Use Of Maladaptive Strategies Research Articles

Emotion Regulation Use Varies Across Socioecological Levels of Pandemic Stress in Older Adults

ABSTRACT Objectives COVID-19 escalated stress within family/neighborhood (local) and national/cultural (global) levels. However, the impact of socioecological levels of stress on pandemic emotion regulation remains largely unexplored. Methods Thirty older adults from the Northeast US (63–92 years) reported on pandemic stress and emotion regulation in semi-structured interviews. Responses were coded into socioecological sources of local and global stress, and associated use of cognitive emotion regulation strategies from the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire was explored. Results Older adults experienced significant distress at global levels, and perception of lacking top-down safety governance may have exacerbated local distress of engaging in daily activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants endorsed coping with local stressors via perspective-taking, acceptance, and other adaptive strategies, while global sources of stress were associated with greater use of maladaptive strategies, including other-blame and rumination. Conclusion Quantitative assessments may underestimate significant older adult distress and maladaptive coping toward global stressors. Findings should be replicated with more diverse populations beyond the COVID-19 context.

Supportive Teacher Responses to Students’ Emotional Expression Moderate the Association Between Children’s Maladaptive Emotion Regulation and Aggression

As the core adult figures in the classroom, teachers guide children’s emotion socialization. We examined if teachers’ supportive and unsupportive responses to children’s emotions moderate the link between children’s maladaptive emotion regulation strategy use and aggression. Three hundred and ninety-eight 4th and 5th grade students (49% girls) and 22 classroom teachers participated in the study. Student report was used to assess maladaptive emotion regulation strategy use and perceptions about teacher’s supportive and unsupportive responses to student expression of intense or negative emotions. Teachers rated students’ aggression. We found that supportive teacher responses to student emotional expression moderated the positive association between student maladaptive emotion regulation strategy use and aggression. When students perceived high levels of supportive teacher responses to their emotional expression (i.e., 1 standard deviation above the mean), there appeared to be no association between maladaptive strategy use and aggression. Our findings indicate that supportive teacher responses to student emotional expression might play a protective role against aggression, especially for children who display ineffective emotion regulation skills. We discuss implications for teacher practices of supporting and responding to students’ emotion regulation, school psychologists’ teacher support through direct and indirect services, and school-wide discipline practices and classroom management. Impact Statement We found that supportive teacher responses to student emotional expression moderated the positive association between student maladaptive emotion regulation strategy use and aggression. Supportive teacher responses to student emotional expression might play a protective role against aggression, especially for children who display ineffective emotion regulation skills. Promoting children’s social and emotional development should involve plans to provide systematic support for teachers to develop knowledge of how to scaffold development of their students’ healthy emotion regulation.

The Association of Autistic Traits on Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies in a Non-clinical Sample.

Individuals with high autistic traits have difficulty in regulating their negative emotions. However, few studies clarify the relationship between autistic traits and cognitive emotion regulation strategies. This study examined the association between adaptive and maladaptive strategies in cognitive emotion regulation and autistic traits using a non-clinical sample. Two hundred and thirty-four participants completed the Japanese version of the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (Adult Self-Report version) and the Japanese version of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. The results showed that autistic traits were negatively associated with the use of adaptive subordinate strategies for cognitive emotion regulation. By contrast, autistic traits were positively associated with the use of maladaptive subordinate strategies of cognitive emotion regulation. The cognitive and emotional characteristics of autism spectrum disorder, such as perspective taking and executive function, contextualize these results. These findings can help guide not only our understanding of the relationship between autistic traits and cognitive emotion regulation but also develop interventions aimed at facilitating the use of adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies and preventing the use of maladapted strategies in individuals with high autistic traits.

