Emotional Cascade Research Articles

Influencia de las emociones sobre la confianza institucional

This document examines the relationship between the collective emotions expressed by young people in Colombia at various times and their trust in the country’s institutions. An aggregated measure of institutional trust is constructed using the Multiple Correspondence Analysis technique. Subsequently, the relationship and impact of emotions on institutional trust are estimated through the fitting of a model adjusted to the Generalized Beta Type 1 density function. The emotions that generate the most social mobilization are anger, sadness, and surprise, with the latter having differential effects depending on age and levels of institutional trust. No differences in perceptions towards institutions were found based on the gender of the respondents. Issues are dynamic and may vary according to predominant emotions. Contrary to expectations, joy does not have a positive effect on institutional trust. Additionally, there is no evidence of emotional cascades, despite dynamic changes in collective emotions during each conjunctural process.

A Review of the Influencing Factors and Development Mechanisms of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Adolescents

This paper reviews the influencing factors and pathogenesis of adolescent non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). NSSI is a major public health problem, and its incidence is increasing year by year, especially among adolescents, with the detection rate of NSSI reaching 28.7%. This paper first introduces the epidemiological characteristics of NSSI and points out that there are significant differences in the incidence of NSSI in different countries and regions. Then, this paper analyzes in detail a variety of influencing factors, mainly including environmental factors (childhood trauma, school bullying, social environment, family dysfunction, etc.), individual factors (mental illness, neurobiological differences, personality traits, inadequate Emotion regulation, etc.) and the interaction between individuals and the environment. This paper also discusses the process of NSSI behavior occurrence, maintenance and termination, and introduces several theoretical models such as empirical avoidance model, four-function model and emotional cascade model. Although some progress has been made in existing studies, the occurrence and development mechanism of NSSI behavior is still unclear in existing studies, and longitudinal studies on long-term changes of NSSI behavior are lacking, and research samples are mostly concentrated in specific groups. Future studies should strengthen the longitudinal tracking of NSSI behavior, expand the diversity of research samples, and deeply explore the mechanism and complexity of NSSI, in order to better understand and intervene this important public health problem.

Distress tolerance and lifetime frequency of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI): A systematic review and meta-analysis.

NSSI has recently been recognized as a significant health issue given its documented association with psychopathology and across a broad spectrum of psychiatric disorders. It has been found that individuals experiencing heightened emotions, which is referred to as an emotional cascade, are more likely to engage in self-injury behaviour due to low levels of distress tolerance (DT). The current meta-analysis using PRISMA guidelines sought to quantify the strength of the association between DT and lifetime frequency of NSSI using 22 eligible studies (N= 14,588; F = 60.7%; age =23.35 ±7.30), mainly from the United States. The correlation between emotional DT and NSSI was a small negative correlation (r = -.14), and it was non-significant for behavioural DT and NSSI (r = .02). Also, the effect-size was significant for studies that used interview-based measure of NSSI (r= -.24), and it was non-significant when self-report measures of NSSI (r =-.11) utilized. The association between DT and NSSI was significant and negative across the general population (r= -.47), university students (r= -.17), and inpatients (r= -.27); surprisingly, it was significant and positive among adolescents or high school students (r= .17). The observed effect-sizes were independent of publication year, mean age and its standard deviation, study quality, female proportion, DT, NSSI measures reliability, and clinical status. Future studies on NSSI should consider DT as a spectrum from distress intolerance to distress over-tolerance, given that it seems it has different functions when different samples (e.g., adolescents) are studied.

Body regard disrupts emotional cascade processes in nonsuicidal self-injury.

