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During the COVID-19 pandemic, people had to cope with stress in two different ways: engaging in problem-focused behaviors (e.g. seeking information) and regulating their emotions. In particular, during lockdowns, media played an important role in these coping processes. This short-term longitudinal study during the first stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020 in Germany (N = 348) tested how coping strategies related to two categories of coping effectiveness outcomes, situation-addressing outcomes (preventive behaviors and knowledge) and mental health outcomes (stress and perceived coping efficacy). We moreover tested which kind of media use is related to effective coping derived from a combination of the coping goodness-of-fit hypothesis and mood management theory. The study demonstrated that information seeking during the uncertain pandemic circumstances might have been a double-edged sword: Increased use of the coping strategy information seeking was related to increased stress but also to enhanced knowledge and better adherence to behavioral guidelines, however only on the cross-sectional level. Additionally, our results showed that using positive media content might have helped media users to reduce stress and to adhere to behavioral guidelines. Thus, a combination of seeking information at predefined, limited time points and using positive media content might have been a fruitful way of using media for coping during this situation of crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Probiotic supplementation has a positive effect on endurance exercise performance and body composition in athletes, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Gut microbiota can provide measurable markers of immune function in athletes, and microbial composition analysis may be sensitive enough to detect stress and metabolic disorders caused by exercise. Methods: Nineteen healthy active amateur marathon runners (15 male and 4 female) with a mean age of 29.11 years volunteered to participate in this double-blind controlled study. Based on the performance of the Cooper 12-min running test (CRT), the participants were allocated into two groups to receive either a probiotic formulation comprising lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacterium longum (n = 10) or placebo containing maltodextrin (n = 9) for five weeks. Consistency of diet and exercise was ensured throughout the experimental period. Before and after the intervention, all participants were assessed for CRT, emotional stability and gastrointestinal symptoms, gut microbiota composition, body composition and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) indicators of skeletal muscle microcirculation. Results: Compared to before the intervention, the probiotics group showed an increase in CRT score (2.88 ± 0.57 vs 3.01 ± 0.60 km, P＜0.05), significant improvement in GSRS and GIQLI (9.20 ± 4.64 vs 7.40 ± 3.24, 118.90 ± 12.30 vs 127.50 ± 9.85, P＜0.05), while these indicators remained unchanged in the control group, with a significant time-group interaction effect on gastrointestinal symptoms. Additionally, some MRI metabolic cycling indicators of the thigh skeletal muscle also changed in the probiotics group (P＜0.05). Regarding microbiota abundance, the probiotics group exhibited a significant increase in the abundance of beneficial bacteria and a significant decrease in the abundance of harmful bacteria post-intervention (P＜0.05). Conclusion: As a sports nutritional supplement, probiotics have the potential to improve athletic performance by optimizing the balance of gut microbiota, alleviating gastrointestinal symptoms.

The aim of this qualitative study was to uncover homogeneity (commonalities between adolescents), heterogeneity (differences between adolescents), and duality (differences within adolescents) in the relationship between adolescents' social media use and well-being. To do so, 8 focus groups with 55 adolescents aged 14-17 were conducted. Anchored in the differential susceptibility to media effects model, we examined adolescents' (1) individual motives and (2) moods leading to social media use, (3) the nature of this use, (4) their affective responses, and (5) perceived longer-term effects. Through deductive thematic analysis, we noted large homogeneity in motives for social media use but heterogeneity in moods leading to social media use. In addition, our findings revealed heterogeneity and duality in the affective responses and the perceived long-term effects of social media use. This duality, where the same individual is affected in both positive and negative ways by social media use, appeared in various forms: concurrently, when adolescents experience conflicting feelings simultaneously, such as feeling both envy and inspiration; alternately, when adolescents shift between experiences, such as feelings of connection and isolation; and sequentially, for example, where initial enjoyment gradually turns into boredom. Furthermore, duality appeared across different cognitive and affective aspects of well-being. Directions for future research are provided on how to examine the role and meaning of various forms of homogeneity, heterogeneity, and duality in the relationship between adolescents' social media use and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge brokering is a knowledge translation strategy used in healthcare settings to facilitate the implementation of evidence into practice. How healthcare providers perceive and respond to various knowledge translation approaches is not well understood. This qualitative study used the Theoretical Domains Framework to examine healthcare providers' experiences with receiving one of two knowledge translation strategies: a remote knowledge broker (rKB); or monthly emails, for encouraging delivery of mood management interventions to patients enrolled in a smoking cessation program. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 healthcare providers recruited from primary care teams. We used stratified purposeful sampling to recruit participants who were allocated to receive either the rKB, or a monthly email-based knowledge translation strategy as part of a cluster randomized controlled trial. Interviews were structured around domains of the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to explore determinants influencing practice change. Data were coded into relevant domains. Both knowledge translation strategies were considered helpful prompts to remind participants to deliver mood interventions to patients presenting depressive symptoms. Neither strategy appeared to have influenced the health care providers on the domains we probed. The domains pertaining to knowledge and professional identity were perceived as facilitators to implementation, while domains related to beliefs about consequences, emotion, and environmental context acted as barriers and/or facilitators to healthcare providers implementing mood management interventions. Both strategies served as reminders and reinforced providers' knowledge regarding the connection between smoking and depressed mood. The TDF can help researchers better understand the influence of specific knowledge translation strategies on healthcare provider behavior change, as well as potential barriers and facilitators to implementation of evidence-informed interventions. Environmental context should be considered to address challenges and facilitate the movement of knowledge into clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACTBackground Knowledge brokering is a knowledge translation strategy used in healthcare settings to facilitate the implementation of evidence into practice. How healthcare providers perceive and respond to various knowledge translation approaches is not well understood. This qualitative study used the Theoretical Domains Framework to examine healthcare providers’ experiences with receiving one of two knowledge translation strategies: a remote knowledge broker (rKB); or monthly emails, for encouraging delivery of mood management interventions to patients enrolled in a smoking cessation program.Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 healthcare providers recruited from primary care teams. We used stratified purposeful sampling to recruit participants who were allocated to receive either the rKB, or a monthly email-based knowledge translation strategy as part of a cluster randomized controlled trial. Interviews were structured around domains of the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to explore determinants influencing practice change. Data were coded into relevant domains.Results Both knowledge translation strategies were considered helpful prompts to remind participants to deliver mood interventions to patients presenting depressive symptoms. Neither strategy appeared to have influenced the health care providers on the domains we probed. The domains pertaining to knowledge and professional identity were perceived as facilitators to implementation, while domains related to beliefs about consequences, emotion, and environmental context acted as barriers and/or facilitators to healthcare providers implementing mood management interventions.Conclusion Both strategies served as reminders and reinforced providers’ knowledge regarding the connection between smoking and depressed mood. The TDF can help researchers better understand the influence of specific knowledge translation strategies on healthcare provider behavior change, as well as potential barriers and facilitators to implementation of evidence-informed interventions. Environmental context should be considered to address challenges and facilitate the movement of knowledge into clinical practice.

Smartphones are omnipresent in the daily lives of parents and provide access to multiple resources in stressful situations. Thus, smartphones might be valuable coping tools. Previous research has mostly focused on the negative effects of parental phone use. In the present study, we investigated how mothers use smartphones for coping with stress and whether their phone use for coping is effective. We also explored factors on different levels (situation, person, device) which could influence phone use and coping effectiveness. Building on a one-week experience sampling study with over 200 mothers and multilevel models, we found that in stressful situations while being with children, mothers used their smartphones mostly for emotion-focused coping such as self-distraction and taking a break. Problem-focused coping was less prevalent. Mothers reporting increased cognitive phone salience used it more for coping with stress. Phone use for coping compared to no use related to lower stress decrease. No person-, situation-, or device-specific factors moderated the effects of phone use on coping effectiveness. Using positive phone content, however, was associated with increased perceived coping efficacy. Our results suggest that phone use is not generally successful for coping, but that momentary device-specific factors such as content characteristics might determine whether phones can be used for coping in an effective way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveTo describe demographic and clinical characteristics of Spanish- and English-speaking visitors to a "Healthy Mood" website.MethodsAn online study intended to prevent depression by teaching users mood management skills recruited participants globally using primarily Google Ads. Those who consented responded to the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the MDE Screener (Muñoz, 1998) upon entry into the study.Results1423 participants consented, 437 English speakers and 986 Spanish speakers. Of the 1271 participants with sufficient depression symptom data, 65% screened positive for a current major depressive episode, 30% were at high risk for onset of a major depressive episode, and 5% were in the low-risk category.ConclusionWebsites intended to be preventive appear to attract primarily individuals who are currently experiencing enough symptoms to screen positive for a major depressive episode. Only 30% of participants were appropriate for a depression prevention intervention. Therefore, such sites must be ready to encourage those with current depression to obtain professional help as well as ensure that the online self-help interventions are appropriate for participants who could benefit from both preventive and treatment interventions.

