scholarly journals Avoidance and overgeneral memory

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Tim Ganly
Keyword(s):  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Memory Test ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Overgeneral Memory ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Avoidance Strategies ◽  
The Relationship

<p>Overgeneral memory is a phenomenon that occurs in depression in which people tend to remember temporally non-specific autobiographical memories. Overgeneral memory may be functional; by avoiding specific memories, potentially distressing emotions can avoided. This “functional avoidance” may be part of a repertoire of avoidance strategies people use when they are under stress. The question of the relationship between avoidance, stress, and overgeneral memory has been investigated using only laboratory-based stressors, and no previous research has examined the relationships in both non-clinical and clinical samples. Across four studies, this thesis investigated the relationships between avoidance and overgeneral memory in clinical and non-clinical samples and whether every-day stress moderates this relationship.  Studies 1, 2, and 4 engaged undergraduate samples in which mean depression scores were low (non-clinical samples). Study 3 engaged a sample from a university counselling service in which the mean depression score was high (clinical sample). Participants completed self-report measures of avoidance and stress. They were also asked to remember specific events to a series of emotion cue words on the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT). This thesis also investigated the possibility that avoidance may be associated with a reduction in memory performance on other tests of autobiographical memory besides the AMT, perhaps because other types of memories, not just specific, can be distressing. Thus, in Study 1, participants also completed the Autobiographical Memory Test-Reversed (AMT-R) in which they were asked to retrieve general memories. In addition, across studies, the pleasantness of events remembered to positive and negative cues was examined. In Study 4, the possible moderating role of rating pleasantness on the relationship between avoidance and overgeneral memory was examined.  Results from the non-clinical samples indicated higher avoidance was associated with less overgeneral remembering on the AMT. In the clinical sample, there were no significant relationships between avoidance and overgeneral memory. There were no significant relationships between avoidance and AMT-R performance. Overall, stress did not moderate the relationship between avoidance and overgeneral memory. Mean pleasantness ratings for events remembered to positive and negative cues were congruent with cue valence. However, individual positive and negative cues did not always elicit memories for pleasant and unpleasant events, respectively. Rating (vs. not rating) the pleasantness of remembered events did not moderate the relationship between avoidance and overgeneral memory. Overall, findings suggested that functional avoidance is not part of a repertoire of avoidance strategies. Ironic process theory is discussed as an explanation for why higher avoidance was associated with a lower proportion of overgeneral memories in the non-clinical samples.</p>

scholarly journals Avoidance and overgeneral memory

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Tim Ganly
Keyword(s):  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Memory Test ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Overgeneral Memory ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Avoidance Strategies ◽  
The Relationship

<p>Overgeneral memory is a phenomenon that occurs in depression in which people tend to remember temporally non-specific autobiographical memories. Overgeneral memory may be functional; by avoiding specific memories, potentially distressing emotions can avoided. This “functional avoidance” may be part of a repertoire of avoidance strategies people use when they are under stress. The question of the relationship between avoidance, stress, and overgeneral memory has been investigated using only laboratory-based stressors, and no previous research has examined the relationships in both non-clinical and clinical samples. Across four studies, this thesis investigated the relationships between avoidance and overgeneral memory in clinical and non-clinical samples and whether every-day stress moderates this relationship.  Studies 1, 2, and 4 engaged undergraduate samples in which mean depression scores were low (non-clinical samples). Study 3 engaged a sample from a university counselling service in which the mean depression score was high (clinical sample). Participants completed self-report measures of avoidance and stress. They were also asked to remember specific events to a series of emotion cue words on the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT). This thesis also investigated the possibility that avoidance may be associated with a reduction in memory performance on other tests of autobiographical memory besides the AMT, perhaps because other types of memories, not just specific, can be distressing. Thus, in Study 1, participants also completed the Autobiographical Memory Test-Reversed (AMT-R) in which they were asked to retrieve general memories. In addition, across studies, the pleasantness of events remembered to positive and negative cues was examined. In Study 4, the possible moderating role of rating pleasantness on the relationship between avoidance and overgeneral memory was examined.  Results from the non-clinical samples indicated higher avoidance was associated with less overgeneral remembering on the AMT. In the clinical sample, there were no significant relationships between avoidance and overgeneral memory. There were no significant relationships between avoidance and AMT-R performance. Overall, stress did not moderate the relationship between avoidance and overgeneral memory. Mean pleasantness ratings for events remembered to positive and negative cues were congruent with cue valence. However, individual positive and negative cues did not always elicit memories for pleasant and unpleasant events, respectively. Rating (vs. not rating) the pleasantness of remembered events did not moderate the relationship between avoidance and overgeneral memory. Overall, findings suggested that functional avoidance is not part of a repertoire of avoidance strategies. Ironic process theory is discussed as an explanation for why higher avoidance was associated with a lower proportion of overgeneral memories in the non-clinical samples.</p>

