scholarly journals How many times do I need to see to believe? The impact of intolerance of uncertainty and exposure experience on safety-learning and retention in young adults

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayne Morriss ◽  
Shannon Jade Wake ◽  
Michael Lindner ◽  
Eugene McSorley ◽  
Helen Dodd
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Skin Conductance Response ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Exposure Condition ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Extended Exposure

Individuals who score high in self-reported Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) display difficulties updating threat associations to safe associations. Here we sought to determine whether individuals who score high in IU can learn and retain new safety associations if given more exposure. We recorded skin conductance response, pupil dilation and expectancy ratings during an associative threat learning task with acquisition, same-day extinction and next-day extinction phases. Participants (n = 144) were assigned to either a regular exposure (32 trials of same-day and next-day extinction) or extended exposure condition (48 trials of same-day and next-day extinction). We failed to replicate previous work showing that IU is associated with poorer safety-learning indexed via SCR, although the results were at trend and in the expected direction. We found preliminary evidence for promoted safety-retention in individuals with higher Inhibitory IU in the extended exposure condition, relative to individuals with higher Inhibitory IU in the regular exposure condition, indexed via SCR. These findings further our current understanding of the role of IU in safety-learning and -retention, informing models of IU and exposure-based treatments.

scholarly journals Intolerance of uncertainty and novelty facilitated extinction: The impact of reinforcement schedule

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon Jade Wake ◽  
Helen Dodd ◽  
Jayne Morriss
Keyword(s):  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Reinforcement Schedule ◽  
Skin Conductance Response ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Stress Disorders ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Extinction Learning ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Novel Associations

Individuals who score high in Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) display reduced threat extinction learning and retention. Recently, it was shown that replacing threat associations with novel associations (i.e. presenting a novel non-aversive tone 100% of the time vs. presenting nothing) can promote threat extinction retention in individuals with high IU. This effect could be driven by the tone’s novelty or reliability. Here we seek to address this question by adjusting the reliability via the reinforcement schedule of the novel tone. We propose to measure skin conductance response during an associative learning task in which participants (n = 90) will be assigned to one of three conditions; standard extinction, 100% reinforcement NFE or 50% reinforcement NFE. This work will further our understanding of the role novelty, reliability and IU in threat extinction. Ultimately, this research will inform future models of IU and clinical treatments of anxiety and stress disorders.

scholarly journals The impact of intolerance of uncertainty and cognitive behavioural instructions on safety learning

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon Jade Wake ◽  
Carien M. van Reekum ◽  
Helen Dodd ◽  
Jayne Morriss
Keyword(s):  
Skin Conductance Response ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Instruction Condition ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Initial Results ◽  
Insight Into

Difficulty updating threat associations to safe associations has been observed in individuals who score high in self-reported Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU). Here we sought to determine whether an instruction based on fundamental principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) could promote safety learning in individuals with higher levels of IU, whilst controlling for self-reported trait anxiety (STICSA). We measured skin conductance response (SCR), pupil dilation and expectancy ratings during an associative threat learning task in which participants either received a cognitive behavioural instruction (CB) or no instruction prior to threat extinction (n = 92). Analyses revealed that both self-reported IU and STICSA similarly predicted differences in SCR. Only individuals with lower IU/STICSA in the CB instruction condition displayed successful safety learning via SCR. These initial results provide some insight into how simple CB instructions combined with exposure are applied differently in individuals with varying levels of self-reported anxiety. Conclusions. The results further our understanding of the role of basic CBT principles and self-reported anxiety in safety learning.

scholarly journals The role of intolerance of uncertainty in the acquisition and extinction of reward

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayne Morriss ◽  
Nicolo Biagi ◽  
Tina B. Lonsdorf ◽  
Marta Andreatta
Keyword(s):  
Associative Learning ◽  
Conceptual Understanding ◽  
Skin Conductance Response ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Acquisition Training ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Partial Reward ◽  
Extinction Training ◽  
Corrugator Supercilii

AbstractIndividuals, who score high in self-reported intolerance of uncertainty (IU), tend to find uncertainty anxiety-provoking. IU has been reliably associated with disrupted threat extinction. However, it remains unclear whether IU would be related to disrupted extinction to other arousing stimuli that are not threatening (i.e., rewarding). We addressed this question by conducting a reward associative learning task with acquisition and extinction training phases (n = 58). Throughout the associative learning task, we recorded valence ratings (i.e. liking), skin conductance response (SCR) (i.e. sweating), and corrugator supercilii activity (i.e. brow muscle indicative or negative and positive affect) to learned reward and neutral cues. During acquisition training with partial reward reinforcement, higher IU was associated with greater corrugator supercilii activity to neutral compared to reward cues. IU was not related to valence ratings or SCR’s during the acquisition or extinction training phases. These preliminary results suggest that IU-related deficits during extinction may be limited to situations with threat. The findings further our conceptual understanding of IU’s role in the associative learning and extinction of reward, and in relation to the processing of threat and reward more generally.

