Negative Mood States Research Articles

High Parental Education Protects Against Changes in Adolescent Stress and Mood Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic has brought dramatic changes to the daily lives of U.S. adolescents, including isolation from friends and extended family, transition to remote learning, potential illness and death of loved ones, and economic distress. This study’s purpose is to measure changes in adolescents’ perceived stress and mood early in the pandemic. MethodsThe present study drew from a racially and ethnically diverse sample of high school student participants in an ongoing intervention study in the Midwestern U.S., 128 of whom provided reports of their daily stress and mood both before (December 2017 to March 2020) and during (March–July 2020) the COVID-19 pandemic. We expected to see increases in perceived stress, declines in positive mood states, and increases in negative mood states, with larger impacts on individuals from households with lower parental education levels. ResultsMultilevel models revealed increases in perceived stress primarily for adolescents from low/moderate education families during the pandemic. Impacts on mood states also diverged by education: adolescents from low/moderate education households reported feeling more ashamed, caring, and excited than before the pandemic, changes that were not shared by their peers from high education households. Although changes in mood that arose with the onset of the pandemic became less pronounced over time, increased levels of home- and health-related stress stayed high for low/moderate education adolescents. ConclusionsDuring the COVID-19 period, we observed disparate impacts on adolescents according to household education level, with more dramatic and negative changes in the emotional well-being of adolescents from low/moderate education households.

Audio-Guided Mindfulness Meditation During Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Sessions for the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder: A Pilot Feasibility Study.

Background: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) has been shown to enhance the long-term treatment outcomes for major depressive disorder (MDD), and engagement of specific brain activities during brain stimulation may produce synergistic effects. Audio-guided meditation exercises are a component of MBCT that might be combined with standard transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy sessions. We developed and pilot-tested a modified MBCT protocol for patients undergoing a standard course of TMS for MDD.Methods: Four MBCT audiotracks with differing durations and types of mental focus were selected. Patients listened to the audiotapes through headphones during daily TMS sessions for 5 consecutive weeks. The primary goal was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the meditation intervention with TMS. Changes in self-rated measures of symptom severity, stress, life satisfaction, and mindfulness were also assessed.Results: Seventeen depressed subjects completed the study and 12 terminated early. Reasons for discontinuation included an inability to meditate in the treatment setting and induction of negative mood states. TMS percussive sensations and clicking sounds hindered the ability of patients to fully concentrate on or hear the voice of the audiotape narrator. Some became overwhelmed or felt increased pressure, anxiety, or aggravation trying to do meditation exercises while receiving TMS.Conclusion: There is a growing interest in combining TMS with other concurrent psychotherapeutic interventions to optimize treatment outcomes. The results highlight numerous feasibility issues with MBCT via guided audiotapes during TMS treatment. Future work should draw on these shortcomings to evaluate the appropriateness of MBCT for depressed patients undergoing neuromodulation.

A systematic review of music-induced substance craving

Background: Conditioning- and cue-induced craving theories indicate that music has the potential to induce substance craving. A better understanding of this phenomenon could enhance treatment and prevent misuse, relapse, and overdose. Objective: The purpose of this systematic review was to locate and examine studies using music to induce substance craving in humans. We sought to discover if music can induce substance craving as well as specific aspects of the music and how it was used. Method: Adhering to the PRISMA Statement and Checklist, we conducted a systematic review of literature on music-induced substance craving in nine databases. We extracted data from studies meeting our inclusion criteria, which related to substance craving induced by music and data based on music intervention reporting guidelines. Results: We reviewed 751 research outputs. A total of 33 articles meeting the inclusion criteria were found, indicating that various types of music can induce alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, and general substance craving. In most of the studies, music was used as a component of a mood induction technique or in a virtual reality setting that led to craving. There tended to be a lack of detail about the music itself and most authors did not adhere to music intervention reporting guidelines. In the majority of studies, the researchers selected the music to induce negative mood states so as to elicit craving. Conclusion: Music has the potential to induce substance craving. While the music used in studies varied considerably and tended to be well controlled from a research design perspective, the music was not based on the music psychology literature, and authors did not adequately report essential aspects of the music. Implications for clinical practice, limitations, and suggestions for future research are provided.

