The effect of age on emotion processing in individuals with mood disorders and in healthy individuals.

Introduction: Emotion processing is an essential part of interpersonal relationships and social interactions. Changes in emotion processing have been found in both mood disorders and in aging, however, the interaction between such factors has yet to be examined in detail. This is of interest due to the contrary nature of the changes observed in existing research - a negativity bias in mood disorders versus a positivity effect with aging.

Clinical factors and early life experiences associated with therapeutic alliance development in treatment for depression or binge eating.

Objective: This study examines childhood and clinical factors theorized to impact therapeutic alliance development over the course of psychotherapy.

Method: Raters assessed the therapeutic alliance of 212 client-therapist dyads, participating in two randomized controlled trials of schema therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy for binge eating or major depression, at three time points. Linear mixed models were used to characterize therapeutic alliance development over time and assess the influence of childhood trauma, perceived parental bonding, diagnosis and therapy type on scores.

A Tale of Childhood Loss, Conditional Acceptance and a Fear of Abandonment: A Qualitative Study Taking a Narrative Approach to Eating Disorders.

Eating disorders (EDs) are serious mental health illnesses, yet there is a need to better understand the illness experience to improve treatment outcomes. Qualitative research, and narrative approaches in particular, can elicit life stories that allow for the whole illness journey to be explored. This study aimed to explore the experiences of women with a history of an ED, identifying the life events they perceived were relevant to the onset of their ED through to recovery.

Validation of the Longitudinal Interval Follow-Up Evaluation for the Long-Term Measurement of Mood Symptoms in Bipolar Disorder.

The long-term burden of symptoms is an important outcome in bipolar disorder (BD). A method which has minimal burden of assessment uses a retrospective interview, the Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Examination (LIFE), although this may be subject to problems with recall. This study examines the relationship between the retrospective LIFE scale and concurrently-rated mood rating scales in two clinical trials of 18 months of psychotherapy for patients with BD.

Beliefs About Traumatic Memories, Thought Control Strategies, and the Impact on PTSD Symptoms After a Natural Disaster.

This study aimed to investigate the relationships among self-reported meta-memory beliefs, thought control strategies ( i.e. , distraction, reappraisal, worry, social control, and punishment), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomology, among a sample of earthquake survivors ( N = 412).

Relationship between baseline cognition and 18-month treatment response in bipolar disorder.

Background: To date, few studies have examined baseline cognitive function as a predictor of clinical outcome following treatment in bipolar disorder (BD). The aim of this analysis was therefore to examine the relationship between baseline cognitive function and treatment outcome in a sample of young adults with BD receiving Interpersonal Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) or Specialist Supportive Care (SSC) with adjunctive pharmacotherapy.

Methods: Eighty-six BD patients underwent baseline cognitive testing and completed 18 months of IPSRT or SCC.

Modified metacognitive therapy for anorexia nervosa: An open trial in an outpatient setting.

Objective: Current evidence indicates treatment for adults with anorexia nervosa (AN) requires improvement given recovery rates are low to moderate, and relapse rates are high. Metacognitive therapy (MCT) is an effective treatment for anxiety and depressive disorders. This study evaluates if MCT can be successfully modified to treat AN in a naturalistic clinical setting.

The effect of temperament and character on body dissatisfaction in women with bulimia nervosa: The role of low self-esteem and depression.

Objective: Although personality traits have been found to be associated with body dissatisfaction for women in the general population, little research has explored these associations for people with eating disorders. Furthermore, it is unknown whether these associations are direct or are mediated by other factors. In this cross-sectional study, secondary analyses of data from two clinical trials were conducted to determine which personality dimensions contributed to body dissatisfaction in women with bulimia nervosa, and whether low self-esteem and depression mediate these associations independently or in serial.

Specialist supportive clinical management for anorexia nervosa: Analysis of therapy content and relation to outcome.

Objective: Psychotherapy for anorexia nervosa (AN) is complex and multifaceted, with little known about likely effective components of treatments. The current study explored the spoken content of specialist supportive clinical management (SSCM) for AN, a treatment with evidence of effectiveness in several randomized clinical trials.

Method: One hundred seventy-eight therapy sessions constituting all ten therapist-patient dyads of those who completed SSCM treatment in the original clinical trial of SSCM, were transcribed verbatim.

The five year outcome of major depression: Effects of baseline variables and type of treatment.

Background: Depression is commonly a relapsing or chronic disorder. Long-term outcome is therefore important. We report on the outcome of major depression five years after receiving treatment with medication or psychotherapy.

Long-term efficacy of metacognitive therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy for depression.

Objective: To examine the two-year outcomes for depression, anxiety, cognitive and global social functioning after cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and metacognitive therapy (MCT) for depression.

Method: Participants were 31 adults with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder in a randomised pilot study comparing MCT and CBT. Therapy modality differences in change in depression and anxiety symptoms, dysfunctional attitudes, metacognitions, rumination, worry and global social functioning were examined at the two-year follow-up for those who completed therapy.

The metacognitive model of post-traumatic stress disorder and metacognitive therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder: A systematic review.

The metacognitive model of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) implicates metacognitive beliefs, meta-memory beliefs and metacognitive control strategies in perpetuating and maintaining symptoms of PTSD. Despite this expanding area of research, the evidence for the metacognitive model of PTSD has not been reviewed. A systematic review according to the PRISMA statement was conducted.

Personality traits and night eating syndrome in women with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.

