State-dependent and odor-mediated anemotactic responses of a micro-arthropod on a novel type of locomotion compensator

A novel type of locomotion compensator was designed and tested for its use in orientation behavior experiments with a predatory mite. In this apparatus, displacements of the test animal in the two-dimensional plane are recorded using video equipment and a servosphere that keeps the animal in focus. Thex andy displacements are registeredusing two rotation encoders and are compensated using a pair of servo-motors, in such a way that the animal is always positioned on top of the sphere, yet moves freely. Well-fed and starved predators were tested for their responses to (1) still air, (2) a stimulus-free air flow, (3) an air flow with odors from uninfested Lima bean leaves, and (4) an air flow with odors from Lima bean leaves infested by plant-feeding mites, the prey of the predatory mites. Anemotactic responses of adultPhytoseivlus persimilis females were feeding state dependent. Well-fed predators moved downwind under Treatments 1–3 but moved neither up-nor downwind in the presence of odors from infested plants (Treatment 4). Starved predators moved upwind under all treatments. These results are in agreement with those of earlier studies in a wind tunnel, and therefore, the new type of locomotion compensator (LC-100) offers an excellent method for studying the orientation behavior of micro-arthropods.     

Phenotypes of sleeplessness: stressing the need for psychodiagnostics in the assessment of insomnia

Insomnia is a too general term for various subtypes that might have different etiologies and therefore require different types of treatment. In this explorative study we used cluster analysis to distinguish different phenotypes in 218 patients with insomnia, taking into account several factors including sleep variables and characteristics related to personality and psychiatric comorbidity. Three clusters emerged from the analysis. The ‘moderate insomnia with low psychopathology’-cluster was characterized by relatively normal personality traits, as well as normal levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms in the presence of moderate insomnia severity. The ‘severe insomnia with moderate psychopathology’-cluster showed relatively high scores on the Insomnia Severity Index and scores on the sleep log that were indicative for severe insomnia. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were slightly above the cut-off and they were characterized by below average self-sufficiency and less goal-directed behavior. The ‘early onset insomnia with high psychopathology’-cluster showed a much younger age and earlier insomnia onset than the other two groups. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were well above the cut-off score and the group consisted of a higher percentage of subjects with comorbid psychiatric disorders. This cluster showed a ‘typical psychiatric’ personality profile. Our findings stress the need for psychodiagnostic procedures next to a sleep-related diagnostic approach, especially in the younger insomnia patients. Specific treatment suggestions are given based on the three phenotypes.     

The time course of temporal preparation in an applied setting: A study of gaming behavior

We examined the time course of temporal preparation in the practice of computer gaming. Participants held an infrared rifle to shoot animated figures (“terrorists”) that appeared from an elevator that opened briefly after the sound of a bell. The sound was either loud or soft and the interval between the sound and the opening of the elevator varied between 100 and 600 ms. We found that shooting latency decreased exponentially as a function of interval, reflecting growing temporal preparation towards an optimum. When the sound was soft, this function was shifted to the right as compared to when the sound was loud. These findings are consistent with a model assuming that preparation starts upon the detection of a warning (i.e., later for the soft than for the loud sound) and continues until the detection of a target (i.e., longer as the interval increases). These results signify a successful application of a theoretical model in an applied setting.     

Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, about 20% of children do not have any contact with their non-resident parent after parental divorce. There are often many reasons underlying the broken contact, but one might well be the process of parental alienation, when the child denigrates and excludes the non-resident parent. This article presents the results of two studies conducted among divorce experts and divorced, non-resident parents. A total of 138 respondents co-operated in our studies. Of the respondents, 58% thought PAS either does not, or rarely occurs in the Netherlands, and 42% thought it does occur. The extent of parental alienation was classified as mild (33%) or moderate (9%). From our factor analysis, it became clear that Gardner's classification of eight separate symptoms of parental alienation was not evident in our research data. We were able to distinguish four separate aspects: two of them concerning alienation due to the resident parent and two concerning alienation due to the child. Our results underpin the importance of mediation, since it seemed that parental alienation syndrome (PAS) occurred significantly more often when decisions with relation to the children were not taken together by the parents but were determined in court. We consider that compulsory mediation and better communication during divorce would prevent many cases of PAS.     

