Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire Research Articles

Mental but no bio-physiological long-term habituation to repeated social stress: A study on soldiers and the influence of mission abroad.

Soldiers regularly participate in missions abroad and subjectively adapt to this situation. However, they have an increased lifetime cardiovascular risk compared to other occupational groups. To test the hypothesis that foreign deployment results in different stress habituation patterns, we investigated long-term psychological and bio-physiological stress responses to a repeated social stress task in healthy soldiers with and without foreign deployment. Ninety-one female and male soldiers from the BEST study (German armed forces deployment and stress) participated three times in the Trier Social Stress Test for groups (TSST-G) prior to, 6-8 weeks after and 1 year after the mission abroad and were compared to a control group without foreign deployment during the study period. They completed the State-Trait-Anxiety Inventory scale (STAI), the Primary Appraisal Secondary Appraisal questionnaire (PASA) and the Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire (MDBF). Salivary cortisol and α-amylase, blood pressure, heart rate and heart rate variability were determined. Soldiers showed mental habituation over the three times with a significant decrease after the TSST-G in anxiousness (STAI) and cognitive stress appraisal (PASA), they were calmer and reported better mood (MDBF). Prior to the social stress part, the mood (MDBF) declined significantly. None of the biological and physiological markers showed any adaptation to the TSST-G. Mission abroad did not significantly influence any measured psychobiological marker when compared to soldiers without foreign deployment. Foreign deployment does not result in alterations in psychobiological social stress response patterns over 1 year after mission abroad which indicates that adaptation to acute social stress is highly maintained in healthy soldiers. The discrepancy between subjective perception and objective stress response has numerous clinical implications and should receive more attention.

Musical feedback system Jymmin® leads to enhanced physical endurance in the elderly-A feasibility study.

Background and objectivesActive music-making in combination with physical exercise has evoked several positive effects in users of different age groups. These include enhanced mood, muscular effectivity, pain threshold, and decreased perceived exertion. The present study tested the applicability of this musical feedback system, called Jymmin®, in combination with strength-endurance exercises in a population of healthy older adults.Research design and methodsSixteen healthy, physically inactive older adults (5 males, 11 females) at the mean age of 70 years performed physical exercise in two conditions: A conventional work-out while listening passively music and a Jymmin® work-out, where musical sounds were created with one's work-out movements. According to the hypothesis that strength-endurance is increased during musical feedback exercise, parameters relating to strength-endurance were assessed, including exercise duration, number of repetitions, perceived exertion (RPE), and participants' mental state (Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire; MDMQ).ResultsResults show that participants exercised significantly longer while doing Jymmin® (Mdn = 248.75 s) as compared to the conventional work-out (Mdn = 182.73 s), (Z = 3.408, p = 0.001). The RPE did not differ between conventional work-out and the Jymmin® condition, even though participants worked out significantly longer during the Jymmin® condition (Mdn = 14.50; Z = −0.905; p = 0.366). The results of the MDMQ showed no significant differences between both conditions (Z = −1.037; p = 0.300).Discussion and implicationsResults show that participants could work out longer while showing the same perceived exertion, relating to increased physical endurance. Music feedback work-out encouraged a greater degree of isometric contractions (muscle actively held at fixed length) and, therefore, less repetitions in this condition. In addition to the previously described effect on muscle effectivity, this non-stereotypic contraction pattern during music feedback training may have enhanced endurance in participants supporting them to better proportion energetic reserves during training (pacing).Clinical trial registrationIdentifier: DRKS00023645.

