Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry
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J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry · Dec 2012
Rumination relates to reduced autobiographical memory specificity in formerly depressed patients following a self-discrepancy challenge: the case of autobiographical memory specificity reactivity.
Reduced Autobiographical Memory Specificity (rAMS) is a hypothesized vulnerability factor for depression. Rumination is thought to be one of the processes underlying rAMS, but research has failed to show an association between trait rumination and rAMS in individuals who are not currently depressed (e.g., community samples, college samples, and formerly depressed samples). The present study tested whether a challenge procedure that induces a self-discrepancy focus can elicit an association between trait rumination and rAMS in formerly depressed participants. ⋯ In order to detect rAMS in formerly depressed individuals or to observe associations between rAMS and trait measures of rumination, state ruminative processing needs to be activated. Results are discussed by framing rAMS as an example of cognitive reactivity, a general type of processing that is associated with depression.
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J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry · Dec 2012
Relationship between cognitive avoidant coping and changes in overgeneral autobiographical memory retrieval following an acute stressor.
According to the functional avoidance hypothesis, overgeneral autobiographical memory, the tendency to retrieve personal memories in a less specific format, might serve an affect-regulating function. Reducing the specificity of memories of negative events may prevent individuals from re-experiencing the associated painful emotions. This cognitive avoidance strategy might not only be employed by depressed and traumatized patients, but also by healthy individuals. ⋯ Before, immediately after, and 40 min after the Trier Social Stress Test, autobiographical memory specificity was assessed by means of the Autobiographical Memory Test. Cognitive avoidant coping was significantly correlated with an increase in categoric memories from pre to immediately post stressor, but not with change in overgeneral memories from pre to 40 min post stressor. The results of the present experiment provide further support for functional avoidance as one of the mechanisms underlying overgeneral memory.
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J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry · Dec 2012
Generalization of conditioned responding: effects of autobiographical memory specificity.
Generalization of acquired responses appears to be a crucial, yet under investigated process in emotional disorders. Generalization occurs when a conditioned response is elicited by a stimulus different from the original conditioned stimulus. The expansion of complaints, often seen in emotional disorders, is at least in part due to processes of generalization. ⋯ Subsequently, six morphed pictures functioning as generalization stimuli (GSs) were introduced and conditioned responses to these GSs were measured. The results showed that memory specificity was significantly associated with the extent of generalization. Participants low in autobiographical memory specificity exhibited significantly stronger conditioned responses to GSs as compared to participants high in autobiographical memory specificity.
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J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry · Dec 2012
The role of painful events and pain perception in blood-injection-injury fears.
Research suggests that blood, injection, and injury (BII) fears are related to painful experiences; however the role of frequency, intensity, and perceived ability to handle such events remains unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between BII fears and the frequency and intensity of prior painful experiences with blood, injuries, and injections. The relation of BII fears with self-reported tolerance and avoidance of physical discomfort and pain was also examined. ⋯ These findings provide preliminary evidence that BII fears are associated with experiences with injections of high pain intensity. Individuals with a lower perceived ability to handle physical pain and discomfort are more likely to endorse BII fears. Clinical considerations and future directions are discussed.
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J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry · Jun 2012
Expectancy bias in a selective conditioning procedure: trait anxiety increases the threat value of a blocked stimulus.
In a blocking procedure, a single conditioned stimulus (CS) is paired with an unconditioned stimulus (US), such as electric shock, in the first stage. During the subsequent stage, the CS is presented together with a second CS and this compound is followed by the same US. Fear conditioning studies in non-human animals have demonstrated that fear responding to the added second CS typically remains low, despite its being paired with the US. Accordingly, the blocking procedure is well suited as a laboratory model for studying (deficits in) selective threat appraisal. The present study tested the relation between trait anxiety and blocking in human aversive conditioning. ⋯ The observed shock expectancy bias might be one of the mechanisms leading to non-specific fear in individuals at risk for developing anxiety disorders. A deficit in blocking, or a deficit in selective threat appraisal at the more general level, indeed results in fear becoming non-specific and disconnected from the most likely causes or predictors of danger.