Daily, prospective associations of sleep, physical activity, and sedentary behaviour with affect: A Bayesian multilevel compositional data analysis.

BackgroundEmerging statistical methods addressing the multilevel compositional nature of sleep architecture can offer insights into how daily time reallocations between sleep stages (total wake time in bed [TWT], light sleep [Non rapid eye movement stage 1 and 2], slow wave sleep [SWS], and rapid eye movement [REM] sleep) are associated with post-sleep affect.PurposeThis study investigated the daily, prospective association between sleep architecture and affect.MethodsIn 96 healthy, young adults across 15 consecutive days, sleep architecture was measured at night using electroencephalography (Z-Machine Insight+) and affect was self-reported using the PANAS-X at awakening. Bayesian multilevel compositional data analysis examined how reallocating time between sleep stages was associated with affect.ResultsVarious reallocations of sleep stages predicted affect, at both within- and between-person levels. Between-person reallocation of 30 min/night from light or REM sleep to SWS was associated with ≥0.38 points higher high and low arousal positive affect, and from SWS to any other sleep stages was associated with ≥0.21 points higher high arousal negative affect. Within-person reallocation of 30 min/night from REM to any other stages predicted ≥0.05 points higher high arousal negative affect, and 30 min/night from TWT to SWS or REM predicted ≤−0.07 lower low arousal negative affect.ConclusionsFindings highlight the distinct constellations of sleep architecture associated with affect in everyday life. Extension of SWS and REM for improving affect, while considering other off-set sleep stages, should be confirmed in experimental research in daily settings, to inform diagnostic and intervention strategies for sleep and affective disorders.

Study objectivesSleep and affect are closely related. Whether modifiable cognitive factors moderate this association is unclear. This study examined whether Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep moderate the impact of sleep on next-day affect in young people. MethodsFour hundred and sixty-eight young people (205 adolescents, 54.1% female, M ± SDage=16.92 ± 0.87; 263 emerging adults, 71.9% female, M±SDage=21.29 ± 1.73) self-reported sleep and affect, and wore an actigraph for 7-28 days, providing >5000 daily observations. Linear mixed-effects models tested whether Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep moderated daily associations between self-reported and actigraphic sleep duration, sleep efficiency, and next-day affect on between- and within-person levels. Both valence (positive/negative) and arousal (high/low) dimensions of affect were examined. Covariates included age, sex, race/ethnicity, day of week, and previous-day affect. ResultsDysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep significantly moderated sleep and high arousal positive affect associations on between- but not within-person levels. Individuals with higher Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep (+1 SD) and lower average sleep duration (actigraphic: p = .020; self-reported: p = .047) and efficiency (actigraphic: p = .047) had significantly lower levels of high arousal positive affect. After adjusting for multiple comparisons, Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep did not moderate relationships between sleep duration and low arousal positive affect (p ≥ .340). ConclusionsYoung people with more unhelpful beliefs about sleep and shorter, or poorer, sleep may experience dampened levels of high arousal positive affect. DBAS may constitute a modifiable factor increasing affective vulnerability on a global but not day-to-day level. Intervention studies are needed to determine if changing Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep may reduce sleep-related affect disturbances in young people.

Although research often relies on retrospective affect self-reports, little is known about personality's role in retrospective reports and how these converge or deviate from affect reported in the moment. This micro-longitudinal study examines personality (Neuroticism, Extraversion) and emotional salience (peak and recent affect) associations with retrospective-momentary affect report discrepancies over different time frames. Participants were 179 adults aged 20-78 (M = 48.7 years; 73.7% Caucasian/White) who each provided up to 60 concurrent affect reports over 10 days, then retrospectively reported overall intensity of each affective state after 1 day and again after 1-2 months. Multilevel models revealed that individuals retrospectively overreported or underreported various affective states, exhibiting peak associations for high arousal positive and negative affect, recency associations for low arousal positive affect, and distinct personality profiles that strengthened over time. Individuals high in both Extraversion and Neuroticism exaggerated high arousal positive and negative affect and underreported low arousal positive affect, high Extraversion/low Neuroticism individuals exaggerated high arousal positive affect and underreported low arousal positive affect, and low Extraversion/high Neuroticism individuals exaggerated high and low arousal negative affect. This study is the first to identify arousal-specific retrospective affect report discrepancies over time and suggests retrospective reports also reflect personality differences in affective self-knowledge.

