Theory of Mind and Executive Functions in Young Bilingual Children

Few studies have explored the relationship between theory of mind (ToM), executive function (EF), and bilingualism at the same time. In this study 14 young bilingual children were compared with monolingual children on a test battery composed of 5 ToM tests, 5 EF tests, and 1 test of general language ability. The result showed that despite significantly lower verbal ability, the bilingual children outperformed the monolingual ones on tests of EF. There were no differences in ToM performance. The authors argue that there is a strong relationship between bilingualism and EF, but, contrary to results from earlier studies, they could not find any relationship between bilingualism and ToM. EF did not predict ToM performance. Lack of a significant relationship could be due to the children's young age and consequently their low scores on the ToM tasks.     

儿童情绪表情识别的眼睛线索之发展研究

眼睛是人类识别和表达心理状态的重要脸部部位之一。本研究的目的在于考察较小的儿童能否把眼睛部位作为识别情绪表情的重要线索。共159名幼儿园和小学低年级的儿童,完成整个脸部．单独眼睛和单独嘴巴部位的情绪表情识别任务。结果发现较小的儿童通过眼睛线索识别情绪表情与通过脸部识别情绪表情的成绩同样好。最后从眼睛在心理状态识别中作用的角度进行了讨论。     

述情障碍成因的认知及社会机制

对述情障碍本质和形成原因的解释主要包括认知机制和社会机制两种, 认知机制认为, 述情障碍体现了在情绪认知加工上的缺陷, 主要涉及到情绪图式、心理理论和执行功能等方面; 社会机制认为, 述情障碍的产生与儿童早年的一些经历有关, 并在社会文化和社会关系中得到不断的强化, 主要涉及到社会文化、社会经济地位和家庭功能及环境等方面。未来研究要把研究视角进一步扩展到热执行功能、整合研究、提出系统的社会机制理论等方面, 在研究方法上, 注意测量工具和研究技术的进一步改进。     

The social problem-solving abilities of people with borderline personality disorder

Interventions for people suffering from borderline personality disorder (BPD), such as dialectical behaviour therapy, often include a problem-solving component. However, there is an absence of published studies examining the problem-solving abilities of this client group. In this study, the social problem-solving (SPS) abilities of three groups of participants were assessed: a BPD group (n=25), a clinical control (CC) group (n=25) procedure and a non-clinical control (NCC) group (n=25). SPS ability was assessed using the means-end problem-solving (MEPS) procedure and the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised (SPSI-R). The BPD group exhibited deficits in their SPS abilities, however the majority of these deficits were not specific to the BPD group but were also found in the CC group, indicating that a common factor between these two groups, such as negative affect, may account for these observed deficits. Specific SPS deficits were identified in the BPD group: they provided less specific solutions on the MEPS and reported higher levels of negative problem orientation and a more impulsive/carelessness style towards solving social problems. The results of this study provide empirical support for the use of problem-solving interventions with people suffering from BPD.     

儿童朴素情绪理论发展的近期研究综述

儿童的朴素情绪理论是其心理理论的一个重要部分,是当前具有国际前沿性的研究课题。该文阐述了朴素情绪理论的基本含义及其与心理理论之间的关系,综述了关于儿童朴素情绪理论发展的近期研究,揭示出儿童从基于愿望的情绪理解过渡到基于信念的情绪理解的发展趋势以及信念理解中的滞后效应,并探讨了影响儿童朴素情绪理论获得和发展的因素。     

Effectiveness of Psychodynamic Treatment in Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder

There is some evidence that the efficacy of four types of psychotherapeutic psychotherapy (mentalized-based treatment, transference-focused psychotherapy, psychoanalytic psychotherapy, and cognitive-analytic therapy), is superior to treatment-as-usual. More controlled and randomized studies are needed in order a) to confirm the results of the relatively few investigations that were available, b) to examine the therapeutic relevance and usefulness of correlates and predictors of improvement and remission in borderline patients, and c) to examine possible fruitful combinations with other types of treatment.     

Experiential avoidance in adolescents with borderline personality disorder: comparison with a non-BPD psychiatric group and healthy controls

ABSTRACT

Previous research has identified experiential avoidance (EA) as related to a host of adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems, as well as borderline personality disorder, suggesting that it is a crosscutting factor for adolescent psychopathology. It remains unclear whether EA differs among adolescents with BPD compared to adolescents with other psychiatric disorders and healthy adolescents. The aims of this study were to 1) examine EA in adolescents with BPD compared to non-BPD inpatient adolescents and healthy adolescents, and 2) to evaluate whether EA has a unique relationship to borderline pathology over and above internalizing and externalizing. Self-report measures of BPD features, EA, and psychopathology were completed by 692 adolescents (64.5% female, M_age= 15.20). This sample included a group of psychiatric inpatient youth (n = 197 BPD; n = 403 non-BPD) and a group of healthy adolescents (n = 92). Results revealed that EA differed significantly across all three groups, with the highest level of EA evidenced in adolescents who had BPD. Furthermore, there was a significant, unique association between BPD symptoms and EA over afnd above internalizing and externalizing pathology. These findings pinpoint EA as an important risk marker and possible target of prevention or intervention for adolescent BPD.     

