David F. Carreno

Universidad de Almería | UAL · Department of Psychology

This study aimed to explore the role of two models of well-being in the prediction of psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic, namely PERMA and mature happiness. According to PERMA, well-being is mainly composed of five elements: positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning in life, and achievement. Instead, mature happiness is...

Background/Objective This study examined the role of different psychological coping mechanisms in mental and physical health during the initial phases of the COVID-19 crisis with an emphasis on meaning-centered coping. Method A total of 11,227 people from 30 countries across all continents participated in the study and completed measures of psycho...

A key research program within the meaning in life (MIL) literature aims to identify the key contributors to MIL. The experience of existential mattering, purpose in life and a sense of coherence are currently posited as three primary contributors to MIL. However, it is unclear whether they encompass all information people consider when judging MIL....

The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Mature Happiness Scale, a measure focused on inner harmony. Mature happiness is achieved when a person can live in balance between both positive and negative aspects of their life. A total sample of 2,130 participants from five countries (Canada: n = 390, United States: n = 223,...

Objective This study explores the reappraisal of personal values among people with cancer post-diagnosis and its connections to meaningfulness, encompassing personal meaning and sense of meaning, and various dimensions of quality of life. Methods A total of 144 patients with diverse cancer types and a control group comprising 158 healthy adults...

This follow-up study aimed to analyze the protective role of positivity and coping strategies on the well-being and psychological distress levels reported during Portugal's first and third waves of COVID-19. The total sample consisted of 135 participants (82.0% women) with ages ranging from 20 to 72 years (M = 39.29, SD = 11.46). Results suggested...

This study aimed to investigate the dimensional structure of Brief-COPE during the COVID-19 pandemic. Six hundred and sixty-six adults from all regions of Brazil, mostly women (77 %), aged between 18 and 79 years old (M = 36.70; SD = 13.12), took part in this research. They answered sociodemographic questions and the Brief-COPE. Descriptive and con...

People's psychological response to the COVID-19 pandemic is significantly affected by their psychological inflexibility. One possible mechanism explaining the association between psychological inflexibility and psychological functioning concerns coping styles. While avoidance and approach coping styles were previously found to mediate this associat...

The Death Attitude Profile-Revised (DAP-R) was developed in English-speaking cultures with the aim of measuring attitudes towards death. This measure consists of 32 items, grouped into five factors (Fear of Death, Avoidance of Death, Neutral Acceptance, Approach Acceptance, and Escape Acceptance). The DAP-R was translated and adapted to Spanish (DA...

Previous research demonstrated that the cancer diagnosis and treatment evoke existential concerns, especially ones related to meaning in life and meaning-making processes. The cancer experience is a vital challenge that often entails changes in what is personally important in life. Firstly, this paper collects evidence supporting that meaning adapt...

Understanding the determinants of COVID-19 vaccine uptake is important to inform policy decisions and plan vaccination campaigns. The aims of this research were to: (1) explore the individual- and country-level determinants of intentions to be vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, and (2) examine worldwide variation in vaccination intentions. This cross-s...

This study examined the role of different psychological coping mechanisms in mental and physical health during the initial phases of the COVID-19 crisis with an emphasis on meaning-centered coping. Method: A total of 11,227 people from 30 countries across all continents participated in the study and completed measures of psychological distress (dep...

This 9-item scale measures meaning-centered coping, a set of coping strategies that serve to create and maintain meaning in life in adverse situations. It includes positive reframing, hope, existential courage, life appreciation, engagement in meaningful activities, interpersonal closeness, and prosociality. This coping style is rooted in Viktor Fr...

This 9-item scale measures meaning-centered coping, a set of coping strategies that serve to create and maintain meaning in life in adverse situations. It includes positive reframing, hope, existential courage, life appreciation, engagement in meaningful activities, and prosociality. This coping style is rooted in Viktor Frankl's and Paul Wong's wo...

Rationale Current evidence suggests that mental health across the globe has suffered significantly during the COVID-19 global pandemic, and that disadvantaged communities are suffering these impacts more acutely. Lower income, female gender, and younger age have all been associated with worse psychopathology during COVID-19. Objective and methods...

The global COVID-19 pandemic crisis has caused an unprecedented impact on most areas of people’s lives. Thus, framed within the scope of Existential Positive Psychology (PP2.0), this study aimed at assessing the psychological distress of adults living in Portugal during the first national lockdown, how they are coping with stress, as well to contri...