Reliability and suitability of physiological exercise response and recovery markers

There is currently insufficient evidence about the reliable quantification of exercise load and athlete’s recovery management for monitoring training processes. Therefore, this test–retest study investigated the reliability of various subjective, muscle force, and blood-based parameters in order to evaluate their suitability for monitoring exercise and recovery cycles. 62 subjects completed two identical 60-min continuous endurance exercise bouts intermitted by a four-week recovery period. Before, immediately after, three, and 24 h after each exercise bout, analysis of parameters were performed. Significant changes over time were found for rating of perceived exertion (RPE), multidimensional mood state questionnaire (MDMQ), maximum voluntary contraction parameters (MVCs), and blood-based biomarkers (p < 0.05). Excellent reliability was calculated for MVCs, mean corpuscular volume and 5-bound distance (ICC > 0.90). A good reliability was found for thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) (ICC = 0.79) and haematological markers (ICC = 0.75–0.86). For RPE, MDMQ, interleukin (IL-) 1RA, IL-6, IL-8, IL-15, cortisol, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK) only moderate reliability was found (ICC < 0.75). Significant associations for IL1-RA and CK to MVC were found. The excellent to moderate reliability of TBARS, LDH, IL-1RA, six measured haematological markers, MVCs and MDMQ implicate their suitability as physiological exercise response and recovery markers for monitoring athletes’ load management.

Emotional factors in senior L2 acquisition: A case study of Japanese speakers learning Spanish

Aim. This research tries to explore whether a training course on tour guiding in a foreign language designed for senior learners could maximize their life experience, knowledge, and motivation (Author, 2018, 2019). The discussion argues that language learning for older adults is to be considered not only from cognitive aspects, but also from emotional and social aspects, since these are malleable and susceptible of being changed by the teaching method and the teacher's skills.&#x0D; Method. We discuss the case of senior Japanese learners of L2 Spanish through their questionnaires, class observations and introspective materials. Literature regarding emotional factors such as tolerance to ambiguity is reviewed. Also, we further focus on the social factors including gender divide, a major issue in Japanese society that affects the older generation in particular.&#x0D; Results. We used the Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire (MDMQ questionnaire, English version of Der Mehrdimensionale Befindlichkeitsfragebogen MDBF; Steyer, Schwenkmezger, Notz, and Eid, 1997) to determine their mood before and after the course 5 times in total. We also introduce 4 learners’ cases (2 female and 2 male learners) including introspective materials results from senior learners showing their Spanish level transition.&#x0D; Conclusion. A content-based course linked to practical occasions to be a volunteer tour guide seems not simple for the students and some learners felt ambiguous with regards to contents; however, independently of their Spanish level, they tried to find simple and alternative ways to manage the conversations or explanations. Some typical cultural and social factors in Japan, learners’ language level, experience, knowledge, and emotional factors seem more important elements for the creation of class atmosphere in this content-based L2 learning.

Does fMRI neurofeedback in the context of stress influence mood and arousal? A randomised controlled trial with parallel group design

Background: Stress-related mental and physical health issues burden modern societies. New treatment opportunities could help to lessen long-term detrimental consequences of stress. Objective: To investigate whether real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback (rtfMRInf), aimed at modulating brain activity associated with a stressor, affects subjective mood and arousal. Methods: In total, 30 males participated in a randomised controlled trial with parallel-group design. rtfMRInf was the intervention, sham-neurofeedback the control condition, and the Stroop task the stressor. We instructed participants to modulate their stress response to the Stroop task via feedback from their anterior cingulate cortex and their insular cortex, concomitantly applying mental strategies. We assessed mood with the Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire (dimensions: good/bad, GB; awake/tired, AT; and calm/nervous, CN), and subjective arousal with Self-Assessment Manikins (SAM). Results: We found significantly higher subjective arousal after neurofeedback phases in the experimental condition as compared to the control condition [t(26.6) = −2.216, 95%CI [−2.188,−0.083], p = 0.035; t(27.9) = −3.252, 95%CI [−2.685,−0.609], p = 0.003], but no significant differences between the conditions regarding mood [GB: b = 0.4, 95%CI [−0.67, 1.47], p = 0.467; AT: b = 0.769, 95%CI [−0.319, 1.857], p = 0.177; CN: b = 0.5, 95%CI [−0.53, 1.53], p = 0.352]. In both conditions, there was significantly worse and more tired mood after the fMRI session as compared to before [GB:b = −0.77, 95% CI [−1.31, 0.23], p = 0.009; AT: b = −0.652, 95%CI [−1.116,−0.187], p = 0.01]. Conclusions: Findings indicate that rtfMRInf led to higher arousal, which may counteract the aim to reduce stress responses. Whether the multitasking situation has triggered this neurofeedback-related arousal – and how to circumvent it – asks for further study. Trial registration: NCT01921088, ClinicalTrials.gov, 13th August 2013.