Understanding People's Use of and Perspectives on Mood-Tracking Apps: Interview Study.

BackgroundSupporting mental health and wellness is of increasing interest due to a growing recognition of the prevalence and burden of mental health issues. Mood is a central aspect of mental health, and several technologies, especially mobile apps, have helped people track and understand it. However, despite formative work on and dissemination of mood-tracking apps, it is not well understood how mood-tracking apps used in real-world contexts might benefit people and what people hope to gain from them.ObjectiveTo address this gap, the purpose of this study was to understand motivations for and experiences in using mood-tracking apps from people who used them in real-world contexts.MethodsWe interviewed 22 participants who had used mood-tracking apps using a semistructured interview and card sorting task. The interview focused on their experiences using a mood-tracking app. We then conducted a card sorting task using screenshots of various data entry and data review features from mood-tracking apps. We used thematic analysis to identify themes around why people use mood-tracking apps, what they found useful about them, and where people felt these apps fell short.ResultsUsers of mood-tracking apps were primarily motivated by negative life events or shifts in their own mental health that prompted them to engage in tracking and improve their situation. In general, participants felt that using a mood-tracking app facilitated self-awareness and helped them to look back on a previous emotion or mood experience to understand what was happening. Interestingly, some users reported less inclination to document their negative mood states and preferred to document their positive moods. There was a range of preferences for personalization and simplicity of tracking. Overall, users also liked features in which their previous tracked emotions and moods were visualized in figures or calendar form to understand trends. One gap in available mood-tracking apps was the lack of app-facilitated recommendations or suggestions for how to interpret their own data or improve their mood.ConclusionsAlthough people find various features of mood-tracking apps helpful, the way people use mood-tracking apps, such as avoiding entering negative moods, tracking infrequently, or wanting support to understand or change their moods, demonstrate opportunities for improvement. Understanding why and how people are using current technologies can provide insights to guide future designs and implementations.

Impact Of Exercise Intensity On Mood

Physical activity has been linked to decreases in risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes. Most individuals also experience a change in mood while participating in physical activity and exercise. PURPOSE: To examine the effects of different intensity levels of aerobic exercise on measures of mood and affect. METHODS: Thirty participants (mean age = 43.6 ± 1.83) completed three 30-minutes exercise bouts at an intensity of either 45%, 60%, or 75% of their age-predicted heart rate reserve (HRR) on a motorized treadmill. Participants completed the POMS and AD-ACL surveys prior to and after exercise bouts on separate days. RESULTS: Differences in speed (F2, 56 = 56.88, p < 0.001), HR (F2, 56 = 781.52, p < 0.001), and RPE (F2, 58 = 396.86, p < 0.001) were seen for all three conditions, with HR (F3, 84 = 98.27, p < 0.001) and RPE (F8, 232 = 21.52, p < 0.001) also increasing significantly across time. POMS total mood disturbance (TMD) scores showed a significant interaction (F2,58 = 23.24, p < 0.001), with TMD decreasing significantly in the 45% HRR condition but increasing significantly during the 75% HRR condition. The 45% HRR condition resulted in greater levels of calmness compared to the 60% HRR and 75% HRR, and calmness levels did not change from pre- to post-exercise at the 45% or 60% HRR but did decrease significantly in the 75% HRR (t29 = 2.10, p < 0.05). Energy increased significantly at 45% HRR (t29 = 2.55, p < 0.05) and decreased significantly at 75% HRR (t29 = 3.43. p < 0.01) but did not change at 65% HRR. Tiredness did not change from pre- to post-exercise at 45% or 60% HRR but increased significantly at 75% HRR condition (t29 = 7.01, p < 0.001). The 75% HRR resulted in greater levels of tension than in the 45% HRR (p < 0.05) and 60% HRR conditions (p < 0.05), and tension increased significantly at 60% HRR (t29 = 2.07, p < 0.05) and 75% HRR (t29 = 4.55, p < 0.001) but did not change in the 45% HRR condition. CONCLUSION: Exercising at a lower intensity levels decreases tension while also increasing energy and calmness levels, whereas higher intensity exercise increases tension and tiredness while decreasing energy and calmness levels. The results of this study suggest that 45% HRR may be most beneficial for improvements in mood, while 75% HRR result in an increase in negative mood states.

