Development of a visual-perceptual method to assess body image: A cross-cultural validation in Canadian and Spanish women.

The objectives of this study were (a) to explore the preliminary cross-cultural validity of a visual-perceptual method to assess body image; (b) to examine potential differences and similarities in body image phenomena between women from two Western countries (i.e., Canada and Spain). 201 self-identified women participated in this cross-sectional study. Ideal, normal, and self-perceived body sizes were assessed using a visual-perceptual method, whereas body dissatisfaction was measured using both a visual-perceptual method and a questionnaire. Visual-perceptual body dissatisfaction was significantly correlated with questionnaire body dissatisfaction, suggesting a preliminary convergent validity between the two assessment methods. Women in both countries were dissatisfied with their bodies. Compared to their self-perceived body, all women chose a significantly thinner visual representation of their "normal" and ideal body. These results may suggest a shift towards the "thin" body as not only ideal, but also normative. This study provides the first evidence for the cross-cultural validity of a visual-perceptual body image assessment tool. The results of the current study confirm the presence of "normative discontent", and suggest more cross-country similarities than differences among women from these two Western societies.

Validation of a Virtual Environment to Induce State Social Physique Anxiety in Women with Obesity and Social Physique Anxiety.

State Social Physique Anxiety (SPA), in contrast to Trait SPA, is triggered by specific situations that elicit SPA. To date, no research has used virtual reality (VR) to recreate a situation that may elicit State SPA. The purpose of this study is to validate a virtual environment (VE) that simulates an anxiogenic situation to induce State SPA in women with obesity and high SPA. The high SPA group consisted of 25 self-identified women living with obesity and high Trait SPA. The low SPA group consisted of 20 self-identified women with low SPA. All participants were immersed in a virtual swimming pool environment for 10 min using a virtual reality headset. After the immersion, State SPA and fear of being negatively judged felt during immersion were measured with self-report questionnaires. A questionnaire assessing unwanted negative side effects was administered before and after the immersion. Using an ANCOVA with Trait SPA as covariate, State SPA was found to be significantly higher in the high SPA group. Fear of being judged negatively was also significantly higher in the high SPA group. Unwanted negative side effects scores did not increase post-immersion in either group. This study documents the validity of a novel VE for inducing State SPA in women with obesity and high SPA.

When Eating Intuitively Is Not Always a Positive Response: Using Machine Learning to Better Unravel Eaters Profiles.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to identify eaters profiles using the latest advantages of Machine Learning approach to cluster analysis. METHODS: A total of 317 participants completed an online-based survey including self-reported measures of body image dissatisfaction, bulimia, restraint, and intuitive eating. Analyses were conducted in two steps: (a) identifying an optimal number of clusters, and (b) validating the clustering model of eaters profile using a procedure inspired by the Causal Reasoning approach. RESULTS: This study reveals a 7-cluster model of eaters profiles. The characteristics, needs, and strengths of each eater profile are discussed along with the presentation of a continuum of eaters profiles. CONCLUSIONS: This conceptualization of eaters profiles could guide the direction of health education and treatment interventions targeting perceptual and eating dimensions.

Engaging in Awkward Social Interactions in a Virtual Environment Designed for Exposure-Based Psychotherapy for People with Generalized Social Anxiety Disorder: An International Multisite Study.

The effectiveness of in virtuo exposure-based treatment of performance-only social anxiety disorder (SAD) has been demonstrated in several studies. However, few studies have validated virtual environments with participants suffering from generalized SAD. The goal of this study is to confirm the potential of a virtual environment in inducing anxiety in adults suffering from generalized SAD, compared to adults without SAD, when engaged in awkward social interactions. Differences between participants from two different countries were also explored. The sample consisted of 15 participants with SAD from Canada, 17 participants without SAD from Canada, 16 participants with SAD from Spain, and 21 participants without SAD from Spain. All participants were immersed in a control virtual environment and in an experimental virtual environment considered potentially anxiety-inducing for individuals with generalized SAD. As hypothesized, results showed that the experimental virtual environment induced a higher level of anxiety than the control environment among participants with SAD compared to those without SAD. The impact on anxiety of each socially threatening task performed during the experimental immersion was statistically significant. In terms of anxiety responses, no significant differences were found between participants from Canada and Spain. However, spatial presence and ecological validity were higher in Canadians than in Spaniards. Unwanted negative side effects induced by immersions in virtual reality were higher in the SAD group. This study highlights the importance for therapists to engage people with SAD in clinically relevant tasks while immersed in VR psychotherapeutic applications.

Exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perceptual disturbances and dysfunctional eating attitudes and behaviors: A review of the literature.

From the outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) a new physical and social distancing environment has changed our lives and, more particularly, the way of perceiving oneself, as well as eating attitudes and behaviors. An increasing number of studies have highlighted a risky scenario in terms of negative perceptions of one's body as well as disordered eating and eating disorder patterns in both clinical and general population. With regard to this postulate, this literature review posits two main concepts-perceptual disturbances and dysfunctional eating attitudes and behaviors-in the general and (sub-)clinical populations, to provide an understanding of these phenomena during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main objective of this article is to provide a comprehensive and critical review of published scientific literature about perceptual disturbances (i.e., negative body image, body image disturbances, low body esteem) and dysfunctional eating attitudes and behaviors, including disordered eating (e.g., restrictive eating, binge-eating episodes, overeating, emotional eating) and eating disorders features in community (i.e., general population) and clinical and sub-clinical samples worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. The PubMed, ScienceDirect, Ebsco, and Google Scholar databases were searched. The initial search produced 42 references. Scientific publications from March 2020 to April 2022 were included, and among the works compiled, only published research articles have been retained. Purely theoretical papers were also excluded. The final selection consisted of 21 studies, covering both community, clinical (i.e., eating disorder population), and sub-clinical samples. The details of the results are discussed taking into consideration the potential impact of changes in the way we perceive ourselves and interact with others (e.g., the popularity of videoconferencing and the over-use of social network sites due to social isolation) as well as changes in eating attitudes and behaviors, physical activity and exercise (e.g., as an emotional response to the insecurity generated by the pandemic context), in community and (sub-)clinical samples. The discussion sheds light on two outcomes: (1) a summary of findings with methodological considerations; (2) an intervention continuum to deal with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic; (3) and a final conclusion.

The role of perceived social support on pregnant women's mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PURPOSE: The present study aimed at investigating which sources of social support best account for pregnant women's levels of psychological distress and mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: 274 Italian and Canadian expectant mothers completed an online-based survey including measures of perceived social support (from family, significant other and friends), state anxiety, depressive symptoms, and satisfaction with life. Correlation analyses and amultivariate analysis of covariance were performed to explore how social support from different sources was related to depressive symptoms, state anxiety and satisfaction with life. RESULTS: Different sources of social support contributed to explaining women's psychological distress and mental well-being. Social support both from family and friends was significantly related to women's state anxiety and depressive symptoms. Social support from friends was specifically related to women's satisfaction with life. CONCLUSION: Our findings endorse the crucial role of perceived social support as a protective factor for pregnant women's mental health. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, our results suggest that support from family seems important in preventing psychological distress, whereas support from friends is also associated with mental well-being. These results may help designing future interventions aimed at improving women's perinatal mental health in life-threatening conditions.

Body perceptions, occupations, eating attitudes, and behaviors emerged during the pandemic: An exploratory cluster analysis of eaters profiles.

Introduction: COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted people's mental and physical health. Three areas have been significantly impacted, among others: eating-related behaviors, occupational balance, and exposure to self-image due to videoconferencing. This study aims to explore and document eaters profiles that were reported during the pandemic in the general Canadian population using a holistic perspective, including body perceptions, attitudes, and eating behaviors (i.e., body image, behaviors, attitudes, and motivations regarding food), and occupations (i.e., physical activity and cooking). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from May to September 2020. Two hundred and seventy-three Canada's residents, French speaking of 18 years of age and older, participated in an online survey on behaviors, attitudes, and motivations regarding food and eating as well as body image and occupations during the COVID-19 pandemic. A hierarchical cluster analysis was used to determine the eaters profiles. One-way ANOVA and Chi-square test were conducted to differentiate occupational characteristics between eaters profiles. Results: Three distinctive profiles were found during the COVID-19 pandemic and could be placed on a continuum: the Congruent-driven eater is at the functional pole of the continuum, whereas the Incongruent-driven eater is at the dysfunctional pole of the eaters continuum. In the middle of the continuum, the Incongruent-perceptual eater is at a critical crossing point. Significant differences were reported between eaters profiles. Discussion: The empirical results based on an eaters continuum conceptualization highlight the importance of understanding how people perceive their body to assess and promote food well-being.

A Multisite Non-Inferiority Randomized Controlled Trial of the Efficacy of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder Delivered by Videoconference.

