Subclinical Sample Research Articles

Rumination and Vegetative Symptoms: A Test of the Dual Vulnerability Model of Seasonal Depression

The Dual Vulnerability Model of seasonal affective disorder proposes that the cognitive-affective symptoms of seasonal depression are the result of an interaction of a diathesis of cognitive vulnerability to depression and the stressor of seasonal vegetative change. Two studies examined this hypothesis employing a within-subject design with daily data on vegetative and cognitive-affective depressive symptoms. Study 1 included a subclinical sample and a trait measure of ruminative response style. Study 2 included a clinical sample and reports of actual ruminative thoughts and behaviors in response to fatigue. Results of mixed linear model analyses in both studies supported the hypothesis that rumination moderates the relationship between the vegetative symptoms and the cognitive-affective symptoms of seasonal depression. The extension of the model to other subtypes of depression is considered.

The Essence of Process-Experiential/Emotion-Focused Therapy

Process-Experiential/Emotion-Focused Therapy (PE-EFT) is an empirically-supported, neo-humanistic approach that integrates and updates person-centered, Gestalt, and existential therapies. In this article, we first present what we see as PE-EFT's five essential features, namely neo-humanistic values, process-experiential emotion theory, person-centered but process-guiding relational stance, therapist exploratory response style, and marker-guided task strategy. Next, we summarize six treatment principles that guide therapists in carrying out this therapy: achieving empathic attunement, fostering an empathic, caring therapeutic bond, facilitating task collaboration, helping the client process experience appropriately to the task, supporting completion of key client tasks, and fostering client development and empowerment. In general, PE-EFT is an approach that seeks to help clients transform contradictions and impasses into wellsprings for growth.

Cognitive vulnerability to disgust: Development and validation of the Looming of Disgust Questionnaire

Disgust sensitivity has been implicated in the etiology and maintenance of specific anxiety disorders. One possible pathway through which fear and disgust contribute to anxiety disorders is through a common cognitive emphasis on appraisals involving the threat of contamination. Such appraisals are reflected in improbable beliefs about the transmission of contagion and perceptions of potential threat as escalating in risk or danger. The present study investigates a newly developed measure of cognitive biases in disgust, the Looming of Disgust Questionnaire (LODQ). Results from a sample of 583 undergraduate students provide evidence for the factor structure, internal consistency, and validity of the LODQ. Specifically, LODQ scores demonstrated the ability to discriminate between a subclinical sample of contamination-related obsessive-compulsive disorders, socially anxious participants, and non-anxious controls. The LODQ appears to be a promising new instrument for the assessment of cognitive vulnerabilities-related disgust in anxiety disorders.

Depression and its relation to posterior cortical activity during performance of neuropsychological verbal and spatial tasks

This study examined the relationship between individual differences in depression and brain asymmetry during task performance in a subclinical sample. It was investigated whether depression is associated with lower right posterior activation during performance of spatial tasks. We recorded electroencephalographic (EEG) activity from 31 university students during the performance of two verbal and two spatial tasks. As expected, individual differences in depression were associated with a relative right hypoactivation during spatial task performance. The findings imply that individual differences in right posterior activation are not specific to clinical states of depression but are also evident in healthy subjects with depressive symptoms.

Der Zusammenhang von Ekel und Ekelempfindlichkeit mit Spinnen- und Blut-Spritzen-Verletzungsängsten

The Associations of Disgust and Disgust Sensitivity with Spider Phobia and Blood-Injection-Injury Phobia Introduction: In the last years, the impact of disgust and disgust sensitivity in specific phobias such as blood-injection-injury (BII) and spider phobia has been increasingly emphasized. The present study examines general and domain-specific associations between disgust sensitivity and BII phobia and between disgust sensitivity and spider phobia. Associations between disgust sensitivity and social phobias or animal phobias were also considered possible. Subjects and Methods: Questionnaires on disgust and specific phobias were completed by a subclinical sample of 178 persons. Correlations and a factor analysis were calculated on the resulting data. Results: Results showed general correlations between disgust sensitivity and BII phobia and between disgust sensitivity and spider phobia. Domain-specific associations were only found in BII phobia. It seems that only this specific phobia is associated with a special type of disgust sensitivity, whereas spider phobia displays a more general association. Social and animal phobias were not associated with disgust sensitivity.

