Emotional response to healthier foods: Influence of culture and health consciousness.

Sugar, salt, and fat content in processed products are important concerns for consumers. Hence, alternative "healthy" versions of conventional foods such as chocolate, potato chips, and yogurt are offered. This work aimed to define the emotional response of consumers from different cultural backgrounds (Spain vs. Brazil) evoked by healthier versions of conventional products and the relationship between hedonic responses and health consciousness. A total of 186 Brazilian and 152 Spanish consumers participated in this online cross-cultural study. Participants answered a Health Consciousness Questionnaire and an emotional check-all-that-applies questionnaire using picture stimuli of conventional chocolate, potato chips, and yogurt and their healthier versions with less sugar, salt, and fat content, respectively. The Brazilians' emotional responses were more diverse for all stimuli compared to the Spaniards'. However, participants from both cultures rated an average of "slightly agree" on the health consciousness scale; a higher level of consumption, liking, and willingness to buy; and a higher frequency of positive emotional terms for the stimuli of conventional products compared to their healthier versions. A higher frequency of evocation of "active" is strongly associated with higher levels of health consciousness. Strategic actions by the food industry and government must consider cultural, emotional, and health-conscious factors to encourage the consumption of healthier foods. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Food manufacturers can use the information obtained from this study to create healthier versions of their products that appeal to consumers' emotional responses and health consciousness levels. The findings can assist in designing strategic actions to promote healthier food consumption by emphasizing the benefits of healthier food choices and making them more appealing to consumers. The methodology employed in this study can also be applied to further studies aimed to assess emotional responses to food stimuli across different cultures.

Prevalence of Dysexecutive Symptoms in High School Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This is an observational cross-sectional study designed to ascertain the prevalence and severity of dysexecutive symptoms in high school students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The validated Spanish version of the Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX) was used. A total of 2396 participants aged 14-22 years were included. Our sample yielded a mean DEX scale score of 28.14 ± 17.42. By the DEX classification, 889 (37.1%) students achieved optimal scores, 384 (16%) reported mild dysexecutive symptoms, 316 (13.2%) reported moderate dysexecutive symptoms, and 807 (33.7%) reported strong dysexecutive symptoms. We found a significant difference between those with and those without employed mothers, with the former scoring higher (p = 0.004), the same as those with both parents employed (p = 0.004). Adolescents face emotional susceptibility and changes in their family, social, and educational environment related to isolation, resulting in altered emotional responses and social interaction.

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response self-reporters showed higher scores for cognitive reappraisal as an emotion regulation strategy.

BACKGROUND: Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) describes the experience of a pleasant tingling sensation along the back of the head, accompanied with a feeling of well-being and relaxation, in response to specific audio-visual stimuli, such as whispers, soft sounds, and personal attention. Previous works have assessed individual variations in personality traits associated with ASMR, but no research to date has explored differences in emotion regulation associated with ASMR. This omission occurred even when ASMR, a sensory-emotional experience, has been proposed to be located in a sound sensitivity spectrum as the opposite end of misophonia, a phenomenon associated with difficulties regulating emotions. The present work aimed to assess group differences between ASMR self-reporters and non-ASMR controls associated with emotion regulation strategies. METHODS: We used the validated Spanish version of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire to assess individual differences in the use of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. RESULTS: Our results showed that participants who experience ASMR had higher scores in the cognitive reappraisal subscale of the emotion regulation questionnaire than the non-ASMR group. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals who experience ASMR reported higher use of cognitive reevaluation of emotionally arousing situations, suggesting more effectiveness in regulating emotions. Our finding further elucidates individual differences related to this experience, supporting that ASMR is a real psychophysiological phenomenon associated with other psychological constructs and has remarkable consequences in affective/emotional dimensions and general well-being.

