Effect of vicarious fear learning on children's heart rate responses and attentional bias for novel animals

Research with children has shown that vicarious learning can result in changes to 2 of Lang's (1968) 3 anxiety response systems: subjective report and behavioral avoidance. The current study extended this research by exploring the effect of vicarious learning on physiological responses (Lang's final response system) and attentional bias. The study used Askew and Field's (2007) vicarious learning procedure and demonstrated fear-related increases in children's cognitive, behavioral, and physiological responses. Cognitive and behavioral changes were retested 1 week and 1 month later, and remained elevated. In addition, a visual search task demonstrated that fear-related vicarious learning creates an attentional bias for novel animals, which is moderated by increases in fear beliefs during learning. The findings demonstrate that vicarious learning leads to lasting changes in all 3 of Lang's anxiety response systems and is sufficient to create attentional bias to threat in children

Validación del inventario de ansiedad estado - rasgo (STAIC) en niños escolarizados entre los 8 y 15 años

Esta investigación tuvo como propósito estandarizar el Inventario de Ansiedad Estado - Rasgo (STAIC) en niños y adolescentes entre 8 y 15 años de edad. La estandarización del cuestionario STAIC, es el resultado de la evaluación de 670 niños de ambos géneros, en 35 instituciones educativas públicas y privadas de la ciudad de Medellín, Colombia, La base de datos tuvo un análisis a través del programa SPSS versión 10.0. El análisis consistió en evaluar las propiedades estructurales de la prueba a través de la validez de constructo hallada bajo el análisis factorial con rotación varimax por el método de componentes principales y la confiabilidad por alpha de Cronbach con coeficiente de correlación intraclase. El análisis de dichas condiciones arrojó como resultado seis factores en su análisis factorial. Se estableció un alpha de Cronbach de 0.70.The purpose of this investigation was to standarize State - Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC) in children and adolescents between the ages of 8 and 15. The standarization of the STAIC questionnaire is the result of the evaluation of 670 children of both genders, in 35 public and private educational institutions in the city of Medellín, Colombia. The data base had an analysis through the program SPSS version 10.0. The analysis consisted in evaluating the structural properties of the test through the construct validity found in the factorial analysis with varimax rotation by the principal components method and the reliability by the Cronbach alpha with the intraclass correlation coefficient. The analysis of the above conditions brought up a result of six factors in its factorial analysis. A Cronbach alpha of 0.70 was established

Collective ethnic-racial identity and health outcomes among African American youth: Examination of promotive and protective effects

OBJECTIVES: Racial discrimination is associated with numerous negative health outcomes, including increased risk for depression and anxiety symptoms and substance use. Positive affect toward of one's ethnic or racial group (i.e., ethnic-racial identity affirmation) has been shown to buffer the negative effects of racial discrimination on health outcomes. The extent to which one believes his or her group is valued by others (i.e., positive collective ethnic-racial identity) has also been proposed to be protective. However, to date a limited body of research has examined the moderating effect of collective ethnic-racial identity on health, and among available studies, findings are mixed. METHOD: African American youth (N = 612; 58.2% female, M grade = 8) completed measures on experiences of discrimination, mood symptoms, substance use, ethnic-racial identity affirmation, and collective ethnic-racial identity (assessed using the Collective Self-Esteem Scale). RESULTS: Controlling for demographic variables and affirmation, a significant main effect was found for collective ethnic-racial identity, such that believing that others viewed your group positively was associated with better health outcomes among African American youth. However, collective ethnic-racial identity was not found to buffer the effects of discrimination on health outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the importance of examining collective ethnic-racial identity and the promotive effect it can have on health outcomes for African Americans. More research is needed to better understand if there are health outcomes in which collective ethnic-racial identity may also mitigate risk as a consequence of racial discrimination. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)

Cognitive Fusion Mediates the Relationship between Dispositional Mindfulness and Negative Affects: A Study in a Sample of Spanish Children and Adolescent School Students

Nowadays, mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) have experienced a remarkable development of studies among childhood and adolescent interventions. For this reason, dispositional mindfulness (DM) measures for children and adolescents have been developed to determine the e ectiveness of MBI at this age stage. However, little is known about how key elements of DM (for example, cognitive de/fusion or experiential avoidance that both confirm psychological inflexibility) are involved in the mechanisms of the children and adolescents’ mental health outcomes. This research examined the mediating e ect of cognitive fusion between DM and anxiety and other negative emotional states in a sample of 318 Spanish primary-school students (aged between 8 and 16 years, M = 11.24, SD = 2.19, 50.8% males). Participants completed the AFQ-Y (Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for youth), which is a measure of psychological inflexibility that encompasses cognitive defusion and experiential avoidance; CAMM (DM for children and adolescents), PANAS-N (positive and negative a ect measure for children, Spanish version of PANASC), and STAIC (an anxiety measure for children). The study accomplished ethical standards. As MBI relevant literature has suggested, cognitive defusion was a significant mediator betweenDMand symptoms of both negative emotions and anxiety in children and adolescents. However, experiential avoidance did not show any significant mediating relationship. Probably, an improvement of the assessment of experiential avoidance is needed. MBI programs for children and adolescents may include more activities for reducing e ects of the cognitive defusion on their emotional distress

Desarrollo y validación de la escala de relajación-mindfulness para adolescentes (EREMIND-A)

