Editorial: Positive Technology: Designing E-experiences for Positive Change

While there is little doubt that our lives are becoming increasingly digital, whether this change is for the better or for the worse is far from being settled. Rather, over the past years concerns about the personal and social impacts of technologies have been growing, fueled by dystopian Orwellian scenarios that almost on daily basis are generously dispensed by major Western media outlets. According to a recent poll involving some 1,150 experts, 47% of respondents predict that individuals’ well-being will bemore helped than harmed by digital life in the next decade, while 32% say people’s well-being will bemore harmed than helped. Only 21% of those surveyed indicated that the impact of technologies on people well-being will be negligible compared to now (Pew Research Center, 2018)

Detection and distraction effects for threatening information in social phobia and change after treatment

This work examines differences in the detection and distraction by social-threatrelated information between a social phobia group (SP; N533) and a normal control group (NC; N532). The change obtained after psychological treatment is also studied for the SP group. A paper-and-pencil visual search task is used, in which the emotional valence of the ‘‘target’’ (social threat, physical threat, and neutral words) and ‘‘distractor’’ (social threat, physical threat, neutral, and nonsense words) verbal stimuli is manipulated. Results indicate that there are no differences in the detection of social-threat targets between SP and NC participants. However, the performance of SP individuals is more impaired when distractor stimuli related to social threat are presented, regardless of the target valence. This increased distraction by social-threat-related stimuli is reduced after psychological treatment, and this decrease is maintained at 6-month follow-u

Assessing positive and negative experiences: validation of a new measure of well-being in an Italian population

The aim of this study is to explore the psychometric properties of an affect scale, the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE), in an Italian-speaking population. The results of this study demonstrate that the Italian version of the SPANE has psychometric properties similar to those shown by the original and previous versions, and it presents satisfactory reliability and factorial validity. The results of the Confirmatory Factor Analysis support the expected two-factor structure, positive and negative feeling, which characterized the previous versions. As expected, measures of negative affect, anxiety, negative future expectances, and depression correlated positively with the negative experiences SPANE subscale, and negatively with the positive experiences SPANE subscale. Results of this study demonstrate that the Italian version of the SPANE has psychometric properties similar to those shown by the original and previous versions, and it presents satisfactory reliability and factorial validity. The use of this instrument provides clinically useful information about a person’s overall emotional experience and it is an indicator of well-being. Although further studies are required to confirm the psychometric characteristics of the scale, the SPANE Italian version is expected to improve theoretical and empirical research on the well-being of the Italian population.Lo scopo del presente studio è quello di esplorare le proprietà psicometriche di uno strumento di misurazione dell’affetto, la Scala di Esperienze Positive e Negative (SPANE), all’interno di una popolazione italiana. Gli esiti dell’analisi fattoriale confermativa com- provano l’attesa struttura a due fattori, sentimenti positivi e negativi. Le correlazioni con altre dimensioni (per es., ansia, depressione, affetto, aspettative future) confermano i risultati ottenuti con le precedenti versioni della scala: affetto negativo, ansia, depressione e aspettative futu- re negative correlano positivamente con la subscala di esperienze negative e negativamente con la subscala di esperienze positive dello SPA- NE. In conclusione, i risultati del nostro studio dimostrano che la versione italiana dello SPANE presenta caratteristiche psicometriche simili a quelle mostrate dalla versione orginale e da successive validazioni dello strumento in altre lingue. La scala presenta, inoltre, affidabilità e va- lidità fattoriale. Lo SPANE è un indice utile dal punto di vista clinico che può fornire informazioni rilevanti circa l’esperienza emotiva e il be- nessere della persona. Nonostante ulteriori studi siano necessari per confermare le caratteristiche psicometriche della scala, la presente vali- dazione della versione italiana dello SPANE può contribuire ad ampliare la ricerca nell’ambito del benessere in una popolazione Italiana.CIBERobn i san initiate of the ISCIII. Red de Excelencia PROMOSAN (PSI2014-56303-REDT): Investigación en procesos, mecanismos y tratamientos psicológicos para la promoción de la salud mental. Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Spain), (Plan Nacional I+D+I. PSI2013-41783-R)

Users’ Opinion About a Virtual Reality System as an Adjunct to Psychological Treatment for Stress-Related Disorders: A Quantitative and Qualitative Mixed-Methods Study

