Cardiac physiological regulation across early infancy: The roles of infant surgency and parental involvement with mothers and fathers

High baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and infant temperament are associated with a child’s ability to self-regulate, but moderators of this association have not been thoroughly examined in the literature. Parents who are more involved might have more opportunities to interact with and soothe their children. The current study examined whether parental involvement moderated the association between infant temperament and baseline RSA with mothers and fathers across early infancy. Participants included families (n = 91) assessed at 4 and 8 months of age. Infant temperamental surgency and parental involvement were measured via parent-report when infants were 4 months old, and infant baseline RSA was measured at 4 and 8 months of age. Results revealed differences in mother versus father predictors of infant baseline RSA. A significant Infant Surgency X Maternal Play interaction was revealed; infants of mothers who were low involvement increased in their baseline RSA as their surgency increased. A significant main effect of father care was found; infants with highly involved fathers had higher baseline RSA. In conclusion, mothers and fathers may differentially influence their infant’s cardiac physiological regulation based on their specific type of involvement.     

Horizontal eye movements foster approach to negative pictures but do not change emotional valence: A dopaminergic regulation hypothesis

A new dopaminergic regulation hypothesis is proposed based on two experiments exploring eye-movement effects. In the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Saccade-Induced Retrieval Enhancement (SIRE) domains, eye-movement mechanisms are mainly studied with explicit measures. Here implicit and explicit measures of emotion and memory for positive and negative pictures were investigated after eye movements or fixation in extreme right-handers. Eye movements enhanced explicit recognition predominantly for negative pictures. The absence of implicit repetition priming in both experiments supported a dissociation between implicit and explicit memory. Motivational eye-movement effects emerged but implicit and explicit affect remained unchanged. Experiment 2 revealed, after initial freezing to negative pictures, an acceleration, particularly of approach responses. Eye movements are postulated to foster approach towards negative memories, and promote, though dopaminergic pathways from the Superior Colliculus, enhanced explicit memory and active emotion regulation, primarily in persons with a collateralization of eye and dopamine dominance.     

A Single-Session Workshop to Enhance Emotional Awareness and Emotion Regulation for Graduate Students: A Pilot Study

Emerging adults are at substantial risk for developing or worsening psychopathology and university students appear to be particularly vulnerable. Interventions targeted at these young adults that can mitigate transdiagnostic causal risk factors or burgeoning mental health problems have the potential to make a large impact. We aimed to develop and pilot test an accessible, single-session, transdiagnostic group intervention with the goals of enhancing emotion regulation skills and reducing risk for mental health problems in graduate students. The intervention included psychoeducation, skills instruction (e.g., mindful emotion awareness, cognitive flexibility, countering emotion-driven behaviors), group discussion, and supervised practice based on content from the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders. The pilot program demonstrated strong feasibility and acceptability. Baseline, 1-month, and 3-month follow-up surveys also suggested benefits for reducing emotional avoidance and suppression, increasing use of cognitive reappraisal, and reducing symptoms of depression and neuroticism. Graduate students have seldom been the beneficiaries of university-based intervention and prevention research. Furthermore, most college and university mental health centers do not have the capacity to provide psychoeducation, preventative, or early intervention services to the many students who need or could benefit from them. Results suggest that future iterations of this intervention could address such barriers to meaningfully supporting emerging adults in graduate school.     

Conducting Prolonged Exposure for PTSD During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Considerations for Treatment

The unprecedented effects and duration of the COVID-19 crisis are likely to elevate the population’s level of anxiety due to psychological stress, economic hardship, and social isolation. This effect may be especially potent for individuals with preexisting mental health conditions, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy is a highly effective treatment for PTSD across trauma-exposed populations, and has been implemented effectively via telehealth. Nevertheless, PE implementation via telehealth may require specific adaptations during the COVID-19 crisis due to public health mandates calling for sheltering in place and physical distancing. This paper discusses strategies for implementing PE for PTSD during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may also be applied to other situations in which physical distancing must be considered.     