Background & aim: Globally, stroke ranks as the second most common cause of death and places a substantial financial burden on society. Stroke imposes a significant burden on the global health system. Clinical manifestations of stroke can quickly cause mild to severe nerve damage, which is mainly caused by lack of blood flow, but the impact of a stroke goes beyond the initial brain damage. The progression of cognitive decline may be even more important than stroke, as post-stroke cognitive impairment affects stroke survivors. The purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of neuropsychological rehabilitation on memory and mood regulation among stroke patients residing in Yasuj, Iran. Methods: A semi-experimental research design was employed in the present study, which included a pretest, posttest, and a 6-month follow-up. The study focused on stroke patients between the ages of 20 and 60 residing in Yasuj, Iran, from 2021 to 2022. Thirty individuals were purposefully selected from the statistical population, and then, using random sampling were divided into two groups, experimental (15 individuals) and control (15 individuals). The experimental group underwent 22 sessions of 90-minute treatments. To collect research data, the following measures were used: Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the protocol for neuropsychological rehabilitation treatment, the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS), the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Harrington's frustration tolerance questionnaire, and the go/no-go test. The statistical analysis of the research data was conducted by utilizing the covariance or variance test with repeated measurements along with the Bonferroni post hoc test and SPSS-21 software. Results: The results indicated that the neuro-psychotherapeutic rehabilitation approach had a significant effect on memory (F=92.37, p=0.001), as well as on the components of mood management, including anxiety (F=90.42, p=0.001), depression (F=85.6, p=0.001), learned helplessness (F=68.9, p=0.001), and reactivity (F=46.8, p=0.001) in individuals with stroke. Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that among the therapeutic methods useful for memory rehabilitation and mood management, neuropsychological rehabilitation is one of the most effective methods.

This study aims to explore a social metaverse's positive effects as mood management on consumers' life satisfaction and usage intentions. A total of 304 survey responses from active users of a popular social metaverse platform, Zepeto, were collected with help from an online survey firm. Structural equation modeling analysis was conducted using AMOS 25.0. The direct paths from social metaverse consumption as positive mood enhancement and negative mood alleviation to consumers' life satisfaction were significant, which led to greater usage intentions. Positive mood enhancement influenced usage intentions both directly and indirectly through increased life satisfaction; however, the effect of negative mood alleviation on usage intentions was fully mediated by life satisfaction. Interestingly, for the players who spend money in the social metaverse, only the path from negative mood alleviation to usage intentions mediated by life satisfaction was significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smartphones are omnipresent in the daily lives of parents and provide access to multiple resources in stressful situations. Thus, smartphones might be valuable coping tools. Previous research has mostly focused on the negative effects of parental phone use. In the present study, we investigated how mothers use smartphones for coping with stress and whether their phone use for coping is effective. We also explored factors on different levels (situation, person, device) which could influence phone use and coping effectiveness. Building on a one-week experience sampling study with over 200 mothers and multilevel models, we found that in stressful situations while being with children, mothers used their smartphones mostly for emotion-focused coping such as self-distraction and taking a break. Problem-focused coping was less prevalent. Mothers reporting increased cognitive phone salience used it more for coping with stress. Phone use for coping compared to no use related to lower stress decrease. No person-, situation-, or device-specific factors moderated the effects of phone use on coping effectiveness. Using positive phone content, however, was associated with increased perceived coping efficacy. Our results suggest that phone use is not generally successful for coping, but that momentary device-specific factors such as content characteristics might determine whether phones can be used for coping in an effective way.

