Using event-related potentials to explore processes of change in counseling psychology.

The purpose of this article is to serve as a guide for counseling psychologists to learn about a neuroscience methodology that can be used to study psychotherapy change processes. Event-related potential (ERP) is a specific type of electroencephalography that can be time-locked to a stimulus and thus allows researchers to examine neural responses to specific therapeutic techniques. A conceptual overview of the method and its applicability to counseling psychologists is provided. Additionally, this article contains basic guidelines for designing an ERP study, the tools necessary for setting up an ERP lab, and an overview of data-processing strategies. Common pitfalls encountered both broadly in neuroscience research and specifically in ERP research are discussed. An integrated review of relevant literature is presented here, along with suggestions for future counseling psychology research, with a focus on establishing biomarkers of successful interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Family functioning and risk factors for disordered eating.

This study investigated whether any of seven factors of family dysfunction predicted five risk factors for developing eating disorders in young adult women. Participants completed demographic questions, the McMaster Family Assessment Device (Epstein, Baldwin, & Bishop, 1983) and the Setting Conditions for Anorexia Nervosa Scale (Slade & Dewey, 1986) online. Five stepwise multiple regressions evaluated whether FAD scores predicted any of the eating disorder risk factors. Unhealthy affective responsiveness predicted general dissatisfaction and social and personal anxiety, and unhealthy general functioning predicted adolescent problems. No FAD factors predicted perfectionism or weight control. These results confirm the importance of families' affective responsiveness and general functioning to the risk of developing eating disorders. However, the lack of relationship among problem-solving, communication, roles, affective involvement, or behavior control with any of the risk factors for eating disorders warrants further investigation.