Delivering psychotherapy by videoconference has been studied in a number of clinical trials, but no large controlled trial has involved generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). This multicenter randomized controlled non-inferiority trial was conducted to test if cognitive-behavior psychotherapy delivered by videoconference (VCP) is as effective as cognitive-behavior psychotherapy delivered face-to-face, using a strict margin of tolerance for non-inferiority. A total of 148 adults received a 15-session weekly manualized program. The treatment was based on the intolerance of uncertainty model of GAD. The impact of treatment was assessed using primary (GAD severity), secondary (worry, anxiety, and intolerance of uncertainty) and tertiary (general functioning) variables measured before and after treatment and at 6-month and 12-month follow-ups. Results showed that: (a) the treatment was effective; (b) VCP for GAD was statistically non-inferior to face-to-face psychotherapy on primary, secondary and tertiary measures at all assessment points; (c) change in intolerance of uncertainty significantly predicted change in the primary outcome measure over and above important clinical factors common to all psychotherapies (motivation, working alliance, perceived therapist competence, and client satisfaction). These findings support the use of VCP as a promising treatment option for adults with GAD. Clinical trial registry: ISRCTN#12662027.

The Relationship Between Women's Negative Body Image and Disordered Eating Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Recent studies have shed light on how the COVID-19 pandemic changed our lives, and most of them have documented its detrimental effect on eating habits. Until now, the effects of this global crisis on negative body image and its association with disordered eating behaviors remain largely understudied. This study aimed to investigate changes in frequency of disordered eating behaviors (i.e., restrictive eating, emotional eating, and overeating) and negative body image (i.e., shape and weight concern, and body dissatisfaction) among a community sample of women during the COVID-19 pandemic (October 2020-May 2021). Furthermore, we explored the possible relation between body image-related variables and changes in the frequency of disordered eating behaviors in the context of the pandemic. A total of 161 self-identified female participants enrolled in an online-based survey. Descriptive statistics showed that women did not report clinically significant levels of weight and body shape concerns, but participants reported being dissatisfied with their body. One sample Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests revealed a tendency toward an increasing of the frequency of all disordered eating behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multinomial logistic regressions showed that weight concerns predicted an overall increase in the frequency of restrictive eating behaviors, whereas higher body dissatisfaction was associated with a moderate self-perceived increase in the frequency of emotional eating. These results shed light on a risk pattern of phenomena in a non-clinical sample of women, as they represent the key risk factors for the development of eating disorders. Findings could have implications for designing and implementing prevention programs.

eLoriCorps Immersive Body Rating Scale and eLoriCorps Mobile Versions: Validation to Assess Body Image Disturbances from Allocentric and Egocentric Perspectives in a Nonclinical Sample of Adolescents.

A growing number of studies have used virtual reality (VR) for the assessment and treatment of body image disturbances (BIDs). This study, conducted in a community sample of adolescents, documents the convergent and discriminant validity between (a) the traditional paper-based Figure Rating Scale (paper-based FRS), (b) the VR-based Body Rating Scale (eLoriCorps-IBRS 1.1), and (c) the mobile app-based Body Rating Scale (eLoriCorps-IBRS 1.1-Mobile). A total of 93 adolescents (14 to 18 years old) participated in the study. Body dissatisfaction and body distortion were assessed through the paper-based FRS, the eLoriCorps-IBRS 1.1 and the eLoriCorps-IBRS 1.1-Mobile. Eating disorder symptoms, body image avoidance, and social physique anxiety were also measured. Correlation analyses were performed. Overall, the results showed a good and statistically significant convergence between allocentric perspectives as measured by the paper-based FRS, the eLoriCorps-IBRS 1.1 and the eLoriCorps-IBRS 1.1-Mobile. As expected, the egocentric perspective measured in VR produced different results from the allocentric perspective, and from cognitive-attitudinal-affective dimensions of BIDs, with the exception of body distortion. These differences support the discriminant validity of the egocentric perspective of eLoriCorps-IBRS 1.1 and are consistent with emerging evidence, highlighting a difference between experiencing the body from an egocentric (i.e., the body as a subject) and allocentric (i.e., the body as an object) perspective. The egocentric perspective could reflect a perceptual-sensory-affective construction of BIDs, whereas allocentric measures seem to be more related to a cognitive-affective-attitudinal construction of BIDs. Moreover, the results support the validity of the eLoriCorps-IBRS 1.1-Mobile with promising perspectives of implementation among young populations.

Videoconferencing Psychotherapy for Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia: Outcome and Treatment Processes From a Non-randomized Non-inferiority Trial.

