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This article describes and examines a method of spatial suppression of extremely strong interfering signals (ISs) capable of complete desensitization and even damage of victim receivers’ input circuits. This method not only protects victim receivers but also allows them to reliably receive desired signals in the presence of such ISs, using adaptive hybrid nulling whose first stage is performed at the receivers’ analog inputs and the second stage is carried out in the receivers’ digital portions.

Purpose There is inadequate health care for patients with developmental disabilities (DD), due to a number of systemic issues. This case study describes the establishment of a medical-dental clinic in Montréal, Québec for adults with DD. The purpose of this paper is to describe the model of interdisciplinary care based on best practices, as an example to encourage a growing community of trained health professionals to serve this population. Design/methodology/approach Interviews with all the clinic staff and leadership were conducted on-site at the clinic, followed by document review and discussions with an embedded researcher in the organization. Findings The clinic was established through a series of events that led to public and government interest to act, the timely emergence of major donors, and bringing together several dedicated individuals and organizations. The core team engaged in consultation with clinics, followed by extensive billing analyses and iterative process mapping as a learning organization. Prior to patient visits, the clinic conducted detailed intake processes to adequately plan for each patient interaction. Desensitization visits were undertaken to improve patient tolerance for examination and treatment. The continual collection of data fed into an evaluation framework to facilitate continuous improvement and articulate a model for replication. Originality/value To the best of the authors knowledge, there is not a clinic of this nature serving this population in Canada. This work can serve to inform the efforts of other care providers looking to create a medical – dental home for this population.

Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) is characterized by changes in cranial morphology associated with heterogeneous neurological manifestations and cognitive and behavioral impairments. In this syndrome, longitudinal neuroimaging could help clinicians to predict developmental trajectories of children and tailor treatment plans accordingly. However, regularly acquiring magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has several shortcomings besides cost, particularly those associated with childrens' clinical presentation as sensitivity to environmental stimuli. The indirect monitoring of local neural activity by non-invasive functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technique can be a useful alternative for longitudinally accessing the brain function in children with CZS. In order to provide a common framework for advancing longitudinal neuroimaging assessment, we propose a principled guideline for fNIRS acquisition and analyses in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Based on our experience on collecting fNIRS data in children with CZS we emphasize the methodological challenges, such as clinical characteristics of the sample, desensitization, movement artifacts and environment control, as well as suggestions for tackling such challenges. Finally, metrics based on fNIRS can be associated with established clinical metrics, thereby opening possibilities for exploring this tool as a long-term predictor when assessing the effectiveness of treatments aimed at children with severe neurodevelopmental disorders.

Does Eye Movement and Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy affect the accuracy of memories? This recurrent issue in recent memory research bears relevance to expert witness work in the courtroom. In this review, we will argue that several crucial aspects of EMDR may be detrimental to memory. First, research has shown that eye movements undermine the quality and quantity of memory. Specifically, eye movements have been shown to decrease the vividness and emotionality of autobiographical experiences and amplify spontaneous false memory levels. Second, a sizeable proportion of EMDR practitioners endorse the controversial idea of repressed memories and discuss the topic of repressed memory in therapy. Third, in the Dutch EMDR protocol, patients are instructed to select the target image by using flawed metaphors of memory (e.g., memory works as a video). Such instructions may create demand characteristics to the effect that people over-interpret imagery during therapy as veridical memories. Collectively, the corpus of research suggests that several components of EMDR therapy (i.e., performing eye movements, therapist beliefs and therapeutic instructions) may undermine the accuracy of memory, which can be risky if patients, later on, serve as witnesses in legal proceedings. ispartof: MEMORY vol:29 issue:9 pages:1254-1262 ispartof: location:England status: published

Background/purpose Oral health care provision in long-term care settings is often limited by specific behaviors exhibited by residents, which may be interpreted as a refusal of care. Such behaviors can be attributed to oral tactile hypersensitivity (TH), which is characterized by aberrations in the perception of oral stimuli. TH is also associated with a decline in ingestion and swallowing function. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a technique for mitigating TH (TMH) among institutionalized older persons. Materials and methods In this study, 18 institutionalized older persons (Mean age, 90.6 ± 4.5 years; 92.9% females) with TH were randomized to a control group or an intervention group. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted for seven participants in each group. Routine oral care was provided by the facility's staff in both groups. TMH in the intervention group was performed by a dental hygienist over a 3-month period. Results In the intervention group, the number of areas with TH was significantly reduced (P = 0.027). No significant change was observed in the control group. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that TMH can effectively mitigate TH. Our findings provide clinicians with an additional treatment option for hypersensitivity in older patients. Additional long-term studies with larger sample sizes are required to confirm the effectiveness of this technique.

Purpose Auditory training is known to improve the speech-perception-in-noise (SPIN) skills in children with auditory processing disorders (APDs); however, conventional non–computer-based trainings are dreary and nonmotivating. This study intended to develop a computer-based noise desensitization training module in Indian English and test the efficacy of the same in children with APD having SPIN deficits. There are no such modules available at present to be used in Indian children. Method The module incorporated words-in-noise training, with monosyllables and trisyllables as target words in the presence of speech-shaped noise as well as multitalker babble at different signal-to-noise ratios ranging from +20 to −4 dB SNR. The study included 20 children with SPIN deficits diagnosed with APD and who were recruited randomly to the experimental group who received the training ( n = 10; M age = 11.1 years) and to the control group who did not receive any training ( n = 10; M age = 11.4 years). The outcome measures included behavioral measures and electrophysiological measures (auditory long latency responses for speech in quiet and noise). Results Compared to children in the control group, children in the experimental group exhibited improvements in the SPIN scores as well as temporal processing measures after training. Dichotic consonant–vowel tests and auditory memory and sequencing tests did not yield significant improvement post training. Also, auditory long latency responses in quiet and noise revealed significant reduction in the amplitudes after training. No significant difference was noted in the latencies of auditory long latency responses post training. Control group participants did not show any significant difference in any of the measures between the initial and follow-up evaluations. Conclusions The developed training module was successful in fetching improvements in behavioral and electrophysiological measures. It would be a great addition to the evidence-based rehabilitation support inventory for children with SPIN deficits in India. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14551041

PURPOSE Alarm fatigue among working nurses is a well-documented, high-priority safety issue. This article describes a study to learn whether alarm fatigue develops in undergraduate nursing student populations. METHODS This longitudinal quantitative study employed survey data from a single cohort of nursing students in the Southeastern US over a period of 18 months to assess nursing students' level of sensitivity to alarms, including the call bell, bathroom, fall and safety, I.V. infusion pumps, and telemetry alarms. RESULTS These data were significant for I.V. infusion pump alarms and indicated a general decrease in sensitivity over an 18-month period. Nursing students with previous healthcare experience also noted decreased sensitivity to bathroom call bells and fall and safety alarms. CONCLUSION Alarm fatigue was recognized among the surveyed nursing students. Nurse educators also identified a performance-based strategy to increase student awareness of alarm fatigue and evidence-based strategies to minimize desensitization to alarms in both education and practice.

