Speed of Processing Time Slowing in Eating Disorders

We applied Brinley (1965 Brinley, J. F. (1965). Cognitive sets, speed and accuracy of performance in the elderly. In A. T. Welford, &; J. E. Birren (Eds.), Behavior, aging and the nervous system (pp. 114–129). Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas. [Google Scholar]) plot analysis to the eating disorders field. Across 23 studies and 165 experimental conditions [experienced by a total of 773 eating disorder (ED) participants, including anorexia nervosa (AN), binge eating (BE), bulimia nervosa (BN), and eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS) and 995 controls], the best-fit regression equation was Y (ED) = 1.08 X (CONTROL) – 31. This equation accounted for 98.2% of the variance. Thus, the ED subjects were only 1.08 times slower than the control subjects, suggesting little processing speed slowing in ED. We also examined simple reaction time [SRT; Y (ED) = .91 X (CONTROL) + 63; variance accounted for = 93.6%] and choice reaction time (CRT; Y (ED) = 1.12X (CONTROL) – 43, variance accounted for = 99.7%). These slopes are significantly different. ED subjects are more impacted when the task involves a decision component (CRT) than when it does not (SRT).     

Cognitive Slowing in Closed-Head Injury

Mean response times (RTs) from a sample of 13 simple- and choice-reaction time studies (which included 353 Closed-Head Injury (CHI) subjects at various stages of injury and 329 Control, non-CHI, subjects; mean age of both groups, approximately 28 years) were analyzed using Brinley Plot/multiple regression analysis techniques to provide support for the observation that CHI results in a slowing of basic cognitive information processing. Across 101 experimental conditions, the best-fit equation that resulted from regressing the CHI data onto the Control data for matched conditions was Y (CHI) = 1.54 X (Control) − 59, and this specific regression equation accounted for approximately 89% of the variance (based on R²). These results suggest that the basic cognition processes involved in simple- and choice-reaction time performance were approximately 1.54 times slower in CHI individuals in this sample as compared to non-CHI individuals. This pattern of performance substantiates the observation the CHI results in a slowing of even very basic cognition information processes.     

加工速度、自我监控对认知操作的影响

本研究用认知操作的部分内容,探索了青少年在认知操作活动中年龄、自我监控、加工速度对认知操作的影响,研究发现：本研究结果表明,年龄对自我监控有显著的负效应,对认知操作有显著的正效应,自我监控对加工速度有非常显著的正效应,对认知操作有显著的负效应,加工速度对认知操作有显著的负效应。     

Integration of Cognitive and Emotional Processing Predicts Poor and Good Outcomes of Psychotherapy

Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy - With the aim of investigating analogies and differences between psychotherapeutic processes, ten good-outcome and ten poor-outcome cases were selected from a...     

Intentionality in Intuitive Versus Analytic Processing: Insights From Social Cognitive Neuroscience

A new preliminary model of emotional disorders, derived from basic tenets of emotion theory and new developments in cognitive science, is presented. It is suggested that tightly organized basic emotions stored in memory fire inappropriately on occasion. In individuals who are vulnerable both biologically and psychologically, these emotions may become the focus of anxiety or dysthymia in that the emotions themselves are experienced as uncontrollable and threatening with adequate coping being difficult or impossible. Early experiences with lack of control over one's environment as well as biological vulnerabilities may well determine whether or not one becomes anxious/dysthymic over the experience of basic emotions in an inappropriate context. This model is illustrated in the context of panic disorder and then extended to depression (sadness/distress), stress (anger), and mania (excitement).     

Rumination in Children with Social Anxiety Disorder: Effects of Cognitive Distraction and Relation to Social Stress Processing

According to cognitive models of social anxiety disorder (SAD), both anticipatory processing and post-event processing are core mechanisms in disorder maintenance leading to dysfunctional coping with social situations through negative self-evaluation and increased anxiety. To date, little is known about these processes during late childhood, a critical period for disorder development. Further, it remains unclear if dysfunctional rumination in children can be altered through psychotherapeutic interventions such as cognitive distraction. In the current study, children aged 9 to 13 years with SAD and age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HCs, each: n?=?30) participated in an experimental laboratory social stress task while anticipatory processing, post-event processing, subjective anxiety, self-evaluations, and autonomic arousal (skin conductance level) were assessed. Further, the impact of a brief cognitive distraction intervention on post-event processing was assessed. Children with SAD reported more negative anticipatory and post-event processing compared to HC children. Further, negative anticipatory processing was associated with higher subjective anxiety and reduced subjective performance ratings during the social stress task. In the aftermath of the stressor, distraction led to reduced subjective anxiety in the group with SAD and lower autonomic arousal in all children but did not alter post-event processing. The current study suggests that both anticipatory and post-event processing already play a key role in the maintenance of SAD in childhood. While distraction may be beneficial in reducing prolonged subjective anxiety and autonomic arousal after social situations, more research on interventions targeting ruminative processes is needed.

