Levels Of Dysphoria Research Articles

No Evidence for Cross-Sectional or Longitudinal Associations between Cognitive Flexibility Performances and Nutritional Status in a Cohort of Inpatients with Anorexia Nervosa.

According to the Cognitive-Interpersonal model of anorexia nervosa (AN), the combined influence of cognitive and socio-emotional difficulties would constitute vulnerability and maintaining factors. Poor cognitive flexibility is one of the endophenotypic candidates (i.e., a trait marker) of the disorder, but few studies have examined its association with illness symptom variations, notably weight status. The study aimed to evaluate the relationships between cognitive flexibility performances and nutritional status indices (BMI; body composition) at different times of the disorder. Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between cognitive flexibility (TAP 2.1) and nutritional status indices, along with anxious and depressive (HAD) and eating disorder (EDE-Q) symptomatology were investigated using univariate and multivariate analyses in a cohort of AN inpatients evaluated at hospital admission (N = 167) and discharge (N = 94). We found no or negligible associations between nutritional status and HAD or EDE-Q scores or cognitive flexibility performances, either cross-sectionally or longitudinally. Cognitive performances did not significantly differ between the AN subtypes. In agreement with the Cognitive-Interpersonal model of AN, cognitive flexibility is independent of nutritional status, as well as the AN subtype. It is also independent of the levels of anxious, depressive, or ED symptomatology. A new therapeutic approach targeting cognitive flexibility and intolerance to change could benefit severely emaciated people with AN, regardless of disease subtype and level of dysphoria.

Polish adaptation of the Gender Identity/Gender Dysphoria Questionnaire for Adolescents and Adults (GIDYQ-AA-PL)

Introduction and objective: The aim of the study was to develop a tool to measure the level of gender dysphoria in adolescents and adults, as well as to assess its psychometric properties. Materials and methods: The study attempted a Polish adaptation of the questionnaire to assess dysphoria and gender identification in adolescents and adults (Gender Identity/Gender Dysphoria Questionnaire for Adolescents and Adults, GIDYQ-AA). It involved 1,780 respondents aged 11 to 73 years, diverse in terms of sex assigned at birth and gender identity. The questionnaire used in the adaptation study consisted of three parts: statistical data, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the GIDYQ-AA questionnaire translated into Polish. Results: The analysis showed that the structure of the tool is single-factor. Items 4 and 13 of the original tool were removed from the Polish version due to poor correlation with the scale and low factor loadings of these items. The structure equivalence analysis showed that developing general standards could lead to flattening of conclusions from individual measurements. It was decided to create norms taking into account sex and age. The obtained tool has a reliability of 0.97 CR and good validity measured as the correlation coefficient between the level of dysphoria and the level of anxiety, depression and irritability. Conclusions: The adaptation and analysis gave rise to a 25-item tool with high reliability and validity. Unlike the original tool, in-depth statistical analyses allowed for the creation of detailed dysphoria norms for age and sex assigned at birth. The presented questionnaire is a valuable contribution to the system of Polish standards for diagnosing people struggling with gender nonconformity.

Investigating the role of action-contingent expectancy biases in dysphoria-linked activity engagement behavioural choice

Reduced tendency to engage in potentially rewarding activities is a hallmark of depression. The present study investigated the role of future expectancy biases in depression-linked behavioural choice, in participants varying in self-reported depression symptoms (dysphoria). A novel laboratory paradigm was developed to test the hypotheses that the degree to which higher dysphoria is associated with reduced tendency to engage in a potentially rewarding activity is dependent on the presence of negative biases in the expected outcomes of activity engagement. Specifically, two types of expectancy biases were distinguished: a) the expected likelihood of a negative rather than positive outcome, and b) the expected emotional impact of either outcome. N = 176 undergraduate students with varied levels of dysphoria were given the opportunity to choose to engage in a coin-tossing game that could result in a win or loss monetary outcome in terms of charity donations, and then rated both types of expectancies. Results indicated that higher dysphoria was associated with more negative expectations concerning the likelihood of objective outcomes and the emotional impact of such outcomes, and as hypothesised, such negative expectancy biases mediated indirect associations between dysphoria and behavioural choice.