This study intended to observe mental symptoms among physicians in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic and to investigate the factors leading to such symptoms. The study participants were contacted via their smartphones between April 23 and 27, 2020, and invited to fill out an online questionnaire which included questions from the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). The mean age of the 406 physicians who participated in the study was 42.9 ± 10.1 years, and 53.4% were men (n: 217). During the pandemic, 66.7% had decreased working hours. Lack of COVID-related training, difficulty obtaining personal protective equipment (PPE), working in a COVID unit, and current psychiatric disease were found to be among the predictors of emotional burnout. Female gender, lack of COVID training, difficulty obtaining PPE, working in a COVID unit, and current psychiatric disease predicted desensitization. Facilitating continuous and comprehensive support mechanisms aimed at protecting physicians’ mental health is of great importance during epidemics.

Aims Medical procedures and hospitalizations can be experienced as traumatic and can lead to post-traumatic stress reactions. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) shows promising results but very few long-term studies have been published. Therefore, our aim was to test the long-term (8 months post-treatment) effectiveness of EMDR in children and adolescents with medically related subthreshold post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods and results Seventy-four children (including 39 with congenital or acquired heart disease) aged 4–15 (M = 9.6 years) with subthreshold PTSD after previous hospitalization were included into a parallel group randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomized to EMDR (n = 37) or care-as-usual (CAU) (n = 37; medical care only). The primary outcome was PTSD symptoms of the child. Secondary outcomes were symptoms of depression and blood–injection–injury (BII) phobia, sleep problems, and health-related quality of life (HrQoL) of the child. Assessments of all outcomes were planned at baseline and 8 weeks and 8 months after the start of EMDR/CAU. We hypothesized that the EMDR group would show significantly more improvements on all outcomes over time. Both groups showed improvements over time on child’s symptoms of PTSD (only parent report), depression, BII phobia, sleep problems, and most HrQoL subscales. GEE analyses showed no significant differences between the EMDR group (nT2 = 33, nT3 = 30) and the CAU group (nT2 = 35, nT3 = 32) on the primary outcome. One superior effect of EMDR over time was found for reducing parent-reported BII phobia of the child. Conclusion EMDR did not perform better than CAU in reducing subthreshold PTSD up to 8 months post-treatment in previously hospitalized children. Possible explanations and clinical implications are discussed.

The goal of the study was to investigate temporal dynamics of excessive violent game playing. We compared behavioral data and event-related potentials (ERPs) of excessive video game players (EVGPs, n = 21) and non-players (NPs, n = 21) using a classical learning, cued recall and recognition paradigm, featuring violent and non-violent words. During the recognition phase, EVGPs performed better for violent words, but worse for non-violent words compared to NPs. Also, EVGPs showed slower reaction times than NPs when responding to new violent words. We found significant group differences in parietal P300 and FN400 amplitudes. The EVGP group showed larger P300 amplitudes for violent words, and more negative FN400 amplitudes for new violent words compared to NPs. The results imply that EVGPs differ from NPs in their cognitive and ERP responses to violent and non-violent verbal stimuli. The cognitive processes of EVGPs are consistent with a model of attention and memory bias rather than with desensitization to violence.

This paper aims to map out the adaptive causal pathways of processes underlying capsaicin consumption and the desensitization process of the TRPV1 receptor as a feedback loop together with pain and pleasure perception. In order to map out these causal capsaicin pathways, adaptive causal network modeling was applied, which is a way of modeling biological, neural, mental and social processes from an adaptive causal modeling perspective.

Violent video game playing is a consistent risk factor for aggression, but research on its psychopathology and trait underpinnings are primarily based on community or university student samples, thus the ecological validity to adjudicated and juvenile justice system-involved youth lacks clarity. This is an important void in the literature because relative to youth in the general population, adjudicated and detained youth evince greater psychopathology, more severe delinquency and violence histories, and clinical psychopathic features. Negative binomial regression models using data from 252 youth in residential placements found that several psychopathic features are significantly associated with violent video gaming. The role of psychopathy operated differently across gender and arrest chronicity, and across models remorselessness emerged as an important correlate. Given the desensitization that can occur with violent video game play, it is of particular concern among delinquent youth with psychopathic personality features.

It has been proposed that exposure to violent video games (VVGs) resulted in alterations of social behaviors such as increased aggression. The most damaging reported effect of playing VVGs is neural desensitization to violent stimuli and this is a major concern given the reported number of players and time spent playing major video game titles. The aim of this study was to investigate the existence of neural desensitization that was reported at the P300 component of event-related potentials (ERPs) in response to violent stimuli. Eighty-seven participants were recruited and placed into one of two conditions based on their video gaming behavior (violent games players and nonplayers). ERPs were recorded from participants who passively viewed violent and neutral images selected from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS). The participants then played a VVG, postplaying ERPs were recorded while viewing the neutral and violent IAPS images. The mean amplitudes of the P300 were analyzed with respect to condition, time, and content. There was a significant effect of image but not of VVG player and nonplayer. The results were interpreted as evidence against the neural desensitization hypothesis. The findings of this study are consistent with imaging research and the implications for the reported negative effects of playing VVGs are discussed.

In the United States, rape culture is a prevalent phenomenon that has contributed to desensitization to scenes in popular media that might have been considered unacceptable in the past. This paper ...

