1
|
Brunel J, Delord S, Mathey S. Inhibition in the emotional Hayling task: can hypnotic suggestion enhance cognitive control on a prepotent negative word? Cogn Emot 2024:1-9. [PMID: 38888553 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2024.2367712] [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: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that instrumental hypnosis is a useful experimental tool to investigate emotional and language processing effects. However, the capacity of hypnotic suggestions to intervene during the response inhibition of emotional words remains elusive. This study investigated whether hypnotic suggestion can improve the inhibition of prepotent negative word responses in an emotional Hayling sentence completion task. High-suggestible participants performed a computerised emotional Hayling task. They were first asked to select the appropriate words ending highly predictable sentences among two propositions (initiation part), and then to select the filler words that did not end the sentences correctly (inhibition part). Half of the expected final words had a negative emotional valence, while the other half was neutral. The task was performed in a control condition (without suggestion) and with a hypnotic suggestion to decrease emotional reactivity. The results revealed that hypnotic suggestion (compared to the control condition) hastened response times on negative final words in the inhibition part, showing that hypnotic suggestion can enhance cognitive control over prepotent negative word responses in a sentence completion task. We suggest that this modulation stems from a reduction in the emotional relevance of the final words caused by the hypnotic suggestion.
Collapse
|
2
|
Patel D, Bhagat OL, Dixit A. Attentional Differences Between Males and Females for Emojis During the Emotional Stroop Task. Cureus 2024; 16:e60428. [PMID: 38883084 PMCID: PMC11179743 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.60428] [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] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cognitive load can be intensified by emotional components such as emotive words or facial expressions. Sex differences influence both emotional and cognitive functions for emotional facial expressions. Emojis, in contrast to human faces, serve as digital cues conveying emotional nuances in communication. The present study aimed to compare attentional differences prompted by emojis. Methods This study aimed to compare attentional differences in males and females elicited by emojis in 100 healthy adults (50 males and 50 females) within the age group of 18 to 40 years (mean ± SD: 27.87 ± 5.37 years) while performing the emotional Stroop task (EST). The EST comprised emojis depicting four emotions (happy, fear, sad, and angry) and emotionally charged words conveying similar emotions. An independent sample t-test was used to compare the reaction times among males and females. Results Results showed males had significantly longer reaction times than females across all task conditions. Both genders exhibited significant differences in reaction times across task conditions, except inhibition. Overall, reaction times increased notably from neutral to incongruent conditions for both genders. This suggests that response times increased significantly from neutral to incongruent conditions. Conclusion Emojis introduced in the EST revealed gender-related differences in attentional processing. This study showed the greater proficiency of females in emotional processing during EST compared to males. These findings contribute to our understanding of how gender is associated with cognitive responses to emotional stimuli in digital communication contexts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deeksha Patel
- Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi, IND
| | - Om Lata Bhagat
- Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Jodhpur, IND
| | - Abhinav Dixit
- Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Jodhpur, IND
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wu LY, Hsu HC, Ni LF, Yan YJ, Hwang RJ. Effect of Physical Exercise on Executive Functions Using the Emotional Stroop Task in Perimenopausal Women: A Pilot Study. Behav Sci (Basel) 2024; 14:338. [PMID: 38667134 PMCID: PMC11047564 DOI: 10.3390/bs14040338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Exercise has beneficial effects on emotional cognitive control for the majority of the population. However, the impact of exercise on cognitive processes in perimenopausal women remains unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of aerobic exercise on the cognitive processes of perimenopausal women using an emotional Stroop task (EST). METHOD A quasi-experimental pilot study was conducted involving 14 perimenopausal women (Peri-MG) and 13 healthy young women (YG) who completed an EST before and after an aerobic cycling exercise. Mixed-effects models for repeated measures were used to analyze reaction times (RTs) and error rates (ERs) during emotional word processing (positive, negative, and neutral) for both groups. RESULTS Compared with the YG, the Peri-MG showed significantly shortened RTs for positive and negative emotions (p < 0.05) post-exercise, but not for neutral words. In addition, the Peri-MG exhibited significantly increased ERs for negative words at baseline compared with the YG (p < 0.05), but this difference was not observed during the post-exercise test. CONCLUSION The findings suggest that aerobic exercise can enhance executive control performance in perimenopausal women. The Peri-MG exhibited marked behavioral plasticity in the form of reduced bias to salient cues that were significantly more sensitive to alterations due to exercise. This new evidence enhances the understanding of emotional vulnerability and beneficial susceptibility to exercise in perimenopausal women.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li-Yu Wu
- Department of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333424, Taiwan; (L.-Y.W.); (L.-F.N.); (Y.-J.Y.)
