Validating the Diathesis–Stress Model Based Case Conceptualization Procedure in Cognitive Behavioral Therapies: The LIBET (Life Themes and Semi-Adaptive Plans—Implications of Biased Beliefs, Elicitation and Treatment) Procedure

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approaches use case formulation procedures based on the diathesis–stress conceptualization model, arranged in two dimensions: emotional vulnerability (present in a patient’s consciousness in terms of core beliefs) and coping strategies. Nevertheless, despite its pivotal role, there are a limited number of validation studies for this model. Life themes and semi-adaptive plans: Implications of biased beliefs, elicitation and treatment (LIBET) is a CBT case formulation method grounded on the CBT diathesis–stress model that aims to help validate the CBT case formulation model, and, in particular, its bidimensional arrangement. In LIBET, the two classic CBT dimensions are called “life themes,” which are mental states of focused attention to emotional sensitivities represented as core beliefs in consciousness, and “semi-adaptive plans,” which are the rigid management strategies of “life themes” implemented by adopting coping strategies such as anxious safety behaviors, compulsive controls and aggressive or rewarding strategies. The study uses quantitative textual analysis to validate the LIBET procedure in a clinical sample. The investigation discusses the extent to which the results can be considered a validation of the arrangement of the general CBT diathesis–stress model in the two dimensions of core beliefs and coping strategies

The Metacognitions about Binge Eating Questionnaire (MBEQ): investigation of the association between specific metacognitions and Binge Eating Disorder

Literature suggested that metacognitions are involved in eating problems and may be relevant to the understanding of Binge Eating Disorder (BED). The goal of the current studies was to develop the first self-report instrument on metacognitions about binge eating. In Study 1, a community sample completed the Metacognitions about Binge Eating Questionnaire (MBEQ); an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was performed. In study 2, a community sample completed the MBEQ and measures assessing severity of binge eating, irrational food beliefs, anxiety, depression, impulsiveness. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was performed. Concurrent and incremental validity were assessed. In study 3, a clinical sample of participants with a diagnosis of BED completed the MBEQ and other measures. Bivariate correlational analysis and hierarchical linear regression were performed. Participants from the general population and participants with a diagnosis of BED were compared. EFA and CFA supported a two-factor solution consisting of positive and negative metacognitions about binge eating. Concurrent and incremental validity were acceptable. The metacognitions factors correlated positively with anxiety, depression, irrational food beliefs, impulsiveness in the community sample, and anxiety, irrational food beliefs, impulsiveness in clinical sample. The metacognitions factors contributed to the prediction of binge eating disorders symptoms, in community and clinical samples, over and above age, gender, impulsiveness, anxiety, depression, irrational food beliefs. The MBEQ possesses good psychometric properties and appears a reliable and valid measure of positive and negative metacognitions about binge eating. Metacognitions about binge eating could be a therapeutic target to reduce the severity of binge eating episodes

A systematic review of the relationship between generic and specific metacognitive beliefs and emotion dysregulation: A metacognitive model of emotion dysregulation

Although a probable association between metacognitive beliefs (also termed ‘metacognitions’) and emotion dysregulation has been suggested in the literature, the evidence is still sparse and inconclusive. The current study aims to present a comprehensive evaluation of the literature examining the association between metacognitive beliefs and emotion dysregulation. In accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) criteria, a search was conducted on PubMed and Ebsco. A manual search of reference lists was also run. Search terms were ‘metacognitions/metacognitive beliefs/positive metacognitive beliefs/negative metacognitive beliefs/cognitive self‐consciousness/beliefs about the need to control thoughts/cognitive confidence/negative beliefs about thoughts concerning uncontrollability and danger/AND difficulties emotion regulation/emotion dysregulation’. A total of 19 studies met the inclusion criteria. In both non‐clinical and clinical populations, a higher endorsement of dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs was found to be associated with emotion dysregulation and vice versa. A higher endorsement of metacognitive beliefs may be associated, either directly or via maladaptive forms of mental control (e.g., worry, rumination and suppression) to emotion dysregulation. Metacognitive beliefs could be the potential therapeutic target in clinical interventions aimed at reducing emotion regulation difficulties

Perfectionism in patients with eating disorders: The role of metacognitive beliefs and repetitive negative thinking

AbstractIntroductionUsing the Self‐Regulatory Executive Function model as a basis, this study explored whether, in patients with eating disorders (EDs), metacognitions and repetitive negative thinking are associated with higher levels of perfectionisms.MethodsOne hundred twenty‐three outpatients with EDs were recruited. Perfectionism, metacognitive beliefs, worry, rumination, anger rumination, affective and eating symptoms were assessed. Correlation and hierarchal regression analyses were run.ResultsHigher endorsement of positive beliefs about worry was associated with higher levels of ‘personal standards perfectionism’. Higher endorsement of positive beliefs about worry, need to control thoughts, worry and rumination was associated with higher levels of ‘concern over mistakes perfectionism’.ConclusionsAmong patients with EDs, perfectionism appears to be associated with the endorsement of dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs, worry and rumination. Dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs and repetitive negative thinking could be suitable therapeutic targets to reduce the levels of perfectionism among patients with EDs

A Historical and Theoretical Review of Cognitive Behavioral Therapies: From Structural Self-Knowledge to Functional Processes

