Sexual functioning in patients with psoriasis: the role of body dissatisfaction and cognitive biases toward sexuality.

Psoriasis is a chronic disease, involving skin and joints, characterized by inflamed lesions. Psoriasis negatively impacts the patients' quality of life due to the physical, emotional, and social burden that accompanies this condition. Also, psoriasis is associated with a number of psychiatric comorbidities, including sexual dysfunctions. The present study investigates the variables associated with sexual functioning in psoriasis patients. One-hundred-three psoriasis patients and 101 matched control subjects took part in the present study. Each participant completed five self-report measures investigating the presence of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms, body image, quality of life, and sexual experience. Our results show that differences in sexual activity, but not in sexual functioning, emerged between groups. In men with psoriasis, more sexual difficulties were associated with more negative automatic thoughts about sexuality. In women, more sexual difficulties were associated with more negative automatic thoughts; anxiety, depression, and stress; severity of symptoms; comorbid disease; age; quality of life. Our findings expand the current knowledge about sexual functioning in psoriasis and shed light on specific cognitive, psychological, and demographic variables associated with sexual impairment in men and women with psoriasis.

The relationships between parental attachment, peer attachment, automatic thoughts, and mindfulness skills among Iranian adolescents.

This study aimed to examine the relationship between parental attachment, peer attachments, and automatic thoughts with adolescent mindfulness skills in Iranian adolescents, drawing on internal working models and social cognitive theory. The data was collected from a sample of Iranian adolescents in Tehran using standardized measurement instruments previously developed by researchers. The collected data was analyzed using both simple and multiple regression analyses. The results revealed a positive and significant association between parental attachment and peer attachments with adolescent mindfulness skills. Conversely, automatic thoughts were found to have a negative impact on adolescent mindfulness skills. These findings suggest that strengthening attachments can contribute to the enhancement of mindfulness skills in adolescents, while addressing automatic thoughts is crucial in preventing the erosion of mindfulness skills. Consequently, experts can design interventions that focus on improving attachments and addressing automatic thoughts to promote adolescent mindfulness skills.

The Bidirectional Relation Between Bullying/Victimization and Negative Automatic Thoughts among Children.

As a common form of negative interpersonal interaction in childhood, school bullying is closely related to individual negative cognition. Few studies have assessed whether there is an interaction between different kinds of school bullying roles and negative cognition. The present study administered four questionnaire follow-up tests among Chinese children over two years to explore the bidirectional relation and underlying mechanisms between bullying/victimization and negative automatic thoughts (about self/others). A total of 993 children with MT1age = 9.66 ± 0.72 participated in the study, including 647(65.16%) boys and 346(34.84%) girls. Results indicated a bidirectional relation between victimization and negative automatic thoughts (about self/others); negative automatic thoughts (about self/others) predicting bullying; negative automatic thoughts (about self/others) form two vicious cycles with victimization separately, in which victimization plays a mediating role. The findings suggest that considering improving children's negative cognition of self and others is an important pathway to reduce the occurrence of bullying and victimization in children and to stop children from falling into the cycle of victimization, which is crucial for children to have healthy relationships later in adolescence.

The longitudinal relation between violence exposure in daily life, hostile automatic thoughts, and cyber-aggression.

Cyber-aggression is a serious social problem worldwide. Its risks have been frequently explored, and violence exposure in daily life has been regarded as an important risk factor of cyber-aggression. However, the longitudinal association between violence exposure in daily life and cyber-aggression has not yet been examined, and the mechanisms underlying the link between violence exposure and cyber-aggression remain largely unclear. Based on the General Aggression Model and Script Theory, we explored the circular relation between violence exposure in daily life, hostile automatic thoughts, and cyber-aggression. The current study adopted a longitudinal design to address these issues among 941 college students. The results indicated violence exposure in daily life predicted hostile automatic thoughts and cyber-aggression 6 months later; hostile automatic thoughts predicted violence exposure and cyber-aggression 6 months later; and cyber-aggression predicted hostile automatic thoughts and violence exposure 6 months later. Moreover, each of them plays a mediating role in the association between the other two variables. These results support and expand the General Aggression Model and Script Theory that violence exposure, aggressive cognition, and aggression facilitate each other. This also provides theoretical guidance on reducing cyber-aggression in daily life.

