Emotional Indicators Research Articles

Survey and Preliminary Formulation of a Rapid Screening Scale Based on Common Psychological Problems of Inpatients

Abstract Background: This study has established a rapid screening scale for the common psychological problems of inpatients through a series of procedures and scale preparation procedures. Methods: Through literature review, group discussions, clinical medical personnel investigation, expert consultation and preinvestigation of inpatients beforehand, item selection, modification and optimization, the inpatients with common psychological problems of rapid screening scale items were formed. By using the data of sample survey data beforehand was initially used for reference and set the scale score level demarcation. Results: The name of the scale was finally established as the “Taihe Hospital Emotional Index (THEI)”, and included 11 items and 6 dimensions for rapid screening of the inpatients. This was a self-assessment scale with 0-4 grades. The total score of all the items in the scale was added up, and ranged from 0-44 points. The higher the score is, the more serious the patients’ mental health problem is. Conclusion: This study prepared a screening scale based on the common psychological problems of inpatients in the general hospitals. It has the advantages of low entry and clinical use, which subsequently can focus early on patients with common psychological problems, improve the ability of non-specialist nurses to identify the common psychological problems in a timely intervention, and prevent the occurrence of adverse events such as suicide. Keywords General hospitals; Inpatients; Psychological problems; Rapid screening scale Abbreviations BPRS: Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; CCMD-3: Chinese Classification and Diagnostic System of Mental Disorders, Third Edition; DSM-V: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition; ICD-10: International Classification and Diagnostic System of Mental Disorders, Tenth Edition; PSQI: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; SAS: Self-rating Anxiety Scale; SDS: Self-rating Depression Scale; THEI: Taihe Hospital Emotional Index

Dramatic Performance by a Professional Actor for the Treatment of Patients with Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia.

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) challenge caregivers, leading to caregiver burden and subsequent nursing home or inpatient placement in a psychiatric hospital for dementia. Favorable positive emotions should be an important goal for the treatment of negative emotions of BPSD. Arts are one of the most profound areas to stimulate favorable emotions. We have asked a professional actor, who was not involved in the daily care and regular rehabilitations, to give a dramatic performance by reading selected stories as if the patients with BPSD felt to be in the audiences of a theater. We wondered whether a dramatic performance by the actor might be a way to respond to the complex needs of inpatients with BPSD, especially focused on favorable emotions. New inpatients (Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, or dementia with Lewy bodies) were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 20) and a dramatic performance group (n = 14) in Sendai Tomizawa Hospital, a psychiatric hospital for dementia, in Japan. Dramatic performances were performed for one and half hours once per week for 3 months. Neuropsychiatric Inventory for BPSD decreased in both groups and delightful emotional index (DEI) for favorable emotions increased in the intervention group but not in the control group after 3 months. At 3 months, there was an increase of DEI in intervention group compared with control group. We conclude that dramatic performance may be one of the appropriate interventions in patients with BPSD, as it appears to help in their favorable emotional state.

Importancia de las relaciones interpersonales en la satisfacción en el trabajo

Among the fundamental conditions of the human being considered for optimal performance at work are social interpersonal relationships. These are an essential part of psychological stability and the work environment. From a biological perspective, the human being is diligently dependent on communication and social coexistence. It is essential to survive the social need to be productive and work in functions that allow you to sustain yourself and give to others, this forms the labor relations. This is where the optimal development and capacity is measured within the assigned jobs that you have within the work environment. The variables measure with quality standards and objectively emotional indexes generated within the work. The objective of this non-experimental, quantitative research is to analyze how interpersonal relationships impact on job satisfaction, since that is where the conditions create feelings of pleasure, attachment or investment, reflecting personal and work success. Here we show innovation factors that impact the sense of work belonging based on experiences of workers and within the environment, which generate feelings of well-being and satisfaction that impact good work performance.

