Negative Emotional States Research Articles

The death education needs of patients with advanced cancer: a qualitative research

BackgroundCancer remains a global health concern, with nearly 20 million new cancer cases and approximately 10 million cancer-related deaths reported in 2020.An increasing number of individuals with advanced-stage cancer are likely to confront the reality of mortality.In China, cancer-related deaths hold the top position among factors contributing to resident mortality, accounting for nearly a quarter of all deaths. Patients with advanced-stage cancer contend with both physical challenges such as pain, physical decline, and functional impairments, as well as psychological issues including death anxiety, fear of death, and feelings of meaninglessness and hopelessness during disease treatment. Death education serves as a method to educate patients on coping with death, alleviating death-related anxieties and fears, and approaching death calmly, thereby facilitating a peaceful end-of-life experience. Currently, there is a dearth of death education content tailored to patients’specific circumstances in China. Consequently, this study aims to explore the content of death education needs among patients with advanced-stage cancer in China.MethodsA qualitative research based on phenomenology was used to select 19 patients with advanced cancer from November 2022 to June 2023. Semi-structured interviews were used to interview, and Colaizzi 7-step analysis method was used to organize and analyze the data.ResultsSix themes were extracted: 1. Death cognition and education; 2. Life review; 3. Ethics of death; 4. End-of-life decision-making; 5. Social support; 6. Disease treatment.ConclusionsPatients with advanced-stage cancer face significant distress caused by their illness and the prospect of death. This distress can impact their quality of life and even influence treatment decisions. It’s essential to comprehensively assess the current state and needs of patients, engaging in ongoing interventions tailored to individual patient circumstances. This approach involves implementing targeted death education content and methods.When executing death education, it’s imperative to consider the patient’s knowledge framework and their level of acceptance. Integrating the patient’s disease progression and treatment, as well as addressing their negative emotional states, becomes crucial for enhancing the patient’s overall well-being and quality of life.

The Double-Edged Sword of Tension: How Moderate Stress Enhances Performance While Over-Focus Impairs It

Tension, often considered a negative emotional state, has traditionally been viewed as detrimental to performance, particularly when excessive. However, emerging research suggests that tension, when experienced at moderate levels, may have a facilitating effect on task performance by activating physiological and cognitive resources. This study explores the dual effects of tension on behavioral outcomes, proposing that moderate tension improves performance by enhancing arousal and resource mobilization, while excessive focus on tension can lead to cognitive overload, impairing task performance. Two hypotheses are tested: (H1) moderate tension enhances task performance through physiological arousal mechanisms such as increased adrenaline secretion, and (H2) excessive focus on tension increases cognitive load, leading to poorer performance. A randomized experimental design will be employed, with participants assigned to a moderate tension group, an excessive tension focus group, and a control group. Physiological measures, including heart rate and galvanic skin response (GSR), along with task performance indicators, will be collected. The expected results will provide empirical evidence supporting the positive role of moderate tension in enhancing behavioral outcomes and highlight the detrimental effects of excessive tension focus. This study offers theoretical insights into the dual nature of tension and practical implications for managing tension in high-pressure task environments.

A Holistic Harm Reduction Center Model: A Commentary

Substance addiction is a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking, loss of control over consumption, and a negative emotional state when access to the drug is restricted. Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) are associated with severe health issues including suicide and co-occurring diseases like HIV and hepatitis C, and mental health problems. Although the present SUD treatment models prioritize abstinence, achieving abstinence during a treatment episode is challenging as majority of individuals with SUDs continue using drugs during treatment. To address this challenge in the current SUD treatment model, harm reduction has emerged as a strategy that focuses on interventions such as naloxone distribution, syringe services, safe drug use education and other strategies that reduce harmful outcomes such as substance-related overdose death and disease transmission while improving quality of life. This commentary proposes a Holistic Harm Reduction Model that can be incorporated by harm reduction centers aimed at reducing risky drug use behavior and overdose deaths, and ultimately improving public health outcomes in the community. The proposed holistic model includes new components such as trauma-informed care and referral and a brief mindfulness intervention along with the already existing harm reduction approaches such as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and harm reduction managers to provide comprehensive healthcare services, distribution of supplies; education; referral and linkage to other services, including medications for substance use disorder; and participant data collection and analysis.