Less is more: Decreasing the frequency of maladaptive coping predicts improvements in DBT more consistently than increasing the frequency of adaptive coping

It is well-established that participation in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) results in patients using adaptive coping strategies more frequently. Although coping skill instruction may be necessary to promote decreases in symptoms and behavioral targets in DBT, it is unclear if the frequency with which patients use adaptive coping skills leads to these outcomes. Alternatively, it is possible that DBT also leads patients to use maladaptive strategies less frequently and that these reductions more consistently predict improvements in treatment. We recruited 87 participants with elevated emotion dysregulation (Mage = 30.56; 83.9% female; 75.9% White) to participate in a 6-month course of full-model DBT delivered by advanced graduate students. Participants completed measures of adaptive and maladaptive strategy use, emotion dysregulation, interpersonal problems, distress tolerance, and mindfulness at baseline and after three DBT skills training modules. Both within- and between-person maladaptive strategy use significantly predicted module-to-module changes in all outcomes whereas adaptive strategy use significantly predicted changes in emotion dysregulation and distress tolerance, although the size of these effects did not significantly differ between adaptive and maladaptive strategy use. We discuss the limitations and implications of these results for optimizing DBT.

Mental health patterns of physiotherapists in South Africa during COVID-19.

While attention has been drawn to the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the mental health of healthcare workers generally, little is known regarding mental health changes over time in frontline and non-frontline physiotherapists during this period. Our study aimed to investigate differences in mental health trends among frontline and non-frontline physiotherapists across three time periods during the pandemic. Survey-based data were collected from 366 practising physiotherapists across three time periods during the pandemic (Time 1: n = 171; Time 2: n = 101; Time 3: n = 94). Variations in reported mental health of frontline and non-frontline respondents generally and over time were analysed using comparative statistical techniques and trend analysis. Frontline physiotherapists reported significantly lower levels of general mental well-being and resilience, and significantly higher levels of burnout and maladaptive strategy use. Only frontline physiotherapists' general mental well-being and resilience decreased over time, whereas depression decreased over time for both groups. Anxiety decreased over time for non-frontline physiotherapists but initially decreased and then increased for frontline physiotherapists. Burnout increased initially and then decreased for non-frontline physiotherapists. Varying mental health trends were found between frontline and non-frontline physiotherapists over time. Nuanced mental health interventions that consider the period of the pandemic and degree of exposure are needed. Understandings of the mental health trajectories experienced by physiotherapists across the pandemic can inform long-term, targeted interventions that effectively enhance well-being, retention, and sustainability of practitioners, and thus the care delivered, in the healthcare system.

The experience of COVID-19 among people with depression: Impact on daily life and coping strategies

BackgroundThe prevalence of depression symptoms among U.S. adults increased dramatically during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to understand the impact of the pandemic on people with a history of depression. MethodsIn June 2020, a national sample of 5023 U.S. adults, including 760 reporting past/current diagnoses of depression, completed survey measures related to the COVID experience, coping, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. ResultsAfter adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, a history of depression increased the odds of negative effects of pandemic on multiple aspects of life: routines, access to mental health treatment, alcohol use, prescription painkiller use, and other drug use. Those with a history of depression also scored significantly higher on the PHQ-8, GAD-7, and PDS-5 (all ps < 0.0001). Greater use of adaptive coping strategies was significantly associated with lower scores, and greater use of maladaptive strategies with higher scores. Individuals reporting a history of depression reported greater use of both adaptive and maladaptive strategies. ConclusionsAdaptive coping strategies appear to be protective and help regulate symptomatology, suggesting that particular focus during the clinical encounter on developing tools to promote well-being, alleviate stress, and decrease perceptions of helplessness could mitigate the effects.

A daily diary study of emotion regulation as a moderator of negative affect-binge eating associations.

