scholarly journals Finding positive meaning in memories of negative events adaptively updates memory

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan E. Speer ◽  
Sandra Ibrahim ◽  
Daniela Schiller ◽  
Mauricio R. Delgado
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Positive Emotion ◽  
Memory Representation ◽  
Negative Events ◽  
Memory Updating ◽  
Positive Meaning ◽  
Memory Content ◽  
Negative Memories

AbstractFinding positive meaning in past negative memories is associated with enhanced mental health. Yet it remains unclear whether it leads to updates in the memory representation itself. Since memory can be labile after retrieval, this leaves the potential for modification whenever its reactivated. Across four experiments, we show that positively reinterpreting negative memories adaptively updates them, leading to the re-emergence of positivity at future retrieval. Focusing on the positive aspects after negative recall leads to enhanced positive emotion and changes in memory content during recollection one week later, remaining even after two months. Consistent with a reactivation-induced reconsolidation account, memory updating occurs only after a reminder and twenty four hours, but not a one hour delay. Multi-session fMRI showed adaptive updates are reflected in greater hippocampal and ventral striatal pattern dissimilarity across retrievals. This research highlights the mechanisms by which updating of maladaptive memories occurs through a positive emotion-focused strategy.

scholarly journals PTSD as a consequence of past conflict experience, recent exposure to violence and economic marginalization in post-conflict contexts: A study from Nepal, Guatemala and Northern Ireland

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (6) ◽  
pp. 488-495
Author(s):  
Arne H Eide ◽  
Karin Dyrstad
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Armed Conflict ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Living Conditions ◽  
Negative Events ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
Economic Marginalization ◽  
Current Risk

Background: Exposure to war and conflict increases the risk of mental health problems. Poor living conditions are known to negatively impact mental health. Hypothesis: It is hypothesized that exposure to negative events after armed conflict interacts with past negative experiences, socioeconomic factors and current mental health problems. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in three contexts of previous internal armed conflict: Nepal, Guatemala and Northern Ireland. Three nationally representative samples were drawn, comprising a net sample of 3,229 respondents. Results: Both recent negative events and past negative events linked to the previous conflicts were found to be associated with elevated risk of post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD). Economic marginalization and urban residency also contributed to current risk of PTSD. Conclusions: The results support the study hypothesis that both past and recent negative events in combination with economic marginalization contribute to explain current risk of PTSD. It is necessary both to improve living conditions more broadly and to establish and develop health services that have the capacity to screen, prevent and treat mental health problems also in poor contexts, in particular against a background of previous armed conflict.

scholarly journals Negative childhood experiences and mental health: theoretical, clinical and primary prevention implications

2012 ◽  
Vol 200 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Read ◽  
Richard P. Bentall
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Primary Prevention ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Negative Events ◽  
Childhood Experiences ◽  
Psychological Mechanisms ◽  
Adverse Childhood Events ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Model ◽  
Adverse Childhood

SummaryAfter decades of ignoring or minimising the prevalence and effects of negative events in childhood, researchers have recently established that a broad range of adverse childhood events are significant risk factors for most mental health problems, including psychosis. Researchers are now investigating the biological and psychological mechanisms involved. In addition to the development of a traumagenic neurodevelopmental model for psychosis, the exploration of a range of psychological processes, including attachment and dissociation, is shedding light on the specific aetiologies of discrete phenomena such as hallucinations and delusions. It is argued that the theoretical, clinical and primary prevention implications of our belated focus on childhood are profound.

scholarly journals Working memory content is distorted by its use in perceptual comparisons

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keisuke Fukuda ◽  
April Emily Pereira ◽  
Joseph M. Saito ◽  
Ty Yi Tang ◽  
Hiroyuki Tsubomi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Computational Modeling ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Dynamic Environment ◽  
Memory Bias ◽  
General Mechanism ◽  
Memory Representation ◽  
Memory Representations ◽  
Memory Content

Visual information around us is rarely static. To carry out a task in such a dynamic environment, we often have to compare current visual input with our working memory representation of the immediate past. However, little is known about what happens to a working memory (WM) representation when it is compared with perceptual input. Here, we tested university students and found that perceptual comparisons retroactively bias working memory representations toward subjectively-similar perceptual inputs. Furthermore, using computational modeling and individual differences analyses, we found that representational integration between WM representations and perceptually-similar input underlies this similarity-induced memory bias. Together, our findings highlight a novel source of WM distortion and suggest a general mechanism that determines how WM representations interact with new perceptual input.