Study Design Pilot randomized controlled trial with parallel groups. Introduction Engaging individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) awaiting carpal tunnel decompression surgery in a preoperative rehabilitation program may mitigate pain and sensorimotor impairments, enhance functional abilities before surgery, and improve postoperative outcomes. Purpose of the Study To assess the feasibility and the efficacy of a novel preoperative neuromobilization exercise program (NEP). Methods Thirty individuals with CTS were randomly allocated into a four-week home-based neuromobilization exercise group or a standard care group while awaiting surgery. Outcome measures included feasibility (ie, recruitment, attrition, adherence, satisfaction, and safety) and efficacy metrics (ie, median nerve integrity and neurodynamics, tip pinch grip, pain, and upper limb functional abilities) collected before (ie, at the baseline and about four weeks later) and four weeks after surgery. Results Thirty individuals with CTS were recruited (recruitment rate = 11.8%) and 25 completed the study (attrition rate = 16.7%). Adherence (94%) and satisfaction with the program (eg, enjoy the exercises and likeliness to repeat the NEP (≥4.2/5) were high and no serious adverse event was reported. NEP-related immediate pre- and post-surgery beneficial effects on pain interference were documented (P = .05, η2 = .10), whereas an overall increased neurodynamics (P = .04, η2 = .11) and decreased pain severity (P = .01, η2 = .21) were observed. Discussion Engaging in the proposed NEP has limited beneficial effect as a stand-alone intervention on pre- and post-surgery outcomes for individuals with CTS. Expanding the program’s content and attribute by adding other components including desensitization maneuvers and novel therapies promoting corticospinal plasticity is recommended. Conclusion A preoperative NEP completed by individuals with CTS awaiting surgery is feasible, acceptable, and safe. However, given the limited beneficial effectsof the program, revision of its content and attributes is recommended before proceeding to large-scale trials.

Purpose Misophonia is a sound tolerance disorder condition in certain sounds that trigger intense emotional or physiological responses. While some persons may experience misophonia, a few patients suffer from misophonia. However, there is a dearth of literature on audiological assessment and management of persons with misophonia. The purpose of this report is to discuss the assessment of misophonia and highlight the management option that helped a patient with misophonia. Method A case study of a 26-year-old woman with the complaint of decreased tolerance to specific sounds affecting quality of life is reported. Audiological assessment differentiated misophonia from hyperacusis. Management included retraining counseling as well as desensitization and habituation therapy based on the principles described by P. J. Jastreboff and Jastreboff (2014). A misophonia questionnaire was administered at regular intervals to monitor the effectiveness of therapy. Results A detailed case history and audiological evaluations including pure-tone audiogram and Johnson Hyperacusis Index revealed the presence of misophonia. The patient benefitted from intervention, and the scores of the misophonia questionnaire indicated a decrease in the severity of the problem. Conclusions It is important to differentially diagnose misophonia and hyperacusis in persons with sound tolerance disorders. Retraining counseling as well as desensitization and habituation therapy can help patients who suffer from misophonia.

Minority youth, because of structural, ecological, and societal inequalities, are at heightened risk of reporting depression and experiencing negative sanctions associated with delinquency. Sociological theories suggest that greater exposure to ecological risk factors at the peer, family, school and community levels are associated with elevated rates of youth depression and delinquency. Desensitization theory posits that repeated exposures to ongoing stressors result in a numbing of psychological and behavioral responses. Thus, it remains unclear whether racial/ethnic differences exist with regards to how contextual stressors correlate with depression and delinquency. Using a sample of 616 Black, 687 Latinx, and 1,318 White youth, this study explores racial/ethnic differences across four ecological risk factors of risky peers, low family warmth, poor school engagement, and community violence as they relate to youth delinquency and depression. Data were collected through in-school survey of youth from 16 public schools surrounding a major city in the Midwest. Significant racial/ethnic differences provided partial support for the desensitization theory. Among Black youth, the magnitude of relationships between ecological risk factors and delinquency was significantly weaker for three of the four predictors and for all four predictors of depression in comparison to White youth. Among Latinx youth, the magnitude of relationships between ecological risk factors was significantly weaker for depression, but not delinquency, in comparison to White youth. Results indicate that ecological risk factors may have differential associations to youth depression and delinquency, which may call for culturally tailored intervention approaches.

The fear of the dentist, dental anxiety and dental phobia continue to concern the medical world, seeking to elucidate the causes, calculate the prevalence and its implications on the oral health of the population, as well as identify the most effective methods to combat it. The survey included 208 patients, who were treated and investigated, in the period 2018-2019. The questionnaire consisted of 15 questions, structured in 3 sections: socio-demographic data, oral hygiene habits and past experience, during dental treatment, with analysis of dental anxiety, using modified MDAS. The mean value of MDAS in the study group was 11.7 ± 4. Most of the respondents (80%) had medium or low dental anxiety. High levels of anxiety were observed in 20% of patients, including 12% with dental phobia. A statistically significant correlation was found between the mean values of the MDAS and sex (p = 0.030), age (p

Studies about Islamist inspired terror attacks in the Western world have identified a recently declining impact on public opinion. What explains this development? I argue that the wider audience of terrorist attacks has become desensitized. Cognitive desensitization occurs when citizens increasingly expect an attack, reducing the likelihood of attitudinal change. Emotional desensitization occurs when audiences lose sensitivity to attacks, tempering emotional arousal. To assess the implications of desensitization, I analyze a survey conducted around the Berlin Christmas market attack in 2016 and account for baseline information of the surveyed individuals, an approach not used before due to data limitations. I find that attitudes like trust in government, national identification and views of Islam remain unchanged. Sadness and anger are heightened in the immediate aftermath of the attack. The wider German audience may thus have expected an attack, but still be emotionally sensitive to it in the short term. These findings are relevant as political leaders have justified important policy changes in fields like migration and even war-making with reference to supposed shifts in public opinion after attacks.

An online questionnaire survey investigated (1) management and (2) treatment methods for firework fears in dogs employed by dog owners and their (perceived) effectiveness. A PCA on data from 1225 respondents revealed four management strategies (i.e. interventions during firework exposure): the principal components “Environmental modification” (e.g. providing a hiding place, keeping windows and blinds closed, and playing music), “Feed/Play” (providing the dog with chews, play and food during fireworks in general, as well as contingent on loud bangs), “Alternative” (use of calming nutraceuticals, pheromones, herbal products, homeopathic products, Bach flowers, and essential oils) and “Interaction” (allowing body contact, petting and talking to the dog when loud bangs occurred). To explore possible effects of these management methods on fear development, the components were correlated with a score for fear progression. Of the four components, only “Feed/Play” was statistically associated with an improvement in fear responses to fireworks. To evaluate the effectiveness of various treatment strategies, owners were asked to select from a range of options which interventions they had used and whether they considered them as effective. With prescription medication (N=202), improvements were noted by 69% of owners, with high success rates reported for the most frequently prescribed drugs, alprazolam (91%) and Sileo® (74%). While individual products were not evaluated, the reported success rates for the categories “pheromones” (N=316), “herbal products” (N=282), “nutraceuticals” (N=211), “essential oils” (N=183), “homeopathic remedies” (N=250) and “Bach flowers” (N=281) were all in the range of 27-35%, which is not higher than would be expected based on a placebo effect. Pressure vests were deemed as effective by 44% of respondents (N=300). Counterconditioning (providing desirable stimuli after the occurrence of noises) was the most successful training technique according to the owners (N=694), with a reported effectiveness of over 70%. Relaxation training (N=433) was reported to be almost as successful at 69%, while noise CDs (N=377) were effective in 55% of cases. Thus, counterconditioning, relaxation training and anxiolytic medication appear to be the most effective strategies in the treatment of firework fears in dogs. On this basis it is recommended that ad-hoc counterconditioning and relaxation training should complement the standard behavioral technique of desensitization/ counterconditioning with noise recordings.HighlightsAn online survey on treatment options for firework fears in dogs was performedFeeding or playing with dogs during fireworks was associated with fear improvementSuccess was highest for ad-hoc counterconditioning, relaxation training and medicationSuccess was similar for pheromones, nutraceuticals and other alternative productsSuccess rates for these alternative products are consistent with a placebo effect

