An Integrative View of Conflict Adaptation and Active Maintenance

The conflict adaptation (CA) effect refers to the reduction in the interference effect observed in conflict tasks that follow incongruent compared to congruent trials. It has been suggested that CA is caused by the exertion of flexible cognitive control, supported by many behavioral and neuroimaging studies; however, it remains unclear how conflict‐related features of the preceding trial are conveyed to subsequent trials for following adaptation. This review aims to summarize evidence supporting the top‐down modulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and passive short‐term maintenance in the posterior brain areas as mechanisms underlying CA, respectively, and to suggest a new integrated view of CA, including active maintenance in working memory. We review empirical evidences suggesting that both dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and posterior brain regions play critical roles in CA, rather than either top‐down modulation or passive maintenance alone. Although the active maintenance view of CA appears to explain many existing findings, empirical studies are required to directly test this view.     

Validation française de l’Inventaire d’Attitudes Environnementales

IntroductionClimate change has made it necessary to develop valid tools for studying pro-environmental behaviors.ObjectivesThe present study assessed the validity of the French translation of the brief version of Milfont and Duckitt's (2010) Environmental Attitudes Inventory. We chose this scale for its psychometric properties, its ability to predict behaviors, its theoretical foundations, and its use in many countries. In addition to the translation, we tested a shortened, 12-item version of the scale.MethodThree samples were used to study the structure of the IAE, its nomological network, its test–retest fidelity, and its predictive validity.ResultsIAE-24 has similar psychometric properties to the original version, for both one-factor and two-factor models (preservation and utilization dimensions). IAE-12 has satisfactory internal consistency if the one-factor model is used. The nomological network of IAE-24 is not totally identical to the original version. Differences can be ascribed to inconsistencies in the literature and the use of different scales. Both IAE-24 and IAE-12 have very satisfactory predictive validity and test–retest reliability.ConclusionThe French version of the IAE has satisfactory psychometric properties.     

Effect of Concurrent Visual Feedback Frequency on Postural Control Learning in Adolescents

The purpose was to find better augmented visual feedback frequency (100% or 67%) for learning a balance task in adolescents. Thirty subjects were divided randomly into a control group, and 100% and 67% feedback groups. The three groups performed pretest (3 trials), practice (12 trials), posttest (3 trials) and retention (3 trials, 24 hours later). The reduced feedback group showed lower RMS in the posttest than in the pretest (p = 0.04). The control and reduced feedback groups showed significant lower median frequency in the posttest than in the pretest (p < 0.05). Both feedback groups showed lower values in retention than in the pretest (p < 0.05). Even when the effect of feedback frequency could not be detected in motor learning, 67% of the feedback was recommended for motor adaptation.     

Contextual Adaptation of the Unified Protocol for the Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Victims of the Armed Conflict in Colombia: A Case Study

The delivery of a contextually adapted version of the Unified Protocol for transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders is illustrated through a case study of an internally displaced female victim of armed conflict in Colombia. A detailed account of how her history of continuous traumatic events and her forced displacement resulted in multiple emotional disorders and behaviors which hindered her ability to react to daily stressors illustrates the particular conditions of individuals exposed to extreme violence. Emphasis is placed on how her culture and context required adaptations of evidence-based interventions. The contextually adapted UP (CXA-UP) is described in “slow-motion,” through a session-by-session account of the procedure along with the specific changes in each module. Outcome measures showed four positive diagnoses at pretreatment, but none at posttreatment, 3-month, or 2-year follow-up. Implications for global applications with individuals in similar contexts and for widening access to such interventions are discussed.     

Cross-cultural validation of a French version of the Emotional Processing Scale (EPS-25)

IntroductionThe Emotional Processing Scale (EPS) is a self-report questionnaire consisting of 25 items designed to identify emotional processing styles and impairments. The aim was to develop a French version of the scale and to test its preliminary validity and reliability in French community and clinical samples.MethodAfter translation and back-translation, a validation study was conducted with 1176 adults [215 from a community sample, 251 undergraduate psychology students, 686 people with a range of physical health conditions (HIV, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, leukaemia) and 24 people with bipolar disorder hospitalised for depression].ResultsThe internal reliability of the French EPS was good, with a Cronbach's alpha of .91. The five-factor structure of the original English version of the scale was closely reproduced.ConclusionsThe French EPS demonstrated good reliability and validity. Correlations with other conceptually similar scales (e.g., TAS-20, CERQ, STAXI) were as predicted. EPS scores distinguished between groups (clinical samples vs. a community sample) that would be expected to differ.     