While negative affect (NA) typically increases risk for binge eating, the ultimate impact of NA may depend on a person's ability to regulate their emotions. In this daily, longitudinal study, we examined whether emotion regulation (ER) modified the strength of NA-dysregulated eating associations. Women (N=311) from the Michigan State University Twin Registry first reported dimensional binge eating symptoms and broad ER difficulties (e.g., limited emotional awareness, difficulty controlling emotional impulses). Participants then rated use of adaptive (cognitive reappraisal, social sharing, situation modification, and acceptance) and maladaptive (rumination, expressive suppression, and self-criticism) ER strategies, emotional eating (EE), objective binge eating (OBE), and NA once daily for 49 consecutive days. There were several main effects of ER on binge-eating pathology in both between-person (i.e., comparing women who differed on average) and within-person (i.e., examining fluctuations in variables day-to-day) analyses. Between-person, greater broad ER difficulties, greater maladaptive strategy use, and lower adaptive strategy use were all associated with greater binge-eating pathology. Within-person, greater maladaptive strategy use was associated with greater odds of OBE on that day and on the following day. However, neither broad ER difficulties nor use of specific strategies moderated associations between NA and dysregulated eating in between- or within-person analyses. While ER is independently associated with risk for dysregulated eating, it may not fully mitigate the impact of NA. Additional strategies (e.g., decreasing environmental stressors and increasing social support) may be needed to minimize NA and its impact on dysregulated eating. Negative affect (NA; e.g., sadness, guilt) increases dysregulated eating risk. Because NA is sometimes unavoidable, we examined whether emotion regulation (ER; i.e., how a person responds to their emotions) might impact whether NA leads to dysregulated eating. Although more effective ER was associated with less dysregulated eating overall, ER did not impact the association between NA and dysregulated eating. Other approaches may therefore be needed to mitigate NA-dysregulated eating associations.

Роль впливу соціального уникнення та дистанціювання на схильність до тривожних розладів у період пандемії covid-19

Background. Quarantine restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic have become an important trigger for psycho-emotional distress and the manifestation of vulnerability to mental health problems. Physical ("social") distancing, aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19, has allowed people with a history of common mental health problems (such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, or social phobia) to receive some short-term relief by giving rational justification for the maladaptive strategies of behavioral or cognitive avoidance of trigger situations or life circumstances. However, it is assumed that the avoidance of social interaction or situations may contribute to the masking of persistent functional disorders associated with the level of social anxiety in particular. At the same time, the denial of one's own needs and the uncertainty of the future in the context of pandemics and quarantine restrictions will affect vulnerability to anxiety disorders, which may increase after quarantine restrictions and the need to return to everyday life. Analysis of the role of social avoidance and distancing during the pandemic will expand the understanding of the mechanisms of vulnerability to psychosocial dysfunction for anxiety disorders. The results can help develop recommendations for self-help and psycho-correctional programs aimed at psychoeducation and prevention of common mental health problems. Objective. Investigate the features of psycho-emotional discomfort associated with avoiding experience as a factor in vulnerability to anxiety disorders in a pandemic setting. Materials and methods. The study group included 242 individuals who complained of significant psycho-emotional distress related to social restrictions due to quarantine conditions and/or avoidance of social contacts due to anxiety (including anxiety before negative evaluation and condemnation, health concerns, uncertainty, etc.). Age distribution from 18 to 35 years (M = 24.3; SD = 4.93), mostly female - 66.94% (n = 162). The main sample was 126 subjects, and 116 people formed a control. Diagnostic interviews with The MINI: International Neuropsychiatric Interview, self-questionnaires, and scales from complex IAPT and SCL-90-R were used to study the pathopsychological symptoms, were conducted as part of the screening of the mental state. AAQ-II self-questionnaire was assessed for experiential avoidance. Results. We studied the relationship between strategies for coping with distress by experiential avoiding under quarantine restrictions and psycho-emotional discomfort in current life situations and vulnerability to anxiety disorders during interviews. The study found that quarantine restrictions can be seen as a factor in general vulnerability to the anxiety response. At the same time, avoidance of the corrective experience under quarantine restrictions increases the manifestation or risk of recurrence of more specific anxiety disorders. Considering experiential avoidance (as inflexible use of maladaptive strategies to regulate emotions and somatic sensations) associated with uncertainty and the duration of social restrictions significantly contributes to pathogenetic cycles of anxiety disorders. Additional vulnerabilities in the combined regression model were male gender, age-range 24-35 years, and the presence of one or more common mental disorders in anamnesis. The results are consistent with the indirect relationship between experiential avoidance, symptomatic distress, and daily and work activities. The obtained results have the prospect of further developments, particularly in developing recommendations for psychosocial support and prevention of common anxiety disorders in the context of global change.

Suicidality and Its Associated Factors Among Students in Rural China During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study of Left-Behind and Non-Left-Behind Children.