To explore the effect of music therapy on children with leukemia who have peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC). In this study, we divided 107 patients undergoing PICC into music group (47 cases) and control group (60 cases). The music group received music therapy during PICC, while the control group was given no complementary treatment. The total length of catheterization, the use of sedatives and the changes of pain level and emotion level before and after PICC placement were compared between two groups. Compared with the control group, the total PICC placement time of the music group was significantly shorter (35(30–40) vs. 60(60–60); Z = −8.307; p < 0.001), and the use of sedative medications was also significantly reduced (4.35% (n = 2) vs. 91.84% (n = 45); p < 0.001). Moreover, the pain of catheterization was significantly alleviated. The median difference of pain scores of the music group was significantly less (2(1–3) vs. 5(5–5); p < 0.001). The mood of patients was also improved. The median difference of emotional scores of the music group was significantly more (5(4.75–6) vs. 3(3–3); p < 0.001) than the control group. Music therapy is effective to use in PICC. It can shorten the treatment time, reduce the use of sedative medications, and improve the children's emotion and pain response significantly, which is worth clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since their emergence in the early 2000s, social media have continued to increase in popularity, particularly among adolescents and young adults. Even though they have been studied in relation to a wide range of topics, including their role in politics, social relationships, activism, identity construction, and youth cultures, the rise of social media is also connected to a number of less dramatic, yet pervasive, shifts relating to their integration into the mundane practices of day-to-day life. In this article, we explore the uses of social media as part of everyday life, a perspective that has gained less attention in research about social media. We take an interest in how young adults create meaning around their daily practices, involving many different social media platforms. Doing so, we draw on in-depth individual and small group interviews with 67 young adults, aged 18–26, conducted in Sweden during 2019–2021. We approach social media as a joint environment, consisting of a wide range of different platforms traversed by the user. The empirical analysis identifies three significant meanings of social media: filling empty slots, everyday transformations, and mood management. These three different meanings are shaped by different temporal, spatial, and technological characteristics and emphasize the importance of social media use in the lives of the young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Probiotic supplementation has a positive effect on endurance exercise performance and body composition in athletes, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Gut microbiota can provide measurable markers of immune function in athletes, and microbial composition analysis may be sensitive enough to detect stress and metabolic disorders caused by exercise., Methods: Nineteen healthy active amateur marathon runners (15 male and 4 female) with a mean age of 29.11 years volunteered to participate in this double-blind controlled study. Based on the performance of the Cooper 12-min running test (CRT), the participants were allocated into two groups to receive either a probiotic formulation comprising lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacterium longum (n = 10) or placebo containing maltodextrin (n = 9) for five weeks. Consistency of diet and exercise was ensured throughout the experimental period. Before and after the intervention, all participants were assessed for CRT, emotional stability and gastrointestinal symptoms, gut microbiota composition, body composition and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) indicators of skeletal muscle microcirculation., Results: Compared to before the intervention, the probiotics group showed an increase in CRT score (2.88 ± 0.57 vs 3.01 ± 0.60 km, P ＜0.05), significant improvement in GSRS and GIQLI (9.20 ± 4.64 vs 7.40 ± 3.24, 118.90 ± 12.30 vs 127.50 ± 9.85, P ＜0.05), while these indicators remained unchanged in the control group, with a significant time-group interaction effect on gastrointestinal symptoms. Additionally, some MRI metabolic cycling indicators of the thigh skeletal muscle also changed in the probiotics group ( P ＜0.05). Regarding microbiota abundance, the probiotics group exhibited a significant increase in the abundance of beneficial bacteria and a significant decrease in the abundance of harmful bacteria post-intervention ( P ＜0.05)., Conclusion: As a sports nutritional supplement, probiotics have the potential to improve athletic performance by optimizing the balance of gut microbiota, alleviating gastrointestinal symptoms., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024 The Society of Chinese Scholars on Exercise Physiology and Fitness. Published by Elsevier (Singapore) Pte Ltd.)