Influencia de los anuncios publicitarios en redes sociales en la respuesta emocional y la intención de compra de bebidas lácteas funcionales / Influence of advertisement on social networks, in the emotional response and the intention or purchase of functional milk drinks

Resumen En la actualidad, la salud, el bienestar y la estética son relevantes para los consumidores y se ven inmersos en la publicidad a través de las redes sociales. El presente estudio tiene como objetivo determinar la relación entre los anuncios publicitarios vistos a través de redes sociales, la respuesta emocional y la intención de compra de bebidas lácteas funcionales en jóvenes universitarios entre 18 y 35 años de la ciudad de Bogotá, Colombia. La metodología es de tipo cuantitativo, a través de un diseño cuasiexperimental de un grupo control, con medición pretest/postest, a partir de la aplicación de una escala de actitudes y de la toma de registros de electromiografía para las variaciones en la respuesta emocional, tomando como variable independiente los anuncios publicitarios vistos en las redes sociales Instagram y Facebook. Los resultados confirman la relación entre el contenido del anuncio publicitario y la intención de compra de bebidas lácteas funcionales. Se identifican dos tipos de consumidores, aquellos que basan sus decisiones de consumo en argumentos médicos y científicos, y los influenciados por las redes sociales, con premisas fundamentadas desde lo intuitivo, en el poder que ejercen los grupos de seguidores, el número de likes y la influencia de la tecnología.

Abstract Currently, health, wellness and aesthetics are relevant for consumers and are immersed in advertising through social networks. With regard to food and especially the consumption of functional milk drinks, advertising has specialized in transmitting a series of messages providing nutritional benefits of these products to improve the quality of physical and mental life in consumers, mainly acting as an adjuvant in digestive, immune, and cardiovascular systems. In correspondence with the above, the advertising of the registered trademarks of these beverages, supported by social networks such as Facebook and Instagram, is immersed in a set of dualities associated with self-gratification and pleasure for the functional food consumed; and, on the other hand, in the formation of premises and subjective beliefs, associated with feelings of guilt and displacement against the excessive consumption of calories and fats that are normally stipulated by medical societies and the same market, to encourage the consumption of these drinks. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between the advertisements seen through social networks, the emotional response and the intention of purchase of functional milk drinks in university students between the ages of 18 and 35 in the city of Bogotá, Colombia. The methodology was quantitative, through a quasi-experimental design of a control group, with young students participating from a private university in Bogotá, with pre and post-test measurement, based on the application of an attitude scale, who asked about beliefs and attitudes oriented to the properties of functional milk drinks, knowledge and associated buying and consumption behaviors. Electromyography records were taken, with the support of the biofeedback software, to verify the variations in the emotional response, taking as an independent variable the ads seen in the social networks of Instagram and Facebook. The analysis of the results was carried out through the Functional Data Analysis for the understanding of the behavior of the electromyographic signals and the registered emotional variations, and the Confirmatory Factor Analysis, to establish the relationships between the purchase intention and the announcements in the networks social, with support of statistical software R 3.5.3. The results confirm the influence that the ads seen on social networks have on the variations in the emotional response of the consumer of functional milk drinks. These results are consistent with the technical and empirical postulates that pose the role of facial expression of emotions as an indicator of adaptation to environmental conditions and the demands of the digital medium. With reference to the content of the public announcement as a determining factor in the intention to buy functional milk drinks, two types of consumers were identified, those who base their consumption decisions based on medical and scientific premises, and consumers influenced by social networks. The arguments are based on the intuitive, the power exerted by the groups of followers, the number of likes and the influence of technology. From this point of view, the planned action of the behaviors involved in the purchase intention is influenced by social networks and the information exposed through them, configuring normative beliefs and motivational aspects with a representative nutritional hedonic value.

Cross-cultural emotional response to food stimuli: Influence of consumption context.

Emotional responses elicited by certain types of food can be influenced by past experiences, frequency of consumption, culture, and other personal preferences. The present research aimed i) to investigate the impact of culture (Brazilian and Spaniard) on consumers' emotional responses and acceptability of different food stimuli, and ii) to explore the influence of evoked contexts. Brazilian (n = 437) and Spanish (n = 397) participants were exposed to three visual food stimuli (image of chocolate, potato chips, and yogurt) in an online survey and reported their emotional responses. Sociodemographic data, liking, and frequency of consumption were also collected. The evoked context in our study were designed and proposed, for each product and culture, based on four dimensions (consumption time, location, social setting, and hungry state). The evoked emotional lexicon was different for each food stimulus and was clearly influenced by the cultural factor. However, there are more similarities between cultures when evaluating the same product category. The evoked contexts were appropriated and influenced the citing frequency of some emotion terms, including positive ones. The most cited emotion terms tended to positively impact product liking ratings, acting as drivers of liking. Consumption level was positively related to liking regardless of cultural interactions for both chocolate and potato chips stimuli. In conclusion, the cultural background demonstrated to be an important impact factor to be considered for understanding the effects of product, consumption occasions, and degree of liking, on emotional responses to foods. These findings offer new possibilities to be explored in marketing messages for interventions or stimuli that guide food choices.