The relationship of health-related expectancies, fruit and vegetable intake, and positive mood: expectancies are important, but not in the way you expect

PurposeGreater fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake has been linked to more positive mood. Here, the purpose of this paper is to examine if this relationship is mediated by expectancies about their benefit to health/mental health.Design/methodology/approachParticipants completed a new questionnaire to assess expectancies related to F&V intake. This was administered alongside a validated food-frequency measure of F&V intake, an assessment of positive and negative mood state and other measures.FindingsParticipants held strongly positive expectations about the physical and mental health benefits of consuming F&V. The authors observed a significant relationship between self-reported F&V intake and positive mood (d = 0.52). Importantly, this effect was largely (but not completely) independent of expectancies. The authors also observed that expectancies about F&V intake were independently predictive of positive mood (d = 0.47).Originality/valueThis is the first study to explore expectancy effects in the mental health benefits of F&V intake. These data suggest that positive expectancies about F&V intake, and F&V intake itself, are both predictive of positive mood. The former finding is probably a placebo effect, whereby people believe they are consuming sufficient F&V (even if they are not) and so experience mood-related benefits due to their positive expectations. The latter finding is consistent with F&V exerting a biologically beneficial effect on the brain.

The restorative effects of campus landscape biodiversity: Assessing visual and auditory perceptions among university students

Campus greenness reportedly has a restorative effect on university students by reducing stress and fatigue. This study questioned whether more biodiverse green-spaces have more restorative effects than conventional lawns in campus environments. Unlike most previous studies solely relying on visual stimuli, this study focused on the effect of multisensory (visual and auditory) stimuli on mental restoration, which has been understudied. This study used a four-group pre-posttest-randomized experiment design (2 × 2 factorial design), and a 360-degree view video via an online platform survey. A total of 319 university students were randomly assigned to four experimental settings characterized by: (1) low-biodiversity with no sound, (2) high-biodiversity with no sound, (3) low-biodiversity with sound, and (4) high-biodiversity with sound. The restorative status and mood status at pre-intervention and post-intervention were evaluated using the restorative state scale (RSS) and the Short Form of The Profile of Mood States (POMS-SF). The results indicated that neither the level of biodiversity nor natural sound had a significant effect on restorative and mood states. However, there was a statistically significant interaction effect between auditory and visual stimuli in mood states. The presence of natural sound with a high biodiversity environment showed lower negative mood states than the absence of natural sound. Perceived biodiversity was also examined to clarify the possible association with these psychological responses. The results indicated that perceived plant species richness is positively associated with negative mood states. These discrepancies may be explained by poor biodiversity identification. The findings of this study add to a small but growing literature that indicates that a biodiverse campus environment leads to restorative effects for university students.

Yoga: A Holistic Approach to Addiction Treatment and Recovery

Yoga is increasingly becoming a strategy for wellness in the United States. A 2016 survey found that nearly 37 million Americans practice yoga and an additional 12 million say they intend to try it in the coming year. Yoga is also being studied as an intervention for a number of physical and behavioral health disorders. This short report examines yoga’s utility as a treatment or adjunctive tool for addiction recovery. Because addiction is characterized as a biopsychosocial-spiritual disorder and yoga is a holistic practice focusing on the integration of body, mind, and spirit, It is logical to test yoga's efficacy on the treatment and recovery of addiction. Yoga’s positive effect on craving and negative mood states make it a promising modality for addiction recovery.

Regulation of Mindfulness-Based Music Listening on Negative Emotions Related to COVID-19: An ERP Study.