| | - Hsiu-Chin Hsu
- Graduate Institute of Gerontology and Health Care Management, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333424, Taiwan;
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 333423, Taiwan
| | - Lee-Fen Ni
- Department of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333424, Taiwan; (L.-Y.W.); (L.-F.N.); (Y.-J.Y.)
- Department of Nursing, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 333423, Taiwan
- Clinical Competency Center, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333424, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Jia Yan
- Department of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333424, Taiwan; (L.-Y.W.); (L.-F.N.); (Y.-J.Y.)
- Intellectual Property Office, MOEA, Taipei City 100210, Taiwan
| | - Ren-Jen Hwang
- Department of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333424, Taiwan; (L.-Y.W.); (L.-F.N.); (Y.-J.Y.)
- Department of Nursing, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 333423, Taiwan
- Clinical Competency Center, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333424, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Amodeo L, Nijhof AD, Brass M, Wiersema JR. The relevance of familiarity in the context of self-related information processing. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2023; 76:2823-2836. [PMID: 36714977 DOI: 10.1177/17470218231154884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Humans are inclined to preferentially process self-related content, referred to as the "self-bias." Different paradigms have been used to study this effect. However, not all paradigms included a familiar other condition (but rather an unfamiliar other condition), needed to differentiate self-specific effects from the impact of familiarity. The primary goal of our study was to test the suitability for studying the self-bias of two paradigms that provide robust measures of salience effects-that is, the Repetition Blindness (RB) effect and the Emotional Stroop (ES) interference-while addressing the familiarity confound. We further explored whether self-bias effects were related to autism symptomatology, as a reduced self-bias in autism has been reported in previous research. In an online procedure, 82 adults performed an RB task and an ES task in a counterbalanced order, while being presented with both self- and familiar other-related stimuli. Results of both frequentist and Bayesian analyses did not provide evidence in favour of a specific self-bias on either task: we found no significant modulation of the RB effect, nor of the ES interference, for the own versus a close other's name. Moreover, no link with autism symptomatology was found. Tackling a crucial shortcoming from earlier studies, our investigation raises awareness on the importance of accounting for familiarity when investigating self-related processing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Amodeo
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- EXPLORA, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Annabel D Nijhof
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- EXPLORA, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marcel Brass
- EXPLORA, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Department of Psychology, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan R Wiersema
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- EXPLORA, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Bello MS, Zhang Y, Cho J, Kirkpatrick MG, Pang RD, Oliver JA, Webb Hooper M, Barrington-Trimis JL, Ahluwalia JS, Leventhal AM. Nicotine deprivation amplifies attentional bias toward racial discrimination stimuli in African American adults who smoke cigarettes. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2023; 31:1023-1031. [PMID: 37535524 PMCID: PMC10837307 DOI: 10.1037/pha0000662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
High smoking prevalence and low quit smoking rates among African American adults are well-documented, but poorly understood. We tested a transdisciplinary theoretical model of psychopharmacological-social mechanisms underlying smoking among African American adults. This model proposes that nicotine's acute attention-filtering effects may enhance smoking's addictiveness in populations unduly exposed to discrimination, like African American adults, because nicotine reduces the extent to which discrimination-related stimuli capture attention, and in turn, generate distress. During nicotine deprivation, attentional biases toward discrimination may be unmasked and exacerbated, which may induce distress and perpetuate smoking. To test this model, this within-subject laboratory experiment determined whether attentional bias toward racial discrimination stimuli was amplified by nicotine deprivation in African American adults who smoked daily. Participants (N = 344) completed a computerized modified Stroop task assessing attentional interference from racial discrimination-related words during two counterbalanced sessions (nicotine sated vs. overnight nicotine deprived). The task required participants to quickly name the color of discrimination and matched neutral words. Word Type (Discrimination vs. Neutral) × Pharmacological State (Nicotine Deprived vs. Sated) effects on color naming reaction times were examined. Attentional bias toward racial discrimination-related stimuli was amplified in nicotine deprived (reaction time to discrimination minus neutral stimuli: M [95%CI] = 34.69 [29.62, 39.76] ms; d = 0.15) compared to sated (M [95%CI] = 24.88 [19.84, 29.91] ms; d = 0.11) conditions (Word Type × Pharmacological State, p < .0001). The impact of nicotine deprivation on attentional processes in the context of adverse societal conditions merit consideration in future science and intervention addressing smoking in African American adults. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariel S Bello