Effects of Depression on Processing and Evaluation of Sexual Stimuli in Women.

BACKGROUND: Sexual dysfunctions are commonly associated with depression by which women are particularly affected. AIM: In the following study, we looked at which stage-early attention-related processes or later evaluation-related processes-of the processing of sexual stimuli deviations occur in depressed individuals. METHODS: We examined 96 women who either suffered from a major depressive disorder, or had recovered from it, and a healthy control group. The early level of attention processes was represented by reaction time tasks (dot probe, line orientation, picture categorization). In addition, implicit approach and avoidance behavior was tested by the Approach-Avoidance Task. Later evaluation of the visual material was determined with the help of a questionnaire for recording automatic negative thoughts regarding sexuality. OUTCOMES: Reaction times and explicit ratings as well as the Becks Depression Inventory (BDI II), the Trait Sexual Motivation Questionnaire (TSMQ), the Sexual Modes Questionnaire (SMQ) and a screening for sexual dysfunction were used. RESULTS: Depressed women did not differ significantly from healthy women in their attention processes and approach-avoidance behavior. However, there were clear differences in explicit assessment and automatic thoughts about sexual stimuli. Women who had recovered from depression lay between the 2 groups. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results indicated that the therapy of sexual dysfunction in depressed patients should focus more on automatic thoughts than on attention processes. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: This study is the first to experimentally research the attention processes of depression towards sexual stimuli. However, participants were only tested on one occasion so that change of attention processes and evaluation of sexual stimuli over the course of a depression could not be assessed. CONCLUSION: Our novel findings demonstrate the role of attention processes in sexual dysfunctions of depressed women and suggest potential mechanisms that may underlie the observed correlation between depression and sexual dysfunction. Baranowski AM, Noll A-K, Golder S, et al. Effects of Depression on Processing and Evaluation of Sexual Stimuli in Women. J Sex Med 2022;19:441-451.

The role of metacognition, negative automatic thoughts and emotions in migraine-related disability among adult migraine patients.

This cross-sectional study investigates the relationship between problematic metacognitions, negative cognitive content and emotional distress, and migraine-related disability among adult migraine patients. The migraine group consisted of 74 patients. Forty-seven healthy volunteers with similar sociodemographic characteristics were selected as the comparison group. Sociodemographic form, Migraine Disability Assessment Scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, Automatic Thought Questionnaire, and Metacognition Questionnaire-30 were administered. Our results showed that higher depression, anxiety, stress levels, and negative automatic thoughts are significantly associated with more significant migraine disability. Our data also showed that high levels of depression and increased headache frequency predict migraine-related severe disability. We found that the frequency of headaches over three months and positive beliefs about worry significantly predicted the presence of chronicity in migraine. Our findings may help determine different approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy and relaxation techniques in treating migraine.

The effects of the psychoeducation on cognitive distortions, negative automatic thoughts and dysfunctional attitudes of patients diagnosed with depression.

There are many studies showing a positive relationship between depression level and cognitive distortions in the literature. The study was carried out to determine the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy-based psychoeducation on cognitive distortions, negative automatic thoughts and dysfunctional attitudes of patients diagnosed with depression. This study was designed as a two-group pre-posttest study. The study sample composed of a total of 60 patients (30 patients in the treatment group and 30 patients in the control group) who met the eligibility criteria. The data have been collected by using The Personal Information Form, Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire, The Dysfunctional Attitude Scale and Interpersonal Cognitive Distortions Scale. Psychoeducation was provided in the form of individual training once a week in total of eight sessions. For the pretest, assumption and schemas that make people predispose to depression, dysfunctional attitudes and cognitive distortions in interpersonal relationships were seen frequently to be above average in all patients. It was determined that patients in the treatment group used significantly less dysfunctional attitudes and to had lower negative automatic thoughts and interpersonal cognitive distortions compared with patients in the control group in posttest (p < 0.05). Consequently, cognitive behavioral therapy-based psychoeducation has become considerably effective in decreasing the use of negative automatic thoughts, interpersonal cognitive distortions and dysfunctional attitudes in patients with depression. cognitive behavioral therapy-based psychoeducation should be thought of as a treatment component due to its effectiveness in nursing care of depressed patients.

