Child and parent secondary outcomes in stepped care versus standard care treatment for childhood trauma.

INTRODUCTION: Stepped care trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (SC-TF-CBT) is comparable in efficacy to standard TF-CBT for child posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), but less is known about the effectiveness of SC-TF-CBT on child and parent secondary outcomes. The aim of this community-based randomized clinical trial was to compare child- and caregiver-secondary outcomes among SC-TF-CBT versus TF-CBT participants. METHODS: Children (ages 4 to 12) with PTSS and their caregivers were randomly assigned to either SC-TF-CBT (n = 91) or TF-CBT (n = 92). Secondary child (internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, anger outburst and sleep disturbances) and parent outcomes (PTSS, depression symptoms, and parenting stress) were measured at baseline, post-treatment and 6- and 12-month follow-up. RESULTS: There were comparable changes at all-time points in child and caregiver secondary outcomes. Non-inferiority tests indicated that for completers and intent-to-treat samples, SC-TF-CBT was non-inferior to TF-CBT for all outcomes except parenting stress at 6-months. The analysis with completers did not support non-inferiority at post-treatment for internalizing and externalizing problems and at 6- and 12-month follow-up assessments for externalizing problems, but the intent-to-treat analysis did support non-inferiority. LIMITATIONS: Limitations included modest rates of attrition, excluding in vivo component for standard TF-CBT, parent-only assessments, and no control condition. CONCLUSIONS: SC-TF-CBT is an effective alternative treatment method although parents with high stress may need more support and children with externalizing problems may need more standard TF-CBT sessions.

Stepped Care Versus Standard Care for Children After Trauma: A Randomized Non-Inferiority Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based therapist-led treatment for children after trauma. Parents often experience barriers to treatment engagement, including cost. Stepped care TF-CBT (SC-TF-CBT) was developed as an alternative delivery system. Step One is a parent-led therapist-assisted treatment. Step Two provides therapist-led TF-CBT for children who did not benefit from Step One and require more intensive treatment. This study compared SC-TF-CBT to standard TF-CBT in a community-based non-inferiority trial. METHOD: A total of 183 children (aged 4-12 years) experiencing posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and their caregivers were randomly assigned to SC-TF-CBT or standard TF-CBT within 6 community clinics. Assessments occurred at baseline, mid- and posttreatment, and 6 and 12 months. Primary outcomes included PTSS and impairment. Secondary outcomes included severity, diagnostic status, remission, and response. Treatment cost, acceptability, and satisfaction were measured. Difference and non-inferiority tests were applied. RESULTS: SC-TF-CBT participants changed at rates comparable to participants in TF-CBT for primary and secondary measures. SC-TF-CBT was non-inferior to TF-CBT for PTSS, impairment, and severity at all time points except for impairment at the 6-month assessment. Attrition did not differ between treatment arms (132 participants were completers). Baseline treatment acceptability was lower for SC-TF-CBT parents, although there was no difference in expected treatment improvements or treatment satisfaction at posttreatment. Based on regression estimates, total costs were 38.4% lower for SC-TF-CBT compared to TF-CBT, whereas recurring costs were 53.7% lower. CONCLUSION: Stepped Care TF-CBT provides an alternative way to deliver treatment for some children and parents, with reduced cost for providers and parents. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION: Stepped Care for Children after Trauma: Optimizing Treatment; https://clinicaltrials.gov; NCT02537678.

Heart rate reactivity to trauma-related imagery as a measure of PTSD symptom severity: Examining a new cohort of Veterans.

