Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, degenerative, neurological condition affecting approximately 85,000 people in the UK. The impact of MS on physical abilities is well‐known and there is increasing recognition of the impact of MS on mood and cognitive function. Recently MS has been linked to impaired emotion recognition and impaired Theory of Mind (ToM –the ability to attribute mental states, e.g. beliefs to oneself and others). Methods: This study measured executive function, ToM, empathy and quality of life in an MS sample (n=42). A correlational analysis was then conducted to determine whether executive function was associated with the other variables. Results: Two executive function measures (Mental Flexibility and Response to Feedback) were significantly associated with two ToM tasks (Revised Eyes and Stories). Mental Flexibility and the Revised Eyes ToM task were significantly associated with measures of empathy, but this effect was not present in the other executive function or ToM tasks. Neither executive functioning nor ToM measures were significantly associated with reported quality of life. Conclusion: Overall, the MS sample demonstrated specific ToM impairment, no significant empathy impairment and widespread executive impairment relative to normative data. Low rates of depression (10%) and higher levels of anxiety (29%) were found. MS participants rated the psychological impact of MS as equivalent to the physical impact, highlighting the importance of addressing psychological aspects of MS.

This study examines the experience of people who have begun practising mindfulness as it is taught in the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction programme (MBSR). The study has two aims: 1) to conceptualise the psychological mechanisms underpinning any change, and 2) to see if the changes produced are the same or similar to those produced in a cognitive therapy programme. The study focuses on two female participants, both with diagnosable psychopathology, who were part of the same MBSR programme at the Cape Town Medi-Clinic. Quantitative self-report measures of depression, anxiety, and medical symptoms were used as a measure of change. In-depth qualitative data which explored psychological, emotional and behavioural changes came from semi-structured interviews taken before, during, and immediately after the MBSR, and at a one-month follow-up. The interview data was supplemented by daily diaries documenting the participants' experiences of mindfulness, together with in-session video recordings. The analysis of these cases provide support for the model proposed by Segal, Teasdale and Williams (2002) of the factors underpinning improvement using mindfulness as a treatment. The changes were found to be similar, but not identical, to those that one would expect in a cognitive therapy programme.

Thesis (M.A.(Psychology)) -- University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Arts, 1998. / Computers are here to stay (Marcoulides, 1995), however there are still many people who are learning about computers for the first time. Since there is a distinct lack of understanding on whether computer attitudes will change subsequent to controlled exposure to computers, as well as little sound research on mental model change with respect to interaction with computers, an ex post facto, matched-pairs with control group field research design it was deemed necessary to ascertain changes in attitudes and mental models as a result of a 'basic skills in computing' course. Additionally various variables that would influence these variables were also considered, including prior knowledge/usage of computers, prior exposure to computer-like devices, and demographic variables. The research sample consisted of sixty two trainees prior to the course, thirty three subsequent to the course measures and eleven control group subjects tested over a similar time span. The Loyd and Gressard (1984) scale of computer attitudes was used, incorporating measures of computer anxiety, computer confidence, computer liking and overall attitudes towards computers. The subjects were also required to draw their mental model of what was 'under the lid of the computer box' and to fill out a demographics questionnaire. The results revealed that home language, occupation, prior knowledge/usage of computers and to some extent age influenced computer attitudes and furthermore, these no longer influenced attitudes subsequent to the course. A change in overall computer attitudes as well as confidence was also found. However, the control group did not differ significantly from that of the experimental group in terms of attitudes in order to confirm this effect. Demographic variables did not effect mental model conceptualisations, however they did vary as a result of the computer course and these results were confirmed in that the control group remained the same. Additionally prior exposure to computers in terms of having either seen, used or owned computers related to mental models although knowledge/usage of computers did not. The implications that these results have in terms of the influence that training courses have on attitudes and mental models are presented. While every effort was made to ensure that a sound research design was used, several limitations of the research were discussed. Suggestions for improvement and areas for future studies are, as a result, delineated.