This is the version of record of an article published in Journal of Rational - Emotive and Cognitive - Behavior Therapy. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10942-018-0292-8 © 2018 The Author(s) This paper critically examines the historical conceptualization of cognitive behavioral psychotherapy approaches (CBT) as a direct clinical counterpart of the cognitive revolution. The main “second wave” cognitive psychotherapies, either standard cognitive therapy (CT) or constructivist, in spite of their differences, share a common conceptualization of psychopathological factors as superordinate structural cognitive content belonging to the self: self-beliefs, self-schemata, personality organizations and so on. On the other hand, rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) is an exception given that in REBT self-knowledge is not the core psychopathological tenet, being rather a derivate mechanism. Moreover, in non clinical cognitive science cognition is conceived as a regulatory function that operates retroactively and not in a hierarchically super- ordered fashion centered on the self. A historical review suggests that in both CT and constructivist model the structuralistic model of self-centered cognition may have emerged for both cultural and scientific reasons: self-centered cognitive models may be more readily understandable to clinicians as they allow for a straightforward identification of operationalizable self-beliefs. The emergence of new “third wave” process-centered CBT approaches may represent a comeback to functionalism, where cognition is considered again a regulatory function and not a structure. In addition, REBT’s interest in dysfunctional evaluations not focused on the self presaged this clinical and scientific turning point toward functionalism

Effects of Autologous Microfragmented Adipose Tissue on Healing of Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomies in Dogs: A Prospective Clinical Trial

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of autologous microfragmented adipose tissue (MFAT) applied after mechanical fragmentation and assess these effects radiographically in bone healing in dogs subjected to tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO). Twenty dogs with unilateral cranial cruciate ligament disease were enrolled and randomly assigned to the treatment group (MFAT) or the control group (NT). The MFAT group underwent TPLO and autologous MFAT intra-articular administration, while the NT group underwent TPLO alone. Adipose tissue was collected from the thigh region, and MFAT was obtained by mechanical fragmentation at the end of the surgery. The patients were subjected to X-ray examination preoperatively, immediately postoperatively (T0), and at 4 (T1) and 8 (T2) weeks postoperatively. Two radiographic scores that had previously been described for the evaluation of bone healing after TPLO were used. A 12-point scoring system (from 0 = no healing to 12 = complete remodelling) was used at T0, T1, and T2, while a 5-point scoring system (from 0 = no healing to 4 = 76–100% of healing) was used at T1 and T2. The median healing scores were significantly higher at T1 and T2 for the MFAT group compared with the NT group for the 12-point (p < 0.05) and 5-point (p < 0.05) scoring systems. The intra-articular injection of autologous microfragmented adipose tissue can accelerate bone healing after TPLO without complication

Radiative Phase Transitions and Casmir Effect Instabilities

Molecular quantum electrodynamics leads to photon frequency shifts and thus to changes in condensed matter free energies often called the Casimir effect. Strong quantum electrodynamic coupling between radiation and molecular motions can lead to an instability beyond which one or more photon oscillators undergo a displacement phase transition. The phase boundary of the transition can be located by a Casimir free energy instability.Comment: ReVTeX4 format 1 *.eps figur

Anger and depressive ruminations as predictors of dysregulated behaviours in borderline personality disorder.

BACKGROUND: Anger and depressive ruminations have recently received empirical attention as processes related to borderline personality disorder (BPD). The Emotional Cascade Model (Selby, Anestis, & Joiner, 2008) suggests that negative affect (such as anger and sadness) may trigger rumination, which in turn may increase the duration and extent of negative affect, leading to dysregulated behaviours aimed at reducing such intense and unpleasant emotions. AIM: The aim of this study is to explore the relationships between emotional dysregulation, anger and depressive ruminations, and their role in predicting dysregulated behaviours (such as aggression and self-harm) in a clinical sample of patients with BPD. METHODS: Ninety-one patients with a diagnosis of BPD were recruited from three outpatient community mental health centres and asked to complete a comprehensive assessment for personality disorder symptoms, emotion dysregulation, anger and depressive ruminations, aggression, and self-harm. RESULTS: Anger and depressive ruminations were found to be significantly associated to, respectively, self-harm and aggression, beyond the variance accounted by emotional dysregulation. CONCLUSIONS: Rumination may act as a mediator between emotional dysregulation and dysregulated behaviours in BPD. Future research should examine whether clinical techniques aimed at reducing rumination may be helpful in reducing dysregulated behaviours in patients with BPD. "This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article: Martino, F., Caselli, G., Di Tommaso, J., Sassaroli, S., Spada, M.M ., Valenti, B., Berardi, D., Sasdelli, A and Menchetti, M (2017) Anger and depressive ruminations as predictors of dysregulated behaviours in borderline personality disorder. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy., which has been published in final form at 10.1002/cpp.2152 . This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.

Desire thinking as a predictor of drinking status following treatment for alcohol use disorder: A prospective study

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd Research has indicated that craving is one of the strongest predictors of treatment outcome and relapse in Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) but there is little consensus on the factors that may influence its activation and escalation. Research has also shown that desire thinking is an important cognitive process which may exacerbate craving in problem drinkers. The aim of present study was to explore, for the first time, the role of desire thinking in prospectively predicting relapse, craving and binge drinking in patients receiving treatment for AUD. One hundred and thirty-five patients admitted to two rehabilitation centres and two outpatient services for addiction and mental health problems were administered baseline, treatment completion and three months follow-up measures of anxiety and depression, AUD severity, binge drinking frequency, craving and desire thinking. Results indicated that the verbal perseveration component of desire thinking at treatment completion was the only significant predictor of relapse at follow-up over and above baseline AUD severity and binge drinking frequency. Furthermore, the imaginal prefiguration component of desire thinking and craving levels at treatment completion were found to predict craving levels at follow-up independently of AUD severity and binge drinking frequency at baseline. Finally, both the imaginal prefiguration and verbal perseveration components of desire thinking at treatment completion were found to be the only predictors of binge drinking frequency at follow-up independently of AUD severity and binge drinking frequency at baseline. Treatments for AUD should aim to reduce desire thinking in people to enhance clinical outcomes and reduce relapse risk