Rowing together: Interpersonal coordination dynamics with and without mechanical coupling

Although most research on interpersonal coordination focuses on perceptual forms of interaction, many interpersonal actions also involve interactions of mechanical nature. We examined the effect of mechanical coupling in a rowing task from a coupled oscillator perspective: 16 pairs of rowers rowed on ergometers that were physically connected through slides (mechanical coupling condition) or on separate ergometers (no mechanical coupling condition). They rowed in two patterns (in- and antiphase) and at two movement frequencies (20 and 30 strokes per minute). Seven out of sixteen pairs showed one or more coordinative breakdowns, which only occurred in the antiphase condition. The occurrence of these breakdowns was not affected by mechanical coupling, nor by movement frequency. For the other nine pairs, variability of steady state coordination was substantially lower in the mechanical coupling condition. Together, these results show that the increase in coupling strength through mechanical coupling stabilizes coordination, even more so for antiphase coordination.     

Does proactive cyclic usage of a footrest prevent the development of standing induced low back pain?

Various interventions, such as standing intermittently with one leg on a footrest, have been suggested to prevent low back pain (LBP) development during prolonged standing. To assess this standing intervention twelve participants stood for 80 min while cycling through three minute periods of level-ground standing divided by one minute periods with either the right or left leg elevated onto a platform. All participants had previously participated in a prolonged level standing protocol and were classified as pain (PD) or non-pain developers (NPD). Out of the six known PDs, only one PD developed LBP by the end of the standing intervention. The intervals of elevated leg standing resulted in increased lumbar spine flexion in comparison to level standing. In addition, over time there was an increase in lumbar spine flexion during the level standing intervals. This change in lumbar spine posture in standing pain developers likely contributed to the reduced LBP development during this prolonged standing intervention     

Co-sleeping as a proximal context for infant development: The importance of physical touch

Co-sleeping is a complex familial phenomenon that has yet to be well understood by Western scientists. This paper provides an interdisciplinary review of research from anthropology, nursing, pediatrics, sociology, social work, public health, family studies, and psychology to focus on the role of physical touch in the context of co-sleeping, and how close physical contact in this context affects infants and their caregivers. Including an anthropological, evolutionary view of co-sleeping with other perspectives highlights it as an experience-expectant proximal context for infant growth and development. From this view, the importance of physical contact and touch in the nighttime caretaking microenvironment of co-sleeping becomes a central question, rather than an artifactual byproduct of “unhealthy” sleep arrangements. Rather than trying to eliminate co-sleeping, public health messages for parents would likely benefit from a more culturally-sensitive approach that focuses on advising how to co-sleep safely for families choosing it. For families trying to retain physical closeness between parent(s) and infants in the context of modern (especially Western) infant care practices that have reduced this physical contact, co-sleeping can be an important developmental context for encouraging and engaging in sensitive and responsive caregiving and providing a context for maternal-infant physiological synchrony and regulation.     

Testing the role of cognitive inhibition in physical endurance using high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation over the prefrontal cortex

The aim of this study was to clarify the role of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in physical effort regulation. We hypothesized that the PFC would be progressively involved in physical endurance through the engagement of cognitive inhibition, which would be necessary to maintain effort by inhibiting fatigue-related cues. This hypothesis was examined using a double-blind, sham-controlled, within-subjects study (N = 20) using high-definition (HD) transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). Participants had to maintain a knee extensor contraction at 30% of their maximal force while simultaneously performing an Eriksen flanker task to evaluate their inhibition performance during the task. Anodal stimulation of the dlPFC influenced response to the cognitive task during exercise, as seen by slower response times and better accuracy. However, it did not lead to any measureable improvement in cognitive inhibition and did not influence endurance time. There was no correlation between cognitive inhibition and the maintenance of physical effort. This result does not indicate a relationship between cognitive inhibition and endurance performance. The contribution of the PFC in physical endurance could be explained through its involvement on decisional processes.     