Can a mindfulness programme in schools for students with ADHD symptoms improve emotional well-being?

Abstract Background This study employs a cluster randomized controlled trial to investigate the effectiveness of a universal mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) in classrooms in improving emotional well-being and emotion regulation among adolescents with elevated ADHD symptoms. Methods The study comprised 342 students: 164 in an MBI group, 128 in a relaxation control group, and 47 in an inactive control group. Positive and negative emotional states and the emotion regulation strategies of rumination, acceptance, catastrophizing, positive reappraisal, and self-kindness were measured at the pre- (T0) and post-intervention (T9) and the 26-week follow-up (T26). Linear mixed models were used to analyze the intervention effects among all participants and separately by gender and ADHD symptom type. Results The results showed that compared to the controls, there was a beneficial effect on the MBI group concerning acceptance at T9; acceptance remained at the baseline level in the MBI group but decreased in the inactive control group. In contrast, in the inactive control group, rumination decreased at T9, and positive reappraisal increased at T26 compared to the MBI group. The MBI had no detectable effects on self-kindness, catastrophizing, or positive/negative emotional states. Findings on the emotion regulation strategies varied by gender. In boys, the MBI increased acceptance at T9 compared to the inactive control group, whereas in girls, the programme reduced catastrophizing at T9 and T26 compared to the active control group. Contrary in boys, MBI group exhibited less reduction in catastrophizing at T9 compared to the inactive control group. Conclusions Universal MBIs may have some beneficial effects on emotion regulation in adolescents with elevated ADHD symptoms. Both girls and boys might be responsive to universal MBIs as part of the school curriculum, however not all consequences are positive (especially in boys). Key messages • Universal MBIs in classrooms may have some beneficial effects on emotion regulation among adolescent with elevated ADHD symptoms; however, the results are contradictory and more research is needed. • Even though, universal MBIs may have some benefits, they may require modifications to lead to more beneficial effects on emotional well-being when used with this subgroup of students.

Nutritional habits and eating attitude in university students during the last wave of COVID-19 in Spain

Emotional Eating is eating in response to negative emotional states, such as boredom, loneliness, or anxiety. For some young people, both food and alcohol are a source of pleasure in their social life. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022-23 in the Health Sciences Faculty. Mediterranean Diet Adherence Test, alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT), Emotional Eater Questionnaire (EEQ), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Yale Food Addiction, Perceived Stress Scale, and Anxiety Questionnaire STAI, were employed. Emotional eater (EE) regarding to no emotional eater (NEE) presented a mild food addiction, a significantly high intake of carbohydrates, fat, and alcohol. Energy intake is dependent on saturated fat, also they are not conscious of their intake of calories, had worse sleep quality, high perceived stress, and worse healthy eating index (HEI) due to their intake of sweets and soft drinks. The diet quality could be affected by the stress of the pandemic. The association of emotional eating with the intake of sweet foods and alcoholic drinks maybe is a remaining situation of COVID-19. We suppose that maladaptive eating behaviors have improved over time during this pandemic. Even though it is necessary to promote healthier eating among university students, it is also necessary to improve healthy habits.

Impact of hearing rehabilitation programs on presbycusis management: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

