Residual effects of emotion are reflected in enhanced visual activity after sleep

Research has investigated how sleep affects emotional memory and how emotion enhances visual processing, but these questions are typically asked by re-presenting an emotional stimulus at retrieval. For the first time, we investigate whether sleep affects neural activity during retrieval when the memory cue is a neutral context that was previously presented with either emotional or nonemotional content during encoding. Participants encoded scenes composed of a negative or neutral object on a neutral background either in the morning (preceding 12 hours awake; wake group) or evening (preceding 12 hours including a night of sleep; sleep group). At retrieval, participants viewed the backgrounds without their objects, distinguishing new backgrounds from those previously studied. Occipital activity was greater within the sleep group than the wake group specifically during the successful retrieval of neutral backgrounds that had been studied with negative (but not neutral) objects. Moreover, there was enhanced connectivity between the middle occipital gyrus and hippocampus following sleep. Within the sleep group, the percentage of REM sleep obtained correlated with activity in the middle occipital gyrus, lingual gyrus, and cuneus during the successful retrieval of neutral backgrounds previously paired with negative objects. These results confirm that emotion affects neural activity during retrieval even when the cues themselves are neutral, and demonstrate, for the first time, that this residual effect of emotion on visual activity is greater after sleep and may be maximized by REM sleep.     

The Experience in Personal Social Systems Questionnaire (EXIS.pers): Development and Psychometric Properties

This study presents the theoretical background, development, and psychometric properties of the German and English versions of the Experience in Personal Social Systems Questionnaire (EXIS.pers). It assesses how the members of a personal social system experience their situation within that system. It is designed as a research tool for interventions in which only one member of the system participates (e.g., Family Constellation Seminars). The EXIS.pers was created to measure change on the individual level relating to one's own important personal social system. In Study 1, we used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) for latent variable identification of the original German EXIS.pers (n = 179). In Studies 2 and 3, we used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine the dimensionality of the German (n = 634) and English (n = 310) EXIS.pers. Internal consistencies and cross‐cultural structural equivalence were assessed. EFA indicated that a four‐factor model provided best fit for the German EXIS.pers. For both the German and English EXIS.pers, CFA provided the best fit for a five‐factor bi‐level model that included a general factor (Experience In Personal Social Systems) and four dimensions (Belonging, Autonomy, Accord, Confidence). Good internal consistencies, external associations, and cross‐cultural structural equivalence were demonstrated. This study provides first evidence for the German and English EXIS.pers as an economical and reliable measure of an individual's experience within his or her personal social systems.     

Gender Specificity of Children’s Narrative Representations in Predicting Depressive Symptoms at Early School Age

Our longitudinal study contributes to the body of literature on depression in childhood by examining potential protective factors. We investigated the influence of maternal depressive symptoms on child depressive symptoms at early school age and its gender-specific moderation by children’s narrative representations of the maternal figure, over and above children’s own depressive symptoms at preschool age. Children’s narrative representations were assessed using the MacArthur Story Stem Battery in 170 preschool children (92 girls; 54.1?%) oversampled for internalizing symptoms. Children’s depressive symptoms were assessed at preschool age (Time 1; 4–6 years) and at early school age (Time 2; 6–8 years) by maternal report; mothers’ depressive symptoms were assessed at Time 1. The results showed that for boys, only their own depressive symptoms at Time 1 predicted their depressive symptoms at Time 2. For girls, maternal depressive symptoms were a significant risk factor for their own depressive symptoms at Time 2. Regarding this association, we also found a moderation effect: girls with more positive narrative representations of the maternal figure showed a reduced negative impact of maternal depressive symptoms on their own depressive symptoms at Time 2. This implies that clinical practice should screen a child for early depressive symptoms, especially if the mother displays depressive symptoms. Clinicians might also assess children’s inner working models, which can serve as a protective factor.     