For over three decades, there has been considerable research documenting increased physiological reactivity to trauma-related stimuli as a characteristic feature of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The present study explored the potential for physiological assessment to aid in defining and validating screening criteria for the presence of significant PTSD-related symptoms in a sample of OEF/OIF/OND Veterans seeking care in a VA post-deployment health clinic. Heart rate reactivity scores during the imagining phase of the script-driven imagery paradigm were compared across groups of individuals with and without probable PTSD diagnoses, as defined by PCL-IV cutoff scores ranging from 40 to 60. Significant differences were found for groups defined by PCL-IV cutoff scores of 50 and 60, with 50 producing the largest effect size. Diagnosing PTSD is made challenging by the presence of overlapping symptoms shared with other diagnoses, as well as by the necessity for patients to accurately report their symptoms. An objective physiological measure capable of accurately differentiating individuals with and without PTSD provides potential adjunctive diagnostic and treatment information to clinicians. The present findings support the validity of physiological reactivity during SDI as a NIMH RDoC measure that can be used in research and clinical applications assessing trauma-related symptom severity.

How honest are the signals? A protocol for validating wearable sensors.

There is growing interest among organizational researchers in tapping into alternative sources of data beyond self-reports to provide a new avenue for measuring behavioral constructs. Use of alternative data sources such as wearable sensors is necessary for developing theory and enhancing organizational practice. Although wearable sensors are now commercially available, the veracity of the data they capture is largely unknown and mostly based on manufacturers' claims. The goal of this research is to test the validity and reliability of data captured by one such wearable badge (by Humanyze) in the context of structured meetings where all individuals wear a badge for the duration of the encounter. We developed a series of studies, each targeting a specific sensor of this badge that is relevant for structured meetings, and we make specific recommendations for badge data usage based on our validation results. We have incorporated the insights from our studies on a website that researchers can use to conduct validation tests for their badges, upload their data, and assess the validity of the data. We discuss this website in the corresponding studies.

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia reactivity to a sad film predicts depression symptom improvement and symptomatic trajectory.

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) reactivity, an index of cardiac vagal tone, has been linked to self-regulation and the severity and course of depression (Rottenberg, 2007). Although initial data supports the proposition that RSA withdrawal during a sad film is a specific predictor of depression course (Fraguas, 2007; Rottenberg, 2005), the robustness and specificity of this finding are unclear. To provide a stronger test, RSA reactivity to three emotion films (happy, sad, fear) and to a more robust stressor, a speech task, were examined in currently depressed individuals (n=37), who were assessed for their degree of symptomatic improvement over 30weeks. Robust RSA reactivity to the sad film uniquely predicted overall symptom improvement over 30weeks. RSA reactivity to both sad and stressful stimuli predicted the speed and maintenance of symptomatic improvement. The current analyses provide the most robust support to date that RSA withdrawal to sad stimuli (but not stressful) has specificity in predicting the overall symptomatic improvement. In contrast, RSA reactivity to negative stimuli (both sad and stressful) predicted the trajectory of depression course. Patients' engagement with sad stimuli may be an important sign to attend to in therapeutic settings.

Affective and Enjoyment Responses to High-Intensity Interval Training in Overweight-to-Obese and Insufficiently Active Adults.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has many known physiological benefits, but research investigating the psychological aspects of this training is limited. The purpose of the current study is to investigate the affective and enjoyment responses to continuous and high-intensity interval exercise sessions. Twenty overweight-to-obese, insufficiently active adults completed four counterbalanced trials: a 20-min trial of heavy continuous exercise and three 24-min HIIT trials that used 30-s, 60-s, and 120-s intervals. Affect declined during all trials (p < .05), but affect at the completion of trials was more positive in the shorter interval trials (p < .05). Enjoyment declined in the 120-s interval and heavy continuous conditions only (p < .05). Postexercise enjoyment was higher in the 60-s trial than in the 120-s trial and heavy continuous condition (p < .05). Findings suggest that pleasure and enjoyment are higher during shorter interval trials than during a longer interval or heavy continuous exercise.

Cardiovascular recovery from psychological and physiological challenge and risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality.