Studying the role of cognitive control in reasoning: evidence for the congruency sequence effect in the ratio-bias task

In this study, we investigated whether control of the conflict between incongruent heuristic and analytical answer options in a reasoning task is modulated by the presence of conflict on previous trials. In two experiments, we found that the incongruency of the previous trial has a significant effect on the control exhibited on the current trial. Our data also showed that this adaptation effect is modulated by the incongruency of the previous series of trials. These results demonstrate the same control adaptation effects for a reasoning task as observed for standard response interference tasks. Coinciding control effects in the two research areas suggest that cognitive control might be an important mechanism underlying performance on reasoning tasks. Based on these results we argue that the study of cognitive control in reasoning could potentially facilitate the refinement of empirical predictions and provide a new tool to explore the exertion of top-down control in human thinking.     

The assessment of autistic traits with the Autism Spectrum Quotient: Contribution of the French version to its construct validity

IntroductionThe Autism Spectrum Questionnaire (AQ, Baron-Cohen et al., 2001) is a self-report assessment tool aiming at screening autistic traits in normal intelligence adults. While numerous versions in other languages than English now exist, few factorial evidence do sustain the valid use of this instrument as it was conceived, based upon five distinct dimensions (Social skills, Communication, Attention to detail, Attention switching, Imagination); no such study exists with a French version of the AQ. The aim of our study is therefore to present the French version of the scale and to explore its factorial validity with confirmatory factorial analyses and, possibly, its invariance across men and women.MethodSeveral confirmatory factorial analyses, with the robust WLSMV estimator for categorical response format, were run on the questionnaire data from 788 French-speaking students (17–25 years old) at university faculties or schools for higher education in Belgium. The original five-factor measurement model of the AQ was assessed as well as alternative models. An exploratory factorial analysis was also applied to get more insight as to possible sources of misfit.ResultsNo measurement model – neither the original five-factor one nor any of the six other models tested – did produce statistics or fit indices close to significant values: there was no fit to the data. The internal consistency of the subscales was weak; the exploratory factorial analysis further confirmed that as much as ten factors were needed to explain 45% of the data variance.ConclusionOur results, with a French version of the scale, add to many other ones which suggest that the AQ is a too heterogeneous questionnaire with somewhat ill-defined dimensions and non specific/ambiguous items. The questionnaire should probably be shortened and its content realigned to core features of the autism spectrum.     

Validation française d’une version brève de l’Échelle de satisfaction maritale

IntroductionFew measuring instruments of couple satisfaction maximizing the individual perception of the relationship exists in French. Settings such as Liaison psychiatry of a general hospital could benefit from a questionnaire adapting to a variety of clinical profiles.ObjectiveThis article proposes a French revision and validation of the Marital Satisfaction Scale (MSS; Roach, Frazier, and Bowden, 1981), a 48-item self-reported questionnaire designed to evaluate personal satisfaction towards one's couple relationship.MethodA sample of 349 community-dwelling individuals aged 20–85 answered the MSS, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS; Spanier, 1976), and a series of inquiries related to sociodemographics. As an initial Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) did not validate the unidimensional structure postulated by the original authors, the item number was reduced to 14.ResultsThis brief version of the scale (MSS-14) was subsequently validated with an internal replication analysis, a strong criterion-related validity with the DAS (r_s = 0.73, P < 0.001), an excellent internal consistency (α = 0.961, IC à 95% [0.955, 0.967]), a strong test-retest reliability (r_s = 0.90, CI à 95% [0.85, 0.93], P < 0.001, Z = − 0.033, P = 0.973), and strong item-to-total correlations (> 0.69). The MSS-14 could differentiate individuals with and without marital distress (AUC = 0.97), while no sociodemographic variable seemed to have a significant influence on couple satisfaction.ConclusionThe MSS-14 appears to be a reliable instrument to assess the personal satisfaction towards a couple relationship in community-dwelling adults.     

Two sides of the career resources coin: Career adaptability resources and the impostor phenomenon

Considering the impostor phenomenon (IP) as an important psychological construct in the context of career development requires a theoretical grounding. Using the career construction model of adaptation as a guiding framework, we investigated how the IP is related to adaptive readiness (represented by core self-evaluations), career adaptability resources, and adapting responses, namely, career planning, career decision-making difficulties, career exploration, and occupational self-efficacy. We used parallel multiple mediation modeling to investigate specific indirect effects through concern, control, curiosity, confidence, and the IP. We conducted an online study with 289 university students. Results indicated a positive effect of core self-evaluations on career planning, career exploration, and occupational self-efficacy and a negative effect on career decision-making difficulties through adaptability resources. The IP emerged as a “maladaptability” resource: That is, it might be a hindrance to adaptive coping and behavior and consequently promote maladaptive coping and behavior by decreasing career planning and occupational self-efficacy and increasing career decision-making difficulties. Supplementary negative effects of the IP on adaptability resources are discussed.