Evaluación y modificación de sesgos atencionales en depresión: un enfoque desde la psicopatología experimental

Utilizando un paradigma de registro de movimientos oculares, en el presente trabajo se ha evaluado la atención selectiva hacia expresiones faciales emocionales (alegría, ira, tristeza) de una muestra de pacientes clínicamente deprimidos. Los resultados revelan que las personas con depresión se caracterizan por un doble sesgo atencional; por una parte una preferencia hacia la información negativa (i.e., expresiones emocionales de tristeza), y por otro la evitación o menor procesamiento de la información positiva (i.e., expresiones emocionales de alegría). Este procesamiento sesgado a su vez se ha encontrado que se relaciona directamente con otras variables como el optimismo y la satisfacción vital. En cuanto a la modificación de los sesgos atencionales, el objetivo del segundo estudio fue entrenar un patrón atencional más adaptativo (i.e., un mayor procesamiento de la información positiva) en una muestra de estudiantes con síntomas subclínicos de depresión. El entrenamiento se llevó a cabo dentro del conjunto de técnicas denominadas Cognitive Bias Modification haciendo uso de una tarea dot-probe. La evaluación de los patrones atencionales se llevó a cabo con un paradigma eye-tracking similar al del primer estudio. Los resultados mostraron que el entrenamiento no resultó eficaz en la modificación de los patrones atencionales y que tampoco tuvo ningún efecto sobre los síntomas depresivos y otras variables emocionales

Perinatal Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study.

Few studies have shown the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on new mothers’ health, but the long-term consequences of the crisis are yet unknown. This study aimed at evaluating the changes experienced in perinatal mental health 6 months after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. Women (n = 176, average age = 33.80) were recruited during the pandemic. Participants completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Satisfaction With Life Scale and Positive, and the Negative Affect Schedule. Results showed a decrease in depressive symptoms, t(174) = 2.58, p = .01, d = 0.02, whereas anxiety symptoms remained high, t(174) = 1.31, p = .19. In terms of psychological well-being, the results showed a decrease in life satisfaction, t(175) = 2.58, p = .011, d = 0.16, and negative affect, t(175) = 3.15, p = .002, d = 0.26, and an increase in positive affect, t(175) = -4.45, p < .001, d = 0.35. This study is expected to shed light on the design of future interventions aimed at the prevention of symptoms and to enhance life satisfaction during the perinatal stage.post-print267 K

CBT and positive psychology interventions for clinical depression promote healthy attentional biases: an eye-tracking study.

Background: Although there is a growing interest in the role of attentional biases in depression, there are no studies assessing changes in these biases after psychotherapeutic interventions. Methods: We used a validated eye-tracking procedure to assess pre–post therapy changes in attentional biases toward emotional information (i.e., happy, sad, and angry faces) when presented with neutral information (i.e., neutral faces). The sample consisted of 75 participants with major depression or dysthymia. Participants were blindly assigned to one of two 10 weekly sessions of group therapy: a cognitive behavior therapy intervention (N = 41) and a positive psychology intervention (N = 34). Results: Both treatments were equally efficacious in improving depressive symptoms (p = .0001, �2 = .68). A significant change in attentional performance after therapy was observed irrespective of the intervention modality. Comparison of pre–post attentional measures revealed a significant reduction in the total time of fixations (TTF) looking at negative information (i.e., sad and angry faces) and a significant increase in the TTF looking at positive information (i.e., happy faces)—all p < .02. Conclusions: Findings reveal for the first time that psychotherapeutic interventions are associated with a significant change in attentional biases as assessed by a direct measure of attention. Furthermore, these changes seem to operate in the same direction typically found in healthy populations (i.e., a bias away from negative information and a parallel bias toward positive information). These findings illustrate the importance of considering attentional biases as clinical markers of depression and suggest the viability of modifying these biases as a potential tool for clinical change.pre-print591 K

Perinatal depression in the Spanish context: consensus report from the general council of psychology of Spain