BACKGROUND: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, legislations are being modified around the world to allow patients to receive mental health services through telehealth. Unfortunately, there are no large clinical trial available to reliably document the efficacy of delivering videoconferencing psychotherapy (VCP) for people with panic disorder and agoraphobia (PDA) and whether basic psychotherapeutic processes are altered. METHODS: This 2-arm intent-to-treat non-inferiority study reports on a clinical trial on VCP and documents how therapeutic working alliance and motivation toward psychotherapy are associated to treatment outcome. We hypothesized that VCP would not be inferior to standard face-to-face (FF) cognitive behavior therapy for PDA. No specific hypothesis was stated to address working alliance and treatment mechanisms. VCP was compared to a gold-standard psychotherapy treatment for PDA, which was delivered either in person or in videoconference, with a strict tolerance criterion of about 2 points on the primary outcome measure. Seventy one adult patients were recruited. Measures of working alliance were collected after the first, fifth, and last session. Motivation toward therapy at pre-treatment and working alliance after the fifth therapy session were used as predictors of treatment outcome and compared with change in dysfunctional beliefs toward bodily sensations. RESULTS: Panic disorder, agoraphobia, fear of sensations and depressed mood all showed significant improvements and large effect-sizes from pre to post-treatment. Gains were maintained at follow-up. No significant differences were found between VCP and FF, and effect sizes were trivial for three of the four outcome measures. Non-inferiority tests confirmed that VCP was no less effective than FF therapy on the primary outcome measure and two of the three secondary outcome measures. Working alliance was very strong in VCP and did not statistically differ from FF. Working alliance and motivation did not predict treatment outcome, which was significantly predicted by the reduction in dysfunctional beliefs. The strength of the therapeutic bond was correlated with change in dysfunctional beliefs. CONCLUSION: Mental health professionals can use VCP to provide services to patients with PDA. Building and maintaining a sound working alliance should not be a source concern. Practical recommendations are formulated. ISRCTN TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN76456442.

"eLoriCorps Immersive Body Rating Scale": Exploring the Assessment of Body Image Disturbances from Allocentric and Egocentric Perspectives.

The first objective of this study was to test the convergent and discriminant validity between the "eLoriCorps Immersive Body Rating Scale" and the traditional paper-based figure rating scale (FRS). The second objective was to explore the contribution of the egocentric virtual reality (VR) perspective of eLoriCorps to understanding body image disturbances (BIDs). The sample consisted of 53 female and 13 male adults. Body size dissatisfaction, body size distortion, perceived body size, and ideal body size were assessed. Overall, outcomes showed good agreement between allocentric perspectives as measured via VR and the FRS. The egocentric VR perspective produced different results compared to both the allocentric VR perspective and the FRS. This difference revealed discriminant validity and suggested that eLoricorps' egocentric VR perspective might assess something different from the traditional conception of body dissatisfaction, which an allocentric VR perspective generally assesses. Finally, the egocentric VR perspective in assessing BIDs deserves to be studied more extensively to explore the possibility of finding two types of body image distortion: (a) an egocentric perceptual body distortion, referring to internal body sensation affected by intra-individual changes, and (b) an allocentric perceptual body distortion, referring to external body benchmarks constructed by inter-individual comparison occurring in a given cultural context.

Providing Psychological and Emotional Support After Perinatal Loss: Protocol for a Virtual Reality-Based Intervention.

The loss of an infant during the perinatal period has been recognized as a complex and potentially traumatic life event and can have a significant impact on women's mental health. However, often times, psychological aftercare is typically not offered, and manualized interventions are rarely used in clinical care practice and have seldom been evaluated. In recent years, a growing number of studies have demonstrated the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) interventions to facilitate the expression and coping with emotions linked to a traumatic event. The objective of the proposed paper is to present the protocol of a randomized control trial aimed to assess a novel VR-based intervention for mothers who experienced a perinatal loss. We hypothesize that the VR-based intervention group will show significantly reduced symptoms related to grief, postnatal depression and general psychopathology after treatment relative to a treatment-as-usual (TAU) group. Participants would be randomly assigned to the TAU + VR or to the VR + TAU condition. The TAU condition as well as the VR-based intervention will last 3 weeks, after which women will complete a post-assessment. The proposed VR-based intervention will consist in three weekly sessions focused, respectively on: (1) collect information about the loss and psychoeducation about perinatal grief, and introduction to the virtual environment; (2) through the use of the virtual environment, women will be assisted in the elaboration and acceptation of loss; (3) recreate, using the specific features of the virtual environment a positive metaphor representing woman's future life. VR has proved to be a valid intervention tool in clinical psychology, and in the last years VR technologies have become more affordable to be used in clinical practice. With the present study we propose to answer to the unquestionable need for interventions addressed to ameliorate the emotional effects in women who experienced perinatal loss, by exploiting also the therapeutic opportunities offered by a new technology as VR.

