Competitive Memory Training (COMET) for OCD: A Self-treatment Approach to Obsessions

Competitive Memory Training (COMET) is a cognitive intervention that aims to change the maladaptive cognitive-emotional networks underlying obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). COMET has not been previously tried as a self-help intervention. The present study tested the preliminary feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of COMET for OCD implemented as a self-help intervention. Sixty-five participants with OCD recruited through online OCD self-help fora completed an online baseline assessment including measures of OCD symptoms, self-esteem, and depression. Participants were randomly assigned to either COMET or a wait-list control group. All participants were approached 4 weeks later to complete an online post-assessment. There was no evidence for a greater decline of OCD symptoms or depression under COMET. When analyses were limited to only those participants who reported reading the entire manual at least once, self-esteem was higher at post-assessment in the COMET group. Although 78.1% of patients in the COMET group rated it as appropriate for self-administration, only 56.5% performed COMET exercises regularly and 26.4% read the entire manual at least once. The feasibility and effectiveness of COMET as a self-help internet intervention for OCD was not supported in this study. Further work is needed to better understand if modifications to our implementation of COMET may yield improved outcomes.     

Eye movement indices of memory reveal re-processing of visual information: Evidence from Chinese characters

ABSTRACT

This study examined the nature of the memory effect revealed in eye movements. Chinese characters were processed visually, phonologically or semantically during the study phase. The proportion of viewing time during the subsequent recognition test was compared between characters associated with different types of encoding. To eliminate the influence of response selection on eye movements, participants were asked to select the unstudied character and make the selection after the viewing period ended. Results showed that the proportion of viewing time in the recognition test was larger for visually encoded characters than it was for semantically (Experiment 1) and phonologically encoded (Experiment 3) characters, even after the participants had presumably made the decision. Moreover, there was no significant difference in the proportion of viewing time between phonologically and semantically encoded characters (Experiment 2). These findings suggest that the viewing time change in eye movements during the recognition test is an obligatory consequence of re-processing the visual information encoded during the study phase.     

Research note: A motivational perspective on change processes and outcomes

A reengineering process in a chemical plant with technostructural and human-process-oriented interventions was analysed in order to develop and test a generalized expectancy?–?valence-theory model for participation in the change process and effective change. It was assumed that both supervisory support and favourable colleagues' change attitudes enhance one's change motivation, and participation in the change process, by increasing participation opportunities, and positive attitudes toward change. In turn, employee participation should have a positive impact on outcomes of the change process. After 2 years of restructuring, 104 employees participated in the evaluation of the change process. Path analyses revealed results that supported our model by and large. Employee participation in the change process predicts positive organizational effects. Favourable change attitudes as well as perceived participation opportunities, and supervisory support, which were integrated into one scale, predict the degree of employee participation. The latter also showed a direct path to organizational effects.     

How psychological resources facilitate adaptation to organizational change

The purpose of this 1-year follow-up study among 580 police officers is to investigate whether identity-related resources are positively related to adaptive behaviour during times of organizational change. Combining the social identity perspective with resources theories, we hypothesized that leader–member exchange (LMX) and personal resources (meaning-making and organization-based self-esteem) are positively related over time. In addition, we hypothesized that resources captured before change implementation, show a positive relationship with adaptivity captured during change. Structural equation modelling analyses showed that LMX and personal resources were positively related. Further, all T1 resources were positively related to T2 adaptivity. The study emphasizes the importance of managing identity-related resources during turbulent times, in order to foster behavioural adaptation to change.     

Perceived parental warmth and adjustment among Ethiopian adolescents

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between adolescents’ perception of parental warmth and their self-esteem, school adjustment and depression symptoms. Data were collected from 809 adolescents (female=47%; mean age=16.8 years; SD=1.58) from four different high schools in Ethiopia. The data were analysed for differences in perceived parental warmth and adjustment by gender. Results suggest higher levels of parental warmth to be associated with comparatively lower school adjustment and depressive symptoms as well as higher self-esteem in girls rather than boys. A gendered effect seems to explain parent warmth influences of the personal and school adjustment of Ethiopian adolescents.     

Predictors of student burnout and engagement among university students

This study investigated influences of core self-evaluation traits, career decision-making difficulties and social support on student burnout and engagement. A cross-sectional design was used with a non-probability quota sample. In the multiple regression analyses, self-efficacy, inconsistent information due to internal conflict and (lack of) parental support were significant predictors of exhaustion, cynicism, vigour and dedication. Self-esteem was also a significant predictor for the two engagement dimensions. In addition, lack of information about the self, lack of information about the occupations and inconsistent information due to external conflict predicted cynicism.     