Band of mothers: Childbirth as a female bonding experience.

Does the experience of childbirth create social bonds among first-time mothers? Previous research suggests that sharing emotionally intense or painful experiences with others leads to "identity fusion," a visceral feeling of oneness with a group that predicts strong forms of prosocial action and self-sacrifice for other group members. This study compared identity fusion with other mothers during pregnancy versus after childbirth in a sample of 164 U.S. women. Eighty-nine mothers in our sample were pregnant with their firstborn, and 75 mothers had given birth to their firstborn up to 6 months prior to the time of data collection. Results demonstrated that identity fusion with other mothers was higher for postpartum mothers than for antenatal mothers. As predicted, among postpartum mothers, those who thought that their childbirth was more painful than a typical childbirth experience reported greater identity fusion with mothers who reported having had a very difficult birth. Postpartum mothers' ruminative thought about the birth mediated the association between level of dysphoria and identity fusion, and identity fusion moderated the association between postpartum mothers' ruminative and reflective thought about the birth and their posttraumatic growth in complex ways. These findings provide evidence that perceived sharedness of the childbirth experience and thoughts about the birth are important to the process of identity fusion with other mothers, and highlight the importance of post-event processing for psychological health.

OR27-05 Sexual Desire Changes in Transgender Individuals upon Initiation of Hormone Treatment; Results from the Longitudinal ENIGI Study

Introduction: Several steps in the transitioning process may affect sexual desire in transgender people. This is often underexposed by those providing gender affirming care. Testosterone therapy in transgender men (TM) generally leads to increasing frequency of desire, masturbation, sexual fantasies and arousal. Studies in transgender women (TW) are inconclusive: some report an increase in the prevalence of hypoactive sexual desire after initiation of hormone therapy, whereas others have shown a positive impact of hormonal therapy on sexual quality of life. The current study prospectively assesses sexual desire during the first three years of hormonal therapy (HT) in transgender people. Methods: This prospective cohort study was part of the European Network for the Investigation of Gender Incongruence (ENIGI). Sexual desire was prospectively assessed in 766 participants (401 TW, 364 TM) by Sexual Desire Inventory (SDI) during a three-year follow-up period, starting at the initiation of hormone treatment (HT). SDI scores were analyzed as total, dyadic and solitary SDI scores. At baseline, psychological questionnaires were administered. Sex steroids were measured at each follow-up visit. Data were analyzed cross-sectionally and prospectively. Results: In TW, total, dyadic and solitary SDI scores decreased during the first three months of HT. However, after 36 months, total and dyadic SDI scores were higher than baseline scores. Solitary scores after 36 months were comparable to baseline scores. In TM, total, dyadic and solitary SDI scores increased over the first three months, remaining stable thereafter. However, total and dyadic SDI scores after thirty-six months were comparable to baseline scores, whereas solitary scores remained higher than baseline. Factors associated with a prospective increase in SDI scores included having undergone gonadectomy, no longer experiencing vaginal bleedings (in TM) or higher gender dysphoria levels at baseline (in TM only). Factors associated with higher cross-sectional SDI scores included being in a relationship, undergoing gonadectomy, no longer experiencing vaginal bleedings (TM), lower gender dysphoria scores (TW only) and lower body dysphoria scores (TW only). Conclusion: Gender affirming hormonal therapy induces short-term changes in sexual desire in transgender people. Over a longer period of time, a net increase in dyadic sexual desire in TW receiving feminizing HT was observed. Sexual desire scores comparable to baseline in TM receiving virilizing HT were found. We observed no correlation between sexual desire and absolute serum testosterone levels. However, other factors, including undergoing gonadectomy, persistence of vaginal bleedings (in TM) and psychological factors may influence sexual desire in transgender people.

