Validation of the South Korean Version of the Beliefs about Emotions Scale

Background Beliefs about the unacceptability of experiencing or expressing negative emotions can contribute to diverse psychological symptoms and associated with poor treatment outcomes and low treatment attempts. The Beliefs about Emotions Scale (BES) was developed to assess such beliefs based on the cognitive-behavioral models; however, no study has reported on the psychometric properties of the BES in Korea. The present study aimed to cross-culturally adapt and validate the BES for the Korean population (BES-K). Methods The BES-K was administered to 592 Korean adults (323 men and 269 women) aged 20–59 years. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were used to assess the factor model of the scale. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the relationships between the BES-K and other psychological measures. Results The result showed a two-factor model of the BES-K, with Factor 1 relating to Interpersonal and Factor 2 representing Intrapersonal aspects. The scale had significant yet moderately low correlations with measures of depression, anxiety, and difficulties in emotion regulation. Conclusion The BES-K is a useful instrument in evaluating the beliefs about emotions in the Korean population.

Advances in Treating Obsessive-Compulsive Related Disorders Other than OCD?

The most recent version of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders includes a new chapter on obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (OCRDs) that lists five main diagnoses: obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), hoarding disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, excoriation disorder (skin-picking disorder; SPD), and trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder; HPD). While the latter two conditions share some characteristics with OCD, there are also important differences. This chapter reviews the clinical characteristics of SPD and HPD, presents cognitive-behavioral models of these disorders, provides an overview of core cognitive-behavioral therapy interventions and treatment packages, and reviews recent advances in the use of technology in the treatment of these conditions. The understanding and treatment of SPD and HPD represents a promising area of research with the hope of improving the lives of those who struggle with these debilitating disorders.

Cognitive Behavioral Models of Emotional Dysregulation in Bipolar Disorder

This chapter provides a characterization of cognitive impairment in bipolar disorder and how emotions affect cognition and lead to cognitive biases. The Behavioral Approach System and Interactive Cognitive Model of bipolar disorder are reviewed, along with the newer Interactive Influence Model of Emotion and Cognition, which holds promise in future applications to mood disorders. These models provide a framework for the development and expansion of neurobiological models and psychotherapeutic interventions for bipolar disorder. The authors conclude by noting that, while models of bipolar disorder still need to be expanded to account for cognitive and behavioral influences beyond simple correlations with symptom outcomes, their importance is clearly demonstrated in the development of cognitive behavioral therapies, cognitive remediation therapies, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapies for bipolar disorder. The ability to test the efficacy of these, and other, cognitive behavioral therapeutics in controlled trials based on the predictions of well-characterized models of bipolar disorder will undoubtedly lead to advances in patient care.

The Relevance of Cognitive Behavioral Models of Post-Traumatic Stress Following Child Maltreatment: A Systematic Review

While it is known that young people exposed to maltreatment or abuse are at elevated risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), much of our current knowledge of mechanisms that link trauma to childhood PTSD is based on single-incident, often noninterpersonal, trauma. Theoretical models highlight psychological processes of appraisals, memory, and coping as important for the development of PTSD. The aim of this review was to synthesize the literature on the role of these key psychological processes in relation to PTSD in maltreated children and teens. Studies were included if they (1) identified a sample of maltreated individuals, ≤18 years old; (2) measured (a) trauma memory, (b) appraisals, or (c) post-trauma cognitive or behavioral responses; and (3) measured PTSD symptoms. The systematic search of three electronic databases (American Psychological Association PsychNet, PubMed, and Published International Literature on Traumatic Stress) resulted in the inclusion of 36 papers, which described 31 studies and 33 unique samples. The review found cognitive behavioral models of PTSD appeared appropriate for understanding outcomes following maltreatment, but further research is needed on all processes, particularly trauma memory. Overall, there remain significant gaps in our knowledge of how psychological processes link maltreatment to PTSD. There is limited evidence concerning how maltreatment-related characteristics (e.g., chronicity, duration, and type of abuse) influence psychological processes and in turn affect outcomes. This review recommends further research in this area and suggests that, at the very least, comprehensive assessment should be conducted with all young people reporting maltreatment to identify appraisals and coping strategies that will potentially impact on their ongoing adjustment.

Cognitive Restructuring and Graded Behavioral Exposure for Persecutory Paranoia and Agoraphobic Anxiety in Complex Psychosis

Cognitive behavioral models of psychosis assert the notion of cognitive mediation, in which threat-oriented subjective misinterpretations of anomalous experiences lead to increased levels of emotional distress. Thus, paranoid appraisals of auditory hallucinations often result in hypervigilance and associated anxiety. The prevalence of diagnostic comorbidity between psychosis and anxiety disorders has been shown to be considerable. Among the evidence-based psychological treatments for complex mental ill-health, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for psychosis (CBTp) has been supported with particularly promising research outcomes. Yet, despite such encouraging empirical data, the treatment provision often remains insufficient, predominantly among individuals with more acute presentations. Likewise, literature demonstrating the actual utilization of CBTp with complex psychoses appears above all relevant to the daily clinical practice in the specialism of severe mental ill-health. This methodologically rigorous case study describes a successful implementation of CBTp undertaken with a socially withdrawn individual diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and comorbid agoraphobic anxiety disorder. The intervention focused on cognitive restructuring of paranoid appraisals of voices and graded behavioral exposure to anxiety-inducing stimuli. Standardized measurement, behavior frequency sampling, and subjective data were utilized to evaluate the outcomes, indicating a considerable reduction in both paranoia and associated anxiety, and an overall improvement in the client’s behavioral and interpersonal functioning. The article highlights the importance of direct intellectual engagement with the content of paranoia, alongside methodically facilitated graded behavioral exposure and response prevention in the treatment of severe, socially debilitating psychoses with comorbid mood disorders.

Cognitive Biases in Clinical Population

Cognitive behavioral models have postulated an important role for most cognitive biases such as attentional biases, memory biases, interpretation biases, or attributional biases in different disorders. However, some cognitive biases have been more strongly evidenced in some mental disorders (eating disorder, phobias, and depression) than other disorders such as in obsessive-compulsive disorder or bipolar disorder. This chapter describes the relationship between some cognitive biases and some psychological disorders. Specifically, it explains the relationship between them in anxiety, depression, and eating disorders which help to understand the influence of these biases in the onset, maintenance, relapse, and/ or recovery from these mental disorders.