Separation anxiety is one of the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorders in domestic dogs and a principal reason for relinquishment of dogs to animal shelters. While pharmacologic and behavioral interventions can be effective in treating this disorder, they require a significant investment of time and effort on the part of the owner to be successful. Failures in compliance are frequent. In this case report, a mixed-breed dog presented with hyper-attachment to the owner and severe separation anxiety that was poorly responsive to pharmacologic and behavior-modification treatment. While continuing the pharmacologic treatment, the dog was provided a novel behavioral intervention. This intervention relied on a newly developed device consisting of machine learning–enabled computer vision and a positive reinforcement mechanism, which was used as part of a counter-conditioning and desensitization program in both the owner's presence and, subsequently, absence. This treatment was able to significantly reduce the signs of separation anxiety within 12 weeks of therapy, allowing the dog's owner to leave her apartment for 30 minutes without the dog showing any signs of separation anxiety. Interactive devices that present cognitive challenges requiring engagement may provide a valuable tool for addressing separation distress in dogs.

This paper develops a mathematical model describing the potential buildup of high oxytocin concentrations in the maternal circulation during labor in terms of continuous Pitocin infusion rate, half-life and maternal weight. Oxytocin override of the degradation of oxytocin by placental oxytocinase is introduced to model the potential transfer of oxytocin from the maternal circulation across the placenta into the fetal circulation, and from there into the brain of the fetus. The desensitization unit D equal to 1.8E6 (pg-min)/ml is employed to establish a desensitization threshold, and by extension; a down-regulation threshold as a function of oxytocin override concentration and continuous Pitocin infusion time, that could be a factor in the subsequent development of autism among offspring. Epidemiological studies by Duke University (S.G. Gregory, 2013), Yale University (O. Weisman, 2015) and Harvard University (A.S. Oberg, 2016) are discussed regarding Pitocin use and offspring autism development for an explanation of the weak correlations they identified. The findings of the Harvard epidemiological study are re-interpreted regarding Pitocin use, and its conclusion questioned. Further evaluations of the findings of these three epidemiological studies are called for to incorporate medical information on quantity of Pitocin used, continuous Pitocin infusion rate, length of labor and maternal weight to determine if a correlation can be established with offspring autism development above an empirically determined desensitization threshold for Pitocin use. Suggestions for research are discussed, including an alternative to continuous Pitocin infusion, pulsatile infusion of Pitocin during labor induction, that may mitigate possible offspring autism development.HIGHLIGHTSBuildup of oxytocin (OT) in the maternal circulation mathematically modeled.Relationship of OT half-life and OT concentration in maternal circulation identified.OTR Desensitization related to Pitocin infusion time and OT override concentration.Weak correlations for autism development in epidemiological studies explained.Examination called for of medical records of Pitocin use in epidemiological studies.OUTLINE OF PAPERIntroductionDevelopment and application of mathematical model – Sections 1 through 6, notably: Figures 1 through 4Discussion of oxytocin receptor desensitization as it pertains to mathematical model – Sections 7 and 8Influence of mathematical model on interpretation of epidemiological studies – Sections 9 and 10Research considerations – Section 11, notably:Subsection 11.1 – Call for detailed epidemiological analysis of selected medical information indicated by mathematical model Subsection 11.2 – Review of pulsatile Pitocin infusion to mitigate possible offspring autism development indicated by mathematical model

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to test the feasibility of a new pain and fatigue self-management technique, bilateral stimulation and desensitization (BSD), in fibromyalgia (FM)....

Purpose The signal detection theory has evolutionary foundations such that our ancestors who were able to detect signals of aggression survived, while those who could not were extinguished. The paper examines the detection of conflict escalation signals in a domestic argument in a married couple as a consequence of history with prior victimization and perpetration of violence. The purpose of this paper is threefold: escalation detection differences between a trained special victim’s detective and untrained individuals; escalation detection for individuals with domestic violence victimization; and physiological arousal during escalation detection. Design/methodology/approach Subjects with various histories of victimization and perpetration using the Straus conflict tactics scale watched a video of an argument that escalated in conflict while their heart rate and electrodermal activity (EDA) was measured. Participants were asked to pause the tape and write any verbal and non-verbal signal of escalating conflict. The signal coding used deductive, a prioi coding based on Gottman’s (1994, 2011) corrosive behaviors indicative of conflict. A repeated measures general linear model in sex and conflict initiation using two measures of physiological arousal revealed significant effects on EDA while watching escalating conflict as a function of victimization history. Findings A series of hypotheses and research questions tested untrained people’s signal detection abilities with a trained, special victim’s unit police investigator as a consequence of male and female-initiated conflict. Untrained viewers reported fewer aggression signals than the police investigator. A repeated measures general linear model using two measures of physiological arousal revealed significant effects on EDA while watching escalating conflict as a function of victimization history. Results are discussed in terms of the signal detection and excitation-transfer theories toward explaining responses to escalating conflict. Research limitations/implications A limitation of this study was asking participants to document all abuse while not differentiating between different forms (i.e. emotional, verbal, physical). A future study could investigate how well participants can detect different forms of abuse. This area of research could be beneficial especially in the form of past history. For example, if an individual has been a recipient of emotional abuse, do they detect significantly more signals of emotional abuse than they would for physical abuse? Practical implications The findings of our study have could practical publications for advising people who cope with conflict as they vary in their use of negotiation and physical force. The fact that physiological arousal was heightened after exposure to the conflict escalation video as a function of victimization due to physical force has ramifications for watching media with violent content. Therapists could ask survivors if they feel based on their experience, that they could help others to recognize aggressive signals or if they are immune to these signals, given the debate over victim desensitization vs heightened sensitivity. Social implications The authors feel it is imperative to note that our current study was designed to gain a deeper understanding of domestic violence in order to ultimately benefit victims in the recovery process and to (ideally) prevent recurrence of domestic violence in the future. This research is not intended to implicate victims in anyway as being responsible for the consequences of domestic violence due to an inability to detect signals of aggression. Indeed, future research should examine how to skillfully advise domestic violence victims while protecting their already vulnerable self-images. Originality/value Every day, people are exposed to violence through social media, news, movies and television. Hence, we may become either sensitized to violence or desensitized. These are competing hypotheses that we tested in conjunction with physiological arousal. It is important to analyze reactions to viewing violence due to the sheer amount that is readily disseminated.