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in an increase in known risk factors for mental health problems. Mexico adopted lockdown and physical distancing as a containment strategy with potential consequences on day to day life, such as social isolation, loss of income and loneliness that can have important consequences in terms...

Studies investigating the COVID-19 pandemic from a psychological point of view have mostly focused on psychological distress. This study adopts the framework of existential positive psychology, a second wave of positive psychology that emphasizes the importance of effective coping with the negative aspects of living in order to achieve greater well...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.648383.].

Most countries are facing the societal challenging need for a new quarantine period due to the increasing number of COVID-19 infections, indicating a second or even third wave of disease. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the surface existential issues that are typically less present in people’s focal attention. The first aim of this study was t...

The COVID-19 pandemic has subjected most of the world’s population to unprecedented situations, like national lockdowns, health hazards, social isolation and economic harm. Such a scenario calls for urgent measures not only to palliate it but also, to better cope with it. According to existential positive psychology, well-being does not simply repr...

Aim: This study attempts to demonstrate the relevance of the socio-cultural model of drugs in explaining the impressive development of ecstasy in the last 45 years. Method: First the study describes the use of ecstasy by groups which have left their imprint on the substance: university students, gays, yuppies and the “New Age” movement. Then the l...

Background/Objective This study aimed to adapt the Personal Meaning Profile-Brief (PMP-B) to the Spanish-speaking population and investigate its psychometric properties. The PMP-B is a 21-item instrument that assesses meaning in life through seven sources: relationship, intimacy, achievement, self-acceptance, self-transcendence, fair treatment, and...

Objective: The clinical approach of fibromyalgia is a cause of frustration for some professionals due to the controversy on its diagnosis, etiopathology and clinical management. The aim of this study was to explore the beliefs and knowledge on fibromyalgia among health professionals from different specialties of the public health service from Alme...

The present paper addresses two aims. Firstly, it provides an approach to the psychological process of dying and how to live meaningfully through the last moments of life. Dying is framed from an existential positive perspective based on Frankl's and Wong's theories of meaning in life. These theories propose self-transcendence as the central elemen...

Resumen El presente trabajo trata sobre un estudio de caso único con diagnóstico de depresión en el que se hizo una intervención desde el enfoque de la psicología existencial. Los puntos clave del tratamiento fueron la clarificación del sentido de la vida y el fomento de la responsabilidad en base a los valores del cliente. Para la evaluación del...

DAP-GR captures attitudes towards dying and death.The measure consists of 32 items, which are assigned to 5 dimensions. The measure is answered on a 7-point Likert scale (from 1 = strongly disagree to 7 = stronglyagree), with each item beginning with either strongly disagree or strongly agree (random polarity pattern) to reduce possible acquiescenc...

Background: In Germany, only limited data are available on attitudes towards death. Existing measurements are complex and time consuming, and data on psychometric properties are limited. The Death Attitude Profile- Revised (DAP-R) captures attitudes towards dying and death. The measure consists of 32 items, which are assigned to 5 dimensions (Fear...

Academic procrastination is generally understood as a problematic emotion regulation practice related to poor mental health. Previous studies have linked it to higher levels of psychological inflexibility, defined as the rigid dominance of certain psychological reactions over personal values in guiding actions. In order to discover the exact role o...

Addiction is widely considered to be a chronic brain disease. Under this view, neuroscientists have spent lots of resources to study the brain and identify pharmacological targets to palliate addiction. However, the brain disease model presents serious epistemological and practical limitations. Firstly, this article collects important critiques to...

Los eventos traumáticos, crisis personales y otro tipo de hechos relevantes pueden llevarnos a un replanteamiento existencial. En tales situaciones resurgen cuestiones como ¿quién soy yo?, ¿qué sentido tiene mi vida?, ¿qué es lo más importante para mí en esta vida?, cuestiones todas ellas que pueden manifestar cambios sutiles o drásticos a la hora...

A diferencia de los estudios encontrados en la literatura sobre la imagen y valoración que la población española tiene sobre el psicólogo, el presente estudio se centra en la disposición para acudir a éste, incluyendo los motivos y barreras actuales de la población general. Se realizó una encuesta a 100 residentes de la ciudad de Almería mediante u...