Psychopathology exercise book

El document ha sigut revisat pel Servei de Política Lingüística de la Universitat de ValènciaThe following booklet has a modest but necessary objective in the university context of teaching psychopathology, a basic discipline for any future professional in psychology: to provide real examples of various presentation forms of psychopathologies, so that students can familiarize themselves with them and relate them to the acquired knowledge in theoretical teaching

Estímulos verbales y trastornos emocionales : un estudio sobre palabras con contenido emocional

Este trabajo tiene como objetivo fundamental el proporcionar datos normativos sobre un listado de palabras que pueda ser utilizado por los investigadores interesados en el estudio cognitivo de los trastornos emocionales. Se analizan datos relativos a la frecuencia subjetiva de uso de las palabras que normalmente se usan en estos estudios, en qué medida estas palabras se relacionan con ansiedad y con depresión, hasta qué punto son comprendidas por los sujetos, y en qué grado pueden evocar una imagen. Además, se ofrecen resultados sobre las diferencias en estas categorías en función del sexo, ser o no psicólogo/a, la edad y el nivel educativo. Creemos que este trabajo puede ser de cierta utilidad para los investigadores interesados en el estudio experimental de los factores cognitivos involucrados en los trastornos emocionales, aportando información que a veces no es fácil obtener, pero que supone un paso preliminar para seleccionar el material estimular necesario en diversos paradigmas experimentales

An intervention protocol proposal to modify the body image disturbance using Virtual Reality

A negative experience with one's own body has been theorized as a common antecedent of eating disorders (EDs). In fact, body image disturbance (BID) is considered a key factor in the development, maintenance and relapse of Anorexia Nervosa (AN). As yet, the mechanisms underlying this disturbance in body representation remain unclear. In this paper we present the study protocol of this novel Virtual Reality (VR) multisensorial paradigm to assess and treat BID. Participants will be asked to perform a real and virtual body size estimation task. Then, they will be assigned to one condition (experimental vs, control), and they will have to perform a task from 1st or 3rd point-ofview, in a counterbalanced manner. The 'experimental' condition task consists of touching the real abdomen while looking at the virtual one. The 'control' condition task consisted of making slow movements meanwhile looking at the virtual abdomen. Thereafter, participants will perform again the real and virtual body size estimation tasks. After ten minutes, they will perform the procedure from the other point-of-view (1st vs. 3rd). This protocol is intended to be an effective tool that allows the development of a more realistic corporal representation adjusted to the own body size. Keywords: Body Image Disturbance, Virtual Reality, Body Size Estimation, Protocol

Eficacia de dos procedimientos de inducción del estado de ánimo e influencia de variables moduladoras

The purpose of the present study is twofold. First of all, it attempted to offer empirical evidence on several relevant issues on mood induction procedures (MIPs) still unsatisfactorily solved. We compared the effectiveness of two MIPs: Velten plus Music and Recall of Biographic Memories plus Music. The differences between the induction of sad and elated mood were analyzed, as well as the temporary test-retest stability of the change achieved after the MIPs. The second aim of this study was the analysis of the role played by several psychological variables (selfconsciousness, depression and anxiety) on mood induction. Forty university students participated in the study (23 women, 17 men; age from 17 to 38). Results showed that both MIPs were effective in the induction of sad and elated mood, and there were no differences between the two MIPs. Sad mood induction, though, was easier to achieve than elated mood induction. Regarding temporal stability, moderately high correlations were obtained between sessions 1 and 2. Finally, the results on the psychological variables influencing mood induction revealed that neither self-consciousness, anxiety nor depression were relevant in the change of the subjects’ mood due to the MIPs. However, the subjects’ appraisal of their initial mood (level of sadness versus elation) turned to be a predictor of the degree of change in mood after the induction.El objetivo del presente estudio es doble. En primer lugar, se pretende ofrecer evidencia empírica sobre algunos aspectos relevantes de los procedimientos de inducción de estado de ánimo (PIEA) que todavía no están suficientemente resueltos. Así, en este trabajo se compara la eficacia de dos PIEA: Velten más Música y Recuerdo Autobiográfico más Música; se analizan las posibles diferencias entre la inducción de dos estados de ánimo (EA): triste y alegre; y se estudia la estabilidad temporal del cambio logrado tras los PIEA con un intervalo test-retest de una semana. El segundo objetivo es analizar el papel modulador de algunas variables psicológicas (autoconciencia, depresión y ansiedad) en la inducción de EA. En el experimento participaron 40 estudiantes universitarios (23 mujeres, 17 hombres; edad de 17 a 38 años). Los resultados mostraron que ambos PIEA fueron eficaces en inducir EA y no se encontraron diferencias en cuanto a la eficacia entre ellos. Por otra parte, resultó más fácil inducir un EA triste que un EA alegre. En cuanto a la estabilidad test-retest se obtuvieron correlaciones moderadas entre la 1ª y la 2ª sesión. Por lo que respecta a la infiuencia de las variables estudiadas sobre la inducción, ni la autoconciencia, ni la ansiedad, ni la depresión influyeron en el cambio de EA logrado tras la inducción. Sin embargo, la valoración subjetiva del estado de ánimo inicial (grado de tristeza versus alegría), por parte del sujeto, apareció como un predictor del grado de cambio de EA después de la inducción