Asociaciones entre contratransferencia y características del paciente en psicoterapia psicoanalítica / Associações entre contratransferência e características do paciente na psicoterapia psicanalítica / Associations between countertransference and patient characteristics in psychoanalytic psychotherapy

Resumen Objetivo: explorar las reacciones de contratransferencia de los terapeutas en la fase inicial de la psicoterapia psicoanalítica (entre las sesiones 4 y 5) y verificar las posibles asociaciones entre estas y las características personales del paciente (sociodemográficas, psicológicas y psicopatológicas). Método: estudio naturalista, transversal, correlacional y observacional con enfoque descriptivo-analítico. La muestra consta de 180 pares de pacientes y terapeutas, de los cuales 180 eran pacientes adultos (32.82 ± 12.66 años) y 48 terapeutas (32.69 ± 10.01 años). Resultados: la contratransferencia se ve afectada por la edad del paciente, los aspectos psicológicos de su vida anterior (traumas y apego parental) y elementos de su personalidad (habilidades de empatía y mecanismos defensivos), pero no por los síntomas que presenta. Conclusiones: los hallazgos respaldan la literatura científica, que señala la relevancia de las experiencias infantiles y las características de personalidad del paciente para evocar patrones específicos de contratransferencia en el terapeuta. Conocer tales relaciones puede ayudar a los clínicos a identificar sus propias reacciones y usarlas terapéuticamente, según corresponda.

Resumo Objetivo: explorar as reações contratransferenciais de terapeutas na fase inicial de psicoterapia psicanalítica (entre a 4a e a 5a sessão) e verificar possíveis associações destas com as características pessoais do paciente (sociodemográficas, psicológicas e psicopatológicas). Método: estudo naturalístico, transversal, correlacional e observacional de abordagem descritivo-analítica. A amostra é composta por 180 duplas paciente-terapeuta, dos quais 180 eram pacientes adultos (32,82 ± 12,66 anos de idade) e 48 terapeutas (32,69 ± 10,01 anos de idade). Resultados: a contratransferência é afetada pela idade do paciente, aspectos psicológicos da sua vida pregressa (traumas e vinculação parental) e elementos de sua personalidade (habilidades empáticas e mecanismos defensivos), mas não pelos sintomas. Conclusões: os achados apoiam a literatura científica, a qual sinaliza a relevância das experiências infantis e de características da personalidade do paciente na evocação de padrões contratransferenciais específicos no terapeuta. Conhecer tais relações pode ajudar os clínicos a identificar suas próprias reações emocionais e utilizá-las terapeuticamente, quando for o caso.

Abstract Objective: to explore therapists' countertransference reactions in the initial phase of psychoanalytic psychotherapy (between sessions 4 and 5) and to verify possible associations between these and the patient's personal characteristics (sociodemographic, psychological, and psychopathological). Method: naturalistic, cross-sectional, correlational, and observational study with a descriptive-analytical approach. The sample consists of 180 patient-therapist dyads, of which 180 were adult patients (32.82 ± 12.66 years old) and 48 therapists (32.69 ± 10.01 years old). Results: countertransference is affected by the patient's age, psychological aspects of his or her previous life (traumas and parental attachment) and elements of personality (empathetic skills and defensive mechanisms), but not by the showed symptoms. Conclusions: the findings support the scientific literature, which points to the relevance of childhood experiences and personality characteristics of the patient to evoke specific countertransference patterns in the therapist. Understanding such relationships can help clinicians identify their own reactions and deliver the therapy, as appropriate.