Purpose: Previous research suggests that eating disorders may be associated with certain personality profiles; however, there is limited research investigating associations with night eating syndrome (NES). This research suggests harm avoidance personality trait is higher in NES individuals than in the general population, however, evidence of associations with other personality traits is inconsistent. To understand which personality traits are associated with NES symptoms, the current study aimed to improve understanding of the relationship between NES symptoms and a range of personality traits, addressing limitations in the earlier literature in this area by controlling for common confounders.

Beliefs about Memory Questionnaire: psychometric properties in a natural disaster sample.

Several theories exist regarding the role of memory in the development of PTSD. The metacognitive model of PTSD contends beliefs about trauma memory are pivotal in the development and maintenance of PTSD. The Beliefs About Memory Questionnaire (BAMQ) was developed to measure metacognitive beliefs about trauma memory.

Examining the roles of metacognitive beliefs and maladaptive aspects of perfectionism in depression and anxiety.

Background: Metacognition and perfectionism are factors found to be associated with both anxiety and depression. A common component that underlies these factors is the influence of perseverance, or the tendency to continue a behaviour or thought even if it is no longer productive.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between metacognitive beliefs with maladaptive aspects of perfectionism (i.

Improvement in cognitive function in young people with bipolar disorder: Results from participants in an 18-month randomised controlled trial of adjunctive psychotherapy.

Objective: To examine the effects of 18 months of intensive stabilisation with medication management and Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy or Non-specific Supportive Clinical Management on cognitive function in young people with bipolar disorder. Determinants of change in cognitive function over the 18 months of the trial were also examined.

Method: Patients aged 15-36 years with Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder and Bipolar Not Otherwise Specified were recruited.

Predictors of Posttraumatic Stress Symptom Trajectories Following the Fatal 2011 Christchurch, New Zealand Earthquake.

People respond differently to potentially traumatic events. To explore predictors of a chronic and delayed trajectory of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) after a natural disaster, we analyzed psychometric data collected from 412 residents of Christchurch, New Zealand after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck in February 2011.

Earthquake brain: Impairment of spatial memory following long-term earthquake-related stress.

Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to investigate neuropsychological function in patients with earthquake-related posttraumatic stress disorder, compared with earthquake-exposed but resilient controls. We hypothesised that individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder would have poorer neuropsychological performance on tests of verbal and visuospatial learning and memory compared with the earthquake-exposed control group. The availability of groups of healthy patients from previous studies who had been tested on similar neuropsychological tasks prior to the earthquakes allowed a further non-exposed comparison.

Prevalence of cognitive impairment in major depression and bipolar disorder.

Objectives: The current study examines prevalence of cognitive impairment in four mood disorder samples, using four definitions of impairment. The impact of premorbid IQ on prevalence was examined, and the influence of treatment response.

Methods: Samples were: (i) 58 inpatients in a current severe depressive episode (unipolar or bipolar), (ii) 69 unmedicated outpatients in a mild to moderate depressive episode (unipolar or bipolar), (iii) 56 outpatients with bipolar disorder, in a depressive episode, and (iv) 63 outpatients with bipolar disorder, currently euthymic.

Patient predictors of response to cognitive behaviour therapy and schema therapy for depression.

Objective: Few studies have examined differential predictors of response to psychotherapy for depression. Greater understanding about the factors associated with therapeutic response may better enable therapists to optimise response by targeting therapy for the individual. The aim of the current exploratory study was to examine patient characteristics associated with response to cognitive behaviour therapy and schema therapy for depression.

Earthquake Brain: Altered Recognition and Misclassification of Facial Expressions Are Related to Trauma Exposure but Not Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

Objectives: The study investigated facial expression recognition (FER) in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caused by exposure to earthquakes, and in particular whether people with this condition showed a bias toward interpreting facial expressions as threat-related emotions (i.e., as anger, fear, or disgust).

Three-year follow-up after psychotherapy for young people with bipolar disorder.

Objectives: (1) To examine the differences between interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT) and specialist supportive care (SSC) in the longer term impacts of IPSRT and SSC on cumulative depression and mania symptoms over a further 78-week follow-up period post treatment. (2) To calculate the survival time before recurrence of a new mood episode over the 3-year period.

Methods: One hundred young people with bipolar disorder aged between 15 and 36 years who had been randomized to treatment with either IPSRT or SSC for 78 weeks were followed up for a subsequent 78 weeks.

Brain activation during processing of genuine facial emotion in depression: Preliminary findings.

Objective: The current study aimed to examine the neural correlates of processing genuine compared with posed emotional expressions, in depressed and healthy subjects using a novel functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm METHOD: During fMRI scanning, sixteen depressed patients and ten healthy controls performed an Emotion Categorisation Task, whereby participants were asked to distinguish between genuine and non-genuine (posed or neutral) facial displays of happiness and sadness.

Results: Compared to controls, the depressed group showed greater activation whilst processing genuine versus posed facial displays of sadness, in the left medial orbitofrontal cortex, caudate and putamen. The depressed group also showed greater activation whilst processing genuine facial displays of sadness relative to neutral displays, in the bilateral medial frontal/orbitofrontal cortex, left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, right dorsal anterior cingulate, bilateral posterior cingulate, right superior parietal lobe, left lingual gyrus and cuneus.

Predictors of posttraumatic growth 10-11 months after a fatal earthquake.

Objective: Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is a commonly observed phenomenon in the wake of a distressing event, capturing potentially beneficial effects for posttraumatic adaptation. However, it is not entirely clear what factors are essential for the development of PTG, especially after natural disasters. Most importantly, it is uncertain what type of relationship exists between posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and PTG.