Behavioral Approach System (BAS) Sensitivity and Bipolar Spectrum Disorders: A Retrospective and Concurrent Behavioral High-Risk Design

In this article, we tested the vulnerability hypothesis of the behavioral approach system (BAS) hypersensitivity model of bipolar disorders. We examined whether self-reported BAS sensitivity predicts lifetime bipolar spectrum diagnoses as well as symptoms and personality characteristics associated with bipolar disorder using a retrospective and concurrent behavioral high-risk design. Participants with high (HBAS; n=28) or moderate (MBAS; n=24) BAS sensitivity were selected and given a lifetime psychiatric diagnostic interview and self-report measures of proneness to bipolar symptoms, current symptoms, and personality characteristics relevant to bipolarity. HBAS participants were significantly and substantially more likely to have a lifetime bipolar spectrum disorder diagnosis than were MBAS participants, but did not differ from MBAS participants in their likelihood of a unipolar depression diagnosis. Also, the HBAS group exhibited higher impulsivity and proneness to hypomanic symptoms than the MBAS group, and BAS-reward responsiveness predicted hypomanic personality characteristics. Finally, high behavioral inhibition system (BIS) sensitivity was associated with proneness to and current depressive symptoms.

EMPLOYMENT AND ROLE SATISFACTION

A path analytic model was used to examine the impact of three domains of life satisfaction and three employment-related variables on general well-being in a sample of 1,145 Army wives. The life domains included marital, financial, and role satisfaction. The employment-related variables included: (a) time spent employed (none, part, or full); (b) role fit; and (c) satisfaction with overall career development prospects. The employment-related variables were hypothesized to impact on general well-being both directly and indirectly through their relationship to role satisfaction. Time spent employed and role fit were found to be significantly related to role satisfaction, which in turn, was significantly related to general well-being. One variable–satisfaction with overall career development prospects–had a significant direct impact on general well-being.     

Beyond depression: Gender differences in normal adolescents' emotional experiences

Adolescents (N=262) in the fifth, seventh, ninth, and eleventh grades reported the frequency, intensity, and duration of their experiences of 12 emotions and the situations during which they occurred. The first three scales of emotion combined to produce the emotion saliency score. Girls reported higher saliences of surprise, sad, self-hostility, shame, shy, and guilt. Boys reported higher saliency of contempt. Factor analysis of the salient emotions retained the same three factors for both genders: positive emotion, inner-passive, and outer-hostile negative emotions. The loadings for surprise, sad, and anger on each factor suggested within factor gender differences. Most salient emotions were experienced with peers; however, boys experienced both surprise and sadness more often when alone than did girls. There were gender differences in most emotion categories on the events associated with salient emotions. Boys found activities and achievement, and girls found affiliation, to be emotionally salient. These data suggest that gender differences in emotion are pervasive rather than confined to depressive emotion and include differences in the organizational properties of emotion.This study was based upon data collected for the first author's dissertation under the direction of the second author. Preliminary analyses were presented at Eastern Psychological Association, Crystal City, Maryland, 1987.     

Teacher involvement as a protective factor from the association between race-based bullying and smoking initiation

Experiencing bullying as a victim is associated with negative health and health behavior outcomes, including substance use, among adolescents. However, understandings of protective factors—factors that enhance adolescents’ resilience to the negative consequences of bullying—remain limited. The current study investigates whether teacher involvement protects adolescent students from the association between being bullied due to race and smoking initiation. Students were recruited from 12 Kindergarten through 8th grade schools in an urban school district in the Northeast United States. The analytic sample included 769 students who responded to surveys in 5th or 6th grade (2009), and two years later in 7th or 8th grade (2011). Students primarily identified as Latino and/or Black, and 90 % were eligible for free or reduced lunch. Fifty-four (7 %) students initiated smoking between survey time points. Among students reporting lower teacher involvement, race-based bullying was associated with higher likelihood of smoking initiation (OR \(=\) 1.69, \(p =0.03\) ). In contrast, among students reporting higher teacher involvement, race-based bullying was not associated with higher likelihood of smoking initiation (OR \(=\) 0.95, \(p =0.81\) ). Results suggest that teacher involvement may protect students from the association between race-based bullying and smoking initiation. Enhancing teacher involvement among students experiencing race-based bullying in schools may limit smoking initiation.     

