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Bogaert L, Hallford D, Loyen E, D'Argembeau A, Raes F. Recalling and anticipating positive events to improve the positive affect and mental health of adolescents: A cluster randomized controlled trial in secondary schools. Behav Res Ther 2024; 179:104543. [PMID: 38744140 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2024.104543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
This cluster randomized controlled trial examined the effectiveness of Positive Events Training (PET), a combined group training aimed at simultaneously improving positive autobiographical memory (AM) and episodic future thinking (EFT) among adolescents (12-16 years). Delivered as a universal school-based program, PET was compared with an active (creative writing) control group (CREAT). Effects on resilience, wellbeing, positive emotions, emotional response styles towards positive emotions (savoring, dampening), anhedonia, depressive symptoms, and multiple AM and EFT indices were examined. Adolescents (NPET = 95, NCREAT = 93) completed self-report scales at baseline, post-training and two-month follow-up. Multilevel models revealed that PET led to significant improvements in certain AM and EFT skills. Moreover, a decrease in anhedonia was observed at post-training. However, this effect did not withstand correction for multiple testing. Absence of changes in the other outcomes should be interpreted within the context of the universal school-based approach and the potential limited scope for detectable changes. Exploratory analyses suggest the importance of further investigating PET's potential in addressing positive affect dysregulations in indicated samples, and exploring perceived likelihood of generated future events and dampening as potential underlying mechanisms. Study limitations and future directions to maximize the demonstrated potential of PET are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Bogaert
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Child and Youth Institute, KU Leuven, Belgium.
| | - D Hallford
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, 1 Gheringhap Road, Geelong, Australia
| | - E Loyen
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Child and Youth Institute, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - A D'Argembeau
- Psychology and Neuroscience of Cognition Research Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Liège, Belgium
| | - F Raes
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Child and Youth Institute, KU Leuven, Belgium
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2
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Mueller I, Pruessner L, Holt DV, Zimmermann V, Schulze K, Strakosch AM, Barnow S. If it Ain't Broke, Don't Fix it: Positive Versus Negative Emotion Regulation in Daily Life and Depressive Symptoms. J Affect Disord 2024; 348:398-408. [PMID: 38123075 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.12.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the importance of positive emotions for affective psychopathology, prior research primarily focused on negative emotion regulation. To address this gap, this ecological momentary assessment study compared a broad set of emotion regulation strategies in the context of positive versus negative emotions regarding their effectiveness and associations with depressive symptoms. METHODS We analyzed data from 1066 participants who were notified five times daily for seven consecutive days to complete a smartphone survey assessing their predominant emotions, strategies to regulate them, and subsequent emotional outcomes. RESULTS Findings show that the effectiveness of most regulation strategies depended on whether the emotional context was positive or negative. While acceptance and savoring predicted improved emotional outcomes across emotional contexts, reappraisal and problem-solving were associated with deteriorated emotional outcomes and increased depressive symptoms when regulating positive but not negative emotions. LIMITATIONS Future studies should replicate our findings in demographically and culturally diverse clinical samples to improve generalizability. CONCLUSION These results emphasize that strategies effective for regulating negative emotions may be less helpful in the context of positive emotions. Thus, context-specific interventions may be a promising approach to improve the treatment of affective disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilka Mueller
- Department of Psychology, Heidelberg University, Germany.
| | | | - Daniel V Holt
- Department of Psychology, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | | | - Katrin Schulze
- Department of Psychology, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | | | - Sven Barnow
- Department of Psychology, Heidelberg University, Germany
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3
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Shang C, Zhang Q, Pang X, Wei Y, Huang Y, Cui L. Emotion beliefs, emotion regulation strategies, and test anxiety of Chinese adolescents in grade 8: Evidence from physiological recordings during an exam. Stress Health 2024:e3376. [PMID: 38265928 DOI: 10.1002/smi.3376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Controllability beliefs and goodness beliefs about emotion are two fundamental emotion beliefs. The present study considered both controllability beliefs and goodness beliefs to examine whether and how the emotion beliefs of adolescents influence their test anxiety. Besides self-reported test anxiety (sr-TA), the present study measured heart rate (HR) and galvanic skin response (GSR) using custom-designed wristbands during an exam as indicators of state test anxiety. The GSR was further decomposed into the tonic skin conductance level and the transient skin conductance response. The results revealed that, after controlling the goodness beliefs about anxiety, the controllability beliefs about emotion were negatively related to sr-TA. This relationship was mediated by suppression. The controllability beliefs about emotion were directly related to the integration of transient skin conductance responses of 5 min before the exam. They were also indirectly related to the integration of transient skin conductance responses of the exam period, whether including the 5 min before the exam or not, and HR during certain periods through suppression. Therefore, adolescents' controllability beliefs about emotion may have important implications for their test anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyang Shang
- Learning and Cognition Key Laboratory of Beijing, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Qin Zhang
- Learning and Cognition Key Laboratory of Beijing, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | | | - Yun Wei