Comparison and Modelling of Country-level Microblog User and Activity in Cyber-physical-social Systems Using Weibo and Twitter Data

As the rapid growth of social media technologies continues, Cyber-Physical-Social System (CPSS) has been a hot topic in many industrial applications. The use of “microblogging” services, such as Twitter, has rapidly become an influential way to share information. While recent studies have revealed that understanding and modelling microblog user behaviour with massive users’ data in social media are keen to success of many practical applications in CPSS, a key challenge in literatures is that diversity of geography and cultures in social media technologies strongly affect user behaviour and activity. The motivation of this article is to understand differences and similarities between microblogging users from different countries using social media technologies, and to attempt to design a Country-Level Micro-Blog User (CLMB) behaviour and activity model for supporting CPSS applications. We proposed a CLMB model for analysing microblogging user behaviour and their activity across different countries in the CPSS applications. The model has considered three important characteristics of user behaviour in microblogging data, including content of microblogging messages, user emotion index, and user relationship network. We evaluated CLBM model under the collected microblog dataset from 16 countries with the largest number of representative and active users in the world. Experimental results show that (1) for some countries with small population and strong cohesiveness, users pay more attention to social functionalities of microblogging service; (2) for some countries containing mostly large loose social groups, users use microblogging services as a news dissemination platform; (3) users in countries whose social network structure exhibits reciprocity rather than hierarchy will use more linguistic elements to express happiness in microblogging services.

Changes in Saliva Analytes Correlate with Horses' Behavioural Reactions to An Acute Stressor: A Pilot Study.

Simple SummaryEmotionality is an individual characteristic defined as the propensity to respond to stress-inducing stimuli such as fear-inducing objects or social separation. Evaluation of emotionality in horses is important as it may impact their learning performance. Although emotionality is usually assessed by measuring behavioural patterns, biomarkers could provide additional information about stress response, especially with respect to its temporal dynamics. In this study, behavioural responses were measured as well as a panel of salivary biomarkers related to stress, including salivary alpha-amylase, lipase, total esterase, butyrylcholinesterase, adenosine deaminase, and cortisol, in riding horses after acute experimental stress (the sudden opening of an umbrella). We found significant changes in most of the salivary biomarkers evaluated after the induced stress, where increases in butyrylcholinesterase were more closely related to behavioural responses to acute stress and low salivary alpha-amylase values were more closely related to quietness behaviours. Therefore, this preliminary research provides information about the relationship between behaviour patterns and biomarkers of stress in saliva in horses, and opens the possibility of wider use of selected biomarkers in saliva, such as butyrylcholinesterase or alpha-amylase, for the evaluation of acute stress in horses.Acute stress induces an array of behavioural reactions in horses that vary between individuals. Attempts to relate behavioural patterns and physiological responses have not always given clear-cut results. Here, we measured the changes in a panel of salivary components: salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), lipase, total esterase (TEA), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), adenosine deaminase (ADA), and cortisol, and their potential link with horses’ behaviours after acute stress. Saliva samples were collected in nine riding horses subjected to a test consisting of opening an umbrella. Saliva sampling was obtained at a basal time point in the stall (T1), in the test indoor arena (T2), at a time of stress (T3), and 30 min (T4) and 60 min (T5) later. The horses’ behaviour was recorded at T3 for 1 min. sAA, lipase, TEA, and BChE showed significant changes along time, increasing at T3 for BChE, and decreasing at T4 for sAA and BChE. Butyrylcholinesterase appeared to be the most reliable predictor of behavioural responses, as it correlated with the index of emotionality, of laterality, and the occurrence of alarm signals, while sAA decreased when horses expressed quieter behaviours. These first results bring promising lines for novel, more precise physiological markers of acute stress in horses that can bridge the gap between behaviour and physiology.

Risk Assessment of Professional Emotional Burnout Development in School Teachers With Different Activity Profiles

Introduction. The relevancy of the study is attributed to the increase of professional and social requirements for teachers work in the course of school education reforming, which is accompanied, undoubtedly, by their high emotional tension. In this study, we aimed to assess the risk of professional emotional burnout in school teachers with different activity profiles. It is the first time that the authors make a comparative study of phase development and pronounced burnout symptoms in primary school teachers, subject teachers and school authorities. Analysis of correlation relationships between age, teaching experience, neuropsychic adaptation performance and emotional burnout in school teachers with different activity profiles is carried out.
 Methods. The study included 145 teachers at the age of 24–68 years old from 6 Magadan schools. In the course of the study, the teachers were divided into three groups taking into account teachers’ activity profile. Emotional burnout indices were measured using questionnaire “Diagnostics of Emotional Burnout Level” by V. V. Boyko. To determine the level of neuropsychic adaptation, the questionnaire by I. N. Gurvich was used.
 Results and Discussion. Stage formation and evidence of burnout symptoms in school teachers with different activity profiles are studied in comparative aspect. Correlation relationships between age, teaching experience and emotional burnout in school teachers with different activity profiles are found out. The level of teachers’ neuropsychic adaptation is studied. Correlation relationships between neuropsychic adaptation and emotional burnout in school teachers with different activity profiles are found out. It is shown that the development of emotional burnout syndrome in school teachers takes place against the background of neuropsychic adaptation disorder and neuroticizm formation.