This study aims to explore patients’ and therapists’ attitudes about the psychological treatment they received (patients) or applied (therapists). The treatments were standard CBT protocols for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complicated grief (CG), or adjustment disorders (ADs), depending on each patient diagnosis. The treatments were delivered following a traditional format or supported by a virtual reality (VR) system “EMMA’s WORLD” designed for the treatment of stress-related disorders. “EMMA’s WORLD” is a VR application in which patients can explore negative experiences using different virtual elements that can be customized to make them more meaningful to the user. The sample was composed of two groups: the “professionals” ( N = 10) were all clinical psychologists who applied the same psychological treatment in both the traditional format (“traditional condition”) and using the VR system (“ EMMA” condition). The second group consisted of a sample of patients ( N = 50) who met the criteria for at least one of three different diagnoses: PTSD ( N = 15), CG ( N = 15), or AD ( N = 20). 25 patients received treatment in the traditional format and 25 supported by the VR system. The patients were asked about their expectations (before treatment) and satisfaction (after treatment) with the treatment they received. All the therapists were asked their opinions about both treatment conditions. A mixed-methods approach using quantitative and qualitative methodologies was used. In both conditions, high scores were observed, and the patient’s opinions were even better when they have already received the treatments. A more pronounced pre-test–post-test change in the EMMA therapy group than in the traditional group was observed. EMMA’s World was well- accepted by both patients and therapists, and it helped to foster motivation in patients, while helping the therapist to apply the treatment. Thus, VR can be useful as an adjunct tool to enhance the treatmen

Assessing Future Expectations and the Two-Dimensional Model of Affect in an Italian Population

Future-directed thinking has been described as part of two underlying systems that integrate dimensions of affect, motivational systems, orientation to the future, and future expectations, which are initiated at the cognitive, affective, biological, behavioral, and motivational levels. The main aim of the present study is to test the two underlying frameworks model and explore future expectations in a general Italian-speaking population (N=345). Therefore, the second aim of the present paper is to confirm the factorial structure of the Subjective Probability Task (SPT; MacLeod et al., 1996), a questionnaire designed to assess specific positive and negative orientations towards the future. Results showed that the SPT has good psychometric properties and it is a reliable instrument to assess future-directed thinking. Moreover, our findings confirmed the role of future expectancies as cognitive correlates of depression and anxiety. Differently from previous studies (Clark and Watson, 1991; MacLeod et al., 1996), our results did not confirm that depression was characterized by low positive affect. We believe this paper contributes to the understanding of future expectancies and their relation with anxiety and depression, and will help to expand the availability of an instrument to assess future directed thinking

Upregulating Positive Affectivity in the Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders: A Randomized Pilot Study

Transdiagnostic cognitive-behavioral therapy for emotional disorders (ED) has proven to be effective. However, current transdiagnostic treatment protocols address only the regulation of negative affectivity, and they do not include treatment components to more directly target the regulation of positive affectivity. In this study, we propose to evaluate the preliminary efficacy and acceptability of a transdiagnostic treatment protocol for ED that includes, as an innovative feature, a specific treatment component to directly upregulate positive affectivity based on positive psychology interventions. A total of 24 participants were randomized to either a transdiagnostic treatment protocol (n = 12) or a transdiagnostic treatment protocol with an additional component designed to regulate positive affectivity (n = 12). Participants completed measures of anxiety, depression, positive and negative affectivity, and quality of life, as well as treatment acceptability at pre- and posttreatment and at the 3-month follow-up. Both interventions led to improvements in all measures at posttreatment, and these outcomes were maintained at the 3-month follow-up, with large effect sizes for all measures. The effect sizes for positive affect were larger in the condition that included the component to upregulate positive affectivity. Attrition rate was low, and both treatment protocols were well accepted by participants. The results obtained in this study indicate the feasibility of testing the treatment protocol in a larger, randomized, controlled trial, and they suggest the potential of including treatment components for directly upregulating positive affectivity in future research on transdiagnostic treatment protocols for ED

Standard dialectical behavioral therapy for bipolar I disorder: a case study with two year follow-up

Este trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar la efectividad de la terapia conductual dialéctica (DBT) en un individuo diagnosticado de trastorno bipolar I después de un año de tratamiento y un seguimiento realizado dos años después del tratamiento. El paciente sufría de un trastorno de larga evolución que había recibido numerosos tratamientos psicológicos y psiquiátricos antes de comenzar el programa DBT. Los resultados indicaron que la DBT fue efectiva ya que hubo una disminución en los síntomas clínicos más relevantes, como el número de episodios afectivos y el número de ingresos en la sala de emergencias, así como un aumento en la regulación del afecto y la adherencia a la farmacoterapia. La mejora también se reflejó en el nivel de rendimiento general. Los resultados se mantuvieron a los 2 años de seguimiento. Estos hallazgos respaldan la conveniencia de utilizar estrategias destinadas a mejorar la regulación emocional y el comportamiento, de acuerdo con otros estudios que demuestran la eficacia de DBT en el tratamiento de individuos que presentan una desregulación de la emoción generalizada.This work aims to analyze the effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in an individual diagnosed of bipolar disorder I after a year of treatment and a follow-up conducted two years after the treatment. The patient was suffering from a disorder of long evolution having received numerous psychological and psychiatric treatments before starting the DBT program. The results indicated that DBT was effective as there was a decrease in the most relevant clinical symptoms, such as the number of mood episodes and the number of emergency room admissions, as well as an increase in the regulation of affect and adherence to pharmacotherapy. The improvement was also reflected in the level of overall performance. The outcomes were maintained at 2-year follow-up. These findings support the convenience of using strategies aimed to improve emotion and behavioral regulation in line with other studies demonstrating the efficacy of DBT in the treatment of individuals presenting pervasive emotion dysregulation

