The effect of mood on self-referent processing in mild depression

Bibliography: pages [89]-98.The effect of mood state on self-referent processing of mild depressives (N=42) and nondepressives (N=48) was examined. Subjects viewed a 15-minute neutral or humorous videotape, and then rated positive (nondepressed) content and negative (depressed) content adjectives, according to semantic and se1f-reference instructions. The rating task was followed by an incidental recall test for the adjectives. Problems with the data resulted in recall scores being analyzed according to two separate procedures. In the neutral condition, one type of analysis (absolute recall) provided support for the depressive self-schema; nondepressives recalled more positive than negative adjectives rated along se1f-referent instructions, while depressives recalled relatively equal levels of both types of words. Analysis of selfreferent recall by means of the second procedure (proportional recall) provided less clear support for the depressive self-schema effect on memory. Females displayed the expected pattern, while males manifested the opposite pattern. Consistent with expectations, mild depression was not associated with a diminished response to humor. Contrary to expectations, humor did alter patterns of recall of words rated according to self-referent instructions. Analysis of absolute recall scores found both depressives and nondepressives recalling more positive adjectives relative to negative words. Again, proportional analyses were inconsistent. Findings were discussed in relation to previous self-schema research. Issues and further questions regarding the use of humor experimentally and clinically were also discussed.M.A. (Master of Arts

Neuropsychological assessment of aggressive offenders: a Delphi consensus study

ObjectiveThis study explores the intricate relationship between cognitive functioning and aggression, with a specific focus on individuals prone to reactive or proactive aggression. The purpose of the study was to identify important neuropsychological constructs and suitable tests for comprehending and addressing aggression.MethodsAn international panel of 32 forensic neuropsychology experts participated in this three-round Delphi study consisting of iterative online questionnaires. The experts rated the importance of constructs based on the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework. Subsequently, they suggested tests that can be used to assess these constructs and rated their suitability.ResultsThe panel identified the RDoC domains Negative Valence Systems, Social Processes, Cognitive Systems and Positive Valence Systems as most important in understanding aggression. Notably, the results underscore the significance of Positive Valence Systems in proactive aggression and Negative Valence Systems in reactive aggression. The panel suggested a diverse array of 223 different tests, although they noted that not every RDoC construct can be effectively measured through a neuropsychological test. The added value of a multimodal assessment strategy is discussed.ConclusionsThis research advances our understanding of the RDoC constructs related to aggression and provides valuable insights for assessment strategies. Rather than suggesting a fixed set of tests, our study takes a flexible approach by presenting a top-3 list for each construct. This approach allows for tailored assessment to meet specific clinical or research needs. An important limitation is the predominantly Dutch composition of the expert panel, despite extensive efforts to diversify