Negative affect (NA) and positive affect (PA) vary from moment-to-moment and these variations are associated with cognitive health. Past work has primarily focused on valence (negative/positive), however, largely ignoring the potential import of arousal (high/low). We address this gap by assessing the impact of high and low arousal NA and PA on daily cognition. A sample of 238 older adults (Mage=77.30 years, SD=5.14, Range=70–90) completed mobile surveys up to four times daily for 14 days. Participants reported current levels of high and low arousal NA and PA and performed processing speed and working memory tasks. For processing speed, there were significant within-person affect by age interactions. Moments when low arousal NA was higher than usual were associated with slower processing speed (Est.=0.87, SE=0.44, p<.05), and this effect was amplified in older participants (Est.=1.69, SE=0.60, p<.01). Moments when high arousal PA was higher than usual were associated with faster processing speed (Est.=-0.81, SE=0.40, p<.05), and this effect was amplified in younger participants (Est.=-1.81, SE=0.56, p<.01). For working memory, a significant within-person high arousal PA by age interaction emerged (Est.=0.001, SE=0.00, p=.046) such that moments when high arousal PA was higher than usual were marginally associated with worse working memory performance only among older participants (Est.=0.004, SE=0.002, p=.06). Results suggest momentary increases in low arousal NA and high arousal PA may confer greatest risk to daily cognitive health among older adults with more limited capacity and/or cognitive resources, whereas affective influences may be more facilitative among comparatively younger adults.

Psychobiological research with adolescent populations tends to focus on negative mood, stress, and psychopathology, but the role of positive emotions is insufficiently understood. The current study examines the relative contributions of both negative and positive affective experiences to the basal activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, measured by levels of cortisol across the waking day. A sample of 315 ethnically and racially diverse high school students (mean age = 17.1 years, 73% female) completed a multiple-day naturalistic salivary cortisol protocol twice over a 5-year period. Along with each saliva sample, youth provided diary reports of their current mood states. Principal components analysis revealed four factors: high arousal positive affect (PA), low arousal PA, high arousal negative affect (NA), and low arousal NA. Multilevel growth curve models suggested that greater high arousal PA was associated with adaptive patterns of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity: steeper cortisol slope from waking to bedtime and lower evening cortisol, independent of NA. In addition, increases in high arousal PA over the 5-year follow-up period were associated with a steepening of the diurnal cortisol slope (β = -0.038, p = .009; negative values indicate the decrease of cortisol throughout the day) and lower evening cortisol levels (β = -0.661, p = .027) based on within-person fixed-effect regression analysis. This study shows that high arousal PA, such as feeling alert and active, is associated with a steeper decline in cortisol throughout the day. Low arousal positive emotions did not display this relationship.

Positive affective functioning in anhedonic individuals’ daily life: Anything but flat and blunted