Emotional Responses to Stressors in Everyday Life Predict Long-Term Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Individuals' emotional responses to stressors in everyday life are associated with long-term physical and mental health. Among many possible risk factors, the stressor-related emotional responses may play an important role in future development of depressive symptoms. PURPOSE: The current study examined how individuals' positive and negative emotional responses to everyday stressors predicted their subsequent changes in depressive symptoms over 18 months. METHODS: Using an ecological momentary assessment approach, participants (n = 176) reported stressor exposure, positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA) five times a day for 1 week (n = 5,483 observations) and provided longitudinal reports of depressive symptoms over the subsequent 18 months. A multivariate multilevel latent growth curve model was used to directly link the fluctuations in emotions in response to momentary stressors in everyday life with the long-term trajectory of depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Adults who demonstrated a greater difference in stressor-related PA (i.e., relatively lower PA on stressor vs. nonstressor moments) reported larger increases in depressive symptoms over 18 months. Those with greater NA responses to everyday stressors (i.e., relatively higher NA on stressor vs. nonstressor moments), however, did not exhibit differential long-term changes in depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Adults showed a pattern consistent with both PA and NA responses to stressors in everyday life, but only the stressor-related changes in PA (but not in NA) predicted the growth of depressive symptoms over time. These findings highlight the important-but often overlooked-role of positive emotional responses to everyday stressors in long-term mental health.

The Influence of the Evolutionary Past on the Mind: An Analysis of the Preference for Landscapes in the Human Species.

According to some evolutionary psychologists, landscapes preferences in the human species are influenced by their evolutionary past. Because the Pleistocene savanna is the least inhospitable landscape, it was the most suitable environment for survival and influenced the evolution of hominids in such a way that even today the human being has a universal preference for these environments. However, there is controversy regarding this statement, because in some studies it was evidenced that people prefer images of landscapes that are similar to those of the environment where they live. In this sense, we want to test whether there is indeed a preference for images of the savanna landscape and how the current environmental context may influence this preference. We performed a study in three environmental contexts with different landscapes in order to be able to observe the influence of the familiar landscape on landscape preference, of which two rural communities - one presenting a landscape similar to the deciduous seasonal forest and another presenting a savanna-like landscape - that totaled 132 participants and one urban community with 189 participants. The stimulus consisted of 12 images representing the six major terrestrial biomes and two images of urban landscapes. The variables analyzed were the emotional responses and the preference of the participants in relation to the images of landscapes. We analyzed the data using the Kruskal-Wallis test. The obtained result did not corroborate the idea of universal preference for images of savanna landscape. The image of Rainforest landscape was the preferred one among all the three environmental contexts studied. In this way, the preference for landscape may have been shaped at different periods of human evolutionary history, and not just during the period when hominids lived on the savannah. As much as selective pressures of the Pleistocene savanna have shaped the human mind during the evolutionary history, other factors and different types of environments may have influenced human preferences for landscapes. Thus, evolutionary psychologists who analyze human preferences for images of landscapes, guided by the idea of the past influencing the present, must be cautious before generalizing their results, especially if other variables such as the cultural ones are not controlled.

Physico-chemical and sensory properties of marmalades made from mixtures of fruits and under-exploited Andean tubers.

BACKGROUND: This work studies the added value to the Andean tuber crops through the production of jams. The objective were: (1) to study the sensory and instrumental characteristics of dietetic marmalades made with fruits and Andean tubers; (2) to research consumer's acceptability and emotional responses; (3) to assess the relationship between sensory and instrumental variables and (4) to determine sensory, instrumental and emotional variables that influence the acceptability. RESULTS: Pearson's correlations showed that spreadability was the variable better predicted by sensory and instrumental ones. The analysis of variance showed that sourness increased with the increase of strawberry and the decrease of apple contents (P < 0.05). The acceptability increased when the strawberry proportion was higher. The sweetness-sourness balance drove the hedonic response and some emotions changed from one feeling to its corresponding opposite when the strawberry proportion reached 50 or 60. According to a partial least square 2 and a principal components analysis of sensory/acceptability/emotion data, 'typical', 'autochthonous', 'urban' and 'present' resulted in positive emotions which favored the consumer liking. CONCLUSION: Formulating marmalades with mixtures of fruits and Andean tubers will allow giving value-added to these crops. The elaboration of products using innovative raw materials will be an incentive for farmers to cultivate them. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Needs satisfaction ffect on exercise emotional response: a serial mediation analysis with motivational regulations and exercise intensity