This study sought to empirically examine the Emotional Cascade Model of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), and to examine if body regard mitigates these variables' impact on NSSI in college students. We tested a three-way interaction between emotional reactivity, maladaptive cognitive regulation strategies, and body regard predicting NSSI frequency. Two thousand sixty-six undergraduate students (Mage = 20.38; 72.4% identified as female; 91.7% White; 22.7% with NSSI) completed measures of emotion reactivity, maladaptive cognitive regulation strategies, body regard, and lifetime NSSI frequency. The three-way interaction between emotion reactivity, maladaptive cognitive regulation strategies, and body regard was significant. The interaction effect of emotional reactivity and maladaptive cognitive regulation strategies on NSSI was significant when body regard was low but not significant at average and high levels of body regard. The highest NSSI frequency was reported by those high in emotion reactivity and maladaptive cognitive regulation strategies, and low in body regard. These results support the emotional cascade theory of NSSI, and support assertions that body regard might act as a protective barrier against NSSI in the context of heightened emotion reactivity and maladaptive cognitive regulation strategies.

Assessment and Disruption of Ruminative Episodes to Enhance Mobile Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions in Clinical Depression: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

A just-in-time adaptive intervention (JITAI) is "designed to address the dynamically changing needs of individuals via the provision of the type or amount of support needed, at the right time when needed." If and how rumination-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (RFCBT), the gold standard, blocks emotional cascades underlying rumination is unclear. Furthermore, cognitive behavioral therapy has been successfully used as a mobile variant, but RFCBT has not been adapted for a mobile variant (mobile RFCBT [MRFCBT]) or for a JITAI variant. This study aimed to pilot-test a fully automated JITAI leveraging RFCBT and ways to identify and block cascading depressive rumination. Patients in therapy for clinical depression were recruited for a randomized controlled trial (RCT). After consenting to be part of the RCT, they were randomly assigned to either of the 2 mobile versions of the RFCBT conditions personalized to the individual's rumination timing patterns (JITAI-MRFCBT) or a no-treatment control condition through a double-blind procedure. Although the initial design was to have a 3-armed trial with 2 JITAI conditions (a JITAI and a narrative JITAI condition), we later opted to collapse those 2 conditions into 1 JITAI condition because of the low number of participants. All participants were recruited and participated through their smartphones, receiving 5 SMS text message reminders on each of the 35 days to self-report their rumination-related symptoms (eg, rumination episodes and duration). In the JITAI-MRFCBT condition, they also received treatment materials. The first 7 days provided a rumination baseline, and the last 7 days provided a postintervention rumination value. In total, 42% (25/59) of volunteers were eligible and provided their phone numbers, 20% (5/25) of whom never replied to the SMS text message reminding them to start the RCT. A total of 90% (18/20) of volunteers completed it (ie, finishing, as prespecified, 80% of the questionnaires and training tasks) and, therefore, were included in the analysis. Using independent 2-tailed t tests with bootstrapping, results showed that participants in the JITAI-MRFCBT condition, compared with those in the control condition, reported a greater reduction in counts of rumination episodes (mean -25.28, SD 14.50 vs mean 1.44, SD 4.12, P<.001) and greater reduced average time (minutes) spent in rumination (mean -21.53, SD 17.6 vs mean 1.47, SD 1.5; P=.04). Results also suggest that, compared with those in the control group, those in treatment reduced ruminative carryover from one episode to the next. The results suggest that JITAI-MRFCBT may reduce negative rumination by providing RFCBT just in time following rumination, thereby blocking the next rumination episode using the same trigger. This study supports a subsequent, full-scale JITAI and the importance of leveraging mobile smartphone technology with MRFCBT to curb depressive symptoms. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04554706; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04554706.

Examining the role of brooding, distress, and negative urgency in dysregulated behaviors: A cross-sectional study in treatment-seeking young people.

