Analysis of the mediating effect of mentalization on the relationship between attachment styles and emotion dysregulation.

The current study aims to explore the relationship between attachment styles, mentalization and emotion dysregulation. Moreover, the mediation effect of mentalization in the relationship between attachment and emotion dysregulation is analyzed. A sample composed of 607 participants taken from the Spanish general population completed the measures in a cross-sectional designed study. The results show that secure attachment is negatively related to emotion dysregulation dimensions, whereas insecure attachment styles show a positive correlation. Furthermore, the mentalization variables are in general significantly related to emotion dysregulation. The mediation model shows a large mediational effect size (f2  = 2.64). The results suggest that mentalization significantly mediates the relationship between emotion dysregulation and preoccupation, self-sufficiency, and childhood trauma. These results have important implications, as they indicate that clinical interventions on mentalization should reduce emotion dysregulation even in those people with a predominant insecure attachment style.

Stressful life events and hopelessness in adults: the mediating role of mentalization and emotional dysregulation.

OBJECTIVE: Hopelessness is considered a risk factor for several mental and behavioral disorders. Research has shown that a stressful life event can be a significant predictor of hopelessness. The aim of the current research study was to explore the relationship between stressful life events and hopelessness, as well as to analyses the mediation effect of both mentalization and emotional dysregulation on this relationship. METHODS: In a cross-sectional design, 607 participants recruited from the Spanish general population completed a series of measures. RESULTS: Hopelessness was significantly related to stressful life events (r = 0.24, p < 0.001), emotion dysregulation variables (r = 0.18/0.38), and most measures of mentalization (r = 0.02/0.34). A good-fitting structural equation modeling-based mediation model (χ2/df = 2.04; root mean squared error of approximation = 0.042 [90%CI 0.033-0.050]; comparative fit index = 0.97; non-normed fit index = 0.97) showed that mentalization significantly mediated the relationship between stressful life events and hopelessness, while emotion dysregulation had no significant mediating effect. CONCLUSIONS: These results could have important clinical implications, such as the development of mentalization-based interventions for people living under a large number of stressors.

Using a Virtual Serious Game (Deusto-e-motion1.0) to Assess the Theory of Mind in Primary School Children: Observational Descriptive Study.

BACKGROUND: Given the interactive media characteristics and intrinsically motivating appeal, virtual serious games are often praised for their potential for assessment and treatment. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to validate and develop normative data for a virtual serious game (Deusto-e-motion1.0) for the evaluation of emotional facial expression recognition and social skills, both of which are components of the theory of mind. METHODS: A total of 1236 children took part in the study. The children were classified by age (8-12 years old), gender (males=639, females=597), and educational level (between the third and sixth years of Primary Education). A total of 10 schools from the Basque Country and 20 trained evaluators participated in this study. RESULTS: Differences were found in Deusto-e-motion1.0 scores between groups of children depending on age and gender. Moreover, there was a moderately significant correlation between the emotional recognition scores of Deusto-e-motion1.0 and those of the Feel facial recognition test. CONCLUSIONS: Deusto-e-motion1.0 shows concurrent validity with instruments that assess emotional recognition. Results support the adequacy of Deusto-e-motion1.0 in assessing components of the theory of mind in children.

Development of the Pedestrian Anger Scale. A Pilot Study.

Anger has been closely related to risky behavior, and this last has been related to road accidents. The current research aimed to develop and validate a self-report questionnaire to measure anger in pedestrians (n = 550, 40.73% male) of a wide age rage (14-65 years, M = 27.91, SD = 13.21). The Parallel Analysis showed that the 15 items of the Pedestrian Anger Scale fitted satisfactorily in a four-factor solution: Anger because of obstructions or slowdowns caused by other pedestrians (α = .79), Anger because of hostility from drivers (α = .64), Anger because of bad conditions of the infrastructure (α = .62), and Anger because of dangerous situations caused by vehicles (α = .71). The global scale had also a good internal consistency (α = .83). Further analyses suggested convergent, divergent and incremental validity by correlating the global score of the questionnaire with both risk and anger measures. Middle-aged people (19-30 years) scored higher in anger as pedestrians than eldest (> 45 years), η2 = .02, but no significant effect were obtained by gender. Practical implications from both clinical and road safety viewpoints are discussed, and both future research proposals and limitations of the current study are also commented.

Development of the Pedestrian Anger Scale. A pilot study

Anger has been closely related to risky behavior, and this last has been related to road accidents. The current research aimed to develop and validate a self-report questionnaire to measure anger in pedestrians (n = 550, 40.73% male) of a wide age rage (14-65 years, M = 27.91, SD = 13.21). The Parallel Analysis showed that the 15 items of the Pedestrian Anger Scale fitted satisfactorily in a four-factor solution: Anger because of obstructions or slowdowns caused by other pedestrians (α = .79), Anger because of hostility from drivers (α = .64), Anger because of bad conditions of the infrastructure (α = .62), and Anger because of dangerous situations caused by vehicles (α = .71). The global scale had also a good internal consistency (α = .83). Further analyses suggested convergent, divergent and incremental validity by correlating the global score of the questionnaire with both risk and anger measures. Middle-aged people (19-30 years) scored higher in anger as pedestrians than eldest (> 45 years), η2 = .02, but no significant effect were obtained by gender. Practical implications from both clinical and road safety viewpoints are discussed, and both future research proposals and limitations of the current study are also commented

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Accuracy and reaction time in recognition of facial emotions in people with multiple sclerosis.