Meaning-making as a mediator of anxiety and depression reduction during cognitive behavioral therapy intervention in participants with adjustment disorders

There is a consensus among researchers about the link between low meaning in life and anxiety and depressive symptoms. One unanswered question is whether meaning-making is a mediator of the change in anxiety and depression symptoms in participants with adjustment disorders during cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) treatment. The aims of this study were (a) to analyse whether there was meaningmaking during the application of the CBT, (b) to analyse whether meaning-making was a mediator of anxiety psychopathology and (c) to analyse whether meaningmaking was a mediator of depressive symptoms. The sample was composed of 115 patients who satisfied the full Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-5 criteria for adjustment disorder as their primary diagnosis and completed CBT treatment in a primary care mental health service: 74.78% women, n = 86, and 25.22% men, n = 29, with a mean age of 41.89 (standard deviation [SD] = 10.39) years. The diagnosis was established using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5), and participants filled out the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory and Purpose in Life questionnaires. The therapists were clinical psychologists with experience in clinical assessment. A repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and two mediation analyses using the bootstrap method were performed. The results indicated that (a) There was meaning-making during the CBT because the treated sample showed a statistically significant improvement in meaning in life, and (b) meaning-making during the CBT was a partial mediator between anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms before and after the treatment. The present study suggests that meaning in life could be an important variable in the psychopathology of adjustment disorders

Attentional biases and vulnerability to depression

This study was designed to examine selective processing of emotional information in depression. It focuses on possible attentional biases in depression, and whether such biases constitute a cognitive vulnerability factor to suffer from the disorder or, on the contrary, they reflect a feature associated exclusively with the clinical level of depression. 81 participants were included in the study: 15 with a diagnosis of Major Depression; 17 were diagnosed as Dysthymia; 11 participants scored over 18 in the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck, Rush, Shaw, & Emery, 1979); 15 participants, in whom a sad mood state was induced by an experimental mood induction (Velten technique + music, or biographical recall + music); and 23 participants as a normal-control group. All participants were presented with the emotional Stroop task. The data indicated that attentional bias was only present in the group of patients with Major Depression, so it does not seem to be a cognitive vulnerability factor for this [email protected]; [email protected]

Advances in psychological treatments: the use of new Communication and Information Technologies

Los tratamientos psicológicos han logrado avances importantes en los últimos años. Desde la puesta en marcha del movimiento de la psicología basada en la evidencia disponemos de un buen número de protocolos de tratamiento que han demostrado ser eficaces y eficientes. En este sentido, merece subrayarse el papel desempeñado por las nuevas tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TICs). Nuestro grupo de investigación ha desarrollado y validado una serie de aplicaciones basadas en TICs que se comentan es este trabajo. En concreto, técnicas de Realidad Virtual, Realidad Aumentada y aplicaciones de Telepsicología basadas en internet. También se analizan algunas de las ventajas y limitaciones de estos procedimientos frente a los tratamientos tradicionales y se presentan datos acerca del grado de satisfacción manifestado por pacientes que recibieron un programa de tratamiento basado en TICs y se comentan algunas perspectivas de trabajo futuras.The psychological treatments have advanced notably in the last years. Since the beginning of the psychology movement based on evidence we have already available a high number of treatment protocols that have proved to be effective and efficient. In this sense, it should be highlighted the role played by the new communication and information technologies (CITs). Our research group has developed and validated a series of applications based on CITs that are presented in this work. Specifically, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality techniques and Telepsychology applications based on the internet. The advantages that these new procedures have over the traditional treatments, as well as some limitations currently existent regarding the use of CITs are analysed. Finally, data about the level of satisfaction reported by patients who received a treatment program based on CITs are presented, and some future perspectives in the field are also analysed

