Objective: Anxiety and depression have been conceptualised as being associated with “an abundance of habit and a dearth of control” (Hertel, 2015, p. 1). There has been a recent and burgeoning interest toward understanding the role of habits in health psychology and in the psychological disorders of obsessive-compulsive disorder and addiction in particular. To the author’s knowledge, there has been no previous systematic review that aimed to summarise the research investigating the involvement of mental habits in anxiety and depression in clinical and non-clinical populations. Method: The term habit was operationalized and inclusion criteria were specified in the domains of habit measurement, research paradigms, and manipulation tasks. A search across four databases was conducted: Web of Science, EBSCOhost, PubMed and OVID (PsycARTICLES and Journals@OVID). A progressive screening procedure yielded 8 relevant studies related to mental habits in anxiety (n = 1), depression (n = 4) and both anxiety and depression (n = 3). Results: Self-report habit measures correlate with the presence of symptoms. Computational modelling reinforcement learning and goal-devaluation paradigms demonstrate that anxiety and depression are associated with deficits in goal-directed learning and decision-making in favour of habitual learning strategies. Cognitive bias modification meets the criteria for enabling habit change and can strengthen or weaken interpretative habits in response to training. Conclusions: Despite considerable variability and limitations in the design of the studies appraised in this review, overall findings indicate support for habitual thought processes being implicated in anxiety and depression. Treating problematic thought processes in anxiety and depression as habitual – cued automatically by contextual cues, not goal-dependent and resistant to change – may be beneficial for future research and clinical applications. Abstract (Experimental Study) This study investigated predictions from the habit-goal framework for depressive rumination (Watkins & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2014) using a simultaneous replication single case experimental design in a multiple baseline case series. Seven high ruminators were recruited from community and university settings (with one participant’s data later excluded due to insufficient baseline rumination). Following a baseline monitoring period, participants received an intervention that included (i) spotting personal triggers for rumination and (ii) the practice of a scripted concrete thinking exercise (CTE) in response to these triggers, utilising an implementation intention (If-Then plan). It was predicted that practice of the IF-THEN CTE, linked to warning signs, would result in a significant reduction in both frequency and automaticity of rumination in the intervention phase compared to baseline. At the group level, using randomization tests (Onghena & Edgington, 2005), reductions in automaticity of rumination were trending toward statistical significance whilst the impact of the intervention on rumination frequency was not statistically significant. Effect size calculations, using nonoverlap of all pairs, demonstrated a medium effect of the intervention on automaticity (NAP = .76) and weak to medium effect on frequency of rumination (NAP = .66). Visual and statistical analysis of individual data demonstrated that two participants experienced statistically significant benefits (p < .05) for a reduction in automaticity of rumination and one participant’s frequency of rumination was significantly reduced. These two participants also showed the greatest levels of automaticity for the IF-THEN-CTE intervention during the intervention phase. Five participants demonstrated a strong or medium effect of the intervention on automaticity and two participants demonstrated a medium effect on frequency. Taken together, the data is broadly consistent with the predictions made by the habit-goal framework. Pre and post measures indicate reductions for all participants in rumination as habit using the self-report habit index (SRHI) and overall rumination levels rated on the ruminative responses scale (RRS). At post intervention three participants no longer met criteria for inclusion to the study on the RRS. Despite mixed results, feedback at debrief indicated that the intervention was acceptable to participants who reported that they would carry on using it after the study ended.

