Emotional schemas mediate the relationship between emotion regulation and symptomatology

Perceived Parental Styles and Alexithymia in Adult Iranian Migraine Patients: The Mediating Role of Emotional Schemas

Migraine, which is a highly prevalent headache, is often comorbid with alexithymia. Parental styles contribute to the development of alexithymia. The core psychological mechanisms that connect parenting to alexithymia and can be targeted in psychotherapy are not yet studied. The objective of this study was to explore the role of emotional schemas as a possible mediator between perceived parental styles and alexithymia in migraine patients. Study participants consisted of 208 (67 males and 141 females) Iranians who completed the Farsi version of Toronto Alexithymia Scale (FTAS-20), Leahy Emotional Schema Scale (LESS II), and Measure of Parental Styles (MOPS) online. For mediation analysis, structural equation modeling was used based on Baron and Kenny's mediation model. The results demonstrated that mother overprotection and mother indifference were significantly related to alexithymia in migraine patients. Emotional schemas and alexithymia were also positively and significantly related. Additionally, mother overprotection and father indifference showed positive and significant covariation with emotional schemas. Data analysis with structural equation modeling revealed that emotional schemas partially mediate the relationship between parental styles and alexithymia in migraine patients. The current study expands our knowledge of possible mechanisms that relate childhood experiences of being parented and alexithymia in migraine patients. Findings of this research imply psychological treatments can benefit from targeting emotional schemas in migraine patients with alexithymia.

Minding my brain: Fourteen neuroscience-based principles to enhance psychotherapy responsiveness

Intersections between psychotherapy and neurosciences are at its dawn. The quest to understand the neural underpinnings of psychological processes has led several generations of scientists to explore neural correlates between mind, brain, and behavior. Neuroscience methods and research has given psychology new perspectives and insights about the structure and function of complex neural pathways, that underly human functioning (cognition, emotion, motivation, and interpersonal behavior). By translating neuroscientific findings into psychotherapeutic principles of change, it is possible to promote responsiveness towards brain dysfunction that underlies patients' psychological malfunctioning. In psychotherapy, responsiveness is a core aspect of the therapeutic change process, especially to adapt psychological interventions to patients' motivational stages and preferences, coping styles, neurobehavioral modes, and emotional needs. Within a transtheoretical and translational approach, contemporary neuroscientific findings are revised, discussed, and used to attempt to build-on fourteen theoretical brain-based principles that may be applied to psychotherapy. Translating these empirical findings into practical principles, clinical strategies and tasks is expected to enhance psychotherapy responsiveness grounded on a science-based knowledge of brain functioning.