Beneficial effects of training in self-distancing and perspective broadening for people with a history of recurrent depression.

Cognitive training designed to recalibrate maladaptive aspects of cognitive-affective processing associated with the presence of emotional disorder can deliver clinical benefits. This study examined the ability of an integrated training in self-distancing and perspective broadening (SD-PB) with respect to distressing experiences to deliver such benefits in individuals with a history of recurrent depression (≥3 prior episodes), currently in remission. Relative to an overcoming avoidance (OA) control condition, SD-PB: a) reduced distress to upsetting memories and to newly encountered events, both during training when explicitly instructed to apply SD-PB techniques, and after-training in the absence of explicit instructions; b) enhanced capacity to self-distance from and broaden perspectives on participants' experiences; c) reduced residual symptoms of depression. These data provide initial support for SD-PB as a low-intensity cognitive training providing a spectrum of cognitive and affective benefits for those with recurrent depression who are at elevated risk of future episodes

Computer Game Play Reduces Intrusive Memories of Experimental Trauma via Reconsolidation-Update Mechanisms.

Memory of a traumatic event becomes consolidated within hours. Intrusive memories can then flash back repeatedly into the mind's eye and cause distress. We investigated whether reconsolidation-the process during which memories become malleable when recalled-can be blocked using a cognitive task and whether such an approach can reduce these unbidden intrusions. We predicted that reconsolidation of a reactivated visual memory of experimental trauma could be disrupted by engaging in a visuospatial task that would compete for visual working memory resources. We showed that intrusive memories were virtually abolished by playing the computer game Tetris following a memory-reactivation task 24 hr after initial exposure to experimental trauma. Furthermore, both memory reactivation and playing Tetris were required to reduce subsequent intrusions (Experiment 2), consistent with reconsolidation-update mechanisms. A simple, noninvasive cognitive-task procedure administered after emotional memory has already consolidated (i.e., > 24 hours after exposure to experimental trauma) may prevent the recurrence of intrusive memories of those emotional events

Parenting intentions and expectations: The role of attachment and caregiving

Previous research has shown attachment avoidance in adulthood to be a strongnegative predictor of desire to have children, bonding in pregnancy, and abilityto relate to children after birth (Rholes, Simpson, & Blakely, 1995; Rholes,Simpson, Blakely, Lanigan, & Allen, 1997). Other research has shown that relationships between adult attachment and prenatal bonding and parenting style are sometimes mediated by caregiving style (Walsh et al., 2011; Millings, Walsh, & O’Brien, 2008). The two studies presented here explore the roles of attachment and caregiving in how individuals without children think about their intentions to become a parent and their expectations of what future parenting will be like. Study 1 demonstrated that, in accordance with other literature, attachment avoidance was a good negative predictor of desire to have children, but that caregiving style did not mediate this relationship. There appeared to be different predictors for young men and young women such that attachment avoidance predicted desire to have children for women, but caregiving responsiveness to partner predicted desire to have children for men. The second study sought to replicate and extend these results by examining attachment, caregiving, and relationship influences on expectations of future parenting. This research adds to our understanding of the correlates and predictors of parenting intentions and expectations, and the relative importance of relationship and individual processes

Cancer fear and the interpretation of ambiguous information related to cancer

We tested the hypothesis that people with a high fear of cancer would be more likely to interpret ambiguous information about cancer in a negative manner compared with people low on cancer fear. Adults (n = 47) aged 50-70, who scored either high (n = 16) or low (n = 31) on cancer fear, took part in a laboratory-based ambiguous sentences task. Participants were presented with ambiguous cancer and social threat scenarios mixed with unambiguous neutral scenarios. Interpretations were assessed in a recognition task, by asking participants to rate disambiguated sentences in terms of how similar in meaning they were to the originals. People high on cancer fear were more likely to endorse negative interpretations of the original ambiguous cancer scenarios than were people low on cancer fear. This negative interpretation bias was specific to cancer scenarios and was not observed for the social threat scenarios

A comparison of cognitive bias modification for interpretation and computerized cognitive behavior therapy:Effects on anxiety, depression, attentional control, and interpretive bias

Objective: Computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (cCBT) and cognitive bias modification for interpretation (CBM-I) both have demonstrated efficacy in alleviating social anxiety, but how they compare with each other has not been investigated. The present study tested the prediction that both interventions would reduce anxiety relative to a no-intervention comparison condition, but CBM-I would be particularly effective at modifying threat-related cognitive bias under high mental load. Method: Sixty-three primarily Caucasian adults (mean age = 22.7, SD = 5.87; 68.3% female) with high social anxiety, randomly allocated to 3 groups: CBM-I (n = 21), cCBT (n = 21), and a no-intervention control group (n = 21) provided complete data for analysis. Pre- and postintervention (4 sessions lasting 2 weeks, control participants only attended the pre?post sessions) self-report measures of anxiety, depression, attentional control, and threat-related interpretive bias were completed. In addition, interpretive bias under high versus low cognitive load was measured using the Scrambled Sentences Test. Results: Both CBM-I and cCBT groups reported significantly reduced levels of social anxiety, trait anxiety, and depression and improved attentional control, relative to the control group, with no clear superiority of either active intervention. Although both active conditions reduced negative bias on the Scrambled Sentences Test completed under mental load, CBM-I was significantly more effective at doing so. Conclusions: The results suggest that although not differing in therapeutic efficacy, CBM-I and cCBT might differ in the resilience of their effects when under mental load

Exploring students' initial reactions to the feedback they receive on coursework

Understanding students' reactions to their feedback to coursework is crucial in being able to deliver feedback which motivates them and helps them to do better. This study focused on undergraduate bioscience students on a variety of degree programmes, at three UK universities, across all years. A questionnaire was completed by students when first reading their feedback, thereby accessing their initial reactions to the comments they received. Focus groups assisted in the analysis of these initial reactions and also enabled discussion on how the students felt about their feedback. Our findings suggest that, although many students value feedback irrespective of their emotional response to it, others are clearly motivated or de-motivated by specific factors within the feedback that they receive. We suggest that this initial emotional reaction is fundamental to the student's subsequent engagement with feedback, and that feedback that immediately de-motivates a student is likely to be of very limited value to the ongoing learning process. Recommendations to improve feedback include the need to offer positive, constructive comments, meaningful annotations and comments which justify the given mark