The effect of induced optimism on the optimistic update bias

BackgroundIndividuals tend to have an optimism bias, processing desirable information more frequently than undesirable information. However, people who have been diagnosed with depression often have a more pessimistic view of the future. A recent study suggests that future expectations in individuals with dysphoria become more optimistic when asked to make optimistic future predictions about the future. In the present study, we investigated the differential effects of induced optimism training which making optimistic future prediction to change future beliefs in normal participants with various levels of dysphoria (low, mild, high).MethodsWe recruited normal participants (n = 69) from a local university students and divided participants into three groups (low, mild, high dysphoria) by measuring dysphoric mood. These three groups were assigned to the induced optimism training or control condition. After the training, participants performed the two-stage belief updating task. In the first stage, participants estimated their personal probability of experiencing adverse events while being presented with the average probability of the event occurring to a living person. This information could be desirable for participants(when presented with a probability that was below their estimation) or undesirable (when presented with a probability that was above their estimation). To assess how desirable versus undesirable information influenced beliefs, participants estimated their personal probability of experiencing the events again in the second stage. The amount of update error was calculated as the difference between the estimates in the first stage and the second stage. The difference between the errors was classified as the update bias.ResultsAfter the induced optimism training, individuals with the mild dysphoria demonstrated a higher update bias than low (p < .001) and the high dysphoria (p < .05) group in induced optimism condition. Significant differences were not found in control group. Results indicates that individuals in the mild dysphoria group showed an increased update bias after being exposed to the induced optimism training Dysphoric mood and trait optimism remained unchanged in both the experimental and control groups.ConclusionsResults suggest that induced optimism training has potential to change individuals with mild dysphoria perceptions’ about the future.

Sexual Desire Changes in Transgender Individuals Upon Initiation of Hormone Treatment: Results From the Longitudinal European Network for the Investigation of Gender Incongruence

IntroductionSeveral steps in the transitioning process may affect sexual desire in transgender people. This is often underexposed by those providing gender-affirming care. AimTo prospectively assess sexual desire during the first 3 years of hormonal therapy (HT) in transgender people. MethodsThis prospective cohort study was part of the European Network for the Investigation of Gender Incongruence. At baseline, different psychological questionnaires were administered. Sex steroids were measured at each follow-up visit. Data were analyzed cross-sectionally and prospectively. Main Outcome MeasureProspective analysis of total, dyadic (with another person), and solitary (with oneself) sexual desire in 766 participants (401 transgender women [TW], 364 transgender men [TM]) was carried out using the Sexual Desire Inventory (SDI) questionnaire during a 3-year follow-up period, starting at the initiation of HT. Other factors associated with prospective changes were assessed. ResultsIn TW, total, dyadic, and solitary SDI scores decreased during the first 3 months of HT. However, after 36 months, total and dyadic SDI scores were higher than baseline scores. Solitary scores after 36 months were comparable with baseline scores. In TM, total, dyadic, and solitary SDI scores increased over the first 3 months, remaining stable thereafter. However, total and dyadic SDI scores after 36 months were comparable with baseline scores, whereas solitary scores remained higher than baseline. Factors associated with a prospective increase in SDI scores included having undergone gonadectomy, no longer experiencing menstrual bleeding or higher gender dysphoria levels at baseline (in TM only). Clinical ImplicationsThis study offers clear data on the time course of sexual desire after starting HT and thereby helps to inform people who want to start HT. Transgender people can be informed that changes in sexual desire after initiating HT are temporary. Over a longer period of time, the current research does not suggest induction of hypoactive sexual disorder in TW or long-term increased sexual desire in TM. Strength & LimitationsStrengths include the prospective design of this large multicentric study, the well-defined cohort, controlling for HT, sex steroids, and other factors. Limitations include performing a data lock, the absence of an objective measure of sexual desire, and the timing of laboratory measurements. ConclusionGender-affirming HT only induces short-term changes in sexual desire in transgender people. Over a longer period of time, a net increase in dyadic sexual desire in TW receiving feminizing HT and sexual desire scores comparable with baseline in TM receiving virilizing HT, were observed.Defreyne J, Elaut E, Kreukels B, et al. Sexual Desire Changes in Transgender Individuals Upon Initiation of Hormone Treatment: Results From the Longitudinal European Network for the Investigation of Gender Incongruence Study. J Sex Med 2020;17:812–825.