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly spread worldwide. The harmful impact of COVID-19 is beyond just physical health concern. The unprecedented public health crisis has also taken its toll on the mental health of adolescents. The present study aims to estimate the prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempts and investigate the similarities and differences in the influential factors for suicidal ideation and attempts among left-behind children (LBC) and non-left-behind children (NLBC) in rural China during the COVID-19 pandemic.Method: A total of 761 rural Chinese students, of whom 468 were left behind, completed the cross-sectional questionnaires including demographic data, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire, seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, suicidal ideation, and suicidal attempts. Chi-square test, independent-sample t-test, and logistic regression were performed in the statistical analysis.Results: Overall, 36.4 and 10.4% of rural Chinese students reported suicidal ideation (37.8% for LBC vs. 34.1% for NLBC) and attempts (11.3% for LBC vs. 8.9% for NLBC) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among LBC, parental educational level (adjusted odds ratio, Adj. OR = 1.60), maladaptive strategies (Adj. OR = 1.04), anxious symptoms (Adj. OR = 2.61), and depressive symptoms (Adj. OR = 3.85) were significantly associated with suicidal ideation, while age (Adj. OR = 0.56), maladaptive strategies (Adj. OR = 1.08), symptoms of anxiety (Adj. OR = 3.85), and symptoms of depression (Adj. OR = 2.68) were significantly related to suicidal attempts during the COVID-19 outbreak. Among NLBC, gender (Adj. OR = 2.20), parental educational level (Adj. OR = 1.77), perceived family economic status (Adj. OR = 0.39), anxious symptoms (Adj. OR = 2.38), and depressive symptoms (Adj. OR = 2.77) were significantly associated with suicidal ideation, whereas only anxious symptom (Adj. OR = 5.85) was significantly related to suicidal attempts.Conclusion: Suicidal ideation and attempts are prevalent among students in rural China during the COVID-19 outbreak. Our findings also revealed the shared and unique factors for suicidal ideation and attempts among LBC and NLBC during the COVID-19 epidemic. With regard to the differences between LBC and NLBC, the use of maladaptive strategies and age might be vital factors for suicide prevention measures directed specifically toward LBC, whereas interventions sensitive to gender and perceived social economic status should be specifically designed for NLBC amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The relationship between affective flexibility, spontaneous emotion regulation and the response to induced stress

Effective emotion regulation contributes to adapting well to challenging situations. One of the proposed cognitive mechanisms underlying emotion regulation is cognitive flexibility in processing of affective material (i.e. affective flexibility). We investigated (n = 118) effects of affective flexibility on the response to a stressor and on spontaneous use of ‘adaptive’ and ‘maladaptive’ emotion regulation strategies. Additionally, we examined how emotion regulation influences stress reactivity and recovery. Affective flexibility was measured with a task-switching paradigm in which participants shift attention between affective and non-affective aspects of emotional material. We investigated changes in emotion and heart rate variability to a stress induction. Affective flexibility did not influence the response to stress, but less efficient shifting of attention towards affective aspects of negative information, and more efficient shifting of attention towards non-affective aspects of positive information were related to more use of maladaptive strategies. Emotion regulation strategy use had limited influence on the perceived and actual physiological response to a stress induction, but especially more use of adaptive regulation strategies reduced negative emotional reactivity. Our findings suggest that individual differences in affective flexibility have limited influence on the (acute) response to a stressful event and recovery afterwards, but do influence spontaneous use of emotion regulation strategies.

Deficits in Emotion Regulation Partly Mediate the Relation Between Sleep Problems and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescent Inpatients With Depression.

Sleep problems are a risk factor for the development of depressive disorders and influence the severity and treatment of depressive symptoms negatively. To enhance treatment for depression in young people, it is important to advance the understanding of the relationship between sleep problems and depressive symptoms. Since deficits in emotion regulation are discussed as possible underlying mechanisms, the present study investigated the mediating effect of maladaptive and adaptive strategies for emotion regulation on the association between sleep problems and depressive symptoms. Emotion regulation strategies, depression and sleep quality were assessed via self-report in a large clinical sample of 602 adolescents (age 13–18 years) who reported clinically relevant symptoms of depression. The questionnaires were assessed at admission for inpatient psychiatric treatment. Correlation and mediation analyses were performed. There was a significant partial mediation effect (β = 0.554, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.527), indicating that sleep problems influenced depressive symptoms via the decreased use of adaptive strategies and the increased use of maladaptive strategies. Additionally, a direct effect of sleep problems on depressive symptoms emerged (β = 0.251, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.364). This cross-sectional study provides first indications that additional treatment modules focusing on sleep and ER skills in prevention and treatment programs for adolescents would be important steps. Longitudinal studies are needed to substantiate these results.

