Affect Regulation Research Articles

A common neural response to perceiving but not implicitly regulating infant and adult affect in postpartum mothers

ABSTRACT The transition to parenthood requires parents develop caregiving behaviors, such as the ability to identify their infant’s emotions and regulate their own emotional response. Research has identified patterns of neural activation in parenting contexts that are interpreted as socioemotional processing. However, no prior research has directly tested whether mothers’ neural responses to their infant’s affect are the same as those involved in emotion perception/experience and regulation in other contexts. We employed conjunction analyses to clarify which components of mothers’ neural response to viewing their infant’s affect are shared with passively viewing and labeling adult affective faces (emotion perception/experience and implicit emotion regulation, respectively) in 24 mothers three months postpartum. Our results support a common neural response to viewing infant and adult affect in regions associated with emotion perception/experience (bilateral hippocampi, amygdalae, thalami, orbitofrontal cortex, and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex), but no areas of common response to viewing negative infant affect and implicitly regulating negative adult affect outside of the occipital lobe and cerebellum. This study provides corroborating evidence for shared neural patterns being involved in perceiving/experiencing infant and adult affect but not implicit regulation of infant and adult negative affect.

Can HRV Biofeedback Training Improve the Mental Resilience of Icelandic Police Officers?

High heart rate variability (HRV) is increasingly recognized as an indicator of a healthy regulatory system, reflecting the dynamic balance between sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PSNS) nervous system activity. According to the neurovisceral integration model, this balance is managed by the central autonomic network (CAN), comprised of specific brain regions involved in emotional, attentional, and autonomic regulation. HRV thus reflects the performance of the cognitive, affective, and autonomic regulation system. Numerous studies support the relationship between HRV and the CAN, including research on HRV biofeedback training (HRVBF). Studies on the effectiveness of HRVBF for professions such as police officers have shown improvements in self-regulation, decision-making, and performance. However, few studies have specifically explored HRVBF's influence on HRV metrics in police officers, highlighting a need for further research. This study addresses this gap by randomly assigning 27 Icelandic police officers to intervention or wait-list control groups. The intervention group underwent a five-week HRVBF program, including group and individual training sessions. Results showed significant increases in HRV metrics for the intervention group, indicating improved autonomic function and stress resilience. Mental resilience increased significantly as measured by subjective measures of attentional control, mindful awareness, and reduced fatigue. These findings support the efficacy of HRVBF in enhancing HRV and mental resilience for police officers, suggesting its applicability and potential for integration into existing training programs.

Episode model: The functional approach to emotional experiences of music

We present a novel framework for music and emotion research that addresses emotional experiences with music as functional episodes. This framework, called the Episode Model, places the situation and the function of the music for the individual at the centre of the experience and integrates acts of affective self-regulation to our understanding of music as emotional experiences. The model consists of a set of five common and functionally unique episodes of emotional experiences related to music, which are: (1) Enjoyment–Distraction–Relaxation (EDR), (2) Connection–Belonging (CB), (3) Focus–Motivation (FM), (4) Personal Emotional Processing (PEP), and (5) Aesthetic–Interest–Awe (AIA). Each episode type can be characterised by a distinct configuration of six descriptive schemes: (1) core affect and emotion qualia, (2) induction mechanisms, (3) listening modes and agency, (4) reward and exposure, (5) musical meanings, and (6) functional contexts. This framework of episodes and schemes places the functionality of emotions at the forefront of music and emotion research and explains how emotional experiences are situated and functionally constructed. In addition, we provide a set of assumptions and specific predictions to facilitate focussed empirical studies of emotional engagement with music.

Evaluating the role of binge planning and binge inevitability within affect regulation models of binge eating

