Comparison of the Effectiveness of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Therapy and Emotion Regulation Training on the Distress Tolerance of Adolescent Girls with a Drug-Dependent Parent

Background: The undesirable conditions resulting from addiction can be mitigated with timely diagnosis and effective interventions. Distress tolerance can be promoted in adolescents with a drug-dependent parent. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) therapy and emotion regulation training (ERT) on the distress tolerance of adolescent girls with a drug-dependent parent in Ahvaz, Iran. Methods: This clinical trial was performed on the experimental and control groups as the pretest-posttest design with follow-up. The statistical population included all the adolescent girl students with a drug-dependent parent in Ahvaz. The sample consisted of 45 adolescents with a drug-dependent parent selected by cluster sampling. The participants were randomly divided into two experimental groups of MBSR (eight 60-min sessions) and ERT (eight 45-min sessions) and a control group (n = 15 per group). All three groups were followed up after 45 days. The research instrument was the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS), and data were analyzed using the analysis of covariance. Results: MBSR and ERT enhanced distress tolerance in adolescent girls with a drug-dependent parent (P < 0.001). The effects of the two interventions were not significantly different, and this result persisted in the follow-up stage. Conclusions: MBSR and ERT increased distress tolerance in adolescent girls with a drug-dependent parent. Therefore, these two interventions can be administered to enhance the mental health of adolescents.

Examining depression symptoms within OCD: the role of experiential avoidance

Background: Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and depression commonly co-occur. Past research has evaluated underlying mechanisms of depression in the context of other diagnoses, but few to no studies have done this within OCD. Aims: This study examines the relationships between distress tolerance (DT), experiential avoidance (EA), depression, and OCD symptom severity across intensive/residential treatment (IRT) for OCD. It was hypothesized that all variables would be significantly moderately related and EA would emerge as a potential contributing factor to change in depression and OCD symptoms across IRT for OCD. Method: The sample included 311 participants with a primary diagnosis of OCD seeking IRT. Correlations were performed between all variables at both admission and discharge. A two-step hierarchical regression with change in OCD symptoms and change in DT in the first block and change in EA in the second block examined if change in EA explained change in depression above and beyond change in OCD and DT ability. Results: At both admission and discharge, higher EA, lower DT, and higher OCD symptom severity were significantly associated with more depressive symptoms. Change in EA explained a significant amount of variance in change in depression above and beyond change in OCD symptom severity and change in DT. Conclusions: This study expands past results within an OCD sample, emphasizing EA as an important treatment target in OCD. Future studies could utilize samples from other treatment contexts, use a measure of EA specific to OCD, and utilize a longitudinal model that takes temporal precedence into account.

The “common” experience of voice-hearing and its relationship with shame and guilt: a systematic review

Background Despite Auditory Verbal Hallucinations (AVHs) have been long associated with mental illness, they represent a common experience also in the non-clinical population, yet do not exhibit distress or need for care. Objectives This paper aims to provide a systematic review of studies that investigated the relationship between auditory hallucinations, shame, and guilt in people without relevant signs of psychiatric issues. Methods We searched studies reporting information about voices characteristics, the relationship between voices and hearers, hearer's reactions, and beliefs (1946-2021) and those that explored the differences between “patients” and “non-patients”, paying peculiar attention to shame and guilt issues. Included papers were evaluated for risk of bias. Results Eleven studies that explored the relationship between AVHs, shame and guilt, were extracted. Phenomenological, pragmatic, as well as neuropsychological features of hearing voices in non-clinical populations, allowed us to note a dynamic relationship and the constellation of subjective experiences that can occur. The role of guilt was characterized by few studies and mixed results, while shame was mainly common. Conclusions Due to the high heterogeneity detected and the scarce sources available, further studies should focus on both the aetiology and the bidirectional relationship between hearing voices, shame, and guilt in non-clinical people. This might favour the development and implication of different treatments considering emotion regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal sensitivity on the other people.