Cognitive specificity in emotional distress.

Cognitive approaches to emotional distress posit that specific cognitive factors are critically linked to the etiology, course, or treatment of dysfunction. Although a number of empirical studies have assessed cognitive factors in emotional disorders such as depression and anxiety, research has yet to assess these variables simultaneously and with identical cognitive measures. Using depression and test anxiety as models of dysfunctional affective states, we examined cognitive specificity on measures of information processing, attributions, automatic thinking, and cognitive interference. Results indicated a pattern of specificity showing several differences and similarities in depression and anxiety. Specifically, "purely" depressed individuals showed evidence of selectivity processing depressive information, making dysfunctional attributions, and engaging in more negative automatic thinking. "Purely" anxious individuals, on the other hand, showed evidence of selective anxious information processing and increased cognitive interference. Results are discussed in terms of a taxonomy for classifying depressive and anxious cognition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Irrational beliefs and the arousal of emotional distress.

Evaluated the extent to which endorsement of irrational beliefs as measured by the Irrational Beliefs Test (IBT) was associated with subjective, physiological, and cognitive indices (e.g., Trait scale of the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory and Fear of Negative Evaluation Questionnaire scores) of emotional distress in response to a stressful event delivered in a controlled experiment. 62 undergraduates served as Ss. Beliefs relevant to the stressor were more associated with negative cognitions than was either a belief less relevant to the stressor or general irrational thinking. However, a measure of the fear of negative evaluation was more frequently associated with measures of distress than were irrational beliefs. The equivalent and perhaps greater predictive utility of a more parsimonious, less inferential individual difference variable was interpreted as challenging the construct validity of the IBT and perhaps questioning the necessity of postulating the existence of irrational beliefs in accounts of the arousal of emotional distress. (48 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Impact of a dietary change on emotional distress.

Investigated the impact of a dietary change on the emotional state of 3 21–50 yr old females and an 18-yr-old male, using a single-S design. Ss were selected on the basis of scores on a behavioral index of metabolic imbalance and a subsequent interview. The dietary change for 3 Ss consisted of a high protein, low carbohydrate diet void of sucrose and caffeine, whereas only caffeine and sucrose were eliminated for the 4th S. The dependent variable used with the 1st S was a self-report of symptoms experienced, whereas the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the Profile of Mood State (POMS) were used with the other Ss. Ss reported many symptoms and/or presented a distressed profile during baseline assessment. However, following a 2-wk dietary change symptoms declined, and the MMPI or POMS profiles reflected a more stable and less distressed individual. Results suggest that a dietary change can remediate the emotional distress exhibited by some individuals, with the type of change affecting the emotional response. (33 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Antecedents and consequences of emotional display rule perceptions.

Central to all theories of emotional labor is the idea that individuals follow emotional display rules that specify the appropriate expression of emotions on the job. This investigation examined antecedents and consequences of emotional display rule perceptions. Full-time working adults (N = 152) from a variety of occupations provided self-report data, and supervisors and coworkers completed measures pertaining to the focal employees. Results using structural equation modeling revealed that job-based interpersonal requirements, supervisor display rule perceptions, and employee extraversion and neuroticism were predictive of employee display rule perceptions. Employee display rule perceptions, in turn, were related to self-reported job satisfaction and coworker ratings of employees' emotional displays on the job. Finally, neuroticism had direct negative relationships with job satisfaction and coworker ratings of employees' emotional displays. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological adjustment in breast cancer: Processes of emotional distress.

The process of psychological adjustment to breast cancer was examined at diagnosis and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups in a sample of 80 women with Stage I–Stage IV breast cancer. At diagnosis, symptoms of anxiety/depression were predicted by low dispositional optimism, and this path was partially mediated by use of emotion-focused disengagement coping. Younger age also was predictive of anxiety/depression symptoms at time of diagnosis and this relationship was fully mediated by magnitude of intrusive thoughts. At 3 months, changes in anxiety/depression symptoms were predicted only by intrusive thoughts. At 6 months, low dispositional optimism reemerged as a significant predictor of changes in anxiety/depression and again was partially mediated by the use of emotion-focused disengagement coping. Independent effects for problem-focused engagement and disengagement and emotion-focused engagement coping were also found at 6 months. Implications of these data for psychosocial interventions with breast cancer patients are highlighted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of emotional dysregulation in perfectionism and psychological distress.