scholarly journals Food Insecurity and Eating Pathology in Adolescents

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (17) ◽  
pp. 9155
Author(s):  
Brittany H. Kim ◽  
Lisa Ranzenhofer ◽  
Jill Stadterman ◽  
Yvette G. Karvay ◽  
Natasha L. Burke
Keyword(s):  
Binge Eating ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Eating Pathology ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Episode Frequency ◽  
Ecological Momentary ◽  
The Relationship

Adolescence is a critical period for the emergence of eating disorders, and food insecurity may be related to eating pathology and weight, as evidenced in adults. However, little is known about food insecurity and eating pathology during this developmental period, and associations between food insecurity and body mass index (BMI) are mixed. Therefore, we examined associations between food insecurity and BMI percentile, self-reported eating-related pathology and binge eating, and subgroup differences by race/ethnicity. In a subset, we examined the relationship between food insecurity and real-world hunger, food craving, and loss-of-control eating using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Fifty-eight adolescents at two sites (clinical sample, n = 38, BMI percentile ≥ 70th; community sample, n = 20, all BMI strata) completed self-report questionnaires. Adolescents were 15.2 ± 2.1 years old, 62% female, 50% Black, 34.5% Hispanic, with BMI percentile = 80.5 ± 25.8 (range 4–99). In the full sample, food insecurity was associated with greater BMI (p < 0.01), higher shape/weight overvaluation (p = 0.04), and greater number of binge eating episodes among those reporting at least one binge episode (p < 0.01), with significant relationships for BMI percentile, shape/weight overvaluation, body dissatisfaction, and binge episode frequency among Hispanic adolescents only (each p < 0.01). As in adults, food insecurity may be a risk factor for eating pathology, particularly for Hispanic teens.

scholarly journals Dissociative Experiences Mediate the Relationship Between Traumatic Life Events and Types of Skin Picking. Findings From Non-clinical Sample

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Kłosowska ◽  
Rachela Antosz-Rekucka ◽  
Alina Kałużna-Wielobób ◽  
Katarzyna Prochwicz
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Skin Picking ◽  
Mediation Analyses ◽  
Dissociative Experiences ◽  
Traumatic Life Events ◽  
Path Analyses ◽  
Excoriation Disorder ◽  
The Relationship

Aim: Skin-picking (excoriation) disorder is considered as a form of maladaptive coping methods used by individuals who have difficulties in applying more adaptive strategies. Skin-picking development has been suggested to be preceded by traumatic life events. Dissociative symptoms have been reported as experienced by skin-picking sufferers during picking episodes. The purpose of the study was to examine whether the link between trauma and automatic type of skin-picking is mediated by the frequency of dissociative experiences, and whether the COVID-19 pandemic conditions have changed this relationship in any way.Methods: The study sample consisted of 594 adults (76% women) aged from 18 to 60. Traumatic life events, dissociative experiences, and types of skin-picking (focused vs. automatic) were assessed with self-report questionnaires. Mediation analyses and multigroup path analyses were carried out.Results: Dissociative experiences partially mediated the link between traumatic events and both types of skin-picking. The model was robust considering the conditions in which survey was filled out (pre-pandemic vs. pandemic).Conclusions: Traumatic life events and dissociative experiences are associated with both automatic and focused skin-picking regardless of pandemic conditions. Further studies are needed to understand mechanisms underlying the relationship between dissociation and skin-picking styles.