Personalized prediction of smartphone-based psychotherapeutic micro-intervention success using machine learning

BackgroundTailoring healthcare to patients’ individual needs is a central goal of precision medicine. Combining smartphone-based interventions with machine learning approaches may help attaining this goal. The aim of our study was to explore the predictability of the success of smartphone-based psychotherapeutic micro-interventions in eliciting mood changes using machine learning. MethodsParticipants conducted daily smartphone-based psychotherapeutic micro-interventions, guided by short video clips, for 13 consecutive days. Participants chose one of four intervention techniques used in psychotherapeutic approaches. Mood changes were assessed using the Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire. Micro-intervention success was predicted using random forest (RF) tree-based mixed-effects logistic regression models. Data from 27 participants were used, totaling 324 micro-interventions, randomly split 100 times into training and test samples, using within-subject and between-subject sampling. ResultsMood improved from pre- to post-intervention in 137 sessions (initial success-rate: 42.3%). The RF approach resulted in predictions of micro-intervention success significantly better than the initial success-rate within and between subjects (positive predictive value: 0.732 (95%-CI: 0.607; 0.820) and 0.698 (95%-CI: 0.564; 0.805), respectively). Prediction quality was highest using the RF approach within subjects (rand accuracy: 0.75 (95%-CI: 0.641; 0.840), Matthew's correlation coefficient: 0.483 (95%-CI: 0.323; 0.723)). LimitationsThe RF approach does not allow firm conclusions about the exact contribution of each factor to the algorithm's predictions. We included a limited number of predictors and did not compare whether predictability differed between psychotherapeutic techniques. ConclusionsOur findings may pave the way for translation and encourage scrutinizing personalized prediction in the psychotherapeutic context to improve treatment efficacy.

Does fMRI neurofeedback in the context of stress influence mood and arousal? A randomised controlled trial with parallel group design

Background: Stress-related mental and physical health issues burden modern societies. New treatment opportunities could help to lessen long-term detrimental consequences of stress. Objective: To investigate whether real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback (rtfMRInf), aimed at modulating brain activity associated with a stressor, affects subjective mood and arousal. Methods: In total, 30 males participated in a randomised controlled trial with parallel-group design. rtfMRInf was the intervention, sham-neurofeedback the control condition, and the Stroop task the stressor. We instructed participants to modulate their stress response to the Stroop task via feedback from their anterior cingulate cortex and their insular cortex, concomitantly applying mental strategies. We assessed mood with the Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire (dimensions: good/bad, GB; awake/tired, AT; and calm/nervous, CN), and subjective arousal with Self-Assessment Manikins (SAM). Results: We found significantly higher subjective arousal after neurofeedback phases in the experimental condition as compared to the control condition [t(26.6) = −2.216, 95%CI [−2.188,−0.083], p = 0.035; t(27.9) = −3.252, 95%CI [−2.685,−0.609], p = 0.003], but no significant differences between the conditions regarding mood [GB: b = 0.4, 95%CI [−0.67, 1.47], p = 0.467; AT: b = 0.769, 95%CI [−0.319, 1.857], p = 0.177; CN: b = 0.5, 95%CI [−0.53, 1.53], p = 0.352]. In both conditions, there was significantly worse and more tired mood after the fMRI session as compared to before [GB:b = −0.77, 95% CI [−1.31, 0.23], p = 0.009; AT: b = −0.652, 95%CI [−1.116,−0.187], p = 0.01]. Conclusions: Findings indicate that rtfMRInf led to higher arousal, which may counteract the aim to reduce stress responses. Whether the multitasking situation has triggered this neurofeedback-related arousal – and how to circumvent it – asks for further study. Trial registration: NCT01921088, ClinicalTrials.gov, 13th August 2013.