Affect regulation models posit that aversive affective states drive binge-eating behavior, which then regulates negative emotions. However, recent findings among individuals with binge-eating disorder (BED) suggest that food-related anticipatory processes may precede and potentially explain the negative affect thought to drive binge eating. Specifically, studies using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) demonstrate that the negative affective state of “Guilt” (from the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) most strongly predicts later binge eating in the natural environment, and it has been hypothesized that planning a binge or feeling that a binge-eating episode is inventible may account for the increases in Guilt observed prior to binge episodes. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that binge planning or inevitability may contribute to feelings of shame (a key facet of the broader Guilt construct), which then predict binge-eating episodes, using EMA in 43 individuals with BED. Consistent with hypotheses, feelings of binge inevitability and planning prospectively predicted binge-eating episodes. Further, binge planning predicted subsequent increases in shame. However, shame did not predict subsequent increases in binge planning. Finally, a mediation model revealed that binge planning (Time 1) predicted future binge eating (Time 3) directly and indirectly through increases in shame (Time 2). The results provide novel evidence that individuals with BED anticipate and actively plan for binge-eating episodes, and that binge planning may explain the increased shame/guilt typically observed before binge eating. Overall, accruing evidence suggests that negative affect, although predictive of binge eating, may be better conceptualized as a consequence of the anticipatory processes that lead to binge eating, rather than the starting point, at least among some individuals with BED. Future experimental research is needed to more conclusively test this hypothesis.

Brief Peer-Supported Web-Based Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (BPS webSTAIR) for Trauma-Exposed Veterans in the Community: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Peer-supported mobile health (mHealth) programs hold the promise of providing a low-burden approach to increasing access to care and improving mental health. While peer support has been shown to improve engagement in care, there is limited investigation into the impact of peers on symptom outcomes. Trauma-exposed populations frequently endure co-occurring posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms as well as difficulties in day-to-day functioning. This study evaluated the potential benefits of a peer-supported, transdiagnostic mHealth program on symptom outcomes and functioning. This randomized controlled trial tested the effectiveness of Brief Peer-Supported (BPS) web-based Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (webSTAIR), a 6-module transdiagnostic digital program derived from Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation and compared to waitlist control in a community sample of veterans who screened positive for either posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression. A total of 178 veterans were enrolled in this study using a 2:1 randomization scheme with 117 assigned to BPS webSTAIR and 61 assigned to waitlist control. PTSD and depressive symptoms as well as emotion regulation and psychosocial functioning were assessed at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 8-week follow-up time points. Mixed-effects models were used to assess change in outcome measures across time points. Exploratory analyses were conducted to determine whether the type and number of peer interactions influenced outcomes. Significant interaction effects were observed for all outcomes such that participants randomized to BPS webSTAIR reported significantly greater improvement at the posttreatment time point compared to waitlist control with moderate effect sizes for PTSD (d=0.48), depression (d=0.64), emotion regulation (d=0.61), and functional impairment (d=0.61); gains were maintained at 8-week follow-up. An initial cohort of participants who were required to engage with a peer coach to progress through the modules interacted more frequently with peers but completed fewer modules compared to a later cohort for whom peer engagement was optional. Overall, those who completed more modules reported greater improvement in all outcomes. BPS webSTAIR was effective in improving PTSD and depression symptoms, emotion regulation, and psychosocial functioning in community veterans. Peer-supported, transdiagnostic mHealth programs may be a particularly efficient, effective, and low-burden approach to improving mental health among trauma-exposed populations. Investigation of peer-supported programs among other populations is necessary to evaluate the generalizability of the findings. Analyses comparing peer support that was required versus optional indicated that some veterans may not need or want peer support. Future research should evaluate how best to deliver peer support and for whom it is most beneficial. If successful, peer-supported tech programs may increase the Veteran Affairs workforce as well as improve veteran mental health services and outcomes. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04286165; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04286165.

Handholding reduces the recovery of threat memories and magnifies prefrontal hemodynamic responses

Human touch is a powerful means of social and affective regulation, promoting safety behaviors. Yet, despite its importance across human contexts, it remains unknown how touch can promote the learning of new safety memories and what neural processes underlie such effects. The current study used measures of peripheral physiology and brain activity to examine the effects of interpersonal touch during safety learning (extinction) on the recovery of previously learned threat. We observed that handholding during extinction significantly reduced threat recovery, which was reflected in enhanced prefrontal hemodynamic responses. This effect was absent when learners were instructed to hold a rubber ball, independent of the presence of their partners. Our findings indicate that social touch contributes to safety learning, potentially influencing threat memories via prefrontal circuitry.