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Arizona
| | - Junhan Cho
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - Matthew G Kirkpatrick
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - Raina D Pang
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - Jason A Oliver
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
| | | | - Jessica L Barrington-Trimis
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - Jasjit S Ahluwalia
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University
| | - Adam M Leventhal
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Vancappel A, Raysseguier C, Révellière C, Penverne T, Fernandes R, El-Hage W. Inhibition, Attentional Control and Binding Abilities in Relation to Dissociative Symptoms Among PTSD Patients. J Trauma Dissociation 2023; 24:609-623. [PMID: 36992662 DOI: 10.1080/15299732.2023.2195397] [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: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The relationship between dissociation and cognitive abilities remains controversial. Empirical studies have reported positive, negative and non-existent associations between dissociation and cognition. These inconsistent results may be due to the fact that the studies focused mainly on trait dissociation, while dissociation is not stable but transient. After validating the French version of the Clinician Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS), the aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between state dissociation and cognitive abilities. METHOD We recruited 83 patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and assessed them twice. At T1, they performed a neutral Stroop task and a neutral binding task. At T2 (one to three weeks later), after a script-driven dissociative induction, they performed an emotional Stroop task and an emotional binding task. Between the two sessions, they completed questionnaires at home evaluating PTSD severity, trait dissociation and cognitive difficulties. State dissociation was assessed at T1 and T2 using the Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS). RESULTS We found good psychometric properties of the French version of the CADSS. After inducing dissociation, significantly lower attentional performance was found among patients with than without dissociative reactions. We found a significant positive correlation between state dissociation and increased attention and memory difficulties after induction. CONCLUSION The French version of the CADSS is a reliable and valid tool to assess state dissociation, which is correlated with attentional difficulties. Attentional training is recommended to help patients control dissociative symptoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Vancappel
- CHRU de Tours, Pôle de Psychiatrie-Addictologie, Tours, France
- Département de Psychologie, EE 1901 QualiPsy, Qualité de vie et santé psychologique, Tours, France
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, Tours, France
| | - C Raysseguier
- CHRU de Tours, Pôle de Psychiatrie-Addictologie, Tours, France
| | - C Révellière
- Département de Psychologie, EE 1901 QualiPsy, Qualité de vie et santé psychologique, Tours, France
| | - T Penverne
- CHRU de Tours, Pôle de Psychiatrie-Addictologie, Tours, France
| | - R Fernandes
- CHRU de Tours, Pôle de Psychiatrie-Addictologie, Tours, France
| | - W El-Hage
- CHRU de Tours, Pôle de Psychiatrie-Addictologie, Tours, France
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, Tours, France
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Russell B, Mussap AJ. Posttraumatic stress, visual working memory, and visual imagery in military personnel. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 43:1-18. [PMID: 36845204 PMCID: PMC9942044 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-023-04338-1] [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] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by disruptions to cognitive functioning. Two studies were conducted to examine the relevance of military-related PTSD to two cognitive functions - visual working memory and visual imagery. Participants were military personnel who reported their PTSD diagnosis history and completed a self-administered screening tool for PTSD, the PTSD Checklist - Military Version. In Study 1, 138 personnel also completed a memory span task and a 2-back task using colored words in which Stroop interference was introduced via the semantic content of the words. In Study 2, a separate group of 211 personnel completed measures of perceived imagery vividness and spontaneous use of visual imagery. Interference effects on working memory in PTSD-diagnosed military personnel were not replicated. However, ANCOVA and structural equation modelling revealed that PTSD-intrusions were associated with poorer working memory whereas PTSD-arousal was associated with spontaneous use of visual imagery. We interpret these results as evidence that intrusive flashbacks disrupt working memory performance not by limiting memory capacity nor by interfering directly with memory functions such as inhibition, but by adding internal noise in the form of task-irrelevant memories and emotions. Visual imagery appears to be unrelated to these flashbacks but with arousal symptoms of PTSD, perhaps in the form of flashforwards about feared/anticipated threats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brenton Russell
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, 3125 Melbourne, Australia