Objective To assess the influence of clinical, psychological, and psychophysical variables on long-term clinical outcomes after the application of either physical therapy or surgery in women presenting with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Methods A secondary analysis of a randomized trial investigating the efficacy of manual therapy including desensitization maneuvers of the central nervous system against surgery in 120 women with CTS was performed. Clinical outcomes including pain intensity, function, or symptom severity were assessed at 6 and 12 months post-intervention. Participants completed at baseline several clinical (pain intensity, function, and symptom severity), psychological (depression), and psychophysical (pressure pain thresholds and pain extent) variables, which were included as predictors. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between baseline variables and clinical outcomes at 6 and 12 months post-intervention. Results The regression models indicated that higher scores of each clinical outcome (ie, intensity of pain or symptom severity) at baseline predicted better outcomes at 6 and 12 months post-intervention (from 15% to 65% of variance) in both groups. Lower pressure pain thresholds over the carpal tunnel at baseline predicted poorer clinical outcomes at 6 and 12 months post-intervention (from 5% to 20% of variance) in the physical therapy group, whereas higher depressive symptoms at baseline contributed to poorer outcomes at 6 and 12 months post-intervention (from 5% to 15% of the variance) within the surgery group. Conclusion This study found that baseline localized pressure pain sensitivity and depression were predictive of long-term clinical outcomes in women with CTS following physical therapy or surgery, respectively.

We study desensitization to crime in a lab experiment by showing footage of criminal acts to a group of subjects, some of whom have been previously victimized. We measure biological markers of stress and behavioral indices of cognitive control before and after treated participants watch a series of real, crime-related videos (while the control group watches non-crime-related videos). Not previously victimized participants exposed to the treatment video show significant changes in cortisol level, heart rate, and measures of cognitive control. Instead, previously victimized individuals who are exposed to the treatment video show biological markers and cognitive performance comparable to those measured in individuals exposed to the control video. These results suggest a phenomenon of desensitization or habituation of victims to crime exposure. Fil: Di Tella, Rafael. Harvard Business School; Fil: Freira, Lucía. Universidad Torcuato di Tella; Argentina Fil: Gálvez, Ramiro Heraclio. Universidad Torcuato di Tella; Argentina Fil: Schargrodsky, Ernesto Santiago. Universidad Torcuato di Tella; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires; Argentina Fil: Shalom, Diego. Universidad Torcuato di Tella; Argentina Fil: Sigman, Mariano. Universidad Torcuato di Tella; Argentina

Many conventional antidepressants can quickly raise the levels of extracellular serotonin, yet their positive effects on mood ensues only weeks later. This delay in efficacy is a clinical problem that has proven difficult to overcome. Early investigation noted that the initial increases in extracellular serotonin engaged strong feedback inhibition of serotonin neurons via 5-HT(1A) autoreceptors, resulting in a profound reduction in their firing rate. Over the course of chronic treatment, however, firing rate returned to normal and the inhibition via 5-HT(1A) receptor agonists was attenuated. The coincident timeline of these phenomena led to the influential hypothesis that the relationship was causal and that gradual loss of feedback inhibition mediated by 5-HT(1A) receptors was critical to the delayed therapeutic onset. Simple and appealing, the desensitization hypothesis has taken strong hold, yet much of the supporting evidence is circumstantial and there are several observations that would refute a causal relationship. In particular, even though 5-HT(1A) receptors may desensitize, there is evidence that feedback inhibition mediated by remaining receptors persists. That is, baseline serotonin firing rate returns to normal not because of 5-HT(1A) desensitization but rather despite ongoing feedback inhibition. Thus, while 5-HT(1A) receptors remain important for emotional behavior, it may be other slow-adaptive changes triggered by antidepressants that allow for therapeutic effects, such as those involving glutamatergic synaptic plasticity.

A psychotherapeutic regimen that uses alternating bilateral sensory stimulation (ABS) has been used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. However, the neural basis that underlies the long-lasting effect of this treatment—described as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing—has not been identified. Here we describe a neuronal pathway driven by the superior colliculus (SC) that mediates persistent attenuation of fear. We successfully induced a lasting reduction in fear in mice by pairing visual ABS with conditioned stimuli during fear extinction. Among the types of visual stimulation tested, ABS provided the strongest fear-reducing effect and yielded sustained increases in the activities of the SC and mediodorsal thalamus (MD). Optogenetic manipulation revealed that the SC–MD circuit was necessary and sufficient to prevent the return of fear. ABS suppressed the activity of fear-encoding cells and stabilized inhibitory neurotransmission in the basolateral amygdala through a feedforward inhibitory circuit from the MD. Together, these results reveal the neural circuit that underlies an effective strategy for sustainably attenuating traumatic memories. Bilateral sensory stimulation, which is used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder in humans, alleviates fear memory in mice through a circuit involving the superior colliculus and the medial thalamus.

Blood group and tissue incompatibilities remain significant barriers to achieving transplantation. Although no patient should be labeled “un-transplantable” due to blood group or tissue incompatibility, all candidates should be provided with individualized and realistic counseling regarding their anticipated wait times for deceased donor or kidney paired donation matching, with early referral to expert centers for desensitization when needed. Vital is the careful selection of patients whose health status is such that desensitizing treatment is less likely to cause serious harm and whose anti-HLA antibody status is such that treatment is likely to accomplish the goal of increasing organ offers with an acceptable final crossmatch. Exciting new developments have re-energized the interest and scope of desensitization in the times ahead.