Real-time biopsychosocial antecedents and correlates of functional neurological symptoms in daily life: A pilot remote monitoring technology study

Functional neurological symptom disorder (FNSD) is a neuropsychiatric diagnosis referring to symptoms resembling those of neurological disorders, occurring without causal neuropathology. FNSD has a complex biopsychosocial aetiology but its mechanisms are poorly understood. Remote monitoring technologies (RMT) could provide critical insights into functional neurological symptoms (FNS) in real-world contexts. We examined the feasibility and acceptability of a novel RMT protocol, to identify psychobiological correlates and antecedents of FNS in everyday life. Seventeen individuals with FNS (seizures/motor) and 17 healthy controls (HC) completed ecological momentary assessments (EMA) eight times daily for 1-week, reporting FNS severity, associated physical and psychological symptoms, and subjectively significant events. Sleep quality was reported daily. Physiological variables were measured using wearable Fitbit 5 devices. Multilevel modelling examined variables associated with FNS variability. Average EMA completion rates were good in both groups (≥80%). At week-level, the FNS group reported significantly greater subjective arousal, pain, fatigue, dissociation, negative affect, daily events, stressful events, and sleep duration, compared to HC. Objective sleep disturbance and duration, and resting heartrate, were also significantly greater in the FNS sample. FNS severity correlated significantly with daily events, affect, subjective arousal, pain, fatigue and sleep disturbance, at day- or within-day levels. Daily events and negative affect were the most prominent time-lagged predictors of within-day moment-to-moment FNS severity. RMTs are feasible and acceptable tools for investigation of FNS in real-world settings, revealing daily events and negative affect as possible triggers of FNS. Interventions targeting affective reactivity and regulation might be beneficial in this group. Larger-scale, longer-term RMT studies are needed in this population.

Suicidal Ideation as a Maladaptive Emotion Regulation Strategy: Implications for Treatment in Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a leading psychotherapy for the reduction of suicidal and self-injurious behaviors (SIBs). However, evidence shows that DBT may be comparably less effective at reducing suicidal ideation (SI) than SIBs. Improving the effectiveness of DBT for SI is critical, given that SI poses risk for SIBs and presents a substantial clinical burden. In the following theoretical paper, we first review evidence surrounding the effectiveness of DBT for SI reduction and explore why DBT may be comparably less effective at reducing SI than SIBs. We argue that DBT’s effectiveness for treating SI may be enhanced by a functional understanding of SI as a maladaptive form of affect regulation, as put forth by recent empirical research. Finally, we discuss implications of this model for treatment in DBT and provide clinical recommendations for how to target SI more effectively using DBT’s existing repertoire for behavior change.

Development and Pilot Testing of an Internet-Based Version of the Unified Protocol That Targets Positive Affect Regulation: A Treatment Development Report

Anxiety and depressive disorders are common and continue to increase in prevalence. However, most individuals who meet the criteria for these disorders do not receive any treatment, and only a small portion receive evidence-based care. Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) are one way to increase access to evidence-based psychological treatments. Evidence supports the efficacy of disorder-specific and transdiagnostic DMHIs based on cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety and depression. Most of these interventions focus on reducing symptoms and negative affect. However, research indicates that deficits in positive affect, a related yet distinct construct, are common across these disorders. The current study reports on the development of an Internet-based version of the unified protocol that also targets positive affect regulation. We also report results from a small initial pilot study (N = 4) on the acceptability of the intervention, preliminary outcomes, and participant feedback used to inform refinements to the program. Participants generally found the program to be acceptable. In terms of preliminary outcomes, there was a statistically significant reduction in anxiety symptoms at the group level from pre- to posttreatment. There were no other statistically significant results at the group level from pre- to posttreatment on stress, depression, savoring, or well-being. However, individual participants reported clinically significant changes in various outcomes. Results also highlight the importance of receiving participant feedback early in the development process.

Practical Resources for Effective Postpartum Parenting (PREPP): a randomized controlled trial of a novel parent-infant dyadic intervention to reduce symptoms of postpartum depression: RCT of the PREPP intervention for postpartum depression

