Emotional and Cognitive Responses to Theatrical Representations of Aggressive Behavior.

Representation of human conflict is central to theater performance. In our study, we have used self-reported measures of emotional experience and a word recall task, in order to assess the effects of theatrical representations of violence. Forty participants were randomly assigned to the role of performer or spectator, in either a realistic representation of a script or in a version that recollected the same actions of the script in a series of intertwined monologs. The script represented an aggressive interaction between two work colleagues. Our results show both statistically significant differences in the levels of depression and positive emotions reported after enacting the script, as well as differences in the performance on the word recall task containing aggressive related and non-related stimuli. The results point to stronger effects for performing theatrical representations of violent actions, as compared to recollecting or watching such actions. The fact that actors experienced higher positive emotions is in line with the two-pedal model of aggressive behavior. This model suggests that negative emotions toward aggressive behavior might change to positive emotions due to the repetition in performing violent behaviors, as a key for the transition from reactive aggression to appetitive aggression. Other implications for the study of aggression in theatrical representations are discussed.

The DREAM Dataset: Supporting a data-driven study of autism spectrum disorder and robot enhanced therapy.

We present a dataset of behavioral data recorded from 61 children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The data was collected during a large-scale evaluation of Robot Enhanced Therapy (RET). The dataset covers over 3000 therapy sessions and more than 300 hours of therapy. Half of the children interacted with the social robot NAO supervised by a therapist. The other half, constituting a control group, interacted directly with a therapist. Both groups followed the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) protocol. Each session was recorded with three RGB cameras and two RGBD (Kinect) cameras, providing detailed information of children's behavior during therapy. This public release of the dataset comprises body motion, head position and orientation, and eye gaze variables, all specified as 3D data in a joint frame of reference. In addition, metadata including participant age, gender, and autism diagnosis (ADOS) variables are included. We release this data with the hope of supporting further data-driven studies towards improved therapy methods as well as a better understanding of ASD in general.

Changes in irrational beliefs are responsible for the efficacy of the REThink therapeutic game in preventing emotional disorders in children and adolescents: mechanisms of change analysis of a randomized clinical trial.

The mechanisms of change are rarely investigated in the field of gamified interventions for preventing emotional disorders in children and adolescents despite the wide recognition for the advantages they offer as prevention tool. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanisms of change of a therapeutic game (REThink), specifically mediators and moderators of its efficacy. We conducted a randomized controlled trial, involving 165 children (age range 10-16 years), who were randomly distributed across three groups: the REThink group (N = 54), the Rational Emotive Behavior Education group (N = 55) and the Waitlist condition (N = 56). Results indicated that changes in irrational beliefs were significant mediators for the REThink intervention on depressive mood and overall negative emotions. Age did not moderate the effect of REThink, which indicates that the program was equally effective for children and adolescents.Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03308981.

Is REThink therapeutic game effective in preventing emotional disorders in children and adolescents? Outcomes of a randomized clinical trial.

Therapeutic games represent a promising solution for addressing emotional difficulties in youths. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of the REThink game, in helping children and adolescents, to develop psychological resilience. Therefore, 165 children aged between 10 and 16 years were randomly assigned in one of the three groups: 54 participants in the REThink condition, 55 participants in the Rational Emotive Behavior Education condition, and 56 participants in the waitlist condition. Results indicated that the REThink intervention had a significant impact on emotional symptoms (a moderate-effect size, d = 0.46) and on depressive mood (a large-effect size, d = 0.84). Furthermore, REThink had a significant impact on children's ability to regulate their emotions, with a significant effect on emotional awareness (d = 0.64), and on the ability for emotional control (d = 0.69). In conclusion, the implications of the REThink game are discussed in relationship with resiliency building programs designed for youths. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03308981.

50 years of rational-emotive and cognitive-behavioral therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), introduced by Albert Ellis in the late 1950s, is one of the main pillars of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Existing reviews on REBT are overdue by 10 years or more. We aimed to summarize the effectiveness and efficacy of REBT since its beginnings and investigate the alleged mechanisms of change. METHOD: Systematic search identified 84 articles, out of which 68 provided data for between-group analyses and 39 for within-group analyses. RESULTS: We found a medium effect size of REBT compared to other interventions on outcomes (d = 0.58) and on irrational beliefs (d = 0.70), at posttest. For the within-group analyses, we obtained medium effects for both outcomes (d = 0.56) and irrational beliefs (d = 0.61). Several significant moderators emerged. CONCLUSION: REBT is a sound psychological intervention. Directions for future studies are outlined, stemming from the limitations of existing ones.

Virtual reality measures in neuropsychological assessment: a meta-analytic review.

