Negative beliefs about low back pain are associated with persistent high intensity low back pain

While previous cross-sectional studies have found that negative beliefs about low back pain are associated with pain intensity, the relationship between back beliefs and persistent low back pain is not well understood. This cohort study aimed to examine the role of back beliefs in persistent low back pain in community-based individuals. A hundred and ninety-two participants from a previous musculoskeletal health study were invited to take part in a two-year follow-up study. Beliefs about back pain were assessed by the Back Beliefs Questionnaire (BBQ) at baseline and low back pain intensity was measured by the Chronic Pain Grade Questionnaire at baseline and follow-up. Of the 150 respondents (78.1%), 16 (10.7%) reported persistent high intensity low back pain, 12 (8.0%) developed high intensity low back pain, in 16 (10.7%) their high intensity low back pain resolved and 106 (70.7%) experienced no high intensity low back pain. While participants were generally positive about low back pain (BBQ mean (SD) = 30.2 (6.4)), those with persistent high intensity pain reported greater negativity (BBQ mean (SD) = 22.6 (4.9)). Negative beliefs about back pain were associated with persistent high intensity low back pain after adjusting for confounders (M (SE) = 23.5 (1.6) vs. >30.1 (1.7), p < .001). This study found negative back beliefs were associated with persistent high intensity low back pain over 2 years in community-based individuals. While further longitudinal studies are required, these findings suggest that targeting beliefs in programs designed to treat and prevent persistent high intensity low back pain may be important.     

Science,Values and Loves: Theologies as Expressive Constructions

Invited to write “a manifesto for [my] own theological position”, I begin with science and human rights as excellent examples of universalist aspirations of modernity. Modern individualism is important too, as particular existential loves shape each life. Science, morality, and personal loves are interwoven in theologies, as creative constructions. The sciences are important, as we need not only individual authenticity but also accountability. My position presented here is science-inspired naturalistic theism. It is not “religious naturalism”, given the categorical difference between facts and values. It is not “natural theology”, as inductive approaches do not reach that far. It comes closer to a “theology of nature”, but it does not assume the epistemic claims involved. I consider theologies to be important expressive constructions.     

Using Visual Journaling in Individual Counseling: A Case Example

The purpose of this article is to describe and illustrate through a hypothetical case example how visual journaling, a form of expressive arts counseling, can be adapted for use in individual counseling. Counselors may consider using visual journaling as a counseling intervention when working with clients who may not have words for what they are feeling or experiencing, and for clients who tend to be very analytical. Visual journaling can be a way to bypass the intellect and give clients another way to access their experience.     

Diversity and Dance: Exploring the Therapeutic Implications of World Dance

This phenomenological study examined the potential power of world dance as a therapeutic tool. The lived experiences of adult females (N = 16) were explored to understand the purposive essence of dance and subsequent benefits to mental health. Findings revealed 15 themes in total: 11 themes highlighted potential benefits of world dance, such as social support and stress relief, and four themes noted potential obstacles to using world dance as a therapeutic tool, such as access or finances. Implications for using world dance within creative counseling practice are provided.     

The effects of receptive and expressive instructional sequences on varied conditional discriminations

Many Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) curricula recommend teaching receptive responding before targeting expressive responding (Leaf & McEachin, 1999; Lovaas, 2003). However, a small literature base suggests that teaching expressive responses first may be more efficient when teaching children with ASD and other developmental disabilities (Petursdottir & Carr, 2011). The present study employed an alternating treatments design to compare the effects of three instructional sequences to teach feature, function, and class to three children diagnosed with ASD: (a) receptive–expressive, (b) expressive–receptive, and (c) mixed. The results suggested that expressive–receptive was the most efficient training sequence for all three participants. Additionally, greater emergent responding was observed with the expressive–receptive training sequence.     

Looking into the crystal ball of our emotional lives: emotion regulation and the overestimation of future guilt and shame

In the present study, we examined the impact of emotion regulation on the intensity bias in guilt and shame. Fifty-two undergraduates either forecasted their emotions and emotion regulation following a guilt- and shame-eliciting situation or reported their actual experienced emotions and employed emotion regulation. Results showed a clear intensity bias, that is, forecasters predicted to experience more guilt and shame than experiencers actually experienced. Furthermore, results showed that forecasters predicted to employ less down-regulating emotion regulation (i.e. less acceptance) and more up-regulating emotion regulation (i.e. more rumination) than experiencers actually employed. Moreover, results showed that the intensity differences between forecasted and experienced guilt and shame could be explained (i.e. were mediated) by the differences between forecasted and actually employed emotion regulation (i.e. acceptance and rumination). These findings provide support for the hypothesis that the intensity bias can—at least in part—be explained by the misprediction of future emotion regulation.     

Expressive language and prosocial behaviour in early childhood: Longitudinal associations in the UK Millennium Cohort Study

Background: Early childhood is a crucial period for language development and building social skills. While distinct, these two processes may impact upon each other.

Aims: The current study aimed to identify the directional associations between expressive language ability and prosocial behaviour between three and five years of age.

Methods: Participants included 14, 004 children and their families enrolled in the UK Millennium Cohort Study. Children’s expressive language and prosocial behaviour were assessed at three and five years of age utilizing standardized assessments and parent reports. Cross-lagged models were used for data analysis.

Results: Better expressive language at three years was associated with increased prosocial behaviour by five years. No support for the inverse direction of association was found.

Conclusions: Children’s early ability to effectively express themselves with others may help in building better social relationships by entry into formal schooling. Programming efforts that are tailored towards enhancing positive behavioural growth and social skills in the toddler years are likely to be effective when expressive language is also a targeted component of the toddler’s skill development.     

书写表达及其对身心健康的作用

作为心理干预方法, 书写表达是通过书写披露和表达与个人重要经历有关的感受和想法, 由此促进身心健康。书写表达操作简便, 对身心健康均具有显著的促进作用, 但其干预效果会受干预对象的心理特征、卷入水平和书写主题等因素的影响。书写表达的作用机制主要是暴露、适应、注意转向和认知重构。     

Beliefs about aggression among male and female prisoners

This study investigated instrumental and expressive beliefs about aggression, and their association with self-reported aggression, among male (N = 62) and female (N = 47) prisoners serving sentences in closed prisons in the North of England. Instrumental but not expressive beliefs were strongly correlated with measures of aggression. Expressive beliefs were significantly higher among females than males, but unlike previous findings, there were no significant sex differences in instrumental beliefs or in physical aggression. However, age was significantly negatively correlated with instrumental beliefs, physical aggression, anger and hostility. Those convicted for violent offences showed significantly higher scores for physical aggression and anger, but lower scores for expressive beliefs. The results provide both similarities and contrasts with previous findings for student samples. Aggr. Behav. 23:405–415, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

中学生学业情绪表达策略及其与学业情绪的关系

采用问卷调查法，以3004名初一至高三学生为被试，探讨了中学生学业情绪表达策略的性别和年级差异，并考察了学业情绪与学业情绪表达策略间的关系。结果发现：（1）在调节积极和消极学业情绪时，中学生对表达抑制和表达宣泄策略的使用在不同性别和年级上存在微弱的差异。（2）在调节积极学业情绪时，积极学业情绪显著正向预测表达抑制和表达宣泄策略；在调节消极学业情绪时，消极学业情绪对表达宣泄策略具有正向预测作用。结果表明了情绪效价在学业情绪表达策略使用中的重要性。