Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Psychotic-Like Symptoms and Stress Reactivity in Daily Life in Nonclinical Young Adults

Background: There is increasing interest in elucidating the association of different childhood adversities with psychosis-spectrum symptoms as well as the mechanistic processes involved. This study used experience sampling methodology to examine (i) associations of a range of childhood adversities with psychosis symptom domains in daily life; (ii) whether associations of abuse and neglect with symptoms are consistent across self-report and interview methods of trauma assessment; and (iii) the role of different adversities in moderating affective, psychotic-like, and paranoid reactivity to situational and social stressors. Method: A total of 206 nonclinical young adults were administered self-report and interview measures to assess childhood abuse, neglect, bullying, losses, and general traumatic events. Participants received personal digital assistants that signaled them randomly eight times daily for one week to complete questionnaires about current experiences, including symptoms, affect, and stress. Results: Self-reported and interview-based abuse and neglect were associated with psychotic-like and paranoid symptoms, whereas only self-reported neglect was associated with negative-like symptoms. Bullying was associated with psychotic-like symptoms. Losses and general traumatic events were not directly associated with any of the symptom domains. All the childhood adversities were associated with stress reactivity in daily life. Interpersonal adversities (abuse, neglect, bullying, and losses) moderated psychotic-like and/or paranoid reactivity to situational and social stressors, whereas general traumatic events moderated psychotic-like reactivity to situational stress. Also, different interpersonal adversities exacerbated psychotic-like and/or paranoid symptoms in response to distinct social stressors. Discussion: The present study provides a unique examination of how childhood adversities impact the expression of spectrum symptoms in the real world and lends support to the notion that stress reactivity is a mechanism implicated in the experience of reality distortion in individuals exposed to childhood trauma. Investigating the interplay between childhood experience and current context is relevant for uncovering potential pathways to the extended psychosis phenotype

Attachment style predicts affect, cognitive appraisals, and social functioning in daily life

Altres ajuts: Fundació la Marató de TV3 (091110)The way in which attachment styles are expressed in the moment as individuals navigate their real-life settings has remained an area largely untapped by attachment research. The present study examined how adult attachment styles are expressed in daily life using experience sampling methodology (ESM) in a sample of 206 Spanish young adults. Participants were administered the Attachment Style Interview (ASI) and received personal digital assistants that signaled them randomly eight times per day for 1 week to complete questionnaires about their current experiences and social context. As hypothesized, participants' momentary affective states, cognitive appraisals, and social functioning varied in meaningful ways as a function of their attachment style. Individuals with an anxious attachment, as compared with securely attached individuals, endorsed experiences that were congruent with hyperactivating tendencies, such as higher negative affect, stress, and perceived social rejection. By contrast, individuals with an avoidant attachment, relative to individuals with a secure attachment, endorsed experiences that were consistent with deactivating tendencies, such as decreased positive states and a decreased desire to be with others when alone. Furthermore, the expression of attachment styles in social contexts was shown to be dependent upon the subjective appraisal of the closeness of social contacts, and not merely upon the presence of social interactions. The findings support the ecological validity of the ASI and the person-by-situation character of attachment theory. Moreover, they highlight the utility of ESM for investigating how the predictions derived from attachment theory play out in the natural flow of real lif

Prevalence of major depression in preschool children

The prevalence of preschool major depressive disorder (MDD) was studied in the community. The whole population of children between 3 and 6 years attending preschool nurseries in three areas (one urban, one rural and one suburban) in Spain (n = 1,427) were contacted. Selection was by a two-stage procedure. At stage I, the ESDM 3-6, a screening measure for preschool depression, was used to identify a sample for more intensive interviewing. Sensitivity and specificity of the cut-off point of the ESDM 3–6 had been previously tested in a pilot study (n = 229). During the first stage, 222 preschool children (15.6%) were found to be probable depressives, because they scored 27 or more, the cut-off used. At stage II, the children were interviewed and diagnosed by the consensus of two clinicians, blind to the ESDM 3-6 results. DSM-IV diagnostic criteria were used to define caseness. A total of 16 children (1.12%) met the MDD criteria. The prevalence by areas was urban 0.87%, rural 0.88%, suburban 1.43%. Sex distribution prevalence was 1:1. This study is a contribution to the scarce epidemiology of preschool depression in the community

Interview investigation of insecure attachment styles as mediators between poor childhood care and schizophrenia-spectrum phenomenology

