Examining the role of attentional control in terms of specific emotion regulation difficulties

Attention networks in multilingual adults who do and who do not stutter

This study investigated whether multilinguals who stutter differ from multilinguals who do not stutter in terms of attention networks. Towards that end, it measured (a) performance differences in attention networks between multilinguals who stutter and those who do not stutter and (b) the correlation between stuttering characteristics and attention networks. Twenty-four multilingual Dutch-English speaking adults (20-46y), half of whom were diagnosed with stuttering, completed the Attentional Network Task (ANT) that evaluates the attention networks of alerting, orienting, and executive control. A language and social background questionnaire and a lexical decision task (LexTALE) assessed the participants' language proficiency. The Stuttering Severity Instrument 4th Ed. and the Brief Version of the Unhelpful Thoughts and Beliefs About Stuttering Scale were used to evaluate stuttering characteristics. The two groups did not differ in the ANT in terms of reaction time and error rate scores. Furthermore, no differences were observed in the three attention networks between the groups. Lastly, no correlation was found between stuttering characteristics and attention networks. The results suggest that the attention abilities of multilinguals who stutter do not differ from multilinguals who do not stutter.

Understanding Pedophilia: A Theoretical Framework on the Development of Sexual Penchants

Pedophilia is a significant public health problem. Despite its cost to society, little effort has been directed toward understanding idiographic differences in the development and maintenance of pedophilia. Extant literature emphasizes biological underpinnings and predictors of re-offense. In this article, we posit that pedophilic penchants in males originate due to language, cognition, emotions, and emotion regulation. Adverse childhood experiences, such as emotional and sexual abuse, are posited as a major contributor to the etiology of pedophilia. However, not all individuals attracted to minors present with similar childhood adversities. The development of pedophilia, in the absence of such direct training (childhood adversities), is difficult to comprehend. Relational frame theory, a comprehensive account of human language and cognition, aids in deciphering the idiographic underpinnings of pedophilia. The role of maladaptive emotion regulation in maintaining pedophilia is also described. This article presents examples of how relational frames are established and activated in distressing contexts. Finally, implications for future research are discussed.

Attentional control deficits and suicidal ideation variability: An ecological momentary assessment study in major depression

Suicidal behavior is associated with deficits in cognitive control; however, suicidal ideation (SI), a key precursor to suicidal behavior, has been less consistently linked to neuropsychological functioning. Additionally, no study to date has examined attentional control capacities in relation to variability in suicidal ideation, defined as fluctuation in SI intensity and duration across short periods of time. Prior research suggests that suicidal individuals with highly variable SI experience greater stress-responsive increases in SI and cortisol, potentially raising risk for suicidal behavior. Here, we examined attentional control capacities associated with SI variability and severity in ninety-five subjects with major depressive disorder. Variability and severity of SI and depressive affect were quantified using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) over a 7-day period. Participants completed the Continuous Performance Task (CPT) and a computerized Stroop task for assessment of attentional control. EMA SI variability was associated with greater attentional interference on the Stroop task, and this was not accounted for by severity of SI, concurrently assessed depressive affect, or baseline depression. CPT performance was not related to SI variability or intensity. Findings highlight the utility of EMA methods in characterizing patterned experiences of SI and suggest that attentional control deficits may contribute to these characteristic patterns.

Premenstrual syndrome is associated with an altered spontaneous electroencephalographic delta/beta power ratio across the menstrual cycle

