The Development of Explicit and Implicit Game-Based Digital Behavioral Markers for the Assessment of Social Anxiety

Social relationships are essential for humans; neglecting our social needs can reduce wellbeing or even lead to the development of more severe issues such as depression or substance dependency. Although essential, some individuals face major challenges in forming and maintaining social relationships due to the experience of social anxiety. The burden of social anxiety can be reduced through accessible assessment that leads to treatment. However, socially anxious individuals who seek help face many barriers stemming from geography, fear, or disparities in access to systems of care. But recent research suggested digital behavioral markers as a way to deliver cheap and easily accessible digital assessment for social anxiety: As earlier work shows, players with social anxiety show similar behaviors in virtual worlds as in the physical world, including tending to walk farther around other avatars and standing farther away from other avatars. The characteristics of the movement behavior in-game can be harnessed for the development of digital behavioral markers for the assessment of social anxiety. In this paper, we investigate whether implicit as well as explicit digital behavioral markers, proposed by prior work, for social anxiety can be used for predicting the level of social anxiety. We show that both, explicit and implicit digital behavioral markers can be harnessed for the assessment. Our findings provide further insights about how game-based digital behavioral markers can be used for the assessment of social anxiety.

Variants of D9N, G188A, N291S, and 93 T/G Genes in patients with Coronary Artery Diseases

Objective: Our work aimed to study the relationship between LPL variants D9N, G188A, N291S, and 93 T/G genes and CAD in Saudi patients. Materials and Methods: We recruited 253 CAD patients, who underwent diagnostic coronary angiography, and 207 control subjects. Several biochemical and behavioral markers were obtained, and different genotypes of LPL variants, D9N, G188E, N291S, and 93 T/G, were detected using The PCR-RFLP method. Results: The current study found D9N genotypes, AA, AG, and GG in 71.14%, 23.72%, and 5.14% in CAD patients, respectively. the AA, AG, and GG control genotypes were found in 81.64%, 16.43%, and 1.93%, respectively. The OR of the D9N AA versus AG genotype with a 95% CI was determined to be 1.65 (1.04–2.65), (p = 0.035). The OR of the D9N AA versus AG + GG genotype with a 95% CI was 1.80 (1.16–2.81), (p = 0.009). A strong relation of the D9N AA was observed with CAD. For the G188E, N291S, 93T/G variants insignificant were observed in both CAD and control groups. Conclusion: This study revealed the D9N variant has an association with CAD; however, no relation was detected between CAD and G188E, N291S, and 93T/G variants in the Saudi patients.

Developing Behavioral Markers of Social Function in Aging: A Methodology Using Pitch Mimicry

The Covid pandemic brought to the forefront the crucial role of social interactions for society at large and in gerontological practice. Social interactions play a paramount role in preserving cognitive reserve in older adults. They rely on neurobehavioral processes that are complex (engage large parts of the brain and demand integrity of multiple perceptuomotor, attentional, cognitive and memory functions). Pitch mimicry is a well-known and spontaneously arising social phenomenon that requires the integrity of numerous processes of the brain, and we hypothesize that it constitutes a potentially sensitive behavioral marker of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). We developed and validated a series of algorithms to parse verbal exchanges between people and quantify the level of mimicry that each exhibit with their partners. Those algorithms are based on silence thresholding, carefully parametrized CEPSTRAL algorithms for automatic pitch estimation and Synchrosqueezing Transform for validation. We introduce a theoretical model to compare our estimates of pitch mimicry with model’s expectations based on the null hypothesis that its neurobehavioral pathways retain their integrity. Our method will allow researchers to study the evolution of pitch mimicry in aging individuals and its sensitivity to diverse social contexts, including those preserving lasting social engagement. Our method will also allow us to test the hypothesis that Pitch Mimicry is a sensitive behavioral marker of dementia, a condition characterized by a breakdown in social relatedness.

The Pattern-Focused Case Conceptualization Approach

In this era of accountability, therapists and other mental health professionals are expected to employ evidence-based interventions to achieve therapeutic change. Case conceptualization is an intervention that many consider one of the most essential clinical competencies. A useful case conceptualization approach, at a minimum, should explain the presenting problem and guide the planning and implementation of treatment. Approaches that are more clinically valuable will include a third function: anticipate and predict challenges in the treatment process. Analogous to the paradigm shift toward personalized treatments in precision medicine based on biomarkers is a similar shift occurring in psychotherapy practice. It will be based on behavioral markers like the ones in the pattern-focused case conceptualization approach and can explain, guide, and predict treatment challenges, as well as optimize treatment outcomes. A case example illustrates key points.

Brief Case Conceptualization Practice

Brief case conceptualizations are useful in various clinical contexts. This type of conceptualization can be completed quickly after the first session because there are only six behavioral markers for the practitioner to formulate. In this chapter, the five-step brief case conceptualization strategy is demonstrated with two case vignettes. The strategy includes the following five steps: Step 1: Specify presenting problem and precipitants; Step 2: Identify maladaptive pattern; Step 3: Identify predisposing factors and perpetuants; Step 4: Specify treatment goals and interventions; and Step 5: Specify obstacles, challenges, and facilitators. Readers will formulate the case through the brief case conceptualization worksheet and then will write a brief case conceptualization narrative. After each case, the chapter provides exemplar responses for each of the case vignettes.

Case Conceptualization Basics and Assessment

This chapter defines the behavioral markers that are included in a pattern-focused case conceptualization. Pattern-focused case conceptualization is a therapeutic strategy that can help clinicians conceptualize client issues, tailoring highly effective treatment, as well as guide them through moment-to-moment decisions made during a session. The chapter reviews the following behavioral markers that can be incorporated into both brief case conceptualizations and full-scale case conceptualizations: pattern, presentation, precipitant, predisposition, protective factors, perpetuants, personality–culture, plan, and predictive factors. The chapter defines each behavioral marker and also provides examples of each. Then, it reviews case conceptualization-informed assessment and also includes a detailed assessment that clinicians can use to inform their clinical evaluation.

Hidden wisdom or pseudo-profound bullshit? The effect of speaker admirability

How do people reason in response to ambiguous messages shared by admirable individuals? Using behavioral markers and self-report questionnaires, in two experiments (N = 571) we examined the influence of speakers’ admirability on meaning-seeking and wise reasoning in response to pseudo-profound bullshit. In both studies, statements that sounded superficially impressive but lacked intent to communicate meaning generated meaning-seeking, but only when delivered by high admirability speakers (e.g., the Dalai Lama) as compared to low admirability speakers (e.g., Kim Kardashian). The effect of speakers’ admirability on meaning-seeking was unique to pseudo-profound bullshit statements and was absent for mundane (Study 1) and motivational (Study 2) statements. In Study 2, participants also engaged in wiser reasoning for pseudo-profound bullshit (vs. motivational) statements and did more so when speakers were high in admirability. These effects occurred independently of the amount of time spent on statements or the complexity of participants’ reflections. It appears that pseudo-profound bullshit can promote epistemic reflection and certain aspects of wisdom, when associated with an admirable speaker.