Background Insecure attachment styles have received theoretical attention and some initial empirical support as mediators between childhood adverse experiences and psychotic phenomena; however, further specificity needs investigating. The present interview study aimed to examine (i) whether two forms of poor childhood care, namely parental antipathy and role reversal, were associated with subclinical positive and negative symptoms and schizophrenia-spectrum personality disorder (PD) traits, and (ii) whether such associations were mediated by specific insecure attachment styles. Method A total of 214 nonclinical young adults were interviewed for subclinical symptoms (Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States), schizophrenia-spectrum PDs (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Disorders), poor childhood care (Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Interview), and attachment style (Attachment Style Interview). Participants also completed the Beck Depression Inventory-II and all the analyses were conducted partialling out the effects of depressive symptoms. Results Both parental antipathy and role reversal were associated with subclinical positive symptoms and with paranoid and schizotypal PD traits. Role reversal was also associated with subclinical negative symptoms. Angry-dismissive attachment mediated associations between antipathy and subclinical positive symptoms and both angry-dismissive and enmeshed attachment mediated associations of antipathy with paranoid and schizotypal PD traits. Enmeshed attachment mediated associations of role reversal with paranoid and schizotypal PD traits. Conclusions Attachment theory can inform lifespan models of how adverse developmental environments may increase the risk for psychosis. Insecure attachment provides a promising mechanism for understanding the development of schizophrenia-spectrum phenomenology and may offer a useful target for prophylactic intervention

Dietary α‐Linolenic Acid, Marine ω‐3 Fatty Acids, and Mortality in a Population With High Fish Consumption: Findings From the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) Study

Background: Epidemiological evidence suggests a cardioprotective role of α‐linolenic acid (ALA), a plant‐derived ω‐3 fatty acid. It is unclear whether ALA is beneficial in a background of high marine ω‐3 fatty acids (long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) intake. In persons at high cardiovascular risk from Spain, a country in which fish consumption is customarily high, we investigated whether meeting the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids recommendation for dietary ALA (0.7% of total energy) at baseline was related to all‐cause and cardiovascular disease mortality. We also examined the effect of meeting the society's recommendation for long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (≥500 mg/day). Methods and Results: We longitudinally evaluated 7202 participants in the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) trial. Multivariable‐adjusted Cox regression models were fitted to estimate hazard ratios. ALA intake correlated to walnut consumption (r=0.94). During a 5.9‐y follow‐up, 431 deaths occurred (104 cardiovascular disease, 55 coronary heart disease, 32 sudden cardiac death, 25 stroke). The hazard ratios for meeting ALA recommendation (n=1615, 22.4%) were 0.72 (95% CI 0.56–0.92) for all‐cause mortality and 0.95 (95% CI 0.58–1.57) for fatal cardiovascular disease. The hazard ratios for meeting the recommendation for long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n=5452, 75.7%) were 0.84 (95% CI 0.67–1.05) for all‐cause mortality, 0.61 (95% CI 0.39–0.96) for fatal cardiovascular disease, 0.54 (95% CI 0.29–0.99) for fatal coronary heart disease, and 0.49 (95% CI 0.22–1.01) for sudden cardiac death. The highest reduction in all‐cause mortality occurred in participants meeting both recommendations (hazard ratio 0.63 [95% CI 0.45–0.87]). Conclusions: In participants without prior cardiovascular disease and high fish consumption, dietary ALA, supplied mainly by walnuts and olive oil, relates inversely to all‐cause mortality, whereas protection from cardiac mortality is limited to fish‐derived long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.Controlled-trials.com/. Unique identifier: ISRCTN35739639

Freud también quería ser científico

In this article, I consider psychoanalysis from the point of view of academic psychology and academic psychology from the point of view of psychoanalysis. I attempt to maintain a balanced, critical and empathetic position of both standpoints. Some explanation will be given for the traditional conflict between psychoanalysis and academic psychology: or in other words, the academic psychology «positivist model» vs the psychoanalyst’s insistence on an exclusively clinical context for research and therapeutic practice. I look at the restrictive nature of both extremes and make suggestions for a revision of the position of the present and future posture of psychoanalysis, while at the same time pointing out how psychology could benefit from psychoanalysis.En este artículo me posiciono considerando el psicoanálisis desde la psicología académica y, la psicología académica, desde el psicoanálisis. Intento empatizar y, al mismo tiempo, reflexionar desde una actitud crítica, con ambas posiciones. Se aportan algunas consideraciones para explicar el tradicional desencuentro entre el psicoanálisis y la psicología académica: la adscripción al modelo positivista por parte de la psicología académica, y la adscripción al enfoque clínico como contexto único de práctica terapéutica e investigación, por parte del psicoanálisis. Se comentan los aspectos restrictivos de ambas posiciones: qué debería revisar el psicoanálisis para afrontar el presente y el futuro, qué debería aprovechar la psicología de las aportaciones psicoanalíticas

Sistema de categorías para el registro de conductas interactivas precoces entre la madre y el bebé

Se trata de un estudio de observación directa, realizado con 11 parejas madre- hijo, durante las 10 primeras semanas después del nacimiento del niño. Se efectuaron tres sesiones de observación en un contexto natural observando las situaciones de: alimentación y cambio de pañales. Se llevó a cabo mediante registro filmado en video. El objetivo se centra en elaborar un sistema de categorías para la madre y el bebé que sirva de instrumento para recoger los eventos conductuales dentro de las situaciones y períodos señalados. Se presenta un Sistema de categorías para la madre que comprende 61 categorías agrupadas en 6 subsistemas (Vocalización, Mirada, Contacto, Posición, Expresividad, Higiene). Y un sistema de categorías para el bebé que comprende 37 categorías agrupadas en 6 subsistemas (Vocalización/Oralidad, Mirada, Contacto, Posición, Expresividad, Evacuación). Se clasifican las categorías maternas en Comunicativas, Expresivas, Instrumentales y Neutras; y las del bebé en: Comunicativas, Funcionales y Neutras

