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BACKGROUND: There is empirical evidence suggesting that individuals with bulimia nervosa vary considerably in terms of psychiatric co-morbidity and personality functioning. In this study, latent profile analysis was used to attempt to identify clusters of bulimic subjects based on psychiatric co-morbidity and personality. METHOD: A total of 178 women with bulimia nervosa or a subclinical variant of bulimia nervosa completed a series of self-report inventories of co-morbid psychopathology and personality, and also provided a buccal smear sample for genetic analyses. RESULTS: Three clusters of bulimic women were identified: an affective-perfectionistic cluster, an impulsive cluster, and a low co-morbid psychopathology cluster. The clusters showed expected differences on external validation tests with both personality and eating-disorder measures. The impulsive cluster showed the highest elevations on dissocial behavior and the lowest scores on compulsivity, while the affective-perfectionistic cluster showed the highest levels of eating-disorder symptoms. The clusters did not differ on genetic variations of the serotonin transporter gene. CONCLUSIONS: This study corroborates previous findings suggesting that the bulimia nervosa diagnostic category is comprised of three classes of individuals based on co-morbid psychopathology and personality. These differences may have significant etiological and treatment implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accruing evidence suggests that personality-based approaches to eating disorder classification may offer several advantages over current diagnostic models, with prior research consistently identifying three personality-based groups characterized by either (1) high levels of impulsivity and dysregulation (termed the "undercontrolled" group), (2) high levels of rigidity and avoidance (termed the "overcontrolled" group), or (3) relatively normative levels of personality functioning (termed the "low psychopathology" group). Cognitive inflexibility (i.e., difficulty adjusting thoughts or behaviors) has theorized relevance to eating disorders. However, prior research has frequently failed to observe differences in cognitive inflexibility across eating disorder diagnostic groups. The present study aimed to identify personality-based groups in an eating disorder sample, and then to examine the relations between these groups and behavioral measures of cognitive inflexibility. Method: 83 men and women who met DSM-5 criteria for anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa completed self-report questionnaires to assess trait-level approach/avoidance behaviors and impulsivity, as well as behavioral tasks assessing attentional set-shifting and reversal learning, two facets of cognitive inflexibility. Results: Latent profile analysis of measures assessing approach/avoidance behaviors and impulsivity supported a three-class model replicating the undercontrolled, overcontrolled, and low psychopathology groups. Notably, the low psychopathology group was characterized by elevated reward responding. One-way ANOVAs indicated that the low psychopathology group demonstrated heightened perseverative errors (an indicator of impaired reversal learning) relative to the other groups. No group differences were observed for attentional set-shifting errors or probabilistic switch errors. Discussion: Findings from the present study provide additional support for personality-based classification approaches identifying undercontrolled, overcontrolled, and low psychopathology eating disorder groups. Results also suggest that reward-related processes may contribute to disorder maintenance in the low psychopathology group, indicating potentially meaningful targets for intervention. Plain English summary: This study supports previous research indicating that individuals with eating disorders can be subdivided into three groups with either (1) high levels of impulsivity and dysregulation (termed the "undercontrolled" group), (2) high levels of rigidity and avoidance (termed the "overcontrolled" group), or (3) relatively normative levels of personality functioning (termed the "low psychopathology" group). This study also indicates that individuals in the "low psychopathology group" may experience abberations in reward functioning (e.g., elevated drive for rewards and difficulty adjusting to changing reward contingencies) that may contribute to eating disorder persistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista CES Psicologia is the property of Universidad CES and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article discusses a study on the temporal dynamics of positive emotion regulation using facial electromyography (EMG). The study found distinct patterns in emotion regulation, showing the possibility of one-dimensional positive affect change with a neutralize goal and sequential two-dimensional change with a transform goal. The research provides insights into the time course of emotional change brought about by different regulatory goals. The study also examined the effects of different emotion regulation goals on emotional reactivity, finding that the neutralize goal led to a neutral emotional state, while the transform goal resulted in a transition from positive to negative emotion. Overall, the findings highlight the complex and dynamic nature of emotion regulation. [Extracted from the article]

Treating patients with eating disorders can be challenging for therapists, as it requires the establishment of a strong therapeutic relationship. According to the literature, therapist characteristics may influence intervention outcomes. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and synthesize existing literature on therapist interpersonal characteristics that could affect psychotherapy relationship or outcomes in the context of eating disorder treatment from both patients' and therapists' perspectives. We conducted a systematic search using electronic databases and included both qualitative and quantitative studies from 1980 until July 2023. Out of the 1230 studies screened, 38 papers met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review. The results indicate that patients reported therapist's warmth, empathic understanding, a supportive attitude, expertise in eating disorders, and self-disclosure as positive characteristics. Conversely, a lack of empathy, a judgmental attitude, and insufficient expertise were reported as therapist negative characteristics which could have a detrimental impact on treatment outcome. Few studies have reported therapist's perceptions of their own personal characteristics which could have an impact on treatment. Therapists reported that empathy and supportiveness, optimism, and previous eating disorder experience were positive characteristics. Conversely, clinician anxiety, a judgmental attitude, and a lack of objectivity were reported as negative characteristics that therapists felt could hinder treatment. This systematic review offers initial evidence on the personal characteristics of therapists that may affect the treatment process and outcomes when working with patients with eating disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive control of behavior is crucial for well-being, as allows subject to adapt to changing environments in a goal-directed way. Changes in cognitive control of behavior is observed during cognitive decline in elderly and in pathological mental conditions. Therefore, the recovery of cognitive control may provide a reliable preventive and therapeutic strategy. However, its neural basis is not completely understood. Cognitive control is supported by the prefrontal cortex, structure that integrates relevant information for the appropriate organization of behavior. At neurophysiological level, it is suggested that cognitive control is supported by local and large-scale synchronization of oscillatory activity patterns and neural spiking activity between the prefrontal cortex and distributed neural networks. In