The current study aimed to explore the behavioral and neural correlates of mindfulness-based music listening regulation of induced negative emotions related to COVID-19 using the face–word Stroop task. Eighty-five young adults visited the laboratory and were randomly assigned to three groups: a calm music group (CMG: n = 28), a happy music group (HMG: n = 30), and a sad music group (SMG: n = 27). Negative emotions were induced in all participants using a COVID-19 video, followed by the music intervention condition. Participants underwent the face–word Stroop tasks during which event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded. The N2, N3, P3, and late positive component (LPC) were investigated. The results showed that calm music and happy music effectively regulate young adults’ induced negative emotions, while young adults experienced more negative emotions when listening to sad music; the negative mood states at the post-induction phase inhibited the reaction of conflict control in face–word Stroop tasks, which manifested as lower accuracy (ACC) and slower reaction times (RTs). ERP results showed negative mood states elicited greater N2, N3, and LPC amplitudes and smaller P3 amplitudes. Further studies are needed to develop intervention strategies to enhance emotion regulation related to COVID-19 for other groups.

Comparing online support groups with psychoeducation versus psychoeducation alone for distressed breast cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background: Online support groups are one forum that can help breast cancer survivors cope with negative mood states, but little is known about their effects compared to self-administered psycho-educational interventions. This randomized controlled trial compared the effects of synchronous, text-based professionally led online support groups (OSGs) plus a psychoeducational coping skills training program, called Nucare, versus Nucare alone in distressed survivors of breast cancer. Methods: Consented participants were randomized to an OSG (90-minute once-weekly session for 12 weeks) plus home-based Nucare or a self-directed home-based Nucare intervention alone. The primary outcome was the Profile of Mood States-Short Form – Total Mood Disturbance score (POMS-TMD). Secondary outcomes included measures of anxiety, depression, coping, illness intrusiveness, and loneliness. Outcomes were measured before and after the intervention, and 3 months post-intervention (follow-up). Results: One hundred twenty-five stage I–III breast cancer survivors enrolled with a mean age of 53 years (OSG plus Nucare [n = 68]; Nucare alone [n = 57]). There was a significant improvement in POMS-TMD scores among the entire study sample during the intervention period (Cohen's d = 0.25, P = .002), which was maintained over follow-up. The group × time interactions on POMS-TMD over the intervention and follow-up periods were not significant (all Ps &gt; .05), indicating neither group outperformed the other. Group x time interactions on three coping domains (positive reframing, use of instrumental support, self-blame) favored Nucare alone over OSG plus Nucare during the intervention period (Cohen's d ranged from 0.40 to 0.48), while group x time interactions over the follow-up period favored OSG plus Nucare over Nucare alone on loneliness (Cohen's d = 0.34) and one coping domain (self-blame) (Cohen's d = 0.58). Anxiety, depression, and illness intrusiveness were not significantly different between groups at any time point (all Ps &gt; .05). Conclusion: OSGs plus Nucare were not found superior to Nucare alone in improving mood disturbance. Mood improvement among the entire sample indicates that regular use of either Nucare alone or in combination with OSGs may have the potential to ameliorate negative mood states in breast cancer survivors.

The psychophysiological effects of the COVID-19 quarantine in the college students

Background and Study Aim. A global pandemic affected by COVID-19 resulted in restrictions to daily routines, including recreation activities, social skills, and academic and health quality of college students. This study aimed to evaluate the psychophysiological effect of coronavirus quarantine on physical activity and its’ relationship between sleep quality, mood states and musculoskeletal pain in college students.&#x0D; Material and Methods. A total of 392 (male = 150; female = 242; age = 22.9±5.5) college students completed an online survey. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), the Brunel Mood Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Visual Analogue Scale for musculoskeletal pain (MSP) were used in this study.&#x0D; Results. Total physical activity significantly correlation with PSQI (p &lt; 0.05, r = -.103), fatigue (p &lt; 0.01, r = -.344), depression (p &lt; 0.01, r = -.258), angry (p &lt; 0.01, r = -.210), vigour (p &lt; 0.01, r = -.344), neck and shoulder, upper and lower back (p &lt; 0.01, r = -.225), neck and shoulder correlation (p &lt; 0.01, r = -.230), upper and lower back (p &lt; 0.01, r = -.209). Furthermore, a positive correlation was shown between PSQI and negative moods and a negative correlation with positive mood.&#x0D; Conclusions. During quarantine, decreased physical activity was associated with higher negative mood states and poor sleep quality and more MSP. The COVID-19 quarantine has considerably affected mental health-related crisis consists of desperation, self-consciousness and deficiency of physical capabilities in young adults, especially in college students.

