Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques

Co-Planar Stereotaxic Atlas of the Human Brain—3-Dimensional Proportional System: An Approach to Cerebral Imaging, J. Talairach, P. Tournoux. Georg Thieme Verlag, New York (1988), 122 pp., 130 figs. DM 268

Emotion-regulation strategies across psychopathology: A meta-analytic review.

Interventions based on training in mindfulness skills are becoming increasingly popular. Mindfulness involves intentionally bringing one's attention to the internal and external experiences occurring in the present moment, and is often taught through a variety of meditation exercises. This review summarizes conceptual approaches to mind-fulness and empirical research on the utility of mindfulness-based interventions. Meta-analytic techniques were incorporated to facilitate quantification of findings and comparison across studies. Although the current empirical literature includes many methodological flaws, findings suggest that mindfulness-based interventions may be helpful in the treatment of several disorders. Methodologically sound investigations are recommended in order to clarify the utility of these interventions.

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Mindfulness Training as a Clinical Intervention: A Conceptual and Empirical Review

https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa54196/Download/54196__17493__47815979be224dde9a7b3f9b037ce7ec.pdf

Multidisciplinary research priorities for the COVID-19 pandemic: a call for action for mental health science.

The Nature of Generalized Anxiety

Fear-potentiated startle predicts longitudinal change in transdiagnostic symptom dimensions of anxiety and depression.

Early life adversity (ELA) has long been associated with increased risk for stress-related psychopathology, particularly depression. The neuroimmune network hypothesis posits that ELA increases sensitivity to psychosocial stress, moderating the association between increases in peripheral markers of inflammation and decreases in reward outcomes linked to anhedonia and risk-taking behaviors. The present study examined this hypothesis in a sample of adolescents by using acute psychosocial stress to probe the role of inflammatory signaling in behavioral measures of reward and risk processing.80 adolescents [13.86 years (SD = 1.54); 45 % female], oversampled for ELA, underwent the Trier Social Stress Test for Children while providing blood samples immediately before and 60-minutes after stress onset. Blood samples were assayed for plasma IL-6. One hour before stress onset, and then 60 min after, participants completed computer-administered behavioral tasks measuring reward (Pirate Task) and risk (Balloon Analog Risk Task).ELA moderated the association between increases in IL-6 and decreases in risk tolerance in pursuit of rewards (p = 0.003) and reward response bias (p = 0.04). Stress-induced increases in IL-6 were associated with decreases in pumps for rewards among adolescents exposed to high, relative to little or no, ELA. Further, greater IL-6 increases were associated with increases in bias toward high relative to low value rewards among adolescents with low adversity exposure but not among those exposed to higher adversity.The present study provides the first evidence in a pediatric sample that ELA may alter the role of stress-induced inflammation in reward and risk processing, and may extend our understanding of why stress leads to depression in this high-risk population. 

The role of early life adversity and inflammation in stress-induced change in reward and risk processes among adolescents

Publisher Summary
This chapter deals with the various anxiety disorders. The anxiety disorders are presumed to differ primarily in the particular class of stimuli that possesses elevated threat value, whether it is social, physical, or mental. Also, loading on generalized vulnerability factors is likely to differentiate among the anxiety disorders. This chapter describes each anxiety disorder, with specific reference to the learning experiences and biological propensities that contribute to the elevated threat value of the class of stimuli unique to that disorder. The salience and threat value of stimuli is likely to be affected by the broad-based vulnerabilities of negative affectivity and a threat based style of emotion regulation, as well as history of experience with related stimuli and ongoing contextual variables. Salience and threat value of stimuli is likely to be additionally affected by developmental stages. Mental processes may be more salient at times of development that coincide with greater responsibility for one's thoughts and actions, such as upon leaving home or having a family. Such developmental shifts explain the modal ages of onset for each anxiety disorder. Stimuli judged to be threatening naturally becomes the target of vigilance, danger-laden beliefs, and avoidance behavior. These processes in turn maintain the threat value of the relevant set of stimuli, creating a self perpetuating cycle of distress and avoidance, as well as magnifying the vulnerability toward continuing anxiety. The maintaining influences for each disorder are described in this chapter.

Chapter 7 – Anxiety disorders

OBJECTIVE
Determine whether a novel psychosocial treatment for positive affect improves clinical status and reward sensitivity more than a form of cognitive behavioral therapy that targets negative affect and whether improvements in reward sensitivity correlate with improvements in clinical status.


METHOD
In this assessor-blinded, parallel-group, multisite, two-arm randomized controlled clinical superiority trial, 85 treatment-seeking adults with severely low positive affect, moderate-to-severe depression or anxiety, and functional impairment received 15 weekly individual therapy sessions of positive affect treatment (PAT) or negative affect treatment (NAT). Clinical status measures were self-reported positive affect, interviewer-rated anhedonia, and self-reported depression and anxiety. Target measures were eleven physiological, behavioral, cognitive, and self-report measures of reward anticipation-motivation, response to reward attainment, and reward learning. All analyses were intent-to-treat.


RESULTS
Compared to NAT, individuals receiving PAT achieved superior improvements in the multivariate clinical status measures at posttreatment, b = .37, 95% CI [.15, .59], t(109) = 3.34, p = .001, q = .004, d = .64. Compared to NAT, individuals receiving PAT also achieved higher multivariate reward anticipation-motivation, b = .21, 95% CI [.05, .37], t(268) = 2.61, p = .010, q = .020, d = .32, and higher multivariate response to reward attainment, b = .24, 95% CI [.02, .45], t(266) = 2.17, p = .031, q = .041, d = .25, at posttreatment. Measures of reward learning did not differ between the two groups. Improvements in reward anticipation-motivation and in response to reward attainment correlated with improvements in the clinical status measures.


CONCLUSIONS
Targeting positive affect results in superior improvements in clinical status and reward sensitivity than targeting negative affect. This is the first demonstration of differential target engagement across two psychological interventions for anxious or depressed individuals with low positive affect. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Michelle G. Craske

Papers

The Nature of Generalized Anxiety

Fear-potentiated startle predicts longitudinal change in transdiagnostic symptom dimensions of anxiety and depression.

The role of early life adversity and inflammation in stress-induced change in reward and risk processes among adolescents

Chapter 7 – Anxiety disorders

Positive affect treatment targets reward sensitivity: A randomized controlled trial.