A meta-analytic review of cognitive processing therapy for adults with posttraumatic stress disorder

Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Two prior meta-analyses of studies are available but used approaches that limit conclusions that can be drawn regarding the impact of CPT on PTSD outcomes. The current meta-analysis reviewed outcomes of trials that tested the efficacy of CPT for PTSD in adults and evaluated potential moderators of outcomes. All published trials comparing CPT against an inactive control condition (i.e. psychological placebo or wait-list) or other active treatment for PTSD in adults were included, resulting in 11 studies with a total of 1130 participants. CPT outperformed inactive control conditions on PTSD outcome measures at posttreatment (mean Hedges’ g = 1.24) and follow-up (mean Hedges’ g = 0.90). The average CPT-treated participant fared better than 89% of those in inactive control conditions at posttreatment and 82% at follow-up. Results also showed that CPT outperformed inactive control conditions on non-PTSD outcome measures at posttreatment and follow-up and that CPT outperformed other active treatments at posttreatment but not at follow-up. Effect sizes of CPT on PTSD symptoms were not significantly moderated by participant age, number of treatment sessions, total sample size, length of follow-up, or group versus individual treatment; but, older studies had larger effect sizes and percent female sex moderated the effect of CPT on non-PTSD outcomes. These meta-analytic findings indicate that CPT is an effective PTSD treatment with lasting benefits across a range of outcomes.     

情绪词加工过程及其情绪效应特点：ERP的证据

语言是传递情绪信息的重要媒介, 探讨情绪语言的加工过程一直是情绪研究的重点。文章聚焦于情绪词加工的ERP研究, 介绍了情绪词加工中的ERP成分、效价与唤醒度的作用关系, 以及情绪词情绪效应的特点。情绪词加工的ERP成分包括非常早期的P1-N1成分, 早期的EPN成分和晚期的LPP成分; 效价和唤醒度均在情绪词加工中具有重要作用, 但两者的关系还未得到一致结论。相比情绪图片, 情绪词加工所引发的情绪效应更弱, 并且存在积极效价偏向。今后的研究还需进一步探讨影响情绪词情绪效应产生的相关因素; 进一步区分情绪标注词和情绪负载词, 探讨两类情绪词加工的异同。此外, 结合眼动追踪技术探讨自然语境中的情绪词加工机制也是未来研究的一个重要方向。     

Cyber bullying among children with neurodevelopmental disorders: A systematic review

Children and young adults with neurodevelopmental disorders (ND) are at increased risk of bullying compared to typically developing peers. It is still unclear to what extent they are involved in cyber bullying. This systematic review aimed at studying the prevalence of cyber bullying as perpetrators, victims, or both (“bully-victims”) among students with ND in a school setting and in need of special education. The Web of Science, Scopus, ERIC, PsycINFO, PubMED, and Cochrane databases were searched including a manual search of reference lists, until February 24, 2018. Eight studies conducted in Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Australia were included reporting a prevalence of cyber-victimization among students with ND of 0%–41%, a prevalence of cyber-perpetration of 0%–16.7%, and a prevalence of bully-victims of 6.7%. Three out of five studies using control groups showed that students with ND might be more involved in cyber bullying overall compared to typically developing students. Students in segregated school settings report slightly higher prevalence rates of cyber bullying compared to students with ND in inclusive school settings, especially among girls. When comparing prevalence rates among studies using the same definition, we found similar prevalence rates. There was a tendency towards students with ND being more involved in cyber bullying compared to typically developing students, but this needs to be confirmed in future studies that should include control groups with typically developing students as well as validated and standardized measurements of cyber bullying and ND diagnoses.     

Using continual flash suppression to investigate cognitive aftereffects

In a naming task with visually presented words, Prioli and Kahan (2015) reported that negatively valenced words were identified more slowly than neutral words in a condition with continual flash suppression (CFS), which involves showing the dominant eye changing Mondrian patterns, delaying awareness for the word shown to the other eye. However, when these same words were shown to both eyes (i.e., no CFS), negatively valenced words were identified more quickly. The authors hypothesized that the negative word deficit with CFS reflects greater habituation (i.e., a cognitive aftereffect) that accrues for negative words before the observer becomes aware of the word. However, aftereffects typically occur in response to a target stimulus that follows an adapting stimulus, rather than in response to a single stimulus that is initially processed without awareness. Thus, it is not immediately obvious that the explanation provided by Prioli and Kahan is adequate. Here I report a simulation using a model that was previously applied to cognitive aftereffects, demonstrating that their account can explain this crossover interaction. These results suggest that CFS may be a useful technique for studying cognitive aftereffects without concern for conscious decision strategies.     