Selective processing of food— and body—related information and autonomie arousal in patients with eating disorders

Both attentional bias (using the modified Stroop Task) and autonomic reactivity (skin conductance level) to food- and body-related information were assessed in 25 patients with eating disorders (15 patients with anorexia, 10 patients with bulimia) amI 18 women controls. Patients with anorexia showed the greatest inrerference in color-naming foodrelated words. However, on this occasion there were no difierences in body condition, probably because of heterogeneity of clinical samples and because the control group were staff members, so the target information was very familiar to them. The groups differed in their autonomic reactivity while performing Ihe Stroop. Ihe patients with anorexia responded wiíh higher 5km conductance (p < .036). The discussion focuses on the differential prohíes shown by samples and on the relationship between cognitive biases and autonomic arousal [email protected]; [email protected]

Psicopatología y realidad virtual

Virtual Reality (VR) is becoming an important tool in the research on many and various fields. Today, the progresses in the development of this technology are going even faster than we expected, and therefore it is being necessary to think over its potential uses and abuses. This paper focuses in the analysis of some of the applications and implications of VR on Psychopathology. Although we are plenty aware of the broad range capable of being covered, we have focused on: a) VR as a “realistic” lab setting where problematic behaviours, affects, thoughts, etc. could be studied; b) VR as a model to deal with certain core questions which have always been of interest for psychopathologists; and c) VR as experiences open to be labelled as psychopathological. We believe that VR has the potential of becoming the tool that will enable Psychopathology to challenge and to modify theoretical assumptions already established, as well as to help us to find new answers to old questions. VR could also make new questions rise on the psychological and psychopathological horizons, questions not only related to theoretical or empirical issues, but also to moral ones. This line of research has just started. La Realidad Virtual (RV) se está empezando a considerar como una importante herramienta para la investigación en muchos y muy variados campos. Actualmente, los progresos en el desarrollo de esta tecnología están yendo incluso más rápido de lo que podemos anticipar, por lo que reflexionar sobre sus potenciales usos y abusos resulta algo totalmente necesario. Este trabajo se centra en analizar algunas de las aplicaciones e implicaciones que la RV puede tener para la Psicopatología. Obviamente, éstas pueden ser muy diversas, pero aquí nos centramos sólo en tres: a) La RV como un contexto de laboratorio «realista» donde estudiar comportamientos, emociones, pensamientos, etc., problemáticos; b) la RV como un modelo para abordar algunas preguntas centrales, que desde siempre han intrigado a los psicopatólogos; y c) la RV y posibles experiencias ¿psicopatológicas?. Creemos que la RV se puede constituir en una herramienta que permita a la Psicopatología retar y modificar posiciones teóricas establecidas, a la par que plantearse otras nuevas. Esta nueva forma de experiencia, a la vez que puede ayudarnos a encontrar respuestas a viejas preguntas, puede también hacer surgir otras nuevas en el horizonte psicopatológico y psicológico, y no sólo relacionadas con cuestiones teóricas o empíricas, sino también morales. Este camino de investigación no ha hecho más que empezar

Subjective, behavioral, and physiological responses to the rubber hand illusion do not vary with age in the adult phase

[EN] The Rubber Hand Illusion (RHI) is a perceptual illusion that enables integration of artificial limbs into the body representation through combined multisensory integration. Most previous studies investigating the RHI have involved young healthy adults within a very narrow age range (typically 20-30 years old). The purpose of this paper was to determine the influence of age on the RHI. The RHI was performed on 93 healthy adults classified into three groups of age (20-35 years old, N = 41; 36-60 years old, N = 28; and 61-80 years old, N = 24), and its effects were measured with subjective (Embodiment of Rubber Hand Questionnaire), behavioral (proprioceptive drift), and physiological (changes in skin temperature and conductance) measures. There were neither significant differences among groups in any response, nor significant covariability or correlation between age and other measures (but for skin temperature), which suggests that the RHI elicits similar responses across different age groups in the adult phase.This study was funded, in part, by Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad of Spain (Grant BES-2014-068218) and Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (Grant PAID-10-14 and Grant PAID-10-16).Palomo, P.; Borrego, A.; Cebolla, A.; Llorens Rodríguez, R.; Demarzo, M.; Baños Rivera, RM. (2018). Subjective, behavioral, and physiological responses to the rubber hand illusion do not vary with age in the adult phase. Consciousness and Cognition. 58:90-96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2017.10.014S90965