Automatic control of negative emotions: Evidence that structured practice increases the efficiency of emotion regulation

Emotion regulation (ER) is vital to everyday functioning. However, the effortful nature of many forms of ER may lead to regulation being inefficient and potentially ineffective. The present research examined whether structured practice could increase the efficiency of ER. During three training sessions, comprising a total of 150 training trials, participants were presented with negatively valenced images and asked either to “attend” (control condition) or “reappraise” (ER condition). A further group of participants did not participate in training but only completed follow-up measures. Practice increased the efficiency of ER as indexed by decreased time required to regulate emotions and increased heart rate variability (HRV). Furthermore, participants in the ER condition spontaneously regulated their negative emotions two weeks later and reported being more habitual in their use of ER. These findings indicate that structured practice can facilitate the automatic control of negative emotions and that these effects persist beyond training.     

An Ecological Approach to Understanding Incarcerated Women's Responses to Abuse

SUMMARY

Although women are often criticized for not leaving abusive relationships, most abused women actively attempt to protect themselves. This study proposed an ecological model to explain strategic responses to abuse, evaluating factors at four levels: Childhood, Relationship, Individual Impact of Abuse, and Community. Data was retrospectively collected from 85 incarcerated women, a population that is disproportionately affected by trauma and has unique intervention needs. A series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses confirmed that the proposed ecological model accounts for variance in six strategic response categories: placating, resisting, safety, legal, formal, and informal. Findings are discussed in terms of intervention implications.     

Inter-individual and intra-individual variability of the N2 component: On reliability and signal-to-noise ratio

The nogo N2 component, an anterior negative peak supposed to be generated in the anterior cingulate cortex, has been used as an indicator of conflict monitoring and response conflict in basic and clinical research. Here, we investigate the reliability and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of inter-individual differences of the N2 amplitudes as well as of intra-individual standard deviations of N2 amplitudes. Effects of the number of nogo epochs, type of summary measure (peak vs. average amplitude), and filter cut-offs (1–12 Hz vs. 1–30 Hz) are investigated. A sample of N = 32 participants, performed a go/nogo task. Excellent Cronbach’s alpha coefficients (?.90) were obtained for the fronto-central average N2 amplitude at 40 nogo epochs and for the peak N2 amplitude at 60 nogo epochs. The SNR was higher for the average nogo N2 amplitude compared to the peak N2 amplitude. Split-half reliability coefficients of the intra-individual standard deviation of the nogo N2 amplitudes were at least moderate. Based on these results we provide suggestions for a reliable N2 measurement. Moreover, although intra-individual variability has often been conceived as noise the present findings support the idea that intra-individual N2 variability incorporates systematic variance.     

Additive,Multi-Component Treatment of Emerging Refusal Topographies in a Pediatric Feeding Disorder

This case study describes inter-disciplinary treatment of chronic food refusal and tube dependency in a 2-year-old female with a pediatric feeding disorder. Evidence-based behavioral components—including escape extinction (EE), differential reinforcement of alterative mealtime behavior (DRA), and stimulus fading—were introduced sequentially as the focus of treatment shifted to address refusal topographies along the chain of behaviors associated with consumption. The assessment process, treatment planning and sequencing, and generalization of treatment gains to caregivers are presented in detail. In doing so, the study illustrates the core features involved in applying a flexible, evidenced-based approach to treat severe feeding difficulties.     

Why Ferenczi today? The contribution of Sándor Ferenczi to the understanding and healing of psychic suffering

A society undergoing rapid change, which doubts its own possibilities of survival, calls into question the worth of psychoanalytical theory and practice. The author emphasizes that the Ferenczian clinical evolution could be a source of inspiration for reinvigorating our trust in the prodromes of the Freudian paradigm, and thus for relaunching the authoritativeness of our thought and our psychotherapeutic method. In this light the author examines the affective and cognitive qualities that render Ferenczi a mentor of our possible future development, taking into consideration the following aspects: the communicative and intersubjective perspective that denotes Ferenczi's thought since his first writings; the receptive, reflective, and self‐reflective capacities which have progressively accompanied his own commitment and clinical attitude; and his elective work on trauma and “the traumatic”, including the algogenic messages transmitted during the healing process by analysts in fear (and perhaps terror) of their own regression and countertransferential catastrophe. In particular, these last events (central in the Ferenczian vision) are today specifically stimulated by new forms of pathology which search for, with our help, a resolution of the apathetic pain and the tearing apart of the identity that characterize the suffering of patients.     