IntroductionSleep and affect are closely related. Late adolescence and emerging adulthood are associated with unique sleep patterns and risk for mood disturbances. This daily study examined whether dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep (DBAS), a modifiable cognitive vulnerability factor, moderated daily sleep-affect associations.Methods421 community adolescents (n=205, 54.1% females, M±SDage=16.9±0.87) and emerging adults (n=216, 73.1% females, M±SDage=21.31±1.73) self-reported sleep and affect (adapted 12-item PANAS) and wore an actigraphy device for 7–28 days, providing >5000 daily observations. Linear mixed models tested whether DBAS moderated daily associations between self-reported and actigraphic sleep duration (total sleep time), sleep efficiency, and next-day affect on between and within-person levels. Both valence (positive/negative) and arousal (high/low) dimensions of affect were examined. Covariates included age, gender, ethnicity, day of week, and previous-day affect.ResultsDBAS significantly moderated associations between average sleep and next-day positive, but not negative, affect. Individuals with higher DBAS had significantly lower high arousal positive affect as average sleep duration (actigraphic: p=.002; self-reported: p=.014) and efficiency (actigraphic: p=.014) decreased. Similar moderation was found for average self-reported sleep duration and low arousal positive affect (p=.032). No significant results emerged on the within-person level. Previous-day affect significantly predicted next-day affect across models and outcomes (all p<.001).DiscussionAdolescents and emerging adults with more negative views about sleep may experience dampened positive affect in shorter, or poorer, sleep periods. DBAS may constitute a modifiable factor increasing affective vulnerability on a global but not day-to-day level, and a therapeutic target for sleep-related affect disturbances in youths.

Recent research has highlighted that emotion regulation strategy use varies both between and within people, and specific individual and contextual differences shape strategy use. Further, use of specific emotion regulation strategies relates to a wide array of differential outcomes, including mental health and behavior. Emotion goals (desire for a given emotion state) are thought to play a particularly important role in shaping people’s use of emotion regulation strategies; yet, surprisingly little is known about whether and how momentary emotion goals predict spontaneous strategy use in daily life. In the present investigation, we examined whether ideal desire for high versus low arousal positive affect was associated with subsequent use of specific emotion regulation strategies. Undergraduate participants (final N = 101) completed ecological momentary assessments (final ks = 1,932 for contemporaneous analyses, 1,386 for time-lagged analyses) of their momentary experienced affect, momentary desire for high versus low arousal positive affect, and emotion regulation. Desire for higher arousal predicted greater use of three disengagement strategies: distraction, expressive suppression, and experiential suppression. None of these strategies, though, were associated with sustained enhancement of high arousal (or low arousal) positive affect. These findings point to a possible disconnect between the strategies that people tend to use when they want to feel more arousal and the affective outcomes associated with use of those strategies.

Background: Spending time alone constitutes a ubiquitous part of our everyday lives. As we get older, alone time increases. Less is known, however, about age differences in the experience of spending time alone (momentary solitude). Objectives: We examined time-varying associations between momentary solitude, affect quality, and two hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity markers [salivary cortisol; dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAs)] to better understand the affective and biological correlates of momentary solitude across the adult life span. Method: A total of 185 adults aged 20-81 years (mean age = 49 years, 51% female, 74% Caucasian) completed questionnaires on momentary solitude (alone vs. not alone) and current affect on a handheld device, and provided concurrent saliva samples up to seven times a day for 10 consecutive days. Data were analyzed using multilevel models, controlling for the overall amount of time participants spent alone during the study (overall solitude). Results: Greater overall solitude was associated with decreased average high arousal positive affect and increased average cortisol and DHEAs levels. Momentary solitude was associated with reduced high arousal positive affect, increased low arousal positive affect, and increased low arousal negative affect. Age by momentary solitude interactions indicate that greater age was associated with increased high arousal positive affect and reduced low arousal negative affect during momentary solitude. Furthermore, momentary solitude was associated with increased cortisol and DHEAs. With greater age, the association between momentary solitude and cortisol weakened. Conclusion: Consistent with the negative connotations to loneliness and objective social isolation, greater overall solitude was associated with negative affective and biological correlates. Spending a large overall amount of time alone in old age might thus have negative ramifications for health and well-being. Momentary solitude, in contrast, can be a double-edged sword as evidenced by both positive and negative well-being implications. Importantly, greater age is linked to more favorable affective and biological correlates of momentary solitude. The momentary state of spending time alone is thus an experience that is not necessarily negative and that may improve with aging.