孤独症的认知障碍研究及其评述

执行功能紊乱理论(Theory of Executive Dysfunction)、弱的中央统合理论(Weak Central Coherence theory)和心理理论假说(The Theory of Mind Hypothesis)是解释孤独症认知障碍的三种重要理论。本文着重通过回顾以往的实验研究来探讨三种理论的产生、发展及前进的方向, 以及三大理论之间的关系。三者可能从不同侧面诠释了孤独症认知障碍的机制, 如何综合起来更好地揭示孤独症的认知障碍和病理机制, 尚需深入和全面的研究。同时更多地考虑不同认知因素的交互影响以及研究的生态学效度, 可能是进一步研究需要考虑的问题。     

从心理理论与执行功能的关系看孤独症

孤独症是一种病因未明的广泛性发展障碍,它的诊断主要基于患者的行为表现。针对这些行为特点,研究者们提出了心理理论缺失说和执行功能障碍说。但是,有研究表明孤独症患者并不是在所有的心理理论任务和执行功能任务上都存在障碍。所以,单纯地采用心理理论缺失说或执行功能障碍说都不能完整解释孤独症症状。一般来说,心理理论缺失的孤独症个体,同时也伴有执行功能障碍。近年来,大量的研究结果发现,心理理论与执行功能确实存在紧密联系。然而,目前对它们关系的考察主要集中在学龄前儿童的错误信念理解和抑制控制上。心理理论与执行功能都分别包含许多成分,它们彼此的关系可能会在不同年龄段发生变化。因此,研究者需要进一步探查不同年龄段,不同心理理论任务与执行功能不同成分与范式之间的关系,并将这种关系应用于临床实践,帮助诊断和培训孤独症个体。     

幼儿执行功能的发展对心理理论发展的影响*

采用追踪研究设计,探讨儿童3至5岁成长过程中,执行功能与心理理论发展间的预测关系。以155名3岁、4岁儿童为被试,采用经典实验任务对儿童的执行功能和心理理论进行间隔1年的追踪测查,并运用分层回归分析检验了二者间的预测关系。结果发现：儿童执行功能、心理理论在3至5岁期间均有显著的发展,且在此期间执行功能、心理理论的个体差异相对稳定;儿童在3岁、4岁时执行功能与心理理论呈显著正相关,但在5岁时二者间相关不显著;儿童3岁时的执行功能能够显著预测3至4岁期间心理理论的发展,而4岁时的执行功能不能预测4至5岁期间心理理论的发展;3至5岁期间,心理理论对执行功能发展始终不具有预测作用。     

Relations between episodic memory, suggestibility, theory of mind, and cognitive inhibition in the preschool child

The development of episodic memory, its relation to theory of mind (ToM), executive functions (e.g., cognitive inhibition), and to suggestibility was studied. Children (n= 115) between 3 and 6 years of age saw two versions of a video film and were tested for their memory of critical elements of the videos. Results indicated similar developmental trends for all memory measures, ToM, and inhibition, but ToM and inhibition were not associated with any memory measures. Correlations involving source memory was found in relation to specific questions, whereas inhibition and ToM were significantly correlated to resistance to suggestions. A regression analysis showed that age was the main contributor to resistance to suggestions, to correct source monitoring, and to correct responses to specific questions. Inhibition was also a significant main predictor of resistance to suggestive questions, whereas the relative contribution of ToM was wiped out when an extended model was tested.     

Theory of mind and its relationship with behavioural inhibition in Chilean preschools / Teoría de la mente y su relación con inhibición conductual en pre-escolares chilenos

Abstract

This study’s main objective was to determine whether the five-step theory of mind scale is associated with responses to behavioural inhibition tasks. The data collected for this were the responses to the scale given by 65 Chilean children aged three to five from medium-low socioeconomic levels, and were derived from the changing locations, happy-sad Stroop, day-night and Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS) tasks they carried out. Results showed that there was a significant association between the five-step theory of mind scale and behavioural inhibition (r = .28) and behavioural inhibition with the false belief task (r = .31), controlling for age, sex and language. These data support the emergence model as the best model to describe the relationship between theory of mind and behavioural inhibition. Finally, the results are discussed and future lines of study in this subject are put forward.     