- Beijing No.65 Middle School, Beijing, China
| | - Yajie Huang
- Learning and Cognition Key Laboratory of Beijing, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
- School of Education, Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang, Anhui, China
| | - Lixia Cui
- Learning and Cognition Key Laboratory of Beijing, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
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Collins RA, Duncanson K, Skinner JA, Hay PJ, Paxton SJ, Burrows TL. Exploring Psychological Constructs in People Receiving Treatment for Addictive Eating Behaviours: "I Hate Loving Food as Much as I Do". Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:817. [PMID: 37887467 PMCID: PMC10604454 DOI: 10.3390/bs13100817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Research into the complexities of addictive eating behaviours continues to develop, as a deeper understanding of this construct beyond self-report diagnostic tools emerges. In this study, we undertook structured interviews with 40 participants engaged in a personality-based management program for addictive eating, to gain insight into what situations lead people with addictive eating behaviours to overeat, and how they believe their lives would be different if they had control over their eating. A phenomenological analysis to explore compulsion and control in the context of food experiences for participants was used to construct two main themes of the addictive eating paradox and striving to transition from 'other' to 'normal'. The addictive eating paradox identified multiple contradictory experiences of a situation, e.g., 'loving food' but 'hating food'. Striving to transition from 'other' to 'normal' encompassed the idea that participants envisaged that by gaining control over their eating they could become 'normal'. This study emphasises the need to provide support and strategies to help people navigate paradoxical thoughts and presents new ideas to increase the effectiveness of interventions for individuals struggling with the complex self-beliefs held by those with addictive eating behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A. Collins
- School of Health Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; (J.A.S.); (T.L.B.)
- Food & Nutrition Program, New Lambton, NSW 2305, Australia;
| | - Kerith Duncanson
- Food & Nutrition Program, New Lambton, NSW 2305, Australia;
- School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Janelle A. Skinner
- School of Health Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; (J.A.S.); (T.L.B.)
- Food & Nutrition Program, New Lambton, NSW 2305, Australia;
| | - Phillipa J. Hay
- Translational Health Research Institute, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW 2560, Australia;
- Campbelltown Hospital, South West Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW 2560, Australia
| | - Susan J. Paxton
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia;
| | - Tracy L. Burrows
- School of Health Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; (J.A.S.); (T.L.B.)
- Food & Nutrition Program, New Lambton, NSW 2305, Australia;
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Wong PTP, Laird D. Varieties of suffering in the clinical setting: re-envisioning mental health beyond the medical model. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1155845. [PMID: 37275717 PMCID: PMC10237014 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1155845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In this paper, we argue for the need to rethink mental health beyond the medical model because much of human suffering cannot be diagnosed by the DSM-5. During the pandemic and post-pandemic, people have learned to accept the fact that no one is immune from suffering. Given the universality and complexity of human suffering, it is natural for people to wrestle with existential questions such as "Why struggle when all life end in death?" and "How can one flourish when life is so hard?" Existential positive psychology (EPP or PP2.0) was developed to address these existential concerns. After explaining the inherent limitations of the medical model and the need for EPP as an alternative vision for mental health, we provide illustrative clinical cases to demonstrate the advantages of this broader existential framework for both case conceptualization and interventions. According to EPP, mental illness is reconceptualized as both deficiency in knowledge and skills in coping with the demands of life and deficiency in meeting the basic needs for livelihood and mental health, the Soul's yearnings for faith, hope, and love. Finally, we introduce integrative meaning therapy as a therapeutic framework which can equip people with the needed skills to achieve healing, wholeness, and total wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul T. P. Wong
- Department of Psychology, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada
| | - Don Laird
- Department of Psychology, Counseling & Criminology, Carlow University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Regan A, Radošić N, Lyubomirsky S. Experimental effects of social behavior on well-being. Trends Cogn Sci 2022; 26:987-998. [PMID: 36109332 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2022.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Subjective well-being is characterized by relatively frequent positive emotions, relatively infrequent negative emotions, and high life satisfaction. Although myriad research topics related to subjective well-being have been explored - from how it should be measured to how it affects physical health - a key finding is that social connections are crucial. Researchers are therefore increasingly exploring whether subjective well-being can be improved through interventions that encourage specific types of social behaviors, including prosociality, gratitude, extraversion, and brief social interactions. We review this recent work, highlighting potential behavioral and psychological mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of such interventions, along with their boundary conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Regan
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
| | - Nina Radošić
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Sonja Lyubomirsky
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
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Uchida Y, Nakayama M, Bowen KS. Interdependence of Emotion: Conceptualization, Evidence, and Social Implications From Cultural Psychology. CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/09637214221109584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