BackgroundThere is little known about the effectiveness of psychological interventions to prevent postpartum depression that focus on the birthing parent and infant dyad. Risk factors for PPD include depression during pregnancy, low parenting self-efficacy, and disrupted parental nocturnal sleep. The brief Practical Resources for Effective Postpartum Parenting (PREPP) intervention is designed for pregnant individuals at-risk for postpartum depression, providing them with 1) caregiving strategies aimed at reducing infant fuss and cry behavior and increasing infant sleep, 2) self-reflection and mindfulness skills and 3) psychoeducation about the postpartum period and infant behavior. The aims are to set more realistic postpartum expectations, enhance parenting confidence and sleep via supporting infant regulatory behavior, improve parental affect regulation and ultimately reduce the risk of postpartum depression. ObjectivesAssess the effectiveness of PREPP compared to enhanced treatment as usual in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety and episodes of infant fuss and cry behavior and improving parental and infant sleep in the early postpartum. Study designA randomized controlled trial was conducted of 175 pregnant individuals. Inclusion criteria were standard prenatal care for a singleton pregnancy, aged 18 to 45 and at increased risk of PPD as determined by a score of ≥19 on the Predictive Index of Postnatal Depression or ≥7 on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Participants assigned to the PREPP group (n=88) received three coaching sessions and two phone check-ins. Participants assigned to the enhanced treatment as usual group (n=87) received three sessions which included psychoeducation, mood assessments, and clinical referral and follow-up as indicated. Assessments were conducted at 28 to 32 weeks and 34 to 39 weeks gestation, and at six, 12 and 16 weeks postpartum and included measures of parental depression, anxiety and sleep (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Hamilton Rating Scales of Depression and Anxiety and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and infant sleep and fuss and cry behavior (Baby Day Diary). ResultsCompared to enhanced treatment as usual, PREPP significantly reduced depressive symptoms at six, 12 and 16 weeks postpartum with medium to large effect sizes (d=0.7-0.98). Compared to enhanced treatment as usual, participants receiving PREPP reported less of a decline in sleep quality at six weeks postpartum (p=0.035) and the effect size was large (d=0.83). Moreover, parents receiving the PREPP intervention reported less infant fussing and crying, with the largest effect for morning crying (p<0.001; d=-1.48). ConclusionsThe results provide evidence that PREPP, initiated during pregnancy, reduced symptoms of parental depression and infant fuss and cry behavior in the early postpartum, compared to enhanced treatment as usual, in a sample at-risk for postpartum depression.

Emotional overeating and eating motives during COVID-19 in Polish women: Intergroup comparison among participants in various body mass index categories

Introduction: Taking into account the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ac-companying lockdown resulting in increased negative emotions, it is interesting to learn about eating motives and behaviors and check their intensity. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences between Polish women in various body mass index categories in terms of eating motives and emotional overeating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and methods: This study sample comprised 1,447 women (Mage = 31.34 ± 11.05; MBMI = 23.79 ± 4.59). The research used the following tools: the Eating Motivation Survey, the Emotional Overeating Questionnaire, and socio-demographic questions. Results: Focusing on selected significant outcomes, women with obesity had a higher level of emotional overeating and affect regulation related-eating motive and a lower level of need &amp; hunger- and health-related eating motives than women with normal body weight. Conclusions: In view of the results of this and other eating-behavior-related studies, it is worth considering the possibility of additional researches related to the COVID-19 pandemic and other crisis situations. Eating behaviors are an important aspect of maintaining proper mental and physical health of people, so it is worth remembering that public healthcare professionals (such as psychologists, nutritionists, and primary care physicians) can effectively help reduce incorrect eating behaviors.

Examining the association among adolescents' emotional clarity, emotion differentiation, and the regulation of negative and positive affect using a daily diary approach.

Emotional clarity and emotion differentiation (ED) are two core aspects of the application of emotional knowledge. During adolescence, novel emotional experiences result in temporary decreases of differentiation and clarity. These temporary difficulties might profoundly impact choices of regulatory strategies. And indeed, prior research has shown that lower emotional clarity and emotion differentiation are each associated with higher use of putatively maladaptive emotion regulation strategies in youth. The two constructs, however, are rarely examined together, and it remains unclear how they are associated in daily life, particularly in children and adolescents. In addition, previous studies have focused on the regulation of negative but not positive affect. To address these gaps, the present study used an intensive longitudinal design in youth. Between June 2021 and March 2022, 172 children and adolescents (M = 12.99 years) completed a 28-day diary (> 3,500 entries in total) reporting daily affect, emotional clarity, and the use of five emotion regulation strategies in response to negative and positive affect (i.e., rumination, dampening, behavioral avoidance, negative and positive suppression). As predicted, on both between- and within-person levels, higher emotional clarity was associated with decreased use of all maladaptive emotion regulation strategies after adjusting for mean affect intensity. Results for emotion differentiation were mostly nonsignificant. Only higher daily positive emotion differentiation was associated with decreased rumination. In sum, this innovative study explores multiple aspects of emotional knowledge usage and regulation during a critical developmental stage and emphasizes the role of emotional clarity in the regulation of negative and positive affect. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Expression patterns of folate metabolism-related enzymes in the bovine oviduct: estrous cycle-dependent modulation and responsiveness to folic acid