Background: Perinatal depression is a major public health problem, with an estimated prevalence of approximately 15% during the first postpartum year. Despite the high prevalence of postpartum depression, there is no consensus regarding assessment and treatment in the Spanish context. The General Council of Psychology of Spain convened a working group of experts in the field, including both academics and healthcare professionals, to review and propose recommendations based on evidence and best practices that could be applied in the Spanish context. Method: A literature search was completed in various databases (e.g., Medline, PsychInfo) including a combination of terms related to peripartum depression (PPD) assessment and diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and cost-effectiveness. A narrative synthesis of the literature has been conducted together with a critical overview of PPD with a special focus on the Spanish context. Results: In this consensus report, developing questions including prevalence and assessment tools, comparative effectiveness of preventive and treatment interventions, and cost-effectiveness of PPD management have been analyzed. Conclusions: The General Council of Psychology of Spain network advocates the establishment of compulsory screening protocols in all the autonomous regions. Also, it is necessary to promote the inclusion in maternal education of programs for the promotion of mental well-being and selective/indicated prevention carried out by a psychology professional with specialized training in the area. This consensus document also promotes the presence of a psychology professional with specialized training in the area. Antecedentes. La depresión perinatal es un importante problema de salud pública, con una prevalencia estimada de aproximadamente el 15% durante el primer año posparto. A pesar de la gran prevalencia de depresión posparto (DPP), no existe consenso sobre la evaluación y el tratamiento en el contexto español. El Consejo General de Psicología de España convocó a un grupo de trabajo de expertos en la materia, tanto académicos como profesionales sanitarios, para revisar y proponer recomendaciones basadas en evidencias y mejores prácticas que puedan aplicarse en el contexto español. Método. Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en varias bases de datos (p. ej., Medline, PsychInfo) que incluía una combinación de términos relacionados con la evaluación y el diagnóstico de la DPP, prevención, tratamiento y coste-eficacia. Se ha realizado una síntesis narrativa de la literatura junto con una visión crítica de la DPP con un enfoque especial en el contexto español. Resultados. Las preguntas de desarrollo que incluyen prevalencia y herramientas de evaluación, la eficacia comparativa de las intervenciones preventivas y de tratamiento y la relación coste-efectividad de la gestión de la PPD se han analizado en este informe de consenso. Conclusiones. La red del Consejo General de Psicología de España aboga por el establecimiento de protocolos obligatorios de cribado en todas las Comunidades Autónomas. Asimismo, es necesario promover la inclusión en la educación materna de programas de promoción del bienestar mental y la prevención selectiva indicada llevadas a cabo por un profesional de la psicología con formación especializada en el área

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Life satisfaction and subjective happiness in adolescents from Salamanca (Spain)

Se analizan los datos de satisfacción vital y felicidad subjetiva en una muestra de 310 adolescentes escolarizados de la provincia de Salamanca (España) y la relación entre estas dos variables con el sexo y el nivel de estudios en el momento de la medición. Se emplearon los instrumentos Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS; Diener, Emmons, Larsen, y Griffin, 1985) y Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS: Lyubomirsky y Lepper, 1999). La consistencia interna (alpha de Cronbach) de dichas escalas en este estudio fue de .88 y .72, respectivamente. Se obtiene una correlación significativa entre ambas variables. No se encuentran diferencias significativas en bienestar subjetivo ni en satisfacción con la vida ni en función del sexo ni del nivel de estudios, si bien hay una interacción significativa entre ambos factores, que indica una satisfacción vital más baja en las mujeres que cursan formación profesional. Se discuten los resultados y se proponen mejoras para estudios posteriores.Life satisfaction and subjective happiness in a sample of 310 school-aged adolescents from the province of Salamanca (Spain) and the relationship between these variables with gender and educational level are analyzed. Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS, Diener, Emmons, Larsen, and Griffin, 1985) and Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS: Lyubomirsky and Lepper, 1999) were used. The internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) of these scales in this study was .88 and .72, respectively. A significant correlation is obtained between both variables. No significant differences are found in subjective well-being or satisfaction with life or in terms of sex or educational level, although there is a significant interaction between both factors, which indicates a lower life satisfaction in women enrolled in professional training. Results are discussed and improvements for further studies are proposed.Cáritas Diocesana de Salamanca · Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca · Universidad de SalamancapeerReviewe