低自尊个体注意偏向的ERP研究

本研究以高兴、愤怒和中性面孔图片为实验材料,采用空间线索任务,借助事件相关电位技术(ERP)探讨低自尊个体注意偏向的内在机制及生理基础,即从电生理的角度,探讨注意偏向的内在机制是反映了注意的快速定向还是注意的解脱困难,亦或是既有快速注意定向又伴随注意的解脱困难。行为数据发现,高低自尊个体在有效提示下的反应显著快于无效提示条件。脑电数据发现,无效提示条件下,愤怒面孔后的靶子比高兴和中性面孔后的靶子在低自尊个体中诱发了更大的P1和更小的N1波幅,有效提示下无显著差异;高自尊个体在N1和P1波幅上无显著结果。晚期P300成分上,无效提示比有效提示诱发了更正的波幅,未发现自尊相关的显著差异。结果表明,低自尊个体对评价性威胁信息(愤怒)的注意偏向是对威胁信息(愤怒)的注意解脱困难。     

Benefits of belonging: Experimental manipulation of social inclusion to enhance psychological and physiological health parameters

Objective: Acute changes in social belonging are important triggers for alterations in health and well-being, yet research has emphasised the negative effects of ‘exclusion’ at the expense of evaluating the potentially positive effects of ‘inclusion’. This study examined the impact of acute belonging on physiological and psychological outcomes.

Design and main outcome measures: A healthy population (N?=?138) were randomly allocated to ‘included’ or ‘excluded’ conditions. Condition-dependent differences in pre/during-task heart rate and pre/post-task self-reports of negative/positive mood, and social self-esteem, were assessed.

Results: Included participants showed decreased heart rate and negative mood, and increased social self-esteem. No inclusion-related change in positive mood was shown. An increase in heart rate was observed in excluded participants though no changes in negative/positive mood or social self-esteem were shown. Shifts in social self-esteem acted as a mechanism through which inclusion/exclusion impacted upon negative and positive mood alterations. Results remained significant in presence of covariates (sex, global self-esteem, rumination and social anxiety).

Conclusion: Findings suggest that acting to enhance belonging through ‘inclusion’ resulted in adaptive physiological and psychological outcomes. Neutral and potentially protective responses were observed in the immediate aftermath of ‘exclusion’. Self-esteem served as one route through which these effects were transmitted.     

Why is the receipt of social support associated with increased psychological distress? an examination of three hypotheses

Abstract

Although there is a great deal of research linking social support with favourable psychological well-being outcomes a number of contradictory findings have been published showing support to be associated with increased psychological distress. These contrary findings arise when social support is measured as the receipt of supportive behavior rather than perceptions of support availability and quality. This paper examines three hypotheses that have been advanced to explain why the receipt of support is associated with distress. The first of these hypotheses (the support mobilisation hypothesis) argues that the relationship is a spurious one, and that it is a product of distressing circumstances which increase both support receipt and psychological distress. The other two hypotheses (the inequity hypothesis and the esteem threat hypothesis) both argue that receiving support actually causes distress. We tested these hypotheses in two samples. One sample was a group of individuals who reported having some form of disability (N = 106). the other sample was a 'healthy' comparison group (N = 134). Our analyses showed that in both groups the receipt of support was significantly and positively related to reports of anxiety, but not to reports of depression. Among the 'healthy' sample, controlling for subjects' sex largely explained the positive association between support receipt and anxiety. This was not the case among the 'disabled sample, where the inequity hypothesis received the strongest support. The implications of these findings for interventions based around the provision of social support are examined.     

A self-esteem measure for patients with cancer

Abstract

In assessing the quality of life of patients with cancer. :in important. though largely ignored. variable is self-esteem. The development of an instrument to measure self-esteem, using visual analogue scales, is described. This instrument was administered to 170 patients with newly diagnosed early breast cancer. Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma three months and one year alter diagnosis. The instrument was acceptable to patients; internal consistency and test-retest reliability data are reported. Self-esteem scores were inversely correlated with depression and trait anxiety scores, and positively correlated with internal locus of control. Self-esteem was not significantly affected by tumour grade or stage. or by the extent to which patients felt disabled by the symptoms and side effects of their disease and treatment. The implications of these findings are discussed.