Premenstrual syndrome is associated with altered spontaneous brain activity in the late luteal phase, but the fluctuation patterns of brain activity throughout the menstrual cycle have not been revealed. Furthermore, it is also unknown whether the altered spontaneous brain activity during the whole menstrual cycle is further associated with their habitual use of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. Based on the two reasons, electroencephalogram data and cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire from 32 women with high premenstrual symptoms (HPMS) and 33 women with low premenstrual symptoms (LPMS) were measured in the late luteal and follicular phases. Delta power, theta power, beta power, and the slow/fast wave ratios (SW/FW, including theta/beta power ratio [TBR] and delta/beta power ratio [DBR]) were calculated using both fixed frequency bands and individually adjusted frequency bands (based on the individual alpha peak frequency). The results showed that for the frontal and central DBR, as assessed both with fixed and individualized frequency bands, there was no difference between the two phases of the LPMS group, whereas there was a difference between the two phases of the HPMS group with a higher DBR in the late luteal phase than in the follicular phase. Further correlation results revealed that for women with HPMS in the late luteal phase, the frontal and central DBR values, as assessed both with fixed and individualized frequency bands, were positively correlated with self-blame and rumination. Consequently, HPMS was characterized by a fluctuation across the menstrual cycle in the DBR, which was further associated with maladaptive emotion regulation.

Meta-Analysis of the Associations Among Constructs of Intrapersonal Emotion Knowledge

To better define the boundaries of conceptually overlapping constructs of intrapersonal emotion knowledge (EK), we examined meta-analytic correlations among five intrapersonal EK-related constructs (affect labelling, alexithymia, emotional awareness, emotional clarity, emotion differentiation) and attention to emotion. Affect labelling, alexithymia, and emotional clarity were strongly associated, and they were moderately associated with attention to emotion. Alexithymia and emotional awareness were weakly associated, and emotion differentiation was unrelated with emotional clarity. Sample characteristics and measures moderated some of the associations. Publication bias was not found, except for the alexithymia-emotional awareness association. This study helped to clarify the extent to which similarly defined constructs overlap or are distinct, which can inform our decision to adequately label important constructs and employ corresponding measures.

Examining the Factor Structure and Incremental Validity of the Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale - Short Form in a Community Sample

The Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale - Short Form (BDEFS-SF; Barkley, 2011) was developed to assess deficits in five facets of executive functioning. Theoretical assumptions surrounding the BDEFS-SF presume that executive dysfunction is an overarching construct that consists of five domain-specific factors (i.e., a hierarchical model; Barkley, 2011). Prior research has supported a correlated five-factor model, but the tenability of hierarchical or bifactor models of the BDEFS-SF have not yet been tested. In the present study (N = 1,120 community adults), confirmatory factor analysis was used to compare four theoretically relevant models of the BDEFS-SF (i.e., one-factor, correlated five-factor, hierarchical, and bifactor models). The bifactor model provided the best fit to the data. However, the general factor accounted for the overwhelming majority of variance in BDEFS-SF scores and none of the domain-specific factors exhibited adequate construct replicability or factor determinancy. Further, the general factor accounted for the overhelming majority of variance in criterion variables (i.e., executive attention and health anxiety); the Organization and Emotion factors accounted for a small amount of unique variance in executive attention and the Emotion factor accounted for a small amount of unique variance in health anxiety. Taken together, study findings suggest that the BDEFS-SF has a strong general factor and independent use of the domain-specific factors is contraindicated.

Mindfulness, acceptance, and emotion regulation: perspectives from Monitor and Acceptance Theory (MAT)

Experiential acceptance-an orientation of receptivity and noninterference with present-moment experiences-is described as central to mindfulness interventions, yet little experimental work has tested acceptance as a mechanism for mindfulness intervention effects. Guided by Monitor and Acceptance Theory (MAT), this review situates acceptance as an emotion regulation mechanism and reviews self-report mindfulness literature showing that attention monitoring skills are only associated with beneficial mental and physical health outcomes when accompanied by acceptance skills. New experimental dismantling work shows that removing acceptance training from mindfulness interventions reduces their efficacy for improving stress, positive emotion, and social relationship outcomes. Overall, converging evidence demonstrates that acceptance is a critical emotion regulation mechanism of mindfulness interventions. This work advances basic research, has translational value, and offers opportunities for future research.