In the field of audiology, numerous studies have sought to understand and improve hearing rehabilitation programs for older adults afflicted with presbycusis. Despite this, the field lacks uniform standards pertaining to the intervention methods, frequency, and duration of such programs. These discrepancies have led to varying test results and inconsistent findings across multiple studies. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of hearing rehabilitation programs in enhancing the utilization of hearing aids among older adults with presbycusis. We conducted a comprehensive exploration of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to identify randomized controlled trials assessing the role of hearing rehabilitation programs for patients with age-related hearing loss. The search period spanned from the inception of each database to September 12, 2024. Outcomes were synthesized using RevMan 5.4 software. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria, involving 598 patients (290 in the intervention group and 308 in the control group). It was observed that hearing rehabilitation programs significantly diminished self-perceived hearing impairment [MD = -5.80, 95% CI = (-8.16, -3.44), p < 0.00001] and negative emotional states [MD = -1.66, 95% CI = (-3.02, -0.29), p = 0.02], while enhancing hearing aid utilization [MD = 0.22, 95% CI = (0.08, 0.36), p = 0.002]. Nonetheless, these programs did not significantly augment patients' satisfaction with their hearing aids [MD = 0.09, 95% CI = (-0.17, 0.26), p = 0.66]. Hearing rehabilitation programs significantly improve hearing aid outcomes, reduce self-perceived hearing impairment, and alleviate negative emotional states in patients. However, the current body of evidence is insufficient to conclusively indicate that these programs enhance patient satisfaction with daily hearing aid usage.

Cognitive computing method based on decoding psychological emotional states

The current artificial intelligence is constrained to passively executing human command control. It cannot perceive, learn, and guide itself. Furthermore, the majority of these systems are unable to comprehend the human psychological cognitive state or emotional intention actively. To enhance the universality and generalization ability of existing emotion recognition methods, a psychological emotion state decoding method combining singular spectrum analysis and entropy measure is designed based on an electroencephalography signal. This method is developed to empower the cognitive computing system with the ability to perceive emotions. The entropy measure is accelerated by the vector dissimilarity criterion. Finally, dynamic sample entropy model learning is used to realize the cognitive calculation of psychological and emotional state recognition. The results demonstrated that the computational efficiency of the proposed decoding algorithm was significantly improved. The average recognition accuracy of positive and negative emotional states reached 82.78±16.22. The best recognition accuracy of the proposed electroencephalography emotion recognition method was 84.64 %. The proposed electroencephalography emotion recognition method demonstrated an accuracy of 64.15 % in recognizing cross-individual positive, neutral, and negative emotional states. The proposed emotion recognition method shows better universality and generalization performance, and can effectively identify people's psychological and emotional states.

Relationship between Vitality and Characteristics of Coping Strategies in Deviant Adolescents

Adolescence is important in the development and formation of a personality, and the family radically influences the development of a teenager; under the family influence, foundations of intentional behavior, ways of responding to stress, level of vitality and defense mechanisms are laid, and a general direction in the formation of moral concepts and relationships emerges. And all this happens against the background of contradictions in physiological and mental development, spiritual formation. The reasons for the use of psychoactive drugs are varied, and most often chemical dependence is determined by the combined action of various factors and conditions. The purpose of the research work was to study the relationship between family structure and characteristics of the adolescents’ response to stress in undergoing inpatient treatment due to the use of psychoactive substances. The study was conducted on the basis of the Novosibirsk Regional Clinical Narcological Dispensary (teenage department). The main group included 18 young men, age: from 15 to 18 years, with experience of using psychoactive substances from one year to three or more years - “teenage addicts”. The control group, “conditionally healthy”, denying the use of psychoactive substances, was represented by high school students of one of the gymnasiums, 15 young men of the same age group. The following methods were used: the Family Adaptation and Cohesion Scale (FACES-3) questionnaire; Plutchik, Kellerman, Conte questionnaire - Life Style Index (LSI) methodology; questionnaire “Methods of coping behavior” by R. Lazarus and S. Folkman and test of vitality (S. Muddy) adapted by D.A. Leontyev. Results. It was revealed that adolescent addicts differ from adolescents without addictive behavior in the following parameters: low level of family adaptation and family cohesion; Adolescents with addictive behavior differ in their style of responding to difficult life situations: they more often use defenses and coping, which serve the function of regulating negative emotional states associated with unmet needs for communication, self-affirmation, etc., while adolescents without addictive behavior use coping and defense, which main function is to resolve the situation; Adolescents with addictive behavior have a lower level of resilience than relatively healthy adolescents. The possibilities of psychotherapeutic influences are discussed.

Using Biosensor Devices and Ecological Momentary Assessment to Measure Emotion Regulation Processes: Pilot Observational Study With Dialectical Behavior Therapy.

