Unveiling gender differences in psychophysiological dynamics: support for a two-dimensional autonomic space approach.

Introduction: To date, studies focusing on the connection between psychological functioning and autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity usually adopted the one-dimensional model of autonomic balance, according to which activation of one branch of the ANS is accompanied by an inhibition of the other. However, the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches also activate independently; thus, co-activation and co-inhibition may occur, which is demonstrated by a two-dimensional model of ANS activity. Here, we apply such models to assess how markers of the autonomic space relate to several critical psychological constructs: emotional contagion (EC), general anxiety, and positive and negative affect (PA and NA). We also examined gender differences in those psychophysiological relations. Methods: In the present study, we analyzed data from 408 healthy students, who underwent a 5-min group baseline period as part of their participation in several experiments and completed self-reported questionnaires. Electrocardiogram (ECG), electrodermal activity (EDA), and respiration were recorded. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), pre-ejection period (PEP), as well as cardiac autonomic balance (CAB) and regulation (CAR) and cross-system autonomic balance (CSAB) and regulation (CSAR), were calculated. Results: Notably, two-dimensional models were more suitable for predicting and describing most psychological constructs. Gender differences were found in psychological and physiological aspects as well as in psychophysiological relations. Women's EC scores were negatively correlated with sympathetic activity and positively linked to parasympathetic dominance. Men's PA and NA scores were positively associated with sympathetic activity. PA in men also had a positive link to an overall activation of the ANS, and a negative link to parasympathetic dominance. Discussion: The current results expand our understanding of the psychological aspects of the autonomic space model and psychophysiological associations. Gender differences and strengths and weaknesses of alternative physiological models are discussed.

Couples Therapists' Attitudes Toward Online Therapy During the COVID-19 Crisis.

The measures adopted by governments around the world to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus (e.g., social distancing) have propelled a rapid transition from face-to-face to online therapy. Studies on online individual therapy indicate that therapists often have favorable attitudes toward this modality. To date, there is scant work on couples therapists' attitudes, despite the fact that the provision of online couples' therapy poses unique challenges (e.g., dealing with escalating conflict remotely). To provide a snapshot, in real time, as to how therapists experience the transition to online therapy, we surveyed 166 Israeli couples' therapists during April 2020, when lockdown orders prevented therapists from seeing couples face-to-face. A few weeks later, when the stay-at-home policy was lifted, a subsample (N = 60) of these therapists completed a follow-up assessment. The results suggest that couples therapists had limited experience using the online modality prior to COVID. The therapists reported experiencing online couples' therapy as somewhat successful and that their experience of providing therapy during the COVID-19 crisis had an overall positive impact on their attitudes toward online work. Establishing a strong therapeutic bond with both partners, dealing with escalating conflict, and treatment dropout were identified as the issues of most concern when conducting online couples therapy. The perceived difficulties with online therapy prospectively predicted lower usage of online couples' therapy, as well as less intention to continue online treatment once the crisis is over.

Las medidas adoptadas por los gobiernos de todo el mundo para controlar la propagación del virus de la COVID-19 (p. ej.: el distanciamiento social) han impulsado una transición rápida de la terapia presencial a la terapia virtual. Los estudios sobre la terapia individual virtual indican que los terapeutas con frecuencia tienen actitudes favorables hacia esta modalidad. Hasta la fecha, los trabajos sobre las actitudes de los terapeutas de pareja son escasos, a pesar del hecho de que la práctica de la terapia de pareja virtual plantea desafíos únicos (p. ej.: manejar la intensificación del conflicto distancia). Para ofrecer un panorama en tiempo real sobre cómo viven los terapeutas la transición a la terapia virtual, encuestamos a 166 terapeutas de pareja israelíes durante abril de 2020, cuando las órdenes de confinamiento impidieron a los terapeutas ver a las parejas en persona. Algunas semanas después, cuando se levantó la orden de quedarse en casa, una submuestra (N=60) de estos terapeutas completó una evaluación de seguimiento. Los resultados sugieren que los terapeutas de pareja tenían poca experiencia en el uso de la modalidad virtual antes de la COVID-19. Los terapeutas informaron que vivieron la terapia de pareja virtual como bastante favorable y que su experiencia de ofrecer terapia durante la crisis de la COVID-19 tuvo un efecto general positivo en sus actitudes hacia el trabajo virtual. Los problemas identificados como los de mayor preocupación a la hora de ofrecer terapia de pareja virtual fueron los siguientes: la construcción de un vínculo terapéutico sólido con ambos integrantes de la pareja, el manejo de la intensificación del conflicto y el abandono del tratamiento. Las dificultades percibidas con la terapia virtual predijeron prospectivamente un menor uso de la terapia de pareja virtual, así como menos intenciones de continuar el tratamiento virtual una vez que termine la crisis.

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia as a dyadic protective factor in the transition to parenthood.

Considerable heterogeneity has been observed in couples' adjustment to the transition to parenthood (TTP). One potential yet understudied predictor of emotional adjustment to the TTP is the new parents' capacity for regulation. A widely accepted biological marker of this capacity is respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), which is closely tied to parasympathetic activation. In the present work, we sought to examine the role of tonic RSA and RSA reactivity as possible protective dyadic factors in the TTP. As part of a larger study, we recruited a sample (N = 100) of TTP couples. At 15 weeks postpartum, the couples took part in a lab session during which their RSA was assessed both at rest (tonic RSA) and during four affiliative dyadic interactions (RSA reactivity). Following this session, couples completed daily diaries over a period of 3 weeks, reporting their daily levels of negative affect and stress. A Multivariate Actor Partner Interdependence Model was used to examine the extent to which each partner's RSA predicted their own and their partner's negative affect (NA) level, as well as NA stress-reactivity (i.e., the strength of the within-person stress-affect association). New mothers' tonic RSA predicted their own lower NA level and NA stress-reactivity; both their tonic RSA and RSA reactivity predicted their (male) partners' lower NA level; and finally, new fathers' tonic RSA and RSA reactivity predicted their (female) partners' lower NA stress-reactivity. These results suggest that RSA may serve as a personal and dyadic protective factor.