Evaluation of effects of previous exposure to an acute stressor before testing for depression-like behaviours in mice

Test batteries are an essential and broadly used tool for behavioural phenotyping, especially with regard to mouse models of particular diseases, such as depression. Facing the problem of an often limited number of mutant animals, it therefore seems crucial to develop and optimise such test batteries in terms of an ideal throughput of subjects. This study aimed to characterize several common stressors, which are used for the investigation of depressive-like features with regard to their capability of each of them to affect performance in a subsequent behavioural test. Here we investigated swim-, restraint- and footshock-stress in male C57/BL6 mice, focusing on post-stress corticosterone elevations as well as potential effects on the behavioural level. The stressors increased circulating corticosterone levels when assessed 1 h after exposure. On the behavioural level, no test interactions could be detected, which suggests, that in general, combining these test conditions in experiments with a restricted availability of animals seems to be rather unproblematic.     

Assessing post-event processing after social situations: a measure based on the cognitive model for social phobia

In their cognitive model of social phobia, Clark and Wells (1995) described a process called post-event processing that is characterized by prolonged ruminative and negative thinking about a past social event. Referring to this concept, Rachman and colleagues (2000) developed a questionnaire that has been used in several studies subsequently (Post-Event Processing Questionnaire (PEPQ)). Our aim was to examine a German version of the PEPQ and, where necessary, modify this measure. In Study 1 (N=130 students), we inspected the psychometric properties of the German version of the PEPQ. According to the item analyses, problematic items were identified and eliminated or reformulated. To map aspects of post-event processing that were missing in the original questionnaire, new items were developed. In Study 2, the psychometric properties of the revised instrument were analyzed in a sample of students (N=268).The revised instrument showed excellent internal consistency and a meaningful pattern of correlations with anxiety, depression, and dysfunctional self-consciousness. With regard to the factorial structure of the construct, our data suggest that a four-factorial model may be more appropriate than the one-dimensional structure proposed by Rachman and colleagues.     

Investigation of psycho-physiological interactions between patient and therapist during a psychodynamic therapy and their relation to speech using in terms of entropy analysis using a neural network approach

In the present contribution we investigate in an exemplary single-case study the behavior of psycho-physiological variables in psychotherapy sessions. The values are measured continously during a single session at the same time for both patient and therapist. The analysis of the data is done using an artificial neural network approach for non-linear principal component analysis and faithful data representation/visualization and compression required for subsequent process analysis. The used network (growing self-organizing map, GSOM) thereby uses a kernel smoothing for improved data density estimation. In this way, we are able to generate an entropy model of psycho-physiological variability detecting emotionally instable phases during the therapy process. We relate our finding to results obtained by speech analysis of the therapy sessions according to the cycle model invented by Mergenthaler. Thus, we get preliminary suggestions how psycho-physiological reactions are related to the therapeutic process.     

Comorbidity and Risk Behaviors Among Drug Users Not in Treatment

In a sample of 700 drug users, 64% evidenced comorbidity (i.e., coexisting substance use and psychiatric disorders). Robust relationships between the presence of comorbidity and increased levels of risk behavior, such as needle sharing and trading sex for money, were revealed.     

Onlineberatung und internetbasierte Psychotherapie

The internet has established itself as an everyday medium of communication, whereby patterns for the use of information and services relevant to health can be documented. Therefore also allowing questions regarding the possibilities and limit limitations of internet intervention in clinical psychology and psychotherapy to be also posed. Although specialist discourse is limited to conceptional analysis due to the lack of theoretical concepts and weak empirical data, there is a basis for the realization of a system of net-supported psychological advice and psychotherapy. Our present contribution has the goal of introducing some current exemplary concepts.Furthermore, effects on the therapeutic process and setting will be described and necessary quality criteria clarified.Finally, perspectives on counseling and therapy through the internet will be formulated.The authors conclude that online, counseling will take on an important function in the exchange of information and although useful in the initiation of therapy, will have to be considered separately from online therapy.Both methods – although instrumental in closing gaps within the socio-psychological care-system – can not substitute classical psychotherapy.     