Prevalence and Predictors of the Burnout Syndrome in Medical Students of Karachi, Pakistan.

ObjectivesBurnout is a psychophysiological syndrome, consisting of a triad of emotional and physical exhaustion, exhibition of impersonal attitude and loss of a sense of achievement for oneself. This study aimed to pinpoint its risk factors, measure its current prevalence in medical students of Karachi, Pakistan and accentuate the areas of focus to benefit the primary care-oriented community as a whole.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included responses from 600 medical students in Karachi (third to final year). A self-administered questionnaire using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), multi-dimensional mood state questionnaire and perceived stress scale was used, along with a section about burnout prevention assessment. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) and chi-square tests used to find significant associations.ResultsOne-fifth (n=109, 18.2%) of our subjects were burned out. The syndrome was significantly observed in those who operated on insufficient sleep (p-value 0.028) and in those having anger management issues and non-dominating temperaments (p-value 0.05). Furthermore, it was statistically significant in those who gave up easily, in those who had no hobbies and had no time to exercise and pray (p-value <0.05). It was more prevalent in pupils of private medical colleges whereas two of its three constitutive factors, Emotional Exhaustion (p-value 0.03) and Personal Achievement (p-value <0.001) were significantly higher in pupils of public sector universities. ConclusionThe deleterious repercussions of burnout syndrome warrant the need for extensive efforts towards the propagation of its awareness.

Increased sensitivity to social exclusion during the luteal phase: Progesterone as resilience factor buffering against ostracism?

A woman’s social behaviour reportedly varies across the menstrual cycle. In this study, we estimated changes in sensitivity to social exclusion across the menstrual cycle and scrutinized the related role of progesterone. Forty-nine naturally cycling women played a virtual ball-tossing game (Cyberball) to manipulate social inclusion. All participants underwent inclusion and exclusion conditions during the late follicular and the luteal phase. We assessed salivary progesterone concentrations at each cycle phase. After each Cyberball session we measured positive/negative mood using the Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire (MDMQ). Multilevel analyses indicated that women showed worse mood following exclusion as compared to inclusion conditions (p = 0.014). Notably, this exclusion effect was more pronounced during the luteal phase than the late follicular phase (p = 0.029). As expected, progesterone concentrations were higher during the luteal phase as compared to the late follicular phase, but interestingly, progesterone concentrations were negatively associated with exclusion effects. When accounting for mediation via progesterone, direct cycle-phase related differences in social exclusion effects even increased as compared to the model without mediator. These findings suggest that progesterone may function as buffer against negative feelings that result from being socially excluded. The relevance of these findings for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) are discussed, and we conclude that social exclusion may represent an important research domain criterion (RDoC) of relevance for PMDD, with progesterone pointing to new potential pharmacological targets.

Interaction of quality of life, mood and depression of patients and their informal caregivers after surgical treatment of high-grade glioma: a prospective study.