Data from a sample of university students (N = 349) were used to test a model in which emotional dysregulation (a composite of emotional reactivity and splitting) was expected to account for the effect of perfectionism on general psychological distress. Significant positive effects were observed between maladaptive perfectionism and distress, whereas significant inverse effects were found for adaptive perfectionism. Structural equations analyses revealed support for a possibly mediational role of emotional dysregulation. Future research suggestions as well as counseling recommendations are proposed that target emotional regulatory features of the client with perfectionistic tendencies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Career development, coping, and emotional distress in youth living with HIV.

The career planning and exploration of youth living with HIV (YLH) is explored. A total of 115 YLH completed the Career Decision Scale and the Career Planning subscale of the Career Development Inventory, indexes of emotional distress, physical health, coping techniques used, and demographic information. YLH reported significantly lower scores for career planning than did the normative group. YLH who scored higher on career planning reported less emotional distress, were more likely to use positive coping, and were less likely to use self-destructive or depressed coping. YLH who were more certain of their occupational choice had less emotional distress and used more positive coping. None of the career development scores related to time since HIV diagnosis or T-cell count. As one of the first studies exploring the career development of YLH, the findings suggest the viability of further investigation of the career development of YLH and of interventions for promoting career development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Socialization of children's vicarious emotional responding and prosocial behavior: Relations with mothers' perceptions of children's emotional reactivity.

Examined mother–child emotion-related interactions and how these interactions related to mothers' perceptions of children's emotional reactivity. Mothers of 49 kindergartners and 54 2nd graders told their children 2 stories about distressed others. Children's emotional, physiological, and prosocial responses were also obtained. Mothers rated children's tendencies to become emotional when exposed to distressed others. For kindergartners, mothers' perceptions of children's emotional reactivity were positively related to her use of positive facial expressions. Mothers' perceptions of 2nd graders' emotional reactivity were inversely related to maternal responsiveness. These findings suggest that mothers may "adjust" their interactions with their children based on their perceptions of children's emotional tendencies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment of emotional distress following a spinal cord injury.

Evaluated a new instrument, the Medical-Based Emotional Distress Scale (MEDS). The MEDS assesses emotional reactions (dysphoria, irritability) in response to a severe physical illness or disability, excluding symptoms that could be the direct result of a physical condition or problem, and includes subscales measuring affective reactions, behavioral changes, and cognitive distortions. A sample of 81 adults with a spinal cord injury was evaluated with the MEDS as well as the SCL-90, Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, Hopelessness Scale, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The MEDS subscales displayed moderately high internal consistency. Positive evidence of validity was found for MEDS subscales in the assessment of emotional distress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Conditioned emotional distress in women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer.

This study investigated whether women undergoing outpatient chemotherapy for breast cancer can develop classically conditioned emotional distress. Women scheduled to begin chemotherapy were randomly assigned either to an experimental group (exposed to a distinctive stimulus before each chemotherapy infusion) or a control group. After repeated infusions of chemotherapy, patients' responses to the distinctive stimulus were assessed in a location not associated with chemotherapy administration. At the test trial, experimental group patients showed evidence of increased emotional distress (self-reported on a visual analog scale) after the presentation of the distinctive stimulus, whereas control group patients did not. Post hoc analyses indicated that these increases in distress were not secondary to other conditioned responses (e.g., nausea, taste aversion). Thus, results supported the hypothesis that the pairing of a distinctive stimulus with chemotherapy would result in the development of a conditioned emotional response. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-blame, compliance, and distress among burn patients.