The Role of Attention in Therapy for Children and Adolescents Who Stutter: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Interventions

METHOD

This clinical discussion paper will explore two aspects of attention in relation to young people who stutter and their parents: (a) what we attend to as human beings and (b) how we attend. It will draw on research and clinical practice informed by CBT and MBIs. Specifically, information-processing theory in CBT explains psychological well-being partly in terms of what individuals focus their attention on, whereas MBIs focus on the relationship between how individuals attend to their internal experiences and their psychological well-being.

CONCLUSIONS

Although a nascent field, MBIs may be useful as a part of therapy for children and adolescents who stutter. The concepts highlighted by MBIs may also help to resolve some clinical issues.

Altered attentional control linked to catastrophizing in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

OBJECTIVES

Our study aimed to investigate differences in attentional control between patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and healthy participants and to examine the link between attentional control and IBS catastrophizing. Previous research has shown that patients with chronic functional illnesses have lower levels of attentional control. However, no previous study has found altered attentional control in patients with IBS or directly investigated the link between attentional control and catastrophizing. We also aimed to establish whether anxiety is associated with attentional functions in patients with IBS.

DESIGN AND METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, we compared 41 IBS patients with 39 healthy-matched control participants on attentional functions using an attention network task. IBS catastrophizing (Gastrointestinal Cognitions), IBS symptom severity (GSRS-IBS), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress (DASS-21), and Visceral Anxiety Sensitivity were assessed using self-report measures.

RESULTS

Patients with IBS had lower attentional control compared to healthy participants, t (78) = -2.75, p = .007, d = .62. Groups did not differ in alerting or orienting attention. IBS patients with lower attentional control scored higher on IBS catastrophizing than those with higher attention control, t (38.59) = 2.19, p = .032, d = .66. Anxiety was related to orienting attention in the IBS group (ρ = .38, p = .015).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with IBS displayed reduced attentional control. Crucially, those patients with lower attentional control also had more catastrophizing thoughts than patients with better attentional control. These findings suggest that improving attentional control could be a valid target for psychological interventions for IBS. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? It has been hypothesised that psychological processes play a role in the maintenance of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and altered levels of attentional control have been found in patients with other functional illnesses but not yet in patients with IBS. Pain catastrophizing, a maladaptive thinking pattern, has been linked with IBS symptom severity, and previous research has shown an association between attentional control and intrusive thoughts. Whether there is an association between catastrophizing thoughts and attentional control in patients with IBS is unknown. What does this study add? Patients with irritable bowel syndrome show reduced levels of attentional control. IBS patients with lower levels of attentional control have more catastrophizing thoughts. Therapies emphasizing attentional control training may help reduce catastrophizing.

Attentional Control and Fear Extinction in Subclinical Fear: An Exploratory Study

Attentional control (AC) and fear extinction learning are known to be involved in pathological anxiety. In this study we explored whether individual differences in non-emotional AC were associated with individual differences in the magnitude and gradient of fear extinction (learning and recall). In 50 individuals with fear of spiders, we collected measures of non-emotional AC by means of self-report and by assessing the functioning of the major attention networks (executive control, orienting, and alerting). The participants then underwent a paradigm assessing fear extinction learning and extinction recall. The two components of the orienting network functioning (costs and benefits) were significantly associated with fear extinction gradient over and above the effects of trait anxiety. Specifically, participants with enhanced orienting costs (i.e., difficulties in disengaging attention from cues not relevant for the task) showed faster extinction learning, while those with enhanced orienting benefits (i.e., attention facilitated by valid cues) exhibited faster extinction recall as measured by fear-potentiated startle and Unconditioned Stimulus expectancies, respectively. Our findings suggest that, in non-emotional conditions, the orienting component of attention may be predictive of fear extinction. They also show that the use of fear extinction gradients and the exploration of individual differences in non-emotional AC (using performance-based measures of attentional network functioning) can provide a better understanding of individual differences in fear learning. Our findings also may help to understand differences in exposure therapy outcomes.