Does impaired socioemotional functioning account for behavioral dysexecutive disorders? Evidence from a transnosological study

Behavioral dysexecutive disorders are highly prevalent in patients with neurological diseases but cannot be explained by cognitive dysexecutive impairments. In fact, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Given that socioemotional functioning underlies appropriate behavior, socioemotional impairments may contribute to the appearance of behavioral disorders. To investigate this issue, we performed a transnosological study.

Seventy-five patients suffering from various neurological diseases (Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), frontotemporal lobar degeneration, and stroke) were included in the study. The patients were comprehensively assessed in terms of cognitive and behavioral dysexecutive disorders and socioemotional processes (facial emotion recognition and theory of mind). As was seen for cognitive and behavioral dysexecutive impairments, the prevalence of socioemotional impairments varied according to the diagnosis. Stepwise logistic regressions showed that (i) only cognitive executive indices predicted hypoactivity with apathy/abulia, (ii) theory of mind impairments predicted hyperactivity–distractibility–impulsivity and stereotyped/perseverative behaviors, and (iii) impaired facial emotion recognition predicted social behavior disorders. Several dysexecutive behavioral disorders are associated with an underlying impairment in socioemotional processes but not with cognitive indices of executive functioning (except for apathy). These results strongly suggest that some dysexecutive behavioral disorders are the outward signs of an underlying impairment in socioemotional processes.     

Comparison of different strategies to decrease negative affect and increase positive affect in women with borderline personality disorder

Background

In this study we compared the effect of different emotion regulation strategies on positive and negative emotions in patients with borderline personality disorder.

Methods

Emotion regulation strategies were a distracting task, individual positive memory imagery, individual soothing imagery, and a neutral comparison condition. During two separate sessions, 17 participants watched either neutral or negative movie segments before using these strategies.

Results

All three strategies influenced emotions into a favorable direction as compared to the neutral comparison condition. The positive memory image increased positive emotions significantly stronger than counting colors and distracting.

Discussion

Different strategies seem to have similar effects in decreasing negative emotions. Positive emotions may be affected in particular by positive and soothing imagery techniques.     

Interpersonal evaluation bias in borderline personality disorder

Background

The cognitive theory of personality disorders hypothesizes that the emotional dysregulation and interpersonal problems in individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) are, at least partially, caused by dysfunctional cognitive schemas. These schemas lead to biased evaluation of environmental and interpersonal stimuli.

Method

This study examined the interpersonal evaluations of individuals with BPD, depressive and healthy control participants with the thin-slice judgments paradigm. Participants were asked to evaluate six persons in six film clips, which showed these persons for 10 s, during which these persons entered a room and took a seat. Interpersonal style of the BPD group was investigated with the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP-C) questionnaire.

Results

Individuals with BPD judged the persons as being more negative and aggressive and less positive than the healthy participants, and more aggressive than the depressive individuals. In addition, individuals with BPD reported more extreme interpersonal behavior relative to the controls.

Conclusions

The findings indicate an aggressivistic evaluation bias and elevated levels of interpersonal problems in individuals with BPD as suggested in the cognitive theory.     

The effectiveness of dialectical behaviour therapy in routine public mental health settings: An Australian controlled trial

Randomised controlled studies in research environments have demonstrated dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) to be more efficacious than treatment as usual in reducing suicidal behaviour in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Limited evidence exists for the effectiveness of DBT in the treatment of BPD within routine clinical settings. This study examines the clinical and cost effectiveness of providing DBT over treatment as usual in a routine Australian public mental health service. Forty-three adult patients with BPD were provided with outpatient DBT for six months with patient outcomes compared to those obtained from patients in a wait list group receiving treatment as usual (TAU) from the same service. After six months of treatment the DBT group showed significantly greater reductions in suicidal/non-suicidal self-injury, emergency department visits, psychiatric admissions and bed days. Self-report measures were administered to a reduced sample of patients. With this group, DBT patients demonstrated significantly improved depression, anxiety and general symptom severity scores compared to TAU at six months. Average treatment costs were significantly lower for those patients in DBT than those receiving TAU. Therapists who received intensive DBT training were shown to produce significantly greater improvements in patients’ suicidal and non-suicidal self-injury than therapists who received only 4 day basic training. Further clinical improvements were achieved in patients offered an additional six months of DBT. This study demonstrates that providing DBT to patients within routine public mental health settings can be both clinically effective and cost effective.