Escriure en català avui a la Catalunya del Nord

Aquest article se centra en l’estat actual de la creació literària en llengua catalana a la Catalunya del Nord, tenint present que els pocs autors que escriuen en català han pres una opció lingüística conscient i reflexionada i, sovint, estan vinculats a l’activisme cultural català, dins d’una societat profundament francesa. Creiem que la literatura nord-catalana més recent presenta un doble interès: d’una banda, ens permet explorar el que diuen explícitament els escriptors quan parlen del català, i de l’altra, el que ens suggereixen de manera indirecta a partir del model de llengua emprat. Per això, aquí ens fixarem en les idees lingüístiques que projecten en la seva literatura dos escriptors nord-catalans actuals i, tot seguit, traurem les primeres hipòtesis sobre el model de llengua d’aquests dos autors: JoanDaniel Bezsonoff (1963) i Joan-Lluís Lluís (1963).This article focuses on the current state of literature in Catalan language in Northern Catalonia, taking into account that those few authors which write in Catalan have chosen a reflected and conscious language option and, often, they are linked to Catalan cultural activism, all within a society deeply French. We believe that the most recent North-Catalan literature presents a double interest: on the one hand, we can explore what writers say explicitly when they speak about Catalan, and the other, what they suggest indirectly from their language model. For this reason, here we will concentrate on the linguistic ideas that two current North-Catalan writers provide in their literature and then we will bring up the first hypothesis of their language model: they are Joan-Daniel Bezsonoff (1963) and Joan-Lluís Lluís (1963)

L'ensenyament de la psicoanàlisi a la Universitat

El Psicoanálisis y la Universidad se han avenido mal, salvando algunas excepciones, desde siempre. Las instituciones psicoanalíticas no han propiciado los intercambios con otras disciplinas ni instituciones. En este sentido, la Universidad ha sido vista como un peligro y no como una plataforma de difusión. Y, por su parte, la International Psychoanalytical Association se ha sentido responsable de proteger y controlar la enseñanza del psicoanálisis. El desencuentro entre el mundo académico y el mundo psicoanalitico tiene dos vertientes: una referente al poder y otra epistemológica. La psicologia psicoanalítica choca con la psicologia académica. El ser humano del psicoanalisis no encaja con lo que nos aporta la psicologia académica. La inclusion del psicoanálisis en los planes de estudio universitarios se justifica por tres argumentos: 1) histórico, 2) de pervivencia del modelo en la práctica aplicada, y 3) porque la aportación del modelo psicoanalitico a la comprensión y modificación de la persona humana sigue siendo necesaria y no ha sido sustituida por ninguna otra alternativa.Psychoanalysis and University have never got along, with some exceptions of course. Psychoanalytic institutions have never promoted exchanges with other disciplines or entities. In this sense, the University has been considered a danger, rather than a dissemination platform. The International Psychoanalytical Association has been responsible for protecting and controlling the teaching of psychoanalysis. This failure to meet up between the academic world and the psychoanalytic world has two aspects, one concerning power, and the other epistemological. Psychoanalytic psychology collides with academic psychology. The human being in psychoanalysis does not coincide with the human being as explained by academic psychology. The inclusion of psychoanalysis within the university curricula is justified with three arguments: (1) historical; (2) the model's existence in current applied 2 I practice; and (3) because what the psychoanalytic model contributes with regarding the comprehension and modification of the human being is still necessary and has not been replaced by any other alternative.Psychanalyse et Université sont, depuis toujours et i quelques exceptions pres, indésirables. Les institutions psychanalytiques n'ont pas encouragé les échanges avec les autres disciplines ou institutions. En effet, l'Université a toujours été considérée comme un danger et non comme une plste-forme de diffusion. L'International Psychoanalytical Association s'est sentie responsable de la protection et du contrôle de l'enseignement de la psychanalyse. La mauvaise relation entre le monde académique et le monde psychanalytique présente deux aspects, un aspect relatif au pouvalir et un autre aspect épistémologique. La psychologie psychanalytique se heurte ii la psychologie académique. L'être humain de la Psychanalyse ne correspond pas i celui de la Psychologie académique. Cela justifie l'inclusion de la psychanalyse dans les projets d'études universitaires avec trois arguments: 1) un argument historique, 2) un argument de survie du modele dans la pratique et 3) ce qu'apporte le modele psychanalytique dans la compréhension et la modification de la personne humaine est toujours nécessaire et n'a été remplacé par aucune autre alternative