Regulation Of Negative Affect Research Articles

Cannabinoid modulation of brain activation during volitional regulation of negative affect in trauma-exposed adults

Emotion dysregulation is considered a core component of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cognitive reappraisal is one therapeutic emotion regulation strategy that has been widely studied among individuals with mood and anxiety disorders, and numerous differences in brain activation patterns have been shown between individuals with and without PTSD during tasks of cognitive reappraisal. Prior research among healthy subjects suggests that an acute, low dose of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) could attenuate the neurophysiological discrepancies that exist between individuals with and without PTSD during tasks of emotional processing; however, the effect of an acute, low dose of THC on corticolimbic activity during emotion regulation among individuals with PTSD has not yet been studied. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of THC on negative affect and brain activation in a priori regions of interest during cognitive reappraisal among trauma-exposed individuals with and without PTSD. Using a double-blind design, 51 individuals were randomized to receive THC or placebo (PBO) before participating in a well-established emotion regulation task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). THC but not PBO reduced negative affect during reappraisal, and THC increased dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) activation in response to neutral images. Individuals with PTSD displayed less activation in the angular gyrus, overall, compared to the trauma-exposed control (TEC) group, however THC increased angular gyrus activation in the PTSD group so that there was no significant difference in angular gyrus activation between the TEC and PTSD groups that received THC. Compared to PBO, THC also increased cerebellar activation during exposure to neutral images in individuals with PTSD. Lastly, in participants that received THC, greater posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)/precuneus activation during reappraisal was associated with less self-reported negative affect following reappraisal blocks. Together these findings suggest that THC may prove to be a beneficial pharmacological adjunct to cognitive reappraisal therapy in the treatment of PTSD.

Music Listening Was an Emotional Resource and Social Surrogate for Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

AbstractLoneliness and isolation worsen health and wellbeing have been exacerbated by COVID-19, and represent a significant concern for supporting older adults. Music listening has effects that could be particularly supportive during periods of isolation. The aim of this study is to examine older adults’ music listening behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic and explore music's social and emotional impact in this context. Semi-structured interviews enhanced with music-elicitation were carried out remotely between May and June 2021. Participants were self-selected, community-dwelling older adults residing in Northern Ireland (N = 14; 6 males; 60–83 years). Most were living with their spouse or family, all were of White ethnicity and had varying levels of education. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Two main themes were identified: (1) Music as an emotional resource and (2) Music as a social surrogate. Older adults had a preference for using music to induce positive feelings, and used music for negative affect regulation and consolation. Music acted as a social surrogate providing company, and reminders of social relationships and experiences. Music listening was a valued behaviour during COVID-19. Findings have implications for how music listening might be used as an accessible, low-resource tool for supporting isolated older adults.

Malleability beliefs shape mathematics-related achievement emotions: The mediating role of emotion regulation in primary school children

Along the primary school children show a decrease in enjoyment, while anxiety and boredom increase, leading to detrimental effects on performance and wellbeing. This suggests the need to deepen the knowledge of the factors linked with regulation of positive and negative affect. We hypothesized that the more children believe emotions are malleable, the higher is their tendency to regulate them and their enjoyment rather than anxiety or boredom in mathematics. Then, we expected emotions to be related to mathematics-related achievement. We involved 715 second and fourth-graders using self-report questionnaires and a standardized test to assess achievement. The beliefs in the malleability related to emotion regulation, which mediated the associations with achievement emotions; achievement emotions were linked to achievement and mediated the relation between emotion regulation and achievement. We highlight the importance to foster emotion regulation since the primary school, also though shaping the beliefs in the malleability of emotions.

Hostility bias or sadness bias in excluded individuals: does anodal transcranial direct current stimulation of right VLPFC vs. left DLPFC have a mitigating effect?

Exclusion has multiple adverse effects on individual's well-being. It induces anger and hostile cognitions leading to aggressive behavior. The purpose of this study was to test whether exclusion would affect recognition of anger on ambivalent faces of the excluders. We hypothesized that exclusion would elicit more anger encoding (hostility bias) than inclusion, but this effect would be mitigated by anodal tDCS of right VLPFC or left DLPFC-regions engaged in negative affect regulation. Participants (N = 96) were recognizing emotions (anger, sadness, happiness) on ambiguous faces of individuals who-as they were told-liked them or not. Results showed that exclusion induced more sadness bias. tDCS to VLPFC decreased anger and increased sadness recognition on excluders' faces compared with includers' faces, expressing a mixture of these two emotions. Additionally, stimulation to VLPFC and DLPFC decreased latencies for faces expressing sadness (sad-angry and happy-sad) but increased for happy-angry faces. Stimulation to VLPFC also increased reaction time to excluders faces while stimulation of DLPFC decreased reaction latency to includers faces. Results were discussed with the reference to the form of exclusion, motivational mechanism affected by disliking but also to lateralization (valence vs. arousal theory) and cortical regions engaged in encoding sadness after a threat to belonging.