Folate metabolism is required for important biochemical processes that regulate cell functioning, but its role in female reproductive physiology in cattle during peri- and post-conceptional periods has not been thoroughly explored. Previous studies have shown the presence of folate in bovine oviductal fluid, as well as finely regulated gene expression of folate receptors and transporters in bovine oviduct epithelial cells (BOECs). Additionally, extracellular folic acid (FA) affects the transcriptional levels of genes important for the functioning of BOECs. However, it remains unknown whether the anatomical and cyclic features inherent to the oviduct affect regulation of folate metabolism. The present study aimed to characterize the gene expression pattern of folate cycle enzymes in BOECs from different anatomical regions during the estrous cycle and to determine the transcriptional response of these genes to increasing concentrations of exogenous FA. A first PCR screening showed the presence of transcripts encoding dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), and methionine synthase (MTR) in bovine reproductive tissues (ovary, oviduct and uterus), with expression levels in oviductal tissues comparable to, or even higher than, those detected in ovarian and uterine tissues. Moreover, expression analysis through RT-qPCR in BOECs from the ampulla and isthmus during different stages of the estrous cycle demonstrated that folate metabolism-related enzymes exhibited cycle-dependent variations. In both anatomical regions, DHFR was upregulated during the preovulatory stage, while MTHFR and MTR exhibited increased expression levels during the postovulatory stage. Under in vitro culture conditions, ampullary and isthmic cells were cultured in the presence of 10, 50, and 100 μM FA for 24 h. Under these conditions, isthmus epithelial cells exhibited a unique transcriptional response to exogenous FA, showing a pronounced increase in MTR expression levels. Our results suggest that the expression of folate metabolism-related genes in BOECs is differentially regulated during the estrous cycle and may respond to exogenous levels of folate. This offers a new perspective on the transcriptional regulation of genes associated with the folate cycle in oviductal cells and provides groundwork for future studies on their functional and epigenetic implications within the oviductal microenvironment.

Introduction to In Session special issue: Psychotherapy for complex PTSD.

Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) is a condition resulting from exposure to chronic, interpersonal traumatic events, in which some form of control or power dynamics existed. Its clinical picture includes the main symptom clusters of posttraumatic stress disorder, accompanied by dysregulated emotion, problems in interpersonal relationships, and difficulties in identity integration. In addition, both clinical work and research have shown CPTSD to include highly distressing and complicated psychological phenomena, such as identification with the aggressor, various forms of dissociation, self-harmand self-destructive behaviors, and more. Due to this highly complex and multilayered clinical picture, the treatment of CPTSD poses a significant clinical challenge to therapists. In this special issue of In Session, we present a series of case studies, each representing a different therapeutic approach to CPTSD (e.g., skills training for affective and interpersonal regulation, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, psychodynamic, integrative psychotherapy). These cases also represent a wide variety of patient populations, as well as different types of underlying traumatic events. Together, they reveal the breadth of clinical possibilities currently available to trauma therapists encountering cases of CPTSD. They also highlight the challenges and dilemmas that clinicians often face when treating this condition, as well as ways to overcome those.

The role of affective control, strategy repertoire and subjective emotion regulation success in developmental internalising psychopathology

Adolescence poses significant challenges for emotion regulation (ER) and is thus a critical phase in the emergence of various mental disorders, specifically internalising disorders such as anxiety and depression. Affective control, defined as the application of cognitive control in affective contexts, is crucial for effective ER. However, the relationship between ER and affective control is unclear. This study examined the predictive role of ER strategies and difficulties in affective control, measured as the congruency effect and error rate on an Emotional Stroop task (EST), in a sample of adolescents and young adults (aged 14–21, M = 17.28, 22% male). It was hypothesised that participants with internalising disorders would show higher congruency effects and error rates on the EST than healthy controls after a psychosocial stress induction, indicating lower affective control. Surprisingly, our findings revealed no significant differences in these measures between the groups. However, higher depression scores were associated with increased EST errors. While ER strategies and difficulties did not predict affective control, exploratory analyses unveiled associations between depression scores and ER strategy repertoire, perceived ER success and the ER strategy Acceptance. These findings underscore the importance of implicit ER facets, particularly perceived ER success and flexibility to change between applied strategies for adolescents and young adults with elevated depressive symptoms.