Development of the Anger Children's Cognitive Error Scale and the Anger Children's Automatic Thought Scale.

BACKGROUND: Empirical studies between anger and anger-provoking cognitive variables in children and adolescents are lacking, despite numerous studies on internalising and externalising problems. AIM: The purpose of this study was to develop new questionnaires for anger-provoking cognitive errors and automatic thoughts, and examine relationships between anger, cognitive errors, and automatic thoughts in children and adolescents. METHOD: Participants were 485 Japanese children and adolescents aged 9-15 years old (254 females; average age 12.07; SD = 1.81). They completed the Anger Children's Cognitive Error Scale (A-CCES) and the Anger Children's Automatic Thought Scale (A-CATS), which were developed in this study, as well as the Anger Scale for Children and Adolescents and the Japanese version of Short Spence Children's Anxiety Scale. RESULTS: Both the A-CCES and the A-CATS had adequate reliability (internal consistency) and validity (face validity, structural validity and construct validity). A hierarchal regression analysis indicated that automatic thoughts were positively and moderately related to anger (ß = .37) after controlling for age, gender, anxiety symptoms, cognitive errors and interaction term. Moreover, a mediation analysis indicated that automatic thoughts significantly mediated the relationship between cognitive errors and anger (indirect effect, 0.24; 95% CI: .020 to .036). CONCLUSIONS: This study developed the new questionnaires to assess anger-provoking cognitive errors and automatic thoughts. In addition, this study revealed that automatic thoughts rather than cognitive errors are associated with anger in children and adolescents.

Social anxiety disorder in children: investigating the relative contribution of automatic thoughts, repetitive negative thinking and metacognitions.

BACKGROUND: Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is common in youths. However, our understanding of SAD in children is inferior to that of SAD in adolescents or adults, and it is unclear if known adult SAD maintenance mechanisms may also operate in children with SAD. AIM: The paper sets out to investigate the specificity of positive automatic thoughts, social threat negative automatic thoughts, repetitive negative thinking, positive and negative metacognitions in predicting SAD symptoms and diagnoses in clinically anxious children. METHOD: We enrolled 122 clinically anxious children aged 7-13 years; of these, 33 had an SAD diagnosis. RESULTS: SAD symptoms correlated positively with social threat negative automatic thoughts, repetitive negative thinking, and negative metacognitions, and negatively with positive automatic thoughts. Linear regression indicated that, of these variables, only social threat negative automatic thoughts predicted social anxiety symptoms. Logistic regression indicated that social threat negative automatic thoughts, a higher number of diagnoses and negative metacognitive beliefs specifically predicted the presence of SAD diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that content-specific social threat negative automatic thoughts was the only variable that specifically distinguished both higher levels of social anxiety symptoms and diagnoses.

Associations of negative cognitions, emotional regulation, and depression symptoms across four continents: International support for the cognitive model of depression.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most widely tested and empirically supported psychological treatments for depression. Beck and other scholars established the theoretical foundations of CBT among North American populations, yet surprisingly few studies have examined central hypotheses of the cognitive model of depression among people living in non-Western regions. METHODS: In the present study, we used the alignment method to minimize measurement bias to examine several central hypotheses of the cognitive model among adults living on four continents (n = 752): North America (n = 103; female = 29.1%), Europe (n = 404; female = 36.4%), South America (n = 108; female = 18.5%), and Asia (n = 136; female = 19.9%). RESULTS: Depressive symptoms were positively and strongly correlated with negative automatic thoughts about self (ATQ-N), and moderately associated with dysfunctional attitudes (DAS) among people living on the four continents. Further, use of emotional suppression strategies to regulate emotion (ERQ-Suppression) was moderately and positively associated with depressive symptoms among people on all four continents, while use of cognitive-reappraisal (ERQ-Reappraisal) was not systematically associated with depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study offer preliminary cross-continental support for foundational hypotheses of the cognitive model of depression. Negative thoughts appear to be associated with depression in all regions of the world, cementing this construct as a hallmark feature of the disorder.