Abstract Regarding psychological responses to exercise, this study aimed to analyze the mediating effects of motivational regulations and intensity in the association between basic psychological needs satisfaction and emotional responses. This was a cross-sectional study of 495 health club members (M = 40.50 years; SD = 13.54); of these, 186 were women (37.6%) and 309 men (62.4%), with an average attendance of 2.61 sessions per week (SD=1.29). Self-determination theory motivational regulations and basic psychological needs (BPN), perceived exercise intensity, and emotional response were measured. Serial mediation procedures were followed to test the interactions of variables. Models with autonomous regulations predicted positive emotional responses. As for the negative emotional response, the models with external regulation presented the highest predictions for negative activation. Results indicate that BPN satisfaction is associated with better emotional response, partially explained by autonomous regulations and perceived exercise intensity. In externally regulated individuals, perceived exercise intensity appears to be important to sustain a better emotional response.

Worth the risk? Terrorism-induced fear of flying / ¿Vale la pena el riesgo? Miedo inducido por el terrorismo a volar

We conducted two bi-national experiments regarding emotional and behavioral responses to a terrorist plot against commercial flights, examining both feelings and projected action. The studies employed hypothetical scenarios in which terrorists attacked airplanes with shoulder-fired missiles as they were landing or taking off from an international airport. The scenarios were built around two factorially crossed manipulated variables, each with three levels: (1) government announcements or actions (2) social norm, expressed as variation in airline ticket sales. Each respondent read a questionnaire containing only one of the nine scenarios. Experiment 1 was conducted in Spain and California (n = 360, 50% female), Experiment 2 in Israel and California (n = 504, 50% female). In both studies, fear and flight plans were not differentially affected by governmental response or social norm. Women expressed more fear than men. Experiment 1 examined the purpose of the trip. Most respondents would not change a planned flight to attend a close friend's wedding or important job interview, but a substantial number would postpone a vacation or drive to a different location. Experiment 2 featured escalating attacks. These yielded increased fear and more canceled trips. Within both studies, responses were similar across countries despite national differences in direct experience with terrorism.

Se realizaron dos experimentos bi-nacionales con respecto a las respuestas emocionales y conductuales a un plan terrorista contra vuelos comerciales, examinando ambas cosas: sentimientos y proyectos de acción. Los estudios emplearon escenarios hipotéticos en los que los terroristas atacaron los aviones con misiles disparados desde el hombro, ya que estaban aterrizando o despegando desde un aeropuerto internacional. Los escenarios fueron construidos alrededor de dos variables factoriales cruzadas, cada uno con tres niveles: (1) los anuncios o acciones del gobierno (2) norma social, expresada como la variación en la venta de billetes de avión. Cada encuestado leyó un cuestionario que contenía sólo uno de los nueve escenarios. El experimento 1 se realizó en España y California (n = 360, 50% mujeres), el experimento 2 en Israel y California (n = 504, 50% mujeres). En ambos estudios, el miedo y los planes de vuelo no fueron diferencialmente afectados por la respuesta gubernamental o la norma social. Las mujeres expresaron más miedo que los hombres. El experimento 1 examinó el propósito del viaje. La mayoría de los encuestados no cambiarían un vuelo planeado para asistir a la boda de un amigo cercano o para una importante entrevista de trabajo, pero un número considerable de participantes podrían posponer unas vacaciones o ir en coche a un lugar diferente. El experimento 2 contó con la escalada de los ataques. Estas aumentaron el temor y la cantidad de viajes cancelados. En ambos estudios, las respuestas fueron similares en todos los países a pesar de las diferencias nacionales y la experiencia directa con el terrorismo.

Dorsolateral periaqueductal gray matter CB1 and TRPV1 receptors exert opposite modulation on expression of contextual fear conditioning.

Cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) and Transient Potential Vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) receptors in the dorsolateral periaqueductal gray (dlPAG) matter are involved in the modulation of conditioned response. Both CB1 and TRPV1 receptors are related to glutamate release and nitric oxide (NO) synthesis. It was previously demonstrated that both NMDA glutamate receptors and NO are involved in the conditioned emotional response. Therefore, one aim of this work was to verify whether dlPAG CB1 and TRPV1 receptors modulate the expression of contextual conditioned emotional response. Moreover, we also investigated the involvement of NMDA receptors and the NO pathway in this response. Male Wistar rats with local dlPAG guide cannula were submitted to contextual fear conditioning. Following 24 h, a polyethylene catheter was implanted in the femoral artery for cardiovascular recordings. After an additional 24 h, drugs were administered in the dlPAG and freezing behavior and autonomic responses were recorded during chamber re-exposure. Both a CB1 antagonist (AM251) and a TRPV1 agonist (Capsaicin; CPS) increased the expression of a conditioned emotional response. This response was prevented by an NMDA antagonist, a preferential neuronal NO synthase inhibitor, an NO scavenger and a soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor (sGC). Furthermore, pretreatment with a TRPV1 antagonist also prevented the increased conditioned emotional response induced by AM251. Considering that GABA can counterbalance glutamate effects, we also investigated whether GABAA receptors were involved in the effect of a higher dose of AM251. Pretreatment with a GABAA receptor antagonist caused an increased conditioned emotional response by AM251. Our results support the possibility that dlPAG CB1 and TRPV1 receptors are involved in the expression of conditioned emotional response through the NMDA/NO/sGC pathway. Moreover, the opposite effects exerted by GABA and glutamate could produce different outcomes of drugs modulating eCBs.

M3 muscarinic receptor in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex modulating the expression of contextual fear conditioning in rats.

RATIONALE: Basal forebrain cholinergic neurons modulate the activation of cortical neurons by several stimuli such as fear and anxiety. However, the role of the muscarinic receptor in the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) in the modulation of the conditioned emotional response (CER) evoked in the model contextual conditioned fear remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to test the hypothesis that inhibition of the muscarinic receptor in ventral MPFC modulates CER observed during animal's re-exposure to the aversive context. METHODS: Rats implanted with cannulae aimed at the prelimbic (PL) or the infralimbic (IL) were submitted to a high-intensity contextual fear conditioning protocol. Before the test session, they received microinjections of the hemicholinium (choline reuptake blocker), atropine (muscarinic antagonist), J104129 fumarate (M1-M3 muscarinic antagonists), pirenzepine (M1 muscarinic antagonist), neostigmine (inhibitor acetylcholinesterase enzyme), or the systemic administration of the FG7142 (inverse benzodiazepine agonist). Additional independent groups received the neostigmine or FG7142 before the ineffective doses of J104129 fumarate in the low-intensity protocol of contextual fear conditioning. RESULTS: In the high-intensity protocol, the administration of hemicholinium (1 nmol), atropine (0.06-6 nmol), J104129 fumarate (6 nmol), or pirenzepine (6 nmol) attenuated the expression of CER in rats. However, in the low-intensity protocol, only J10129 fumarate (0.06 nmol) reduced the expression of the CER. Finally, neostigmine (0.1-1 nmol) or FG7142 (8 mg/Kg) increased CER expression, an effect inhibited by the low dose of the J10129 fumarate. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that the blockade of M3 muscarinic receptor in the vMPFC attenuates the CER expression.

Experiencia de las pacientes frente a citología cérvico-vaginal reportada como ASCUS o LEI de bajo grado en dos instituciones de Bogotá (Colombia), 2014 / Patient experiences regarding ASCUS or low grade SIL cervicovaginal cytology results in two institutions in Bogotá (Colombia), 2014

Describir los conocimientos que tienen las pacientes acerca del uso de la citología, y las emociones y el comportamiento que genera en estas un resultado positivo en la citología vaginal con atipias escamosas de significado indeterminado (ASCUS) o lesión escamosa intraepitelial de bajo grado (LEI-BG). Materiales y métodos: investigación cualitativa fenomenológica, que busca establecer las experiencias vividas por mujeres entre 18 y 69 años que consultaron por primera vez, por el hallazgo en la citología cérvico-vaginal de ASCUS o LEI-BG, a la unidad de patología cervical de dos instituciones de nivel medio de complejidad en Bogotá (Colombia), una institución pública y otra un centro de atención ambulatorio privado. El tamaño de la muestra se determinó por saturación teórica y muestreo consecutivo. Se realizaron grupos focales y entrevistas, la información fue grabada y transcrita posteriormente, creando categorías para evaluar las experiencias: caracterización sociodemográfica, cognición, características afectivas y comportamiento. Se empleó el estilo de análisis mediante edición, presentado como material narrativo, a fin de ordenar la información recolectada para su síntesis e interpretación. Resultados: se incluyeron 27 mujeres. El resultado anormal de la citología cérvico-vaginal despierta sentimientos de culpa, angustia y preocupación pues lo relacionan con el cáncer de cuello uterino, dado que no es claro para ellas que este es un examen de tamización. La principal conducta posterior a recibir el resultado de la citología fue priorizar la cita médica. Hay alteraciones en las relaciones de pareja basadas en la percepción de infidelidad secundaria a la infección de VPH. Conclusiones: la toma de la citología cérvico-vaginal es considerada por las pacientes como importantísima y obligatoria en el marco de la necesidad de prevenir y tratar el cáncer de cuello uterino...