| | - Alexander J. Mussap
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, 3125 Melbourne, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Mason L, Zagni B, Bacchin F, Frison C, Scrimin S. Children's Attentional Processes in Outdoor and Indoor Environments: The Role of Physiological Self-Regulation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:13141. [PMID: 36293718 PMCID: PMC9602797 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has documented that exposure to green spaces has the beneficial effects of attention restoration and stress reduction. This study investigated the effects of indoor (classroom) and outdoor (green school garden) environments on attentional processes in interaction with emotion and physiological self-regulation. Children in third and fourth grades (n = 42) completed a school-related emotional Stroop task assessing the effects of outdoor and indoor classroom backgrounds when facing positive and negative stimuli. Children's attentional patterns in a task completed in both environments were also assessed. Heart rate variability was registered at rest as an index of physiological self-regulation. The results revealed that children were less distracted from negative emotional materials when presented with outdoor compared with indoor background stimuli. Greater selective attention and sustained attention were shown in the green than in the classroom environment. Moreover, sustained attention varied in relation to physiological self-regulation but only when performing the task indoor.
Collapse
|
9
|
Moscardini EH, Tucker RP. Psychometric Properties of an Online Administered Version of the Suicide Stroop Task. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10862-022-09994-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
10
|
Iozzino L, Harvey PD, Canessa N, Gosek P, Heitzman J, Macis A, Picchioni M, Salize HJ, Wancata J, Koch M, Ferrari C, de Girolamo G. Neurocognition and social cognition in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders with and without a history of violence: results of a multinational European study. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:620. [PMID: 34880208 PMCID: PMC8651972 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01749-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Neurocognitive impairment has been extensively studied in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and seems to be one of the major determinants of functional outcome in this clinical population. Data exploring the link between neuropsychological deficits and the risk of violence in schizophrenia has been more inconsistent. In this study, we analyse the differential predictive potential of neurocognition and social cognition to discriminate patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders with and without a history of severe violence. METHODS Overall, 398 (221 cases and 177 controls) patients were recruited in forensic and general psychiatric settings across five European countries and assessed using a standardized battery. RESULTS Education and processing speed were the strongest discriminators between forensic and non-forensic patients, followed by emotion recognition. In particular, increased accuracy for anger recognition was the most distinctive feature of the forensic group. CONCLUSIONS These results may have important clinical implications, suggesting potential enhancements of the assessment and treatment of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders with a history of violence, who may benefit from consideration of socio-cognitive skills commonly neglected in ordinary clinical practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Iozzino
- grid.419422.8Unit of Epidemiological Psychiatry and Evaluation, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Philip D. Harvey
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Research Service, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL USA
| | - Nicola Canessa
- grid.30420.350000 0001 0724 054XScuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS, IUSS Cognitive Neuroscience (ICoN) Center, Pavia, Italy ,grid.511455.1Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory of Pavia Institute, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Pavia, Italy
| | - Pawel Gosek
- grid.418955.40000 0001 2237 2890Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Janusz Heitzman
- grid.418955.40000 0001 2237 2890Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ambra Macis
- grid.419422.8Unit of Statistics, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Marco Picchioni
- grid.13097.3c0000 0001 2322 6764Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK ,St Magnus Hospital, Haslemere, Surrey UK
| | - Hans Joachim Salize
- grid.413757.30000 0004 0477 2235Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Johannes Wancata
- grid.22937.3d0000 0000 9259 8492Clinical Division of Social Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marlene Koch
- grid.22937.3d0000 0000 9259 8492Clinical Division of Social Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Clarissa Ferrari
- grid.419422.8Unit of Statistics, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Giovanni de Girolamo