The Adoption of New Treatment Modalities by Health Professionals and the Relative Weight of Empirical Evidence in Favor of Virtual Reality Exposure Versus Mindfulness in the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders.

Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental disorders, and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with exposure exercises is considered as the gold-standard psychological intervention. New psychotherapeutic modalities have emerged in the last decade and, among them, mindfulness has been rapidly adopted by therapists. The adoption rate is slower for the use of virtual reality (VR) to conduct exposure. The goal of the present position paper is to contrast, for the treatment of anxiety disorders, the weight of empirical evidences supporting the use of exposure in VR with the use of mindfulness-based therapy (MBT). Based on the most recent meta-analyses, we found that CBT with exposure conducted in VR was more thoroughly researched and supported than MBT, receiving validation from roughly twice as many studies with high control (i.e., randomized, active controls with clinical samples). However, this conclusion is nuanced by reviewing gaps in the literature for both therapies. Potential factors influencing clinicians' choice of treatment and suggestions for future research directions are proposed.

A narrative review of positive psychology interventions for women during the perinatal period.

Recent studies suggest that positive perinatal maternal mood can buffer the effects of negative feelings and promote women and infant well-being. Evidence from Positive Psychology has shown that Positive Psychology Interventions (PPIs) can enhance well-being and/or reduce negative symptoms. The objective of this comprehensive narrative review was to identify and critically review the current evidence about the use of PPIs designed to improve women's mental well-being during the perinatal period. A systematic search of four online databases was conducted. Two intervention programmes have been identified. Both interventions were online-based and gratitude was the common PPI. The common target was women's mental health well-being during the perinatal period. This review has synthesised the first studies in the wake of a new model of PPIs aimed to foster women's well-being during the perinatal period. Nevertheless, much more research is required to establish which, how, and for whom PPIs can be suitable.

Assessing the Relationship Between Attitudinal and Perceptual Component of Body Image Disturbance Using Virtual Reality.

Body image disturbance (BID) affects quality of life even in the absence of clinically diagnosable eating pathology, and numerous studies have shown its crucial role in the emergence and maintenance of eating disorders. This study aimed at exploring attitudinal and perceptual components of BID using a novel virtual reality (VR)-based paradigm. A community sample of women (N = 27) recreated in VR their perceived body in both an allocentric (third-person view) and egocentric (first-person view) perspective. Specifically, women were able to choose between a wide range of three-dimensional bodies spanning body mass index 12.5-42.5 kg/m2. Attitudinal indexes of BID (body dissatisfaction, body uneasiness, and body image avoidance) were assessed through questionnaires. Attitudinal components predicted the perceptual BID only in the allocentric perspective. Specifically, overestimation was predicted by body image avoidance, while underestimation was predicted by body uneasiness. Furthermore, a common predictor of underestimation and overestimation was body dissatisfaction. In line with the allocentric lock hypothesis, the current results seem to confirm the presence of two different mechanisms underlying BID: one related to real-time perception-driven inputs (egocentric frame) and one related to abstract knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes related to a person's body (allocentric frame). These findings contribute to a better understanding of the nature and mechanisms underlying BID and provide additional evidence about the suitability of using VR for exploring and assessing body image-related components and disturbances.

Effect of a web-based positive psychology intervention on prenatal well-being: A case series study.

BACKGROUND: Detrimental effects of women's negative feelings during pregnancy have been extensively examined and documented, but research on the influence of positive feelings and protective factors on their prenatal mental health is scarce. Evidence from the positive psychology field has shown that practicing some brief positive exercises, called positive psychology interventions, can maximize well-being by increasing positive emotions, engagement, and meaning. AIM: The aim of this study is to examine the effect of a positive psychology web-based intervention on indices of women's prenatal well-being. METHODS: Specifically, a case series design was adopted, and data from six women are presented. Participants were involved in a 5-week online positive psychology intervention that includes a set of positive psychology interventions specifically adapted for pregnant women. Measures of women's mental well-being, depression, pregnancy-related anxiety, life satisfaction, and social support were measured at pre- and post-intervention. Compliance with the intervention and exercise preferences were assessed at post-test. Single-item related well-being measures were assessed weekly. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION: The findings of this case series study indicate potential effects of the intervention on supporting mental well-being and decreasing depressive symptomatology in these pregnant women. Furthermore, this study provides some suggestions for developing future online-based positive interventions addressed to pregnant women. However, these findings are preliminary, and future studies are needed in order to assess the effects of the intervention in a wider population of pregnant women.