Efficacy of Eye Movement Desensitization in the treatment of cognitive intrusions related to a past stressful event

Much of the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) efficacy research has been widely criticized, limiting scientific understanding of its therapeutic components. The present investigation of Eye Movement Desensitization (EMD) effectiveness included undergraduate students reporting current intrusive cognitions concerning a traumatic event. Forty-five participants received a single treatment session of either: (a) EMD, as described by Shapiro [J. Behav. Ther. Exp. Psychiatry 20 (1989b) 211], (b) an identical procedure which employed eye fixation on a stationary target, or (c) non-directive counseling. Standardized self-report, subjective rating, Daily Diary, and intrusive thought sampling measures were collected before and after treatment. Results indicated that participants in the eye fixation group reported marginally ( p<.052) fewer cognitive intrusions than the non-directive group 1 week following treatment. No significant differences between the EMD and non-directive conditions or between the EMD and eye fixation conditions on this measure were found. During the treatment session, both desensitization groups were superior to the non-directive group in reducing reported vividness of the mental image of the original event. However, the non-directive group improved to the level of the two other groups by the following week. Rapid saccadic eye movements were therefore unrelated to immediate treatment effects for this sub-clinical sample, and non-directive treatment largely yielded eventual outcomes equivalent to the two desensitization conditions.

Stress Management with Law Enforcement Personnel: A Controlled Outcome Study of EMDR Versus a Traditional Stress Management Program

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) has been shown to be effective for treating posttraumatic stress disorder, but its efficacy as a stress management tool for normal individuals in highly stressful occupations has not been demonstrated. Sixty-two police officers were randomly assigned to either EMDR or a standard stress management program (SMP), each consisting of 6 hours of individualized contact. At completion, officers in the EMDR condition provided lower ratings on measures of PTSD symptoms, subjective distress, job stress, and anger; and higher marital satisfaction ratings than those in SMP. The effects of EMDR were maintained at the 6-month follow-up, indicating enduring gains from a relatively brief treatment regimen for this subclinical sample of officers who were experiencing some level of stress from their job.

Social Competence and Eating Disorders: Development and Validation of the Anorexia and Bulimia Problem Inventory

Incompetence at solving interpersonal problems is a possible antecedent of anorexic and bulimic behaviors in college-age women. A role-play measure of interpersonal competence, the Anorexia and Bulimia Problem Inventory (ABPI), was developed empirically and then was tested in two validation studies. ABPI scores for two samples of college women were compared: a subclinical sample [extremely high scores on the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT)] and a control sample (extremely low EAT scores). Groups differed as predicted. The second study replicated and extended these findings. The ABPI scores of clinical, subclinical, and control samples of college women differed significantly. Bulimic bingers, purgers, and laxative users were least competent on the ABPI. A lack of group differences on the Helping Situations Inventory supported the ABPI's discriminant validity. A correlation between the ABPI and Beck Depression Inventory supported the ABPI's convergent validity. ABPI competence appears to be related to certain subtypes of eating disorders.

Relaxation-induced anxiety in a subclinical sample of chronically anxious subjects

Recent reports indicate that some individuals experience increased anxiety during formal relaxation training; however, there has been just one controlled investigation of this phenomenon (Heide and Borkovec, 1983). The present study was designed to replicate and extend the findings of Heide and Borkovec by providing evidence of “relaxation-induced anxiety” during one session of taped progressive relaxation training. Thirty chronically anxious subjects (21 females, 9 males) participated. Five subjects (17%) reported increased anxiety during the session. Personality measures indicated that relaxation-induced anxiety may be associated with an internal locus of control, a generalized fear of becoming anxious, and a fear of losing control.