Dysregulated behaviors including substance use, disordered eating, and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) have significant negative implications for individuals and health systems. It is therefore paramount to understand factors influencing behavioral dysregulation, to inform prevention and treatment approaches. The literature suggests that distress and rumination (brooding) prompt individuals to engage in behavioral dysregulation for distraction (Emotional Cascade Model), although these concepts have limited investigation in clinical, treatment-seeking samples, particularly alongside negative urgency. This cross-sectional study sought to examine the relationships of brooding, distress, and negative urgency with behavioral dysregulation, as well as the moderating effect of negative urgency between brooding and behavioral dysregulation, in treatment-seeking young people. A total of 385 treatment-seeking young people completed cross-sectional, self-report measures of distress, rumination, negative urgency, and engagement in dysregulated behaviors (NSSI, alcohol use, drug use, binge eating, and purging) over the past 1-3 months. Structural equation modeling revealed that only negative urgency, and not brooding or distress, had a significant positive relationship with behavioral dysregulation. Negative urgency did not significantly moderate the relationship between brooding and behavioral dysregulation. These findings reinforce the importance of considering negative urgency in the conceptualization, prevention, and treatment of behavioral dysregulation, and contribute to the knowledge of the relationship between brooding and various dysregulated behaviors within a treatment-seeking sample.

Neural Correlates of Attachment Representation in Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder Using a Personalized Functional Magnet Resonance Imaging Task.

BackgroundFear of abandonment and aloneness play a key role in the clinical understanding interpersonal and attachment-specific problems in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and has been investigated in previous functional Magnet Resonance Imaging (fMRI) studies. The aim of the present study was to examine how different aspects of attachment representations are processed in BPD, by using for the first time an fMRI attachment paradigm including personalized core sentences from the participants’ own attachment stories. We hypothesized that BPD patients would show increased functional involvement of limbic brain regions associated with fear and pain (e.g., the amygdala and the anterior cingulate cortex) when presented personalized attachment relevant stimuli representing loneliness compared to healthy controls (HC).MethodsWe examined the attachment classifications of 26 female BPD patients and 26 female HC using the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP). We used an fMRI-adapted attachment paradigm to investigate the neural correlates of attachment. All participants were presented three personalized (vs. neutral) sentences extracted from their AAP attachment narrative, combined with standardized AAP pictures representing being alone (monadic) or in interactive (dyadic) attachment situations.ResultsAs expected, the classification of unresolved attachment was significantly greater in BPD compared to HC. BPD patients showed increased fMRI-activation in brain areas associated with fear, pain, and hyperarousal than HC when presented with personalized attachment-relevant alone stimuli. In particular, pictures with monadic attachment situations induced greater anterior medial cingulate cortex, anterior insula, amygdala, thalamus and superior temporal gyrus activation in the patient group.ConclusionThe results point to increased fMRI-activation in areas processing emotional distress and painful experiences in BPD patients. In particular, the emotional cascade reflecting attachment distress was evoked by combining monadic pictures, representing abandonment and aloneness, with the patients’ personalized narrative material. Our results confirmed and replicated previous results that illustrate once again the high relevance of aloneness and feelings of abandonment for BPD in the context of attachment trauma. Moreover, our results support the hypothesis of hypermentalization in response to attachment distress as a core feature of social-cognitive impairment in BPD associated with common treatment implications across different therapeutic orientations.

Modeling pathways to non-suicidal self-injury: The roles of perfectionism, negative affect, rumination, and attention control.

ObjectiveUsing the Emotional Cascade Model as a theoretical framework, this study tested whether the relationship between perfectionism and non‐suicidal self‐injury (NSSI) operates through rumination and negative affect. Additionally, we tested whether the associations between perfectionism and both rumination and negative affect are moderated by attention control.MethodsUsing a correlational cross‐sectional design, adults aged 18–25 with (N = 197) and without (N = 271) a history of NSSI completed measures of perfectionism, rumination, negative affect, attention control, and NSSI.ResultsPerfectionism was directly associated with increased odds of NSSI, and indirectly associated with odds of NSSI through rumination and negative affect. The relationship between perfectionism and rumination was moderated by attention focusing, such that the relationship was stronger for individuals who were higher in attention focusing.ConclusionIntegrating perfectionism and attention with existing models of NSSI may improve understanding of the factors contributing to NSSI and offers insights into future clinical directions.

Emotion Dysregulation as a Mediator of the Relationship between Anxiety, Compulsive Exercise and Eating Disorder Symptoms in Adolescents.