To describe patient k nowledge regarding the use of cytology, as well as the emotions and behaviours elicited by a positive vaginal cytology result of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) or low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LG-SIL). Materials and methods: Qualitative phenomenolog ical research aimed at identif y ing experiences among women between 18 and 69 years of age presenting for the first time because of a cervicovaginal cytology finding of ASCUS or LG-SIL to the cervical pathology units of two intermediate complexity centres in Bogota, one of them a public institution and the other a private outpatient centre. The sample size was determined by theoretical saturation on the basis of a consecutive sampling. Focus groups and inter views were conducted, and the information was recorded and transcribed afterwards. Categories were created for experience assessment: socio-demographic and affective characteristics, cognition, and behaviour. Editing was used for a narrative analysis style in order to organize the information gathered for synthesis and interpretation purposes. Results: Twenty-seven women were included. An abnormal cytology result gives rise to feelings of guilt and is associated with anxiety and fear of having cervical cancer, given that it is not clear to them that cervicovaginal cytology is a screening test. The main behaviour after receiving the cytology result was to give priority to the medical appointment. There are changes in the relationships with the partners due to perceived infidelity secondary to HPV infection. Conclusions: Cervicovaginal cytology is is considered by patients of the greatest importance and mandatory given the need to prevent and treat cervical cancer...

Stigma Cues Increase Self-Conscious Emotions and Decrease Likelihood of Attention to Information about Preventing Stigmatized Health Issues.

Health communications are only effective if target audiences actually receive the messages. One potential barrier to effective health communication is the potential stigma of attending to health information, particularly for stigmatizing health issues. The purpose of the present paper was to examine when participants report self-conscious emotions (e.g., shame, embarrassment) in response to health communications, as well as likelihood of reading health information associated with these emotions. Across three studies, participants read information about preventing diseases that are either highly stigmatized or non-stigmatized. Increased accessibility of stigma cues by (a) manipulating the perceived absence vs. presence of others, or (b) measuring lower vs. higher rejection sensitivity resulted in increased self-conscious emotions in response to information about stigmatized health issues. In addition, stigma cues decreased the likelihood of reading information about stigmatized (but not non-stigmatized) health information. Implications for health outcomes and intervention design are discussed.

Stigma Cues Increase Self-Conscious Emotions and Decrease Likelihood of Attention to Information about Preventing Stigmatized Health Issues / Señales sobre Estigma Aumentan las Emociones Conscientes y Disminuyen la Probabilidad de Atención a la Información sobre Prevención de Cuestiones Estigmatizadas de Salud

Health communications are only effective if target audiences actually receive the messages. One potential barrier to effective health communication is the potential stigma of attending to health information, particularly for stigmatizing health issues. The purpose of the present paper was to examine when participants report self-conscious emotions (e.g., shame, embarrassment) in response to health communications, as well as likelihood of reading health information associated with these emotions. Across three studies, participants read information about preventing diseases that are either highly stigmatized or non-stigmatized. Increased accessibility of stigma cues by (a) manipulating the perceived absence vs. presence of others, or (b) measuring lower vs. higher rejection sensitivity resulted in increased self-conscious emotions in response to information about stigmatized health issues. In addition, stigma cues decreased the likelihood of reading information about stigmatized (but not non-stigmatized) health information. Implications for health outcomes and intervention design are discussed.