scholarly journals Out with the old and in with the new: The role of intolerance of uncertainty in reversal of threat and safety

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 204380871983445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayne Morriss ◽  
Francesco Saldarini ◽  
Catherine Chapman ◽  
Miriam Pollard ◽  
Carien M. van Reekum
Keyword(s):  
Trait Anxiety ◽  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Skin Conductance Response ◽  
Clinical Intervention ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Anxiety State ◽  
Extinction Learning ◽  
Healthy Participants ◽  
Direct Threat

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is associated with difficulty in updating contingencies from threatening to safe during extinction learning. However, it is unknown whether high IU individuals have difficulty (1) generally with updating threat to safe associations when contingencies change or (2) specifically with updating threat to safe associations during extinction learning, where direct threat is omitted. To address this question, we recorded IU, expectancy ratings, and skin conductance in 44 healthy participants during an associative learning paradigm, where threat and safety contingencies were reversed. During acquisition and reversal, we observed larger skin conductance response (SCR) magnitude and expectancy ratings for threat versus safety cues. However, during reversal, higher IU was associated with larger SCR magnitude to new threat versus new safety cues, compared with lower IU. These results were specific to IU-related variance, over shared variance with trait anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Trait Version). Overall, these findings suggest that individuals high in IU are able to reverse threat and safety associations in the presence of direct threat. Such findings help us understand the recently revealed link between IU and threat extinction, where direct threat is absent. Moreover, these findings highlight the potential relevance of IU in clinical intervention and treatment for anxiety disorders.

scholarly journals 669 Increased Nightmares During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring the Role of Resilience and Emotions

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A261-A262
Author(s):  
Jérémie Potvin ◽  
Laura Ramos Socarras ◽  
Geneviève Forest
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Resilience Scale ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Tremendous Impact

Abstract Introduction COVID-19 had a tremendous impact on many aspects of our lives and has caused an increase in stress and mental health issues in many people. We have recently found that there was an increase in nightmares during the pandemic in young adults. Since emotions have been associated with both resilience and nightmares, the objective of this study was to investigate the role of resilience and emotional changes in the increase in nightmares observed during the pandemic, in a group of young adults. Methods Resilience, emotions and nightmares were assessed using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10, the Differential Emotions Scale-IV and an adapted version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Measures were administered to 209 young adults (18–25 years old, 76.1% females). Hierarchical multiple regression models were computed to examine the unique contribution of changes in positive and negative emotions during the pandemic to the increase in nightmares during the pandemic. Analyses were controlled for nightmares and emotions prior to COVID-19, and for gender. The sample was separated in two groups: resilient and less resilient young adults. Results Results show that in less resilient young adults, nightmares prior to COVID-19 (β=.79, p<.001) and increase in negative emotions (β=.21, p=.033) significantly predicted nightmares during the pandemic and explained 67.0% of their variance. In resilient young adults, nightmares prior to COVID-19 (β=.56, p<.001) and gender (β=-.15, p=.04) significantly predicted nightmares during the pandemic and explained 52.0% of the variance. Conclusion Our results show that increase in negative emotions during the pandemic is associated with an increase in nightmares in less resilient young adults, but not in resilient young adults. Furthermore, our results show that in resilient young adults, being a woman is associated with an increase in nightmares during the pandemic. These results suggest that resilience may be a protective factor in managing the impact of negative emotions on nightmares, but only in men. Support (if any):

scholarly journals Effects of intolerance of uncertainty on subjective and psychophysiological measures during fear acquisition and delayed extinction

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maren Klingelhöfer-Jens ◽  
Jayne Morriss ◽  
Tina B Lonsdorf
Keyword(s):  
Fear Conditioning ◽  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Acquisition Training ◽  
Extinction Training ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Psychophysiological Measures ◽  
Learned Fear ◽  
Startle Blink

Individuals who score high in self-reported Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) tend to find uncertainty unacceptable and aversive. In recent years, research has shed light on the role of IU in modulating subjective (i.e. expectancy ratings) and psychophysiological responses (i.e. skin conductance) across different classical fear conditioning procedures, particularly that of immediate extinction. However, there remain gaps in understanding how IU, in comparison to other negative emotionality traits (STAI-T), impact different types of subjective and psychophysiological measures during different classical fear conditioning procedures. Here, we analyzed IU, STAI-T, subjective (i.e. fear ratings) and psychophysiological (i.e. skin conductance, auditory startle blink) data recorded during fear acquisition training and 24h-delayed extinction training (n = 66). Higher IU, over STAI-T, was: (1) significantly associated with greater fear ratings to the learned fear cue during fear acquisition training, and (2) at trend associated with greater fear ratings to the learned fear versus safe cue during delayed extinction training. Both IU and STAI-T were not related to skin conductance or auditory startle blink during fear acquisition training and delayed extinction training. These results add to and extend our current understanding of the role of IU on subjective and physiological measures during different fear conditioning procedures, particularly that of delayed extinction training. Implications of these findings and future directions are discussed.