Orientador: Cristiana Andrighetto / Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a produção, valor nutritivo e capacidade de suporte do capim Marandu, desempenho produtivo e comportamento ingestivo de novilhas meio sangue Angus x Nelore. O experimento foi conduzido na APTA – Andradina, SP em Sistemas Silvipastoris, sendo: SSP-1 com 187 árvores/ha, SSP-2 com 446 árvores/ha, associado ao Eucalyptus urograndis, clone I-224 (17 e 18,7m de altura respectivamente) e Sistema Convencional (SC), ambos em pastagens de Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu. Para as avaliações da forragem, foram realizadas: massa seca total, análise bromatológica, desempenho animal e taxa de lotação nas estações inverno e verão. Para o comportamento ingestivo, realizou-se quatro coletas: uma no início e outra no final das estações inverno e verão. Foram observados os seguintes comportamentos: pastejo, ruminação (em pé e deitado), ócio (em pé e deitado), outras atividades, que incluem: interação com outros animais, ida ao bebedouro e ao cocho, urinar e defecar e deslocamento. Concomitantemente, foram avaliados as seguintes variáveis microclimáticas: temperatura de globo negro, temperatura ambiente, umidade relativa do ar e velocidade do vento. A partir destes dados, foram calculados os seguintes índices de conforto térmico: índice de temperatura e umidade (ITU), índice de temperatura de globo e umidade (ITGU) e carga térmica radiante (CTR). O delineamento experimental foi em blocos completos com 3 tratamentos e 4 repetições. Os dados foram submetidos às ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Mestre

This study was conducted in India, and the research plan was initially developed to provide further knowledge and perspective to the rapidly increased issues of psychological conditions in the country, regarding alternative treatments such as yoga and underlying mechanisms in the effects of yoga practice. The purpose of the study was to examine if emotion regulation and rumination may act as mediators between yoga experience and anxiety respectively depression. The study included 320 participants from eight different indian cities, four of the cities located in the north, three in the south and one city in the western part of India. This study had a quantitative design and had a questionnaire as a method for the data collecting. The results indicated that both emotion regulation and rumination at a significant level mediated the relationship between yoga experience and anxiety and depression respectively. These results can potentially bring further knowledge for countries (and individuals) that have higher levels of anxiety and depression in their populations, such as India, by providing a alternative perspective in the treatment and prevention of these conditions. In addition, the results can be beneficial for individuals that suffer from symptoms of anxiety, depression, difficulties with emotion regulation, and rumination. / Föreliggande studie utfördes i Indien. Forskningsplanen utvecklades för att ge ytterligare kunskap och perspektiv till den växande problematiken med psykiska ohälsa i landet, med fokus på alternativa behandlingar som yoga samt möjliga underliggande mekanismer i effekter av yoga utövande. Syftet med studien var att undersöka om emotionsreglering och ältande medierar relationen mellan yoga erfarenhet, och ångest respektive depression. Studien inkluderande 320 deltagare från åtta olika indiska städer, fyra av städerna ligger i norra, tre städer i södra och en stad i västra Indien. Föreliggande studie hade en kvantitativ design och hade enkäter som datainsamlingsmetod. Resultatet indikerade att både emotionsreglering och ältande signifikant medierade relationen mellan yoga erfarenhet och ångest respektive depression. Dessa resultat kan potentiellt utöka kunskapen för länder (och individer) som har högre nivåer av ångest och depression i sina populationer, som exempelvis Indien, genom att ge ett alternativt perspektiv i behandlingen och i det förebyggande arbetet av dessa tillstånd. Vidare kan resultatet av studien vara användbart för individer som har symptom av ångest, depression, svårigheter med emotionsreglering, och ältande.

abstract: Past research has focused on the important role humor plays in interpersonal relationships; however, researchers have also identified intrapersonal applications of humor, showing that people often use humor to alleviate negative affect, and that humor has generally been found to beneficially influence mental health. The purpose of this study is to examine whether humor-based coping can be utilized as an intrapersonal tool to aid or facilitate creative thinking and problem solving when faced with a distressing situation. The current study posits reduced rumination as the mechanism by which humor facilitates creativity. To measure creativity, a task was devised that had individuals brainstorm under some distress; participants were asked to recall and describe an ongoing, unresolved problem they were facing, followed by a rumination induction, as rumination is characterized by perseverative thoughts that hinder constructive action. After the rumination induction, participants were randomly assigned to a control condition or either of two emotion regulation conditions: positive reappraisal or humor-based reappraisal. Following this, participants were asked to complete an “alternate solutions” task, based on Guilford’s Alternate Uses Task, generating solutions for their own unresolved problem. Results of the study showed that the use of humor was indeed related to a decrease in rumination, but that the humor condition did not outperform either control condition on any measure of creativity (performing worse in some cases). Limits of this study and future directions are discussed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Psychology 2019