OBJECTIVE: Exaggerated cardiovascular (CV) reactivity to laboratory challenge has been shown to predict future CV morbidity and mortality. CV recovery has been less studied and has yielded inconsistent findings, possibly due to the presence of moderators. Reviews on the relationship between CV recovery and CV outcomes have been limited to cross-sectional studies and have not considered methodological factors. We performed a comprehensive meta-analytic review of the prospective literature investigating CV recovery to physical and psychological challenge and adverse CV outcomes. METHODS: We searched PsycINFO and PubMed for prospective studies investigating the relationship between CV recovery and adverse CV outcomes. Studies were coded for variables of interest and for effect sizes. We conducted a random-effects weighted meta-analysis. Moderators were examined with analysis of variance-analog and meta-regression analyses. RESULTS: Thirty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria (n = 125,386). Impaired recovery from a challenge predicted adverse CV outcomes (summary effect, r = 0.17, p < .001). Physical challenge was associated with larger predictive effects than psychological challenge. Moderator analyses revealed that recovery measured at 1 minute postexercise, passive recovery, use of mortality as an outcome measure, and older sample age were associated with larger effects. CONCLUSIONS: Poor recovery from laboratory challenges predicts adverse CV outcomes, with recovery from exercise serving as a particularly strong predictor of CV outcomes. The overall effect size for recovery and CV outcomes is similar to that observed for CV reactivity and suggests that the study of recovery may have incremental value for understanding adverse CV outcomes.

Flash fire and slow burn: women's cardiovascular reactivity and recovery following hostile and benevolent sexism.

Women's cardiovascular responses to sexist treatment are documented, but researchers have yet to consider these responses separately as a function of sexism type (hostile vs. benevolent). This study demonstrates distinct effects of hostile and benevolent sexism for women's cardiovascular responses that indicate increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Female participants performed a demanding insight task after exposure to a male researcher who offered them a hostilely sexist, benevolently sexist, or nonsexist comment. Women displayed heightened cardiovascular reactivity (increases from baseline) during the task following hostile sexism, and they displayed impaired cardiovascular recovery (return to baseline after the task) following benevolent sexism. The effects seen in the hostile condition were mediated by self-reported anger. These findings indicate that women's affective responses to hostile and benevolent sexism differ but that exposure to both forms of sexism may have negative cardiovascular consequences.

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia reactivity in current and remitted major depressive disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Low resting respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) levels and blunted RSA reactivity are thought to index impaired emotion regulation capacity. Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been associated with aberrant RSA reactivity and recovery to a speech stressor task relative to healthy controls. Whether impaired RSA functioning reflects aspects of the depressed mood state or a stable vulnerability marker for depression is unknown. METHODS: We compared resting RSA and RSA reactivity between adults with MDD (n = 49), remitted depression (RMD, n = 24), and healthy controls (n = 45). Electrocardiogram data were collected during a resting baseline, a paced-breathing baseline, and two reactivity tasks (speech stressor, cold exposure). RESULTS: A group by time quadratic effect emerged (F(2,109) = 4.36, p = .015) for RSA across phases of the speech stressor (baseline, instruction, preparation, speech, recovery). Follow-up analyses revealed that those with MDD uniquely exhibited blunted RSA reactivity, whereas RMD and controls both exhibited the anticipated task-related vagal withdrawal and posttask recovery. The group by time interaction remained after covariation for age, sex, waist circumference, physical activity, and respiration, but not sleep quality. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide new evidence that aberrant RSA reactivity marks features that track the depressed state, such as poor sleep, rather than a stable trait evident among asymptomatic persons.

Physiological mechanisms that underlie the effects of interactional unfairness on deviant behavior: the role of cortisol activity.

Although experiencing unfairness is a primary source of stress, there are surprisingly few studies that have examined the physiological underpinnings of unfairness. Drawing from social self-preservation theory, we derive predictions regarding the effects of interactional unfairness on activity in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis, which is one of the body's primary hormonal systems for responding to stress. Using an experimental design with objective physiological measures, we found support for our hypothesis that interactional unfairness triggers the release of cortisol by the HPA axis. This cortisol activity in turn mediated the effects of interactional unfairness on deviant behavior. This indirect effect remained significant after controlling for established attitudinal and self-construal mediators of the justice-deviance relationship. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings for the occupational stress and organizational justice literatures.