People feel a wide range of emotions. In many psychological traditions, emotions are defined as primarily emerging from within the individual, even if influenced by external factors (e.g., approval from other people). This definition is consistent with an independent self-construal. However, in some contexts, emotions are understood to have more interdependent characteristics that can be shared with other people and that arise from social contexts and collective, shared situations. We define the lay theory of interdependence of emotion as the perception that emotional experience or its causes and consequences are shared with other people. Interdependence of emotion can be conceptualized along a spectrum, rather than as categorical. Additionally, the degree to which people understand emotions as interdependent likely varies by cultural context. In this article, we review studies that have investigated this lay theory of emotions across cultures, focusing on function. We suggest that people from non-WEIRD cultures (i.e., cultures that are not Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) are more likely than others to experience emotions as interdependent. Next, we highlight examples of this interdependence, focusing on two specific emotions: happiness and awe, which may have both independent and interdependent elements. The mechanisms and functions of the lay theory of interdependence of emotions are discussed using the example of a current collective threat, COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukiko Uchida
- Institute for the Future of Human Society, Kyoto University
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8
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Galovan AM, Carroll JS, Schramm DG, Leonhardt ND, Zuluaga J, McKenadel SEM, Oleksuik MR. Satisfaction or connectivity?: Implications from the strong relationality model of flourishing couple relationships. JOURNAL OF MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY 2022; 48:883-907. [PMID: 34661918 DOI: 10.1111/jmft.12559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A central feature of couple relationships research is the use of self-report measures of relationship satisfaction. Despite the widespread use of such measures in couples' research, scholars have raised critical questions about satisfaction-focused assessment, including concerns about taking an ontologically individualistic focus. Moving beyond ontological individualism, drawing from the Strong Relationality Model of Relationship Flourishing and data from 615 couples in the United States and Canada (N = 1230 individuals), we explored similarities and differences between assessments of relationship satisfaction and a measure based on strong relationality (relational-connectivity). We evaluated associations with other scales assessing relationship factors including indicators of well-being, relationship processes, virtues, and responsible actions. Using confirmatory latent profile analysis, we classified individuals as Flourishing (55.4%), Languishing (31.8%), Connected, Less-Satisfied (7.8%), or Satisfied, Less-Connected (5.0%). Our results suggest that attending to richer perspectives of relationship quality may spur additional understanding of many factors associated with meaningful couple relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam M Galovan
- Department of Human Ecology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jason S Carroll
- School of Family Life, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - David G Schramm
- Human Development and Family Studies, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Nathan D Leonhardt
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Johana Zuluaga
- Department of Human Ecology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - McKenna R Oleksuik
- Department of Human Ecology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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9
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Bryant FB. Current Progress and Future Directions for Theory and Research on Savoring. Front Psychol 2021; 12:771698. [PMID: 34970196 PMCID: PMC8712667 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.771698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
As research on savoring has increased dramatically since publication of the book Savoring: A New Model of Positive Experience (Bryant and Veroff, 2007), savoring has gradually become a core concept in positive psychology. I begin by reviewing the evolution of this concept, the development of instruments for assessing savoring ability and savoring strategies, and the wide range of applications of savoring in the psychosocial and health sciences. I then consider important directions for future theory and research. To advance our understanding of how naturalistic savoring unfolds over time, future work should integrate the perceptual judgments involved in not only the later stages of attending to and regulating positive experience (where past research has concentrated), but also the initial stages of searching for and noticing positive stimuli. Whereas most research has investigated reactive savoring, which occurs spontaneously in response to positive events or feelings, future work is also needed on proactive savoring, which begins with the deliberate act of seeking out or creating positive stimuli. To advance the measurement of savoring-related constructs, I recommend future work move beyond retrospective self-report methods toward the assessment of savoring as it occurs in real-time. The development of new methods of measuring meta-awareness and the regulation of attentional focus are crucial to advancing our understanding of savoring processes. I review recent research on the neurobiological correlates of savoring and suggest future directions in which to expand such work. I highlight the need for research aimed at unraveling the developmental processes through which savoring skills and deficits evolve and the role that savoring impairments play in the etiology and maintenance of psychopathology. Research is also needed to learn more about what enhances savoring, and to disentangle how people regulate the intensity versus duration of positive emotions. Finally, I encourage future researchers to integrate the study of anticipation, savoring the moment, and reminiscence within individuals across time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fred B. Bryant
- Department of Psychology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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10
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van Steenbergen H, Sauter D, Saunders B, Pourtois G. Editorial overview: Positive affect: taxonomies, mechanisms and applications. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2021.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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