this review, we focus mainly on rodent models approaching the neuronal origin of these prefrontal patterns, and the cognitive and behavioral relevance of its coordination with distributed brain systems. We also examine the relationship between cognitive control and neural activity patterns in the prefrontal cortex, and its role in normal cognitive decline and pathological mental conditions. Finally, based on these body of evidence, we propose a common mechanism that may underlie the impaired cognitive control of behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scoping review provides an overview of previous empirical studies that used brain imaging techniques to investigate the neural correlates of emotional well-being (EWB). We compiled evidence on this topic into one accessible and usable document as a foundation for future research into the relationship between EWB and the brain. PRISMA 2020 guidelines were followed. We located relevant articles by searching five electronic databases with 95 studies meeting our inclusion criteria. We explored EWB measures, brain imaging modalities, research designs, populations studied, and approaches that are currently in use to characterize and understand EWB across the literature. Of the key concepts related to EWB, the vast majority of studies investigated positive affect and life satisfaction, followed by sense of meaning, goal pursuit, and quality of life. The majority of studies used functional MRI, followed by EEG and event-related potential-based EEG to study the neural basis of EWB (predominantly experienced affect, affective perception, reward, and emotion regulation). It is notable that positive affect and life satisfaction have been studied significantly more often than the other three aspects of EWB (i.e., sense of meaning, goal pursuit, and quality of life). Our findings suggest that future studies should investigate EWB in more diverse samples, especially in children, individuals with clinical disorders, and individuals from various geographic locations. Future directions and theoretical implications are discussed, including the need for more longitudinal studies with ecologically valid measures that incorporate multi-level approaches allowing researchers to better investigate and evaluate the relationships among behavioral, environmental, and neural factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early neurodevelopmental deviations, such as abnormal cortical folding patterns, are candidate biomarkers of major depressive disorder (MDD). We aimed to investigate the association of MDD with the local gyrification index (LGI) in each cortical region at the whole-brain level, and the association of the LGI with clinical characteristics of MDD. Methods: We obtained T1-weighted images from 234 patients with MDD and 215 healthy controls (HCs). The LGI values from 66 cortical regions in the bilateral hemispheres were automatically calculated according to the Desikan–Killiany atlas. We compared the LGI values between the MDD and HC groups using analysis of covariance, including age, sex, and years of education as covariates. The association between the clinical characteristics and LGI values was investigated in the MDD group. Results: Compared with HCs, patients with MDD showed significantly decreased LGI values in the cortical regions, including the bilateral ventrolateral and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, medial and lateral orbitofrontal cortices, insula, right rostral anterior cingulate cortex, and several temporal and parietal regions, with the largest effect size in the left pars triangularis (Cohen's f 2 = 0.361; p = 1.78 × 10−13). Regarding the association of clinical characteristics with LGIs within the MDD group, recurrence and longer illness duration were associated with increased gyrification in several occipital and temporal regions, which showed no significant difference in LGIs between the MDD and HC groups. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the LGI may be a relatively stable neuroimaging marker associated with MDD predisposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicidal Behavior (IPTS) posits that suicide stems from a motivation to die by suicide, emanating from perceived-burdensomeness and failed belongingness, and a capacity to kill oneself. We propose a bridge between IPTS and dissociation theory/research via a recent reformulation of Melanie Klein's notion of the depressive position, as comprised of three elements: Demeaning affect, compensatory affect-regulatory maneuvers, and mental representation of self-as-deficient and others as judgmental/punitive and at times seductive. This position is formed in childhood, proceeds to adulthood, and is projected into the future with the hope of finding respite from criticism. This hope is then thwarted by the sufferer's interpersonal action leading to interpersonal strife. We posit that, in the Basic Level, a trauma-based, dissociative structure is formed, whereby the reformulated depressive position disengages from benign and benevolent mental processes, in turn creating interpersonal havoc. In the Advanced Level, dissociative mechanisms are utilized to assist the now depressed-suicidal position to succeed in its mission: Killing the self. A chilling case illustration of this pattern is presented and discussed. Clinically, we recommend a routine measurement of both dissociation and suicide risk, and appraisal of the psychodynamic connecting dissociation and suicidality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Avoidant personality disorder (AvPD) is a highly prevalent personality disorder, especially in clinical settings, yet scarcely researched. People diagnosed with AvPD have severe impairments in functioning and suffer greatly, yet we still lack meta-analytic evidence for therapy and only a few RCTs are conducted. Patient factors are the most important for outcome in therapy, in general. Lack of agency might be a core deficit in people diagnosed with AvPD. Their conditions might be improved if we understand their agency better. We review previous research regarding psychological mechanisms and interpersonal relationships that facilitate or hinder agency in AvPD in daily life and psychotherapy. Methods: Summarizing original literature in a narrative review with reflexive thematic analysis. Results: People diagnosed with AvPD seem to have significant impairments in their sense of agency due to a lack of emotional awareness, an overweight of inhibiting vs. activating emotions, and difficulties regulating emotions. Difficulties also seem related to high levels of attachment avoidance and fear, creating strong ambivalence in social needs, in addition to a strong tendency to subordinate to others. A weak sense of self with a poor narrative, self-doubt, and harsh selfcritique makes a reflexive and intentional stand increasingly difficult for these people. Conclusion: This review gives a clinically meaningful understanding of core strengths and deficits in the personality functioning of AvPD that can help clinicians map out important therapeutic work, identify barriers to client-agency in therapy, and work through relational difficulties in the therapeutic alliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: There is a strong evidence‐base for a psychodynamic approach, supporting primary theoretical tenets as well as the treatment effectiveness. Additionally, there are increasing calls from the field for more individualized treatment for clients, and the lack of training in multiple orientations limits the ability of students in clinical psychology Ph.D. programs in the United States to personalize their treatments. The accumulated evidence‐base for contemporary relational psychodynamic theory and therapy places it in good standing to return to the standard clinical psychology curriculum, along with other evidence‐based approaches. Methods: We use data from the Insider's Guide (which describes clinical Ph.D. programs in the United States) from three time points over 20 years to document the waning