Seeing faces: The role of brand visual processing and social connection in brand liking

This paper investigates how brands—through visuals—can fill a void for consumers experiencing a lack of social connection. Using psychometric measures and mock advertisements with visuals of human faces and non‐faces, Study 1 shows that seeing faces relates to greater brand liking with processing fluency mediating, and individual loneliness and tendency to anthropomorphize moderating the effect. Study 2 replicates findings with other‐race faces corroborating that fluency but not ethnic self‐referencing underlies the effect. Study 3 complements the psychometric measures of Studies 1 and 2 with eye tracking data to demonstrate that fluency correlates with distinct patterns of attention. Study 4 uses actual brand stimuli to show that effects are robust and extend beyond advertisements. Taken together, the findings show that communicating brand names in conjunction with visuals seen by consumers as human faces can increase brand liking.     

From Online Dating to Online Divorce: An Overview of Couple and Family Relationships Shaped Through Digital Media

From the very early stages of initiating relationships to types of post-break-up behaviors, the internet has the potential to play an influential role in all areas of family and particularly couple relationships. This paper examines how ICTs (“information and communication technology”) can shape such relationships. The impact on the various stages of relationships is systematized (relationship development, couple and family formation, separation) with a special focus on intergenerational opportunities and conflicts associated with modern media usage. Against the background of psychological and media communication theories and psychotherapeutic approaches as well as empirical findings the following topics are considered: (1) Initiation of relationships through ICTs (e.g. meet new partners through online dating); (2) Impact of digital media on relationship development and existing partnerships (e.g. new opportunities and internet-related challenges that have to be faced by couples) (3) Influence of ICTs on separations (e.g. online mediation, getting divorced online). In summary, the role of ICTs in new, existing and separated partnerships and families is multifaceted. An outlook on further developments as well as research desiderata is given.     

Cohort differences in cognitive aging and terminal decline in the Seattle Longitudinal Study

Life span researchers have long been interested in how and why fundamental aspects of human ontogeny differ between cohorts of people who have lived through different historical epochs. When examined at the same age, later born cohorts are often cognitively and physically fitter than earlier born cohorts. Less is known, however, about cohort differences in the rate of cognitive aging and if, at the very end of life, pervasive mortality-related processes overshadow and minimize cohort differences. We used data on 5 primary mental abilities from the Seattle Longitudinal Study (Schaie, 2005) to compare both age-related and mortality-related changes between earlier born cohorts (1886-1913) and later born cohorts (1914-1948). Our models covary for several individual and cohort differences in central indicators of life expectancy, education, health, and gender. Age-related growth models corroborate and extend earlier findings by documenting level differences at age 70 of up to 0.50 SD and less steep rates of cognitive aging on all abilities between 50 and 80 years of age favoring the later born cohort. In contrast, mortality-related models provide limited support for positive cohort differences. The later born cohort showed steeper mortality-related declines. We discuss possible reasons why often reported positive secular trends in age-related processes may not generalize to the vulnerable segment of the population that is close to death and suggest routes for further inquiry.     

Profiling active and passive nonrespondents to an organizational survey

In this field study (N = 405) population profiling was introduced to examine general and specific classes of nonresponse (active vs. passive) to a satisfaction survey. The active nonrespondent group (i.e., purposeful nonresponders) was relatively small (approximately 15%). Active nonrespondents, in comparison with respondents, were less satisfied with the entity sponsoring the survey and were less conscientious. Passive nonrespondents (e.g., forgot), who represented the majority of nonrespondents, were attitudinally similar to respondents but differed with regard to personality. Nonresponse bias does not appear to be a substantive concern for satisfaction type variables--the typical core of an organizational survey. If the survey concerns topics strongly related to Conscientiousness and Agreeableness, the respondent sample may not be representative of the population.