Is blunted cardiovascular reactivity in depression mood-state dependent? A comparison of major depressive disorder remitted depression and healthy controls.

Prior work has repeatedly demonstrated that people who have current major depression exhibit blunted cardiovascular reactivity to acute stressors (e.g., Salomon et al., 2009). A key question regards the psychobiological basis for these deficits, including whether such deficits are depressed mood-state dependent or whether these effects are trait-like and are observed outside of depression episodes in vulnerable individuals. To examine this issue, we assessed cardiovascular reactivity to a speech stressor task and a forehead cold pressor in 50 individuals with current major depressive disorder (MDD), 25 with remitted major depression (RMD), and 45 healthy controls. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure and impedance cardiography were assessed and analyses controlled for BMI and sex. Significant group effects were found for SBP, HR, and PEP for the speech preparation period and HR, CO, and PEP during the speech. For each of these parameters, only the MDD group exhibited attenuated reactivity as well as impaired SBP recovery. Reactivity and recovery in the RMD group more closely resembled the healthy controls. Speeches given by the MDD group were rated as less persuasive than the RMD or healthy controls' speeches. No significant differences were found for the cold pressor. Blunted cardiovascular reactivity and impaired recovery in current major depression may be mood-state dependent phenomena and may be more reflective of motivational deficits than deficits in the physiological integrity of the cardiovascular system.

Cardiac vagal control in nonmedicated depressed women and nondepressed controls: impact of depression status, lifetime trauma history, and respiratory factors.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of acute stress and relationship-focused imagery on cardiac vagal control, as indicated by levels of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), in depressed and nondepressed women. Impairment in cardiac parasympathetic (vagal) control may confer risk for cardiac mortality in depressed populations. METHODS: Electrocardiogram and respiratory rate were evaluated in 15 nonmedicated depressed women and 15 matched controls during two laboratory conditions: 1) a relationship-focused imagery designed to elicit vagal activation; and 2) a speech stressor designed to evoke vagal withdrawal. RESULTS: As expected, the relationship-focused imagery increased RSA (F(3,66) = 3.79, p = .02) and the speech stressor decreased RSA (F(3,66) = 4.36, p = .02) across women. Depressed women exhibited lower RSA during the relationship-focused imagery, and this effect remained after control for respiratory rate and trauma history (F(1,21) = 5.65, p = .027). Depressed women with a trauma history exhibited the lowest RSA during the stress condition (F(1,22) = 9.61, p = .05). However, after controlling for respiratory rate, Trauma History × Task Order (p = .02) but not Trauma History × Depression Group (p = .12) accounted for RSA variation during the stress condition. CONCLUSION: Depression in women is associated with lower RSA, particularly when women reflect on a close love relationship, a context expected to elicit vagal activation and hence increase RSA. In contrast, depression-related variation in stressor-evoked vagal activity seems to covary with women's trauma history. Associations between vagal activity and depression are complex and should be considered in view of the experimental conditions under which vagal control is assessed, as well as physiological and behavioral factors that may affect vagal function.