Cognitive correlates of women's postpartum depression risk and symptoms: the contribution of dysfunctional beliefs and negative thoughts.

Background: Despite the extensive research on interpersonal and clinical risk factors for postpartum depression (PPD), there is a paucity of research on the potential role of cognitive variables (dysfunctional beliefs and negative thoughts) as correlates of PPD symptoms.Aims: This exploratory study aimed to understand the cognitive processes of women at a higher risk (i.e. presenting well-established interpersonal and clinical risk factors) for PPD by: (a) comparing women's dysfunctional motherhood-related beliefs and frequency of automatic thoughts, as a function of their levels of PPD risk and symptoms; (b) examining the cognitive correlates of PPD symptoms, controlling for the presence of well-established risk factors.Method: A cross-sectional internet survey comprising 441 postpartum women was conducted.Results: Women presenting high-risk for PPD showed more dysfunctional motherhood-related attitudes (p < 0.001), more frequent negative thoughts (p < 0.001) and less frequent positive thoughts (p < 0.001) than low-risk women. More dysfunctional beliefs related to maternal responsibility, more frequent negative thoughts related with personal maladjustment and with the metacognitive appraisal of the thoughts' content, and less frequent positive thoughts were found to be significantly associated with PPD symptoms.Conclusion: The inclusion of cognitive variables in risk assessment and preventive efforts for PPD may hold potential to increase its clinical efficacy.

Cognitive change in cognitive-behavioural therapy v. pharmacotherapy for adult depression: a longitudinal mediation analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is a well-established treatment for adult depression, its efficacy and efficiency may be enhanced by better understanding its mechanism(s) of action. According to the theoretical model of CBT, symptom improvement occurs via reductions in maladaptive cognition. However, previous research has not established clear evidence for this cognitive mediation model. METHODS: The present study investigated the cognitive mediation model of CBT in the context of a randomized controlled trial of CBT v. antidepressant medication (ADM) for adult depression. Participants with major depressive disorder were randomized to receive 16 weeks of CBT (n = 54) or ADM (n = 50). Depression symptoms and three candidate cognitive mediators (dysfunctional attitudes, cognitive distortions and negative automatic thoughts) were assessed at week 0 (pre-treatment), week 4, week 8 and week 16 (post-treatment). Longitudinal associations between cognition and depression symptoms, and mediation of treatment outcome, were evaluated in structural equation models. RESULTS: Both CBT and ADM produced significant reductions in maladaptive cognition and depression symptoms. Cognitive content and depression symptoms were moderately correlated within measurement waves, but cross-lagged associations between the variables and indirect (i.e. mediated) treatment effects were non-significant. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide support for concurrent relationships between cognitive and symptom change, but not the longitudinal relationships hypothesized by the cognitive mediation model. Results may be indicative of an incongruence between the timing of measurement and the dynamics of cognitive and symptom change.

Self-criticism, negative automatic thoughts and postpartum depressive symptoms: the buffering effect of self-compassion.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the direct and indirect effects of self-criticism on postpartum depressive symptoms, through postpartum cognitions, and analyse the moderating role of self-compassion in this relationship. Background: Self-criticism and self-compassion are associated with postpartum depression. However, further research is needed to understand how these mechanisms operate in the development/maintenance of depressive symptoms. Methods: 686 women in the postpartum period (up to 12 months after birth) recruited in-person and online answered a cross-sectional survey. Results: The effect of self-criticism on postpartum depressive symptoms occurred sequentially, increasing the frequency of negative automatic thoughts and subsequently the metacognitive appraisal of these thoughts. Self-compassion had a moderating effect only on the relation between self-criticism and postpartum cognitions. The effect of self-criticism on postpartum cognitions decreased in the presence of higher self-compassion. Conclusion: This study emphasises the negative effect of a self-critical thinking style and of a negative appraisal of thought's content on depression symptoms. Moreover, this work underscores the buffering role of self-compassion in the relationship between self-criticism and postpartum cognitions. These results highlight the need to address the reduction of self-criticism and the promotion of self-compassion strategies to deal with postpartum cognitions, in order to prevent and treat postpartum depressive symptoms.