psychodynamic approach in clinical psychology programs. We review the scientific evidence for four primary tenets of a contemporary psychodynamic approach: three related to development—from healthy to psychopathological: (1) unconscious processes; (2) internal representations of self and other; (3) dimensional model of psychopathology, and a fourth tenet that builds on these three and is the foundation for a contemporary psychodynamic approach to psychotherapy: (4) therapeutic relationship as a primary mechanism of change. Results/Conclusions: Based on the review of the evidence, we make specific recommendations for clinical psychology training programs about how to include a psychodynamic approach in the curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Given the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and the associated prevention and control measures implemented, the psychological burden brought by the pandemic on citizens is expected to increase. This study is aimed at exploring the predictors of depressive symptoms among Hong Kong people during the epidemic, as well as factors that could potentially alleviate the negative effects of the epidemic. Methods. The third wave follow-up survey (December 2021 to January 2022) from a longitudinal prospective survey study conducted in Hong Kong was used for a cross-sectional analysis. The participants (n = 803) are adults aged 18 and above in Hong Kong. Logistic and linear regression were performed to test the predictors and moderating effects, respectively, with depression as the outcome variable. Results. With minimized confounding effects of demographic variables, higher levels of concern about infection, experience with COVID-19 infection and previous epidemics, hassles, and trust in authority increased the odds of being depressed, while a higher level of trust in medical professionals reduced the odds of depression. Moreover, greater trust in medical professionals, as a moderator, lessened the positive associations between the levels of depression and hassles and concern about infection. Conclusions. Even though the threats of COVID-19 seem to have lowered, this study shows that a few factors associated with the pandemic continue to threaten people's mental health. However, developing greater trust in medical experts may be an effective way to relieve psychological burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression and social anxiety are common disorders that have a profound impact on social functioning. The need for studying the neural substrates of social interactions in mental disorders using interactive tasks has been emphasized. The field of neuroeconomics, which combines neuroscience techniques and behavioral economics multiplayer tasks such as the Ultimatum Game (UG), can contribute in this direction. We assessed emotions, behavior, and Event‐Related Potentials in participants with depression and/or social anxiety symptoms (MD/SA, n = 63, 57 females) and healthy controls (n = 72, 67 females), while they played the UG. In this task, participants received fair, mid‐value, and unfair offers from other players. Mixed linear models were implemented to assess trial level changes in neural activity. The MD/SA group reported higher levels of sadness in response to mid‐value and unfair offers compared to controls. In controls, the Medial Frontal Negativity associated with fair offers increased over time, while this dynamic was not observed in the MD/SA group. The MD/SA group showed a decreased P3/LPP in all offers, compared to controls. These results indicate an enhanced negative emotional response to unfairness in the MD/SA group. Neural results reveal a blunted response over time to positive social stimuli in the MD/SA group. Moreover, between‐group differences in P3/LPP may relate to a reduced saliency of offers and/or to a reduced availability of resources for processing incoming stimuli in the MD/SA group. Findings may shed light into the neural substrates of social difficulties in these disorders. It is crucial to study the neural substrates of social interactions in mental health using interactive tasks that immerse the participant in a social context. The Ultimatum Game was used to assess ERPs to fair, mid‐value, and unfair offers from others in depressed and/or socially anxious volunteers. We found blunted neural responses over time to fair offers as well as reduced availability of resources for processing incoming social stimuli in depression and social anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Improving the existent effective treatments of depression is a promising way to optimise the effects of psychological treatments. Here we examine the effects of adding a rehabilitation type of imagery based on exergames and dynamic simulations to a short behavioural activation treatment of depression. We investigate the acceptability and the efficacy of an exergame-augmented dynamic imagery intervention added to behavioural activation treatment and associated mechanisms of change. Methods and analyses: In a two-arm pilot randomised controlled trial, the acceptability and preliminary efficacy of an exergame-augmented dynamic imagery intervention added to behavioural activation treatment for depressed individuals will be assessed. Participants (age 18–65) meeting criteria for depression are recruited by media and local announcements. 110 participants will be randomly allocated to behavioural activation plus imagery group or to standard behavioural activation group. The primary outcome is depressive symptom severity (Beck Depression Inventory II) and secondary outcomes are anhedonia, apathy and behavioural activation and avoidance. The outcomes are assessed at baseline, mid treatment, posttreatment and 3-month follow-up. Moderation and mediation analyses will be explored. An intention-to-treat approach with additional per-protocol analysis will be used for data analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In a recent eye-tracking study we found a differential dwell time pattern for negatively-valenced and neutral faces among patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trauma-exposed healthy control (TEHCs), and healthy control (HC) participants. Here, we explored whether these group differences relate to resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) patterns of brain areas previously linked to both attention processes and PTSD. These encompass the amygdala, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC), and nucleus accumbens (NAcc). Methods: Ten minutes magnetic resonance imaging rsFC scans were recorded in 17 PTSD patients, 21 TEHCs, and 16 HCs. Participants then completed a free-viewing eye-tracking task assessing attention allocation outside the scanner. Dwell time on negatively-valenced stimuli (DT%) were assessed relative to functional connectivity in the aforementioned seed regions of interest (amygdala, dACC, dlPFC, vlPFC, and NAcc) to whole-brain voxel-wise rsFC. Results: As previously reported, group differences occurred in attention allocation to negative-valence stimuli, with longer dwell time on negatively valence stimuli in the PTSD and TEHC groups than the HC group. Higher DT% correlated with weaker NAcc-orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) connectivity in patients with PTSD. Conversely, a positive association emerged in the HC group between DT% and NAcc-OFC connectivity. Conclusions: While exploratory in nature, present findings may suggest that reward-related brain areas are involved in disengaging attention from negative-valenced stimuli, and possibly in regulating ensuing negative emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a highly prevalent psychiatric condition, yet many patients do not receive adequate treatment. Novel and highly scalable interventions such as internet-based cognitive-behavioral-therapy (iCBT) may help to address this treatment gap. Anhedonia, a hallmark symptom of MDD that refers to diminished interest and ability to experience pleasure, has been associated with reduced reactivity