Chronic life stress, cardiovascular reactivity, and subclinical cardiovascular disease in adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To examine cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between chronic life stress, cardiovascular reactivity, and a marker of subclinical cardiovascular disease in a multiethnic sample of adolescents. METHODS: Participants were 158 healthy adolescents who completed self-report measures of chronic negative life stress as well as assessments of heart rate and blood pressure reactivity to acute laboratory stressors at two time points, approximately 3.3 years apart. At Time 2, intima-media thickness (IMT), a measure of subclinical atherosclerosis, was also measured. RESULTS: In hierarchical regression models adjusting for demographic variables and body mass index, chronic negative life stress at Time 2 was concurrently associated with greater diastolic blood pressure (DBP) reactivity to stress (beta = 0.18, p = .016), but neither chronic stress nor cardiovascular reactivity was associated concurrently with IMT. Increasing life stress from Time 1 to Time 2 was accompanied by increasing cardiovascular reactivity (beta = 0.14-0.20, p < .05), and increasing DBP reactivity over time was also associated with IMT (beta = 0.24, p = .03), although increasing chronic life stress was not directly related to IMT. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents exposed to chronic, negative stressors that worsen over time may show heightened cardiovascular reactivity that puts them at risk for subclinical atherosclerosis.

Major depressive disorder is associated with attenuated cardiovascular reactivity and impaired recovery among those free of cardiovascular disease.

OBJECTIVE: To examine cardiovascular reactivity and recovery to laboratory stress among a naturalistic sample of individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy control participants. Prospective evidence suggests that MDD confers risk for cardiovascular disease equal to or greater than the risk associated with depressed mood. Enhanced cardiovascular reactivity has been proposed as a mechanism explaining increased risk, but data are inconsistent as to whether depressed individuals exhibit enhanced or attenuated reactivity. Further, few studies have examined appraisal and recovery differences. DESIGN: Participants diagnosed with MDD (N = 25) and healthy control participants (N = 25) engaged in a cardiovascular reactivity protocol including 2 tasks, each followed by a brief recovery period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Blood pressure, heart rate, pre-ejection period, cardiac output and total peripheral resistance were assessed. Appraisals of tasks were assessed prior to each task. RESULTS: Depressed participants exhibited significantly less systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and cardiac output reactivity during speech, less heart rate reactivity during mirror tracing, and less heart rate recovery after speech and mirror tracing than controls. Depressed participants appraised the tasks as more demanding, threatening, and stressful and reported being less able to cope than controls. Appraisals were related to heart rate reactivity, but appraisals did not mediate the relationship between depression group and reactivity. CONCLUSION: Impaired recovery rather than exaggerated cardiovascular reactivity may partially explain the increased prospective cardiovascular disease risk in depressed individuals.

Resting cardiovascular levels and reactivity to interpersonal incivility among Black, Latina/o, and White individuals: the moderating role of ethnic discrimination.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine cardiovascular responses among Black, non-Hispanic White, and Latina/o participants exposed to a potentially discriminatory situation. The study also examined the moderating role of prior history of discrimination on cardiovascular responses. DESIGN: Black, Latina/o, and White participants engaged in a resting baseline and then interacted with an uncivil White research assistant. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Two measures of prior exposure to discrimination were administered. Participants' blood pressure and heart rate (HR) were monitored throughout the protocol. The primary outcomes were resting cardiovascular function and cardiovascular reactivity to the uncivil interaction. RESULTS: Past discrimination was related to higher resting systolic blood pressure (SBP) among Latina/o participants and lower resting SBP among White participants. Further, past discrimination was related to attenuated SBP and HR reactivity among Latina/o participants but was related to augmented HR reactivity among White participants. Discrimination was not related to resting levels or reactivity among Black participants. CONCLUSION: This study is the first to examine the relationship between discrimination and cardiovascular responses to interpersonal incivility among Black, Latina/o, and White individuals. Findings suggest that the relationship between discrimination and cardiovascular risk may differ by ethnicity.

RSA fluctuation in major depressive disorder.

Cardiac vagal control, as measured by indices of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), has been investigated as a marker of impaired self-regulation in mental disorders, including depression. Past work in depressed samples has focused on deficits in resting RSA levels, with mixed results. This study tested the hypothesis that depression involves abnormal RSA fluctuation. RSA was measured in depressed and healthy control participants during rest and during two reactivity tasks, each followed by a recovery period. Relative to controls, depressed persons exhibited lower resting RSA levels as well as less RSA fluctuation, primarily evidenced by a lack of task-related vagal suppression. Group differences in RSA fluctuation were not accounted for by differences in physical health or respiration, whereas group differences in resting RSA level did not survive covariate analyses. Depression may involve multiple deficits in cardiac vagal control.