Culture and Sexuality: Cognitive-Emotional Determinants of Sexual Dissatisfaction Among Iranian and New Zealand Women.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated that culture plays a fundamental role in individuals' beliefs, attitudes, and values toward sexuality, and influences their ability to enjoy sex. It follows that culture may influence sexual satisfaction or dissatisfaction. AIM: To examine and compare cognitive-emotional variables related to women's sexual dissatisfaction in Iran and New Zealand. METHODS: In total, 196 Iranian women and 207 New Zealand women participated in the study, answering questionnaires evaluating dysfunctional sexual beliefs, automatic thoughts, emotional and sexual response during sexual activity, as well as sexual satisfaction. OUTCOMES: Sexual beliefs were measured by the Sexual Dysfunctional Beliefs Questionnaire, thoughts and emotional responses were measured by the Sexual Modes Questionnaire, and sexual satisfaction was measured by the Sexual Satisfaction Index. RESULTS: Findings indicated that in both Iranian and New Zealand women, failure and disengagement thoughts, lack of erotic thoughts, and emotions of fear during sexual activity were significant predictors of sexual dissatisfaction. Besides these common predictors, results also indicated that sexual conservatism and women's sexual passivity beliefs, sexual abuse thoughts, and fear during sexual activity were significant predictors of sexual dissatisfaction in Iranian women. Beliefs of sexual desire and pleasure as a sin; age-related beliefs; and emotions such as sadness, disillusion, and hurt were significant predictors of sexual dissatisfaction in New Zealand women. CLINICAL TRANSLATION: The present findings could facilitate a better understanding of cultural differences in the roles played by dysfunctional sexual beliefs, negative automatic thoughts, and negative emotions during sexual activity, and the value of these beliefs, thoughts, and emotions in predicting sexual dissatisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: The strength of this study is in providing an examination of the role of culturally bound beliefs in predicting sexual dissatisfaction in women from different cultural backgrounds. Limitations include the lack of evaluation of psychological and interpersonal variables that may impact on women's sexual dissatisfaction. These findings suggest that there may be a role of culture in shaping beliefs, attitudes, and values toward sexuality; and provide evidence for the effect of cognitive-emotional variables in predicting women's sexual dissatisfaction. Abdolmanafi A, Nobre P, Winter S, et al. Culture and Sexuality: Cognitive-Emotional Determinants of Sexual Dissatisfaction Among Iranian and New Zealand Women. J Sex Med 2018;15:687-697.

Sexual Modes Questionnaire (SMQ): Translation and Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version of the Automatic Thought Scale.