Patients who are diagnosed with high-grade gliomas (HGG) have poor prognoses and often experience rapid declines in functional and cognitive status, which makes caring for them particularly stressful. We conducted a prospective study to investigate the factors influencing the quality of life of HGG patients and their informal caregivers and analyzed their reciprocal impacts. Based on our results, we elaborated a screening model to identify patients and caregivers in need of psychooncological support. A total of 45 matched HGG patient-caregiver dyads completed the Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire, the 12-Item Short Form Medical Outcome Questionnaire and the Center for Epidemiology Studies Depression Scale. A subsequent semi-structured interview was performed with each individual. We found a significant relationship between the mood and depression scores of patients and caregivers, with a third of them displaying symptoms of a major depressive episode. Our screening model showed that 73% of the dyads exhibited signs of severe emotional strain with the need of psychooncological support. Beneficial factors that helped patients and caregivers cope with the illness included mutual respect, good communication, caregiver mastery and resilience. For a more comprehensive understanding of patient-caregiver interactions, we recommend using a combination of standardized psychometric tests and a semi-structured interview. The high percentage of emotional strain and depression found in patients and their caregivers facing HGG highlights the necessity of methodical screening for warning signs and consequent initiation of psycho-oncological interventions.

Effects of single moor baths on physiological stress response and psychological state: a pilot study.

Moor mud applications in the form of packs and baths are widely used therapeutically as part of balneotherapy. They are commonly given as therapy for musculoskeletal disorders, with their thermo-physical effects being furthest studied. Moor baths are one of the key therapeutic elements in our recently developed and evaluated 3-week prevention program for subjects with high stress level and increased risk of developing a burnout syndrome. An embedded pilot study add-on to this core project was carried out to assess the relaxing effect of a single moor bath. During the prevention program, 78 participants received a total of seven moor applications, each consisting of a moor bath (42°C, 20min, given between 02:30 and 05:20 p.m.) followed by resting period (20min). Before and after the first moor application in week 1, and the penultimate moor application in week 3, salivary cortisol was collected, blood pressure and heart rate were measured, and mood state (Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire) was assessed. A Friedman test of differences among repeated measures was conducted. Post hoc analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. A significant decrease in salivary cortisol concentration was seen between pre- and post-moor bath in week 1 (Z=-3.355, p=0.0008). A non-significant decrease was seen between pre- and post-moor bath in week 3. Mood state improved significantly after both moor baths. This pilot study has provided initial evidence on the stress-relieving effects of single moor baths, which can be a sensible and recommendable therapeutic element of multimodal stress-reducing prevention programs. The full potential of moor baths still needs to be validated. A randomized controlled trial should be conducted comparing this balneo-therapeutic approach against other types of stress reduction interventions.

Multicenter, open-label, exploratory clinical trial with &lt;em&gt;Rhodiola rosea&lt;/em&gt; extract in patients suffering from burnout symptoms

PurposeThis study is the first clinical trial aiming to explore the clinical outcomes in burnout patients treated with Rhodiola rosea. The reported capacity of R. rosea to strengthen the organism against stress and its good tolerability offer a promising approach in the treatment of stress-related burnout. The aim of the treatment was to increase stress resistance, thus addressing the source rather than the symptoms of the syndrome and preventing subsequent diseases associated with a history of burnout. The objective of the trial was to provide the exploratory data required for planning future randomized trials in burnout patients in order to investigate the clinical outcomes of treatment with R. rosea dry extract in this target group.MethodsThe study was planned as an exploratory, open-label, multicenter, single-arm trial. A wide range of rating scales were assessed and evaluated in an exploratory data analysis to generate hypotheses regarding clinical courses and to provide a basis for the planning of subsequent studies. A total of 118 outpatients were enrolled. A daily dose of 400 mg R. rosea extract (WS® 1375, Rosalin) was administered over 12 weeks. Clinical outcomes were assessed by the German version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Burnout Screening Scales I and II, Sheehan Disability Scale, Perceived Stress Questionnaire, Number Connection Test, Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire, Numerical Analogue Scales for different stress symptoms and impairment of sexual life, Patient Sexual Function Questionnaire, and the Clinical Global Impression Scales.ResultsThe majority of the outcome measures showed clear improvement over time. Several parameters had already improved after 1 week of treatment and continued to improve further up to the end of the study. The incidence of adverse events was low with 0.015 events per observation day.DiscussionThe trial reported here was the first to investigate clinical outcomes in patients suffering from burnout symptoms when treated with R. rosea. During administration of the study drug over the course of 12 weeks, a wide range of outcome measures associated with the syndrome clearly improved.ConclusionThe results presented provide an encouraging basis for clinical trials further investigating the clinical outcomes of R. rosea extract in patients with the burnout syndrome.