scholarly journals Associations between Trauma, Dissociation, Adult Attachment and Proneness to Hallucinations

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 292-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Berry ◽  
Paul Fleming ◽  
Samantha Wong ◽  
Sandra Bucci
Keyword(s):  
Negative Affect ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Childhood Adversity ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Clinical Population ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Childhood Trauma Questionnaire ◽  
Relative Contribution

Background: Childhood adversity, dissociation and adult attachment have all been implicated in the development of hallucinations or ‘voice-hearing’. Testing psychological models in relation to subclinical phenomena, such as proneness to hallucinations in non-clinical samples, provides a convenient methodology to develop understanding of the processes and mechanisms underlying clinical symptoms. Aims: This paper investigates the relative contribution of childhood adversity, dissociation and adult attachment in explaining hallucination proneness in a non-clinical sample. Methods: Students and staff with no previous contact with secondary care at the University of Manchester were recruited. Participants completed a series of self-report measures: the Launay‒Slade Hallucination Scale (LSHS), the Relationship Scale Questionnaire (RSQ), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Dissociative Experiences Schedule (DES II) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Results: As hypothesized, insecure attachment, childhood adversity and dissociative symptoms were correlated with hallucination proneness. Multiple regression analysis, controlling for confounds of age and negative affect, indicated that the RSQ, CTQ and DES II predicted hallucination proneness. Only DES II and RSQ avoidant attachment were significant independent predictors in the final model. Conclusions: This study provides further evidence to support the idea that attachment and dissociation are important psychological mechanisms involved in voice-hearing proneness. Further testing is required with a clinical population.

scholarly journals 0084 Sleep Consolidates Incidentally Encoded Information After Deep but Not Shallow Encoding

SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A34-A34
Author(s):  
E M Wernette ◽  
K M Fenn
Keyword(s):  
Slow Wave ◽  
Memory Consolidation ◽  
Slow Wave Sleep ◽  
Declarative Memory ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Memory Test ◽  
Memory Traces ◽  
Incidental Encoding ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
With Memory

Abstract Introduction Slow wave sleep (SWS) strengthens declarative memory for information studied for a later test. However, research on the effect of sleep on information that is not intentionally remembered is scare. Previous research from our lab suggests sleep consolidates some, but not all, information that has been encoded incidentally, meaning that it has been acted on but not intentionally remembered. It remains unclear what determines which information benefits from sleep-dependent consolidation processes and what aspects of sleep are related to these mnemonic benefits. In two experiments, we test the hypothesis that sleep consolidates strong but not weak memory traces following incidental encoding, and assess the relationship between memory performance and objective sleep characteristics. Methods In Experiment 1, participants rated words one (weak traces) or three times (strong traces) in a deep or shallow incidental encoding task. Participants either rated words on a scale from ‘concrete’ to ‘abstract’ (deep) or counted the vowels in the words (shallow). Following a 12-hour period containing sleep or wakefulness, participants took a surprise memory test. In Experiment 2, participants rated words one or three times in the deep encoding task, received an 8-hour sleep opportunity with polysomnography, and took the surprise memory test. Results In Experiment 1, participants remembered words better after sleep than wake regardless of whether words were encoded one or three times, but only after deep encoding. Sleep did not consolidate information following shallow encoding. Experiment 2 is ongoing, but we predict that the amount of SWS will correlate positively with memory. Conclusion Results thus far suggest sleep may have consolidated information based on the strength of memory traces. Because deep encoding results in stronger memory traces than shallow encoding, this work is broadly consistent with theories of memory consolidation that predict sleep is more beneficial for strong memory traces than weak, such as the synaptic downscaling hypothesis. Support N/A