Impulsivity and Medical Care Utilization in Veterans Treated for Substance Use Disorder

Background Impulsivity has been defined by acting rashly during positive mood states (positive urgency; PU) or negative mood states (negative urgency; NU) and by excessive de-valuation of deferred rewards. These behaviors reflect a “live in the now” mentality that is not only characteristic of many individuals with severe substance use disorder (SUD) but also impedes medical treatment compliance and could result in repeated hospitalizations or other poor health outcomes. Purpose/objectives: We sought preliminary evidence that impulsivity may relate to adverse health outcomes in the veteran population. Impulsivity measured in 90 veterans receiving inpatient or outpatient SUD care at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center was related to histories of inpatient/residential care costs, based on VA Health Economics Resource Center data. Results: We found that positive urgency, lack of persistence and lack of premeditation, but not sensation-seeking or preference for immediate or risky rewards, were significantly higher in veterans with a history of one or more admissions for VA-based inpatient or residential health care that either included (n = 30) or did not include (n = 29) an admission for SUD care. Among veterans with a history of inpatient/residential care for SUD, NU and PU, but not decision-making behavior, correlated with SUD care-related costs. Conclusions/Importance: In veterans receiving SUD care, questionnaire-assessed trait impulsivity (but not decision-making) related to greater care utilization within the VA system. This suggests that veterans with high impulsivity are at greater risk for adverse health outcomes, such that expansion of cognitive interventions to reduce impulsivity may improve their health.

Embodiment: I sat, I felt, I performed – Posture effects on mood and cognitive performance

Previous embodiment findings indicate a relationship between physical posture and mood states, suggesting upright postures induce positive mood states. Findings also showed a relationship between moods and cognitive performance. While positive mood states were found to be related to increased processing speed, negative mood states were associated with higher processing accuracy in cognitive task performance. This implies that posture may affect the aforementioned sub-aspects of cognitive performance via mood states. Additionally, most studies on posture effects rely on explicit posture manipulation. With that in mind, our research explores the effects of implicitly manipulated postures on processing speed and accuracy and whether these effects are mediated by general mood. The results revealed that subjects in our sample (N = 82, M = 23.09years) who adopted an upright posture showed a more positive general mood (d = 0.50) and higher processing speed (d = 0.42) compared to those in stooped postures. Surprisingly, no differences in processing accuracy were found. There was no evidence of the proposed mediation in our data.

Effect of Blueberry Consumption on Mood States in Men With Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract Objectives The study investigated the effects of blueberry consumption for 8 weeks on subjective mood states in men with type 2 diabetes. Methods In a double-blind, parallel randomized controlled trial, 37 men who are U.S. veterans (mean baseline characteristics: 67 years, range: 51–74 years; body mass index (BMI), 34 kg/m2, range: 26–44 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 intervention groups. The interventions were either 22 g of freeze-dried blueberries (equivalent to 1 cup fresh blueberries) or 22 g of a placebo (matched in energy and carbohydrate content to the blueberries). The Profile of Mood States (POMS) was assessed twice using POMS 2 65-item questionnaire at the beginning (week 0) and at the end of the study (week 8). Increases in Vigor-Activity and Friendliness scores indicate a positive mood state. Increases in Total Mood Disturbance, Anger-Hostility, Confusion-Bewilderment, Depression-Dejection, Fatigue-Inertia, and Tension-Anxiety scores indicate a negative mood state. Results Vigor-Activity, Friendliness, Total Mood Disturbance, Anger-Hostility, Confusion-Bewilderment, Depression-Dejection, Fatigue-Inertia and Tension-Anxiety scores were not significantly different after 8 weeks of consumption of blueberries compared with the placebo. Total Mood Disturbance (38.7 ± 1.8 vs. 41.1 ± 2.5, respectively; P = 0.034) and Confusion-Bewilderment (37.3 ± 2.1 vs. 41.6 ± 3.0, respectively; P = 0.044) scores were significantly lower for those consuming blueberries for 8 weeks compared with the placebo in subgroup analysis of men with lower baseline Total Mood Disturbance scores (&amp;lt;45). Conclusions Consumption of 22 g freeze-dried blueberries for 8 weeks may beneficially affect some mood states in men with type 2 diabetes. Funding Sources The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council; the study is the result of work supported with resources and the use of facilities at the Stratton VA Medical Center, Albany, NY, USA.