Negative Affect Regulation and Marijuana Use in College Students: Evaluating the Mediating Roles of Coping and Sleep Motives

ABSTRACT Negative affect regulation models suggest that marijuana may be used to reduce negative affect. Extant research has provided support for these models, indicating that specific motives for marijuana use, particularly coping motives (i.e., using to alleviate negative affects), mediate relations between affective vulnerabilities and marijuana outcomes. However, sleep motives (i.e., using to promote sleep) have been neglected from such models, despite their theoretical relevance. The present study tested two multiple mediation models in a large sample of marijuana-using college students (N = 1,453) to evaluate the indirect effects of coping and sleep motives in paths from depressive and anxiety symptoms to marijuana outcomes (use, consequences, and cannabis use disorder [CUD] symptoms). Both coping and sleep motives mediated the effects of depressive/anxiety symptoms on each marijuana variable. Moreover, significant double mediated effects were found, such that higher affective symptoms were associated with greater motives; which were associated with more marijuana use; which was related to more negative consequences and CUD symptoms. The findings provide support for sleep motives as a relevant pathway between affective vulnerabilities and marijuana outcomes. Additional research is needed to evaluate the potential benefits of interventions targeting specific marijuana motives.

Associations of Mediterranean diet with psychological ill-being and well-being throughout the pregnancy course: The GESTAFIT project

PurposeThe relation between diet and maternal mental health during pregnancy might be relevant to prevent adverse materno-foetal outcomes. This study examined the association of Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence and MD components with mental health during pregnancy.MethodsThis secondary analysis of the GESTAFIT trial included longitudinal data from 152 pregnant women. Dietary habits were assessed with a food frequency questionnaire, and MD adherence was derived from it using the Mediterranean Food pattern. Psychological ill-being (i.e., negative affect, anxiety, and depression) and well-being (i.e., emotional intelligence, resilience, positive affect) were assessed with the Spanish version of well-established self-reported questionnaires. Cross-sectional (16th gestational week [g.w.]) and longitudinal associations (34th g.w.) between MD and mental health were studied using linear regression models.ResultsA greater MD adherence was inversely associated with negative affect and anxiety; and positively associated with emotional regulation, resilience and positive affect at the 16th and 34th g.w. (|β| ranging from 0.179 to 0.325, all p < 0.05). Additionally, a higher intake of whole grain cereals, fruits, vegetables, fish, olive oil and nuts, and a lower intake of red meat and subproducts and sweets were associated with lower negative affect, anxiety, depression and higher emotional regulation, resilience and positive affect throughout gestation (|β| ranging from 0.168 to 0.415, all p < 0.05).ConclusionA higher intake of whole grain cereals, fruits, vegetables, fish, olive oil and nuts, together with a lower intake of red meat and sweets, resulted in a higher MD adherence, which was associated with a better mental health during pregnancy.

Neural basis of positive and negative emotion regulation in remitted depression

The recurrent nature of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) necessitates a better understanding of mechanisms facilitating relapse. MDD has often been associated with abnormal emotion regulation, underpinned by aberrant interactions between the prefrontal cortex and subcortical areas. We assessed whether neural regulation abnormalities remain after remission and relate to emotion regulation problems in daily life.At the baseline measurement of a randomized controlled trial, an emotion regulation task was performed during fMRI scanning by 46 remitted recurrent (rrMDD) patients and 24 healthy controls. We assessed both fMRI peak activity and the temporal dynamics of the neural response during passive attendance and explicit regulation of positive and negative emotions. Furthermore, we assessed regulation strategy use in daily life using questionnaires, and attentional biases using a modified attentional dot-probe task.RrMDD patients showed lower activation and different temporal dynamics in occipital, parietal, and prefrontal brain regions during passive attendance of emotional material compared to healthy controls. During explicit downregulation of negative emotions, no group differences were found. However, during explicit upregulation of positive emotions, rrMDD patients showed a different neural response over time in the insula. Behaviourally, rrMDD patients were characterized by dysfunctional regulation strategies in daily life. Within rrMDD patients, rumination was associated with activation within a limbic- prefrontal network.After remission, immediate emotional processing seems unaffected, but regulatory abnormalities remain, especially uninstructed and in daily life. Abnormal insula activation during positive upregulation suggests decreased monitoring of positive emotions. The relation between inadequate rumination and brain activity during emotion regulation suggests that regulation of both positive and negative affect is important in understanding neurocognitive underpinnings of resilience.