Novel technologies, such as ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and wearable biosensor wristwatches, are increasingly being used to assess outcomes and mechanisms of change in psychological treatments. However, there is still a dearth of information on the feasibility and acceptability of these technologies and whether they can be reliably used to measure variables of interest. Our objectives were to assess the feasibility and acceptability of incorporating these technologies into dialectical behavior therapy and conduct a pilot evaluation of whether these technologies can be used to assess emotion regulation processes and associated problems over the course of treatment. A total of 20 adults with borderline personality disorder were enrolled in a 6-month course of dialectical behavior therapy. For 1 week out of every treatment month, participants were asked to complete EMA 6 times a day and to wear a biosensor watch. Each EMA assessment included measures of several negative affect and suicidal thinking, among other items. We used multilevel correlations to assess the contemporaneous association between electrodermal activity and 11 negative emotional states reported via EMA. A multilevel regression was conducted in which changes in composite ratings of suicidal thinking were regressed onto changes in negative affect. On average, participants completed 54.39% (SD 33.1%) of all EMA (range 4.7%-92.4%). They also wore the device for an average of 9.52 (SD 6.47) hours per day and for 92.6% of all days. Importantly, no associations were found between emotional state and electrodermal activity, whether examining a composite of all high-arousal negative emotions or individual emotional states (within-person r ranged from -0.026 to -0.109). Smaller changes in negative affect composite scores were associated with greater suicidal thinking ratings at the subsequent timepoint, beyond the effect of suicidal thinking at the initial timepoint. Results indicated moderate overall compliance with EMA and wearing the watch; however, there was no concurrence between EMA and wristwatch data on emotions. This pilot study raises questions about the reliability and validity of these technologies incorporated into treatment studies to evaluate emotion regulation mechanisms.

Autistic children and their parents in the context of war: Preliminary findings.

While existing literature on the intersection of trauma and autism is limited, emerging evidence suggests heightened vulnerability of autistic children to the psychological consequences of traumatic events, including an elevated risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Additionally, parents of autistic children often experience elevated levels of negative emotional states, compared to parents of typically developing children. This study investigates the impact of terrorism and war on autistic and non-autistic children and their parents, presenting preliminary results from the initial data collection phase of a year-long longitudinal investigation of the experience of autistic children and their parents following Hamas' 7 October 2023 attack on Israel. Data gathered within 30days of the initial attack reveal that both autistic and non-autistic children exhibited clinically significant post-traumatic stress symptoms, with autistic children demonstrating a more pronounced manifestation. Moreover, parents of autistic children reported significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress in the aftermath of the events, compared to an independent cohort of parents of autistic children assessed prior to the crisis. These results underscore the heightened susceptibility of autistic children to post-traumatic stress and the unique challenges confronted by their parents during times of conflict. The study highlights the imperative for tailored support services for autistic children and their families amidst traumatic incidents and stresses the need for further research in comparable contexts globally.

Measures of spatial memory, peripheral inflammation and negative emotional state predict social-cognitive skills in healthy aging cats