BACKGROUND: The Sexual Modes Questionnaire (SMQ) is a validated and widespread used tool to assess the association among negative automatic thoughts, emotions, and sexual response during sexual activity in men and women. AIM: To test the psychometric characteristics of the Italian version of the SMQ focusing on the Automatic Thoughts subscale (SMQ-AT). METHODS: After linguistic translation, the psychometric properties (internal consistency, construct, and discriminant validity) were evaluated. 1,051 participants (425 men and 626 women, 776 healthy and 275 clinical groups complaining about sexual problems) participated in the present study. OUTCOMES: 2 confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test the fit of the original factor structures of the SMQ versions. In addition, 2 principal component analyses were performed to highlight 2 new factorial structures that were further validated with confirmatory factor analyses. Cronbach α and composite reliability were used as internal consistency measures and differences between clinical and control groups were run to test the discriminant validity for the male and female versions. The associations with emotions and sexual functioning measures also are reported. RESULTS: Principal component analyses identified 5 factors in the male version: erection concerns thoughts, lack of erotic thoughts, age- and body-related thoughts, negative thoughts toward sex, and worries about partner's evaluation and failure anticipation thoughts. In the female version 6 factors were found: sexual abuse thoughts, lack of erotic thoughts, low self-body image thoughts, failure and disengagement thoughts, sexual passivity and control, and partner's lack of affection. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the adequacy of the factor structure for men and women. Moreover, the SMQ showed a strong association with emotional response and sexual functioning, differentiating between clinical and control groups. CLINICAL TRANSLATION: This measure is useful to evaluate patients and design interventions focused on negative automatic thoughts during sexual activity and to develop multicultural research. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: This study reports on the translation and validation of the Italian version of a clinically useful and widely used measure (assessing automatic thoughts during sexual activity). Limits regarding sampling technique and use of the Automatic Thoughts subscale are discussed in the article. CONCLUSION: The present findings support the validity and the internal consistency of the Italian version of the SMQ-AT and allow the assessment of negative automatic thoughts during sexual activity for clinical and research purposes. Nimbi FM, Tripodi F, Simonelli C, Nobre P. Sexual Modes Questionnaire (SMQ): Translation and Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version of the Automatic Thought Scale. J Sex Med 2018;15:396-409.

Indirect effects of parental and peer attachment on bullying and victimization among adolescents: The role of negative automatic thoughts.

The association between parental and peer attachment and youths' bullying involvement is well documented. However, there is little research examining mechanisms linking the quality of relationships with parents and peers to bullying perpetration and victimization. The present study investigated the indirect effects of attachment to the mother, the father, and peers on bullying and victimization through children's negative automatic thoughts in a sample of 476 adolescents (10-17 years). Path analysis indicated that attachment to both parents as well as attachment to peers was indirectly related to both bullying and victimization through their relationship with adolescents' negative automatic thoughts. When particular cognitive contents of negative automatic thoughts were examined, only hostile thoughts emerged as a mechanism explaining the association between poor relationships with parents and peers and bullying involvement as perpetrator, whereas poor attachment with each socialization agent had an indirect effect on bullying victimization via hostility and social threat thoughts.

Exploring the paths between dysfunctional attitudes towards motherhood and postpartum depressive symptoms: The moderating role of self-compassion.

Better understanding how cognitive processes operate to influence women's depressive symptoms during the postpartum period is crucial for informing preventive and treatment approaches. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between women's dysfunctional attitudes towards motherhood and depressive symptoms, considering the mediating role of negative automatic thoughts and the moderating role of self-compassion. A sample of 387 women in the postpartum period cross-sectionally answered a set of questionnaires to assess dysfunctional attitudes towards motherhood, negative automatic thoughts (general and postpartum-specific), depressive symptoms, and self-compassion. Women with clinically significant depressive symptoms presented more dysfunctional attitudes towards motherhood, more frequent negative thoughts, and lower self-compassion. More dysfunctional beliefs about others' judgments and about maternal responsibility were associated with higher depressive symptoms, and this effect occurred through both general and postpartum-specific thoughts related to the metacognitive appraisal of the thought content. Moreover, these relationships occurred only when women presented low or moderate levels of self-compassion. These results highlight the need to comprehensively assess women's cognitive variables during the postpartum period with appropriate measures, for the early identification of women with more dysfunctional beliefs about motherhood, who may be at higher risk of depression. Moreover, preventive/treatment approaches should aim not only to challenge women's preexisting dysfunctional beliefs but also to promote a more self-compassionate attitude towards themselves.