Evidence for the additive effects of dispositional negative mood regulation expectancies and placebo-induced expectancies on mood recovery.

Low negative mood regulation expectancies (NMRE) are associated with greater anticipated and experienced negative mood states, as well as with coping strategies that prolong these states. Individuals with low NMRE may be especially responsive to placebos because confidence in an external source of mood improvement can provide the positive mood expectancies and motivation for active coping that they typically lack. This study investigated how NMRE and placebo-induced expectancies contribute to mood recovery. Participants (N=125) completed personality scales, including NMRE, online. During a subsequent in-person session, participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) placebo treatment-participants learned of a mood-enhancing treatment and received it; (2) treatment deprivation-participants learned of the same treatment, but did not receive it; (3) control-treatment was never mentioned. Participants also completed measures of mood, active coping, and expectations. NMRE was a stronger predictor of mood recovery than placebo-induced expectancies regardless of group assignment. Additionally, pessimistic expectations arose when participants believed treatment was being deprived, and these participants exhibited the least active coping. Our results confirm the reliability of NMRE in predicting affective outcomes and suggest that personality and placebo-induced expectations have additive effects on mood recovery.

Different Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Exercise Indexes and Mood States Based on Sport Types, Exercise Dependency and Individual Characteristics.

Exercise indexes have been affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its related restrictions among athletes. In the present study, we investigated the exercise frequency and intensity before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and also current exercise dependency and mood state among non-contact individual, contact individual, and team sports athletes. A total of 1353 athletes from non-contact individual sports athletes (NCISA), contact individual sports athletes (CISA) and team sport athletes (TSA) participated; 45.4% of them were females that completed a series of self-rating questionnaires covering sociodemographic information, former and current exercise patterns, exercise dependency and mood states. NCISA had less exercise frequency than CISA, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and NCISA had less exercise frequency than TSA during the COVID-19 pandemic. Regarding exercise intensity, CISA had higher scores than NCISA and TSA before the COVID-19 pandemic, and CISA had more exercise intensity than TSA during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frequency and intensity were reduced from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic in the three groups, except for TSA intensity. In addition, positive and negative mood states were correlated with exercise dependency. CISA were more discouraged and vigorous than NCISA and TSA, respectively. For NCISA, CISA, and TSA, ordinal regressions separately showed that adherence to quarantine and exercise dependency were better predictors of exercise indexes. Finally, exercise dependency subscales were different among sports, but it was not in exercise dependency itself. Although the decrease in exercise indexes was noticeable, there was no consistent pattern of change in exercise behavior in all sports. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, negative moods were predominant among all athletes. The results discussed are based on exercise nonparticipating, sport type, and affect regulation hypothesis.

Exploring the features of an app-based just-in-time intervention for depression

BackgroundTechnological advancements make it possible to deliver depression interventions via smartphone applications (“Apps”), including those that deliver content “just-in-time” (e.g., in response to acute negative mood states). This study examined whether an app-based just-in-time intervention (ImproveYourMood+) decreased depressive symptoms, and whether the following features were related to symptom improvement: micro-intervention content, mood monitoring, and just-in-time prompts to use content. MethodsParticipants (n = 235) from the general population who self-identified as wanting to improve their negative mood were randomised to a waitlist control group (n = 55) or one of three intervention groups: MoodTracker (monitoring-only, n = 58), ImproveYourMood (monitoring and content; n = 62), or ImproveYourMood+ (monitoring, content, and prompts; n = 60). The active intervention phase was 3 weeks. Depressive and anxiety symptoms, and negative automatic thoughts were assessed at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and one month following post-intervention. ResultsLinear mixed modelling revealed greater declines over time in depressive and anxiety symptoms and negative automatic thoughts for the ImproveYourMood group (standardized mean differences [SMDs] ranged from .32 to .40) and improves for the ImproveYourMood+ group for negative automatic thoughts (SMDs ≥ .37) compared to the waitlist control group. No between-group differences were observed between the MoodTracker and control groups (SMDs = .04–.23). User experience appeared to be superior in more comprehensive/multi-modal versions. LimitationsThe study employed a naturalistic design, whereby participants self-selected to utilise the program, did not complete eligibility assessments, and did not receive compensation. The study therefore attained considerable drop-out rate (~50% by the follow-up timepoints), potentially reflecting the usage patterns of real-world mental health apps. ConclusionsThe findings suggest that micro-interventions can be an effective way to reduce depressive symptoms both in the moment and 1–2 months later. Integration of micro-interventions with full treatment programs is a viable next step in micro-intervention research.