- Unit of Epidemiological Psychiatry and Evaluation, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Allan A, de Mott J, Larkins IM, Turnbull L, Warwick T, Willett L, Allan MM. The impact of voluntariness of apologies on victims' responses in restorative justice: findings of a quantitative study. PSYCHIATRY, PSYCHOLOGY, AND LAW : AN INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF THE AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION OF PSYCHIATRY, PSYCHOLOGY AND LAW 2021; 29:593-609. [PMID: 35903502 PMCID: PMC9318312 DOI: 10.1080/13218719.2021.1956383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Apologies are ordered in law without certainty about whether or not recipients perceive ordered and voluntary apologies differently. This exploratory study investigates whether or not the voluntariness of apologies influences recipients' perceptions of their sincerity, acceptance of apologies, willingness to forgive and intended retributive behaviour. We manipulated the voluntariness of apologies whilst considering offender (age, gender, ethnicity and prior wrongful behaviour) and offence (seriousness) characteristics in 3 studies (ns = 164, 121, 236). Participants adopting the role of a hypothetical victim received either a voluntary or an ordered apology. The voluntary apologies were found to have a significantly more positive impact than the ordered apologies on acceptance and perception of sincerity in all 3 studies and on forgiveness in 2 studies, but did not significantly change participants' retributive behaviour in any study. Age was the only other variable found to make a significant difference, with younger offenders' apologies being rated as sincerer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alfred Allan
- School of Arts and Humanities, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Tracey Warwick
- Secondary School Student Services, Western Australian Department of Education, Perth, Australia
| | | | - Maria M. Allan
- School of Arts and Humanities, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Imbir KK, Pastwa M, Duda-Goławska J, Sobieszek A, Jankowska M, Modzelewska A, Wielgopolan A, Żygierewicz J. Electrophysiological correlates of interference control in the modified emotional Stroop task with emotional stimuli differing in valence, arousal, and subjective significance. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258177. [PMID: 34648542 PMCID: PMC8516239 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of emotional factors in maintaining cognitive control is one of the most intriguing issues in understanding emotion-cognition interactions. In the current experiment, we assessed the role of emotional factors (valence, arousal, and subjective significance) in perceptual and conceptual inhibition processes. We operationalised both processes with the classical cognitive paradigms, i.e., the flanker task and the emotional Stroop task merged into a single experimental procedure. The procedure was based on the presentation of emotional words displayed in four different font colours flanked by the same emotional word printed with the same or different font colour. We expected to find distinct effects of both types of interference: earlier for perceptual and later for emotional interference. We also predicted an increased arousal level to disturb inhibitory control effectiveness, while increasing the subjective significance level should improve this process. As we used orthogonal manipulations of emotional factors, our study allowed us for the first time to assess interactions within emotional factors and between types of interference. We found on the behavioural level the main effects of flanker congruency as well as effects of emotionality. On the electrophysiological level, we found effects for EPN, P2, and N450 components of ERPs. The exploratory analysis revealed that effects due to perceptual interference appeared earlier than the effects of emotional interference, but they lasted for an extended period of processing, causing perceptual and emotional interference to partially overlap. Finally, in terms of emotional interference, we showed the effect of subjective significance: the reduction of interference cost in N450 for highly subjective significant stimuli. This study is the first one allowing for the investigation of two different types of interference in a single experiment, and provides insight into the role of emotion in cognitive control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kamil K. Imbir
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Pastwa
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Duda-Goławska
- Faculty of Physics, Biomedical Physics Division, Institute of Experimental Physics, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Adam Sobieszek
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | | | | | - Jarosław Żygierewicz
- Faculty of Physics, Biomedical Physics Division, Institute of Experimental Physics, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Guha A, Yee CM, Heller W, Miller GA. Alterations in the default mode-salience network circuit provide a potential mechanism supporting negativity bias in depression. Psychophysiology 2021; 58:e13918. [PMID: 34403515 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Aberrant effective connectivity between default mode (DMN) and salience (SAL) networks may support the tendency of depressed individuals to find it difficult to disengage from self-focused, negatively-biased thinking and may contribute to the onset and maintenance of depression. Assessment of effective connectivity, which can statistically characterize the direction of influence between regions within neural circuits, may provide new insights into the nature of DMN-SAL connectivity disruptions in depression. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was collected from 38 individuals with a history of major depression and 50 healthy comparison participants during completion of an emotion-word Stroop task. Activation within DMN and SAL networks and effective connectivity between DMN and SAL, assessed via Granger causality, were examined. Individuals with a history of depression exhibited greater overall network activation, greater directed connectivity from DMN to SAL, and less directed connectivity from SAL to DMN than healthy comparison participants during negative-word trials. Among individuals with a history of depression, greater DMN-to-SAL connectivity was associated with lower overall network activation and worse task performance during positive-word trials; this pattern was not observed among healthy participants. Present findings indicate that greater network activation and, specifically, influence of DMN on SAL, support negativity bias among previously depressed individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anika Guha