Flotation restricted environmental stimulation therapy and napping on mood state and muscle soreness in elite athletes: A novel recovery strategy?

Relaxation techniques and napping are very popular strategies amongst elite athletes recovering from the psychophysiological demands of training and competition. The current study examined a novel relaxation technique using restricted environmental stimulation therapy in a flotation tank (FLOAT). FLOAT involves reducing the level of environmental stimulation while achieving a sense of near weightlessness through floating in an enclosed, warm, saline-dense water tank. Sixty elite, international-level athletes (28 male, 32 female) across a range of 9 sports, completed a ∼45min FLOAT session following exercise training for their sport. Pre and post FLOAT, athletes filled out a multidimensional mood-state questionnaire (MDMQ) containing 16 mood-state variables as well as a question on perceived muscle soreness. Group data were analysed for pre to post FLOAT for all measured variables. Further analyses were performed on all variables for athletes that napped during FLOAT (n=27) and compared to those that did not nap (n=33). A single FLOAT session significantly enhanced 15 of the 16 mood-state variables (p<0.05) and also lowered perceived muscle soreness (p<0.01). Small (n=3) to moderate (n=6) effect sizes in favour of napping for 9 of the 16 mood-state variables were found when compared to the no nap group. FLOAT may be an effective tool for both physical and psychological recovery following training in elite athletes. Furthermore, napping in combination with FLOAT may provide additional benefits to enhance certain mood-state variables. This study serves as a pilot study for future research into the performance recovery of elite athletes following FLOAT.

Influence of room fragrance on attention, anxiety and mood

AbstractWith a special focus on the potential benefits of widely used room scents, the aim of the present blinded study was to investigate attention, anxiety and mood in a large group of healthy people during exposure to various pleasant odours compared with the same situation in a non‐odourous environment. A psychological test battery (d2 test of attention, State‐Trait‐Anxiety‐Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory and Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire) was applied to 200 normosmic subjects, placed in rooms with four different room fragrance conditions (rose odour; grapefruit odour; a combination of orange, lime and lemon odour; and a odourless control). After exposure, subjects were asked to rate occurrence and severity of heart problems (tachycardia/palpitations), headaches or breathing problems. Results revealed no significant effects of room fragrance on attention, anxiety and mood. Exposure to odours seemed to affect men and women differentially with men presenting unfavourable results in rose‐fragranced rooms whereas they seemed positively affected by the smell of grapefruit. However, these effects could only be observed when no corrections for multiple comparisons were applied. Exposure to the fragrances was not associated with a higher incidence of physical symptoms. These results suggest that the grapefruit odour may be a more suitable room fragrance for mixed‐gender groups than rose odour to reduce anxiety and to improve attention and mood. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

High Prevalence of Insecure Attachment in Patients with Primary Hypertension.

Hypertension is a major cardiovascular (CV) risk factor and is predicted by heightened CV reactivity to stress in healthy individuals. Patients with hypertension also show an altered stress response, while insecure attachment is linked to a heightened stress reactivity as well. This is the first study aiming to assess attachment representations in patients with primary hypertension and to investigate their CV responses when their attachment system is activated. We studied 50 patients (38 men, 12 women) with primary hypertension. The Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP), a widely used and validated interview, was performed to measure the patients' attachment representations, and to activate their attachment system. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured after 10 min at rest prior to and directly after the AAP interview. Mood and state anxiety were assessed using the Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire (MDBF) and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory-State (STAI-S) before and after the experiment. The prevalence of insecure attachment (dismissing, preoccupied, unresolved) in hypertensive patients was predominant (88%), while in non-clinical populations, only about 50% of individuals had insecure attachment patterns. Blood pressure (p < 0.001), heart rate (p = 0.016), and rate pressure product (p < 0.001) significantly increased in response to the attachment interview. Secure attached patients showed the highest rise in systolic blood pressure (p = 0.020) and the lowest heart rate compared to the other attachment groups (p = 0.043). However, attachment representation showed no significant group or interaction effects on diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and rate pressure product. Insecure attachment was highly over-represented in our sample of patients with primary hypertension. Additionally, a robust CV response to the attachment-activating stimulus was observed. Our data suggest that insecure attachment is significantly linked to primary hypertension, which implies the need for further investigations to evaluate attachment insecurity as a possible risk factor for hypertension.