Logistics forum based prediction on stock index using intelligent data analysis and processing of online web posts

This paper focuses on the e-commerce contents of logistics forum. We construct four logistics forums metrics on the degree of busyness and emotional states of the logistics staffs based through hypertext analysis techniques. By choosing a set of individual stocks from e-commerce sector and establishing e-commerce stock index, we examine the empirical evidence of the predictability and degree of influence of e-commerce logistics forum on e-commerce stock index. We find that emotion index and size of web posts may help predict ratio of earnings whereas emotion index, web post index, and disagreement index may help predict exchange volumes. Meanwhile, logistics forum metrics have short term or mid-term influence on e-commerce stock index, ratio of earnings, volatility, and trading volume whereas the influence of emotion index could last more than 40 weeks. Our results help people to understand the interrelationship between the forum contents of logistics social network and stock market activities and provide important decision advice for investors.

Associations between self-report and physiological measures of emotional reactions to food among women with disordered eating

Individuals with eating disorders have exhibited both positive and negative emotional responses to food when assessed via self-report and psychophysiology. These mixed findings may be explained by a lack of association between self-report and physiological measures, and the degree of association may differ based on core eating disorder symptoms like dietary restriction and binge eating. Women from the community (N = 82) were recruited based on the presence or absence of dietary restriction and binge eating. We examined the startle eyeblink reflex, a physiological measure of defensive motivation, in relation to self-reported valence, arousal, and craving ratings of emotional (positive, neutral, negative) and food (high- and low-calorie) images. Dietary restriction and binge eating were investigated as moderators of self-report/physiology relationships. Replicating extant literature, valence ratings of emotional images were correlated with startle blink reflex magnitude, with more unpleasant ratings related to higher startle eyeblink reflex magnitudes. Increased craving, but not valence, ratings of food images were related to lower startle blink reflex magnitudes. Dietary restriction and binge eating did not moderate the relationship between self-report ratings and startle blink magnitude to food. Our findings suggest that self-reported appetitive motivation towards food relates to a decrease in physiologically measured aversion towards food. Future research should examine the extent to which self-report ratings correlate with physiological indices of positive emotion (e.g., postauricular reflex, zygomaticus major) during the viewing of food images in both patients with eating disorders and healthy controls.

Use your words: The role of emotion labeling in regulating emotion in borderline personality disorder

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) treatments emphasize emotion labeling to decrease negative emotion and facilitate emotion regulation. However, no studies have examined emotion labeling in BPD or its impact on intentional emotion regulation. The present study examined the impact of emotion labeling on emotion and intentional emotion regulation attempts across self-reported and physiological indices (i.e., skin conductance response [SCR], respiratory sinus arrhythmia [RSA]) in BPD and healthy control (HC) groups. Participants listened to emotionally-evocative scripts and were either instructed to type the emotions that they were experiencing (labeling) or the objects they could imagine seeing in the script (control) into a computer. Following this, they were instructed to use either mindfulness or cognitive reappraisal to decrease their emotion. Self-reported, RSA, and SCR indices of negative emotion were collected throughout and analyzed using generalized estimating equations. Findings indicated that the BPD group experienced higher RSA during emotion labeling compared to the control task, but the HC group did not. HCs reported lower negative emotion after emotion labeling when implementing both emotion regulation strategies compared to the control task, but the BPD group did not. These findings suggest that emotion labeling may activate emotion regulatory systems in BPD and can potentiate intentional emotion regulation in HCs.

"Telling me not to worry…" Hyperscanning and Neural Dynamics of Emotion Processing During Guided Imagery and Music.