A validation study of the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire, Danish version

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S436-S436
Author(s):  
J. Eg Frøkjær ◽  
N. Bilenberg ◽  
R. Wesselhoeft
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Parent Report ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Self Report ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Clinical Tool ◽  
Two Samples

IntroductionThe Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) was developed to measure depressive symptoms in children and adolescents. It includes a child self-report part and a parent report on child part. The MFQ has been validated and proven clinical useful in several countries.ObjectivesTo validate the MFQ in a population of Danish children and adolescents.AimsThere is a need of a standardized questionnaire for Danish children and adolescents tapping into affective symptoms. Before routine use the MFQ must have been validated in Denmark. This study examines the validity of MFQ in Danish children and adolescents.MethodsThe study included two samples of probands aged 8–18 years. A population-based sample of school children and their parents, and a clinical sample including two subsamples:– patients referred for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services with depressive symptoms;– in-patients at the paediatric department of a University Hospital.All included probands and their parents filled out the MFQ and the clinical samples in addition answered the depression section of the Beck Youth Inventories, and were interviewed using the depression part of “K-SADS-PL”.ResultsPreliminary results from both samples will be presented at the EPA 2017 in Florence.ConclusionsDepending on the results of this study, the MFQ might be used as a screening instrument and as a clinical tool to monitor depressive symptoms in Danish children and adolescents.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Exploring the Relationship between Obsessive-compulsive Characteristics and Symptoms of Eating Disorders in a Nonclinical Population

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
John Paulson
Keyword(s):  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
College Sample ◽  
Eating Disorder Symptoms ◽  
The One ◽  
The Relationship

Previous research has documented similarities between symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Anorexia Nervosa, and Bulimia Nervosa and elevated comorbidity between these conditions in clinical samples, with the relationship between OCD and Anorexia being stronger than between OCD and Bulimia. Researchers adopting a continuum view of psychopathology have also found that individuals with sub-clinical expressions of obsessive-compulsive symptoms resemble their clinical counterparts in several ways. The goal of the current study was to explore whether or not the observed relationship between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and eating disorder symptoms observed in clinical populations would also be observed in a nonclinical population. 264 participants from a college sample completed self-report measures of these symptoms. A positive correlation was found between scores on obsessive-compulsive, anorexia and bulimia instruments, and reflective of their clinical counterparts the relationship between obsessive-compulsive and anorexia symptoms was more significant than the one between obsessive compulsive symptoms and bulimia symptoms. Implications and limitations for research and clinical practice are discussed.

scholarly journals Integrating trauma, self-disturbances, cognitive biases, and personality into a model for the risk of psychosis: a longitudinal study in a non-clinical sample

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renata Pionke-Ubych ◽  
Dorota Frydecka ◽  
Andrzej Cechnicki ◽  
Martyna Krężołek ◽  
Barnaby Nelson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Cognitive Biases ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Personality Variables ◽  
Psychosis Risk ◽  
Self Transcendence ◽  
Dependent Sample