     

Specifying Links Between Executive Functioning and Theory of Mind during Middle Childhood: Cognitive Flexibility Predicts Social Understanding

The purpose of this study was to specify the development of and links between executive functioning and theory of mind during middle childhood. One hundred four 7- to 12-year-old children completed a battery of age-appropriate tasks measuring working memory, inhibition, flexibility, theory of mind, and vocabulary. As expected, spatial working memory and flexibility increased significantly with age, especially after 7 years. Moreover, flexibility predicted social understanding over and above the effects of age, vocabulary, working memory, and inhibition. Together, these findings highlight improvements in and tight relations between complex aspects of executive functioning and theory of mind during middle childhood and suggest that executive functioning and theory of mind are linked beyond their emergence in early childhood.     

Collaborative Empiricism in Cognitive Therapy for Psychosis: A Practice Guide

We outline our understanding of collaborative empiricism (CE) as used in cognitive therapy (CT) for psychosis. We discuss how CE can be thought of as a technique for facilitating cognitive change in the service of a client's goals, but also as an expression of respect for client autonomy, recognizing the ethical imperative to empower clients by involving them in decisions about their care. Taking a CE approach is therefore consistent with user-led conceptualizations of recovery, and the related movements of “shared decision-making” and “evidence-based patient choice.” We discuss how CE can aid with engagement, assessment, formulation, and intervention in CT, illustrating this with case material. We focus on how CE can help with distressing intrusive experiences and beliefs, and also consider its role in helping clients achieve wider life goals. Adaptations to CE for working with people with problems with learning, attention, and memory are discussed, as are considerations for working with high conviction and conceptual disorganization.     

Processing Speed Predicts Behavioral Treatment Outcomes in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Predominantly Inattentive Type

Neuropsychological functioning underlies behavioral symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children with all forms of ADHD are vulnerable to working memory deficits and children presenting with the inattentive form of ADHD (ADHD-I) appear particularly vulnerable to processing speed deficits. As ADHD-I is the most common form of ADHD presented by children in community settings, it is important to consider how treatment interventions for children with ADHD-I may be affected by deficits in processing speed and working memory. We utilize data collected from 199 children with ADHD-I, aged 7 to 11 years, who participated in a randomized clinical trial of a psychosocial-behavioral intervention. Our aims are first to determine whether processing speed or working memory predict treatment outcomes in ADHD-I symptom severity, and second whether they moderate treatment effects on ADHD-I symptom severity. Results of linear regression analyses reveal that baseline processing speed significantly predicts posttreatment ADHD-I symptom severity when controlling for baseline ADHD-I symptom severity, such that better processing speed is associated with greater symptom improvement. However, predictive effects of working memory and moderation effects of both working memory and processing speed are not supported in the present study. We discuss study limitations and implications of the relation between processing speed and treatment benefits from psychosocial treatments for children with ADHD-I.     

The Cognitive Spiral: Creative Thinking and Cognitive Processing

Defining and measuring the construct of creative thinking has proven to be an elusive task. As Clark (1979) has pointed out, the term creativity is used as if there is general agreement as to what the construct means. Yet the fact is that research has taken many routes, and definitions are more often specific to the particular author than a matter of consensus. However, when applying creative thinking to instructional design and presentation, it would be prudent to have a concise definition which separates out potentially confounding elements. The Cognitive Spiral model conceptualizes creative thinking as an integral component of all cognitive processing. This article details the synthesis of a definition and the structure of a model of cognitive processing.     

Sluggish Cognitive Tempo,Processing Speed,and Internalizing Symptoms: the Moderating Effect of Age

Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) has been defined by a constellation of caregiver-reported symptoms that includes daydreaming, difficulty initiating and sustaining effort, lethargy, and physical underactivity. These symptoms have been observed in both typically developing children and in some children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)—especially those with the predominantly inattentive presentation. Symptoms of SCT (typically identified via rating scales) appear separable from DSM inattentive ADHD symptoms, but have also been associated with internalizing symptoms. To date, however, few studies have examined associations among ratings of SCT and speeded performance-based measures. The present study examined associations among SCT, processing speed, and internalizing symptoms in a sample of 566 clinically referred children (65% male), while also considering how these associations change with age. Findings revealed small but significant age-related differences in the strength of associations between the “Daydreamy” element of SCT and processing speed (as measured by the WISC-IV Processing Speed Index—PSI), with stronger associations observed in younger children. Importantly, this difference in strength of association was not accounted for by the change in WISC-IV test forms for PSI subtests between 6–7 year-olds and 8–16 year-olds. Conversely, the association between SCT and internalizing symptoms remained generally consistent across the age range. Findings contribute to further characterization of the “slowness” of responding seen in SCT and may have implications for behavioral intervention.     

