Longitudinal relations between psychological distress and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity: A latent change score approach

ObjectivesThe effect of physical inactivity on mental health risk is well established; however, less is known about about how psychological distress might deter participation in physical activity. Guided by advancements in the treatment of longitudinal data, the aim of this study was to examine patterns and predictors of change in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and psychological distress (e.g., feeling nervous, worthless).Design methodAustralian adults (4944 females, M_age = 34.63 years ±5.34; 4322 males, M_age = 37.51 years ±6.14) provided baseline data as part of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) and were followed for measurements every two years for 10 years.ResultsLatent change score analyses revealed support for a reciprocal effects model, whereby change in MVPA and psychological distress occurred as a function of individuals’ prior levels of, and/or prior change in these variables.ConclusionsThis investigation is the first to document that changes in MVPA and psychological distress are coupled temporally. Notably, we observed that individuals’ distress levels at a given time point predicted subsequent change on both MVPA and distress; a finding which provides novel and important insight into how adults’ activity levels and psychological distress fluctuate relative to one another.     

Experimental comparison of physical activity self-efficacy measurement: Do vignettes reduce motivational confounding?

ObjectivesSelf-efficacy is one of the most reliable correlates of physical activity, yet a growing body of literature has demonstrated that traditional self-efficacy measures may be flawed because they measure perceived capability and other constructs such as motivation. This study adds to this evidence base by comparing a standard self-efficacy measurement group and two measurement conditions that may provide greater validity: motivation held constant (i.e., adding “If you really wanted to” at the beginning of the item) and vignette (i.e., adding a clarifying vignette before the item). The first objective of this study was to compare these groups regarding self-efficacy scores. The second objective was to examine whether physical activity level (i.e., adhering to physical activity guidelines or not) interacted with measurement condition.DesignRandomized cross-sectional design with three independent groups.MethodParticipants were 444 undergraduate students (M age in years = 21.10, SD = 3.73) who completed an online survey measuring physical activity self-efficacy and behaviour.ResultsThe vignette group had higher self-efficacy scores than the standard and motivation held constant groups. Scores were also higher among those adhering to guidelines and there were no differences between the groups for physically active individuals. Finally, among those not adhering to the guidelines, the vignette group had especially high scores compared to the other groups.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that reading a vignette prior to completing a self-efficacy item clarifies the meaning of the item thereby improving validity of the measure.     

疼痛背景下时距知觉的变化

时距知觉指对数百毫秒到数个小时时长的知觉, 是日常生活中许多活动的基础。时距知觉受到相当多因素的影响, 如唤醒、注意、动机等。疼痛是一种多维度的心理及生理现象, 包含有感觉分辨、情绪动机、认知评价三个成分。近期研究证明时距知觉会在疼痛背景下发生改变。疼痛背景下时距知觉的相关研究主要涉及三个方面：(1)健康被试对疼痛面孔的时距知觉; (2)实验室诱发疼痛对健康被试时距知觉的影响; (3)临床疼痛患者的时距知觉变化。探索疼痛背景下时距知觉的变化, 可以为理解疼痛的发生发展机制以及时间知觉的机制提供一个新视角。     

婴儿的痛觉

婴儿痛觉对婴儿的生长发育有重要意义, 已经日益引发研究者的兴趣。痛觉本质上是一种不愉悦的感官和情绪体验, 是通过早年与伤害有关的经历习得的。在心理学角度, 在介绍婴儿痛觉概念、神经生理机制、评估工具的基础上, 系统梳理痛觉对婴儿生长发育的影响及其影响因素十分必要。后续研究需继续完善婴儿痛觉的测量方法, 考察疼痛反应在不同文化和不同群体间的差异。     

Pain appraisal and quality of life in 108 outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis

Individual differences in emotional functioning, pain appraisal processing, and perceived social support may play a relevant role in the subjective experience of pain. Due to the paucity of data regarding individuals with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), the present study aimed to examine pain intensity, emotional functioning (psychological distress and alexithymia), pain appraisal (pain beliefs, pain catastrophizing, and pain-related coping strategies) and social support, and their relationships with the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with RA. Data were collected from 108 female patients diagnosed with RA. Clinically relevant levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms assessed by the HADS subscales were present in 34% and 41% of the patients, respectively, and about 24% of them exhibited the presence of alexithymia. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that pain intensity, alexithymia, the maladaptive beliefs regarding the stability of pain and the coping strategy of guarding explained 54% of the variance in the physical component of HRQoL (p < 0.001). Depression subscale of the HADS, alexithymia, the coping strategy of resting, and the rumination factor of pain catastrophizing significantly explained 40% of the variance in the mental component of HRQoL (p < 0.001). The present findings provide evidence regarding the importance of emotional functioning and pain appraisal in the negative impact of RA on patients’ quality of life. These findings provide additional evidence for the biopsychosocial model of chronic pain, further supporting the complex interaction between emotional, cognitive, and behavioral processes in patients with chronic pain.     