scholarly journals Role of Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Scoping Review

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1465
Author(s):  
Kamila Majidova ◽  
Julia Handfield ◽  
Kamran Kafi ◽  
Ryan D. Martin ◽  
Ryszard Kubinski
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Medication Management ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Clinical Environment ◽  
Inflammatory Bowel ◽  
The Impact

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), subdivided into Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), are chronic diseases that are characterized by relapsing and remitting periods of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. In recent years, the amount of research surrounding digital health (DH) and artificial intelligence (AI) has increased. The purpose of this scoping review is to explore this growing field of research to summarize the role of DH and AI in the diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and prognosis of IBD. A review of 21 articles revealed the impact of both AI algorithms and DH technologies; AI algorithms can improve diagnostic accuracy, assess disease activity, and predict treatment response based on data modalities such as endoscopic imaging and genetic data. In terms of DH, patients utilizing DH platforms experienced improvements in quality of life, disease literacy, treatment adherence, and medication management. In addition, DH methods can reduce the need for in-person appointments, decreasing the use of healthcare resources without compromising the standard of care. These articles demonstrate preliminary evidence of the potential of DH and AI for improving the management of IBD. However, the majority of these studies were performed in a regulated clinical environment. Therefore, further validation of these results in a real-world environment is required to assess the efficacy of these methods in the general IBD population.

scholarly journals I doubt it is safe: A meta-analysis of self-reported intolerance of uncertainty and threat extinction training

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayne Morriss ◽  
Shannon Jade Wake ◽  
Charlotte Elizabeth ◽  
Carien M. van Reekum
Keyword(s):  
Trait Anxiety ◽  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Skin Conductance Response ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Mental Health Disorders ◽  
Extinction Training ◽  
The Self ◽  
Target Uncertainty ◽  
Health Disorders

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU), the tendency to find uncertainty distressing, is an important transdiagnostic dimension in mental health disorders. Higher self-reported IU has been linked to poorer threat extinction training (i.e., the updating of threat to safe associations), a key process that is targeted in exposure-based therapies. However, it remains to be seen whether IU-related effects during threat extinction training are reliably and specifically driven by the IU construct or a particular subcomponent of the IU construct over other self-reported measures of anxiety. A meta-analysis of studies from different laboratories (experiment n = 18; sample n = 1006) was conducted on associations between different variants of self-reported IU (i.e., 27-item, 12-item, inhibitory and prospective subscales), trait anxiety and threat extinction training via skin conductance response. The specificity of IU and threat extinction training was assessed against measures of trait anxiety. All of the self-reported variants of IU, but not trait anxiety, were associated with threat extinction training via skin conductance response (i.e., continued responding to the old threat cue). Specificity was observed for the majority of self-reported variants of IU over of trait anxiety. The findings suggest that the IU construct broadly accounts for difficulties in threat extinction training and is specific over other measures of self-reported anxiety. These findings demonstrate the robustness and specificity of IU-related effects during threat extinction training and highlight potential opportunities for translational work to target uncertainty in therapies that rely on threat extinction principles such as exposure therapy.

scholarly journals Your guess is as good as mine: Assessing physiological markers of fear and anxiety to the unknown in individuals with varying levels of intolerance of uncertainty

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayne Morriss ◽  
Nicolò Biagi ◽  
Helen Dodd
Keyword(s):  
Skin Conductance Response ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Blink Reflex ◽  
Stress Disorders ◽  
Corrugator Supercilii ◽  
Startle Blink ◽  
N 93 ◽  
Fear And Anxiety ◽  
Physiological Markers ◽  
The Impact

Individuals who score high in Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) have a tendency to find uncertainty and the unknown aversive. However, there is a dearth of literature on the extent to which known vs. unknown threat induce fear and anxiety in individuals with high IU. Here we seek to address this question by varying the level of known and unknown threat using a modified version of the NPU-threat test. We will use the standard instructed conditions of the NPU-threat test (known unpredictable shock, known predictable shock and known no shock), as well as an uninstructed condition (unknown threat). We propose to measure ratings, skin conductance response, pupil dilation, orbicularis occuli (startle blink reflex) and corrugator supercilii activity during the modified NPU-threat test (n = 93). This work will further our understanding of the impact of known and unknown threat upon physiological markers of fear and anxiety in IU. Ultimately, this research will inform future models of IU and clinical treatments of anxiety and stress disorders.

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