Influence of Subjective Happiness and Dysphoria on Music-Evoked Nostalgia

Nostalgia is defined as “a sentimental longing or wistful reflection for the past.” This study examined the individual differences on the effect of emotions on music-evoked nostalgia. The study focused on traits associated with positive and negative emotions, specifically, dysphoria and subjective happiness. Participants listened to nostalgic music before and after responding to a questionnaire measuring traits and mood states. Results showed that the degree of music-evoked nostalgia was reduced only when levels of dysphoria and subjective happiness were both low. This is the first study to demonstrate the relationship between nostalgia evoked by music, and traits associated with positive emotion.

Spontaneous cognition in dysphoria: reduced positive bias in imagining the future

Anomalies in future-oriented cognition are implicated in the maintenance of emotional disturbance within cognitive models of depression. Thinking about the future can involve mental imagery or verbal-linguistic mental representations. Research suggests that future thinking involving imagery representations may disproportionately impact on-going emotional experience in daily life relative to future thinking not involving imagery (verbal-linguistic representation only). However, while higher depression symptoms (dysphoria) are associated with impaired ability to deliberately generate positive relatively to negative imagery representations of the future (when instructed to do so), it is unclear whether dysphoria is associated with impairments in the tendency to do so spontaneously (when not instructed to deliberately generate task unrelated cognition of any kind). The present study investigated dysphoria-linked individual differences in the tendency to experience spontaneous future-oriented cognition as a function of emotional valence and representational format. Individuals varying in dysphoria level reported the occurrence of task unrelated thoughts (TUTs) in real time while completing a sustained attention go/no-go task, during exposure to auditory cues. Results indicate higher levels of dysphoria were associated with lower levels of positive bias in the number of imagery-based future TUTs reported, reflecting higher negative imagery-based future TUT generation (medium to large effect size), and lower positive imagery-based TUT generation (small to medium effect size). Further, this dysphoria-linked bias appeared to be specific in temporal orientation (future, not past) and representational format (imagery, not non-imagery). Reduced tendency to engage in positive relative to negative imagery-based future thinking appears to be implicated in dysphoria.

Testing the cognitive catalyst model of rumination with explicit and implicit cognitive content

Background and objectivesThe cognitive catalyst model posits that rumination and negative cognitive content, such as negative schema, interact to predict depressive affect. Past research has found support for this model using explicit measures of negative cognitive content such as self-report measures of trait self-esteem and dysfunctional attitudes. The present study tested whether these findings would extend to implicit measures of negative cognitive content such as implicit self-esteem, and whether effects would depend on initial mood state and history of depression. MethodSixty-one undergraduate students selected on the basis of depression history (27 previously depressed; 34 never depressed) completed explicit and implicit measures of negative cognitive content prior to random assignment to a rumination induction followed by a distraction induction or vice versa. Dysphoric affect was measured both before and after these inductions. ResultsAnalyses revealed that explicit measures, but not implicit measures, interacted with rumination to predict change in dysphoric affect, and these interactions were further moderated by baseline levels of dysphoria. LimitationsLimitations include the small nonclinical sample and use of a self-report measure of depression history. ConclusionsThese findings suggest that rumination amplifies the association between explicit negative cognitive content and depressive affect primarily among people who are already experiencing sad mood.