INTRODUCTION: Facial emotional expression constitutes a basic guide in the social interaction and, thus, the alterations in its expression or recognition imply an important limitation for the communication. On the other hand, cognitive impairment and the presence of depressive symptoms, which are commonly found in patients with multiple sclerosis, it is unknown how they influence cognitive function and depression on emotional recognition. AIMS: To consider the evaluation of time reaction and response accuracy of facial expression recognition in people affected by multiple sclerosis, and to assess the possible variables that may be modulating the emotion recognition, such as depression and cognitive functions. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study has a cross-sectional non-experimental design with a single measurement. The sample is compound by 85 participants, 45 diagnosed as multiple sclerosis and 40 control subjects. RESULTS: Multiple sclerosis subjects reveal significant differences in both reaction time and response accuracy in neuropsychological tests in comparison to the control group. Explanatory models were identified in the emotional recognition. CONCLUSION: Multiple sclerosis subjects face difficulties at recognising facial emotions; and differences at attention memory, processing speed and depressive symptomatology were observed in regard to the control group.

TITLE: Precision y tiempo de reaccion en el reconocimiento de emociones faciales en personas con esclerosis multiple.Introduccion. La expresion facial emocional constituye una guia basica en la interaccion social y, por lo tanto, las alteraciones en su expresion o reconocimiento implican una limitacion importante para la comunicacion. Por otro lado, el deterioro cognitivo y la presencia de sintomas depresivos, que se encuentran comunmente en los pacientes con esclerosis multiple, no se sabe como influyen en el reconocimiento emocional. Objetivo. Considerar la evaluacion del tiempo de reaccion y precision en la respuesta de reconocimiento de expresiones faciales de las personas afectadas por esclerosis multiple y valorar las posibles variables que pueden modular el reconocimiento de emociones, como la depresion y las funciones cognitivas. Sujetos y metodos. El estudio tiene un diseño no experimental transversal con una sola medicion. La muestra esta compuesta por 85 participantes, 45 con diagnostico de esclerosis multiple y 40 sujetos control. Resultados. Los sujetos con esclerosis multiple revelaban diferencias significativas tanto en el tiempo de reaccion y la precision de respuesta en pruebas neuropsicologicas en comparacion con el grupo control. Se identificaron modelos explicativos en el reconocimiento emocional. Conclusion. Los sujetos con esclerosis multiple se enfrentan a dificultades en el reconocimiento de emociones faciales, y se observaron diferencias en la memoria, atencion, velocidad de procesamiento y sintomatologia depresiva en relacion con el grupo control.

Precisión y tiempo de reacción en el reconocimiento de emociones faciales en personas con esclerosis múltiple / Accuracy and reaction time in recognition of facial emotions in people with multiple sclerosis

Introducción. La expresión facial emocional constituye una guía básica en la interacción social y, por lo tanto, las alteraciones en su expresión o reconocimiento implican una limitación importante para la comunicación. Por otro lado, el deterioro cognitivo y la presencia de síntomas depresivos, que se encuentran comúnmente en los pacientes con esclerosis múltiple, no se sabe cómo influyen en el reconocimiento emocional. Objetivo. Considerar la evaluación del tiempo de reacción y precisión en la respuesta de reconocimiento de expresiones faciales de las personas afectadas por esclerosis múltiple y valorar las posibles variables que pueden modular el reconocimiento de emociones, como la depresión y las funciones cognitivas. Sujetos y métodos. El estudio tiene un diseño no experimental transversal con una sola medición. La muestra está compuesta por 85 participantes, 45 con diagnóstico de esclerosis múltiple y 40 sujetos control. Resultados. Los sujetos con esclerosis múltiple revelaban diferencias significativas tanto en el tiempo de reacción y la precisión de respuesta en pruebas neuropsicológicas en comparación con el grupo control. Se identificaron modelos explicativos en el reconocimiento emocional. Conclusión. Los sujetos con esclerosis múltiple se enfrentan a dificultades en el reconocimiento de emociones faciales, y se observaron diferencias en la memoria, atención, velocidad de procesamiento y sintomatología depresiva en relación con el grupo control (AU)

Introduction. Facial emotional expression constitutes a basic guide in the social interaction and, thus, the alterations in its expression or recognition imply an important limitation for the communication. On the other hand, cognitive impairment and the presence of depressive symptoms, which are commonly found in patients with multiple sclerosis, it is unknown how they influence cognitive function and depression on emotional recognition. Aims. To consider the evaluation of time reaction and response accuracy of facial expression recognition in people affected by multiple sclerosis, and to assess the possible variables that may be modulating the emotion recognition, such as depression and cognitive functions. Subjects and methods. The study has a cross-sectional non-experimental design with a single measurement. The sample is compound by 85 participants, 45 diagnosed as multiple sclerosis and 40 control subjects. Results. Multiple sclerosis subjects reveal significant differences in both reaction time and response accuracy in neuropsychological tests in comparison to the control group. Explanatory models were identified in the emotional recognition. Conclusion. Multiple sclerosis subjects face difficulties at recognising facial emotions; and differences at attention memory, processing speed and depressive symptomatology were observed in regard to the control group (AU)