Social support, coping strategies and sociodemographic factors in women with breast cancer.

The aim of this study was to analyze the associations between perceived social support and sociodemographic variables on coping strategies. A prospective, cross-sectional, multicenter study was conducted in 404 women with resected, non-metastatic breast cancer. Participants completed questionnaires: perceived social support (MSPSS), coping strategies (Mini-MAC), and psychological distress (BSI-18). Sociodemographic factors as age, education, and partnership status were associated with coping strategies. As for maladaptive strategies, hopelessness was more frequent in older people and lower educational level; fatalism in older and single people, and cognitive avoidance was associated with lower educational level. Suppor t from family, friends, and partners was associated with a greater fighting spirit. In contrast, high psychological distress (anxiety and depression) was associated with greater use of maladaptive strategies. Young people, a high level of education, having a partner, low psychological distress, and seeking social support were associated with the use of adaptive cancer coping strategies.

Relationships between frustration intolerance beliefs, cognitive emotion regulation strategies and burnout among geriatric nurses and care assistants

The purpose of this study was to address cognitive emotional factors (frustration intolerance beliefs, cognitive emotion regulation strategies) related to burnout among professionals caring for older persons. A sample of 202 nurses and care assistants for older people completed online questionnaires about their cognitive emotion regulation strategies, frustration intolerance beliefs, and burnout. Use of maladaptive strategies, especially self-blame and catastrophizing, predicted greater emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Adaptive strategy use, such as refocusing on planning and positive reappraisal, was found to be linked to both lower emotional exhaustion and higher personal accomplishment. Frustration intolerance beliefs appeared to be closely associated with the emotional exhaustion and depersonalization dimensions of burnout, with higher frustration intolerance beliefs indicating a high risk of depersonalization. The present findings have several practical implications for reducing nurses’ burnout based on cognitive behavioral therapy approaches, such as rational emotive behavior or mindfulness therapies.

Coping strategies of family members of intensive care unit patients

ObjectiveTo analyse the coping strategies of family members of patients admitted to intensive care units. DesignA cross-sectional study developed with 70 relatives of patients admitted to the intensive care unit. SettingAn adult intensive care unit at a university hospital in Brazil. Main Outcome MeasuresCoping strategies were identified by the Folkman and Lazarus Inventory of Coping Strategies and statistically compared to the sociodemographic data of family members and patients’ clinical data. ResultsCoping strategies focused on emotion were the most used, especially those attributed to the escape-avoidance factor. There was a significant association (p < 0.05) between women and the use of adaptive strategies focused on the problem; less education and lower income with maladaptive strategies focused on emotion; second-degree relatives and the positive reassessment factor; participants involved in religious activities and the social support factor. Regarding the clinical variables, patients admitted to the intensive care unit for more than seven days showed an association (p < 0.05) with the social support factor. ConclusionFamily members used adaptive coping strategies more focused on emotion. Additionally, the lower the educational and economic levels, the greater the use of maladaptive strategies focused on emotion.

Emotional intelligence intervention in older adults to improve adaptation and reduce negative mood.

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a strong predictor of negative mood. Applying emotional skills correctly can help to increase positive emotional states and reduce negative ones. This study aims to implement EI intervention designed to improve clarity, repair EI dimensions and coping strategies, and reduce negative mood in older adults. Participants were randomly assigned to the treatment or control group. Participants were evaluated individually before and after the intervention. Participants included 111 healthy older adults; 51 in the treatment group and 60 in the control group. An EI program was implemented. The program was administered over 10 sessions lasting 90 min each. EI dimension (attention, clarity, and repair), coping strategies, hopelessness, and mood were assessed. Analysis of variance for repeated measures was applied. In the treatment group, scores on clarity and emotional repair increased and attention to emotions decreased; problem-focused coping (problem-solving, positive reappraisal, and seeking social support) showed significant increases, whereas emotion-focused coping (negative self-focused and overt emotional expression) obtained significant decreases; scores on negative mood measures declined significantly. An intervention based on EI is effective in older adults. After the EI intervention, the participants showed significant increases in their levels of clarity and emotional repair and intermediate levels of attention. In addition, the intervention was found to influence adaptation results, increasing the use of adaptive coping strategies and decreasing the use of maladaptive strategies, as well as reducing hopelessness and depressive symptoms.