Food allergies are common and affect 6‐8% of children in the United States; they pose a significant burden on the quality of life of children with allergy and their caregivers due to multiple daily restrictions. Despite the recommended dietary avoidance, reactions tend to occur due to unintentional exposure to the allergenic food trigger. Fear of accidental ingestions with potentially severe reactions, including anaphylaxis and death, creates anxiety in individuals with food allergy. Oral immunotherapy has emerged as a form of active and potentially disease-modifying treatment for common food allergies encountered in childhood. The efficacy of oral immunotherapy is high, with the majority of participants achieving desensitization and, as a result, protection from trace exposures and improved quality of life. The main risk of oral immunotherapy consists of allergic reactions to treatment. In general, rates of allergic reactions and anaphylaxis are reported to be higher in individuals pursuing therapy options, but most subjects who undergo oral immunotherapy will likely experience mild or moderate reactions during treatment. Adverse events tend to reduce in both frequency and number in the maintenance period. The use of immune modulators alongside oral immunotherapy has been suggested, with the aim to improve efficacy and safety, and to facilitate the overall process. It is evident that the landscape of food allergy management is changing and that the future looks brighter, with different options emerging over time. The process of how to choose the appropriate option becomes a discussion between the clinician and the patient, which involves a joint review of the current medical evidence but also the patient's preference for balancing particular attributes of the treatment. By working together, providers and patients will ensure achievement of the best possible outcome for children with food allergies.

Food allergies are common, affecting 6–8% of the children in the United States. There is a significant burden on the quality of life of allergic children and their caregivers, due to multiple dietary, social and psychological restrictions. Peanut allergy affects approximately 2–5% of the school-age children. Despite the recommended dietary avoidance, reactions tend to occur due to unintentional exposures and the fear of accidental ingestions potentially resulting in anaphylaxis and death, which creates a lot of anxiety in peanut-allergic individuals. Peanut oral immunotherapy (POIT) has emerged as a form of active treatment and has shown high efficacy in research trials with the majority of participants achieving desensitization and protection from trace exposures. An improved quality of life has also been noted following successful POIT. The risks of POIT should be balanced against the benefits resulting from successful treatment for each individual. Rates of allergic reactions and anaphylaxis are reported to be higher in individuals pursuing therapy, but most subjects will experience mild or moderate reactions during treatment. The landscape of peanut allergy management is changing and the future offers more options for patients than were previously available. Shared decision-making, which is the process of how to choose between different available options, becomes an ongoing discussion between the clinician and the patient, which will ensure achievement of the best possible outcome for the peanut-allergic child. This is a multistep process that evaluates the benefits and risks of therapy or no therapy, as well as patient and family preferences and we review it in detail in this manuscript with the aim to provide clinicians with a practical approach.

Arguments about the effects of repeated exposure to a suspenseful narrative raise controversial disputes over the paradox of suspense. The lexical meaning and the theoretical analyses of suspense imply that suspense cannot be experienced repeatedly because, in such cases, the knowledge from prior viewings and the resolution of outcome will eliminate tension and suspense. However, previous studies have argued that suspense can be re-experienced even when the participants know the outcome or repeatedly confront a suspenseful narrative. This study investigated the effects of repeated exposure to a suspenseful film by collecting self-reported questionnaires and measuring psychophysiological responses. The participants (N = 50) watched clips of a suspenseful film three times and answered self-reported items regarding suspense, arousal, and enjoyment. Psychophysiological data, including skin conductance level (SCL) and electrocardiogram (ECG), were collected while the participants watched the video clips. It was hypothesized that self-reported suspense, arousal, and enjoyment as well as the physiological indices of arousal (SCL) and attention (ECG) would decrease upon repeated viewing of suspenseful clips. Furthermore, it was postulated that there would be inter-group differences depending on the awareness of potential or definite change in outcome at the end of repeatedly shown suspenseful events. The results showed that self-reported suspense and arousal, as well as the physiological measures of SCL, declined with repeated exposure, although there were no significant differences on self-reported enjoyment. No group difference was found in self-reported items, but meaningful significant changes were observed in the group comparison of SCL and ECG. The findings suggest that repeated exposure to suspenseful films could result in affective habituation or desensitization to repeated stimuli. The implications and the limitations of the current study and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Interoception, the ability to feel the body’s internal sensations, is an essential aspect of emotional experience. There is mounting evidence that interoception is impaired in common mental health disorders and that poor interoceptive awareness is a major contributor to emotional reactivity, calling for clinical interventions to address this deficit. The manuscript presents a comprehensive theoretical review, drawing on multidisciplinary findings to propose a metatheory of reinforcement mechanisms applicable across a wide range of disorders. We present a reconsideration of operant conditioning through the co-emergence model of reinforcement, which is a neurophenomenological account of the interaction between cognition and interoception, and its consequences on behavior. The model suggests that during memory processing, the retrieval of autobiographical memory (including maladaptive cognition) is dependent upon its co-emerging interoceptive cues occurring at the encoding, consolidation and reconsolidation stages. Accordingly, “interoceptive reinforcement” during emotional distress is a common factor to all emotional disorders and a major cause for relapse. We propose that interoceptive desensitization has transdiagnostic benefits, readily achievable through the cultivation of equanimity during mindfulness training and can be integrated in cognitive and behavioral interventions to permit a transdiagnostic applicability. We summarize the contributions of this approach into 10 specific and testable propositions.

Background Peripheral sensory stimulation has been used in conjunction with upper extremity movement therapy to increase therapy-induced motor gains in patients with stroke. The limitation is that existing sensory stimulation methods typically interfere with natural hand tasks and thus are administered prior to therapy, requiring patients’ time commitment. To address this limitation, we developed TheraBracelet. This novel stimulation method provides subthreshold (ie, imperceptible) vibratory stimulation to the wrist and can be used during hand tasks/therapy without interfering with natural hand tasks. Objective The objective was to determine the feasibility of using TheraBracelet during therapy to augment motor recovery after stroke. Design The design was a triple-blinded pilot randomized controlled trial. Methods Twelve chronic stroke survivors were assigned to the treatment or control group. All participants completed 2-hour task practice therapy sessions thrice weekly for 2 weeks. Both groups wore a small vibrator on the paretic wrist, which was turned on to provide TheraBracelet stimulation for the treatment group and turned off for the control group to provide sham stimulation. Outcome measures (Box and Block Test [BBT] and Wolf Motor Function Test [WMFT]) were obtained at baseline, 6 days after therapy, and at follow-up 19 days after therapy. Results The intervention was feasible with no adverse events. The treatment group significantly improved their BBT scores after therapy and at follow-up compared with baseline, whereas the control group did not. For WMFT, the group × time interaction was short of achieving significance. Large effect sizes were obtained (BBT d = 1.43, WMFT d = 0.87). No indication of desensitization to TheraBracelet stimulation was observed. Limitations The limitation was a small sample size. Conclusions TheraBracelet could be a promising therapy adjuvant for upper extremity recovery after stroke.

The purpose of this article is to review recent research that is relevant to three controversies concerning memory for trauma. First, we briefly review the debate about recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse, summarizing a third interpretation distinct from both the repression and false-memory accounts. Second, we address new findings related to claims that memories of trauma, especially in people with posttraumatic stress disorder, are especially fragmented and disorganized. Third, we discuss research designed to test whether eye movements in eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy are effective.