La comunicación en torno a la salud solo es efectiva si la audiencia meta recibe el mensaje. Una barrera potencial que tiene la comunicación efectiva sobre salud es el estigma potencial de hacer caso a la información sobre salud, particularmente en temas estigmatizados. El objetivo del presente estudio fue examinar cuándo reportan los participantes emociones conscientes (p.e. vergüenza, culpa) en respuesta a comunicación sobre salud, así como la probabilidad de leer información asociada con estas emociones. A través de tres estudios, los participantes leyeron información sobre prevención de enfermedades que son altamente estigmatizadas o que no lo son. El aumento de la accesibilidad de las señales sobre estigma mediante (a) la manipulación de la ausencia percibida vs. presencia de otros, o (b) la medición de alta o baja sensibilidad al rechazo, resultó en aumento de emociones conscientes en respuesta a la información sobre temas de salud estigmatizados. Además, las señales sobre estigma disminuyeron la probabilidad de lectura de información sobre información estigmatizada (no así para la no estigmatizada). Se discuten las implicaciones sobre consecuencias de salud y diseño de intervención.

The expression of contextual fear conditioning involves activation of a NMDA receptor-nitric oxide-cGMP pathway in the dorsal hippocampus of rats.

The dorsal portion of the hippocampus is a limbic structure that is involved in fear conditioning modulation in rats. Moreover, evidence shows that the local dorsal hippocampus glutamatergic system, nitric oxide (NO) and cGMP modulate behavioral responses during aversive situations. Therefore, the present study investigated the involvement of dorsal hippocampus NMDA receptors and the NO/cGMP pathway in contextual fear conditioning expression. Male Wistar rats were submitted to an aversive contextual conditioning session and 48 h later they were re-exposed to the aversive context in which freezing, cardiovascular responses (increase of both arterial pressure and heart rate) and decrease of tail temperature were recorded. The intra-dorsal hippocampus administration of the NMDA receptor antagonist AP7, prior to the re-exposure to the aversive context, attenuated fear-conditioned responses. The re-exposure to the context evoked an increase in NO concentration in the dorsal hippocampus of conditioned animals. Similar to AP7 administration, we observed a reduction of contextual fear conditioning after dorsal hippocampus administration of either the neuronal NO synthase inhibitor N-propyl-L-arginine, the NO scavenger c-PTIO or the guanylate cyclase inhibitor ODQ. Therefore, the present findings suggest the possible existence of a dorsal hippocampus NMDA/NO/cGMP pathway modulating the expression of contextual fear conditioning in rats.

Respostas emocionais à luz do modo causal de seleção por conseqüências / Emotional responses bases on causal mode of selection by consequences

Emoções e sentimentos devem ser abordados, segundo a análise do comportamento, com os conceitos e princípios validados na investigação empírica de fenômenos comportamentais. Uma dessas referências consiste do modo causal de seleção por conseqüências. No entanto, a compatibilidade de tal modo causal com a explicação de respondentes, nos quais a resposta é função de um estímulo a ela antecedente, requer esclarecimentos. O presente artigo examina algumas possíveis relações entre processos respondentes e operantes e a possibilidade de explicar respostas emocionais com a referência ao modelo selecionista. Aponta-se a ocorrência de condicionamento de respostas emocionais à presença do estímulo antecedente à emissão do operante a partir da eliciação de tais respostas pelo estímulo conseqüente. Mediante a compreensão das interações respondente-operante, o modo causal de seleção por conseqüência seria explicativo de componentes operantes e respondentes de respostas emocionais

According to behavior analysis, feelings and emotions should be approached with the conceptsand principles empirically validated in the study of behavioral phenomena. One of thesereferences is the causal mode of selection by consequences. However, the compatibility of thiscausal mode with respondent behavioral phenomena, with regard to which it is said that theresponse is a function of an antecedent (eliciting) stimulus, requires clarification. The presentpaper examines some possible relations among respondent and operant responses in the case ofemotions, and the possibility of explaining emotional phenomena based on the causal mode ofselection by consequences. It is pointed that emotional responses may be conditioned to thepresence of a stimulus which antecedes an operant response, after the emotional response has beenelicited by the stimulus which is consequent to the emission of that operant response. With regardto such relations, the causal mode of selection by consequences would be explanatory of bothoperant and respondent components of emotions