Aging is a complex, multidimensional process. Normative aging is typically accompanied by declines in several cognitive domains, including memory and social cognition. As aging progresses, the often-overlooked early manifestations of cognitive decline can advance, leading to an inability to adapt to new situations and environments. Potential mechanisms influencing cognitive decline remain elusive, but, among other mechanisms, inflammaging, an age-related increase in the chronic production of pro-inflammatory mediators, and emotional stress are implicated. Cognitive function in cats is under-researched, with no studies on the link between potential risk factors and cognitive signs in aging subjects. Understanding this link is essential as it may facilitate the early identification of cognitive decline and encourage preventative, individualized interventions. We carried out a citizen science study to investigate, for the first time, the relationship between cognitive functions, stress, and the inflammatory markers interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-10 in 44 healthy, privately owned pet cats (7–14 years of age), who underwent standardized testing in their home environment. A task was employed to test spatial memory, requiring the cat to recall the location of a food-baited container. An unsolvable task was used to assess cats' social cognition and cognitive flexibility by measuring how they used referential communication (i.e., gaze alternation between the apparatus and the caregivers) compared to their persistence in trying to obtain food which was out of reach. Generalized linear regression analysis, conducted while adjusting for demographic factors and stress behaviors, revealed: 1) a predictive positive relationship connecting spatial memory and the use of social referencing with the caregiver (more gaze alternation) in the unsolvable task, highlighting the importance of the interplay between cognitive domains in sustaining complex behaviors, and 2) a reduced engagement in social referencing toward caregivers (less gaze alternation) in the presence of higher serum levels of IL-1β in the unsolvable task, especially as cats get older. A cat’s social cognitive performance was also negatively predicted by stress-related behaviors, which is not surprising given that cats are sentient creatures whose everyday behavior is also influenced by emotional states. These findings provide new insights into the crosstalk between different cognitive domains during aging and the potential contributions of emotions and inflammation to cognitive changes in healthy aging cats. Further research using this multidimensional approach will help explore these mechanisms of cognitive aging and potential markers for early detection of cognitive changes in older cats, which is critical for timely interventions.

Quality of life and psychological distress in end-stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis and transplantation.

Among diverse profound impacts on patients' quality of life (QoL), end-stage renal disease (ESRD) frequently results in increased levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Renal replacement therapies such as hemodialysis (HD) and transplantation (TX) are intended to enhance QoL, although their ability to alleviate psychological distress remains uncertain. This research posits the existence of a significant correlation between negative emotional states and QoL among ESRD patients, with varying effects observed in HD and TX patients. To examine the relationship between QoL and negative emotional states (depression, anxiety, and stress) and predicted QoL in various end-stage renal replacement therapy patients with ESRD. This cross-sectional study included HD or TX patients in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia. The 36-item Short Form Survey and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) was used for data collection, and correlation and regression analyses were performed. The HD and TX transplantation groups showed statistically significant inverse relationships between QoL and DASS scores. HD patients with high anxiety levels and less education scored low on the physical component summary (PCS). In addition, the results of the mental component summary (MCS) were associated with reduced depression. Compared with older transplant patients, TX patients' PCS scores were lower, and depression, stress, and negative working conditions were highly correlated with MCS scores. The findings of this study revealed notable connections between well-being and mental turmoil experienced by individuals undergoing HD and TX. The PCS of HD patients is affected by heightened levels of anxiety and lower educational attainment, while the MCS of transplant patients is influenced by advancing age and elevated stress levels. These insights will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of patient support.

“Until COVID-19 Do Us Part”: A Qualitative Study on Perceived Sexual Intimacy and Mental Health in Heterosexual Older Couples During The Covid-19 Pandemic

AbstractThis study aims to explore the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on heterosexual older couples’ sexual intimacy and in relation to their mental health. A content analysis of the ideas and insights shared by 391 older persons (between 65 and 87 years of age) from three different countries was most instructive. The most frequent themes were less sexual satisfaction (68%) and less sexual desire (67%). In terms of mental health, the most frequent themes included less anxiety and distress (78%) and greater attention to negative emotional states (55%) Cultural differences emerged, with Brazilian and Portuguese participants more frequently reporting negative themes compared to British participants, who emphasized stronger emotional bonds. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold, ongoing research and interventions should prioritize understanding and addressing the implications of reduced physical contact and heightened emotional stress on sexual intimacy.

The pathway from a general problematic worry to paranoia-related worry. The mediating role of hostile attributions moderated by negative emotional states

ABSTRACT Background Worry has been considered a significant predictor of paranoia, also associated with anxiety, depression, and hostile attributions. These factors have been recognized as important correlates or predictors of paranoid thoughts. However, the mechanisms through which worry increases the risk of paranoia remain poorly understood. Methods A total of 529 participants (51.2% female) from the general population participated in an online study. The aim was to investigate the potential mediating role of hostile attributions in the relationship between general problematic worry and worry focused on paranoid content. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that negative emotional states would moderate this effect. Additionally, recently developed scales, the Dunn Worry Questionnaire (DWQ) and the Paranoia Worry Questionnaire (PWQ), were translated and validated for use in the Polish population. Results The results revealed that hostile attributions mediate the link between general worry and paranoia worry, and negative emotional states significantly moderate the effect. Discussion The perception of others’ intentions as hostile may serve as a linking factor between general problematic worry and paranoia-related worry. This can be explained as a worry-driven mechanism, where negative emotional states play a crucial role.