Daily activities are associated with affective experiences. A 24-h day can be separated into five mutually exclusive activity types: sleep, awake in bed, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), light-intensity physical activity (LIPA), and sedentary behavior (SB). Most research has examined these activities independently and not collectively, yet increased time in one activity must be offset by decreasing other activities. Using compositional isotemporal substitution analyses, this study examined the associations between time spent in daily activities and affect, including both high and low arousal positive and negative affect. Across three separate studies, daily activities and affect were measured throughout 7-15days (Mdays = 10) in 361 healthy community adults (72.5% females, Mage = 22.79years). Activities were objectively assessed using accelerometry and self-reported affect was assessed using repeated ecological momentary assessments. Minutes spent in each activity and affect values across the three studies were averaged for each participant. Longer sleep duration at the expense of time awake in bed was associated with lower high arousal negative affect (e.g., nervousness, b = - 0.24, p = .007). More MVPA at the expense of LIPA or SB was associated with higher high arousal positive affect (e.g., happiness, b = 0.35, p = .027). Activity composition was not associated with low arousal positive or negative affect (all p ≥ .06). Associations between 24-h activity composition and affect differed based on types of activities, types of affect, and the interrelationships between activities within the composition. Findings can aid interventions to develop integrated guidance on the optimal activity patterns for mental health.

Relative to high-arousal positive affect (HAPA), low-arousal positive affect (LAPA) is less likely to be included in research on positive affect and emotion. To gauge the possible cost of omitting LAPA from such research, two studies were conducted assessing the unique contribution of LAPA (e.g., calm, relaxed, content) in predicting variance in measures of well-being and mental health above and beyond HAPA (e.g., alert, excited, enthusiastic). In two studies, multiple regression analyses revealed that LAPA uniquely predicted life satisfaction, depression, feeling good, mindfulness, anxiety, and stress beyond HAPA. Furthermore, the results indicated that when both LAPA and HAPA were in the regression model, LAPA significantly predicted variance in mindfulness, anxiety, and stress whereas HAPA did not. These data indicate that the inclusion of LAPA in research can improve the field’s ability to investigate the causes and effects of positive affectivity. Theoretical perspectives on different types of positive affect and practical implications for researchers are discussed.

ABSTRACTResearch on leisure and well-being in non-Western contexts is rare. Our study addresses this issue by investigating whether satisfaction of three basic psychological needs – autonomy, competence and/or relatedness – influences four types of affective well-being – high-arousal positive (HAP) affect, low-arousal positive (LAP) affect, high-arousal negative (HAN) affect and/or low-arousal negative (LAN) affect – within the leisure sphere. Telephone survey data were collected from 583 Hong Kong Chinese employees. Structural equation modelling indicated that (1) autonomy, competence and relatedness need satisfaction were all significantly and positively correlated with HAP affect; (2) autonomy need satisfaction alone was significantly and positively related with LAP affect; and (3) autonomy need satisfaction alone was significantly and negatively associated with both LAN and HAN affects. Taken together, these results suggest that fulfilment of basic psychological needs, especially the need for autonomy, contributes to people’s overall affective well-being, within the leisure sphere. We discuss our findings in terms of two frameworks: basic psychological needs theory and the DRAMMA leisure model. We also explicate the practical implications of our study and provide future research recommendations.

The daily association between 24-hour physical behavior compositions (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), light physical activity (LPA), standing, sedentary, and sleep) and psychological outcomes—such as momentary affective state assessments and working memory—remains understudied. We investigated whether the daily 24-hour compositions, particularly MVPA and SB considering the remaining behaviors, are associated with affective states and working memory. We conducted an ambulatory assessment study with 199 university employees. Physical behaviors were measured continuously via thigh-worn accelerometers throughout the day. Affective states (i.e., valence, energetic arousal, and calmness) and working memory performance (i.e., numeric updating task) were captured up to six times a day via electronic diaries and tasks on a smartphone. We conducted Bayesian multilevel compositional data analysis to analyze within-person, and between-person associations of 24-hour physical behavior composition with affective states, and working memory. Aggregated same-day outcomes were used for main analyses to capture concurrent associations, and next-day outcomes were used for exploratory analyses to capture prospective associations. Concurrent analyses showed that higher moderate-to-vigorous physical activity relative to the remaining physical behaviors was associated with 2.49 [95%CI 1.00, 4.06] higher valence and 3.65 [95%CI 2.11, 5.28] higher energetic arousal (but not calmness) ratings at the within-person, but not at the between-person level. Sedentary behavior relative to the remaining physical behaviors was not associated with any affective states. Spending more time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, followed by light physical activity, and standing, each at the expense of the other behaviors was associated with higher affective state ratings on the same day (between-person: ≥1.29 [0.19, 2.51] higher valence, 1.23 [0.04, 2.40] higher calmness; within-person: ≥0.62 [0.04, 1.22] higher valence, ≥ 1.10 [0.63, 1.58] higher energetic arousal, ≥ 0.95 [0.18, 1.74] higher calmness). The 24-hour physical behavior composition was not associated with working memory. Findings underline the importance of the 24-hour composition of physical behavior for mental health, by demonstrating significant concurrent associations with affective states. Even small reallocations of behaviors may positively influence affective states, providing valuable insights for the development of future interventions.

