R. (2026). Validation of the Relational Self-Esteem Scale in Ecuador: Unidimensional Structure and Gender Invariance. Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 19(1), 19–31. DOI: 10.11621/pir.2026.0102

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  • Background. Relational self-esteem—self-worth derived from significant relationships—is central to psychosocial functioning. However, brief measures validated with appropriate methods for ordinal items are scarce in Ecuadorian populations.

    Objective. To examine the factorial structure, internal consistency, convergent validity, and gender-based measurement invariance of the Relational Self-Esteem Scale (RSE), using a cross-validation approach.

    Design. Instrumental, cross-sectional study with n = 1.478 Ecuadorian adults. The sample was split for cross-validation: 40% (n = 591) for EFA and 60% (n = 887) for CFA. EFA used a polychoric matrix, ULS extraction, and oblimin rotation; factor retention was guided by parallel analysis. CFA employed WLSMV. Convergent validity was tested against personal self-esteem (RSES), collective self-esteem (CSE), and mental well-being (MHC-SF). Multigroup measurement invariance by gender was assessed (configural, metric, scalar, strict).

    Results. Parallel analysis and confirmatory factor analysis supported a unidimensional structure with robust factor loadings and an adequate overall model fit. The scale demonstrated high internal consistency and reliability. Convergent validity was established through significant positive correlations with measures of self-esteem, core self-evaluations, and mental health. The instrument showed full measurement invariance across genders, meeting all criteria from configural to strict levels.

    Conclusion. The RSE shows a unidimensional structure, adequate reliability, convergent validity, and gender invariance in Ecuadorian adults. Findings support using the total score as a brief, valid indicator of relational self-esteem in this context.

    
    

    Keywords: relational self-esteem/ Ecuador/ self-esteem/ invariance/ gender/ confirmatory factor analysis

    DOI: 10.11621/pir.2026.0102

Social psychology

• Climate Change Worry in Italian Young Adults: Psychosocial Predictors and Differences by Level of Environmental Activism Engagement

  Acquadro Maran, D.; Innocenti, M.; Begotti, T.

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  Acquadro Maran, D., Innocenti, M., Begotti, T. (2026). Climate Change Worry in Italian Young Adults: Psychosocial Predictors and Differences by Level of Environmental Activism Engagement. Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 19(1), 3–18. DOI: 10.11621/pir.2026.0101

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  • Background. Climate change worry is an increasingly relevant emotional response among young adults. However, less is known about the psychosocial predictors of climate change worry and whether these associations differ by level of environmental activism engagement.

    Objective. This study examined psychosocial predictors of climate change worry in Italian young adults, focusing on mental health, personality traits, perceived individual and social norms, and individual and collective climate self-efficacy. A secondary aim compared more engaged versus less engaged participants.

    Method. Using convenience and snowball sampling via social media and word of mouth, 302 Italian young adults aged 18–35 years (M = 24.20, SD = 3.73; 62% female) completed an online survey. Group differences were tested using one-way ANOVAs. Multiple regression analyses were conducted separately in the more engaged (EA_MORE) and less engaged (EA_LESS) groups to identify predictors of climate change worry.

    Results. EA_MORE reported significantly higher climate change worry than EA_LESS. In EA_MORE, climate change worry was predicted by mental health, collective self-efficacy, and perceived individual and social norms. In EA_LESS, climate change worry was predicted by mental health and perceived individual and social norms, whereas collective self-efficacy was not significant.

    Conclusions. Climate change worry appears to reflect a combination of well-being and normative/efficacy-related processes, with different patterns depending upon the level of activism engagement. Supporting effective coping strategies may help reduce the emotional burden associated with sustained engagement.

    
    

    Keywords: climate worry/ youth/ environmental activism/ self-efficacy/ well-being/ Italy

    DOI: 10.11621/pir.2026.0101