Compared to Dematerialized Money,Cash Increases Impatience in Intertemporal Choice

When it comes to trading time for money (or vice versa), people tend to be impatient and myopic. Often dramatically so. For illustration, half of people would rather collect $15 now than $30 in 3 months. This willingness to forego 50% of the reward to skip a 3‐month wait corresponds to an annual discount rate of 277%. This article investigates how money's physical form biases intertemporal choice. We ask, what happens to (im)patience (i.e., discount rates) when time is traded against cash rather than against an equivalent sum of dematerialized money? We find that intertemporal decisions pitting time against cash (rather than against dematerialized money) increase impatience. The underlying mechanism relates to the pain of parting from money. Letting go of cash (dematerialized money) we can have now is psychologically more (less) painful, which in turn reduces (increases) our willingness to wait for larger‐later payoffs. Importantly, heightening prevention focus (i.e., concerns for safety and security) moderates this bias. The article concludes by discussing the implications of the research, particularly for the psychology of saving behavior.     

Analyse et comparaison de discours de patients douloureux chroniques durant une thérapie de soutien par opposition à l’utilisation de la thérapie Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

IntroductionThe use of EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing – being innovative in the area of chronic pain. If his efficiency as show in the specific litterature, the way its work it is really different than usual therapy.ObjectiveThe main objective of this work is to compare the speech of patients during the use of EMDR vs. supportive therapy in a supported unit of chronic pain to the hospital.MethodsForty-five patients divided into three groups received EMDR therapy (standard protocol), EMDR therapy (pain protocol) as well as supportive therapy. All interviews were transcribed and analyzed using the software Alceste.ResultsThe results show that the semantic classes differ between the three forms of therapy, as well as passive or active posture of the patient during the therapy.ConclusionThese results give us an additional insights into what happens in fine in different types of therapy.     

Everyday worry in adolescents with and without chronic pain: a diary study

Young people report frequent worry, but we know little about the extent, character, or consequence of worry in adolescence, or individual differences associated with worry. Adolescents with chronic pain are one population that are known to have high levels of anxiety, which is associated with higher levels of disability and depression, impairing function. In this study we report a diary study: adolescents (N = 60; aged 16–18) recorded their worry over seven days. Our first aim was to describe the characteristics of adolescent worry and its consequences in a community sample. Our second aim was to compare the experience of girls to boys, and to compare the experience of those with and without chronic pain. Adolescents reported characteristics of each worry they had throughout the week, including content, frequency, strength, interference, emotion, and the strength of emotion associated with worry content. Adolescents reported the consequence for each content and the strength of the consequence. Worry content and consequences were categorised into four categories; health, relationship, personal competence, and other. Adolescents reported 675 unique episodes of worry over the seven-day period that were predominantly about personal competence. The strength of worry content was (M = 6.61, SD = 1.27) and the strength associated with the worry consequence was (M = 5.59, SD = 1.41). Worries were not reported as highly interfering (M = 4.14, SD = 1.61). Contrary to predictions, there were no differences in worry characteristics between adolescents with and without chronic pain. To conclude, worry is a frequent occurrence in older adolescents and the characteristics of worry are discussed. Adolescents worry mostly about personal competence. Adolescents with and without chronic pain reported similar worry characteristics.     

How do I cope with pain? Let me count the ways: awareness of pain coping behaviors and relationships with depression and anxiety

Patients with chronic pain are often undertreated with medications alone and need alternative ways of coping. Identifying pain coping skills patients use may be beneficial; however, no research has investigated whether patients are aware of their coping skills. The purpose of this study was to determine whether patients are aware of their pain coping skills, whether certain patient characteristics were related to using coping strategies, and whether coping strategies were related to psychiatric symptoms. Chart reviews were conducted on seventy-eight chronic pain patients who completed a semi-structured psychological interview. Patients endorsed using more coping strategies on the measure compared to the verbal self-report. Identifying with certain patient demographics was related to higher use of some coping strategies. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were also related to the use of some coping strategies. Anxiety was negatively related to ignoring the pain and using self-talk coping statements and positively related to catastrophizing. Depression was negatively related to the use of distraction, ignoring the pain, and using self-talk coping statements. Depression and pain severity were both positively related to catastrophizing and prayer. Results suggest that clinicians may need to help patients become aware of adaptive coping strategies they already use and that the use of certain coping strategies is related to lower levels of depression and anxiety.