in a neural reward circuit that includes medial prefrontal and striatal brain regions. Whether iCBT can reduce anhedonia severity in MDD patients, and whether these therapeutic effects are accompanied by enhanced reward circuit reactivity has yet to be examined. Methods: Fifty-two MDD patients were randomly assigned to either 10-week iCBT (n = 26) or monitored attention control (MAC, n = 26) programs. All patients completed pre- and post-treatment assessments of anhedonia (Snaith–Hamilton Pleasure Scale; SHAPS) and reward circuit reactivity [monetary incentive delay (MID) task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)]. Healthy control participants (n = 42) also underwent two fMRI scans while completing the MID task 10 weeks apart. Results: Both iCBT and MAC groups exhibited a reduction in anhedonia severity post-treatment. Nevertheless, only the iCBT group exhibited enhanced nucleus accumbens (Nacc) and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) activation and functional connectivity from pre- to post-treatment in response to reward feedback. Enhanced Nacc and sgACC activations were associated with reduced anhedonia severity following iCBT treatment, with enhanced Nacc activation also mediating the reduction in anhedonia severity post-treatment. Conclusions: These findings suggest that increased reward circuit reactivity may contribute to a reduction in anhedonia severity following iCBT treatment for depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indirect assessment is a useful tool in forensic evaluation, especially in cases of threat assessment. To this end, we illustrated the ability to conceptualize a complicated case (i.e., Theodore John Kaczynski) using an indirect approach, with a particular emphasis upon dimensional frameworks of personality. Raters who were unrelated to Mr. Kaczynski's case and with expertise in relevant domains were asked to study information available in the public domain about Mr. Kaczynski and provide ratings using several assessment instruments. Our aim was not to provide a professional clinical opinion, but rather engage in scholarly discourse about the utility of instruments. Mr. Kaczynski was rated to demonstrate characteristics associated with lone actor terrorists. He showed an elevation on a measure of psychosis, and raters conceptualized trauma as an important aspect of his functioning. He demonstrated impairments in detachment and psychoticism (Criterion B of the AMPD) and interpersonal functioning (Criterion A of the AMPD). Clinical conceptualizations for Mr. Kaczynski emphasized schizotypal and paranoid personality disorders. This analysis of an infamous case about which considerable data are publicly available demonstrates the ease with which indirect and multimethod assessment can be applied and integrated in forensic assessment, using modern conceptualizations of personality pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite its considerable potential, psychotherapy research has made limited use of small-scale experimental study designs to test intervention components. This study employs such a design to test the immediate effects on emotional experience of two approaches to changing negative thoughts, cognitive restructuring and fostering positive thinking. Cognitive restructuring draws on the strategies core to cognitive behavioral therapies. Fostering positive thinking has also received attention, though less so as a psychological intervention. We tested the benefits of these strategies over a brief interval by randomizing 230 participants to complete a worksheet introducing one of the two strategies. Participants reported their skills prior to exposure to these worksheets and affect was assessed immediately prior to and following use of worksheets. Participants' negative affect reduced following both strategies. Conditions did not differ significantly in affect change. Analysis of potential moderators showed that, among those with higher levels of cognitive behavioral therapy skills, the positive thinking condition produced greater gains in positive affect than the cognitive restructuring condition. These results indicate that both forms of brief interventions promote reductions in negative affect. Positive thinking interventions, which are not focused on the accuracy of one's thinking, appear to be particularly effective in promoting positive affect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Psychology is the property of Wu-Nan Book Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Real Relationship is a relational construct that has influenced other constructs, like the working alliance, although empirically neglected. The development of the Real Relationship Inventory provides a reliable and valid way of measuring the Real Relationship in research and clinical applications. This study aimed to validate and explore the psychometric properties of the Real Relationship Inventory Client Form with a Portuguese adult sample in the context of psychotherapy. The sample includes 373 clients currently in psychotherapy or concluded recently. All clients completed the Real Relationship Inventory (RRI-C) and the Working Alliance Inventory. The confirmatory analysis revealed the same two factors in the RRI-C for the Portuguese adult population, Genuineness and Realism. The observation of the same factor structure suggests the cross-cultural value of the Real Relationship. The measure demonstrated good internal consistency and acceptable adjustment. A significant correlation was found between the RRI-C and the Working Alliance Inventory and significant correlations between the Bond and Genuineness and Realism subscales. The present study reflects on the RRI-C while also contributing to the importance of the Real Relationship in different cultures and clinical contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the importance of authenticity in counseling psychology, we used a collaborative autoethnography approach to explore our experiences of authenticity as counseling psychology doctoral students. Six (3 women, 2 men, 1 gender flexible man; 3 European American, 2 Asian American, 1 Asian; 5 3rd-year students, 1 2nd-year student) students in one counseling psychology doctoral program in the Mid-Atlantic United States reflected on the factors that facilitated and hindered our ability to be authentic by writing four one-to-five page journal entries, reading the journals in four three-hour group meetings, receiving non-judgmental feedback, and editing the journal entries. In the journals, we explored our understanding of authenticity, the development of our authentic selves, our experience of authenticity in graduate school, the role of authenticity in our relationships, the way in which our authenticity has been shaped by external forces, and our process of balancing the costs and benefits when deciding whether or not to be authentic in a given situation. Themes that emerged from the data revealed that we had received mixed messages about authenticity in our graduate program and that our ability to be authentic varied depending on whether we were in the role of therapist, teacher, researcher, or student. Further, family and peer relationships, hierarchical structures, and privileged and marginalized social identities enhanced or inhibited our experiences of authenticity in graduate school. Implications for graduate students and recommendations for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Previous research showed that individuals with eating disorders (EDs) can be subtyped by their levels of psychopathology and self‐regulation abilities. However, nothing is known about whether self‐regulation abilities are solely suited to depict the heterogeneity in ED and comorbid psychopathology in nonclinical samples. Therefore, this study sought to explore self‐regulation profiles and their ability to discriminate ED, depression and anxiety disorders, and personality dysfunction in the adult population. Methods: Within a German representative sample, N = 2391 adults (18–92 years) were examined