Variability and Noise in Continuous Force Production

In the present 3 experiments, the authors examined the hypothesis, derived from information theory, that increases in the variability of motor responses result from increases in perceptual-motor noise. Three different groups of participants (Ns = 10, 9, and 10, respectively, in Experiments 1, 2, and 3) produced continuous isometric force under either low, intermediate, or high target force levels. When considered together, the results showed that force variability (SD) increased exponentially as a function of force level. However, an index of information transmission (M/SD), as well as measures of noise in both the time (approximate entropy) and the frequency (power spectrum) domains, changed according to an inverted-U-shaped function over the range of force levels. The findings provide further evidence that increased information transmission is related to increases, and not to decreases, in the noisiness of the structure of force output.     

Toward A Process-Oriented Theory of Human Skilled Performance

Skilled perceptual-motor performance should be approached from a point of view of the processing operations performed by S in a skilled task. This perspective is emphasized in recent attempts to develop analytic or computer-simulation models of tracking tasks. These models are illustrated, and it is argued that a model that has a discrete correction compensatory path and a continuously programmed pursuit path may form one starting point for a more general representation. This representation needs to incorporate as yet undefined processing and storage units to handle coherence prediction, memorized movement patterns, and compensation for external system dynamics.     

Individual Differences In Intra-Individual Variability

For each of 75 Ss several estimates of intra-individual variations were calculated for each of 4 motor skills. The reliability of intra-individual variation for these data, estimated from Pearson productmoment correlations, ranged from r = .31 to r = .51 (in all cases p < .05). It was also found that in 3 of the 4 skills, intra-individual variation correlated significantly (r = .36, .54, .55) with mean performance level. Second order partial correlations, holding constant the effect of mean performance level, were then used to estimate the reliability of intravariation. These correlations were statistically significant and ranged from r = .27 to r = .34. When correlations of intra-individual variation were calculated among the four skills it was demonstrated that intra-individual variation was approximately 95 to 100% task specific.     

The Effect of Knee Joint Angle on Torque Control

The purpose of the author's investigation was to examine the effect of knee joint angle on torque control of the quadriceps muscle group. In all, 12 healthy adults produced maximal voluntary contractions and submaximal torque (15, 30, and 45% MVC [maximal voluntary contraction]) at leg flexion angles of 15°, 30°, 60°, and 90° below the horizontal plane. As expected, MVC values changed with respect to joint angle with maximum torque output being greatest at 60° and least at 15°. During the submaximal tasks, participants appropriately scaled their torque output to the required targets. Absolute variability (i.e., standard deviation) of torque output was greatest at 60° and 90° knee flexion. However, relative variability as indexed by coefficient of variation (CV) decreased as joint angle increased, with the greatest CV occurring at 15°. These results are congruent with the hypothesis that joint angle influences the control of torque.     

Evidence of Common Timing Processes in the Control of Manual,Orofacial, and Speech Movements

Recent investigations of timing in motor control have been interpreted as support for the concept of brain modularity. According to this concept, the brain is organized into functional modules that contain mechanisms responsible for general processes. Keele and colleagues (Keele & Hawkins, 1982; Keele & Ivry, 1987; Keele, Ivry, & Pokorny, 1987; Keele, Pokorny, Corcos, & Ivry, 1985) demonstrated that the within-subject variability in cycle duration of repetitive movements is correlated across finger, forearm, and foot movements, providing evidence in support of a general timing module. The present study examines the notion of timing modularity of speech and nonspeech movements of the oral motor system as well as the manual motor system. Subjects produced repetitive movements with the finger, forearm, and jaw. In addition, a fourth task involved the repetition of a syllable. All tasks were to be produced with a 400-ms cycle duration; target duration was established with a pacing tone, which then was removed. For each task, the within-subject variability of the cycle duration was computed for the unpaced movements over 20 trials. Significant correlations were found between each pair of effectors and tasks. The present results provide evidence that common timing processes are involved not only in movements of the limbs, but also in speech and nonspeech movements of oral structures.