Acquisition of likes and dislikes: No evidence for an influence of current dysphoric symptoms on evaluative conditioning effects in a sub-clinical sample

Summary Evaluative Conditioning (EC) refers to changes in the liking of a Conditioned Stimulus (CS), which are due to the fact that the stimulus has been paired with an emotional stimulus (Unconditioned Stimulus [US]). Some authors suggested that current affective states of a person could be thought of as an emotional stimulus (US) that can change the liking of environmental stimuli (CSs) encountered by the person. In the present study, we investigated the influence of current dysphoric symptoms on acquisition of likes and dislikes in a sub-clinical sample. 183 participants were engaged in an EC procedure in which CS valence was assessed after a conditioning procedure. Finally, the influence of current dysphoric symptoms on evaluative learning was investigated. We observed an Evaluative Conditioning effect, however, no effect of dysphoria levels on EC effect was observed. Implications are discussed.

Evaluation of stress experienced by pharmacy residents.

Results of a study of stress and negative affect levels in postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) and postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) pharmacy residents are presented. A cross-sectional approach was used. Pharmacy residency program directors received e-mailed invitation letters requesting that they ask their residents to participate in an online survey in 2011. The main study outcomes included evaluation of resident scores on the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS10) and the Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist-Revised (MAACL-R) anxiety, depression, hostility, and dysphoria subscales. Of the 524 pharmacy residents included in the study, 75.4% were female, 41.2% were under 26 years of age, and 41% reported working more than 60 hours per week. There were no significant differences between PGY1 and PGY2 residents in stress levels, as assessed with the PSS10 (mean ± S.D. score, 19.05 ± 5.96 versus 19.09 ± 5.77). MAACL-R scores for hostility were, on average, higher among PGY2 residents (mean ± S.D., 50.83 ± 10.02) than among PGY1 residents (48.62 ± 8.96), while there were no significant differences in anxiety, depression, and dysphoria levels. Relative to residents who worked 60 or fewer hours per week, those who worked more than 60 hours had higher perceived stress levels as well as higher depression, hostility, and dysphoria scores. Pharmacy residents exhibited high levels of perceived stress, especially those who worked more than 60 hours per week. Perceived stress was highly correlated to negative affect levels.

Who has the worst attitudes toward sexual minorities? Comparison of transphobia and homophobia levels in gender dysphoric individuals, the general population and health care providers.

To date, few studies have addressed attitudes toward transgender individuals. In addition, little is known about health care providers' (HCP) attitudes toward sexual minorities. The aim of the present study is to compare attitudes toward homosexual and transgender individuals between gender dysphoric individuals (GDs), general population controls (C) and HCP. A total of 310 subjects were considered, including 122 GDs (63 transwomen and 59 transmen), 53 heterosexual HCP (26 males and 27 females) and 135 C. Participants completed the Modern Homophobia Scale (MHS) and the Attitudes Toward Transgendered Individuals Scale (ATTI) in order to assess attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women and toward transgender individuals, respectively. In addition, GDs completed the Gender Identity/Gender Dysphoria Questionnaire (GIDYQ-AA) and ATTI to measure, respectively, gender dysphoria levels and internalized transphobia. Religious attitudes were evaluated by means of the Religious Fundamentalism Scale (RFS), and Discrimination and Stigma Scale (DISC-12) was used to measure perceived discrimination. (1) Men showed significantly higher levels of homophobia and transphobia when compared to women (p<0.001); (2) perceived discrimination was higher in lesbian women compared to gay men and in transwomen compared to transmen (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively); and (3) religious fundamentalism was associated with both homophobia and transphobia (both p<0.001). Our results underline the need to promote awareness and acceptance of the sexual minorities, who are more at risk of discriminatory attitudes, which are strongly dependent on religious precepts and dogma.

Interplay of dysphoria and anxiety sensitivity in relation to emotion regulatory cognitions of smoking among treatment-seeking smokers.