The aim of the present study was to investigate the link between ruminative processes and dysregulated behaviors. Accordingly, the emotional cascade model (Selby et al., 2008 / 2009) was tested in a sample of Turkish university students using structural equation modeling. The emotional cascade model posits that the link between emotional and behavioral dysregulation may be through emotional cascades, which are repetitive cycles of rumination and negative affect that result in an increased attention paid to the emotional stimuli and intensification of emotional distress. Dysregulated behaviors, such as non-suicidal self-injury, are used in order to break this cycle and distract the person from ruminative processes. In the first part of the study, a common measure of cognitive emotion regulation, namely The Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ / Garnefski et al., 2001) was adapted into Turkish and its psychometric properties were investigated. Results suggested that the Turkish version of the CERQ is a reliable and valid meausure of cognitive coping. Next, a structural equation model was tested to assess the relationship between emotional cascades (as indicated by rumination, thought suppression, catastrophizing) and behavioral dysregulation (as indicated by binge eating, non-suicidal self-injury, excessive reassurance-seeking, and drinking to cope). The results showed that the emotional cascades are associated to behavioral dysregulation. This relationship, however, did not remain significant when the effect of current psychological distress on behavioral dysregulation was controlled for. The importance and possible implications of the present study was discussed.

I en single case experimental design (SCED) av crossover typ med fyra deltagare med insomni undersöktes möjligheten till att manipulera mängden negativa tankar innan insomning genom tillämpningen av två olika tankeexperiment, savoring och framkallad ruminering. Bland resultaten fanns signifikanta samband mellan mängd negativa tankar innan insomning och sömnkvalité, insomningslatens och antal uppvaknanden. Samband fanns även mellan mängd negativa tankar och obehag över tankarna. Dock visade det sig att experimenten inte påverkade mängden negativa tankar innan insomning då de sömnrelaterade faktorerna varierade oberoende av experiment. Variationen i de olika skattningarna på måtten gjorde att inga slutsatser kunde dras kring vad som orsakade sömnbesvären hos deltagarna eller vilken roll mängden negativa tankar hade för dessa. Resultatet diskuteras i förhållande till tidigare forskning. / The possibility of manipulating the amount of negative thoughts before sleep onset in four subjects with insomnia was investigated in a single case crossover experimental design (SCED). The attempt to change the amount of thoughts consisted of two experimental conditions, savoring and induced rumination. Significant correlations were found between the amount of negative thoughts before sleep onset and quality of sleep, sleep onset latency and number of awakenings. There were also correlations between the amount of negative thoughts and distress related to the thoughts. The experiments did, however, not influence the amount of negative thoughts before sleep onset. Conclusions concerning causal factors of the sleep difficulties and the impact of the amount of negative thoughts were made impossible by the large variability in the scores. The results are discussed in relation to previous research.

Theories of self-regulation have not adequately specified the psychological events and processes that cause an emotional response following acute failure to be prolonged and intensified. Research on repetitive thought suggests that engaging maladaptive rumination can prolong and intensify existing mood states. However, theories of rumination have not incorporated the implications of failing to attain different types of desired end states for rumination, that is failing to attain goals associated with nurturance and advancement (i.e., promotion goals) versus goals associated with safety and security (i.e., prevention goals). In this investigation, 78 graduate and professional students participated in a within-subjects experimental design testing the overall hypothesis that exposure to past failures to attain promotion and prevention goals will promote maladaptive rumination on dejection- and agitation-related emotions, respectively. Furthermore, under conditions of high negative affect engaging in maladaptive rumination will cause the specific type of negative affect experienced to be intensified and prolonged. Study findings did not result in clear support for the proposed model in the prevention condition. The prevention manipulation failed to induce agitation-related emotions associated with anxiety and instead appeared to induce emotions associated with anger. The prevention condition also did not result in unique changes in quiescence. However, as predicted decreases in quiescence uniquely predicted increased engagement in maladaptive rumination. In this condition, engagement in rumination did not interact with low levels of quiescence to prolong and further decrease quiescence. Stronger support was found for the proposed model in the promotion condition. Individuals with chronic promotion failure experienced significant increases in dejection following exposure to past promotion failures. The level of dejection experienced significantly predicted engaging in greater maladaptive rumination. Furthermore, engaging in maladaptive rumination in the presence of high levels of dejection intensified and prolonged of the experience of dejection-related emotions. Overall, the results suggest that self-regulatory cognition, the level of affect that results, and variability in the tendency to engage in maladaptive rumination all play a significant role in determining a person's cognitive and emotional experiences in the ongoing process of self-regulation. / Dissertation