AbstractThe hypothesis of the psychosis continuum enables to study the mechanisms of psychosis risk not only in clinical samples but in non-clinical as well. The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate self-disturbances (SD), a risk factor that has attracted substantial interest over the last two decades, in combination with trauma, cognitive biases and personality, and to test whether SD are associated with subclinical positive symptoms (PS) over a 12-month follow-up period. Our study was conducted in a non-clinical sample of 139 Polish young adults (81 females, age M = 25.32, SD = 4.51) who were selected for frequent experience of subclinical PS. Participants completed self-report questionnaires for the evaluation of SD (IPASE), trauma (CECA.Q), cognitive biases (DACOBS) and personality (TCI), and were interviewed for subclinical PS (CAARMS). SD and subclinical PS were re-assessed 12 months after baseline measurement. The hypothesized model for psychosis risk was tested using path analysis. The change in SD and subclinical PS over the 12-month period was investigated with non-parametric equivalent of dependent sample t-tests. The models with self-transcendence (ST) and harm avoidance (HA) as personality variables were found to be well-fitted and explained 34% of the variance in subclinical PS at follow-up. Moreover, we found a significant reduction of SD and subclinical PS after 12 months. Our study suggests that combining trauma, cognitive biases, SD and personality traits such as ST and HA into one model can enhance our understanding of appearance as well as maintenance of subclinical PS.

scholarly journals The Relationship between Adult Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Criminogenic Cognitions

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul E. Engelhardt ◽  
Gavin Nobes ◽  
Sophie Pischedda
Keyword(s):  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Criminal Behavior ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
The Relationship

The relationship between ADHD—in particular hyperactivity—and criminal behavior is well documented. The current study investigated the role of criminogenic cognitions in the explanation of this relationship by examining which symptoms of ADHD are associated with criminogenic cognitions. Community-recruited adults (N = 192) completed self-report questionnaires for symptoms of ADHD and criminogenic cognitions. Symptoms of inattention were consistently and strongly related to criminogenic cognitions. In particular, inattention was significantly related to cutoff, cognitive indolence, and discontinuity. There was also evidence that impulsivity was positively related to criminogenic cognitions, and specifically, to the power orientation subscale. In contrast, and contrary to expectations, symptoms of hyperactivity were not related to criminogenic cognitions. These results indicate that in community-recruited adults, inattention rather than hyperactivity is related to criminogenic cognitions. We discuss the implications of these findings contrasting with those of previous studies that used forensic and clinical samples.

scholarly journals Beliefs about Binge Eating: Psychometric Properties of the Eating Beliefs Questionnaire (EBQ-18) in Eating Disorder, Obese, and Community Samples

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Burton ◽  
Deborah Mitchison ◽  
Phillipa Hay ◽  
Brooke Donnelly ◽  
Christopher Thornton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Binge Eating ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Psychological Treatment ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Eating Behaviour ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Diagnostic Feature ◽  
Metacognitive Beliefs

Binge eating is a core diagnostic feature of bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, anorexia nervosa binge/purge type, and is a common feature of “other specified” and “unspecified” feeding and eating disorders. It has been suggested that specific metacognitive beliefs about food, eating, and binge eating may play a key role in the maintenance of binge eating behaviour. The Eating Beliefs Questionnaire (EBQ-18) provides a brief self-report assessment tool measuring three types of metacognitive beliefs: negative, positive, and permissive beliefs about food and eating. This study aimed to build on past research by validating the factor structure and psychometric properties of the EBQ-18 using both a clinical and non-clinical sample. A sample of 688 participants (n = 498 non-clinical participants, n = 161 participants seeking treatment for an eating disorder, and n = 29 participants seeking treatment for obesity) completed a battery of questionnaires, including the EBQ-18 and other measures of eating disorder symptoms and relevant constructs. A subset of 100 non-clinical participants completed the test battery again after an interval of two-weeks, and 38 clinical participants completed the EBQ-18 before and after receiving psychological treatment for their eating disorder. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted and psychometric properties of this measure were assessed. The results of this study provide support for the three-factor model of the EBQ-18. In addition, the EBQ-18 was found to be a valid and reliable measure, with excellent internal consistency, good test-retest reliability in the non-clinical sample, and also demonstrated evidence of sensitivity to treatment in clinical samples with binge eating pathology. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were used to identify optimal cut-off scores for the EBQ-18. This study provides valuable information about the utility of the EBQ-18 as a measure for use in both clinical and research settings.

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