EMOTIONAL REGULATION ON NEGATIVE AFFECT AND AGGRESSION: A REVIEW

Abstract: The frustration-aggression theorists generally posit aggression based on the influence of negative emotion or affect. Recently, investigation on the principles that influence the tendencies for aggressive responses play out in the mediating pathway, with the context that negative affect may or may not directly lead to aggression. Within the exploration at modifying the frustration-aggression concept, emotional regulation is an identified mechanism that buffers aggression resulting from negative emotional experiences. In turn, this has challenged the traditional frustration-aggression theory that indicates frustration (negative affect) does not always lead to aggression, in the case where the intense emotion from the relevant external situation has a chance to be modulated. However, little studies have documented the role of emotional regulation on negative affect and aggression. Therefore, this paper presents the nature of negative affect and emotional regulation strategies on aggression, while relating their pathway based on the contemporary General Aggression Model (GAM). We utilised the Google Scholar as the database in locating the relevant articles, with the terms focused on “Emotional Regulation” AND “Negative Affect” OR “Negative Mood” OR “Negative Emotion” AND “Aggression”. Reviews on the past studies that have investigated the role of emotional regulation on the relationship between aspects of negative affect and aggression are also discussed. Emotional regulation has been consistently identified as an important mechanism that mediates the effect on negative emotional state on aggressive behaviours. Future studies are suggested to further investigate the inherent strategies of emotional regulation and taps into different forms of negative affect, besides anger, on aggression.

The effects of blood in self-injurious cutting: Positive and negative affect regulation.

Seeing one's own blood may be a factor in affect regulation in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). This study examined changes in a negative (NA) and positive affect (PA) in response to a finger prick eliciting a small drop of participants' blood. Two groups (NSSI; N = 56 and Control; N = 70) of undergraduate students were randomly assigned to receive a finger prick and look at blood, receive a finger prick and not look at blood, or receive a sham finger prick. Following a mood induction, participants completed the PANAS three times: Time 1 (pre mood-induction, baseline), Time 2 (post-mood induction), and Time 3 (post-finger prick condition), and a Pain Severity Scale. A significant three-way interaction revealed that the NSSI: Blood Group had an increased positive effect between Time 2 and Time 3. Blood serves an important function in NSSI and requires additional research to fully understand the relationship.

A network perspective on the relationship between gaming disorder, depression, alexithymia, boredom, and loneliness among a sample of Chinese university students

Background and aimsBased on previous research, it was hypothesized that negative affect (e.g., depression, anxiety, and loneliness) and low level of emotion regulation (i.e., alexithymia) are risk factors for internet gaming disorder (IGD). Research utilizing a network analysis approach to psychopathology has increased rapidly, and is used to examine the pattern of interactions between causal factors of mental health disorders. Previous research has investigated the relationship between gaming disorder (GD), depression, alexithymia, boredom, and loneliness by pair-wise correlation and correlation of three or four variables. However, to date, network analysis has rarely been utilized to examine the relationship between the aforementioned multi-variables. Therefore, the present study used network analysis to examine the relationship between GD, depression, alexithymia, boredom, and loneliness among a sample of Chinese university students. MethodsA sample comprising 1635 Chinese university students (913 males) completed a survey including the Gaming Disorder Test, Patient Health Questionnaire, and Toronto Alexithymia Scale, alongside single-item measures of loneliness and boredom. ResultsDepression, alexithymia, boredom, and loneliness were significantly and positively associated with GD. Loneliness and boredom had the closest edge intensity, and loneliness was the strongest central node in the domain-level network. The facet-level and the item-level network analysis also showed that GD was connected with depression, alexithymia, boredom, and loneliness. The domain-level network comparison test (NCT) showed the global strengths had significant difference among gender group (males = 1.90 vs. females = 1.77, p = 0.013). ConclusionsThe findings indicate that there is a close relationship between GD, depression, alexithymia, boredom, and loneliness. Negative affect and low emotion regulation may induce or worsen GD, resulting in a vicious cycle. Practitioners developing interventions to overcome GD should consider aspects aimed at adjusting and improving negative emotion, especially loneliness and related negative affect as well as facilitating positive emotion.