Cognitive emotion regulation strategies and depressive symptoms among nurses exposed to workplace violence: a person-centered approach

Background Cognitive strategies are preferred among nurses who have limited opportunities in the workplace to use behavioral strategies to cope with negative life events. Aims To explore whether different cognitive emotion regulation profiles could be distinguished in nurses exposed to workplace violence, and to investigate whether such profiles had differential associations with depressive symptoms. Method An online survey was conducted among nurses exposed to workplace violence (N = 399). Latent profile analysis was performed to identify discrete profiles based on the use of cognitive emotion regulation strategies. The Bolck, Croon, and Hagenaars method was applied to compare the latent profiles on the depressive symptoms. Results Seven latent profiles were identified: Low Regulators, Medium Regulators, High Regulators, Intensely Adaptive Regulators, Moderately Adaptive Regulators, Intensely Maladaptive Regulators, and Moderately Maladaptive Regulators. High Regulators had the highest level of depressive symptoms. Although using less adaptive strategies, Low Regulators did not report significantly more depressive symptoms than Medium Regulators, Intensely Maladaptive and Moderately Maladaptive Regulators. Conclusions The adaptability of cognitive emotion regulation strategies depends on the conjunction of different strategies one person has at his disposal. Cognitive emotion regulation skill training should focus on flexible implementation of strategies and decreasing use of maladaptive strategies.

Treatment efficacy on the cognitive competence of convicted intimate partner violence offenders

La evaluación de la eficacia del tratamiento de maltratadores en los Registros Oficiales o los Informes de las parejas no es válida, al tiempo que las intervenciones eficaces se dirigen a dotarlos de competencia cognitiva y conductual. Por ello diseñamos un estudio de campo para medir los efectos de la intervención en la competencia cognitiva. Un total de 100 condenados por violencia de género que completaron un programa penitenciario de tratamiento en la comunidad fueron evaluados pre- y post-tratamiento en la competencia cognitiva, esto es, auto-concepto, inteligencia emocional, atribución de responsabilidad, destrezas cognitivas para el afrontamiento de eventos estresantes en pareja, expresión y control de la ira, y creencias irracionales y pensamientos distorsionados. Los resultados mostraron un efecto significativo del tratamiento en la adquisición de las destrezas cognitivas. Sucintamente, el tratamiento potenció el auto-concepto general el 18.2% y las dimensiones internas del auto-concepto auto-satisfacción el 33.5% y comportamiento el 25.6%; y la claridad para discriminar las emociones el 31.8%. Además, el tratamiento incrementó la asunción interna de responsabilidad el 31.8%; el control de la ira el 19.1%; y el uso de estrategias adaptativas para el afrontamiento de eventos estresantes en pareja entre el 48.9% y el 61.3%. Finalmente, el tratamiento redujo el uso de estrategias desadaptativas entre el 25.6% y el 35.1%; y las creencias irracionales y pensamientos distorsionados relacionados con el uso de la violencia, rol de género y dependencia emocional, en el 78.2%, 48.2% y 63.6%, respectivamente. No obstante, no todos los maltratadores se beneficiaron del tratamiento. The evaluation of the efficacy of treatment of batterers in Official or Couple Records is not valid, whilst the efficient interventions are focused on the empowerment of cognitive and behavioural competence. A field study for measuring the effects of the treatment on the cognitive competence was designed. A total of 100 batterers who had completed a community penitentiary intervention programme, were assessed pre- and post-treatment in cognitive competence i.e., self-concept, emotional intelligence, attribution of responsivity, cognitive skills to cope intimate-partner-related stressful events, expression and control of anger, and irrational beliefs and distorted thoughts. The results showed a significant effect of the treatment in the acquisition of cognitive competence skills. Succinctly, treatment empowered the general self-concept in 18.2%, and the internal dimensions of self-concept self-satisfaction in 33.5% and behaviour in 25.6%; and clarity to discriminate among moods in 31.8%. Moreover, treatment increased the assumption of internal responsivity in 31.8%; anger control in 19.1%; and the use of adaptive strategies to cope intimate-partner-related stressful events between 48.9% and 61.3%. Finally, treatment involved a fall in the use of maladaptive strategies to cope intimate-partner-related stressful events between 25.6% and 35.1%; and in the irrational beliefs and distorted thoughts related with the use of violence, in 78.2%, 48.2% y 63.6%, for use of violence, gender roles and emotional dependence, respectively. Nonetheless, not all the batterers benefited from treatment.

