Cognitive Intervention Techniques Research Articles

A-195 The Indirect Effects of Repetitive Negative Thinking and Emotion Dysregulation on the Association Between Attentional Control and Anxiety Symptoms

Abstract Objective: Attentional control has been found to influence the ability to effectively down-regulate negative emotional states and attenuate intrusive negative thinking. The present study aims to clarify the unique effects of attentional control on anxiety symptoms through perseverative negative thinking and emotional dysregulation. Method: A sample of undergraduate psychology students (n=741) completed the Attentional Control Scale-Straightforward (ACS), the Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ), the Difficulties with Emotion Regulation Scale-Short Form (DERS-SF), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). A parallel mediation model was tested in the PROCESS macro in SPSS using 10,000 sample bias-corrected bootstrapping. Results: Attentional control was negatively associated with emotional dysregulation, B=-.30, [-.41, -.18], repetitive negative thinking, B=-.37, [-.50, -.24], and anxiety symptoms, B=-.07, [-.11, -.02]. Repetitive negative thinking, B=.13, [.11, .16], and emotional dysregulation, B=.06, [.03, .09], were both positively associated with anxiety symptoms. There was an indirect effect of attentional control on anxiety symptoms through both repetitive negative thinking, B=-.05, [-.07, -.03], and emotional dysregulation, B=-.02, [-.03, -.01]. The direct effect was no longer significant after accounting for repetitive negative thinking and emotional dysregulation in the model, B=.00, [-.04, .04]. Conclusions: These findings indicate that the relationship between attentional control and anxiety symptoms can be explained by emotion dysregulation and repetitive negative thinking. Future research focusing on whether the use of attentional and cognitive resources can prospectively predict emotion regulation and perseverative negative thinking may assist with better understanding the mechanism of attentional and cognitive intervention techniques.

Characteristics of Individuals Who Converted to Dementia during a 5-Year Follow-Up

Introduction: Early diagnosis of dementia is important; however, the diagnostic criteria for the preclinical stage of dementia, including biomarkers and pathophysiological markers, are not suitable for application in patients in real-world clinical settings. One potential noninvasive method to predict the risk of dementia conversion is the neuropsychological test. Therefore, in this study, we examined the results of various assessments, such as comprehensive neuropsychological tests, and the daily function of participants who were evaluated periodically for 5 years. Methods: All participants were outpatients or inpatients with subjective cognitive complaints, who visited a local university hospital for neuropsychiatric evaluation, between January 2011 and January 2019. Of a total of 1,652 subjects who underwent initial screening during this period, 107 were nondemented individuals. These participants underwent periodic comprehensive cognitive tests for up to 5 years. Survival and factors affecting dementia conversion were analyzed using the time-dependent Cox regression analysis. Assessment items included demographic information, including age, sex, and education; 5 cognitive domains of a comprehensive neuropsychological test including memory, language, attention, visuospatial functions, and frontal (executive) function; Barthel’s activities of daily living; the mini-mental state examination findings; and clinical dementia rating (CDR) scores. Results: This study included 61 participants (21 women and 40 men) who developed dementia during the study period. Verification of the cognitive variables affecting dementia conversion revealed that better memory was associated with a lower risk of conversion (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.614, p = 0.005) and higher attention was associated with a higher risk of conversion (HR = 1.602, p = 0.023). In the analysis of the subscales of the CDR, a higher community affairs score (i.e., less social activities) was associated with a higher risk of conversion (HR = 10.814, p = 0.028). Conclusion: Individuals with prominent memory decline or problems with social activities should be carefully observed for dementia conversion. Cognitive intervention techniques for cognitive stimulation, such as social and leisure activities, as well as cognitive training need to be actively used for patients in whom dementia is a concern.

Emotion processing in intermittent explosive disorder

Intermittent explosive disorder (IED), a disorder characterized by outbursts of affective aggression, is associated with deficits in regulating emotions. However, less is known about specific deficits in understanding and processing emotions in IED. This study sought to fill that gap by examining components of emotion processing (rumination, alexithymia, and empathy) in those with IED. Participants completed diagnostic interviews and self-report measures, and were categorized into three diagnostic groups: IED (n = 177), Psychiatric Control (PC; n = 171), and Healthy Volunteer (HV; n = 144). Those with IED reported more anger rumination and greater difficulty identifying their feelings than PC or HV participants. Interestingly, those with IED reported higher affective empathy scores than those in the HV group, with no other group differences on measures of empathy. Amongst those with IED, increased anger rumination and decreased sadness rumination predicted greater lifetime aggression, while increased sadness rumination predicted poorer quality of life. These findings suggest that although those with IED have a harder time recognizing their emotions, once they identify feeling angry, they spend more time focused this emotion than those with other disorders. These findings also suggest that cognitive intervention techniques may be beneficial for those with IED.