Indexación: Scopus.Background: The aim of this investigation was to validate the Relaxation- Mindfulness Scale for Adolescents (EREMIND-A), consisting of 18 items and three factors (Attention-Concentration in the present moment; Relaxation (abilities and attitudes); and Sensory awareness/Contemplation/ Interiority). Method: The validation was done with a sample of Secondary Education and Baccalaureate students from four different centres in Spain (n = 1.120). EFA and CFA of the EREMIND-A were performed and construct and incremental validities calculated. Results: Initial results confi rm the validity and reliability of the scale. Conclusions: There is a need for a broader conceptualization of mindfulness, as well as the inclusion and analysis of other related and cross-cutting concepts. The research in this sense will propitiate the adaptation of the Mindfulness- Based Interventions to the reality of the adolescents in the educational centers, where relaxation and the interiority are aspects to be taken into consideration. © 2018 Psicothema.Antecedentes: el objetivo de esta investigación fue validar la Escala de relajación-Mindfulness para Adolescentes (EREMIND-A), que contiene 18 ítems y tres factores (Atención-Concentración en el momento presente; Relajación (habilidades y actitudes); Consciencia Sensorial/Contemplación/Interioridad. Método: la validación se realizó con una muestra de estudiantes de Educación Secundaria y Bachillerato de cuatro centros diferentes en España (n = 1.120). Se realizaron análisis factoriales exploratorios y confirmatorios de la escala y se calcularon la validez de constructo e incremental. Resultados: los resultados iniciales confirman la fiabilidad y validez de la escala. Conclusiones: es necesaria una conceptualización más amplia de la atención plena, así como la inclusión y análisis de otros conceptos relacionados y transversales. La investigación en este sentido propiciará la adaptación de las intervenciones basadas en mindfulness a la realidad de los adolescentes en los centros educativos, donde la relajación y la interioridad son aspectos a tener en consideración.http://www.psicothema.com/pdf/4475.pd

Treatment of child anxiety. an exploratory study of the role of maternal anxiety and behaviours in treatment outcome

Anxiety disorders are common among parents of anxious children and have been found to impede child treatment outcomes, yet it is unclear whether it is parental anxiety that needs to be targeted in therapy or associated parental behaviours. Twenty-two children (6-12 years) with a current anxiety disorder and their mothers received cognitive-behavioural treatment (CBT) for child anxiety. In addition, of the 12 mothers who met criteria for a current anxiety disorder, 6 received CBT for their own disorder. Assessments were made of the mother-child interaction. The main findings were: (1) children did less well from treatment where their mothers had a current anxiety disorder; (2) treatment of maternal anxiety disorder did not improve child treatment outcome; and (3) maternal overinvolvement and expression of fear was associated with child treatment outcome. The results suggest that in the context of maternal anxiety disorder, child treatment outcome may be improved by specifically targeting parenting behaviours. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Behaviour therapy in school phobia:description of a case

La fobia escolar es un trastorno de ansiedad que aunque presenta importantes niveles de prevalencia en la población infantil, no ha conseguido aún poner a todos de acuerdo sobre su delimitación diagnóstica. A ello contribuye el hecho de que el DSM IV así como sus dos versiones anteriores, no incluyen expresamente el término de fobia escolar, diluyéndose terminológicamente entre la fobia social y la fobia simple, lo que abona el terreno del desacuerdo en su delimitación nosológica. Ante esta confusión terminológica, el análisis funcional de la conducta se nos muestra, una vez más, como la mejor técnica de abordaje de estos trastornos, en cuanto que se preocupa más de la definición del problema y de la intervención ajustada, que de su encuadre diagnóstico, tanto más importante en la patología infantil donde es sabido por todos el alto índice de comorbilidad que la caracteriza. En este artículo se presenta el caso de un niño de 13 años con trastornos de ansiedad que le impedían asistir al centro escolar. El análisis y modificación de conducta, están realizados en y desde el mismo contexto educativo en el que se da la conducta problema, con las implicaciones y características específicas que de ello se desprenden. El tratamiento psicológico, de orientación cognitivo conductual, tuvo una duración de siete sesiones a lo largo de un mes aproximadamente. Después de una fase de mantenimiento de dos meses, se realizaron seguimientos al mes de dejar la medicación, a los cinco meses posteriores (final de curso) y al año (principios del curso siguiente). Como colofón de este trabajo se comentan algunas consideraciones prácticas de interés.Although quite common among the children population, no specialists have come to terms about the boundaries of a right diagnosis of school phobia. Since such anxiety disease neither has been included in the DSM IV nor in the two previous editions does its definition become a hard task. Therefore, school phobia hides behind both social and ordinary phobia. Bearing all this in mind the best way to treat the disease seems to be once again the Functional Behaviour Analysis, for it focuses highly on the problem definition and right control rather than on its diagnosis. The choice is more effective since the child pathology is connected quiet often to a variety of psychological disorders at a time. In this paper we show the case of a thirteen years old boy with anxiety disorders which prevented him from school attendance. The analysis and change of behaviour takes place within the school context where he is having problems. We take into account all the features and implications of the particular situation. The cognitive-behavioural oriented psychological therapy consisted of seven sessions. After testing right for two months, monitoring took place at several stages after leaving medication: one, five months and one year later (beginning of the new school year). To end with some useful reflections on the matter are include

Changed responses under cross-examination: The role of anxiety and individual differences in child witnesses

The present study explored whether levels of anxiety, and a range of individual differences measures (age, IQ, and suggestibility), could predict performance during crossexamination questioning. Eighty-three children (aged 4-11 years) witnessed a staged event before being interviewed (3-6 days later) and cross-examined (ten months later). Results demonstrated that cross-examination induced a significant rise in anxiety levels. Further, recall of unchallenged details (based on children’s initial testimony, which they reviewed prior to cross-examination) and anxiety levels were the only significant predictors of crossexamination performance. Further research is needed to explore the inter-relationship between anxiety and other individual difference measures on cross-examination performance, and to determine how to alleviate the anxiety of child witnesses (to enable them to achieve their best evidence in court). Preparation to ensure children understand the importance of attending to the recording of their original evidence may improve children’s resilience under cross-examination and reduce anxiety levels