To analyze how emotions and imagery are shared, processed and recognized in Guided Imagery and Music, we measured the brain activity of an experienced therapist (“Guide”) and client (“Traveler”) with dual-EEG in a real therapy session about potential death of family members. Synchronously with the EEG, the session was video-taped and then micro-analyzed. Four raters identified therapeutically important moments of interest (MOI) and no-interest (MONI) which were transcribed and annotated. Several indices of emotion- and imagery-related processing were analyzed: frontal and parietal alpha asymmetry, frontal midline theta, and occipital alpha activity. Session ratings showed overlaps across all raters, confirming the importance of these MOIs, which showed different cortical activity in visual areas compared to resting-state. MOI 1 was a pivotal moment including an important imagery with a message of hope from a close family member, while in the second MOI the Traveler sent a message to an unborn baby. Generally, results seemed to indicate that the emotions of Traveler and Guide during important moments were not positive, pleasurably or relaxed when compared to resting-state, confirming both were dealing with negative emotions and anxiety that had to be contained in the interpersonal process. However, the temporal dynamics of emotion-related markers suggested shifts in emotional valence and intensity during these important, personally meaningful moments; for example, during receiving the message of hope, an increase of frontal alpha asymmetry was observed, reflecting increased positive emotional processing. EEG source localization during the message suggested a peak activation in left middle temporal gyrus. Interestingly, peaks in emotional markers in the Guide partly paralleled the Traveler's peaks; for example, during the Guide's strong feeling of mutuality in MOI 2, the time series of frontal alpha asymmetries showed a significant cross-correlation, indicating similar emotional processing in Traveler and Guide. Investigating the moment-to-moment interaction in music therapy showed how asymmetry peaks align with the situated cognition of Traveler and Guide along the emotional contour of the music, representing the highs and lows during the therapy process. Combining dual-EEG with detailed audiovisual and qualitative data seems to be a promising approach for further research into music therapy.

Emotion Vulnerability in the Context of Positively Valenced Stimuli: Associations with Borderline Personality Disorder Symptom Severity

Theories of borderline personality disorder (BPD) have posited that emotion vulnerability (including greater baseline emotion intensity, greater emotion reactivity to salient stimuli, and slower return to emotional baseline) is a key etiological factor in the development of the disorder. Despite evidence to suggest that baseline negative emotion is greater in individuals with BPD (and perhaps across psychopathology), less is known about potential patterns of positive emotion vulnerability that may be uniquely associated with BPD symptoms. In the current study, 120 undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory psychology course were shown three positively valenced video clips. Self-report and psychophysiological indices of emotion (i.e., respiratory sinus arrhythmia and galvanic skin response) were measured before, during, and after each clip. Analyses examined associations with BPD and depression symptom severity. Some evidence was found for a more attenuated subjective positive emotional response specific to BPD symptom severity, distinct from the effects of depression severity. Other patterns of associations with BPD severity, including greater baseline negative emotion and attenuated parasympathetic activity, were largely accounted for by depression severity. Results also suggested that positive emotion vulnerability in BPD may be somewhat context specific, and certain positively valenced stimuli (e.g., others expressing positive emotion) may contribute more to attenuated positive emotional responses. More broadly, this study highlights the value in examining how psychopathology may impact emotional responses to positive stimuli specifically.

Spontaneous blink rate as an index of attention and emotion during film clips viewing

Spontaneous blinking is a non-invasive indicator known to reflect dopaminergic influence over frontal cortex and attention allocation in perceptual tasks. 38 participants watched eighteen short film clips (2 min), designed to elicit specific affective states, and arranged in six different emotional categories, while their eye movements were recorded from the vertical electroculogram. The largest blink rate inhibition, reflecting greater attention allocation to the movie, was observed during the presentation of Erotic clips, excerpts on wilderness depicting beautiful landscapes (Scenery), as well as clips showing crying characters (Compassion). Instead, the minimum blink rate inhibition was found for Fear clips, which induced a defensive response with stimulus rejection. Blink rate across time evidenced how Compassion clips elicited early inhibition while Sadness clips induced a slower, later inhibition. Correlation analyses also revealed a negative correlation (r < −0.40) between total blink rate recorded during Erotic and Compassion clips and self-reported interest. Overall, the main variable explaining blink rate was emotional Valence. Results suggest that blink modulation is related with the motivational relevance and biological significance of the stimuli, tracking their differential recruitment of attentional resources. Furthermore, they provide a solid background for studying the emotion-attention patterns and their deficits also in clinical samples (e.g., neurological and psychiatric patients) using spontaneous blinking as a not-interfering psychophysiological measure.

Antipsychotic drug use and favourable natures of emotional functions in patients with dementia.

To characterise the effects of antipsychotics on brain functions of patients with behavioural psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Studies were performed during 6 weeks of intervention with either a nonantipsychotic drug (group A, n = 38) or an antipsychotic drug (group B, n = 10). Neuropsychiatric Inventory scores were significantly decreased in both groups. Scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination did not change with intervention. By contrast, favourable natures of emotional functions, scored using the Delightful Emotional Index of 10 items, were significantly lower in the antipsychotic drug treatment group B relative to scores in the nonantipsychotic drug treatment group A. Antipsychotics reduce favourite emotions as well as BPSD, and this should be considered in prescribing medications for patients with dementia.