Mobile phones, television, internet services, games, and social media offer diverse and numerous opportunities for coping with stress in everyday life. Different disciplines have contributed to answering how these media are used for coping. Consequently, fragmented and disconnected research perspectives have evolved. To improve integration, we conducted a scoping review. A total of 318 articles met the inclusion criteria. Three main perspectives on media use for coping were identified: (1) stress and coping, (2) mood management and emotion regulation, and (3) media addiction and problematic media use. Each perspective has contributed to different aspects of the use of media for coping. Six advancements are proposed, which attempt to integrate perspectives and to guide future research on coping using media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe demographic and clinical characteristics of Spanish- and English-speaking visitors to a “Healthy Mood” website. Methods: An online study intended to prevent depression by teaching users mood management skills recruited participants globally using primarily Google Ads. Those who consented responded to the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the MDE Screener (Muñoz, 1998) upon entry into the study. Results: 1423 participants consented, 437 English speakers and 986 Spanish speakers. Of the 1271 participants with sufficient depression symptom data, 65% screened positive for a current major depressive episode, 30% were at high risk for onset of a major depressive episode, and 5% were in the low-risk category. Conclusion: Websites intended to be preventive appear to attract primarily individuals who are currently experiencing enough symptoms to screen positive for a major depressive episode. Only 30% of participants were appropriate for a depression prevention intervention. Therefore, such sites must be ready to encourage those with current depression to obtain professional help as well as ensure that the online self-help interventions are appropriate for participants who could benefit from both preventive and treatment interventions.

Several studies have shown that music can reduce unpleasant emotions. Based on the results of this research, several systems have been proposed to suggest songs that match the emotions of the audience. As a part of the system, we aim to develop a method that can infer the emotional value of a song from its Japanese lyrics with higher accuracy, by applying the technology of inferring the emotions expressed in sentences. In addition to matching with a basic emotion dictionary, we use a Web search engine to evaluate the sentiment of words that are not included in the dictionary. As a further improvement, as a pre-processing of the input to the system, the system corrects the omissions of the following verbs or particles and inverted sentences, which are frequently used in Japanese lyrics, into normal sentences. We quantitatively evaluate the degree to which these processes improve the emotion estimation system. The results show that the preprocessing could improve the accuracy by about 4%. Japanese lyrics contain many informal sentences such as inversions. We pre-processed these sentences into formal sentences and investigated the effect of the pre-processing on the emotional inference of the lyrics. The results show that the preprocessing may improve the accuracy of emotion estimation.

This study uses Grounded Theory to analyze interviews with a dozen individuals who media marathoned while going through a health struggle. The analysis addresses five major themes: engaging in escapism that enables emotional and avoidance coping, regulating cognitive expenditure by embracing challenging or comforting content, being still to heal the body, reducing emotional and cognitive strain by engaging a continuous narrative, and tapering from the marathon when feeling better. Findings suggest that media marathoning can offer beneficial cognitive, emotional, and physical regulatory opportunities for those dealing with health struggles. Furthermore, media marathoning when dealing with a health concern is a strategic and active coping strategy that has potential health benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a critical review of what is known about affect regulation in relation to consumption behavior. Based on numerous findings from psychology, communication research, and consumer research, we identify a core set of general principles of affect regulation in consumer behavior. First, we define affect regulation, clarify its relations to the concepts of coping and compensatory consumption, and refine the emerging concept of "displaced coping." We then review the generic strategies used in the regulation of general negative affective states. Next, we synthesize evidence that distinct negative emotions are regulated by emotion‐specific strategies, and propose an overarching explanatory principle: the "part‐regulation principle." We then review the main strategies used in the regulation of positive affective states. Finally, important contingencies in affect regulation are identified, including the asymmetric regulation of positive versus negative affective states, triggers of downward affect regulation, and key moderators of affect regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the influence of exposure setting on mood states and enjoyment of entertainment media. In two studies, participants watched one of eight possible programs for viewing and reported their affective states after watching the program. In the first study, participants (N = 189) were forced to watch one of the programs. In the second study, participants (N = 294) were able to freely