The prevalence rates for adolescent suicide and self-harm are alarming, suggesting a continued need for research into effective treatment strategies for young people experiencing suicidal phenomena. This thesis explores the impact of two treatment approaches: Mindfulness and Broad Minded Affective Coping (BMAC; Tarrier, 2010). Paper One is a systematic review exploring the potential role of mindfulness in the treatment of adolescent suicidality and depression. There were two broad aims: to present an argument for the utility of mindfulness practice in alleviating suicidal phenomena and depression in young people, and to systematically review studies that examined the impact of mindfulness-based approaches with adolescent populations, specifically exploring outcomes relating to suicide, self-harm, and depression. Twenty-eight papers were identified; studies were critically evaluated and findings were integrated to provide an overall account of the potential efficacy of mindfulness-based approaches. Findings were promising, suggesting that these approaches could be helpful in the treatment of young people experiencing suicidal phenomena or depression. Areas for further exploration are considered and clinical implications discussed. Paper Two is an empirical paper investigating the effectiveness of a therapeutic tool of affect-regulation – the Broad Minded Affective Coping (BMAC) method. A case-series design was employed and participants were young people who had recently attempted suicide or self-harmed. The study explored the impact of BMAC practice on self-reported hope and happiness and on a range of outcomes associated with adolescent suicidality. Findings were promising; BMAC practice appeared to be associated with improvements in all areas of interest. Whilst encouraging, findings are considered in light of the limitations of case-series methodologies. Future investigations are recommended, and clinical implications outlined. Paper Three is a reflective paper exploring the process of conducting the aforementioned research and discussing some of the challenges involved. Reflections on the strengths and limitations of the research are integrated within the paper, alongside areas for further research. The theoretical context and clinical implications of the research are considered.

The literature predicts a paradoxical effect on time perception under the influence of positive emotion and high cognitive load in the retrospective paradigm. High cognitive load is expected to increase time perception, whereas positive emotion is expected to decrease time perception. A quasi-experimental within-subjects design was devised that manipulated emotion on two levels (positive and neutral) as well as cognitive load on two levels (high and low) to investigate the effect on time perception. The findings of the study prove disappointing with no main effects witnessed along any of the four experimental conditions. Participants overestimated all the durations, but under the high cognitive load, positive emotion condition, the mean time perception scores where the closest to the chronological time. / Mini-dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2015. / Psychology / Unrestricted

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Emotion dysregulation and rumination are involved in the development, maintenance, and treatment of both posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and sleep disturbances. We examined if and how these factors influenced the nature of the relationship between PTSD symptom severity and subjective sleep disturbances among trauma-exposed individuals. Using data gathered from a community sample of 199 trauma-exposed individuals (Mean age = 35.48; 59.80% female), we examined whether there were stronger significant associations between greater PTSD symptom severity and poorer sleep quality/lower sleep quantity at higher (vs. lower) levels of (1) negative emotion dysregulation and positive emotion dysregulation (both included in the same model) and (2) rumination. Participants recruited via Amazon's Mechanical Turk completed the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, Brief Version of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale – Positive, Ruminative Thought Style Questionnaire, and sleep quality/quantity items from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Results of simple and additive multiple moderation analyses showed that neither negative/positive emotion dysregulation nor rumination moderated the relationships between PTSD symptom severity and sleep quality/quantity. Exploratory analyses showed that negative emotion dysregulation (when examined independently) moderated the relationship between PTSD symptom severity and sleep quality. There were also significant associations between poorer sleep quality/lower sleep quantity and greater PTSD symptom severity at low to average levels of negative emotion dysregulation coupled with any level of positive emotion dysregulation. Findings inform theoretical perspectives on the PTSD-sleep relationship and clinical applications of targeting emotion dysregulation and rumination in the treatment of PTSD symptoms and sleep disturbances for trauma-exposed individuals.