Emerging Literature on Cognitive Intervention Techniques for Early Stage Dementia

Dementia is a growing world-wide phenomenon, impacting more than six million people in the United States. Despite its high projected prevalence, it is a significantly under-represented phenomena, with (under)estimate ranging from 15-25% of the general population. The effect of the aging of the population and significant increase in life expectancy has combined to catapult dementia into the range of one of most alarming healthcare problems. Diverse and emerging literature in the area of cognitive prevention/intervention for mild cognitive impairment (MCI)/early stage dementia will be reviewed. Additionally, future research and clinical directions will be explored.

Cognitively-based methods of enhancing and maintaining functioning in those at risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Projections indicate that the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementias will increase two to three fold in the coming decades. As a result, there has been considerable interest in identifying methods that maintain or enhance cognitive functioning in these older adults. Existing pharmacological agents are limited in this respect and disease-modifying agents are years away from being available. Cognitively based interventions (i.e., cognitive training, cognitive rehabilitation) hold particular promise for maximizing patients' functioning, are relatively inexpensive, and have virtually no side effects. Everyday life is complex and multifaceted, which means that a personalized approach is essential for maximizing and prolonging functioning in each patient. Unfortunately, little is known about the factors contributing to such an approach. The current review first identifies several lifestyle factors that have been shown to be neuroprotective as well as risk factors that may ultimately contribute to the efficacy of different cognitive intervention techniques. There is a critical need to understand the conditions under which individual techniques are effective; an issue examined through characteristic examples across the AD spectrum. While limited at this time, there is some evidence of the long-term benefits of cognitive intervention. We conclude by describing several critical areas of investigation and proposing a clinically oriented framework for both furthering cognitive intervention research and providing patient-centered care.

Acquisition of the Long Jump Skill, Using Different Learning Techniques

This study examined the contribution of instructional self-talk and observational learning on the development of long jump technique. Sixty-nine beginner athletes were randomly assigned to four groups: ‘self-talk’, ‘video’, ‘self-talk + video’ and control group. All groups performed 24 practice sessions, consisting of a cognitive intervention program in the form of either instructional self-talk or observational learning, or a combination of both, and the practice of specific drills. A significantly higher performance improvement was recorded for the self-talk group in post test, whereas when kinematic variables of the motor skill (center of mass displacement) were assessed, “observational learning” proved to be more effective. The findings of the current study suggest that young, beginner athletes, participating in complicated tasks, may benefit from cognitive intervention techniques, through enhanced attentional focus on the most critical elements of the motor skill.

An Evidence-Based Systematic Review on Cognitive Interventions for Individuals With Dementia

To evaluate the current state of research evidence related to cognitive interventions for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias. A systematic search of the literature was conducted across 27 electronic databases based on a set of a priori questions, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and search parameters. Studies were appraised for methodological quality and categorized according to intervention technique and outcome (e.g., cognitive-communication impairment or activity limitation/participation restriction). Results were summarized and, when possible, analyzed quantitatively using indicators of treatment effect size. Forty-three studies met criteria for inclusion in the review. The most commonly used cognitive intervention techniques used were errorless learning, spaced-retrieval training, vanishing cues, or verbal instruction/cueing. Most treatment outcomes were measured at the cognitive-communication impairment level of functioning and were generally positive. However, results should be interpreted cautiously because of methodological limitations across studies. Research evidence to support the use of cognitive interventions for individuals with dementia is accumulating. Researchers are beginning to evaluate treatment efficacy, yet the focus tends to be on discovery, specifically, refining intervention variables that will facilitate optimal outcomes. Implications for clinical practice and avenues for future research are discussed.