choose one of the eight programs for viewing. Those able to freely choose content experienced more enjoyment than those who were forced to view content. Regarding effects of program type, those who viewed scripted programs experienced slightly stronger positive mood and more enjoyment than those who viewed reality programs. Findings are discussed in terms of selective exposure, mood management, and psychological reactance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People routinely seek out activities they believe will relieve stress. There has always been debate regarding the extent to which different activities, particularly those with aggressive content, successfully manage mood or worsen it. It is routinely believed that engaging in highly aggressive activities after becoming stressed worsens mood. However, unlike experiments, in real life people generally select activities that match their interests. In the present study, 105 university students were exposed to an acute stressor then randomized to either (a) a time filler control task; (b) to hit a bobo doll; or (c) given a choice of five different activities, some aggressive, some not. Results indicated that those who were given a choice of activities experienced the greatest reductions in stress and hostility. Furthermore, evidence did not suggest that more aggressive activities made participants more hostile, stressed, or aggressive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature contact is beneficial for both health and mood but these effects have been tested only in studies conducted during summer months and the evidence for clinically-relevant emotions is limited. Three studies contrasted contact with nature vs. built environment in fall and winter seasons using either actual contact or pictures of nature. Mood measures included positive and negative affect, eudaimonia, and a standardized measure of stress, anxiety, and depression. Study 1 exposed participants to outdoor (natural) or indoor settings, Study 2 repeated the design with photographs of the two settings, and Study 3 directly contrasted actual contact with pictures of nature. The pattern of mood scores across the three studies suggest that both actual and pictorial nature contact benefits moods, but actual nature is more effective. These benefits were present in winter as well as warmer seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social networking site usage may affect subjective well-being. Two experiments examined how selective exposure to profiles of other users facilitated mood management via self-enhancing social comparisons. In Study 1, when given detailed impression management cues, such as photographs and status updates, users in a negative mood sought upward rather than downward social comparisons. Study 2 found that relatively low levels of group identification with the social networking site community led to upward social comparisons by users in a negative mood. High group identifiers spent more time viewing upward comparisons, regardless of mood. Regarding exposure effects, upward social comparisons to profiles improved subsequent mood when the comparison involved career success. High group identifiers experienced greater positive mood following upward social comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Participants were 130 undergraduate students at a large university, who made product evaluation ratings (i.e., attitude toward a brand) and rated their perceptions of scarcity claims as a sales tactic, after we had manipulated their mood. Results showed that when individuals were in a negative mood, their preference for mood repair led them to rely on the heuristic of scarcity = value inference to improve their mood. Therefore, scarcity had a positive effect on consumers' product evaluation when they were in a negative mood. In contrast, when individuals were in a positive mood, they were motivated to retain their mood by avoiding negative events. Thus, consumers in a positive mood were more sensitive to the possibility of a scarcity claim being a sales tactic used by marketers to artificially increase demand. Further, their increased inference of scarcity claims being a sales tactic attenuated the positive effect of scarcity on their product evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Music has the power to modify feelings and evoke emotions. Thus, not surprisingly, emotion regulation is one of the primary goals of the everyday use of music. Music therapists often use the effects of music to address emotions and emotional problems in their musical work. Although an increasing number of publications address emotion regulation and the influence of music in terms of regulating emotions, the quantity of different approaches makes orientation difficult. This article aims to define the core features of emotion regulation and present an integrative model of emotion dysregulation, with a focus on how dysregulation evolves. This paper first discusses current definitions and concepts of emotion regulation from the fields of musicology and psychology. Next, focusing on dysregulation, the article introduces a new model of emotion dysregulation based on a review of relevant literature. This model views dysregulation as the consequence of chronic over- or underregulation or as the result of relying solely on harmful regulation strategies. Finally, the initial implications for everyday music and music therapy are addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exercise may be a practical, non-pharmacological strategy for symptom and health management for adolescents with bipolar disorder (BD). The purpose of this study was to determine if adolescents with BD experience changes