Homework Use in Cognitive Therapy for Psychosis: A Case Formulation Approach

Based upon empirically supported cognitive-behavioral treatment approaches, this paper aims to outline the use of homework to enhance the therapeutic relationship, patient motivation, and skills for managing delusions, hallucinations, and negative symptoms. The nature and timing of homework is outlined for the different phases of treatment. Frequent barriers that emerge during the setting and reviewing of homework are described, followed by strategies to enhance motivation and homework compliance. The paper concludes with a demonstration of how homework is optimized within a case formulation approach for persistent symptoms of psychosis.     

Social Information Processing as a Mediator Between Cognitive Schemas and Aggressive Behavior in Adolescents

This longitudinal investigation assessed whether cognitive schemas of justification of violence, mistrust, and narcissism predicted social information processing (SIP), and SIP in turn predicted aggressive behavior in adolescents. A total of 650 adolescents completed measures of cognitive schemas at Time 1, SIP in ambiguous social scenarios at Time 1 and Time 2, and reactive aggression at Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3 to determine whether SIP measured at Time 2 mediated between the cognitive schemas measured at Time 1 and the aggressive behavior measured at Time 3. The results showed that each schema predicted different SIP components: Justification of violence predicted aggressive response access, narcissism predicted anger and aggressive response access, and mistrust predicted more hostile attributions and less anger. Only the SIP component of aggressive response access was directly associated with reactive aggression. The mediational model was quite similar for boys and girls although some paths, such as the association between aggressive response access and reactive aggression, were higher for boys.     

Metacognitive Therapy Focused on Psychosocial Function in Psychosis

Metacognitive Insight and Reflection Therapy is a manual-based individual psychotherapy aimed at enhancing four metacognitive processes through patient’s personal narratives which may promote recovery by helping individuals suffering from schizophrenia to develop a richer and more integrated sense of self. This study is a single case analysis of the effects of a meta-cognitively oriented CBT on residual psychotic symptoms and functional targets. Outcome measures (PANNS, PDI 21, BAVQ-R, PSP, MAS-A) were collected at two different times: pre-CBT and 1-year. Results showed reductions in the distress, preoccupation and conviction associated with delusions and improvements in metacognitive abilities, social functioning, hopefulness and of the sense of self-confidence to cope with the psychotic symptoms. Adopting a metacognitive perspective during psychotherapy had several benefits: to foster the development of therapeutic alliance, to allow the patient to assess the efficacy and acknowledge the consequences of the different strategies he could use to cope with his symptoms and to question the predominance of his delusions in his life. To conclude, Metacognitive Reflection and Insight Therapy seem particularly adapted to address psychosocial issues, such as social or work functioning.     

Bidirectional Relationships Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Social Functioning During Cognitive Processing Therapy

This study investigated temporal relationships between posttraumatic stress symptoms and two indicators of social functioning during cognitive processing therapy. Participants were 176 patients (51.5% female, M age = 39.46 [SD = 11.51], 89.1% White, 42.6% active duty military/veteran) who participated in at least two assessment time points during a trial of cognitive processing therapy. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms (PTSD Checklist for DSM-IV) and interpersonal relationship and social role functioning problems (Outcome Questionnaire–45) were assessed prior to each of 12 sessions. Multivariate multilevel lagged analyses indicated that interpersonal relationship problems predicted subsequent PTSD symptoms (b = .22, SE = 0.09, cr = 2.53, p = .01, pr = .46) and vice versa (b = .05, SE = 0.02, cr = 2.11, p = .04, pr = .16); and social role functioning problems predicted subsequent PTSD symptoms (b = .21, SE = 0.10, cr = 2.18, p = .03, pr = .16) and vice versa (b = .06, SE = 0.02, cr = 3.08, p < .001, pr = .23). Military status moderated the cross-lag from social role functioning problems to PTSD symptoms (b = –.35, t = –2.00, p = .045, pr = .16). Results suggest a robust association between PTSD symptoms and social functioning during cognitive processing therapy with a reciprocal relationship between PTSD symptoms and social functioning over time. Additionally, higher social role functioning problems for patients with military status indicate smaller reductions in PTSD symptoms from session to session.     

Cognitive Coping Tool Kit for Psychosis: Development of a Group-Based Curriculum

This article outlines an 8-week curriculum that was created to help outpatients develop cognitive and behavioral skills for coping with delusions and hallucinations as well as to reduce patients’ comorbid subjective levels of distress (e.g., depression, anxiety). The manualized protocol consisted of psychoeducation and training in a variety of CBT skills that have shown promise in treating individuals with residual psychosis, using recovery-oriented “naturalistic” methods and culminating in the creation of an individualized “tool kit” of cognitive coping resources. A preliminary study of the effectiveness of this brief group-based CBT program for outpatients with chronic, residual symptoms of schizophrenia was conducted. Participants were 24 outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders who were stable on medications and connected to case management community follow-up. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia interview and the Symptom Checklist-90 self-report symptom scales were administered pre- and post-intervention. The results suggest that there were significant improvements in psychotic symptoms and self-reported distress from pre- to posttreatment.