Do childhood memories colour social judgements of today? The case of repressors

2004 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 321-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynn B. Myers ◽  
Nazanin Derakshan
Keyword(s):  
Trait Anxiety ◽  
Coping Style ◽  
Repressive Coping ◽  
Negative Events ◽  
Childhood Memories ◽  
Comparative Optimism ◽  
High Anxious ◽  
Negative Memory ◽  
Negative Memories ◽  
Repressive Coping Style

Previous research has shown that individuals who possess a repressive coping style have significantly poorer recall of negative childhood memories and also exhibit more comparative optimism for negative events than nonrepressors. The current study investigated whether there is a relationship between recall of childhood memories and comparative optimism. Repressors (REP, low trait anxiety–high defensiveness, N = 20) were compared with specific nonrepressor groups on trait anxiety and defensiveness: low anxious (LA, N = 16), high anxious (HA, N = 16) defensive high anxious (DHA, N = 13), and a non‐extreme group (NE, N = 15) chosen from an initial pool of 163 female participants. For REP compared with all non‐REP, age of earliest negative memory recalled was significantly older and REP recalled significantly fewer negative childhood memories. For REP only there was a significant correlation between number of negative memories recalled and comparative optimism, with high comparative optimism correlated with a low number of negative childhood memories recalled. There were no other significant correlations with comparative optimism, overall, or for any of the sub‐groups. These results indicate a link between childhood and adult measures of social judgements for REP only. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

T112. Changing the Past: Finding Positive Meaning in Past Negative Events Adaptively Updates Memory

2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (10) ◽  
pp. S172
Author(s):  
Megan Speer ◽  
Sandra Ibrahim ◽  
Vivien Garcia ◽  
Bernadette Garcia ◽  
Fernanda Bonda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Negative Events ◽  
The Past ◽  
Positive Meaning

Schoolchildren's perspectives on the meaning of mental health

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadzeya Svirydzenka ◽  
Claire Bone ◽  
Nisha Dogra
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Systematic Investigation ◽  
Personal Attributes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Meaning ◽  
Bright Futures ◽  
Definition Of

Purpose – Mental health of children and young people is often discussed in terms of mental illness, however, such an approach is limited. The purpose of this paper is to explore young people's views of what mental health is and how to stay mentally healthy. Design/methodology/approach – The paper investigated young people's views on these two issues through a series of workshops. In total 218, 13-year-old schoolchildren produced posters with their impressions of the issues. Themes that young people identified were then discussed with them in terms of the existing Bright Futures definition of mental health. Poster responses were subsequently transcribed and thematically analysed. Findings – The paper identified a number of themes for each question. Mental health was viewed in terms of personal attributes of an individual, illness, ability for personal management and establishing social relations. Young people saw mental health maintained through a combination of lifestyle choices, personal attributes, management of self and environment, social support and relationships, as well as treatment of illness. These themes corresponded to the ones identified by the Bright Futures. Research limitations/implications – This study highlights the complexity of young people's views on the meaning of mental health. They were also more positive, open and competent in discussing mental health than previously suggested. However, a more systematic investigation of views and attitudes is necessary, including younger children. Additionally, health care professionals are likely to benefit from young people's engagement in planning and implementing strategies for better mental health. Originality/value – This paper is one of the few to investigate the positive meaning of mental health with young people.

scholarly journals The Influence of Chinese College Students’ Physical Exercise on Life Satisfaction: The Chain Mediation Effect of Core Self-evaluation and Positive Emotion

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feiyang Liu ◽  
Zhengguang Zhu ◽  
Bo Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
College Students ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Physical Exercise ◽  
Positive Emotion ◽  
Exercise Adherence ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Chinese College Students ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
Core Self

Physical exercise is an important way for college students to maintain their physical health, and life satisfaction is one of the important indicators of college students’ mental health. Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationship between physical exercise and life satisfaction of college students. Additionally, we also seek to demonstrate the chain mediating effects of core self-evaluation and positive emotion on this relationship. A total of 794 Chinese college students, 324 men and 470 women, participated in the study. The participants were 17–25years old (M=19.96±1.54). They completed the Exercise Adherence Questionnaire, Core Self-evaluation Scale, Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale, and Satisfaction with Life Scale. Results showed a strong positive relationship between physical exercise and life satisfaction and verified the mediating effect of core self-evaluation and positive emotion on this relationship. The results also confirmed the chain mediating model between physical exercise, core self-evaluation, positive emotion, and life satisfaction. It enlightens us that we should pay more attention to the organic combination of students’ physical activities and mental health education.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document