Psychological Distress in Erectile Dysfunction: The Moderating Role of Attachment.

IntroductionIn clinical consultations, men with erectile dysfunction do not always express personal, sexual, and interpersonal concerns.AimWe explore whether the attenuated impact of erectile dysfunction may be explained by a regulation of negative affect that causes activation of the attachment system.MethodsThe study sample consisted of 69 men diagnosed with erectile dysfunction, mean (SD) age 56 (10.83) years. Participants completed self-reported questionnaires to assess erectile dysfunction severity, attachment style, sexual satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, and psychological symptoms.Main Outcome MeasureThe moderating role of attachment between erectile dysfunction and sexual satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, and psychological distress was evaluated using multiple linear regression and moderation analysis.ResultsAll men in the sample had high attachment avoidance, distributed between the dismissive-avoidant (69.6%) and fearful-avoidant (30.4%) substyles, but low levels of psychological symptoms. Despite their erectile dysfunction, 27 patients (39.1%) rated their sexual life as satisfactory, and 46 (66.7%) rated their relationship with their partner as satisfactory. Men with fearful-avoidant attachment reported feeling more sexual desire and less sexual satisfaction than men with dismissive-avoidant attachment. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that sexual satisfaction variance was explained by erectile dysfunction severity, attachment anxiety, and relationship satisfaction scores. Moderation analysis showed that attachment anxiety, but not relationship satisfaction, moderated the impact of erectile dysfunction on sexual satisfaction.ConclusionThe avoidance dimension of attachment, which tends to be high in patients with erectile dysfunction, involves deactivation of the sexual system in an effort to minimize the emotional distress associated with erectile dysfunction, which damages sexual and relationship intimacy and delays the decision to obtain professional help. The presence of high attachment avoidance and the moderating value of attachment anxiety allow us to propose specific treatments for these men.Maestre-Lorén F, Castillo-Garayoa JA, López-i-Martín X, et al. Psychological Distress in Erectile Dysfunction: The Moderating Role of Attachment. Sex Med 2021;9:100436.

Drugs and bugs: Negative affect, psychostimulant useand withdrawal, and the microbiome.

A growing body of literature demonstrates that the human microbiota plays a crucial role in health and disease states, as well as in the body's response to stress. In addition, the microbiome plays a role in psychological well-being and regulating negative affect. Regulation of negative affect is a factor in psychostimulant abuse disorders. We propose a risk chain in which stress leads to negative affect that places an individual at risk to develop or relapse to psychostimulant abuse disorder. Stress, negative affect, and psychostimulant use all alter the gut microbiome. This review brings together the literature on affective disorders, stress, and psychostimulant abuse disorders to assess possible modulatory actions of the gut-brain axis to regulate these conditions. Studies reviewed across the various disciplines suggest that the dysbiosis resulting from drug use, drug withdrawal, or stress may cause an individual to be more susceptible to addiction and relapse. Probiotics and prebiotics reduce stress and negative affect. Treatment during the withdrawal phase of psychostimulant abuse disorder, when the microbiome is altered, may ameliorate the symptoms of stress and negative affect leading to a reduced risk of relapse to psychostimulant use.

Brain structural correlates of upward social mobility in ethnic minority individuals

PurposePerigenual anterior cingulate cortex (pACC) is a neural convergence site for social stress-related risk factors for mental health, including ethnic minority status. Current social status, a strong predictor of mental and somatic health, has been related to gray matter volume in this region, but the effects of social mobility over the lifespan are unknown and may differ in minorities. Recent studies suggest a diminished health return of upward social mobility for ethnic minority individuals, potentially due to sustained stress-associated experiences and subsequent activation of the neural stress response system.MethodsTo address this issue, we studied an ethnic minority sample with strong upward social mobility. In a cross-sectional design, we examined 64 young adult native German and 76 ethnic minority individuals with comparable sociodemographic attributes using whole-brain structural magnetic resonance imaging.ResultsResults showed a significant group-dependent interaction between perceived upward social mobility and pACC gray matter volume, with a significant negative association in the ethnic minority individuals. Post-hoc analysis showed a significant mediation of the relationship between perceived upward social mobility and pACC volume by perceived chronic stress, a variable that was significantly correlated with perceived discrimination in our ethnic minority group.ConclusionOur findings extend prior work by pointing to a biological signature of the “allostatic costs” of socioeconomic attainment in socially disadvantaged upwardly mobile individuals in a key neural node implicated in the regulation of stress and negative affect.