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Cindy M Yee
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Wendy Heller
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Gregory A Miller
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Almdahl IS, Martinussen LJ, Agartz I, Hugdahl K, Korsnes MS. Inhibition of emotions in healthy aging: age-related differences in brain network connectivity. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e02052. [PMID: 33543596 PMCID: PMC8119855 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Successful inhibition of distracting emotions is important for preserving well-being and daily functioning. There is conflicting evidence regarding the impact of healthy aging on emotional inhibition, and possible age-related alterations in the neuronal underpinnings of emotional interference processing are unexplored. METHODS Thirty younger (mean age 26 years; 15 women) and 30 older (mean age 71 years; 13 women) healthy adults performed a face-word emotional Stroop task while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. A resting-state scan was acquired for calculating the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations as an estimate of vascular reactivity. Comparisons of brain activation during the task were assessed in a whole-brain, voxel-wise analysis, contrasting congruent, and incongruent conditions. The canonical regions of the frontoparietal, salience, dorsal attention, and default mode networks were used as seed regions for assessing functional connectivity within and between large-scale brain networks. Task performance was evaluated using response accuracy and response time. RESULTS The older adults had longer response times and lower task accuracy than the younger adults, but the emotional interference effect was not significantly different between the groups. Whole-brain analysis revealed no significant age-related differences in brain activation patterns. Rescaling the data for estimated variability in vascular reactivity did not affect the results. In older adults, there was relatively stronger functional connectivity with the default mode network, the sensorimotor network, and the dorsal attention network for the frontoparietal and salience network seeds during the task. Conversely, younger adults had relatively stronger connections within and between the frontoparietal and salience networks. CONCLUSION In this first fMRI study of emotional Stroop interference in older and younger adults, we found that the emotional interference effect was unchanged in healthy aging and replicated the finding from non-emotional task studies that older adults have greater between-network and less within-network connectivity compared to younger adults.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ina S Almdahl
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Liva J Martinussen
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ingrid Agartz
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatric Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kenneth Hugdahl
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Radiology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Maria S Korsnes
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Assessment of Resilience of the Hellenic Navy Seals by Electrodermal Activity during Cognitive Tasks. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18084384. [PMID: 33924253 PMCID: PMC8074743 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18084384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Stress resilience plays a key role in task performance during emergencies, especially in occupations like military special forces, with a routine consisting of unexpected events. Nevertheless, reliable and applicable measurements of resilience in predicting task performance in stressful conditions are still researched. This study aimed to explore the stress response in the Hellenic Navy SEALs (HN-SEALs), using a cognitive–physiological approach. Eighteen candidates under intense preparation for their enlistment in the HN-SEALs and 16 healthy controls (HCs) underwent Stroop tests, along with mental-state and personality examination. Simultaneously, electrodermal activity (EDA) was assessed during each one of cognitive testing procedures. Compared to healthy control values, multiple components of EDA values were found decreased (p < 0.05) in the HN-SEALs group. These results were associated with an increase in resilience level in the HN-SEALs group, since a restricted sympathetic reactivity according to the reduced EDA values was observed during the stressful cognitive testing. This is the first report providing physiological measurements of the sympathetic response of HN-SEALs to a stressful situation and suggests that EDA turns out to be a simple and objective tool of sympathetic activation and it may be used as a complementary index of resilience in HN-SEALs candidates.