Cognitive-Affective Dimensions of Female Orgasm: The Role of Automatic Thoughts and Affect During Sexual Activity.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive-affective factors contribute to female sexual dysfunctions, defined as clinically significant difficulties in the ability to respond sexually or to experience sexual pleasure. Automatic thoughts and affect presented during sexual activity are acknowledged as maintenance factors for these difficulties. However, there is a lack of studies on the influence of these cognitive-affective dimensions regarding female orgasm. AIM: To assess the role of automatic thoughts and affect during sexual activity in predicting female orgasm occurrence and to investigate the mediator role of these variables in the relation between sexual activity and orgasm occurrence. METHODS: Nine hundred twenty-six sexually active heterosexual premenopausal women reported on frequency of sexual activities and frequency of orgasm occurrence, cognitive factors, and social desirability. Participants completed the Sexual Modes Questionnaire-Automatic Thoughts Subscale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and the Socially Desirable Response Set. Multiple linear regressions and mediation analyses were performed, controlling for the effect of covariates such as social desirability, sociodemographic and medical characteristics, and relationship factors. OUTCOMES: The main outcome measurement was orgasm frequency as predicted and mediated by automatic thoughts and affect experienced during sexual activities. RESULTS: The presence of failure thoughts and lack of erotic thoughts during sexual activity significantly and negatively predicted female orgasm, whereas positive affect experienced during sexual activity significantly and positively predicted female orgasm. Moreover, negative automatic thoughts and positive affect during sexual activity were found to mediate the relation between sexual activity and female orgasm occurrence. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: These data suggest that the cognitive aspects of sexual involvement are critical to enhancing female orgasm experience and can aid the development of strategies that contemplate the central role of automatic thoughts and of positive emotions experienced during sexual activity. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: Data were not collected face to face, which constitutes a strength of this study, because it is known that social desirability is lower in self-administered online questionnaires compared with traditional paper-and-pencil questionnaires, particularly for more sensitive sexual issues. The fact that the sample was composed of heterosexual, premenopausal, and relatively young women demands some caution regarding generalization of the present results. CONCLUSION: The findings support the contribution of cognitive and affective factors to female orgasmic functioning. It is recommended that future research confirm these findings with other samples, particularly clinical samples of women with orgasmic difficulties. Tavares IM, Laan ETM, Nobre PJ. Cognitive-Affective Dimensions of Female Orgasm: The Role of Automatic Thoughts and Affect During Sexual Activity. J Sex Med 2017;14:818-828.

Automatic thoughts as a predictor of internalizing and externalizing problems in Chinese adolescents: A test of the cognitive content-specificity hypothesis with age effects.

The main aim of the current study was to test the cognitive content-specificity hypothesis across internalizing and externalizing problems in Chinese adolescents. The participants consisted of 2,158 adolescents aged 11-19 years from three middle schools, and they completed a number of measures assessing a wide range of automatic thoughts and syndromes related to internalizing and externalizing problems. Multivariate regression analyses demonstrated that thoughts about social threats, personal failure and hostility were the strongest predictors of anxiety, depression, and externalizing problems, respectively. Age was a statistically significant, albeit modest, moderator of the relationship between automatic thoughts about social threat and anxiety. The current study provides support for the cognitive content-specificity hypothesis in internalizing and externalizing problems in a Chinese sample.

Determinants of Women's Sexual Dissatisfaction: Assessing a Cognitive-Emotional Model.

INTRODUCTION: Recent studies have demonstrated the role of sexual dysfunctional beliefs, negative automatic thoughts, and emotional responses in relation to sexual functioning. Nevertheless, no studies seem to have evaluated the role of these cognitive-emotional factors in determining sexual dissatisfaction. AIM: To test a cognitive-emotional model of sexual dissatisfaction in women. METHODS: In total, 207 women answered questionnaires assessing sexual dissatisfaction and cognitive and emotional variables that might affect sexual dissatisfaction. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sexual dissatisfaction was measured by the Index of Sexual Satisfaction, sexual beliefs were measured by the Sexual Dysfunctional Beliefs Questionnaire, and thoughts and emotional responses were measured by the Sexual Modes Questionnaire. RESULTS: A path analysis was conducted to assess the conceptual model proposed. Results indicated that dysfunctional sexual beliefs work as predisposing factors by eliciting negative automatic thoughts and emotions, which impair the processing of erotic stimuli and interfere negatively with sexual satisfaction. CONCLUSION: This finding suggests a role for cognitive and emotional factors in predisposing and maintaining sexual dissatisfaction in women, suggesting relevant implications for intervention.