Physical recovery in Arthroscopic knee surgery: unique contributions of coping behaviors to clinical outcomes and stress reactivity

Few studies have examined whether certain coping behaviors are associated with physical outcomes following surgery. This prospective, longitudinal study investigated the effect of active and avoidant coping behaviors on two physical outcomes over time, pain and knee function, in a group of patients experiencing knee arthroscopic surgery (n = 81). Structured interviews and physician clinical assessments were conducted preoperatively and at 3 and 24 weeks postoperatively. Coping behavior was assessed during the preoperative interview, and patients were divided into high and low avoidant and active coping groups. Using repeated measures MANCOVA/ANCOVA, avoidant coping was significantly associated with knee pain and active coping was associated with knee function. Serum cortisol levels were available for a patient subset (n = 16); higher cortisol was related to both avoidant coping and poorer functioning during early recovery. Results suggest that these divergent coping behaviors are differentially associated with stress reactivity and physical outcomes in healthy patients undergoing minor knee surgery.     

Individual and group CBT and IPT for Puerto Rican adolescents with depressive symptoms

This study compared individual (I) to group (G) formats of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) for the treatment of depression in adolescents. One hundred and 12 Puerto Rican adolescents were randomized to four conditions (CBT-I, CBT-G, IPT-I, IPT-G). Participants were assessed at pretreatment and posttreatment with structured interviews to establish diagnosis and with self-report measures to assess treatment outcome. The results suggest that CBT and IPT are robust treatments in both group and individual formats. However, CBT produced significantly greater decreases in depressive symptoms and improved self-concept than IPT. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Gene x environment interaction and cognitive performance: animal studies on the role of corticosterone

A fundamental question in the neurobiology of cognition is how stress and glucocorticoids modify learning and memory processes. Why some individuals develop cognitive deficits after stress, while other individuals improve in cognitive performance under similar adverse conditions is still unresolved. To address these questions we focus on those issues. First, corticosterone, which appears to be the preferred glucocorticoid for the rodent and human brain, acts via brain mineralocorticoid (MR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) on the expression of networks of corticosteroid-responsive genes. Different effects are achieved by MR and GR activation. Second, the experimental context that determines the timing and the consequences of corticosterone action during the various stages of information processing is reviewed. Third, the genetic context and the environmental context are investigated. Using apolipoprotein E knockout (apoE0/0) mice we show that apoE (apoE4 is a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease) is a candidate gene with an important function in shaping the cognitive outcome (genotype x environment interaction).     

Macropremies: underprivileged newborns

The focus of neonatal intensive care has been on very low birthweight infants, who comprise only 1.4% of neonates. Too little attention is paid to moderately preterm infants that we call macropremies or moderately low birthweight infants (MLBW, with birthweights 1500-2500 grams). Admitting over half MLBW infants to normal nurseries presumes that they have few needs and an excellent prognosis similar to fullterm newborns. It does not take into account the macropremie's vulnerability to complications of prematurity due to immature organ systems. Obstetricians are increasingly willing to deliver these infants prematurely for signs of fetal distress. As many as 25% of children with cerebral palsy referred to a disability clinic in Paris were MLBW, with hypoxic-ischemic-inflammatory associated disorders in one-third. The majority of MLBW infants who required neonatal intensive care at a tertiary care center in Baltimore had complications of prematurity: 47% had respiratory problems, 20% had feeding intolerance and 9% had hypoglycemia. MLBW infants comprise 5-7% of the neonatal population but account for 14% of neonatal deaths, 18-37% of children with cerebral palsy and 7-12% of children with mental retardation. Increasing the level of neonatal care for the macropremie's transition to extrauterine life would be economically feasible if it prevented as few as 30% of cases of major disability. A change in attitude towards this low risk (but not risk free) group of MLBW infants will both reduce morbidity and improve their health and neurodevelopmental outcome. It includes: 1) Providing an intermediate level of neonatal care for a short duration, with close monitoring and prompt intervention as needed, and 2) Neonatal neurodevelopmental screening to allow focused neurodevelopmental followup of MLBW infants with abnormalities.