A study to assess the relationship between stigma and expressed emotion among the primary care givers of persons with schizophrenia attending outpatient department of Lokopriyo Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur

Background: Mental illness is a condition that impacts a person's thinking, feeling or mood and may affect his or her ability to relate to others and function on a daily basis. Among various types of mental illnesses schizophrenia is common disorder affecting approximately 1% of any given adult population. Stigma surrounding schizophrenia restraints the patient and family members to access the treatment facilities and type of support they need to manage their illness. It can also disturb the family environment which can often give rise to expressed emotion. Expressed emotion refers to a global index of particular emotions, attitudes and behaviours expressed by relatives of a family member diagnosed with schizophrenia. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between stigma and expressed emotion among the primary care givers of persons with schizophrenia. Materials and Methods: Descriptive co relational research design was used. The sample comprised of 60 primary caregivers of persons with schizophrenia attending OPD of LGBRIMH, Tezpur which was selected by using purposive sampling technique. Two standardized tool (Stigma subscale of Family Interview Schedule and Family Attitude Scale) and socio demographic data sheet was used for patient and primary care giver. Results: Finding showed majority of the sample i.e. 65% (n = 39) obtained the stigma score below 10.83 (mean score) and only 35% (n = 21) obtained the stigma score above10.83 (mean score).This finding showed that majority of the primary care givers has low stigma having a patient with psychiatric illness in their family. It was also showed that majority of the sample i.e. 66.7% have obtained expressed emotion score below 29.68 (mean score) and 33.3% have obtained expressed emotion score above 29.68 (mean score).This finding showed that the majority of the primary care givers has low expressed emotion towards a family member having schizophrenia. There was significant positive correlation found between stigma and expressed emotion among the primary care givers of persons with schizophrenia (calculated value was found to be 0.587 which was higher than the tabulated value at 0.01 level of significance). Conclusion: It showed that if stigma increases, the expressed emotion among the primary care givers towards the patient also increases.

Measuring internet addiction in Europe-based knowledge societies: a case study of France

The technological evolution has put a new challenge, internet addiction along with the internet technology before the world. The study intended to collect the data pertaining to internet usage among the residents of France with the help of modified internet addiction test tool, which is originally developed by Widyanto et al. (2011). The study data is collected from 122 respondents. The outputs of the analysis provided interesting insights. It is proved from the analysis that age has more bearing on the level of internet addiction. Yet, subtle factors are playing a role in providing a vague picture about the influence of constructs on internet usage and addiction. During first stage of analysis, the effect of emotional management is not present, during second stage effect of time management is not evident and in third stage of analysis, except the effect of emotional management index no other effect of constructs is found on the internet usage pattern.

GENDER DIFFERENCES OF THE EMOTIONAL SPHERE OF STUDENTS

The article sheds light on the problem of gender segregation of the emotional sphere of students. The concepts of masculinity, femininity, androgyny are analyzed.There are outlined the functional peculiarities of the manifestation of gender differences in the cognitive and emotional sphere of a person, namely: emotional memory and emotional intellect, expressiveness and a tendency to experience positive and negative basic emotions. Dependence of gender differences from age is noted: the older the age group, the more distinct the gender differences are.Results of the empirical study of the students of the National Aviation University by S. Bem's method "Masculinity-femininity" and the method of diagnostics of emotionality V.М. Rusalova showed that the manifestation of student emotions is mainly determined by their gender identity. Among the respondents the androgynuos students who successfully combine both femininity and masculinity prevail. Thanks to this combination of feminine and male characteristic, adaptability and sustainability in social contacts increase. Students' emotionality was also studied and it was found that the majority of respondents have low psychomotor emotional indexes, that is, they exhibit low sensitivity (indifference), a sense of tranquility, self-confidence in the performance of physical work, lack of anxiety in case of non-fulfillment or poor implementation. The resulting average of intellectual and communicative emotions indicates a slight emotional experience and anxiety about the discrepancy between the expected and realistic result of mental stress and communication failures. With the help of established correlation relationships, it has been experimentally proved that feminine students have average indicators of general emotionality, while masculine ones are low. This is evidence of the important influence of the psychological sex of people on their manifestations of emotions in the process of life.