Sex-Specific Roles of Hypocretin Receptor Signaling in CRF Neurons on Alcohol Drinking, Anxiety, and BNST Neuronal Excitability.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is characterized by compulsive alcohol consumption and negative emotional states during withdrawal, often perpetuating a cycle of addiction through arousal dysfunction. The hypocretin/orexin (Hcrt) neuropeptide system, a key regulator of arousal, has been implicated in these processes, particularly in its interactions with corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neurons within the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). We investigated the role of Hcrt receptor signaling in CRF neurons in modulating alcohol intake, anxiety behaviors, and BNST excitability, with a focus on sex-specific differences. Using CRF-specific genetic deletion of HcrtR1 and/or HcrtR2 receptors in mice, we found that deletion of HcrtR1 significantly reduced alcohol intake, with sex-specific effects on BNST excitability. CRF-specific HcrtR2 deletion, while not affecting alcohol consumption, decreased baseline anxiety-like behaviors in males relative to females. Moreover, the double deletion of both Hcrt receptors from CRF neurons led to reduced alcohol drinking in males and dampened anxiety behaviors and BNST excitability in both sexes during protracted withdrawal. These findings suggest that Hcrt signaling in CRF neurons plays a critical role in the persistence of excessive alcohol consumption and the development of negative affective states, with distinct contributions from HcrtR1 and HcrtR2. The observed sex-specific differences underscore the need for tailored therapeutic approaches targeting the Hcrt system in the treatment of AUD.

How Distressed Are Adolescent Students? A Mix-Method Study on High School Students in Northern Italy, Two Years after the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Adolescence is a central phase for the development of a person's identity, involving complex multidimensional changes and increasing vulnerability to distress. This study aimed to investigate the psychological well-being of adolescent students in Brescia (Northern Italy), two years after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey investigated the extent and the reasons reported by high school students (13-21 years) for their emotional distress (ED), also considering other factors such as physical activity, nutrition, sleep and smartphone overuse. The main reasons for ED were classified through a qualitative analysis of the free-text answers. A total of 1686 students agreed to participate, and 50% showed a presence of ED. According to a multiple logistic analysis, adolescents were more at risk of ED if they were female (AdjOR 2.3), older (AdjOR 1.6), slept less than 8 h (AdjOR 1.5), perceived increased anxiety (AdjOR 3.4), and adopted certain eating behaviors, e.g., comfort food consumption (AdjOR 2.0). According to free-text answers, the main reasons for ED were "school pressure", "relationships with family and peers", "negative emotional states" and "the pandemic". The results show a high level of ED among adolescents, and the reported reasons may help to better address their psychological needs after the pandemic.

Human animal relationships in Bos indicus cattle breeds addressed from a Five Domains welfare framework.

The present review has two objectives, the first is to investigate the differences in temperament between Bos indicus and Bos taurus breeds and determining the effects on production due to positive treatment and to compare this with negative HAR, by using the Five Domain Model as framework. The second objective is to discuss potential strategies to achieve better HAR when working with Bos indicus cattle. Bos indicus are more reactive and temperamental than Bos taurus cattle. When human animal relationships (HAR) are evaluated, Bos indicus cattle may react with greater intensity. They may be more likely to develop a negative emotional state, especially in extensively raised Bos indicus cattle that are handled only a few times each year. Bos indicus cattle can have positive emotional states when they have frequent positive interactions with people. Interactions with people, both positive and negative, would be in the fourth Domain of the Five Domains model. Cattle that are more reactive during handling may also have lower weight gain, even when they have abundant feed. This would be in the first Domain of Nutrition. When cattle are handled in races and corrals, injuries may be more likely to occur. Injuries and bruises would be in the third Domain of Health. Injuries could be caused by either poor handling practices by people or poor handling facilities. Yelling or electric prod use would be examples of poor HAR. Second Environmental Domain issues may be broken facilities or slick, slippery floors that are associated with falls.