Smartphone-Based Psychotherapeutic Micro-Interventions to Improve Mood in a Real-World Setting.

Background: Using mobile communication technology as new personalized approach to treat mental disorders or to more generally improve quality of life is highly promising. Knowledge about intervention components that target key psychopathological processes in terms of transdiagnostic psychotherapy approaches is urgently needed. We explored the use of smartphone-based micro-interventions based on psychotherapeutic techniques, guided by short video-clips, to elicit mood changes.Method: As part of a larger neurofeedback study, all subjects—after being randomly assigned to an experimental or control neurofeedback condition—underwent daily smartphone-based micro-interventions for 13 consecutive days. They were free to choose out of provided techniques, including viscerosensory attention, emotional imagery, facial expression, and contemplative repetition. Changes in mood were assessed in real world using the Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire (scales: good–bad, GB; awake–tired, AT; and calm–nervous, CN).Results: Twenty-seven men participated on at least 11 days and were thus included in the analyses. Altogether, they underwent 335, generally well-tolerated, micro-intervention sessions, with viscerosensory attention (178 sessions, 53.13%) and contemplative repetition (68 sessions, 20.30%) being the most frequently applied techniques. Mixed models indicated that subjects showed better mood [GB: b = 0.464, 95%confidence interval (CI) [0.068, 0.860], t(613.3) = 2.298, p = 0.022] and became more awake [AT: b = 0.514, 95%CI [0.103, 0.925], t(612.4) = 2.456, p = 0.014] and calmer [CN: b = 0.685, 95%CI [0.360, 1.010], t(612.3) = 4.137, p < 0.001] from pre- to post-micro-intervention. These mood improvements from pre- to post-micro-intervention were associated with changes in mood from the 1st day until the last day with regard to GB mood (r = 0.614, 95%CI [0.297, 0.809], p < 0.001), but not AT mood (r = 0.279, 95%CI [−0.122, 0.602], p = 0.167) and CN mood (r = 0.277, 95%CI [0.124, 0.601], p = 0.170).Discussion: Our findings provide evidence for the applicability of smartphone-based micro-interventions eliciting short-term mood changes, based on techniques used in psychotherapeutic approaches, such as mindfulness-based psychotherapy, transcendental meditation, and other contemplative therapies. The results encourage exploring these techniques' capability to improve mood in randomized controlled studies and patients. Smartphone-based micro-interventions are promising to modify mood in real-world settings, complementing other psychotherapeutic interventions, in line with the precision medicine approach. The here presented data were collected within a randomized trial, registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT01921088) https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01921088.

The Effect of Music Listening Versus Written Reframing on Mood Management

We compared the influence of music listening versus written reframing on mood regulation. Participants (n = 197) were randomly allocated to one of four conditions. A written, self-reflection exercise primed participants to be in either a positive or negative mood, which was assessed with the Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire (MDMQ, 2011; Steyer, Schwenkmeger, Notz, &amp; Eid, 1997). Half of the participants in the positive prime condition then selected and listened to music opposite of the induced mood. The other half engaged in a written reframing exercise, in which they revisited the event in their original writings but did so by reflecting on the event from the opposite emotional perspective. This process was repeated for participants in the negative prime condition. The MDMQ was used again to assess mood. Results revealed that music and writing changed both men and women’s moods from positive to negative or from negative to positive. Music exerted a more powerful influence than writing and exerted a stronger influence on women than men, especially when lifting participants from a negative mood to a positive mood. Our results also indicated that participants were aware of their mood changes.