Unattractive people are unaware of their (un)attractiveness

Past research has shown that how people rate their physical attractiveness is only moderately correlated with how they are rated by others, suggesting that at least some people have little insight into their true level of attractiveness. The present research tests the hypothesis that unattractive people are not aware of their unattractiveness. In fact, six studies (overall N = 1,180) showed that unattractive participants considerably overestimated their attractiveness compared to ratings by strangers. In contrast, attractive participants were more accurate. If anything, they underestimated their attractiveness. It was also examined why unattractive people overestimate their attractiveness. As expected, unattractive participants differentiated less between attractive and unattractive stimulus persons than did attractive participants. They were also more likely than attractive participants to select unattractive stimulus persons to compare themselves to. However, these tendencies did not account for why unattractive participants overestimated their attractiveness, nor did affirming participant’s self-worth. Limitations and avenues for future research are discussed.     

注意线索对自闭特质个体疼痛共情的影响：来自事件相关电位的证据

自闭特质个体在日常生活中表现出共情缺损, 但其程度较自闭症谱系障碍个体低, 并且注意线索和特异性的面孔加工可能会影响他们的共情加工进程。因此, 本研究采用事件相关电位(ERP)技术, 以疼痛面孔图片作为刺激材料, 让自闭特质组和控制组分别完成疼痛判断任务(该任务中被试的注意指向疼痛线索)和吸引力判断任务(该任务中被试的注意不指向疼痛线索)。结果发现, 相比控制组, 自闭特质组在吸引力判断任务中疼痛面孔图片诱发的P3波幅更大, 而在疼痛判断任务中两组没有显著差异。这表明注意线索会影响自闭特质个体对他人疼痛面孔的共情反应, 当自闭特质个体不注意他人面孔的疼痛线索时, 其疼痛共情能力会减弱。     

Violence against women: Mental health effects. Part II. Conceptualizations of posttraumatic stress

A broad range of psychological aftereffects have been noted among women who have experienced male-perpetrated violence. These symptoms vary considerably among individuals, across social contexts, and across different types of violent encounters (Coley & Beckett, 1988; Goodman, Koss, & Russo, 1992; Koss, 1988; Straus, Gelles, & Steinmetz, 1980). Nevertheless, a remarkably consistent picture of the psychological sequelae of violence—particularly sexual and physical assault—emerges from the empirical and clinical literature (Koss, 1988). In this article, we use the posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis—a frame that captures many of the disparate symptoms described by researchers—as a basis for exploring several conceptual models that have been developed to explain women's responses to violence.     

Motivational,volitional and multiple goal predictors of walking in people with type 2 diabetes

BackgroundType 2 diabetes is a major public health problem. Effective diabetes self-management involves people engaging in multiple health behaviours, including physical activity. Walking is an effective, accessible and inexpensive form of physical activity, yet many people with Type 2 diabetes do not meet recommended levels. The present study aimed to: 1) identify demographic, motivational and volitional factors predictive of walking in people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus, and 2) test whether accounting for the perceived impact of other goal pursuits (goal facilitation and goal conflict) improved the prediction of walking.MethodsA theory-based cross-sectional study using the Health Action Process Approach was conducted in adults with Type 2 diabetes across Scotland. Assuming a 50% response rate 1000 questionnaires were mailed to achieve the target sample size (N = 500). Demographic information was collected, and intentional (outcome expectations, social support, risk perceptions), motivational (intention, self-efficacy), volitional (action planning, action control) and multiple goal (goal conflict, goal facilitation) factors were assessed as predictors of physical activity in general and walking specifically.ResultsThe final sample comprised 411 respondents. The majority (60%) were non-adherent to physical activity recommendations. Of 411 respondents, 356 provided walking data. Body Mass Index and age were the only demographic and anthropometric factors predictive of walking (overall R² = 0.04). When motivational factors were added, intention and self-efficacy added to the prediction (overall R² = 0.07). When volitional factors were added, only action control was predictive of walking (overall R² = 0.08). Finally, goal facilitation explained an additional 7% variance in walking when added to the model (final overall R² = 0.15).ConclusionThere was low adherence with physical activity recommendations in general and walking in particular. When testing predictors of motivational, volitional and competing goal constructs together, action control and goal facilitation emerged as predictors of walking. Future research should consider how walking can be embedded synergistically alongside other goal pursuits and how action control may help to ensure that they are pursued.     

情绪通路异常与认知情绪偏差:慢性痛与抑郁症共病的神经心理机制

慢性疼痛与抑郁症具有高度共病性,但迄今尚无成熟理论能够阐释二者共病的神经心理机制。对慢性痛与抑郁的脑机制研究提示,慢性痛和抑郁常常涉及到相似的情绪脑区活动的异常改变;与此相对应的是,行为学研究发现,疼痛患者与抑郁患者在加工疼痛或抑郁相关信息时表现出了模式相似的认知情绪偏差(CAB)。近年来,越来越多证据趋于一致,指出慢性痛和抑郁共有的情绪通路异常变化可能导致了相似的信息加工异常,是二者共病的神经心理基础,而认知情绪偏差则在行为上反映了这种变化,并且很可能是共病发生、发展及维持的重要因素。