Exercise and Use of Enhancement Drugs at the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multicultural Study on Coping Strategies During Self-Isolation and Related Risks.

Introduction: Little is known about the impact of restrictive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic on self-image and engagement in exercise and other coping strategies alongside the use of image and performance-enhancing drugs (IPEDs) to boost performance and appearance. Objectives: To assess the role of anxiety about appearance and self-compassion on the practice of physical exercise and use of IPEDs during lockdown. Methods: An international online questionnaire was carried out using the Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI), the Appearance Anxiety Inventory (AAI), and the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) in addition to questions on the use of IPEDs. Results: The sample consisted of 3,161 (65% female) adults from Italy (41.1%), Spain (15.7%), the United Kingdom (UK) (12.0%), Lithuania (11.6%), Portugal (10.5%), Japan (5.5%), and Hungary (3.5%). The mean age was 35.05 years (SD = 12.10). Overall, 4.3% of the participants were found to engage in excessive or problematic exercise with peaks registered in the UK (11.0%) and Spain (5.4%). The sample reported the use of a wide range of drugs and medicines to boost image and performance (28%) and maintained use during the lockdown, mostly in Hungary (56.6%), Japan (46.8%), and the UK (33.8%), with 6.4% who started to use a new drug. Significant appearance anxiety levels were found across the sample, with 18.1% in Italy, 16.9% in Japan, and 16.7% in Portugal. Logistic regression models revealed a strong association between physical exercise and IPED use. Anxiety about appearance also significantly increased the probability of using IPEDs. However, self-compassion did not significantly predict such behavior. Anxiety about appearance and self-compassion were non-significant predictors associated with engaging in physical exercise. Discussion and Conclusion: This study identified risks of problematic exercising and appearance anxiety among the general population during the COVID-19 lockdown period across all the participating countries with significant gender differences. Such behaviors were positively associated with the unsupervised use of IPEDs, although no interaction between physical exercise and appearance anxiety was observed. Further considerations are needed to explore the impact of socially restrictive measures among vulnerable groups, and the implementation of more targeted responses.

Eficacia del Programa de reducción de estrés basado en atención plena (REBAP) aplicado a familiares de jugadores patológicos / No disponible

La adicción al juego conlleva situaciones de estrés para quienes sufren este trastorno y su entorno social próximo. 33 familiares voluntarios de jugadores en rehabilitación participaron en una intervención grupal de autoayuda (GAA), tras la cual iniciaron un Programa de reducción de estrés basado en atención plena (REBAP), de ocho semanas. Sus niveles de estrés fueron evaluados antes y después de cada intervención y en tres seguimientos (1, 3 y 6 meses). Mientras que el GAA no reducía significativamente el estrés de los familiares, el protocolo REBAP producía cambios de gran magnitud (η2= 0,88) y conseguía disminuir el estrés, desde niveles inicialmente moderados a bajos. Los efectos se mantuvieron en los tres seguimientos, durante los cuales se observaron niveles elevados de práctica de atención plena. No obstante, en el seguimiento a los 6 meses se apreció una disminución de la práctica, lo cual sugeriría la necesidad de introducir sesiones de refuerzo. Los resultados muestran la utilidad del programa REBAP en la intervención con familiares de personas con adicción al juego

Gambling addiction may lead to stressful situations for the gambler and their proximal social environment. 33 close relatives of disordered gamblers volunteered to attend a self-help group; afterwards, they participated in the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program for 8 weeks. The participants' perceived stress was assessed before and after each treatment condition, and at 1-month, 3-months, and 6-months follow-ups. Participating in the self-help group did not significantly reduce the stress levels of pathological gamblers' relatives, whereas the MBSR training produced changes of great magnitude (η2= 0.88), decreasing stress levels from initially moderate scores to low values. Changes in stress levels were maintained at low levels throughout follow-ups, with participants reporting overall strong engagement with the practice of mindfulness. However, a decrease in practice (number of individuals practicing, frequency and time of exercises) was observed at 6-months follow-up, which suggest that including sessions to strengthen practice could be advisable. The MBSR program may be a useful protocol to reduce stress in pathological gamblers' families

Effects of exposure to food images on physiological reactivity and emotional responses in women with bulimia nervosa / Efecto de la exposición a imágenes de comida sobre la reactividad psicofisiológica y las reacciones emocionales en mujeres con bulimia nerviosa

Background: The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of two exposure procedures on habituation of emotional responses to food stimuli: (a) exposure to external cues (food images) without eating forbidden food (CE) and (b) exposure to external cues eating forbidden food (with purge prevention). The influence of craving-trait and mood state on the habituation process is also studied. Method: Emotional modulation of the defense startle reflex was assessed in 26 women at risk of bulimia nervosa. After four exposure trials, changes in the following variables were measured: (a) food craving-state; (b) physiological measures: hearth rate (HR) and skin conductance response (SCR); (c) motivational patterns towards food (defense startle response); and (d) valence, arousal and dominance of the emotional response to food images. Results: After treatment, subjects tended to show non-significant lower SCR and heart orientation responses (vs. defense responses); defense startle response was also significantly lower. Conclusions: The exposure procedure, the induced emotional state and the number of exposure trials are analyzed (AU)