Research suggests that older adults have enhanced emotional outcomes and use different emotion regulation strategies (e.g., more distraction and positive reappraisal) relative to young adults. The present study investigated the mood and memory-related effects of these strategies in young and older adults. Participants watched a sad film clip while being instructed to use specific emotion regulation strategies (i.e., avoiding negativity, focusing on positivity, focusing on negativity, or no instructions). Young adults who were instructed to avoid focusing on negativity showed better mood outcomes and more positive memory for the film compared to non-instructed young adults. Instructions to down-regulate emotions did not affect older adults, possibly because they used such strategies spontaneously. Older adults increased dispositional tendency to focus on positive stimuli in their everyday lives partially explained older adults greater mood improvement. The results have implications for the effectiveness of particular emotion regulation strategies and for the generalizability of the positivity effect.

The purpose of the present study is to examine the relationship between gender, self-control, emotion regulation, rumination and test anxiety. In other words, the study aimed at investigating how well each of the mentioned independent variables contributes to explain variance of test anxiety. The participants (N=188) were reached by convenient sampling procedure. The sample consisted of preparatory students studying in a private university in Ankara. Data were collected by a demographic form and four scales as Test Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, 1980), Self-Control Scale (Tangney, Baumeister, &amp / Boone, 2004), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Gross &amp / John, 2003), and Ruminative Response Scale (Treynor, Gonzalez, &amp / Nolen-Hoeksema, 2003). For this study, hierarchical multiple regression analysis was utilized to examine the data. The results revealed that gender, self-control, two emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and suppression) and also brooding as a ruminative response significantly correlated to test anxiety of university students. Furthermore, self-control and cognitive reappraisal were found to be correlated with test anxiety stronger than the other independent variables. Reflection as another ruminative response was not found to be correlating with test anxiety within the suggested model. The findings obtained from the present study are discussed with regards to the related literature, and conclusions were drawn accordingly.

Anger rumination, or persistently dwelling on feelings of anger, is associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and related features, such as aggressive behavior and cognitive distortions. To develop more effective treatments, it is crucial to understand why individuals with BPD engage in anger rumination despite its negative outcomes. The activation of energy associated with anger, as well as feelings of justification and validation, may be experienced in the short-term as rewarding. This may prevent individuals with BPD from attempting to reduce their rumination. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and behavioral methods were utilized to examine this theory in a sample of women diagnosed with BPD (n=13) and healthy controls (n=15). In an initial session, all participants were an administered a diagnostic interview for BPD, as well a series of self-report measures. In a second session, all participants completed an essay-writing task prior to the fMRI scan. All participants were provided with identical, highly critical feedback about their essays from a supposed essay evaluator. In response to this interpersonal provocation, participants with BPD demonstrated higher activation in brain regions associated with self-conscious reactivity to errors (insula, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex). Subsequent directed provocation-focused thought, compared to neutral-focused thought, produced greater activation in regions previously associated with anger rumination (dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, lateral orbitofrontal cortex) across groups. As hypothesized, anger rumination, relative to neutral-focused thought, produced greater activation in brain regions associated with reward and pleasure (nucleus accumbens) for the BPD group only. No significant differences were observed for self-focused thought. Following the directed rumination task, participants completed a competitive reaction time task that provides an opportunity for participants to act aggressively, supposedly against their essay evaluator. The BPD group demonstrated significantly higher levels of aggressive behavior; however, no significant group differences emerged in neural functioning during the task. These findings suggest that anger rumination may be positively reinforcing for individuals with BPD, which has implications for treatment approaches.