using latent profile analysis to identify profiles based on established cognitive and emotional self‐regulation scales including attention control, cognitive reappraisal, and difficulties in identifying feelings. Profiles were validated with ED, depression, anxiety, and personality dysfunction measures. Results: The final solution selected as best balancing goodness of fit and interpretability included four profiles—High‐Functioning, Moderate‐Functioning, Dysregulated, and Alexithymic—with high explanatory power of R2 =.99. Profiles were characterized primarily by differences in difficulties in identifying feelings followed by differences in attention control and differed significantly regarding ED, depression and anxiety disorders, and personality dysfunction, with the Dysregulated profile showing the most unfavorable correlates. Conclusions: This study uniquely revealed that low cognitive and emotional self‐regulation were indicators for ED, depression, anxiety, and personality dysfunction in the adult population. Future research should investigate whether the identified profiles predict the development of ED and comorbid psychopathology longitudinally. Public Significance: Individuals with eating disorders present with difficulties in cognitive and emotional self‐regulation, likely maintaining their symptoms. This representative study in the German adult population sought to build profiles based on cognitive and emotional self‐regulation that differed in eating disorder and comorbid psychopathology. We discuss the potential to detect individuals with elevated eating disorder and comorbid psychopathology based on the identified profiles in nonclinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In observation of empirical support and theoretical support for relational and attachment-based interventions in addictions counseling education and research, the authors explore the relational depth model as a potential training model in addictions counseling education. This piece offers training activities for addictions counseling educators targeted at enhancing student capacity and understanding of presence and connection with clients. The authors detail the use of experiential activities to enhance these capacities that include questions for reflection and discussion of application to practice. The authors develop the rationale for this training with a brief review of the relational depth literature and the recent addictions literature regarding research and training in relational factors in addictions counseling. Finally, the authors offer future implications for the addictions counseling education literature including the need for the development and empirical validation of relational training programs in addictions counseling education and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Emotion dysregulation is commonly reported among autistic individuals. Prior work investigating the neurofunctional mechanisms of emotion regulation (ER) in autistic adults has illustrated alterations in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) activity, as well as concurrent atypical patterns of activation in subcortical regions related to affect during cognitive reappraisal of social images. Whereas most research examining ER in autism has focused on regulation of negative emotions, the effects of regulating positive emotions has been generally understudied. This is surprising given the relevance of positive motivational states to understanding circumscribed interests (CI) in autism. Methods: Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to use fMRI with simultaneous eye-tracking and pupillometry to investigate the neural mechanisms of ER during passive viewing and cognitive reappraisal of a standardized set of nonsocial images and personalized (self-selected) CI images. Results: The autistic group demonstrated comparatively reduced modulation of posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) activation during cognitive reappraisal of CI images compared to viewing of CI, although no eye-tracking/pupillometry differences emerged between-groups. Further, the autistic group demonstrated increased PCC connectivity with left lateral occipital and right supramarginal areas when engaging in cognitive reappraisal vs. viewing CI. Discussion: In autistic adults, CI may be differentially modulated via PCC. Considering the documented role of the PCC as a core hub of the default mode network, we further postulate that ER of CI could potentially be related to self-referential cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Japanese Journal of Developmental Psychology / Hattatsu Shinrigaku Kenkyū is the property of Japan Society of Developmental Psychology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: Therapeutic alliance is an important element of evidence‐based treatments for people diagnosed with a serious mental illness. Cognitive enhancement therapy (CET) is an efficacious cognitive rehabilitation programme that emphasizes coach–participant relationships. The purpose of this study was to examine experiences of therapeutic alliance among CET participants. Design: We used an exploratory qualitative approach. Methods: Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 24 participants diagnosed with a serious mental illness. Interview transcripts were analysed by three independent coders using thematic analysis. Results: Four themes related to therapeutic alliance emerged: (1) positive regard; (2) collaboration; (3) authenticity; (4) negative alliance. Conclusions: Findings suggest that therapeutic alliance is an important component of CET that bolsters the learning environment and ensures a positive group experience. Our qualitative analyses contribute greater understanding of how strong therapeutic relationships impact people with serious mental illnesses participating in evidence‐based treatments beyond psychotherapy context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental diseases characterized by distortions in the affective sphere. By using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) technique, the current study aimed to investigate neural mechanisms associated with emotional sensitivity to reward, which represented the variation of emotional responsiveness as the degree of reward changing in individuals with depressive symptoms. We recruited 28 participants in elevated depressive symptoms (LD) group and 28 demographic-matched participants in low depressive symptoms (ED) group. After the rs-fMRI scan, participants were asked to complete a sequential risk-taking task, in which they might encounter both reward and loss. The resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) between ventral striatum (VS) and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) was associated with the emotional sensitivity to reward in LD group. Compared with LD group, participants in ED group showed weaker emotional sensitivity to reward and stronger rs-FC between VS and prefrontal regions. The current study highlighted that the functional connectivity between VS and IFG in the resting state was related to the emotional sensitivity to reward in individuals with low depressive symptoms. However, individuals with elevated depressive symptoms exhibited altered functional connectivity between VS and IFG in the resting state, which might contribute to their weaker emotional sensitivity to reward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychedelic-assisted treatment is at first glance markedly different in structure and approach from mainstream forms of psychotherapy in the West. A major criticism of clinical psychedelic research rests on the difficulty of executing placebo-controlled studies and distinguishing drug effects from those of the psychotherapeutic container in which psychedelics are typically presented. Detractors also tend to find fault in spiritual or mystical themes that often arise in the context of psychedelic use. Common factors theory of psychotherapy is a useful and extensively studied framework that can help make sense of