OBJECTIVE: Virtual reality-based assessment is a new paradigm for neuropsychological evaluation, that might provide an ecological assessment, compared to paper-and-pencil or computerized neuropsychological assessment. Previous research has focused on the use of virtual reality in neuropsychological assessment, but no meta-analysis focused on the sensitivity of virtual reality-based measures of cognitive processes in measuring cognitive processes in various populations. METHOD: We found eighteen studies that compared the cognitive performance between clinical and healthy controls on virtual reality measures. RESULTS: Based on a random effects model, the results indicated a large effect size in favor of healthy controls (g = .95). For executive functions, memory and visuospatial analysis, subgroup analysis revealed moderate to large effect sizes, with superior performance in the case of healthy controls. Participants' mean age, type of clinical condition, type of exploration within virtual reality environments, and the presence of distractors were significant moderators. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the sensitivity of virtual reality-based measures in detecting cognitive impairment. They highlight the possibility of using virtual reality measures for neuropsychological assessment in research applications, as well as in clinical practice.

Pilot randomised controlled trial of Help4Mood, an embodied virtual agent-based system to support treatment of depression.

INTRODUCTION: Help4Mood is an interactive system with an embodied virtual agent (avatar) to assist in self-monitoring of patients receiving treatment for depression. Help4Mood supports self-report and biometric monitoring and includes elements of cognitive behavioural therapy. We aimed to evaluate system use and acceptability, to explore likely recruitment and retention rates in a clinical trial and to obtain an estimate of potential treatment response with a view to conducting a future randomised controlled trial (RCT). METHODS: We conducted a pilot RCT of Help4Mood in three centres, in Romania, Spain and Scotland, UK. Patients with diagnosed depression (major depressive disorder) and current mild/moderate depressive symptoms were randomised to use the system for four weeks in addition to treatment as usual (TAU) or to TAU alone. RESULTS: Twenty-seven individuals were randomised and follow-up data were obtained from 21 participants (12/13 Help4Mood, 9/14 TAU). Half of participants randomised to Help4Mood used it regularly (more than 10 times); none used it every day. Acceptability varied between users. Some valued the emotional responsiveness of the system, while others found it too repetitive. Intention to treat analysis showed a small difference in change of Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-2) scores (Help4Mood -5.7 points, TAU -4.2). Post-hoc on-treatment analysis suggested that participants who used Help4Mood regularly experienced a median change in BDI-2 of -8 points. CONCLUSION: Help4Mood is acceptable to some patients receiving treatment for depression although none used it as regularly as intended. Changes in depression symptoms in individuals who used the system regularly reached potentially meaningful levels.

Coping strategies and irrational beliefs as mediators of the health-related quality of life impairments in irritable bowel syndrome.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic and disabling gastrointestinal disorder. Although considerable research has underlined the influence of coping mechanisms as the determinants of the quality of life (QOL), only limited data are available regarding the specific coping mechanisms used by IBS patients to manage illness in daily life. Irrational cognitions are known to emerge in stressful situations such as chronic diseases, and it has been proposed to have implications in the QOL. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between coping styles and irrational beliefs in predicting the effects of IBS symptoms on the health-related QOL (HRQOL). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed at two tertiary gastroenterology centers. A sample of 70 consecutive IBS patients and 55 healthy controls was studied. All participants completed the Brief Cope Inventory, the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale, the Short-Form Health Survey and a demographic questionnaire. RESULTS: All the HRQOL scores of the group with IBS were significantly lower than the HRQOL scores of the healthy group [Pillai's trace V = 0.404, F(8, 116) = 9.833, p < 0.001]. Irritable bowel syndrome patients used more problem-focused coping and avoidant-oriented coping than healthy subjects. The impact of IBS symptoms on HRQOL distress is mediated by irrational beliefs and avoidant oriented coping. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the role of irrational cognition and coping mechanisms in patients with IBS. The results underline the importance of the evaluation of psychological aspects of IBS with the possibility of having more tailored treatments for these patients.

The other side of rumination: reflective pondering as a strategy for regulating emotions in social situations.

Recent studies have questioned the idea of rumination as a unitary dysfunctional process and identified an adaptive subcomponent: reflective pondering. We tested whether reflective pondering could represent an adaptive strategy of regulating emotions, and contrasted it with reappraisal and acceptance, strategies linked to major psychotherapeutic approaches. Participants (103 students) received training in one of these and were exposed to a negative mood induction consisting of social scenarios, both in the presence and in the absence of the specific emotion regulation instruction. Acceptance was more useful than reflective pondering in impacting negative emotions and anxiety. Reappraisal was more efficient than pondering for anxiety. However, moderation analysis showed that social anxiety (SA) levels influenced the comparative efficiency of reappraisal and acceptance as contrasted to reflective pondering for negative emotions and anxiety. Participants low in SA made equal use of all strategies, while for those high in SA reappraisal and acceptance were more efficient than pondering. Our results provide preliminary evidence that reflective pondering can, in some circumstances, be an adaptive regulation strategy.