Examining Facets of Mindfulness in the Relationship Between Invalidating Childhood Environments and Emotion Regulation.

Research has shown that growing up in an environment in which emotions are invalidated (i.e., ignored or responded to negatively) by parents is associated with later difficulties regulating emotions. Meanwhile, dispositional mindfulness has been shown to engender a greater capacity for emotion regulation, through use of adaptive strategies like cognitive reframing and minimizing use of maladaptive strategies like expressive suppression. The current study aimed to explore the role of invalidating childhood environments on use of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression as emotion regulation skills and to investigate the role of mindfulness in this relationship. Participants were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk (n = 1094, Mage = 58.3% women) and completed self-report measures assessing perceptions of maternal invalidation, mindfulness, and emotion regulation. Results demonstrated that the mindfulness facets of describing, non-judging, and non-reactivity partially mediated the relationship between perception of maternal invalidation and expressive suppression. Awareness and non-reactivity were found to mediate the relationship between perception of maternal invalidation and cognitive reappraisal. Clinical implications are discussed.

Clinical and Neurophysiological Correlates of Emotion and Food Craving Regulation in Patients with Anorexia Nervosa.

Background: Difficulties in emotion regulation and craving regulation have been linked to eating symptomatology in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), contributing to the maintenance of their eating disorder. Methods: To investigate clinical and electrophysiological correlates of these processes, 20 patients with AN and 20 healthy controls (HC) completed a computerized task during EEG recording, where they were instructed to down-regulate negative emotions or food craving. Participants also completed self-report measures of emotional regulation and food addiction. The P300 and Late Positive Potential (LPP) ERPs were analysed. Results: LPP amplitudes were significantly smaller during down-regulation of food craving among both groups. Independent of task condition, individuals with AN showed smaller P300 amplitudes compared to HC. Among HC, the self-reported use of re-appraisal strategies positively correlated with LPP amplitudes during emotional regulation task, while suppressive strategies negatively correlated with LPP amplitudes. The AN group, in comparison to the HC group, exhibited greater food addiction, greater use of maladaptive strategies, and emotional dysregulation. Conclusions: Despite the enhanced self-reported psychopathology among AN, both groups indicated neurophysiological evidence of food craving regulation as evidenced by blunted LPP amplitudes in the relevant task condition. Further research is required to delineate the mechanisms associated with reduced overall P300 amplitudes among individuals with AN.

Quality or quantity? A multistudy analysis of emotion regulation skills deficits associated with borderline personality disorder.

Linehan's (1993) biosocial theory posits that people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) have emotion regulation skills deficits characterized by (a) less frequent use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies, (b) more frequent use of maladaptive strategies, or (c) poorer quality strategy implementation (i.e., strategies implemented less skillfully). We tested these possibilities among participants with BPD, major depressive disorder (MDD), or no disorder (controls). Study 1 participants (N = 272) were recruited online; Study 2 participants (N = 90) completed in-person diagnostic assessments. The BPD groups reported greater use of maladaptive strategies than the MDD (d = .35) and control (d = 1.54) groups and lower quality implementation than the MDD (d = -.33) and control groups (d = -.97). BPD participants reported similar use of adaptive strategies as the MDD group (d = -.09) but less use than controls (d = -.47). BPD may be uniquely characterized by overuse of maladaptive strategies and poorer quality emotion regulation implementation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).