Objectives Structured exposure to odors is an acknowledged therapy in patients with smell loss but has also been shown to be effective in depression. The latter might rely on connections between olfactory and emotional structures, suggesting possible effects of a similar approach in pain patients. Based on neuroanatomy, there are several interfaces between the “pain matrix” and olfactory system, such as the limbic system, hypothalamus, and mediodorsal thalamus. We aimed to investigate whether structured exposure to odors may impact perceived pain in patients with chronic low back pain. Design Randomized controlled parallel-group design. Subjects were tested on two occasions, at baseline and after four weeks. Setting Ambulatory. Subjects Forty-two patients with chronic low back pain Methods For all patients, olfactory function (using the “Sniffin’Sticks” test kit), detection, and pain thresholds for cutaneous electrical stimuli (applied to the forearm) were tested at baseline and after four weeks. Twenty-eight patients exposed themselves to four odors (rose, vanilla, chocolate, peach) every two hours over a period of four weeks (training group). Control patients (N = 14) underwent no such “olfactory training” (nontraining group). Results Pain thresholds were significantly increased in patients who performed olfactory training compared with patients who did not train with odors. Detection thresholds and olfactory function remained unchanged. Conclusions The present results indicate that regular exposure to odors increases pain thresholds in patients with chronic back pain and could be useful for general pain control in these patients. Furthermore, olfactory training in chronic pain patients might help to reduce chronification of pain by desensitization.

Previous research has assessed links between violent video game playing, aggression, and desensitization in the moral domain, but here we find that frequent violent video game play additionally may...

Purpose The aim of this study was to describe a range of methods used in stuttering therapy for desensitizing parents of children who stutter (CWS). Method This clinical tutorial will first briefly explore the rationale and benefit of including parents of CWS of all ages in the therapy process. The construct of desensitization will be defined, and a description will be given of how traditionally it has been incorporated into therapy with adults who stutter and CWS. Research evidence will be presented about the impact of a child's stuttering on parents. The article will then focus on clinical methods for desensitizing parents of CWS using examples of activities conducted in group and individual therapy with parents at the Michael Palin Centre in London with reference to desired outcomes, how to measure them, and how to address potential pitfalls. Conclusion Desensitization activities can be implemented with parents of CWS to help them recognize and manage their emotional reactions to their child's stuttering, to support parents to feel knowledgeable and confident in managing their child's stuttering, and ultimately to enhance the child's progress in therapy.

In today's competitive environment, it is important that customer expectations are fully met. Expectations from employees are also high in this parallel. The success of the employees' business results leads to the profitability of the organization. During the meeting of expectations, emotional labor displays are displayed, and as a result of the impressions, intent to leave burnout and work is revealed. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the variables expressed vary according to gender and work experience. For this purpose, the data obtained from the sample of 540 persons were examined. The data obtained in the study were analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) Windows 22.0 program, t test and ANOVA were applied among the variables. According to the analysis of the study done, there is no difference in the emotional labor displays and the intention to leave the work according to the sex. The desensitization dimension of males from burnout dimensions is higher than females. According to work experience, there is no difference in the intention to leave the work while there is a difference in emotional labor performances and burnout.

Stuttering can be a significant problem for children who stutter, but there is much that speech–language pathologists can do to help. This article summarizes six key steps, based on the work of Murphy and colleagues, that clinicians can take to minimize the occurrence and impact of bullying for children who stutter: (1) educating children about stuttering; (2) educating children about bullying; (3) helping children change the way they think and feel about their stuttering through desensitization, cognitive restructuring, and acceptance activities; (4) helping children learn to use appropriately assertive responses that decrease the likelihood of bullying; (5) educating peers and bystanders about stuttering and bullying so that they are more likely to respond in helpful ways; and (6) educating parents, teachers, and administrators about how they can create an environment where it is not okay to bully, but it is okay to stutter.

The article presents the obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as it is understood by the particular therapeutic approach – the cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). The disorder involves the appearance of recurring, persistent thoughts and acts (physical and mental ones) performed in response, with an aim of minimizing the anxiety triggered by these thoughts. The first part of the article presents the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for the OCD. The second part introduces the general model of cognitive-behavioural therapy. The third part explains the disorder and its development using the CBT models. After the commentary on the effectiveness of the OCD treatment using the CBT, some specific techniques and the model of clinical practice are introduced. The article briefly deals with the topic of pharmacotherapy. It focuses on the CBT techniques based on the exposure to aversive triggers and holding back of reactions (E/RP), the gradual desensitization, behavioural experiments as well as the cognitive techniques focused on changing the dysfunctional interpretation. Artykuł przedstawia problem zaburzenia obsesyjno-kompulsyjnego (OCD) w kontekście terapii poznawczo-behawioralnej (TPB). Zaburzenie to polega na występowaniu nawracających, uporczywych myśli i wykonywanych w reakcji na nie czynnościach (fizycznych lub mentalnych) minimalizujących niepokój związany z tymi myślami. W pierwszej części artykułu zaprezentowane są kryteria diagnostyczne zaburzenia według klasyfikacji DSM 5. Druga część wprowadza w model terapii poznawczo-behawioralnej. Kolejna zaś ujmuje zaburzenie i jego rozwój w modelach poznawczo-behawioralnych. Po odniesieniu się do skuteczności leczenia zaburzenia obsesyjno-kompulsyjnego w opisywanym nurcie, przedstawione są specyficzne techniki terapeutyczne i model postępowania klinicznego. Artykuł sygnalizacyjnie ujmuje zagadnienie farmakoterapii, nie rozwijając go jednak. Skupia się na technikach TPB opartych na ekspozycji na bodźce awersyjne i powstrzymywaniu reakcji (E/PR), stopniowej desensytyzacji, eksperymentach behawioralnych oraz technikach poznawczych skupionych na zmianie dysfunkcyjnych interpretacji.

Hospital alarms today indicate urgent clinical need, but they are seldom “true.” False alarms are contributing to the ever-increasing issue of alarm fatigue, or desensitization, among doctors and nurses. Alarm fatigue is a high-priority health care concern because of its potential to compromise health care quality and inflict harm on patients. To address this concern, we have engineered Dynamic Alarm Systems for Hospitals (D.A.S.H.), a dynamic alarm system that self-regulates alarm loudness based on the environmental noise level and incorporates differentiable and learnable alarms. D.A.S.H., with its ability to adapt to environmental noise and encode nuanced physiological information, may improve patient safety and attenuate clinician alarm fatigue.