these issues, and has much to contribute to our understanding of contextual effects that are often discussed in psychedelic literature as "set and setting." In this article, we examine four major contextual "common factors" shared by various healing traditions: 1) the therapeutic relationship; 2) the healing setting; 3) the rationale, conceptual scheme, or myth; and 4) the ritual. We explain how these factors show up in psychedelic-assisted treatment and how they may contribute to therapeutic effects. Lastly, we discuss the implications of these factors for the concept of placebo, and for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This nonexperimental field study examined the relationship between participant reported experiences of relational depth (RD) with their individual counselors in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and participant reported motivation to change substance use. Participants in the study were clients enrolled in inpatient and outpatient levels of substance use disorder treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proponents of evidence-based treatments (EBTs) have directed complaints of potential unethical practice against psychotherapists who refrain from using EBTs as first-line interventions for a range of psychiatric disorders on the grounds that these treatments should be given priority because of their exceptional scientific backing. This article counters these claims and highlights core ethical concerns associated with the research and practice of EBT itself; namely, the appropriateness of saturating the field with short-term models of psychotherapy and the questionable assumption that these can yield meaningful and lasting change; the uncertain relevance of the results of EBT investigations for psychotherapists working with real-world clients; the foreclosure of opportunities to address clients' unmet developmental needs and self-fragility posed by the directive/didactic therapeutic stance inherent in EBTs; and, the reduced quality of psychotherapy offered to the public at large and threats to the clinical competence of early-career mental health professionals caused by overemphasizing training in EBTs over the acquisition of relational skills in graduate schools and postgraduate training sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) have been shown to modulate functional connectivity. Their specific effects seem to be dependent on the pre-existing neuronal state. We aimed to precondition frontal networks using tDCS and subsequently stimulate the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (lDLPFC) using TMS. Thirty healthy participants underwent excitatory, inhibitory, or sham tDCS for 10 min, as well as an excitatory intermittent theta-burst (iTBS) protocol (600 pulses, 190 s, 20 x 2-s trains), applied over the lDLPFC at 90% of the individual resting motor threshold. Functional connectivity was measured in three task-free resting state fMRI sessions, immediately before and after tDCS, as well as after iTBS. Testing the whole design did not yield any significant results. Analysis of the connectivity between the stimulation site and all other brain voxels, contrasting only the interaction effect between the experimental groups (excitatory vs. inhibitory) and the repeated measure (post-tDCS vs. post-TMS), revealed significantly affected voxels bilaterally in the anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri, the caudate nuclei, the insula and operculum cortices, as well as the Heschl's gyrus. Post-hoc ROI-to-ROI analyses between the significant clusters and the striatum showed post-tDCS, temporo-parietal-to-striatal and temporo-parietal-tofronto-cingulate differences between the anodal and cathodal tDCSgroup, as well as post-TMS, striatal-to-temporo-parietal differences between the anodal and cathodal groups and frontostriatal and interhemispheric temporoparietal cathodal-sham group differences. Excitatory iTBS to a tDCS-inhibited lDLPFC thus yielded more robust functional connectivity to various areas as compared to excitatory iTBS to a tDCS-enhanced DLPFC. Even considering reduced statistical power due to low subject numbers, results demonstrate complex, whole-brain stimulation effects. They are possibly facilitated by cortical homeostatic control mechanisms and show the feasibility of using tDCS to modulate subsequent TMS effects. This proof-of-principle study might stimulate further research into the principle of preconditioning that might be useful in the development of protocols using DLPFC as a stimulation site for the treatment of depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reward dysfunction is a major dimension of depressive symptomatology, but it remains obscure if that dysfunction varies across different reward types. In this study, we focus on the abnormalities in anticipatory/consummatory processing of monetary and social reward associated with depressive symptoms. Methods: Forty participants with depressive symptoms and forty normal controls completed the monetary incentive delay (MID) and social incentive delay (SID) tasks with event-related potential (ERP) recording. Results: In the SID but not the MID task, both the behavioral hit rate and the ERP component contingent negative variation (CNV; indicating reward anticipation) were sensitive to the interaction between the grouping factor and reward magnitude; that is, the depressive group showed a lower hit rate and a smaller CNV to large-magnitude (but not small-magnitude) social reward cues compared to the control group. Further, these two indexes were correlated with each other. Meanwhile, the ERP components feedback-related negativity and P3 (indicating reward consumption) were sensitive to the main effect of depression across the MID and SID tasks, though this effect was more prominent in the SID task. Conclusions: Overall, we suggest that depressive symptoms are associated with deficits in both the reward anticipation and reward consumption stages, particularly for social rewards. These findings have a potential to characterize the profile of functional impairment that comprises and maintains depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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It is well established that there is a fundamental need to develop a robust therapeutic alliance to achieve positive outcomes in psychotherapy. However, little is known as to how this applies to psychotherapies which reduce suicidal experiences. The current narrative review summarizes the literature which investigates the relationship between the therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy and a range of suicidal experiences prior to, during and following psychotherapy. Systematic searches of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, EMBASE and British Nursing Index were conducted. The search returned 6472 studies, of which 19 studies were eligible for the present review. Findings failed to demonstrate a clear link between suicidal experiences prior to or during psychotherapy and the subsequent development and maintenance of the therapeutic alliance during psychotherapy. However, a robust therapeutic alliance reported early on in psychotherapy was related to a subsequent reduction in suicidal ideation and attempts. Study heterogeneity, varied sample sizes and inconsistent reporting may limit the generalizability of review findings. Several recommendations are made for future psychotherapy research studies. Training and supervision of therapists should not only highlight the importance of developing and maintaining the therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy when working with people with suicidal experiences but also attune to client perceptions of relationships and concerns about discussing suicidal experiences during therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives:Perceptions of ageing can become a self-fulfilling prophecy for older adults, with those who hold more negative views of ageing experiencing more negative consequences of the ageing process, including