Assessing future expectations and the two-dimensional model of affect in an Italian population.

Future-directed thinking has been described as part of two underlying systems that integrate dimensions of affect, motivational systems, orientation to the future, and future expectations, which are initiated at the cognitive, affective, biological, behavioral, and motivational levels. The main aim of the present study is to test the two underlying frameworks model and explore future expectations in a general Italian-speaking population (N=345). Therefore, the second aim of the present paper is to confirm the factorial structure of the Subjective Probability Task (SPT; MacLeod et al., 1996), a questionnaire designed to assess specific positive and negative orientations towards the future. Results showed that the SPT has good psychometric properties and it is a reliable instrument to assess future-directed thinking. Moreover, our findings confirmed the role of future expectancies as cognitive correlates of depression and anxiety. Differently from previous studies (Clark and Watson, 1991; MacLeod et al., 1996), our results did not confirm that depression was characterized by low positive affect. We believe this paper contributes to the understanding of future expectancies and their relation with anxiety and depression, and will help to expand the availability of an instrument to assess future directed thinking.

"Good things never last": Dampening positive emotions influences our optimism levels / "Lo bueno dura poco": disminuir las emociones positivas influye en nuestros niveles de optimismo

Despite the increasing interest in understanding positive emotion regulation (ER) strategies and their relation with mental health, the relationship between responses to positive affect and cognitive styles such as optimism has yet to be tested empirically. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to empirically assess whether the effect of positive ER strategies (tested by the Responses to Positive Affect questionnaire -RPA) on optimism could be mediated by positive mood. Two hundred and fifty participants completed RPA questionnaire, measures of optimism and positive affect and received a positive mood induction (PMI) through Internet. Results show that induced positive mood did not mediate the relation between ER strategies and optimism levels. Nevertheless, dampening strategy was the only ER strategy that predicted the post-induction optimism level. Our findings point out the necessity of further studies in order to better understand the mechanisms involved in the emotional regulation and optimism

A pesar del creciente interés en la comprensión de las estrategias de regulación emocional (RE) de las emociones positivas y su relación con la salud mental, la relación entre los diferentes estilos de respuesta al afecto positivo y estilos cognitivos como el optimismo aún no se ha probado empíricamente. El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar el efecto de las estrategias para regular emociones positivas (evaluadas por el cuestionario Response to Positive Affect -RPA) sobre el optimismo, y la posible mediación del afecto positivo en esta relación. 250 participantes completaron el cuestionario RPA, medidas de optimismo y afecto positivo, y realizaron un procedimiento de inducción emocional aplicado a través de Internet. Los resultados muestran que el afecto positivo no media la relación entre las estrategias de regulación emocional y los niveles de optimismo. No obstante, disminuir las emociones positivas ('dampening') fue la única estrategia que predijo los niveles de optimismo después de la inducción. Se señala la necesidad de nuevos estudios con el fin de mejorar la comprensión de los mecanismos implicados en la regulación y el optimismo

Assessing positive and negative experiences: validation of a new measure of well-being in an Italian population.

The aim of this study is to explore the psychometric properties of an affect scale, the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE), in an Italian-speaking population. The results of this study demonstrate that the Italian version of the SPANE has psychometric properties similar to those shown by the original and previous versions, and it presents satisfactory reliability and factorial validity. The results of the Confirmatory Factor Analysis support the expected two-factor structure, positive and negative feeling, which characterized the previous versions. As expected, measures of negative affect, anxiety, negative future expectances, and depression correlated positively with the negative experiences SPANE subscale, and negatively with the positive experiences SPANE subscale. Results of this study demonstrate that the Italian version of the SPANE has psychometric properties similar to those shown by the original and previous versions, and it presents satisfactory reliability and factorial validity. The use of this instrument provides clinically useful information about a person's overall emotional experience and it is an indicator of well-being. Although further studies are required to confirm the psychometric characteristics of the scale, the SPANE Italian version is expected to improve theoretical and empirical research on the well-being of the Italian population.