On the predictive validity of implicit attitude measures: The moderating effect of perceived group variability

Social psychologists have recently shown great interest in implicit attitudes, but questions remain as to the boundary conditions under which such attitudes can predict subsequent judgments and behavior, including reactions toward single category members. In two experiments, we demonstrate the predictive validity of two priming-based measures of implicit attitudes, using a lexical decision task developed by Wittenbrink, Judd, and Park (1997) as well as a perceptual identification paradigm pioneered by Payne (2001). Moreover, we show that these effects were moderated by perceived group variability, such that implicit attitudes offered much stronger predictive leverage if the members of the target category (Blacks) were perceived to be homogenous than if they were not. The implications of the present research for the “moderator approach” previously employed in the explicit attitude literature are discussed.     

Interdisziplin?re Systemintegration und Innovationsgenese: Ein methodologischer Zugang f��r die interdisziplin?re Forschung

The increasing significance of inter- and transdisciplinary research raises the demand for principles with respect to methodology and philosophy of science. The discussion of this question leads to the development of an interdisciplinary research process with two methodic core areas: system integration and inducement of innovation. It will be shown that interdisciplinary research can be understood as a discipline of its own, while its potential of synthesis cannot be declared as a central distinctive feature relative to other disciplines. In fact the developed methodology is firstly aligned analytically, with a focus on the research potential from the area of tension between individual disciplines. This results in an interdisciplinary methodology, generating epistemological progress, which can be applied to complex and cooperation intensive research in academia as well as industry and society.     

Evaluation of a DVD-based self-help program in highly socially anxious individuals--pilot study

High social anxiety is a risk factor for the incidence of social anxiety disorder (SAD). Early diagnosis and intervention may prevent more severe psychiatric courses. Self-help programs may be a convenient, accessible, and effective intervention. This study examined the efficacy of a newly developed self-help program for SAD in individuals with subthreshold social anxiety. A total of 24 highly socially anxious individuals were randomly assigned to a DVD-based self-help program or to a wait-list control group. The self-help program is based on the cognitive model according to Clark and Wells (1995; adapted to German by Stangier, Clark, & Ehlers, 2006) and comprises eight sessions. ANOVAs based on an intention-to-treat model were used for data analyses. The self-help program was well accepted; just one person withdrew during the intervention. There were significant Time × Group interactions on all primary outcome measures. For the intervention group moderate to high within-groups effect sizes up to Cohen's d = 1.05 were obtained. Between-groups effect sizes ranged from 0.24 to 0.65 in favor of the active intervention. The newly developed DVD-based self-help program seems to be a promising intervention for highly socially anxious individuals as it reduces social anxiety symptoms.     

Letting go of unmet goals: Does self-focused rumination impair goal disengagement?

Self-regulation of behavior frequently requires that people disengage from goals that are too difficult to attain. The current studies investigate whether self-focused rumination hinders the execution of this crucial self-regulatory competence. In study one, participants attempted to solve anagrams, some of which were unsolvable, and their predisposition to engage in self-focused rumination was assessed. The tendency to ruminate was associated with getting stuck in the attempt to solve unsolvable anagrams. In study two, ruminative thoughts were manipulated by asking participants to focus on their self, personality, and goals in life, a task frequently employed to induce rumination. Compared to participants undergoing a distraction induction, ruminating participants were more likely to get stuck trying to solve unsolvable anagrams. These results suggest that self-focused rumination hinders disengagement from unattainable goals.     

Factors affecting jail detention of defendants adjudicated incompetent to proceed

The movement of defendants through the legal process who have been adjudicated incompetent to proceed is little studied, yet it is important. The purpose of this study was to provide empirical data regarding factors that affected the amount of time defendants adjudicated incompetent to proceed and ordered to undergo hospitalization remained in jail while awaiting transfer to a state hospital. Statewide data collected in Florida between July 2005 and June 2008 were used to determine the lengths of time incompetent defendants spent at certain stages in the legal process. The addition of forensic bed capacity following media attention and litigation resulted in a significant decrease in the amount of time defendants adjudicated incompetent to proceed waited in jail for transfer to a state hospital for treatment. The amount of time it took for completed commitment orders to be submitted to the state mental health authority by the Clerks of Court of each county accounted for a meaningful portion of days defendants spent in jail awaiting transfer to a state hospital, with considerable variation across counties with respect to waiting times. These findings reflect how various stakeholders can affect the amount of time defendants spend in jail while awaiting hospitalization. These issues are discussed in the context of controversy related to Florida's forensic mental health system, as well as issues related to the political process and funding of the state's mental health authority.