Investigating social vulnerability in children using computer mediated role-play

Here, we report a study using computer role-play to investigate Disinhibited Social Engagement in 54 typically developing children aged 6, 8 and 10 years. Children completed 22 (theme-matched) vignettes and computerised scenarios that captured the themes of the specific symptoms of Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder (DSM V, APA, 2013). Our newly created 22 "Paper pencil" vignettes and computer role-play scenarios were used in conjunction with the Strange Stories (O'Hare, Bremner, Nash, Happé & Pettigrew, 2009) and Parents and Teachers completed versions of the Relationship Problems Questionnaire (RPQ: Minnis et al., 2007). Our findings revealed the developmental (age) differences of social vulnerability/indiscriminate friendliness and potential advantages of computermediated role-play in comparison to “paper pencil” tasks. We argue that using a method of children role playing characters gives a better insight into children's true vulnerabilities. We discuss our findings in relation to using this methodology for clinicians and researchers to improve social skills in the most socially vulnerable children

How does risk mediate the ability of adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live a normal life by using the Internet?

The focus of this position paper is Internet use by adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Drawing on existing literature in the field we will identify problems with and gaps in the current research. Our review is framed by three main questions: What constitutes a ‘normal’ life for adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities? What constitutes ‘normal’ use of the Internet for adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities? How does risk mediate the ability of adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live a normal life by using the Internet? The key focus of this review is the complex relationship between adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and those providing support; how they negotiate access to and use of the Internet and how perceptions regarding risk and normalcy mediate this negotiation. As a result of this review will argue that identified gaps and problems in the research field need to be addressed by expanding both methodological and conceptual approaches. In particular we will propose the need for more in-depth qualitative research that is inclusive in nature. We will also propose that an adapted positive risk-taking framework might be useful in framing the design, implementation and analysis of future research

Evaluating Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia as a Mediator of Relations between Minority Stress and Depressive Symptoms Among Sexual Minorities

Compared with heterosexuals, those with sexual minority identities (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual) are at significantly greater risk of psychopathology, including depression—the most common mental health disorder in the general population. A large body of research suggests that disparities in depression between heterosexuals and sexual minority groups are due, at least in part, to minority stress. Minority stress includes stressors unique to minority groups, such as marginalization and discrimination based on race or sexual identity. To date, most work demonstrating associations between minority stress and depression has used retrospective self- reports of minority stress exposure, so little is known about acute effects of minority stress exposure on physiological functions. In this study, I examine the potential moderating or mediating effect of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA)—the high frequency component of heart rate variability associated with breathing—on associations between minority stress and symptoms of depression. Heterosexual (n = 43; 62.5% women) and sexual minority (n = 24; 59.3% women) college students viewed films designed to induce minority stress and completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Results indicated no differences in RSA reactivity or BDI scores between heterosexuals and sexual minority group members.No embargoAcademic Major: Psycholog

Dissociation and interpersonal autonomic physiology in psychotherapy research: an integrative view encompassing psychodynamic and neuroscience theoretical frameworks

Interpersonal autonomic physiology is an interdisciplinary research field, assessing the relational interdependence of two (or more) interacting individual both at the behavioral and psychophysiological levels. Despite its quite long tradition, only eight studies since 1955 have focused on the interaction of psychotherapy dyads, and none of them have focused on the shared processual level, assessing dynamic phenomena such as dissociation. We longitudinally observed two brief psychodynamic psychotherapies, entirely audio and video-recorded (16 sessions, weekly frequency, 45 min.). Autonomic nervous system measures were continuously collected during each session. Personality, empathy, dissociative features and clinical progress measures were collected prior and post therapy, and after each clinical session. Two-independent judges, trained psychotherapist, codified the interactions\u2019 micro-processes. Time-series based analyses were performed to assess interpersonal synchronization and de-synchronization in patient\u2019s and therapist\u2019s physiological activity. Psychophysiological synchrony revealed a clear association with empathic attunement, while desynchronization phases (range of length 30-150 sec.) showed a linkage with dissociative processes, usually associated to the patient\u2019s narrative core relational trauma. Our findings are discussed under the perspective of psychodynamic models of Stern (\u201cpresent moment\u201d), Sander, Beebe and Lachmann (dyad system model of interaction), Lanius (Trauma model), and the neuroscientific frameworks proposed by Thayer (neurovisceral integration model), and Porges (polyvagal theory). The collected data allows to attempt an integration of these theoretical approaches under the light of Complex Dynamic Systems. The rich theoretical work and the encouraging clinical results might represents a new fascinating frontier of research in psychotherapy