Anxiety has been suggested to be a key contributing factor for compulsive exercise, however, existing literature has demonstrated contradictory relationships between anxiety and compulsive exercise among adolescents. According to the Emotional Cascade Model (ECM), factors such as rumination and emotional suppression may mediate the association between affect and exercise. The current study therefore aimed to investigate whether rumination and emotional suppression mediate the relationship between anxiety and compulsive exercise in predicting ED symptoms in adolescents. Questionnaires assessing compulsive exercise, anxiety, depressive rumination, emotional suppression, and ED symptoms were completed by 212 adolescent males (Mage = 13.39, SD = 1.22) and 189 adolescent females (Mage = 13.64, SD = 1.29). The structural equation model showed indirect effects between anxiety and compulsive exercise through rumination and emotional suppression in males but not in females. Moreover, anxiety had an indirect effect on eating disorder symptoms through rumination, emotional suppression and compulsive exercise in both males and females. In line with ECM, the results suggest that rumination and emotional suppression may have a key role in the association between anxiety, compulsive exercise and eating disorder symptoms in adolescents. These findings suggest that compulsive exercise may be used as a dysfunctional coping mechanism to escape from a negative emotional cascade generated by the interaction of anxiety, rumination and emotional suppression. Future longitudinal studies to test the role of compulsive exercise as a dysfunctional behaviour in the ECM are needed.

Relationships between dimensions of emotional experience, rumination, and nonsuicidal self-injury: An application of the Emotional Cascade Model.

The Emotional Cascade Model posits that nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) functions to distract from cascades of intense negative emotion and rumination. We investigated the moderating role of rumination in the relationships between reactivity, intensity, and perseveration of emotion and NSSI. University students (N = 992) completed self-report measures of self-injury, emotional reactivity, intensity and perseveration, and rumination. Together, the dimensions of negative emotion were associated with NSSI, but none contributed unique variance. For positive emotion, reactivity was negatively associated with history of self-injury and perseveration was negatively associated with frequency of the behaviour. Rumination was associated with NSSI, but did not moderate associations between the dimensions of negative emotion and self-injury. Rumination moderated the relationship between perseveration of positive emotion and history of NSSI, such that it was only significant at high levels of rumination. Findings highlight the importance of dimensions of positive emotion in understanding self-injury.

The Interplay of Chronic Interpersonal Stress and Rumination on Nonsuicidal Self-Injury in Youth.

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) describes deliberate self-destructive behaviors without the intention to die. Little is known about what factors contribute to NSSI especially among youth. The current study tested two conceptual models for how chronic interpersonal stress and rumination may contribute to NSSI engagement across 18months in a community sample of youth: (1) a mediation pathway based on the Emotional Cascade Model (i.e., stress contributes to rumination and then to subsequent NSSI), and (2) a moderation model based on the cognitive vulnerability-stress framework (i.e., rumination moderates the relation between stress and NSSI). 516 youth aged 7-16 (Mage = 12.0; 56% female; 90% Non-Hispanic or Non-Latinx) reported on ongoing interpersonal stress occurring between T1-T2 (every 6months from T1 to 12months) via the Youth Life Stress Interview, rumination via the Children's Response Styles Questionnaire (at T1 and 18months later, T2), and NSSI engagement every six months from 18 to 36months (T2-T3) via the Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Interview. Interpersonal stress predicted later rumination (b = .43, p < .01), rumination forecasted later NSSI occurrence (OR = 1.06, p < .01), and mediation was supported via a significant indirect effect of interpersonal stress on NSSI through rumination (b = .03, 95% CI = .01, .07). Rumination did not significantly moderate the relation between stress and NSSI. The prospective relation between chronic interpersonal stress and NSSI engagement was partly explained by rumination, aligning with the Emotional Cascade Model's prediction that rumination contributes to NSSI. Youth may conduct NSSI to interrupt rumination elicited by chronic interpersonal stress.