How Experiences Affect Psychological Responses During Supervised Fasting: A Preliminary Study.

As an unusual event, fasting can induce strong physiological and psychological reactions, but there is still no clear understanding of how previous fasting experiences affect people’s responses to current fasting. This study aimed to investigate the influence of previous fasting experiences on participants’ basic physiological and psychological responses in a fasting experiment conducted under intensive medical monitoring. For a 22-day experiment divided into four phases (3-day Baseline; 10-day Complete Fasting; 4-day Calorie Restriction; and 5-day Recovery phases), a total of 13 persons participated; the participants were divided into a group with prior fasting experience (Experienced: N = 6) and a group without prior fasting experience (Newbie: N = 7). The results indicate no group differences in physiological responses (i.e., weight, glucose, and ketone bodies); however, differences in psychological states were observed, with the Newbie group showing more negative psychological states overall throughout the experiment (i.e., greater appetite, more negative mood states, more stress, less vitality, and fewer recovery resources). Hence, previous fasting experience may be a buffer against negative feelings during current fasting. For this reason, it is important to consider fasting experiences as a vital factor in future research.

Time-of-day effects in physical performances and psychological responses in young elite male handball players

ABSTRACT The present study examined the effect of time-of-day in psychological responses and short-term maximal performances in elite male handball players. Eighteen male handball players performed, in a counterbalanced order and at three time-of-day (i.e., in the morning at 10:00 h, in the afternoon at 14:00 h and in the evening at 18:00 h) the Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA) and the Ball-Throwing Velocity (BTV) test. Profile of mood states (POMS), simple (SRT) and choice (CRT) reaction times, and Stroop test to evaluate selective attention (SA) and Hooper questionnaires were assessed before the physical tests. Oral temperature (OT) was measured in the beginning of each testing session. The results revealed, for the POMS questionnaire, that the negative mood-states (anxiety, anger, confusion, depression, and fatigue) were higher in the morning while positive mood-state (vigor) was higher in the evening. Also, SRT, CRT and SA were better in the evening. For physical tests, BTV and performance during the RSA test were also better in the evening. OT was higher in the evening than in the morning and the afternoon. The findings suggest that, in elite handball players, cognitive and short-term maximal physical performances were better increased during the day from the morning to the evening.

Fleeing through the mind’s eye: Desire thinking as a maladaptive coping mechanism among specific online activities

IntroductionDesire thinking is defined as a voluntary cognitive activity aimed at imaginatively and verbally elaborating a future scenario of performing a desired behavior. Although not problematic per se, desire thinking can become dysfunctional if it is used to regulate negative mood states and due to its ability to induce craving. This study tests a mediation model where desire thinking is hypothesized to mediate the association between emotional reactivity and craving among specific online activities. MethodsThe study comprised an online survey that was completed by 925 participants who indicated that their first-choice online activity was one out of social-networks use, shopping, gaming, gambling, or pornography viewing. In this sample, a structural equation model was tested where negative emotional reactivity, desire thinking, and craving were latently modelled in this serial order. ResultsResults indicated that higher levels in negative emotional reactivity significantly predicted higher desire thinking tendencies, which in turn significantly predicted higher cravings for online activities. The direct path between negative reactivity and craving was not significant. Further, our results support the two-factorial structure of a German version of the Desire Thinking Questionnaire (Caselli & Spada, 2011). DiscussionThe findings show that desire thinking might be initiated as an attempt to regulate negative affective states. This highlights its possible role as a maladaptive coping mechanism in the context of specific online activities due to the resulting craving responses, which in turn could promote the emergence of unwanted behaviors.