Central adiposity is associated with cardiovascular reactivity to stress in adolescents.

The current study examined the association between central adiposity, measured by waist circumference, and cardiovascular reactivity to stress among 106 White and 105 Black adolescents, approximately 50% of whom were girls. Participants engaged in 4 laboratory tasks while cardiovascular reactivity measures were taken. Independent of body mass index, race, and gender, participants with a greater waist circumference exhibited greater systolic blood pressure reactivity and diastolic blood pressure reactivity (boys only). Race did not affect the results. Results from the present study suggest that central adiposity is associated with blood pressure reactivity early in life, especially in adolescent boys.

A greater reduction in high-frequency heart rate variability to a psychological stressor is associated with subclinical coronary and aortic calcification in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: Reduced cardiac parasympathetic activity, as indicated by a reduced level of clinic or ambulatory high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV), is associated with an increased risk for atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. We tested whether the reduction in HF-HRV to a psychological stressor relative to a baseline level is also associated with subclinical coronary or aortic atherosclerosis, as assessed by calcification in these vascular regions. METHOD: Spectral estimates of 0.15 to 0.40 Hz HF-HRV were obtained from 94 postmenopausal women (61-69 years) who engaged in a 3-minute speech-preparation stressor after a 6-minute resting baseline. A median of 282 days later, electron beam tomography (EBT) was used to measure the extent of coronary and aortic calcification. RESULTS: In univariate analyses, a greater reduction in HF-HRV from baseline to speech preparation was associated with having more extensive calcification in the coronary arteries (rho = -0.29, p = .03) and in the aorta (rho = -0.22, p = .06). In multivariate analyses that controlled for age, education level, smoking status, hormone therapy use, fasting glucose, high-density lipoproteins, baseline HF-HRV, and the stressor-induced change in respiration rate, a greater stressor-induced reduction in HF-HRV was associated with more calcification in the coronary arteries (B = -1.21, p < .05), and it was marginally associated with more calcification in the aorta (B = -0.92, p = .09). CONCLUSION: In postmenopausal women, a greater reduction in cardiac parasympathetic activity to a psychological stressor from baseline may be an independent correlate of subclinical atherosclerosis, particularly in the coronary arteries.

Vagal withdrawal to a sad film predicts subsequent recovery from depression.

Cardiac vagal tone, as indexed by abnormalities in the level and/or reactivity of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), has been related to psychiatric impairment, including risk for depression. Longitudinal studies of depression have focused on RSA levels and have found mixed support for the hypothesis that low RSA levels predict a more pernicious course of depression. The current investigation focuses on the relation between RSA reactivity and the course of depression. We measured depressed persons' RSA reactivity to sadness-, fear-, and amusement-inducing emotion films and reassessed participants' diagnostic status 6 months later. Depressed persons who exhibited a higher degree of vagal withdrawal to the sad film were more likely to recover from depression. Implications for the study of RSA in depression are discussed.

Unfair treatment, discrimination, and ambulatory blood pressure in black and white adolescents.

The authors tested the hypotheses that unfair treatment and its attribution to race, physical appearance, and peer group were related to elevated ambulatory blood pressure (ABP). During 2 school days, 207 Black and White adolescents wore an ABP monitor and answered questions about mood, posture, location, and activity level at the time of the ABP assessment. At a separate session, in-clinic resting blood pressure and perceptions of unfair treatment were measured. Multilevel mixed models showed that unfair treatment and its attribution to race were not associated with ABP. However, adolescents who indicated that the primary reason for unfair treatment was their physical appearance had elevated ABP. Feeling unfairly treated because of physical appearance may impact blood pressure uniquely during the adolescent transition.