A systematic review and narrative synthesis of occupational therapy-led interventions for individuals with anxiety and stress-related disorders

Anxiety and stress-related disorders are highly prevalent and impede participation in life activities. Occupational therapists work extensively with people diagnosed with these disorders but the effectiveness of their interventions is unclear. A systematic search strategy identified 19 papers describing 13 studies. Studies varied in methodology, intervention type, and theory base. The results show the potential for lifestyle approaches, occupational science-based programs, and skill-building to improve mental health. The variety of interventions and methodologies of many studies means that the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions for this population is not yet determined. High-quality research is required to replicate interventions with emerging potential for effectiveness.     

The impact of cognitive interventions on cognitive symptoms in idiopathic Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review

This systematic review addressed efficacy of cognitive stimulation (CS), cognitive training (CT), and cognitive rehabilitation (CR) to improve cognitive functions in Parkinson’s disease (PD) with (PD-MCI) and without mild cognitive impairment (PD-H). Five databases were searched. Twelve CT, four CS, and a combination of CT with CR were found. PD-H benefited from CT or CS compared to active or passive controls in 42.1% of cognitive tests, and in 33.3% of psychological and functional measures. PD-MCI alone, compared with controls, only improved in 6.9% of cognitive measures after CT. PD-H and PD-MCI, alone or together, somehow improved information processing speed, attention, working memory, executive functions, and visual episodic memory. PD-MCI improved better than PD-H in global cognition and planning abilities. The outcomes suggest some efficacy of cognitive interventions in PD. However, small samples, lack of information regarding standardization of interventions, and poor methodological quality limit results validity and prevent firm conclusions.     

A tool for investigating the differential functions of aggressive behavior in the face-to-face and cyber context: Extending the Cyber-Aggression Typology Questionnaire

Aggressive behavior in the face-to-face and cyber contexts is driven by underlying aggression (i.e., functions of aggressive behavior). Common theories of aggression distinguish between reactive (e.g., rage) and proactive (e.g., seeking to achieve power and affiliation) aggression. However, according to the quadripartite violence typology, this distinction conflates aspects of motivational valence with self-regulatory processes. The Cyber-Aggression Typology Questionnaire (CATQ; Runions et al., 2017, Aggress Behav, 43(1), pp. 74–84) overcomes this weakness by identifying four types of cyber-aggression (impulsive-aversive/rage, controlled-aversive/revenge, controlled-appetitive/reward, and impulsive-appetitive/recreation cyber-aggression). However, the CATQ only considers aggression in cyberspace. We extended the CATQ to the face-to-face context by developing a corresponding Face-to-Face Aggression Typology Questionnaire (FATQ). The aim of this study was to investigate factorial and convergent validity and metric measurement invariance between four-factorial cyber and face-to-face aggression. In total, 587 students from six Austrian universities filled out the CATQ, the FATQ, and additional scales during regular university lectures to examine convergent validity. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the four-factor structure of both questionnaires, after excluding inconclusive items from the impulsive-aversive/rage subscale of the FATQ. These items were also removed from the CATQ to obtain two symmetric questionnaires. Metric measurement invariance between the CATQ and the FATQ was confirmed. Convergent validity was largely observed. Our results support an extended four-factor model of aggression. Having two parallel questionnaires, the FATQ and CATQ, enables future studies to investigate commonalities and differences in underlying drivers of aggressive behavior in the cyber and face-to-face contexts.     

A scoping review on the extent and nature of anxiety-related research within the research domain criteria (RDoC) framework: Limited coverage using non-disorder-specific search terms

The need for research on modifiable risk factors in anxiety has been highlighted in previous reviews synthesizing literature on the etiology and maintenance of anxiety. The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) provides a useful framework to lead this body of work. A scoping review was conducted to examine the extent and nature of research evidence on each RDoC domain as they have been investigated in anxiety via relevant correlates, with the end goal of informing future research priorities. The coverage of this review was limited to search terms bound within non-disorder-specific anxious pathology. The adopted selection criteria resulted in 170 cases (across 94 studies) where RDoC-relevant correlates of anxiety were studied. Results highlight disparate research focus across domains (limited research on processes within the Positive Valence Systems, Systems for Social Processes, and Arousal/Regulatory Systems), inconsistent findings within domains (Cognitive Systems), and a lack of research on cross-domain interactions.