Collapse
|
16
|
Imbir KK, Pastwa M, Jankowska M, Kosman M, Modzelewska A, Wielgopolan A. Valence and arousal of words in visual and conceptual interference control efficiency. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0241694. [PMID: 33211720 PMCID: PMC7676691 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive control efficiency is susceptible to the emotional state of an individual. The aim of the current experiment was to search for the role of valence and arousal of emotion-laden words in a performance efficiency of a modified emotional Stroop task (EST) combined with the flanker task. Both paradigms allow for the measurement of the interference control, but interference appears on different stages of stimulus processing. In the flanker task, the interference is perceptual, while in EST, it is based on the emotional meaning of stimuli. We expected to find the effects of emotionality of words, that is, arousal and valence levels, for interference measured with EST. In a series of two experiments, the results confirmed that a high arousal level enlarges the reaction latencies to the EST. We also identified interaction between valence and arousal in shaping reaction latencies. We found the flanker congruency effect. We did not find interactions between emotional factors and flanker congruency. This suggests that interference measured with the EST and flanker task are in fact different from one another, and while using the modified EST combined with the flanker task, the word-meaning effects do not interfere with pure perceptual interferences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kamil K. Imbir
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Pastwa
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Marcin Kosman
- Faculty of Polish Studies, Institute of Applied Polish Studies, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Belcher BR, Zink J, Azad A, Campbell CE, Chakravartti SP, Herting MM. The Roles of Physical Activity, Exercise, and Fitness in Promoting Resilience During Adolescence: Effects on Mental Well-Being and Brain Development. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2020; 6:225-237. [PMID: 33067166 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence is a critical yet vulnerable period for developing behaviors important for mental well-being. The existing literature suggests that physical activity (PA), exercise, and aerobic fitness promote well-being and reduce risk of mental health problems. In this review, we focus on PA, exercise, and fitness as modifiable resilience factors that may help promote self-regulation via strengthening of top-down control of bottom-up processes in the brain, thereby acting as a buffer against mental health problems during this period of vulnerability. First, we briefly review the link between PA, exercise, and aerobic fitness with mental well-being and reduced mental health problems in adolescence. Then we present how impairments in self-regulation, which involves top-down control to modulate bottom-up processes, are common across a wide range of mental health disorders. Finally, we use the extant neuroimaging literature to highlight how neural systems underlying top-down control continue to develop across adolescence, and propose that PA, exercise, and aerobic fitness may facilitate resilience through strengthening individual brain regions as well as large-scale neural circuits to improve emotional and behavioral regulation. Future neuroimaging studies assessing the effects of PA, exercise, and aerobic fitness at various developmental stages in each sex and studies considering the characteristics (e.g., frequency, intensity, type) and social context of PA and exercise are vital to better understand both macro- and microscale mechanisms by which these behaviors and attributes may facilitate mental health resilience during adolescent development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Britni R Belcher
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine/Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jennifer Zink
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine/Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Anisa Azad
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine/Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Claire E Campbell
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine/Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Sandhya P Chakravartti
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine/Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Megan M Herting
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine/Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine/Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Evidence for different types of errors being associated with different types of post-error changes. Psychon Bull Rev 2020; 27:435-440. [DOI: 10.3758/s13423-019-01675-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
|
19
|
Interaction of emotion and cognitive control along the psychosis continuum: A critical review. Int J Psychophysiol 2020; 147:156-175. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2019.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
|
20
|
Huang CM, Fan YT, Lee SH, Liu HL, Chen YL, Lin C, Lee TMC. Cognitive reserve-mediated neural modulation of emotional control and regulation in people with late-life depression. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2019; 14:849-860. [PMID: 31603228 PMCID: PMC6847904 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsz054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Late-life depression (LLD) is an affective disorder that is highly prevalent among older people. Cognitive reserve (CR) refers to an active process that facilitates the flexibility and efficiency of the neural networks to compensate for impairments that emerge in consequence of brain pathology. The current functional magnetic resonance imaging study investigated whether and how CR affects emotional regulation, level of depression severity and neural activity associated with affective control during emotional Stroop (eStroop) task. Altogether, 90 older people participated in this study, 50 of whom suffered from LLD. We used years of education and verbal fluency capacity as proxies for CR. Clinical participants with relatively higher CR presented with milder degrees of depression, better eStroop performance and stronger neural activity in the middle frontal gyrus (MFG) involved with exercising affective control. Results of the mediation analysis indicated that both education and verbal fluency significantly mediated the association between the depression severity and MEG activity. These results suggest a negative association between CR and age-related clinical symptoms of emotional dysregulation. Our neurobehavioral findings provide supportive evidence that CR implies efficiency of top-down emotional regulation and operates as a protective factor against emotional and cognitive vulnerability in the aging brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Mao Huang