The mediation effect of emotion dysregulation in the relationship between anger and aggression on the road in a sample of Spanish drivers

Aggressive behaviour on the road is one of the most studied topics in human factors, given it has been related to both risky behaviour and traffic crashes. While previous research has proposed trait driving anger as one of the better predictors, mediation variables which could explain this relationship have not deserved attention. The current research aimed to explore the mediation effect of emotion regulation in this relationship. The sample consisted of 472 Spanish drivers, who completed a set of self-reports regarding trait driving anger, frequency of aggressive behaviours at the wheel, and difficulties in emotion regulation. The results showed significant relationship among the variables in almost all the cases. Furthermore, a SEM analysis showed that difficulties in emotion regulation significantly mediated the relationship between trait driving anger and each way of the aggressive behaviours (verbal, physical, using own vehicle, and displaced). These results have important implications in the design of strategies focused on the improvement of emotion regulation to reduce aggressive behaviours in drivers. Finally, the limitations of the study are commented.     

即刻消退缺损的原因分析及其神经生物学机制

即刻消退缺损(immediate extinction deficit, IED)是指在条件性恐惧习得后, 立即进行的消退训练不能长期抑制恐惧记忆的现象。IED可能与消退起始时的应激水平和事件分割等因素有关。在高应激水平下, 消退记忆的巩固受损导致IED; 而在中等或较低的应激水平条件下, 即刻消退有效但效果可能容易受事件分割的影响。IED的神经生物学机制涉及应激激活蓝斑去甲肾上腺素能系统, 去甲肾上腺素引起杏仁核基底外侧核(basolateral amygdala, BLA)过度兴奋, 然后BLA通过投射突触抑制在恐惧消退中起核心作用的内侧前额叶神经元的活动。未来研究应注意即刻消退缺损引起的长期后果, 并深入探讨如何优化即刻消退在临床上的应用。     

社交焦虑大学生情绪调节灵活性：情绪内容对策略选择和使用的影响

尽管社交焦虑个体被认为存在情绪调节灵活性的不足,但至今尚不清楚这种不足究竟在于难以灵活选择策略,还是难以灵活使用策略,抑或二者兼有？对此,本研究采用情绪调节策略选择任务考察了37名高社交焦虑大学生和29名低社交焦虑大学生在面对社交-非社交情绪图片时对认知重评-回避策略的选择模式和使用效果。结果发现：在面对社交情绪图片时,高社交焦虑被试比低社交焦虑被试更少选择认知重评,而更多选择回避;在面对非社交情绪图片时,两组被试对两种策略的选择模式无显著差异。同时,无论面对社交还是非社交情绪图片,两组被试对两种策略的使用效果也无显著差异。以上结果表明,相比低社交焦虑个体,高社交焦虑个体只有在面对社交情绪刺激时才存在情绪调节灵活性的不足,且这种不足主要在于难以灵活选择策略,而非难以灵活使用策略。     

辩证行为疗法：理论背景、治疗效果及作用机制

辨证行为疗法（Dialectical Behavior Therapy, DBT）于20世纪90年代初由美国治疗师Linehan创立。作为第三代行为治疗之一,该疗法以行为主义理论、辩证哲学、生物社会理论及禅宗为哲学基础,通过增加患者的技能使用,提高其情绪调节能力,以达到治疗目的。临床研究已证明其在边缘人格障碍,自杀及自伤行为中具有良好的治疗效果,除此之外也广泛适用于其他心理障碍及群体。DBT的临床效果、改变机制及拓展应用都需进一步研究。     

青少年创伤后应激障碍症状与网络成瘾症状的关系：惩罚敏感性和孤独感的中介及性别的调节

汶川地震9.5年后,对汶川县和都江堰市767名中学生进行调查,考察惩罚敏感性和孤独感在创伤后应激障碍症状和网络成瘾症状之间的多重中介作用及性别差异。结果发现：（1）PTSD症状正向预测网络成瘾症状,并分别通过惩罚敏感性、孤独感的单独中介作用及两者的链式中介作用显著预测网络成瘾症状;（2）女性的PTSD症状显著正向预测网络成瘾症状,并分别通过惩罚敏感性和孤独感间接影响网络成瘾症状;男性的网络成瘾症状仅被PTSD症状正向预测。     

四周简易正念减压训练对初中生焦虑的影响

选取68名初一学生并以班级为单位分为四周正念减压(mindfulness-based stress reduction,MBSR)训练组和对照组,探讨四周MBSR对初中生焦虑和正念水平的影响,以及训练效果是否存在基线效应与性别差异。结果发现:(1)四周MBSR可以提高初中生的正念水平,缓解其焦虑情况;(2)“不判断”和“特质焦虑”基线水平影响正念训练的效果;(3)四周MBSR对初中生的训练效果不存在性别差异。