poorer health and cognitive declines. Exposure to negative stereotypes about their group can also affect older adults performance in cognitive tests, as they are more likely to adopt a prevention focus to avoid mistakes, therefore, performing poorly in tasks requiring them to adopt a gains-oriented focus. Based on regulatory focus theory, we hypothesised that negative perceptions of ageing and stereotype threat may be connected, specifically we hypothesised that those with more negative perceptions of ageing would also have a stronger trait prevention focus. Method: Two hundred adults aged 60+ took part in an online questionnaire examining their perceptions of ageing and their trait regulatory focus. Results and Conclusion: Results indicated that negative perceptions of ageing were predictive of a stronger trait prevention focus in a hierarchical multiple regression model. This provides evidence that older adults with more negative perceptions of ageing may adopt a stronger prevention focus, potentially influencing psychological attitudes to everyday tasks and behaviours. Perceptions of ageing and regulatory focus can have implications for the efficacy of health messaging for older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Depression is a significant, growing and prevalent issue, one of the chronic disorders and the leading cause of disability worldwide. Aim: The present study aimed to develop a psychological intervention protocol based on systemic theory in depressed individuals. Method: The research method was qualitative content analysis, and the statistical population included various data sources related to the present concepts and therapies in the field of systemic theory, such as Google Scholar, Scopus, Science Direct and …, within 1998 to 2020. The extracted data from these sources were analyzed; an individual systemic psychotherapy protocol was developed based on the obtained results. Then, the content validity of the protocol was determined using the opinions of eight experts in the field of clinical psychology. Sampling in this study was purposeful. The research tool included the written evidence and documents searched in the aforementioned databases, and the data analysis method was Sterling’s content analysis. Results: Therapeutic communication, questions, statements, guidelines, problem identification, problem sequence, types of constraints, and decision matrix, including planning frameworks at different levels, feedback, and feedforward, formed the primary themes of the individual systemic psychotherapy. The content of psychotherapy protocol sessions was adjusted based on the obtained components in 12 weekly sessions. Conclusion: The individual systemic psychotherapy protocol is a comprehensive psychological treatment that includes multiple factors affecting the individual’s system and is valid and efficient. It is recommended to use this protocol for individuals with depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ventrolateral prefrontal cortices (VLPFC) are crucial regions involved in voluntary emotion regulation. However, the lateralization of the VLPFC in downregulating negative emotions remains unclear; and whether the causal role of the VLPFC is generalizable to upregulating positive emotions is unexplored. This study used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to examine the causal relationship between the left/right VLPFC and social emotion reappraisal. One hundred and twenty participants were randomly assigned to either active (left and right VLPFC groups, n = 40/40) or sham (vertex, n = 40) TMS groups. Participants were instructed to passively receive social feedback or use reappraisal strategies to positively regulate their emotions. While the subjective emotional rating showed that the bilateral VLPFC facilitated the reappraisal success, the electrophysiological measure of the late positive potential (LPP) demonstrated a more critical role of the right VLPFC on social pain relief (decreased LPP amplitudes) and social reward magnification (enhanced LPP amplitudes). In addition, the influence of emotion regulation on social evaluation was found to be mediated by the memory of social feedback, indicating the importance of memory in social behavioral shaping. These findings suggest clinical protocols for the rehabilitation of emotion‐regulatory function in patients with affective and social disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because research has shown systematic associations between self-discrepancies and several psychological disorders, self-discrepancy is considered as a transdiagnostic factor in psychopathology. The current research contributes to the literature by testing both cross-sectionally and longitudinally the role of self-discrepancies in parental burnout, an exhaustion disorder in the parenting domain where standards are high and prescriptions numerous. In three studies (including a prospective one; N1 = 109, N2 = 1689, N3 Third measurement time = 553 parents), we showed that self-discrepancies are strongly associated with parental burnout, and Study 3 showed that they even predict rank-order increases in such burnout. These results have implications for research on self-discrepancies, parental burnout and psychopathology more broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management scholars have long been interested in the topic of authenticity in the workplace, evidenced by the history of scholarship on authentic leadership and the many new authenticity constructs that have emerged. In this article, we take a narrower view of authenticity and focus on relational authenticity in the workplace, which we define as being genuine in workplace relationships. Adapting a validated relational authenticity scale to the organizational context, we explore the ways in which feeling authentic in workplace relationships has ramifications for discretionary behaviors. Specifically, we build on belongingness theory to posit that relational authenticity will result in an increase in engagement in both altruistic and sportsmanship behaviors. We also explore the moderating effect of proactive personality on these relationships. Results from our two-sample study (N = 352; 500) indicate that relational authenticity is positively associated with engagement in both altruistic and sportsmanship behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Researchers have suggested that psychotherapy may be enhanced by the addition of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), particularly in the treatment of disorders wherein interpersonal dysfunction is central, such as social anxiety disorder. We review literature pertaining to three potential processes of change that may be instigated during sessions involving MDMA administration in the treatment of social anxiety disorder. Design: This is a narrative review that integrates research on the etiology and maintenance of social anxiety disorder and mechanisms of action of MDMA to examine how MDMA may enhance psychotherapy outcomes. Results: We first outline how MDMA may enhance memory reconsolidation in social anxiety disorder. We then discuss how MDMA may induce experiences of self‐transcendence and self‐transcendent emotions such as compassion, love, and awe; and how these experiences may be therapeutic in the context of social anxiety disorder. We subsequently discuss the possibility that MDMA may enhance the strength and effectiveness of the therapeutic relationship which is a robust predictor of outcomes across many disorders as well as a potential key ingredient in treating disorders where shame and social disconnection are central factors. Conclusion: We discuss how processes of change may extend beyond the MDMA dosing sessions themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Coaching is increasingly viewed as a dyadic exchange of verbal and non-verbal interactions driving clients' progress. Yet, little is known about how the trajectory of dyadic interactions plays out in workplace coaching. Method: This paper provides a multiple-step