Emotional Cascade Model and Deep Learning

Emotional Cascade Model proposes that the emotional and behavioral dysregulation of individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder can be understood through emotional cascades. Emotional cascades are vicious cycles of intense rumination and negative affect that may induce aversive emotional states that generate abnormal behaviors to reduce the effect of intense rumination. Borderline Personality Disorder is a psychiatric disorder whose main symptoms to diagnose it are mood instability and impulsivity. This disorder often involves risky behaviors such as non-suicidal self-injury or substance abuse. Recently, Selby and collaborators have proved that the Emotional Cascade Model has a high explanatory and diagnostic capacity using Temporal Bayesian Networks. Taking into consideration the meta-analytic study developed by Richman et al., in this article it has been designed a deep learning model, based on cascading artificial neural networks, following the correlations established for the Emotional Cascade Model. It has been confirmed with accuracy estimates reaching up to 99%, the predictive power of this model relative to the various types of rumination that influence some of the basic classes of symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder.

Temporal Bayesian Network modeling approach to evaluating the emotional cascade model of borderline personality disorder.

Theoretical models of personality disorders can be complex and multifaceted, making it difficult to validate such models in a comprehensive, empirical fashion. One such model of borderline personality disorder (BPD) is the emotional cascade model (Selby & Joiner, 2009), which has garnered empirical support in piecemeal fashion but has not been examined in a gestalt fashion. One way to test comprehensive models of personality pathology is with Temporal Bayesian Network (TBN) modeling, in which the relations between multiple subcomponents of a model can be specified and examined over a dynamic time frame, allowing for the modeling of positive feedback processes in addition to comprehensive model utility. In this study, we applied TBN modeling to examine the emotional cascade model in a sample of adolescents and young adults who actively self-injure, including those with BPD. TBN modeling was applied to ecological momentary assessment data provided via participant smartphone assessments for a period of 2 weeks. TBN analysis suggested that the emotional cascade model has considerable predictive utility, demonstrating substantial accuracy in predicting BPD diagnosis (with accuracy estimates around 90%) and momentary prediction of rumination, negative emotion, and dysregulated behaviors (with accuracy estimates consistently above 70% and reaching up to 100%, depending on the level of momentary prediction specificity). These findings provide support and validity to the notion that BPD may emerge from a dynamic interplay between emotional cascades and dysregulated behaviors. Implications of TBN modeling of BPD and personality disorders, in general, are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

심리적 디스트레스와 비자살적 자해 심각도의 관계에서 반추의 매개효과: 정서홍수모델을 중심으로

심리적 디스트레스와 비자살적 자해 심각도의 관계에서 반추의 매개효과: 정서홍수모델을 중심으로

Supplemental Material for Temporal Bayesian Network Modeling Approach to Evaluating the Emotional Cascade Model of Borderline Personality Disorder

Supplemental Material for Temporal Bayesian Network Modeling Approach to Evaluating the Emotional Cascade Model of Borderline Personality Disorder

Precursors of the emotional cascade model of borderline personality disorder: The role of neuroticism, childhood emotional vulnerability, and parental invalidation.

The emotional cascade model proposes that the emotional instability and engagement in maladaptive behaviors within borderline personality disorder (BPD) may be linked to rumination. Previous research has established that BPD is highly related to neuroticism, childhood emotional vulnerability, and parental invalidation. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to assess whether the constructs of the emotional cascade model relate to other constructs within the BPD nomological network. More specifically, neuroticism, childhood emotional vulnerability, and parental invalidation should relate to the ruminative process and engagement in maladaptive behaviors as described by the emotional cascade model. The current study investigated the relation between these factors using a cross-lagged panel design with data collected online at 3 time points in a student sample and an Amazon Mechanical Turk sample. Neuroticism predicted rumination 1 month later across both samples and for 3 measures of rumination. Childhood emotional vulnerability and parental invalidation predicted rumination 2 months later for 2 measures of rumination in the student sample only. Future studies should continue to investigate the potential role of personality traits and BPD vulnerability factors within the emotional cascade model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Riding the emotional roller coaster: The role of distress tolerance in non-suicidal self-injury

Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) is the deliberate damage to one's bodily tissue without suicidal intent. The Emotional Cascade Model proposes NSSI functions as a distraction from ‘cascades’ of intense affect and rumination. Low distress tolerance is one factor thought to potentially amplify these cascades but has yet to be empirically tested. Using the Emotional Cascade Model as a framework, we investigated the moderating roles of rumination and distress tolerance in the relationship between affect intensity and NSSI. A sample of 400 university students between the ages of 17 and 62 years (M = 21.02, SD = 5.32) completed well-validated measures of NSSI, affect intensity, rumination, and distress tolerance. As expected, rumination was associated with history of NSSI but only among individuals who reported high levels of distress tolerance. Further, affect intensity was positively associated with NSSI frequency, but only at low levels of rumination and distress tolerance. These results provide promising insight into potential prevention and intervention initiatives that may target rumination and distress tolerance to reduce the likelihood and frequency of self-injury.

Emotional cascade theory and non-suicidal self-injury: the importance of imagery and positive affect

ABSTRACTGrounded in Emotional Cascade Theory, we explored whether rumination and multisensory imagery-based cognitions moderated the relationships between affect and both odds of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), and frequency of the behaviour. A sample of 393 university students completed self-report questionnaires assessing the constructs of interest. Contrary to expectations, rumination did not emerge as a significant moderator of the affect-NSSI relationship. However, the relationship between affect and frequency of NSSI was moderated by the use of imagery. Further, the relationship between negative affect and NSSI was moderated by positive affect, underscoring the need to consider both negative and positive affect in models of NSSI. Most youth who self-injured reported thinking in images while the urge to self-injure was strong, with 53% thinking in images at least half the time. Future work is needed to explore how positive and negative affect work in concert to govern NSSI, and how imagery might either exacerbate or reduce risk of NSSI.

Distress Tolerance as a Mediator of the Association Between Borderline Personality Symptoms and Obsessive Relational Intrusion: An Exploratory Analysis.

Obsessive relational intrusion (ORI) is the process by which a pursuer makes multiple attempts at establishing an unwanted, intimate relationship with an individual. It encompasses the more widely known behavior, stalking, which is a widespread problem, particularly among college-aged young adults. However, research on the underlying psychological processes involved in ORI and stalking perpetration is still in its infancy. Using relational goal pursuit theory and the emotional cascade model as guides to explore these processes, we investigated whether distress tolerance mediated the association between borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms and ORI, among a college student sample. Participants (N = 224; 62.5% female; Mage = 19.6 years) were recruited from an online survey panel and through the psychology research pool at a small, Northeastern university. Consistent with our hypotheses, path modeling showed that distress tolerance was a significant partial mediator between BPD symptoms and frequency of ORI perpetration. These results seem to provide new insight into the established link between BPD symptoms and ORI, and thus may contribute to our understanding of the underlying psychology of people who engage in unwanted pursuit. Future research should look toward replicating the current findings, testing potential gender differences in the model, and exploring other predictors of both the frequency and initiation of ORI behaviors.

Understanding Dysregulated Behaviors and Compulsions: An Extension of the Emotional Cascade Model and the Mediating Role of Intrusive Thoughts.

Objective: The Emotional Cascade Model (ECM) by Selby et al. (2008) proposes that people often engage in dysregulated behaviors to end extreme, aversive emotional states triggered by a self-perpetuating vicious cycle of (excessive) rumination, negative affect, and attempts to suppress negative thoughts.Method: Besides replicating the ECM, we introduced intrusions as a mediator between rumination and behavioral dysregulation and tested this extended ECM for compulsions as part of obsessive–compulsive disorders. A structural equation modeling approach was used to test this in a sample of N = 414, randomly recruited from the general population.Results: Intrusions were found to fully mediate the effect of rumination on a broad array of dysregulated behaviors and compulsions. This mediation endured when controlling for symptoms of depression.Conclusion: These findings support the idea that rumination fuels intrusions, which in turn foster dysregulated behaviors. Therefore, addressing rumination as well as intrusions may improve psychotherapeutic interventions for mental disorders characterized by dysregulated behaviors and/or extreme aversive emotional states.