Virtual reality and stimulation of touch and smell for inducing relaxation: A randomized controlled trial

The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of a mood-induction procedure in a Virtual Reality (VR-MIP) environment for inducing relaxation and generating sense of presence, and to test whether the stimulation of the senses of touch and smell improves the efficacy of this VR-MIP. A controlled study was carried out with four experimental conditions. All of them included the VR-MIP to induce relaxation, but varying the senses stimulated. The sample consisted of 136 participants randomly assigned to one of the four experimental conditions. Emotions and sense of presence were evaluated. The results showed statistical differences before and after mood-induction and a high sense of presence in all groups. However, no statistical differences were found among the four groups on emotions and sense of presence. The results showed that the VR-MIP was effective; however, the stimulation of the senses of touch and smell did not show significate improve of the mood-induction or the sense of presence. It was identified a trend in favor of the groups where the sense of touch was stimulated, they seemed more relaxed and the sense of presence was higher. We hypothesized that the stimulation of sense of touch, could improve the efficacy when using VR-MIP because it provides more sensory information.This work was funded by the 4Senses project (PSE-020400-2007-1) and the Consolider project (SEJ2006-14301/PSIC) of the Ministry of Science and Innovation in Spain (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de España)

Virtual and Augmented Reality: New Frontiers for Clinical Psychology

In the last decades, the applied approach for the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) on clinical and health psychology has grown exponentially. These technologies have been used to treat several mental disorders, for example, phobias, stress-related disorders, depression, eating disorders, and chronic pain. The importance of VR/AR for the mental health field comes from three main concepts: (1) VR/AR as an imaginal technology, people can feel “as if they are” in a reality that does not exist in external world; (2) VR/AR as an embodied technology, the experience to feel user’s body inside the virtual environment; and (3) VR/AR as connectivity technology, the “end of geography’. In this chapter, we explore the opportunities provided by VR/AR as technologies to improve people’s quality of life and to discuss new frontiers for their application in mental health and psychological well-being promotion

Sistema Mayordomo: la puerta de entrada de nuestros mayores a las nuevas tecnologías

3rd International Conference on the Elderly and New Technologies. III Jornadas Internacionales de Mayores y Nuevas Tecnologías.The population distribution has changed and is set around an increasingly aging population. This population change coincides with the technological revolution taking place in the xxi century, which generates a digital divide that separates old people and empower feelings of isolation, loneliness and sadness. Our team has developed the Mayordomo System. Based on the principles of positive psychology, it’s main objective is to build a bridge between the technological reality of today and an older population that will continue to increase. The mayordomo System, through the use of new technologies, aims to facilitate the construction of protective psychological and social elements of a healthy quality of life. The system has been installed on two Senior Colleges of Valencia (Universitat de València and Universitat Jaume I), a nursing home and a day centre. The aim of this paper is to describe the experience of two users who used our system and analyze the effectiveness of the use of Mayordomo System upon their mood and satisfaction levels. The results show that users increased their mood and levels of satisfaction. Butler is a system that can contribute to improve the welfare of older people by facilitating the construction of protective psychological elements, such as increasing their social network and the development of leisure activities.La distribución demográfica ha cambiado y se configura alrededor de una población cada vez más envejecida. Este cambio poblacional coincide con la revolución tecnológica que se está produciendo en el siglo xxi, la cual genera una brecha digital que separa a las personas mayores y potencia sentimientos de aislamiento, soledad y tristeza. Nuestro equipo ha desarrollado el sistema Mayordomo. Basado en los principios de la psicología positiva, tiene como principal objetivo construir un puente entre la realidad tecnológica de hoy y una población mayor que seguirá en aumento. Mayordomo, a través del uso de las nuevas tecnologías, se dirige a facilitar la construcción de elementos psicológicos y sociales protectores de una calidad de vida saludable. El sistema Mayordomo ha sido instalado en dos universidades de mayores de la Comunidad Valenciana (Universitat de València y Universitat Jaume I), una residencia y un centro de día. El objetivo de este trabajo es describir la experiencia de dos usuarios que utilizaron nuestro sistema y analizar la eficacia de su uso sobre el estado de ánimo y los niveles de satisfacción obtenidos. Los resultados muestran que los usuarios incrementaron su estado de ánimo y niveles de satisfacción. Mayordomo es un sistema que puede contribuir a la mejora del bienestar de las personas mayores, facilitando la construcción de elementos psicológicos protectores, como es el incremento de su red social y el desarrollo de actividades placenteras