Three preparatory studies for promoting implementation of outpatient schema therapy for borderline personality disorder in general mental health care

ObjectiveThree studies were conducted to prepare for the implementation of Schema Therapy (ST) for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) in general mental healthcare settings. Two were surveys to detect promoting and hindering factors, one was a preliminary test of a training program in ST.MethodsIn 2004, a diagnostic analysis of factors promoting and hindering implementation of a new treatment for BPD was conducted among both managers (n = 23) and therapists (n = 49) of 29 Dutch mental healthcare institutes through a written survey (Study 1). Next, a training program, including a set of DVDs displaying the major therapeutic techniques, was developed and tested among eight therapists. The training program was evaluated by the participants. After the training, three independent raters evaluated therapists' adherence and competence, viewing videos of the therapists completing structured role-plays (Study 2). In 2008, a second written survey was conducted in 22 mental health institutes to study factors for future nationwide implementation of ST (Study 3).ResultsBoth surveys indicated that the situation in most institutes was favorable for implementing a new effective treatment, as participants were not satisfied with the existing treatments, had suitable professional backgrounds, worked in settings with (B)PD-oriented care programs, and expressed a need for change. The surveys yielded clear results for promoting or hindering successful implementation of ST. Promoting factors included scientific evidence for the effectiveness of the treatment, structural changes in the patient's personality, rapidly noticeable effects for the patient, low drop-out rates and a favorable cost-effectiveness. Possible barriers included implementation mandated unilaterally by management, choosing ST based on financial or organizational needs, extending implementation over a lengthy period of time and providing telephone support by therapists beyond office hours. The eight-day training program received very positive ratings. After the training, therapists were rated as sufficiently adherent and competent applying ST to treat BPD patients, with peer supervision and supervision recommended as a supplement to the training.ConclusionThis study showed that the situation in 2005 was advantageous to start implementation of ST. Evaluation of the training and the achieved competence scores of trainees concluded that the training program was a good basis for training therapists in ST. Outcome of the survey in 2008 demonstrated that there was a clear interest for implementation of ST for BPD patients in the future.     

Correlates of general quality of life are different in patients with primary insomnia as compared to patients with insomnia and psychiatric comorbidity

Chronic insomnia is known to have a negative influence on quality of life (QOL). To date, most studies on chronic insomnia have focused on health-related aspects of QOL. General QOL, which is a different construct, has not been studied in detail. Moreover, it is not known which factors are associated with general QOL in insomnia, and whether the presence of mental disorders, a condition known as comorbid insomnia, affects these variables. The present study focused on identifying sleep and psychosocial variables that might be associated with general QOL in primary and comorbid insomnia. Personality traits, coping variables, anxiety and depressive symptoms, fatigue and subjective sleep variables were assessed in 218 consecutive well-characterized patients with primary and comorbid insomnia, referred to a third line centre for sleep medicine. In primary insomnia, higher extraversion and lower discrepancies in social support were associated with higher QOL. Surprisingly, insomnia severity was not significantly associated with QOL in this group. However, lower fatigue, which can be seen as an important daytime consequence of insomnia was correlated with higher QOL in patients with primary insomnia. In both insomnia groups, low anxiety and depressive symptoms and low fatigue were associated with higher general QOL. In contrast with the primary insomnia group, lower insomnia severity was correlated with higher QOL in patients with comorbid insomnia. These results stress the importance of assessing and treating daytime fatigue in insomnia. In primary insomnia, improving social support might be an important treatment goal. Furthermore, this study supports the concept that treatment of insomnia should not be neglected in patients with comorbid insomnia. Indeed, both insomnia and indices of psychiatric disease are strongly associated with general QOL in this condition.     

Legal Bans on Pro‐Suicide Web Sites: An Early Retrospective from Australia

There are worldwide concerns that pro‐suicide web sites may trigger suicidal behaviors among vulnerable individuals. In 2006, A ustralia became the first country to criminalize such sites, sparking heated debate. Concerns were expressed that the law casts the criminal net too widely; inappropriately interferes with the autonomy of those who wish to die; and has jurisdictional limitations, with off‐shore web sites remaining largely immune. Conversely, proponents point out that the law may limit access to domestic pro‐suicide web sites, raise awareness of Internet‐related suicide, mobilize community efforts to combat it, and serve as a powerful expression of societal norms about the promotion of suicidal behavior.     

Evaluation of the 113Online Suicide Prevention Crisis Chat Service: Outcomes,Helper Behaviors and Comparison to Telephone Hotlines

Recognizing the importance of digital communication, major suicide prevention helplines have started offering crisis intervention by chat. To date there is little evidence supporting the effectiveness of crisis chat services. To evaluate the reach and outcomes of the 113Online volunteer‐operated crisis chat service, 526 crisis chat logs were studied, replicating the use of measures that were developed to study telephone crisis calls. Reaching a relatively young population of predominantly females with severe suicidality and (mental) health problems, chat outcomes for this group were found to be comparable to those found for crisis calls to U.S. Lifeline Centers in 2003–2004, with similar but not identical associations with specific helpers' styles and attitudes. Our findings support a positive effect of the 113Online chat service, to be enhanced by practice standards addressing an apparent lack of focus on the central issue of suicidality during chats, as well as by the development of best practices specific for online crisis intervention.