Individual differences in perceived sleep quality do not predict negative affect reactivity or regulation

Do people who have low-quality sleep tend to have more negative affect? This question is of great public interest, and many would assume the answer is “yes.” However, previous findings have been mixed, possibly due to differing measures of sleep and affect, or to a failure to separately examine negative affect reactivity and regulation. Across two studies, we assessed adults’ perceived sleep quality for at least two weeks and tested their negative affect reactivity and regulation in response to unpleasant pictures (Study 1) or painful thermal stimulation (Study 2) using both self-report and physiological measures. The relationships between perceived sleep quality, on the one hand, and negative affect reactivity and regulation, on the other, were non-significant. Furthermore, a Bayesian approach unanimously favored the null hypothesis. These results suggest that individual differences in perceived sleep quality may not predict negative affect reactivity or regulation across adult individuals.

Mediational role of gaming motives in the associations of the Five Factor Model of personality with weekly and disordered gaming in adolescents

Five Factor Model (FFM) personality dimensions are relevant distal factors for explaining videogaming behaviors that may act through more proximal variables such as motives. However, this mediational role of gaming motives in the relationships between FFM domains and gaming behaviors has not been examined yet. The present study explored direct and indirect effects of the FFM personality traits on weekly and disordered gaming via gaming motives among 364 adolescent players. Structural equation modeling revealed that disordered gaming was directly predicted by conscientiousness and directly and indirectly, via coping motives, by neuroticism. Low agreeableness was associated with disordered gaming through social interaction. On the other hand, low agreeableness presented significant total effects on weekly gaming. The findings suggest risky personality pathways observed in drug use and abuse are also found in regular and disordered gaming such as the negative affect regulation pathway and a possible deviance proneness pathway.

Personality to Prescription Drug Misuse in Adolescents: Testing Affect Regulation, Psychological Dysregulation, and Deviance Proneness Pathways.

Background: Fifteen to 25-year-olds are the age group most likely to misuse prescription drugs. Few studies have tested theory-driven models of adolescent risk for prescription drug misuse. Moreover, rarely are distinct pathways to different forms of prescription drug misuse considered.Methods: We tested mediational paths from personality to mental health symptoms to prescription drug misuse, informed by etiological models of addiction. We specified pathways from particular personality traits to unique forms of prescription drug misuse via specific mental health symptoms. We used semi-longitudinal data collected across two waves of the Co-Venture Trial. Our sample included students from 31 Canadian high schools tested in Grade 9 (n = 3,024) and again in Grade 10 (n = 2,869; 95% retention). Personality (hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity, sensation seeking) was assessed in Grade 9. Mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety, ADHD, conduct disorder) and prescription drug misuse (opioids, sedatives/tranquilizers, stimulants) were assessed at both time points.Results: Consistent with the negative affect regulation model, hopelessness was specifically associated with opioid misuse via depressive symptoms, and anxiety sensitivity was specifically associated with sedative/tranquilizer misuse via anxiety symptoms. Consistent with positive affect regulation, sensation seeking was directly associated with stimulant misuse. Consistent with the psychological dysregulation model, impulsivity was associated with stimulant misuse via ADHD symptoms. And consistent with the deviance proneness model, impulsivity was also associated with unconstrained (i.e., all three forms of) prescription drug misuse via conduct disorder symptoms.Conclusions: Screening for adolescents high in hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, sensation seeking, or impulsivity and providing them with personality-matched cognitive-behavioral interventions may be helpful in preventing or mitigating prescription drug misuse. Our results point to the specific mental health symptoms that are important to target in each of these personality-matched interventions.

Attachment and the Development of Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence: The Role of Regulating Positive and Negative Affect

Although widely accepted, attachment theory’s hypothesis that insecure attachment is associated with the development of depressive symptoms through emotion regulation strategies has never been longitudinally tested in adolescence. Additionally, previous research only focused on strategies for regulating negative affect, whereas strategies for regulating positive affect may also serve as a mechanism linking insecure attachment to depressive symptoms. This study aimed to fill these research gaps by testing whether the association between attachment and change in depressive symptoms over time is explained by strategies for regulating negative and positive affect in adolescence. Adolescents (N = 1706; 53% girls; Mage = 12.78 years, SDage = 1.54 at Time 1) were tested three times, with a 1-year interval between measurement times. They reported on their attachment anxiety and avoidance at Time 1, depressive symptoms at Times 1 and 3, and regulation of negative affect (brooding and dampening) and positive affect (focusing and reflection) at Time 2. The results from multiple mediation analyses showed that more anxiously attached adolescents developed more depressive symptoms via increased brooding and dampening. More avoidantly attached adolescents developed more depressive symptoms via decreased focusing. These findings provide longitudinal support for attachment theory’s emotion regulation hypothesis, and show that the regulation of both negative and positive affect is important.

Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative: Reducing ambivalence through instructed emotion regulation.

Ambivalence, the simultaneous experience of positivity and negativity, is a conflicting, uncomfortable, arousing state but is a necessary catalyst for behavior change. We sought to examine whether feelings of ambivalence can be reduced using instructed emotion regulation of positive and negative affect, the components of subjective ambivalence. Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were collected while participants played 3 blocks of mixed gambles, in which each trial involved losing or winning the lesser or greater of 2 amounts. In the 1st block participants responded naturally, and in the 2nd and 3rd blocks they were instructed to focus on either the positive or negative aspects of the outcome. Disappointing wins (e.g., winning $5 instead of winning $12) and relieving losses (losing $5 instead of losing $12) reliably elicited ambivalence; focusing on either the negative or positive aspects of the outcome reduced ambivalence as well as the magnitude of the late positive potential (LPP), indicating successful regulation. Both self-reported affect and ERPs indicated that emotional responses to losses were more difficult to regulate than responses to wins, consistent with a negativity bias in affective processing. Results are interpreted in the framework of theories of affect, and implications for changing behavioral motivation to support healthy behaviors are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Structural Connectivity Between Rostral Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Amygdala Predicts First Onset of Depressive Disorders in Adolescence

BackgroundAdolescent-onset depressive disorders (DDs) are associated with deficits in the regulation of negative affect across modalities (self-report, behavioral paradigms, and neuroimaging), which may manifest prior to first-onset DDs. Whether the neurocircuitry governing emotional regulation predates DDs is unclear. This study tested whether a critical pathway for emotion regulation (rostral anterior cingulate cortex–amygdala structural connectivity) predicts first-onset DDs in adolescent females. MethodsDiffusion tensor imaging data were acquired on adolescent females (n = 212) without a history of DDs and the cohort was reassessed for first-onset DDs over the next 27 months. ResultsA total of 26 girls developed first onsets of DDs in the 27 months after imaging. Multivariate logistic regression showed that lower weighted average fractional anisotropy of uncinate fasciculus tracts between the rostral anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala prospectively predicted first onset of DDs (adjusted odds ratio = 0.44, p = .005), above and beyond established risk factors including baseline depression symptom severity, history of anxiety disorders, parental history of depression, parental education, and age. ConclusionsThis study provides evidence for the first time showing that aberrant structural connectivity between the rostral anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala prospectively predates first onset of DDs in adolescent females. These results highlight the importance of a well-established neural circuit implicated in the regulation of negative affect as a likely etiological factor and a promising target for intervention and prevention of DDs.

A Multi-level Longitudinal Model of Risk Factors for Generalized and Separation Anxiety Symptoms in a Community Sample of 6-year-olds.

The current longitudinal study examined the relations between variables in four domains-contextual (SES, family conflict, stress), parent (caretaker depression), parenting (support hostility, autonomy granting), and child (negative affect, effortful control, sensory regulation, attachment)-and both the presence of generalized and separation anxiety symptoms at age 6in a community sample of 796 children and the change in these anxiety symptoms from ages 4 to 6. Anxiety was highly stable over time. Specific results revealed both direct and indirect pathways between age 4 and age 5 variables, and age 6 anxiety. Caretaker depression and the child variables of attachment, effortful control, negative affect, and sensory regulation were directly related to anxiety symptoms at age 6. Contextual variables (SES) at age 4 were indirectly related to age 6 anxiety through parent depression at age 5. Parent depression was indirectly related to age 6 anxiety through age 5 child negative affect. Child negative affect at age 4 was indirectly related to age 6 anxiety through age 5 effortful control and age 4 effortful control was indirectly related to age 6 anxiety through age 5 negative affect. With the exception of attachment, there was a reduction in the impact of other variables when initial levels of anxiety symptoms were included in the model. Implications of results for early intervention and further study are discussed.