Antecedentes: en este estudio comparamos la eficacia de dos procedimientos de exposición sobre la habituación de reacciones emocionales a alimentos: a) claves externas (imágenes de comida) sin ingerir alimentos prohibidos, y b) claves externas en personas que sí los han ingerido (impidiendo que se produzca el vómito). Además consideramos la influencia de la intensidad del craving rasgo y del estado de ánimo. Evaluamos la modulación emocional del reflejo defensivo de sobresalto motor (RMS) en 26 mujeres con riesgo de padecer bulimia nerviosa. Método: tras cuatro bloques de exposición, se midieron los cambios en: a) craving estado por la comida; b) tasa cardíaca (TC) y respuesta electrodérmica de conductancia (SCR); c) patrones motivacionales ante la comida (RMS); y d) estimaciones afectivas de valencia, arousal y dominancia de las emociones producidas por las imágenes de los alimentos. Resultados: como consecuencia del tratamiento los sujetos tendían a mostrar de forma estadísticamente no significativa menores SCRs y una tendencia de cambio de patrón de respuesta de defensa cardíaca (RD) a respuesta de orientación (RO); sí se apreciaban diferencias significativas en RMS. Conclusiones: se comenta el papel desempeñado por el tipo de exposición utilizado, los estados emocionales inducidos y el número de ensayos de exposición (AU)

Evaluación de la reactividad emocional ante imágenes de comida en bulimia nerviosa / Assessment of emotional reactivity to food images in bulimia nervosa

En este estudio evaluamos la influencia de la intensidad del craving rasgo, efecto de estado de ánimo y restricción de comida sobre la reacción ante imágenes de alimentos. Se evalúa la modulación emocional del reflejo defensivo de sobresalto motor (RMS) en 26 mujeres con riesgo de padecer bulimia nerviosa; fueron asignadas a dos grupos en base a la intensidad del craving rasgo. En cada uno de estos dos grupos se generó estado de ánimo positivo o negativo y los sujetos ingirieron o no alimentos antes del comienzo de la prueba. Se registra el electromiograma del músculo orbicular del ojo tras un estímulo auditivo, SCR, medidas de autoinforme para evaluar el deseo de comer (craving estado y rasgo) y emociones ante las imágenes de alimentos (SAM). Los resultados indican que el estado de ánimo negativo hace que las imágenes de comida sean valoradas como más desagradables, generadoras de emociones más intensas y de pérdida de control; además provocan mayores SCRs. Estos dos últimos efectos se produjeron en los grupos no deprivados. Las personas con bajos niveles en el FCQ-T disminuyeron su RMS ante imágenes de comida como consecuencia de experimentar emociones positivas; cuando las emociones eran negativas, su RMS se incrementaba (AU)

The aim of the study was to assess the influence on reactivity to food images of the following variables: craving-trait, positive or negative mood state, and food restriction. Emotional modulation of the defense startle reflex (RMS) was assessed in 26 women at risk of suffering from bulimia nervosa; they were assigned one of to two groups: high craving-trait and low craving-trait. Before the test, positive or negative mood and restriction vs. non-restriction states were induced in each of the groups. Skin conductance response (SCR) and electromyogram activity from the orbiculari oculi region were recorded after the auditory stimuli; questionnaires such as Food Craving Trait Questionnaire (FCQ-T) and the Self-assessment Manikin (SAM) were used. Results showed that negative affect produced a negative valence of food images, more arousal, and more loss of control, as well as higher SCRs. Subjects with low FCQ-T levels reduced their RMS to food images as a consequence of experiencing positive emotions; when emotions were negative, their RMS increased (AU)

Efectos de la predecibilidad en indefensión aprendida crónica / Predictability effects upon chronic learned helplessness

Se administraron 9 sesiones de choques incontrolables a un grupo de 25 ratas Wistar, manipulando la predecibilidad. Recibían choques eléctricos incontrolables con señales de aviso antes del choque (EC-IN), después (IN-EC), antes y después (EC-IN-EC), sin señal (IN), o bien no recibían choques (Cont.). En una prueba controlable posterior los resultados indicaban que los sujetos que contaron con períodos de seguridad más amplios (grupo EC-IN) mostraban muy poco miedo condicionado y no perdían peso al final del estudio. Sin embargo todos los grupos sometidos a incontrolabilidad mostraban déficits en rendimiento (tiempo de latencia). Se discuten los resultados en términos de miedo condicionado, predecibilidad, hipótesis del feedback, y claves pavlovianas (AU)

25 albine rats were exposed to 9 sessions of uncontrollable shocks. Predictability was manipulated. Animals were randomly assigned to one of five groups that received uncontrollable shocks with: a) a previous signal (CE-UN), b) a posterior signal (UN-CE), c) a previous and a posterior signal (CE-UN-CE), without signal (UN), or d) without uncontrollable shock (Cont.). In a subsequent controllable test, results indicated that the longer safety period group (CE-UN) showed low conditioned fear (immovilization); pretreatment-postreatment weight differences were not significant in this group. However, all uncontrollable shock groups showed performance deficits (latency time). Results are discussed in terms of conditioned fear, predictability, feedback hypothesis and pavlovian cues (AU)