This study addressed self-blame and adaptation by using data collected from 49 patients hospitalized for the treatment of acute burn wounds. Nurses and physical therapists rated patients' compliance with the therapeutic activities essential for proper healing, and they rated pain behavior. After controlling for burn severity and time since admission, regression analyses showed that behavioral self-blame for the burn accident was a significant predictor of poorer compliance with nurses, more pain behavior, and greater depression. People with a prior psychiatric history were also more depressed and more likely to blame themselves for the accident. These data are contrasted with research on the adaptive features of self-blame. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adolescents' subjective distress over their emotional/behavioral problems.

This study analyzed the relations among 151 7th- and 8th-grade adolescents' self-evaluations of the occurrence of their behavior, their own subjective distress over their behavior, their perceptions of their personal competence, their perceptions of their mothers' and fathers' distress over these behaviors, and their parents' reports of the occurrence of adolescent behaviors. As hypothesized, adolescents' self-reports of occurrence of their behaviors were significantly but moderately correlated with their subjective distress about these behaviors, and adolescents made a distinction between the occurrence of a behavior and their distress about it. Externalizing behaviors were rated by adolescents as more distressing to mothers and to fathers than to adolescents themselves, and conversely, internalizing behaviors were rated as more distressing to self than to parents. Ratings of subjective distress were significantly related to self-perceptions of behavioral conduct and self-worth, whereas parents' ratings of the occurrence of behavior were not related to these self-perceptions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Implementing individualized counseling programs: Staff perceptions of important activities.

Staff perceptions of activities that may facilitate implementation of individualized counseling programs (ICPs) were surveyed. The activities are named Discussing the ICP, Understanding Concerns, Reinforcing Others' Contributions, Adapting the ICP, Building Positive Expectations, Learning About Obstacles, and Evaluating Implementation and Outcomes (DURABLE). Ninety staff members at a residential facility providing short-term counseling services for children and adolescents with behavior problems were asked to (a) rate the relative importance of each DURABLE activity for facilitating ICP implementation, (b) rate their involvement in each activity, and (c) list any additional activities believed to be important in facilitating ICP implementation. Each DURABLE activity was perceived by respondents to be more than moderately important in facilitating ICP implementation. Of the seven DURABLE activities, Discussing the ICP was perceived to be most important, whereas Building Positive Expectations and Reinforcing Others' Contributions were rated as least important. Two other activities also reported as important in facilitating ICP implementation were (a) developing and maintaining effective communication among staff members, and (b) involving the child in ICP development and implementation. Implications of the results for practitioners and directions for research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parents' responses to the emotional distress of their children: Relations with children's competence.

Although investigators have proposed in various theories that the socialization of emotions has important implications for children's general competence, very little empirical data exist. In the present study, parents' responses to the emotional distress of their preschool children were examined in the context of more general dimensions of parenting (warmth and control), and the relation of these responses to children's competence was assessed. Data on parent–child interactions were collected for 30 families, using home observations, parent self-reports, observer ratings, and child interviews. Children's competence in preschool was assessed by teacher ratings. Effective, situationally appropriate action was the most frequently observed parental response to children's upset, and children's attributions to parents of such pragmatic responses was positively related to their competence in preschool. Parental encouragement of emotional expressiveness was also positively associated with child competence. Variables assessing positive responses to upset, although related to warmth (as expected), also contributed independently to children's competence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mood regulation expectancies, anxiety sensitivity, and emotional distress.

Mood regulation expectancy is a behavior–outcome response expectancy; anxiety sensitivity can be conceptualized as a stimulus–outcome response expectancy. Current expectancy models of emotion and distress focus on stimulus–outcome expectancies, potentially neglecting behavior–outcome expectancies. In a sample of 502 college students, measures of each expectancy were independently related to distress, measured by the Beck Depression Inventory and Trait Anxiety Inventory: Those with weak beliefs about their ability to regulate negative moods and strong beliefs that the experience of anxiety causes further negative consequences reported the highest levels of distress. Implications for integrating behavior–outcome and stimulus–outcome response expectancies in models of emotion are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Physical symptoms, distress, and breast cancer risk perceptions in women with benign breast problems.