Facial Video-Based Non-Contact Stress Recognition Utilizing Multi-Task Learning With Peak Attention.

Negative emotional states, such as anxiety and depression, pose significant challenges in contemporary society, often stemming from the stress encountered in daily activities. Stress (state or level) recognition is a crucial prerequisite for effective stress management and intervention. Presently, wearable devices have been employed to capture physiological signals and analyze stress states. However, their constant skin contact can lead to discomfort and disturbance during prolonged monitoring. In this paper, a peak attention-based multitasking framework is presented for non-contact stress recognition. The framework extracts rPPG signals from RGB facial videos, utilizing them as inputs for a novel multi-task attentional convolutional neural network for stress recognition (MTASR). It incorporates peak detection and HR estimation as auxiliary tasks to facilitate stress recognition. By leveraging multi-task learning, MTASR can utilize information related to stress physiological responses, thereby enhancing feature extraction efficiency. For stress recognition, two binary classification tasks are applied: stress state recognition and stress level recognition. The model is validated on the UBFC-Phys public dataset and demonstrates an accuracy of 94.33% for stress state recognition and 83.83% for stress level recognition. The proposed method outperforms the dataset's baseline methods and other competing approaches.

A network analysis of posttraumatic stress symptoms and quality of relationship with deceased in COVID-19 bereaved adults.

Network analyses showed that the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom structures may vary across traumatic events and types of survivors. However, the structure of PTSD symptoms in COVID-19 bereavement remains unknown. This study aimed to depict the structure of the PTSD symptom network and illuminate how the quality of the predeath relationship between the bereaved and the deceased links to the PTSD symptom network. Using self-reported data from 408 COVID-19 bereaved adults (225 male and 183 female) collected within 9-month postbereavement, we constructed two graphical lasso networks of PTSD symptoms. Symptoms with the highest centrality were exaggerated startle, negative emotional states, and reckless/self-destructive behavior, with exaggerated startle having relatively low predictability. The strongest connections were found between exaggerated starkness and detachment, and between psychological cue response and thoughts of avoidance. Moreover, closeness to and conflict with the deceased were linked to the PTSD symptom network through nightmares and physiological cue reactivity, respectively. This study extends our understanding of what PTSD is for people who are bereaved due to the COVID-19 pandemic by unveiling the structure of the PTSD symptom network. It also helps to distinguish the symptom-level links between quality of relationship with deceased and PTSD among the bereaved. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Effect of Classical Counterconditioning (Quiet Kennel Exercise) on Barking in Sheltered Dogs

A major welfare concern in animal shelters is excessive barking from kenneled dogs. This contributes to noise pollution, can cause hearing damage in both dogs and humans, and has a negative effect on all animals housed within earshot. Excessive barking is often driven by fear and frustration, negative emotional states often difficult to alter in the shelter setting. This study demonstrated implementation of a simple classical counterconditioning measure, the Quiet Kennel Exercise (QKE) in adoption wards at an open admission shelter improved the emotional state of dogs, reduced fear, frustration and excessive barking.Baseline data were collected over two weeks using a hand-held decibel meter to measure the volume of barking in each ward three times daily. Mounted cameras were used to document the number of people passing through each ward each day. Data were collected for 18 days of intervention over four weeks. During this time, signs were placed to encourage people to toss treats to each dog, and treats were provided in buckets. Decibel levels were measured three times daily and the numbers of people who did and did not toss treats were recorded to measure compliance.There was an increase in compliance and a decrease in maximum decibel readings over the course of the intervention. For each one percent increase in compliance, there was an average decrease of 17.3 dB in the maximum volume in decibels. Therefore, increasing participation in the QKE can significantly decrease barking volume. This easily implemented intervention has the potential to decrease noise levels and improve welfare for both humans and dogs in kennel settings.