There is evidence that anxiety sensitivity (AS) plays a role in the maintenance of smoking, yet there is little understanding of how AS interplays with other affective symptomatology variables that are also related to smoking, such as dysphoria. Therefore, the current cross-sectional study evaluated the interactive effects of AS and dysphoria on emotion regulatory cognitions, including smoking negative affect reduction expectancies, perceived barriers for cessation, and smoking-specific experiential avoidance. A total of 448 adult treatment-seeking daily smokers, who responded to study advertisements, were recruited to participate in a smoking cessation treatment trial (47.8% female; Mage = 37.2, SD = 13.5). The current study utilized self-report baseline data from trial participants. After accounting for covariates, simple slope analyses revealed that AS was positively related to negative affect reduction expectancies (β = .03, p = .01), perceived barriers to cessation (β = .22, p = .002), and smoking avoidance and inflexibility (β = .07, p = .04), among smokers with lower (vs. higher) levels of dysphoria. The current findings suggest that higher levels of dysphoria may mitigate the relation between AS and emotion regulatory cognitions of smoking. The current findings highlight the unique and additive clinical relevance of AS and dysphoria regarding emotion regulatory smoking cognitions that may impede quit success. (Am J Addict 2016;25:267-274).

Factors Mediating Dysphoric Moods and Help Seeking Behaviour Among Australian Parents of Children with Autism.

This study compared levels of state affect, dysphoric mood, and parenting sense of competence in Australian parents of children with or without autism. The effects of personality and location on the parents' experience were also examined, while controlling for current affect. Possible relationships among personality, location factors and help-seeking behavior were also explored in parents of children with autism. Prior findings of higher dysphoric mood levels in parents of children with autism were supported, as was the positive correlation between dysphoric moods and Neuroticism levels. Parenting Sense of Competence did not differ across locations, and there were no parent type by location interactions. Access to services among parents of a child with autism did not moderate dysphoria levels.

Trait worry is associated with difficulties in working memory updating

ABSTRACTThe current study investigated the effects of trait worry, a subcomponent of trait anxiety, on the process of updating information in working memory (WM). A leading theory on anxiety and executive functions, attentional control theory (ACT), states that anxiety is not related to WM updating in emotionally neutral situations. Previous research, however, has focused almost exclusively on WM span tasks that primarily emphasised storage, rather than the updating of WM representations. Moreover, few studies have directly examined the effects of trait worry. In this study, 116 subjects performed a WM updating task that required the memorisation of short lists of words and the within-trial removal of some of these items from WM. Results indicated that levels of trait worry were not related to word-span performance, but were related to performance on trials that required subjects to effectively update WM. Moreover, these effects were observed only for trait worry, not for levels of anxious arousal or comorbid levels of dysphoria. These results support the hypothesis that trait worry is related to WM updating performance and thereby extend ACT in new directions.

Shades of vulnerability: latent structures of clinical caseness in prodromal and early phases of schizophrenia

The underlying structures of clinical caseness and need of care in prodromal (i.e., at-risk) and early phases of schizophrenia remain poorly characterized in their essential psycho-behavioral coherence. To identify the schizophrenia proneness-related subtypes within a population of young help-seekers referred to a dedicated, community-based early detection program (Programma 2000). A sample of consecutive referrals (n=168) for suspected psychosis or first-episode schizophrenia spectrum psychosis received a detailed clinical assessment, including the early recognition inventory for the retrospective assessment of the onset of schizophrenia checklist. We used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to determine the underlying dimensional structure and latent class analysis (LCA) to identify putative vulnerability subtypes. EFA identified four factors: dysphoria (irritability tension), paranoid autocentrism, introversive withdrawal, and disturbed subjective experience. LCA distinguished three classes, interpretable as carrying different degrees of "proneness to schizophrenia psychosis," which best captured the underlying continuum of clinical severity. The validity of the three classes was supported by distinct patterns of association with major clinical variables (i.e., diagnostic staging at referral). Vulnerability to schizophrenia psychosis in young help-seekers may manifest in three major clinical prototypes, presenting common levels of dysphoria and social withdrawal but different degrees of paranoid autocentrism and disturbed subjective experience. Overall, the results provide the empirical background to dissect shared features of clinical caseness from more schizophrenia-specific vulnerability components. This is of value for the refinement of the clinical staging model as well as for the pragmatic implementation of multiple-gate screening programs.