Physical symptoms, general and breast cancer-specific distress, and perceived breast cancer risk were assessed in 66 women with benign breast problems (BBP) and 66 age-matched healthy comparison (HC) women. BBP women reported significantly greater worry about breast cancer than HC women. Breast symptom incidence and breast cancer risk perceptions were found to mediate group differences in breast cancer worry. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that perceptions of control over a potential breast cancer prognosis moderate the impact of breast symptoms on reports of breast cancer worry. Implications for risk counseling with BBP women are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Acculturation, distress disclosure, and emotional self-disclosure within Asian populations.

Research into youth mentoring suggests that programs focused on specific practices (e.g., emotional disclosure and collaborative relationships) increase the likelihood of a successful mentoring relationship, factors similar to the psychotherapy literature. However, research into psychotherapy with Asians has indicated that these factors, based on Western values, are less effective, especially with those who are less acculturated. To test the relevance of these factors within mentor-type relationships, this study examined the relationship between acculturation and distress disclosure, and the relationship between acculturation and the retrospective willingness to emotionally self-disclose to friends and unrelated, trusted adults in 98 participants representing several ethnic Asian backgrounds. Both values-based and behaviorally based acculturation measures were used. Values-based, but not behaviorally based acculturation, predicted distress disclosure (i.e., less acculturated individuals were less likely to disclose distress). Using an imagery protocol, participants were then asked to think back to adolescence and indicate their willingness to self-disclose emotions to friends and unrelated, trusted adults. Participants were more willing to self-disclose emotions to friends compared to unrelated, trusted adults, regardless of values acculturation level. However, a significant interaction occurred in an unanticipated direction using behaviorally based acculturation. Less behaviorally acculturated individuals were more willing to disclose emotions to unrelated, trusted adults compared to more behaviorally acculturated individuals. Discussion regarding the results revolved around the utility of a behavioral measure of acculturation, values and behaviors in acculturation, the role of older persons in Asian culture, and the possible role of community in the acculturation process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The dissolution of romantic relationships: Factors involved in relationship stability and emotional distress.

A large sample of individuals involved in ongoing dating relationships completed an extensive questionnaire survey that assessed 10 factors: satisfaction with the current partner, closeness of the relationship, duration of the relationship, sexual nature of the relationship, the quality of the best actual and imagined alternative dating partner(s), the ease with which a suitable alternative partner could be found, exclusivity of the relationship, self-monitoring propensity, and orientation to sexual relations. Approximately 3 months later, all individuals were recontacted to determine whether they were still dating the same partner and if not, how much emotional distress they experienced following relationship dissolution. Analyses revealed that at a univariate level, all 10 factors successfully forecasted relationship stability. Three of the 10 factors—closeness, duration, and ease of finding an alternative partner—reliably and independently predicted the intensity and duration of emotional distress. Specifically, individuals who were close to their former partner, who had dated the former partner for a long time, and who believed they could not easily acquire a desirable alternative tended to experience more pronounced distress following dissolution. These results are discussed in terms of the investment model and recent theorizing on emotion in relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Staff nurse perceptions of stressors and support needs in their workplace

The purpose of this study was to test a causal model developed from a theoretical formulation of the health consequences of loneliness in adolescents. The sample consisted of 325 adolescents, ages 12 to 21. Data were obtained in classroom settings on the variables of age, gender, and loneliness on one testing date; and on the variables of introspectiveness, symptom patterns, and perceived health status on another testing date 1 week later. The causal model was tested via the LISREL 7 program. By all indicators used in this study, there was a very good fit of the overidentified model with the data, the causal relationships predicted in the model were correctly specified, and modification of the model was not indicated. The results indicated that loneliness contributed to introspectiveness, that both loneliness and introspectiveness contributed to the reporting of symptom patterns, and that all of the aforementioned variables contributed directly and/or indirectly to a less positive perception of health status among adolescents. A vast majority of the direct and indirect effects of age and gender predicted on other variables in the model were supported.