The general responsivity principle in community supervision: the importance of probation officers using cognitive intervention techniques and its influence on recidivism

The present study examines the General Responsivity Principle of the Risk–Need–Responsivity model of offender assessment and treatment which holds that employing cognitive social learning methods to influence the behavior of offenders is the most effective approach to reduce recidivism. In this study, the prevalence rates of probation officers discussing procriminal attitudes and their use of cognitive intervention strategies during one-on-one supervision sessions with their clients was assessed and the impact of these discussions and strategies on reoffending was examined. Audio-recorded supervision sessions from officers engaging in routine practice as well as from officers who were trained in the Strategic Training Initiative in Community Supervision (STICS) model were rated. Results indicated that without this training, officers infrequently (i.e., approximately 5% of the recorded sessions) discussed procriminal attitudes/cognitions and rarely used cognitive intervention techniques with their clients (i.e., approximately 1% of sessions). Officers who were STICS trained showed significant improvement in talking about attitudes and using cognitive intervention techniques (i.e., 39 and 42% of sessions, respectively). Cox regression survival analysis found the use of cognitive intervention techniques was significantly related to lower rates of reoffending. These findings support the General Responsivity Principle within the context of one-on-one community supervision.

Cognitive correlates in toddlers born very low birth weight and full-term

Understanding what contributes to children's cognitive development can improve our ability to identify those children at risk for later developmental disorders. We hypothesized that cognition would be more strongly associated with child and mother interaction variables such as communication, sensitivity and affect during play in contrast to medical variables in preterm children, and that these same variables would also be correlates of cognition in children born full-term. Cognition was measured by the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II Mental Developmental Index and mother–toddler play interactions were coded with the Caregiver–Child Affect, Responsiveness and Engagement Scales (C-CARES) for child and mother affect, communication, and sensitivity in 40 very low birth weight (VLBW) and 54 full-term toddlers at 18–22 months of age, adjusted for gestational age. Two different multivariate models were identified that best predicted cognition in the two sets of toddlers. For the toddlers born VLBW, days on ventilation, maternal education and the three C-CARES Child Play scales (sensitivity, affect and communication) were the best predictors of cognition. In contrast, the multivariate model that best correlated with cognition for the children born full-term included the Maternal Communication scale of the C-CARES. The different multivariate models identified for toddlers born preterm compared to those born full-term emphasizes the importance of using identification and cognitive intervention techniques that are uniquely tailored for children born very low birth weight. Findings highlight the importance of investigating beyond more traditional measures of cognition by incorporating play-based socio-emotional measures.

Cognitive intervention with elite performers: reversal theory.

Noticeable in the literature associated with the application of psychology to the area of sport and sports performance in particular has been the increasing frequency of references to the use of cognitive intervention in the sports context. Currently utilised in clinical psychology and behavioural medicine, and receiving increasing attention in sports psychology, are a number of intervention techniques primarily oriented towards altering the individual's level of arousal. These techniques, which have been advocated for use by sports performers as an aid to adapting and coping during competition, have been largely concerned with arousal reduction. This paper presents an alternative approach, the case of reversal theory, a new general theory of psychology concerned with motivation, and emphasises the conceptual implications of this new approach for the use of cognitive intervention techniques in sport.

Competitive Sport Environments

Cognitive intervention techniques have been widely employed in clinical psychology as a method of facilitating behavior change. Recently, sport psychologists have employed cognitive behavior modification strategies in an attempt to improve and optimize athletic performance. The purpose of this article is to outline a comprehensive program of cognitive intervention that hasbeen successfully utilized to modify and enhance athlete performance in actual intercollegiate sport environments. Three single case studies utilizingan A-B design are presented in detail. Descriptions of the intervention technique and comparisons of preprogram performance with during-program performance are presented. In each case the techniques involved problem identification, cognitive restructuring, and use of self-instructional imagery. All athletes participating in the intervention experienced significant performance improvements as evidenced by a comparison of baseline performances with post-intervention performances.2.

Raising the IQ: The Ramey and Haskins study

The Ramey and Haskins intervention experiment succeeded in producing IQ gains at three years of age averaging about one standard deviation in young children who were selected for being at risk for subnormal intellectual development. The study is examined in terms of its consistency with other findings, the heritability of IQ, the g aspect of IQ, the simplex pattern of longitudinal interage mental test score correlations, mother-child IQ correlations, and criteria for establishing educationally and socially significant gains in intelligence defined as g rather than as a score on a particular test. Narrow transfer of training from cognitive intervention techniques to IQ test performance in early childhood, rather than enhancement of the g factor itself, is hypothesized as a cause of the typical fadeout of early IQ gains in later childhood.