Human experience in the natural and built environment : implications for research policy and practice

22nd IAPS conference. Edited book of abstracts. 427 pp. University of Strathclyde, Sheffield and West of Scotland Publication. ISBN: 978-0-94-764988-3

Internet addiction in students: prevalence and risk factors

The last decade has witnessed a large increase in research on the newly emerging mental health problem of Internet addiction. Rather than looking at Internet addiction per se, this study focused on particular activities on the Internet that might be potentially addictive and linked them to personality traits that might predispose individuals to Internet addiction. The aims of this study were (i) to assess the prevalence of clinically significant levels of Internet addiction, and to (ii) discern the interplay between personality traits and specific Internet uses in increasing the risk for Internet addiction. This cross-sectional online survey used data from 2,257 students of an English university. Results indicated that 3.2% of the students were classified as being addicted to the Internet. The included personality traits and uses of online activities explained 21.5% of the variance in Internet addiction. A combination of online shopping and neuroticism decreased the risk for Internet addiction, whereas a combination of online gaming and openness to experience increased it. In addition to this, frequent usage of online shopping and social online activities, high neuroticism and low agreeableness significantly increased the chances of being addicted to the Internet. Findings and their implications are discussed

Perfectionism and the Big Five: Conscientiousness predicts longitudinal increases in self-oriented perfectionism

Findings from cross-sectional studies on the relationship between perfectionism and the Big Five personality traits demonstrate that conscientiousness shows significant positive correlations with self-oriented perfectionism, and neuroticism with socially prescribed perfectionism. The question is whether conscientiousness and neuroticism also predict longitudinal changes in self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism. A sample of 214 adolescents aged 14-19 years completed measures of the Big Five and perfectionism twice over a period of 5 to 8 months. As was expected, conscientiousness predicted longitudinal increases in self-oriented perfectionism. Neuroticism, however, did not predict any longitudinal increases in perfectionism—neither in self-oriented nor in socially prescribed perfectionism. Providing support for McCrae and Costa’s dynamic personality theory (McCrae & Costa, 1999) which holds that broad personality traits play a part in the development of lower-level personality characteristics, the findings suggest that conscientiousness is a trait that plays a role in the development of self-oriented perfectionism

Playing public health: building the HIVe

In thinking through the impact of digital media on how frontline workers, activists, practitioners and researchers understand and fight HIV and AIDS, it is important to acknowledge that digital media does not only provide new channels and strategies for communicating information around HIV prevention and education. It also establishes innovative domains for conceiving of, and building, ‘resilient communities’ like The HIVe. Such digital interventions are cultural assets that confront biomedical and behavioural approaches to HIV prevention and education. Immersive and social technologies, network ubiquity and low cost mobile phones provide new tools for aggregating, representing, collecting and disseminating community-based and led data that ‘plays’ public health differently. This play involves fore-fronting the success of social science HIV prevention and education against the essentialist logic of dominant biomedical approaches. ‘Playing public health’ provides an entirely new and comprehensive picture of the agency of the HIV virus that goes beyond the pathology of the individual. This paper proposes the goal of putting HIV prevention back into the ‘game’ of public health and playing it to win by building The HIVe

What motivates teenagers to comply with security guidelines?

We examined factors that inspire teenagers to comply with cyber security guidelines. We used protection motivation theory (PMT), and extended the model to include personal norms and normative beliefs. For teenage computer users, believing they are susceptible to hacking or that the consequences of being hacked would be severe, had no bearing on their password choices. This is an interesting finding highlighting a potential difference between adults and teenagers. We found personal norms is a better predictor of teenagers’ security behaviour than PMT’s threat perceptions. This is an important finding which opens new avenues for future research, particularly in explaining teenagers’ security behaviour. This study contributes to finding ways to improve security practices at an early age. To the best of our knowledge this is the first password security study that applies PMT to examine security behaviours in teenager