in exercise-induced feelings from one bout of exercise similar to their otherwise healthy peers.Methods: Thirty-two adolescents with BD (Age (SD)=16.91 (1.4)) and 31 healthy adolescents (Age (SD)=15.68 (1.76)) completed the Exercise-Induced Feeling Inventory (EFI) before and after a 20-min bout of moderate intensity exercise (heart rate goal of 60-80% of the age estimated maximum [220 - 0.7*age]) on a cycle ergometer. Repeated-Measures ANCOVA was conducted on the four EFI subscales, controlling for age and BMI.Results: There were no significant between-group differences on any subscales. An increase in Physical Exhaustion was of negligible effect size in both groups (BD: d=0.05;Control: d=0.16). There was an improvement in Revitalization (BD: d=0.49;Control: d=0.61) and a reduction in Tranquility (BD: d=-0.33;Control: d=-0.29) post-exercise of moderate and small effect size, respectively. The control group reported an increase in Positive Engagement that was of small-to-medium effect size, (d=0.41) with negligible change in the BD group (d=0.17). Healthy adolescents reported a significantly greater tolerance for high intensity exercise than adolescents with BD.Limitations: Emotions were only assessed at two time points.Conclusions: Adolescents with BD experience similar exercise-induced emotional benefits as their healthy peers. Experimental research is needed to examine the role of exercise as a strategy to regulate mood-related symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution describes the current state-of-the-art of the scientific literature regarding the self-soothing effects of crying. Starting from the general hypothesis that crying is a self-soothing behavior, we consider different mechanisms through which these effects may appear. In the first section we briefly explain the main functions of human crying. Then we define self-soothing in terms of homeostatic processes of mood regulation and stress reduction and we underline the importance of distinguishing self-soothing effects of crying from social-soothing that it may elicit. We then provide a comprehensive review of the putative mood enhancing and relieving effects of crying and their variations stemming from characteristics of crying person, antecedents, manifestations, and social consequences of crying. We also discuss the possible methodological explanations for the seemingly discrepant findings regarding mood improvement and relief that may follow crying. We then provide theoretical and empirical support for our general hypothesis that crying is a self-soothing behavior by presenting and evaluating the possible physiological, cognitive, and behavioral mechanisms that may play a mediating role in the relationship between crying and homeostatic regulation that includes mood improvement and relief. Starting from the idea that social-soothing and self-soothing mechanisms share the same physiological systems, we propose that biological processes act in parallel with learning and reappraisal processes that accompany crying, which results in homeostatic regulation. Given the parallels between self-soothing behaviors in humans and animals, we also propose that crying might self-soothe through a mechanism that shares key properties with rhythmical, stereotypic behaviors. We conclude that, in addition to the importance of socially mediated mechanisms for the mood enhancing effects of crying, there is converging evidence for the direct, self-soothing effects of crying.

A tablet may be the best media device to use to spend time alone or enjoy a moment of solitude to release stress. The goal of this study is to examine how the desire for aloneness and leisure boredom play a role in influencing diverse activities when using the tablet and how these socio-psychological states, tablet activities, and location of tablet use may affect the perception of stress reduction, especially when the tablet is used alone. Data were gathered from a probability sample of 948 respondents, of which 348 were tablet users, through a telephone survey. Results indicate that people with a high preference for aloneness were more active tablet users of utility-, information-, social-, and fun seeking-oriented activities, while those who were leisurely bored did not show any significant difference. People with a high desire for aloneness and the leisurely bored tended to have a higher perception that using the tablet in solitude can help them reduce stress. Heavy users of both social- and fun seeking-oriented activities on the tablets also significantly predicted the perception of stress reduction in tablet use alone, particularly in the privacy of their bathroom. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of music on the moods and behaviour of young people has been much contested. Whilst some parties accuse the music industry of purposefully poisoning the minds of youth, others understand the relationship between teenagers and their music preferences as reciprocal. This article reports on an investigation examining what 111 Australian adolescents reported about changes in their mood before and after listening to self-selected genres of music. Most young people reported using music to improve their mood, particularly when their initial state was already positive; however when feeling sad or stressed, some young people reported a worsening mood. Correlational analysis revealed that whilst the distressed young people in this sample were more likely to prefer listening to angry music and have a preference for metal, they did not report a more negative effect on their mood than any other genre of music. The researchers conclude that mixed methodologies may be better suited for examining this complex phenomenon and for avoiding overly simplistic interpretations of data. Music therapists are encouraged to initiate dialogue with distressed young people in order to increase their consciousness about whether their mood improves or worsens when listening to self-selected music. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The iso principle originated in 1948, as a concept and method of intervention in the context of mood management (Altshulter, 1948). Since then, the use of the iso principle has expanded to a variety of areas within music therapy (Smeijesters, 1995; Crowe, 2004; Michel & Pinson, 2005; Wigram, Pedersen, & Bonde, 2002). This article traces the use of the iso principle as a means for mood management from its origins through contemporary clinical uses. It then poses a method of mood management utilizing the iso principle as a central concept and reviews its implementation and efficacy through the presentation of a case study with a female client battling a compulsive overeating disorder, depression, and anxiety. Considerations and implications of the use of the iso principle are also identified and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research shows that the influence of a computer game’s task demand on the mood-repair capacity of game play follows a quadratic trend: mood repair increases as task demand goes from low to moderate levels, after which further increases in demand reduce repair. Applying selective exposure logic to this finding, we reasoned that familiarity with games known to vary in task demand should influence game choice among users experiencing negative moods. To test this, a 2 × 3 experiment was conducted, varying induced participant mood (boredom, stress) and computer game task demand (low, moderate, or high). Findings revealed a curvilinear association between task demand and game choice replicating the association between task demand and mood repair in previous research. Participants preferred moderate task demand over high and low task demand, and this preference was stronger for stressed participants. In addition and in line with mood management theory, resultant mood repair was greatest for stressed individuals choosing moderate demand, and bored individuals choosing high demand. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Two forms of music reception (attentive–analytical and emotional listening) can be differentiated to understand and explain how individuals adapt to stress through regulating their emotions (accommodative coping and rumination). We asked whether (1) more reflective and complex music reception (i.e., attentive–analytical listening) would be related to accommodative coping and (2) emotional listening would be related to rumination. In addition, we investigated age differences in adolescence and adulthood. In Study 1 (cross-sectional, 521 participants, aged 18–86 years), attentive–analytical listening to music showed positive relations to accommodative coping, whereas emotional listening showed a positive relation to rumination. No age differences were found in music reception in adulthood. Study 2 (cross-sectional, 152 adolescents ranging in age from 12–17 years) investigated the relation between music reception, accommodative coping, and rumination and replicated the results of Study 1. The transition from adolescence to adulthood (12 to 23 years) was critical for the development of music reception. A comparison of adolescents and young adults revealed that attentive–analytical listening was negatively associated with age up to approximately 17 years, after which the correlation between age and attentive–analytical listening became positive. Adolescents demonstrated age increments in emotional listening. We argue that music reception is not only a possible avenue for investigating emotional regulation over the life course, but also provides a basis for possible interventions aimed at modifying emotional regulation processes in adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

While the functions of digital games in terms of stress relief, mood management and gratifications have frequently been discussed and investigated, little is known about how these functions are distributed along different game genres and along diverse populations. In this article, a qualitative study with 17 long-term sentenced male inmates is presented that explores the uses and gratifications associated with digital game play, and links these to the pains arising from detention. The results indicate that the distinct characteristics of digital games provide inmates with an additional tool to manage time, interact with fellow inmates, escape the prison walls, experience aesthetic emotions and regain the feeling of being in control of a situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social networking sites (SNS) provide opportunities for mood management through selective exposure. This study tested the prediction that negative mood fosters self-enhancing social comparisons to SNS profiles. Participants were induced into positive or negative moods and then browsed manipulated profiles on an experimental SNS. Profiles varied in a 2 × 2 within-subjects design along two dimensions, ratings of career success and attractiveness, allowing for upward comparisons (high ratings) and downward comparisons (low ratings). Selective exposure was measured in seconds spent viewing profiles. Negative mood led to less exposure to upward comparisons and more to downward comparisons than positive mood. The comparison dimension did not influence selective exposure. Thus, in a negative mood, SNS users prefer self-enhancing social comparisons to manage their mood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]