Social and professional skills of adolescents with autism spectrum disorders

The article deals with investigation of professional skills of adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). 40 ukrainian adolescents of 13-17 years old were investigated by use of Psychological and Educational Profile for Youth and Adult (AAPEP). Besides 40 healthy peers were investigated by the same method and used as a reference group. According the results obtained 40% of ASD adolescents have satisfactory professional skills. Nevertheless, their emotional indices were substantially lower than correspondent indices for healthy peers and showed negative dynamics with age. Low indices of emotional development and functional communication skill of ASD adolescents restrict their future employment and demond psychological and social support.

Heart rate variability, salivary cortisol and competitive state anxiety responses during pre-competition and pre-training moments.

The study aimed to investigate physiological and psychological states prior to competition and prior to training in three different demanding activities. Eighteen canoe athletes, 18 street runners and 18 jiu-jitsu fighters were included in this study (n=54). The Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2), salivary cortisol and heart rate variability (HRV) were measured at two time points (pre-training and pre-competition). Somatic anxiety (F1,42 = 15.29, p = 0.0003), HRV (F1,42 = 23.24, p < 0.0001) and salivary cortisol (F1,42 = 22.96, p < 0.0001) were significantly greater at the pre-competition measurement point than at the pre-training point, but without a main effect of the type of athlete on these variables. A main effect of the type of athlete was found on somatic anxiety (F2,42 = 6.58, p = 0.0033), cognitive anxiety (F2,42 = 10.69, p = 0.0002) and self-confidence (F2,42 = 5.42, p = 0.0080). Correlations between most CSAI-2 and physiological parameters were not significant (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the results indicated that both emotional indices and psychophysiological indices of stress are higher before competition than before training, with differences between emotional states between these sports. Although correlations between emotional states and psycho-physiological states before competition and before training were largely non-significant, these findings reinforce the importance of psychological monitoring of athletes in association with traditional physiological markers such as cortisol and HRV in sportive training programmes as complementary resources to improve both competition performance and the training routine.

A new approach to obtain a colour palette in thermographic images

ABSTRACTThis work presents a methodology for automatic colour allocation in thermographic images which is based on two thermograms, one with an Iron colour palette for segmentation and the other in grayscale for thermal analysis through the thermal matrix. With the fusion of both procedures, a palette of colours image is obtained. The colour palette allows characterising the thermography in a controlled manner and gain a better interpretation of the colours. Likewise, the colour palette permits to work in temperature level. With this proposed methodology, it is possible to assign any colour desired. An experiment to induce human emotions (joy, disgust, anger, fear, and sadness) was carried out to prove the application of this proposed method. In a quantitative way, a thermal index of emotions that shows the emotion concerning the baseline was obtained, which correlates with the colours assigned to the new image. Each emotion was associated with one colour. The results attained from both the thermal index of emotions and the hue allocation show the applicability and validation of the proposed palette; thus, it could be employed in any application of thermographic analysis.

Neurophysiological Measures of the Perception of Antismoking Public Service Announcements Among Young Population.

Tobacco constitutes a global emergency with totally preventable millions of deaths per year and smoking-related illnesses. Public service announcements (PSAs) are the main tool against smoking and by now their efficacy is still assessed through questionnaires and metrics, only months after their circulation. The present study focused on the young population, because at higher risk of developing tobacco addiction, investigating the reaction to the vision of Effective, Ineffective and Awarded antismoking PSAs through: electroencephalography (EEG), autonomic activity variation (Galvanic skin response—GSR- and Heart Rate—HR-) and Eye-Tracking (ET). The employed indices were: the EEG frontal alpha band asymmetry and the frontal theta; the Emotional Index (EI), deriving from the GSR and HR signals matching; the ET Visual Attention (VA) index, based on the ratio between the total time spent fixating an area of interest (AOI) and its area. Smokers expressed higher frontal alpha asymmetry values in comparison to non-smokers. Concerning frontal theta, Awarded PSAs reported the highest values in comparison to both Effective and Ineffective PSAs. EI results highlighted that lowest values were expressed by Heavy Smokers (HS), and Effective PSAs obtained the highest EI values. Finally, concerning the Effective PSAs, regression analysis highlighted a correlation between the number of cigarettes smoked by participants (independent variable) and frontal alpha asymmetry, frontal theta and EI values. ET results suggested that for the Ineffective PSAs the main focus were texts, while for the Effective and Awarded PSAs were the visual elements. Results support the use of methods aimed at assessing the physiological reaction for the evaluation of PSAs images, in particular when considering the smoking habits of target populations.