exploratory investigation of movement synchrony (MS) of dyads in workplace coaching. We analyzed a publicly available dataset of 173 video-taped dyads. Specifically, we averaged MS per session/dyad to explore the temporal patterns of MS across (a) the cluster of dyads that completed 10 sessions, and (b) a set of 173 dyadic interactions with a varied number of sessions. Additionally, we linked that pattern to several demographic predictors. The results indicate a differential downward trend of MS. Results: Demographic factors do not predict best fitting MS curve types, and only client age and coach experience show a small but significant correlation. Discussion: We provide contextualized interpretations of these findings and propose conceptual considerations and recommendations for future coaching process research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ineffective use of adaptive cognitive strategies (e.g., reappraisal) to regulate emotional states is often reported in a wide variety of psychiatric disorders, suggesting a common characteristic across different diagnostic categories. However, the extent of shared neurobiological impairments is incompletely understood. This study, therefore, aimed to identify the transdiagnostic neural signature of disturbed reappraisal using the coordinate‐based meta‐analysis (CBMA) approach. Following the best‐practice guidelines for conducting neuroimaging meta‐analyses, we systematically searched PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science databases and tracked the references. Out of 1,608 identified publications, 32 whole‐brain neuroimaging studies were retrieved that compared brain activation in patients with psychiatric disorders and healthy controls during a reappraisal task. Then, the reported peak coordinates of group comparisons were extracted and several activation likelihood estimation (ALE) analyses were performed at three hierarchical levels to identify the potential spatial convergence: the global level (i.e., the pooled analysis and the analyses of increased/decreased activations), the experimental‐contrast level (i.e., the analyses of grouped data based on the regulation goal, stimulus valence, and instruction rule) and the disorder‐group level (i.e., the analyses across the experimental‐contrast level focused on increasing homogeneity of disorders). Surprisingly, none of our analyses provided significant convergent findings. This CBMA indicates a lack of transdiagnostic convergent regional abnormality related to reappraisal task, probably due to the complex nature of cognitive emotion regulation, heterogeneity of clinical populations, and/or experimental and statistical flexibility of individual studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rewards play an important role in people's well‐being. However, the mechanisms underlying neural habituation to hedonic rewards (attainment of pleasure) and eudaimonic rewards (attainment of meaning and self‐realization) and their implications for longitudinal changes in well‐being remain unknown. By operationalizing hedonic rewards as "winning money for oneself" and eudaimonic rewards as "winning money for a charity", 78 participants (41 women, aged from 17 to 24 years) completed a revised monetary gambling task during event‐related potential (ERP) recording. Subsequently, the participants' well‐being was measured after one year. The results showed that the reward positivity (RewP) effect readily decreased as the hedonic rewards were repeated, whereas the RewP effect in response to eudaimonic rewards was relatively sustained over time. Moreover, the declining RewP effect for repeated eudaimonic rewards was marginally positively associated with longitudinal decreases in well‐being. These findings demonstrate at the neural level that sensitivity to repeated hedonic rewards is more prone to decrease than sensitivity to repeated eudaimonic rewards, and sustained eudaimonic reward sensitivity in the short term has greater implications for changes in well‐being in the long term. The contents of this page will be shown on the eTOC on the online version only. It will not be published as part of the article PDF. Although past work has provided some knowledge of the neural distinctions between hedonic reward and eudaimonic reward processing, our work focuses on the neural habituation of hedonic and eudaimonic reward processing. We found that neural sensitivity to repeated hedonic rewards is more prone to decrease than sensitivity to repeated eudaimonic rewards, and sustained eudaimonic reward sensitivity in the short term has greater implications for changes in well‐being in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Alterations in regional subcortical brain volumes have been investigated as part of the efforts of an international consortium, ENIGMA, to identify reliable neural correlates of major depressive disorder (MDD). Given that subcortical structures are comprised of distinct subfields, we sought to build significantly from prior work by precisely mapping localized MDD‐related differences in subcortical regions using shape analysis. In this meta‐analysis of subcortical shape from the ENIGMA‐MDD working group, we compared 1,781 patients with MDD and 2,953 healthy controls (CTL) on individual measures of shape metrics (thickness and surface area) on the surface of seven bilateral subcortical structures: nucleus accumbens, amygdala, caudate, hippocampus, pallidum, putamen, and thalamus. Harmonized data processing and statistical analyses were conducted locally at each site, and findings were aggregated by meta‐analysis. Relative to CTL, patients with adolescent‐onset MDD (≤ 21 years) had lower thickness and surface area of the subiculum, cornu ammonis (CA) 1 of the hippocampus and basolateral amygdala (Cohen's d = −0.164 to −0.180). Relative to first‐episode MDD, recurrent MDD patients had lower thickness and surface area in the CA1 of the hippocampus and the basolateral amygdala (Cohen's d = −0.173 to −0.184). Our results suggest that previously reported MDD‐associated volumetric differences may be localized to specific subfields of these structures that have been shown to be sensitive to the effects of stress, with important implications for mapping treatments to patients based on specific neural targets and key clinical features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until recently, emotional processes have played little role in personality psychology. Based on neuroscientific findings, Davidson and colleagues proposed a theory of emotional styles, postulating six dimensions of emotional life: outlook, resilience, social intuition, self-awareness, sensitivity to context, and attention. Recently, an English version of the Emotional Style Questionnaire (ESQ) was developed and tested for reliability and validity. The aim of the present work was to test the test–retest reliability, internal consistency, construct validity, and criterion validity of the German version of the ESQ. Two separate samples consisting of 365 and 344 subjects took part in an online survey. The results of the two studies indicated satisfactory test–retest reliability and internal consistency. Regarding the construct validity, the results from Study 1 to Study 2 indicate good model fit indices. Although there was a high correlation between the subscales outlook and resilience, the analyses supported the six-factor structure postulated by Davidson and colleagues. Substantial correlations were found between the dimensions of the ESQ and other validated scales, confirming the criterion validity of the questionnaire. Our results suggest that the German version of the ESQ is a reliable and valid measurement of emotional styles. It is a feasible and economical questionnaire that can be applied in various psychology disciplines, such as personality psychology, clinical psychology, industrial psychology or sport and exercise psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Journal of Psychotherapy & Counselling is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)