Gaze-fixation and pupil dilation in the processing of emotional faces: The role of rumination

Sustained attentional processing of negative information plays a significant role in the development and maintenance of depression. The present study examines the relationships between rumination, a relevant factor in information processing in depression, and the attentional mechanisms activated in individuals with different levels of depression severity when attending to emotional information (i.e., sad, angry and happy faces). Behavioral and physiological indicators of sustained processing were assessed in 126 students (39 dysphoric and 87 non-dysphoric) using eye-tracking technology. Pupil dilation and total time attending to negative faces were correlated with a global ruminative style in the total sample. Furthermore, reflection and brooding components of rumination showed differential associations with the total time attending to emotional faces in dysphoric and non-dysphoric participants. Finally, the relationships between global rumination and pupil diameter to emotional faces were accounted by total time attending to emotional faces, specifically for participants reporting lower levels of depression severity. The results support the idea that sustained processing of negative information is associated with a higher ruminative style and indicate differential associations between these factors at different levels of depressive symptomatology.Spanish Ministry of EducationDepto. de Personalidad, Evaluación y Psicología ClínicaFac. de PsicologíaTRUEpu

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on perinatal mental health in Spain: positive and negative outcomes

Background: Previous studies have shown that perinatal distress has a negative influence on pregnancy outcome and the physiological development of the baby. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal perinatal mental health in Spain. Methods: Seven hundred and twenty-four women (N = 450 pregnancy, N = 274 postpartum) were recruited online during the pandemic. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and the Satisfaction With Life Scale were administered. Variables related to sociodemographic information, the COVID-19 pandemic, and perinatal care were also assessed. Findings: The results showed that 58% of women reported depressive symptoms. Moreover, 51% of women reported anxietysymptoms. On the otherhand, a regression analysis forlife satisfaction showed that besides the perception about their own health, marital status or being a health practitioner were also significant predictors during pregnancy. However, perception about baby’s health and sleep, perception about their own health, and marital status were significant predictors of life satisfaction during the postpartum stage. Discussion: Women assessed during the COVID-19 pandemic reported high rates of psychological distress. Conclusion: These results highlight the need of clinical support during this period. Knowing the routes to both distress and well-being may help maternity services to effectively cope with the pandemic.Depto. de Personalidad, Evaluación y Psicología ClínicaFac. de PsicologíaTRUEpu

Validation of the Edited Tromsø Infant Faces Database (E-TIF): A study on differences in the processing of children's emotional expressions

2023 Acuerdos transformativos CRUEImages of emotional facial expressions are often used in emotion research, which has promoted the development of different databases. However, most of these standardized sets of images do not include images from infants under 2 years of age, which is relevant for psychology research, especially for perinatal psychology. The present study aims to validate the edited version of the Tromsø Infant Faces Database (E-TIF) in a large sample of participants. The original set of 119 pictures was edited. The pictures were cropped to remove nonrelevant information, fitted in an oval window, and converted to grayscale. Four hundred and eighty participants (72.9% women) took part in the study, rating the images on five dimensions: depicted emotion, clarity, intensity, valence, and genuineness. Valence scores were useful for discriminating between positive, negative, and neutral facial expressions. Results revealed that women were more accurate at recognizing emotions in children. Regarding parental status, parents, in comparison with nonparents, rated neutral expressions as more intense and genuine. They also rated sad, angry, disgusted, and fearful faces as less negative, and happy expressions as less positive. The editing and validation of the E-TIF database offers a useful tool for basic and experimental research in psychologyMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovación (España)Depto. de Personalidad, Evaluación y Psicología ClínicaFac. de PsicologíaTRUEpubAPC financiada por la UC