Self-Rated Quality of Life in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease

Background: Cognitively impaired or demented patients may have difficulty performing the complex and multidimensional appraisal required by self-ratings (SR) of quality of life (QoL). Even healthy subjects often refer to their current mood state for QoL self-assessment. Therefore, it is hypothesized that patients rely on current mood state as a reference point for QoL SR, and that the degree of reliance increases with the level of cognitive impairment. Methods: Two consecutive samples of 14 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 16 patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) were examined using the self-rated Dementia-Quality of Life (DEMQoL), a multidimensional mood state questionnaire (MDBF-A, Mehrdimensionaler Befindlichkeitsfragebogen), and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE; MCI: mean = 25.1, SD = 2.1; AD: mean = 20.3, SD = 2.7). Results: As expected, correlations between current mood state and QoL SR (DEMQoL) were highly significant in AD patients but not in MCI patients. The degree of association for all significant correlations was also significantly higher in AD than in MCI patients. Conclusions: The results indicate that SR of QoL are more affectively distorted in AD than MCI. Mood state questionnaires may be an alternative to QoL questionnaires for AD patients, in particular if mood state ratings can be averaged across several points of assessment thus enhancing their validity.

Quarzklangschalentherapie bei Wirbelsäulenbeschwerden und chronobiologische Vorgänge – eine randomisierte kontrollierte Studie

Einleitung: Mit dieser prospektiven randomisierten kontrollierten Studie wurde untersucht, ob die Anwendung der harmonischen Schwingungen einer Quarzschalenbehandlung einen positiven Effekt auf Schmerzempfinden, subjektives Wohlbefinden und chronobiologische Vorgänge (Schlafqualität) bei Patienten mit chronischen unspezifischen Wirbelsäulenschmerzen hat. Patienten und Methoden: 54 Personen mit chronischen unspezifischen Wirbelsäulenschmerzen wurden untersucht. Die Interventionsgruppe (IG) erhielt eine Klangschalenbehandlung mit je 6 Therapieeinheiten, die Kontrollgruppe (KG) erhielt eine Scheinbehandlung, bei der Nullgruppe (NG) wurde keine Intervention durchgeführt. Schmerzintensität, Aktivitätseinschränkung und Lebenszufriedenheit wurden vor und 1 Woche nach der Intervention, Pulsfrequenz und Hautleitwert während 3 Behandlungen gemessen. Viermal wurde eine Messung der Herzfrequenzvariabilität durchgeführt. Vor und nach jeder Therapiesitzung wurde der Mehrdimensionale Befindlichkeitsfragebogen (MDBF) ausgefüllt. Ergebnisse: Hinsichtlich der Schmerzintensität kam es zu einem signifikanten Gruppenunterschied nach 6 Wochen. Sowohl bei der IG, als auch bei der KG zeigten sich signifikant geringere Schmerzintensitäten als bei der NG. Bei der NG kam es hingegen zu einem Anstieg der Schmerzintensität. Die Ergebnisse des MDBF sprechen für eine unspezifisch entspannende Wirkung der Behandlung bei IG und KG. Zu 2 Zeitpunkten zeigte sich ein signifikanter Abfall des Pulses während der Therapie. Schlussfolgerung: Unter den gewählten Bedingungen konnte die Hypothese nicht bestätigt werden, dass es durch die Quarzschalenbehandlung im Vergleich zu einer Placebobehandlung zu einer Linderung von chronischen Wirbelsäulenbeschwerden oder zu anhaltenden chronobiologischen Veränderungen kommt.