Vertigo is a symptom caused by many recognised medical conditions, and treatment varies from physiotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy, to medication and, in extreme cases, surgery. This paper contributes to the Special Issue ‘Vertigo in the City’, and begins with an Introductory Comment (Author AJosephine Kane), which provides a brief medical definition and description of vertigo, and situates current clinical practice in the historical context of nineteenth century ideas about the impact of the city on mental and physical health. The main body of the paper draws on Author B’sJohanna Beyts’ 30 years of experience in clinical practice, providing a more detailed overview of the symptoms and causes of visual vertigo and discussing the impact of the urban environment on different patient groups, focusing of their experience of vertigo, their emotional response to particular kinds of space, and potential rehabilitation through a programme of desensitization.

Investigators are increasingly faced with the challenge of obtaining evidence from witnesses who are distressed or traumatized by war, genocide, human trafficking and/or sexual violence. However, interviewing best practice does not explicitly address interviewees’ psychological needs, and therapeutic approaches do not incorporate techniques to obtain accurate, detailed information. This article charts the development of the visual communication desensitization (VCD©) interview procedure, designed to secure accurate accounts rapidly while reducing distress. Originally developed to aid a traumatized victim of violent sexual assault who was unable to provide evidence in court, it comprises a two-part cognitive-behavioural approach to eliciting information from cooperative, traumatized witnesses, consisting of a ‘narrative-graph’ information-gathering component and a dovetailed therapeutic component. The laboratory findings and applied practice observations suggest that the VCD© interview procedure is beneficial for assisting traumatized interviewees in providing accounts, and thus could potentially support capacity-building in humanitarian response and international investigation contexts.

Summary It is well known that adolescents use the Internet for sexual purposes, for example viewing sexually explicit materials, a practice which increases with age. Prior research has suggested a link between cognitive and behavioral effects on the one hand and viewing sexually explicit materials on the Internet on the other. The present study aimed to explore exposure to sexually explicit materials on the Internet and a possible desensitizing effect on the perception of online sexual content over time. The study design was longitudinal; data were collected in 3 waves at 6 months intervals starting in 2012. The sample included 1134 respondents (girls, 58.8%; mean age, 13.84 ± 1.94 years) from 55 schools. A multivariate growth model was used for analyzing data. The results showed that the respondents changed their perception of sexually explicit material on the Internet over time depending on age, frequency of exposure and whether exposure was intentional. They became desensitized in terms of being less bothered by the sexual content. The results may indicate a normalization of sexually explicit material on the Internet during adolescence.

Learning objectives After participating in this activity, learners should be better able to:• Evaluate psychotherapeutic and pharmacologic approaches to treating patients with posttraumatic stress disorder. Abstract A strong evidence base exists for psychological and pharmacological interventions for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The published literature investigating the effectiveness of these treatments in reducing the symptoms and impairments associated with PTSD has expanded substantially in recent years. This review provides a concise overview of the empirical literature examining these treatment approaches. Evidence-based, trauma-focused therapies are recommended as first-line interventions, with the most support for cognitive- and exposure-based approaches. Prolonged exposure and cognitive processing therapy are the two most cited and rigorously investigated. Various other evidence-supported protocols are discussed. Pharmacotherapies can be used when evidence-based psychotherapies are not available or are ineffective, or on the basis of patient preference. Pharmacotherapy with the most support for PTSD includes selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. Evidence supports the implementation of these interventions across genders, populations, and settings. Given that little research directly compares the effectiveness of different PTSD interventions and their mechanisms of action, it remains uncertain how to best select and tailor treatments to optimize individual outcomes. Future directions and novel, ongoing research are discussed.

Subjective and behavioral responsiveness to odor diminishes during prolonged exposure. The precise mechanisms underlying olfactory desensitization are not fully understood, but previous studies indicate that the phenomenon may be modulated by central-cognitive processes. The present study investigated the effect of attention on perceived intensity during exposure to a pleasant odor. A within-subjects design was utilized with 19 participants attending 2 sessions. During each session, participants continuously rated their perceived intensity of a 10-minute exposure to a pleasant fragrance administered using an olfactometer. An auditory oddball task was implemented to manipulate the focus of attention in each session. Participants were instructed to either direct their attention toward the sounds, but still to rate odor, or to focus entirely on rating the odor. Analysis revealed three 50-second time windows with significantly lower mean intensity ratings during the distraction condition. Curve fitting of the data disclosed a linear function of desensitization in the focused attention condition compared with an exponential decay function during distraction condition, indicating an increased rate of initial desensitization when attention is distracted away from the odor. In the focused-attention condition, perceived intensity demonstrated a regular pattern of odor sensitivity occurring at approximately 1−2 minutes intervals following initial desensitization. Spectral analysis of low-frequency oscillations confirmed the presence of augmented spectral power in this frequency range during focused relative to distracted conditions. The findings demonstrate for the first time modulation of odor desensitization specifically by attentional factors, exemplifying the relevance of top-down control for ongoing perception of odor. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.3758/s13414-018-1539-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A number of studies have indicated that violent video gameplay is associated with higher levels of aggression and that desensitization and selective attention to violent content may contribute to this association. Utilizing an emotionally-charged rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) task, the current study used two event-related potentials (ERPs) - the N1 and P3 - that have been associated with selective attention and desensitization as neurocognitive mechanisms potentially underlying the connection between gameplay and higher levels of aggression. Results indicated that video game players and non-players differed in N1 and P3 activation when engaged with emotionally-charged imagery. Additionally, P3 amplitudes moderated the association between video gameplay and aggression, indicating that players who display small P3 amplitudes also showed heightened levels of aggression. Follow-up moderational analyses revealed that individuals who play games for many hours and show more negative N1 amplitudes show smaller P3 activation. Together, our results suggest that selective attention to violent content and desensitization both play key roles in the association between video gameplay and aggression.

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between burn-out and psychological resiliency levels of special education teachers based on some demographic variables. 70 special education teachers working at 7 special education schools affiliated to North Cyprus Ministry of Education Primary Education Management Office and 21 schools which has special education mainstreaming room participated in this research. The Maslach Burn-Out Scale was used in this study to determine burn-out levels of special education teachers while the Psychological Resiliency Scale for Adults was used to determine their psychological resiliency levels. The study revealed a negative relationship between family cohesion (a sub-dimension of psychological resiliency) and emotional burn-out and desensitization (the sub-dimensions of burn-out), and it found no significant difference for gender in terms of both variables. The emotional burn-out score (a sub-dimension of burn-out scale) differed significantly based on the daily working hours of teachers. There is however a significant difference between “structural style” scores (the sub-dimension of psychological resiliency) based on educational status, as well as between desensitization scores of special education teachers and age.