Cultural Adaptation of Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation Therapy for Spanish-speaking Caribbean Veterans at the VA Caribbean Healthcare System: A preliminary study of feasibility and acceptability in a Primary Care setting

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has endorsed the Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR) therapy as an effective intervention for reducing PTSD symptoms, enhancing self-regulation, and improving interpersonal efficacy. However, Spanish-speaking veterans at the VA Caribbean Healthcare System lacked access to STAIR manuals in their preferred language. This study addressed this gap by translating and culturally adapting the STAIR therapy participant manual using the Ecological Validity Model (EVM). The materials were then tested in a randomized intervention with six Caribbean Spanish-speaking male veterans, aged 23-62, diagnosed with PTSD who received mental health services at the Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PC-MHI) level of care. Nonparametric tests were used to evaluate symptom progression, and content analysis was conducted on semi-structured interviews. There were no statistically significant changes in PTSD, emotion regulation, or interpersonal problems within the groups. However, participants in the intervention group reported clinically significant changes regarding PTSD symptoms. Interviews with therapists and STAIR participants highlighted improvements in social engagement and interpersonal boundaries. The intervention was found to be feasible and acceptable at PC-MHI. The culturally adapted Spanish version of the STAIR manual proved to be effective, suggesting that STAIR may be a viable approach for reducing PTSD symptoms and improving interpersonal and self-regulation strategies among Spanish-speaking veterans in primary care settings. A randomized control trial is recommended to further explore its efficacy.

Musicians' pursuit of expertise-related goals is characterised by strategic regulation of functional and counterproductive affect.

Emotion regulation is an important part of effective goal pursuit. Functional accounts of emotion regulation suggest that the attainment of challenging goals may be supported by regulating emotions which promote utilitarian over hedonic outcomes. When pursuing the challenging, long-term goal of acquiring expert musical skills and knowledge, musicians may wish to prioritise whichever emotions are most conducive to attaining this goal, even if those emotions are not necessarily positive. Via an online questionnaire, musicians (N = 421) answered questions concerning their musical experience and their expertise-related practice goals. They also reported how strongly they experienced different emotions during practice, and how strongly they desired to either increase or decrease the intensity of those same emotions. Data were analysed using inferential frequentist statistics and Bayesian mixed effects models. Evidence ratios (ER) > 19 were considered strong evidence in favour of an effect. Our analysis showed that musicians experienced and desired strong levels of positive emotions in their practice. In addition, they reported greater desire to intensify positive compared to negative emotions [paired t (420) = 58.13, p < 0.001]. Our Bayesian mixed effects model provided strong evidence that greater desire to intensify anger increased the probability that an observation derived from a musician with stronger expertise-related goals [Est = 0.70; Odds (Est > 0) > 9,999]. In addition to anger, higher levels of expertise-related goals were increasingly predicted by less strong desire to intensify guilt and gloom and greater desire to reduce downheartedness (all ER > 19). Overall, musicians had a strong, general desire to intensify positive emotions during their musical practice. However, musicians with higher levels of expertise-related goals increasingly indicated a nuanced approach regarding how they desired to regulate certain negative emotions. Findings suggest that musicians engage in selective and sophisticated emotion regulation behaviour that aligns with their long-term commitment to develop musical expertise. They may prioritise emotions which may be functionally beneficial, whilst avoiding emotions which may be counterproductive or undermine efforts. Findings from this study contribute to our understanding of expertise-related, domain-specific emotion regulation behaviour and may inform the design of prioritised musical practice strategies.