Background and objectivesImagery Rescripting (ImRs) aims to reduce trauma-related negative emotions and intrusions. Positive emotions during ImRs may aid coping with the consequences of trauma, but protocols vary in the extent to which they explicitly target such positive emotions. We used a multiple-day design with a trauma film paradigm to investigate whether adding an explicit positive emotion component to ImRs improved intervention effects in a non-clinical sample. In addition, we explored potentially differential effects on high, medium, and low arousal positive affect. MethodsParticipants (n = 105) were randomly assigned to either a standard ImRs condition, to an ImRs condition with an added explicit positive emotion component targeting joy (ImRs+), or to a non-intervention control (NIC) condition. Participants watched a trauma film on day 1, received the condition-specific intervention on day 2, and completed additional post-assessments of positive and negative affect on day 3. In addition, participants recorded intrusions from the trauma film from day 1 until day 3. ResultsCompared to standard ImRs and NIC, ImRs + significantly increased positive affect. Exploratory analyses showed that this increase concerned medium and high, but not low arousal positive affect. No significant between-group differences were found for negative affect and intrusion-related outcomes. LimitationsFloor effects for intrusions and negative affect limited our ability to fully investigate the potential benefits of targeting positive affect. ConclusionsAdding a positive emotion component to ImRs reliably improved positive affect. More research is needed to determine whether explicitly targeting positive affect improves efficacy of ImRs for intrusion-related outcomes.

To describe active and sedentary time in children with spina bifida and to compare their physical activity on weekdays versus weekends. In this exploratory cross-sectional study, data from 13 Canadian and 22 Dutch children with spina bifida (14 females, 21 males; mean age 10y 11mo, standard deviation [SD] 3y 6mo, range 5y 6mo-18y; Hoffer classification distribution: community [n=28], household [n=3], non-functional [n=3], and non-ambulator [n=1]) were analysed. Objective measures of physical activity and sedentary behaviour were obtained by using ActiGraph or Actiheart activity monitors. Data for the participants wearing the ActiGraph were compared with age- and sex-matched controls that were developing typically using independent-samples t-tests. Activity data collected on weekdays was compared to those on weekends. ActiGraph data demonstrated children with spina bifida spent more time sedentary (mean [SD] 49.5min/h [5.78]) and less time in moderate to vigorous physical activity (mean [SD] 2.33min/h [1.61]) compared with the typically developing group (mean [SD] 41.0min/h [5.76] and 5.46min/h [2.13], p=0.001 and p<0.001 respectively). For both ActiGraph- and Actiheart-derived data, physical activity and sedentary time were not significantly different between weekdays and weekends. Children with spina bifida have reduced levels of physical activity and increased sedentary behaviour, with no statistical differences seen between weekdays and weekends. Several methodological issues related to activity monitoring warrant consideration when choosing the appropriate method to quantify physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Reduced levels of physical activity and sedentary time were quantified in children with spina bifida. Objective quantification of physical behaviour in ambulatory and non-ambulatory school-aged children with spina bifida is possible.