There is abundant evidence of anxiety-linked threat-biased attention and anxiety-linked threat-biased interpretation (cf. Mathews & MacLeod, 1994, 2005). The present research aimed to determine whether these cognitive biases reflect a single common underlying mechanism (the Common Mechanism Account) or multiple independent underlying mechanisms (the Independent Mechanisms Account). To address this question, a battery of eight experimental tasks was developed; four tasks measured attention bias and four measured interpretation bias. Participants with different levels of trait anxiety, completed pairs of these tasks. The pattern of associations amongst all eight tasks was compared with the pattern of associations between the four tasks that measured attention bias and the pattern of associations between the four tasks that measured interpretation bias. Both Accounts predicted strong associations between the four tasks that measured attention bias, and between the four tasks that measured interpretation bias. However, the Common Mechanism Account predicted generally strong associations between all of the eight tasks, that were equivalent in strength to the associations between tasks measuring attention bias and to the associations between tasks measuring interpretation bias. In contrast, the Independent Mechanisms Account predicted weaker associations between all of the eight tasks than the associations either between the tasks measuring attention bias or between the tasks measuring interpretation bias. The obtained pattern of associations between internally reliable measures of anxiety-linked attention bias and anxiety-linked interpretation bias failed to support the Common Mechanism Account, but rather was consistent with the predictions of the Independent Mechanisms Account. Theoretical and applied implications of the results are discussed.

[Truncated abstract] It is well established that anxiety vulnerability is characterised by two biased patterns of selective information processing (Mathews & MacLeod, 1986; Mogg & Bradley, 1998). First anxiety is associated with an attentional bias, reflecting the selective allocation of attention to threatening stimuli in the environment (Mathews & MacLeod, 1985; MacLeod, Mathews & Tata, 1986; MacLeod & Cohen, 1993). Second anxiety is associated with an interpretive bias, reflecting a disproportionate tendency to resolve ambiguity in a threatening manner (Mogg et al., 1994). These characteristics are shown by normal individual high in trait anxiety (Mathews, Richards & Eysenck, 1989; Mogg, Bradley & Hallowell, 1994; Mathews & MacLeod, 1994), and by examining clinically anxious patients who repeatedly report elevated trait anxiety levels (MacLeod, Mathews & Tata, 1986; Mogg & Bradley, 1998). '...' Two alternative hypotheses regarding this relationship are proposed. One hypothesis is that attentional and interpretive biases are concurrent expressions of a single underlying biased selectivity mechanism that characterises anxiety vulnerability (the Common Mechanism account). In contrast, a quite different hypothesis is that attentional and interpretive biases are independent cognitive anomalies that represent separate pathways to anxiety vulnerability (the Independent Mechanisms account). The present research program was designed to empirically test the predictions that differentiate the Common Mechanism and Independent Mechanisms accounts. The general methodological approach that was adopted was to employ bias manipulation tasks from the literature that have been developed and validated to directly modify one class of processing bias (i.e. attentional bias or interpretive bias). The effect of these direct bias manipulation tasks on a measure of the same class of processing bias or the other class of processing bias was then examined. The Common Mechanism and Independent Mechanisms accounts of the relationship between attentional and interpretive bias generate differing predictions concerning the impact of directly manipulating one class of processing bias upon a measure of the other class of processing bias. The central difference between the alternate accounts is their predictions regarding cross-bias transfer, that is the transfer of training effects from direct manipulation of one class of processing bias to a measure of the other class of processing bias. Whereas the Common Mechanism account predicts that such cross-bias transfer will occur, the Independent Mechanisms account does not predict such transfer. A series of seven studies is reported in this thesis. There was some difficulty achieving successful bias modification using bias manipulation approaches established in the literature; however when such manipulation was achieved no cross-bias transfer was observed. Therefore the obtained pattern of results was consistent with the Independent Mechanisms (IM) account, and inconsistent with the Common Mechanism (CM) account. A more detailed version of the IM account is developed to more fully accommodate the specific results obtained in this thesis.

This study explored the relationship between anxiety and children's performance on the Reitan-Indiana Aphasia Screening Test. Anxiety was measured using the Personality Inventory for Children. Participants' anxiety scores were correlated with the individual component error scores and the total error scores from the Reitan Aphasia Screening Test. Second, the individual component scores were examined to assess their independent and shared contributions in the prediction of the Anxiety Scale of the Personality Inventory for Children.Participants for this study were 176, 9 to 16 year old boys and girls referred to an outpatient neuropsychological assessment clinic. Anxiety was found to be significantly related to the total score of the Reitan-Indiana Aphasia Screening test, as well as, each of the individual components. The regression analysis showed that five of the individual components of the Reitan-Indiana Aphasia Screening Test were able to significantly predict scores on the Anxiety Scale of the Personality Inventory for Children with a multiple R of .76. These data were discussed in terms of the importance of the interrelationship between anxiety and the Reitan-Indiana Aphasia Screening Test when making clinical judgements concerning the individual patient. / Department of Educational Psychology