Similarities and differences in the functions of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) across gender non-conforming and cisgender young adults

BackgroundNon-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) can be motivated by a broad range of functions and many individuals report multiple reasons for self-injuring. Most NSSI research has involved predominantly female samples and few studies have examined gender similarities and differences in function endorsement. MethodsWe characterise the prevalence and versatility of NSSI functions within a gender-diverse online sample of cisgender women (cis-women; n = 280), cisgender men (cis-men; n = 176), and transgender, non-binary, and other gender non-conforming young adults (TGNC; n = 80) age 18–30 (M = 23.73, SD = 3.55). The Ottawa Self-Injury Inventory (OSI-F) assessed 24 intrapersonal and social functions across nine domains: affect regulation, self-punishment, anti-dissociation, anti-suicide, sensation seeking, sexuality, interpersonal influence, and body image. ResultsTGNC participants and cis-women were significantly more likely to report intrapersonally motivated NSSI and greater function versatility than cis-men. Low mood, emotional distress, suicidality, and trauma symptomology appeared to contribute to gender differences in function endorsement. Gender similarities also emerged; across groups, intrapersonal functions were substantially more common than social functions, and the most endorsed domains were affect regulation and self-punishment. No domains were gender specific. LimitationsThe OSI-F was developed from majority female samples and may not adequately capture the experiences of other gender groups. ConclusionsInterventions which reduce distress and strengthen emotion regulation are likely to benefit individuals who self-injure regardless of gender. However, most individuals report multiple NSSI functions and person-centred interventions which address this complexity are needed. Future research should develop gender-informed treatment models which consider the unique experiences of TGNC individuals and cis-men who self-injure.

Supporting treatment adherence for resilience and thriving (START): protocol for a mHealth randomized controlled trial

BackgroundAlthough behavioral interventions show some promise for reducing stimulant use and achieving durable viral suppression in sexual minority men (SMM) with HIV, scalable mHealth applications are needed to optimize their reach and cost-effectiveness.MethodsSupporting Treatment Adherence for Resilience and Thriving (START) is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) testing the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a mHealth application that integrates evidence-based positive affect regulation skills with self-monitoring of adherence and mood. The primary outcome is detectable HIV viral load (i.e., > 300 copies/mL) from self-collected dried blood spot (DBS) specimens at 6 months. Secondary outcomes include detectable DBS viral load at 12 months, self-reported stimulant use severity, anti-retroviral therapy (ART) adherence, and positive affect over 12 months. A national sample of up to 250 SMM with HIV who screen positive for stimulant use disorder and reporting suboptimal ART adherence is being recruited via social networking applications through April of 2024. After providing informed consent, participants complete a run-in period (i.e., waiting period) including two baseline assessments with self-report measures and a self-collected DBS sample. Those who complete the run-in period are randomized to either the START mHealth application or access to a website with referrals to HIV care and substance use disorder treatment resources. Participants provide DBS samples at baseline, 6, and 12 months to measure HIV viral load as well as complete self-report measures for secondary outcomes at quarterly follow-up assessments over 12 months.DiscussionTo date, we have paid $117,500 to advertise START on social networking applications and reached 1,970 eligible participants ($59.77 per eligible participant). Although we identified this large national sample of potentially eligible SMM with HIV who screen positive for a stimulant use disorder and report suboptimal ART adherence, only one-in-four have enrolled in the RCT. The run-in period has proven to be crucial for maintaining scientific rigor and reproducibility of this RCT, such that only half of consented participants complete the required study enrollment activities and attended a randomization visit. Taken together, findings will guide adequate resource allocation to achieve randomization targets in future mHealth research SMM with HIV who use stimulants.Trial RegistrationThis protocol was registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05140876) on December 2, 2021.

Resting vagally-mediated heart rate variability in the laboratory is associated with momentary negative affect and emotion regulation in daily life.

Vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) is a physiological index reflecting parasympathetic activity that has been linked to emotion regulation (ER) capacity. However, very limited research has examined associations of physiological indices of regulation such as vmHRV with emotional functioning in daily life. The few studies that exist have small samples sizes and typically focus on only a narrow aspect of ER or emotional functioning. In this study, we examined associations between vmHRV assessed in the laboratory and emotional/mental health functioning in daily life using a 7-day ecological momentary assessment design in 303 adult community participants. We hypothesized that higher resting vmHRV would be associated with higher positive affect (PA), lower negative affect (NA), less affective variability, greater well-being, fewer dysphoria symptoms, greater use of engagement ER strategies, and less use of avoidance ER strategies, as assessed in daily life. Results revealed that higher resting vmHRV in the laboratory (as indexed by both high frequency heart rate variability, HF-HRV, and the root mean of successive square deviations between heart beats, RMSSD) was significantly associated with less frequent use of avoidance ER strategies in daily life. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed, including the association of vmHRV with negatively valenced, rather than positively valenced, daily life experiences.