P02-410 - The impact of pain anxiety on chronic pain among elders

IntroductionPain is a complex and multifacial phenomenon, which interferes in almost every person's life, while in case it turns into chronic, can cause a significant disturbance in individual's physical, psychological and social sphere. That means the intense communication and interaction between ache biome, living conditions and state of health. Cognitive factors play a significant role on the recurrent dysphoria levels, while cognitive functions participate actively in pain intensity, sense of disability and medicine response.AimEstimate the possible significance between pain anxiety and pain intensity.Materials and methodsEighty six elders suffering from various types of chronic pain were examined by the Pass-20 (Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale) scale, and GPM (Geriatric Pain Measure), while the results were assessed by SPSS 14 and specifically the Linear Regression method.ResultsIt was found statistical significance between the four sub-scales and the presence and existence of chronic pain among participants. Specifically the first subcale (avoidance of pain) was linked with the intensity of pain (p = ,00), the second scale (fearfull thinking) was associated with the prevalence of pain and the gender (p = ,014), the third scale (cognitive anxiety) showed a statistic significance with GPM results and education levels (p = ,00) and the forth scale (psychological responses) was found to affect the pain sense, while it was depended by gender (p = ,0015).DiscussionAmong elders pain anxiety can deteriorate the pain sense affecting the general well-being. For that reason non-pharmacological interventions can be very helpful both for the patient and clinician.

When Mental Inflexibility Facilitates Executive Control

Although previous research suggests that depressive ruminators tend to become stuck in a particular mind-set, this mental inflexibility may not always be disadvantageous; in some cases, it may facilitate active maintenance of a single task goal in the face of distraction. To evaluate this hypothesis, we tested 98 college students, who differed in ruminative tendencies and dysphoria levels, on two executive-control tasks. One task emphasized fast-paced shifting between goals (letter naming), and one emphasized active goal maintenance (modified Stroop). Higher ruminative tendencies predicted more errors on the goal-shifting task but fewer errors on the goal-maintenance task; these results demonstrated that ruminative tendencies have both detrimental and beneficial effects. Moreover, although ruminative tendencies and dysphoria levels were moderately correlated (r = .42), higher dysphoria levels predicted more errors on the goal-maintenance task; this finding indicates that rumination and dysphoria can have opposing effects on executive control. Overall, these results suggest that depressive rumination reflects a trait associated with more stability (goal maintenance) than flexibility (goal shifting).

Mood and retrieval‐induced forgetting of positive and negative autobiographical memories

AbstractIn two experiments, we examined the effects of high and low levels of dysphoria on retrieval‐induced forgetting (RIF) of positive and negative autobiographical memories. In Experiment 1, participants took part in an RIF procedure that was adapted for autobiographical memories. Regardless of level of dysphoria, participants showed facilitation for both negative and positive memories; they only showed RIF for negative memories. Differences in baseline memories were responsible for this effect: Participants recalled more positive than negative baseline memories. Experiment 2 was conducted to address these baseline differences, and also focused only on participants with high levels of dysphoria. Again, high dysphoric participants showed facilitation for both positive and negative memories; they only showed RIF for negative memories. Recall also varied depending on the content of practiced memories and individual differences in anxiety. Overall, these results suggest that retrieval‐practice might have different outcomes for different kinds of autobiographical memories, that these outcomes may depend on individual memory biases and memory valence, and that practicing positive memories may assist mood repair. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.