- College of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Center for Intelligent Drug Systems and Smart Bio-devices (IDSB), National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Yang-Teng Fan
- College of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Center for Intelligent Drug Systems and Smart Bio-devices (IDSB), National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Shwu-Hua Lee
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Ho-Ling Liu
- Department of Imaging Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yao-Liang Chen
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan, Taiwan
| | - Chemin Lin
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan
- Community Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Keelung, Taiwan
| | - Tatia M C Lee
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Wilson KM, Millner AJ, Auerbach RP, Glenn CR, Kearns JC, Kirtley OJ, Najmi S, O’Connor RC, Stewart JG, Cha CB. Investigating the psychometric properties of the Suicide Stroop Task. Psychol Assess 2019; 31:1052-1061. [PMID: 31070448 PMCID: PMC7011179 DOI: 10.1037/pas0000723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral measures are increasingly used to assess suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Some measures, such as the Suicide Stroop Task, have yielded mixed findings in the literature. An understudied feature of these behavioral measures has been their psychometric properties, which may affect the probability of detecting significant effects and reproducibility. In the largest investigation of its kind, we tested the internal consistency and concurrent validity of the Suicide Stroop Task in its current form, drawing from seven separate studies (N = 875 participants, 64% female, aged 12 to 81 years). Results indicated that the most common Suicide Stroop scoring approach, interference scores, yielded unacceptably low internal consistency (rs = -.09-.13) and failed to demonstrate concurrent validity. Internal consistency coefficients for mean reaction times (RTs) to each stimulus type ranged from rs = .93-.94. All scoring approaches for suicide-related interference demonstrated poor classification accuracy (AUCs = .52-.56) indicating that scores performed near chance in their ability to classify suicide attempters from nonattempters. In the case of mean RTs, we did not find evidence for concurrent validity despite our excellent reliability findings, highlighting that reliability does not guarantee a measure is clinically useful. These results are discussed in the context of the wider implications for testing and reporting psychometric properties of behavioral measures in mental health research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M. Wilson
- Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University
| | | | - Randy P. Auerbach
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons
| | - Catherine R. Glenn
- Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology, University of Rochester
| | - Jaclyn C. Kearns
- Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology, University of Rochester
| | | | - Sadia Najmi
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University Department of Psychiatry
| | - Rory C. O’Connor
- Suicidal Behavior Research Laboratory, Institute of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow
| | - Jeremy G. Stewart
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
| | - Christine B. Cha
- Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Thompson C, Ong ELC. The Association Between Suicidal Behavior, Attentional Control, and Frontal Asymmetry. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:79. [PMID: 29593586 PMCID: PMC5861137 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
It can be difficult to identify those at risk of suicide because suicidal thoughts are often internalized and not shared with others. Yet to prevent suicide attempts it is crucial to identify suicidal thoughts and actions at an early stage. Past studies have suggested that deficits in attentional control are associated with suicide, with the argument that individuals are unable to inhibit negative thoughts and direct resources away from negative information. The current study aimed to investigate the association of suicidal behavior with neurological and behavioral markers, measuring attentional bias and inhibition in two Stroop tasks. Fifty-four participants responded to the color of color words in a standard Stroop task and the color of positive, negative, and neutral words in an emotional Stroop task. Electroencephalographic (EEG) activity was recorded from frontal areas during each task and at resting. Participants were separated into a low-risk and high-risk group according to their self-reported suicidal behavior. Participants in the high-risk group showed slower response times in the color Stroop and reduced accuracy to incongruent trials, but faster response times in the emotional Stroop task. Response times to the word "suicide" were significantly slower for the high-risk group. This indicates an attentional bias toward specific negative stimuli and difficulties inhibiting information for those with high levels of suicidal behavior. In the emotional Stroop task the high-risk group showed reduced activity in leftward frontal areas, suggesting limitations in the ability to regulate emotional processing via the left frontal regions. The findings support the argument that deficits in attentional control are related to suicidal behavior. The research also suggests that under certain conditions frontal asymmetry may be associated with suicidal behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Thompson
- School of Health Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, United Kingdom
| | - Elsie Li Chen Ong
- School of Health Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, United Kingdom.,Division of Information and Technology Studies, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| |
Collapse
|