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Personen unterscheiden sich in dem, wie sie sich im Allgemeinen fühlen. Das Ziel dieser Dissertation ist es, die Prozesse, die diesen Personenunterschieden zugrunde liegen, zu verstehen. Es wurden insbesondere die affektiven Prozesse affektive Reaktivität und Emotionsregulation untersucht. In drei Studien wurden die folgenden Forschungsfragen untersucht: (1) Haben Personen mit höherem subjektiven Wohlbefinden einen stärkeren Anstieg in positivem Affekt, wenn sie auf positive Stimuli im Labor reagieren oder ihre positiven Emotionen hochregulieren? (2) Welches sind die neuronalen Korrelate, die diesen kurzfristigen Veränderungen in positivem Affekt zugrunde liegen, insbesondere während der Hochregulation positiver Emotionen? (3) Hängt ein höheres subjektives Wohlbefinden mit einer stärkeren oder geringeren Reaktion auf positive Ereignisse im Alltag zusammen? Die Befunde haben gezeigt, dass ein stärkerer Anstieg in positivem Affekt (durch eine stärkere Reaktion auf positive Ereignisse oder durch das Hochregulieren positiver Emotionen) nicht mit einem höheren subjektiven Wohlbefinden zusammenhängt. Stattdessen hatten Personen mit einem höheren subjektiven Wohlbefinden eine geringere Reaktivität auf positive Ereignisse im Alltag. Auf der neuronalen Ebene spiegelten sich die Veränderungen in positivem Affekt durch eine verstärkte neuronale Aktivierung in emotionsbezogenen Regionen (insbesondere des ventralen Striatums) wieder, sowie durch eine Deaktivierung in einem fronto-parietalen Kontrollnetzwerk. Ein Zusammenhang von neuronaler Aktivierung und Veränderungen in positivem Affekt im Alltag wurde nicht gefunden. Die Arbeit dieser Dissertation zeigt, dass nicht besonders intensives positives Erleben, sondern eher weniger Schwankungen in momentanen positiven Affekt wichtig für das Wohlbefinden sind. Darüber hinaus zeigt diese Dissertation die Wichtigkeit auf verschiedene Analyseebenen und Untersuchungsmethoden in die Erforschung von affektivem Erleben zu integrieren. / This dissertation investigates the affective processes – affective reactivity and emotion regulation – underlying short-term changes in positive affective experiences and their relation to interindividual differences in subjective well-being. The main research objectives that were addressed in the empirical studies of this dissertation concerned (1) whether stronger increases in positive affect when reacting to and when up-regulating in response to positive stimuli in the laboratory relate to higher subjective well-being, (2) which brain regions underlie changes in positive affective experiences, particularly during the up-regulation of positive emotions, and (3) whether enhanced or reduced affective reactivity to positive events in daily life relates to higher subjective well-being. Findings showed that greater increases in positive affect were not related to higher subjective well-being, both when investigated in the laboratory and in daily life. Instead, people with higher levels of subjective well-being showed reduced affective reactions to positive events in daily life, pointing to the importance of a relative greater emotional stability. At the neural level, changes in positive affective experiences were mirrored by increased activations in emotion-related (e.g., ventral striatum) regions as well as deactivation in a fronto-parietal control network. These neural activations were not related to changes in positive affective experiences in daily life. The work in this dissertation indicates that not the experience of particularly intense positive affective states, but rather less fluctuation in momentary positive affective experiences seems to be essential to the overall composition of subjective well-being. The present dissertation further emphasizes the need to integrate different methods in the study of emotion. Concluding, this dissertation advances our understanding of the processes underlying subjective well-being.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T14:22:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 RAFAELA LUIZA SILVA SILVESTRE.pdf: 222530 bytes, checksum: c719d836bdab29eaef86fc96da2fc124 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-11-19 / The feelings of the therapist play a remarkable role in present-day models of psychotherapy. Going along with this tendency, the present study sets out to describe the experience of positive emotions by therapists in the interpersonal relationship with the client, during psychotherapy sessions. Contemporary models of emotion emphasize the complexity and plasticity of emotional responses. Positive psychology has shown that positive emotions offer a range of benefic effects including coping with negative experiences, restoration of wellbeing and personal growth. These issues are addressed empirically in this study through the concrete experience of a specific subgroup of health professionals, notably the psychotherapists. The aim of this study was to describe the experience of positive emotions by the therapist in the interpersonal relationship with the client, during sessions. Participants of this study were 20 psychotherapists, of which 19 female and one male; with in medium 13,9 years of professional experience. They were interviewed about their feelings during psychotherapy sessions. The data were analyzed according to the inductive precepts of Grounded Theory. A model was constructed in which treatment outcome, treatment process, therapist-client alliance, professional progress and the client are experienced as sources of positive emotions. The types of positive emotions experienced by the therapists are: happiness and joy, security, satisfaction and well-being. Experiencing these emotions positively influences the therapeutic relationship, professional development, therapist resilience and professional motivation. / Os sentimentos do terapeuta têm um papel de destaque em modelos de psicoterapia atuais. Com a intenção de contribuir com esta temática, o presente trabalho busca descrever a vivência das emoções positivas pelos terapeutas no relacionamento interpessoal com o cliente, durante o trabalho psicoterapêutico. Os modelos atuais de emoção destacam a complexidade e maleabilidade das respostas emocionais. A psicologia positiva aponta como as emoções positivas oferecem um leque de efeitos benéficos quanto à coping com vivencias negativas, restauração do bem-estar e crescimento pessoal. Tais assuntos são abordados de forma empírica neste estudo por meio da vivência concreta de um grupo específico de profissionais da saúde, a saber, os psicoterapeutas. O objetivo da presente pesquisa é de descrever a vivência de emoções positivas do terapeuta no relacionamento interpessoal com o cliente, durante o processo psicoterapêutico. Participaram do estudo 20 psicoterapeutas, dentre eles, 19 eram do sexo feminino e um do sexo masculino; com 13,9 anos em média de experiência profissional. Foram entrevistados sobre os seus sentimentos no decorrer das sessões. Os dados foram analisados a partir do método indutivo da Grounded Theory. Os resultados encontrados mostraram que as fontes de emoções positivas são os resultados, o processo, o vínculo, sucesso profissional e o cliente. Os tipos de emoções positivas vivenciadas pelos terapeutas são: felicidade e alegria, segurança, satisfação e bem-estar. Os efeitos provocados pela vivência de emoções positivas foram relativos ao aprimoramento profissional, ao crescimento pessoal, à promoção de resiliência, às melhoras no relacionamento terapêutico e à motivação profissional. Emoções negativas e seus efeitos também foram lembrados pelos participantes. Nota-se que o terapeuta pode se beneficiar com a vivência dessas emoções. Tais benefícios abrangem a vida dos terapeutas como profissionais, assim como pessoas.

The current program of research contributes to the World Health Organisation's (WHO, 2004) recent call to pool global resources in the attempt to uncover the most effective countermeasures and polices for the prevention of road trauma. Specifically, this program of research investigates the persuasive outcomes of different emotional health messages in an important applied context, road safety. In this context the use of negative, fear-based approaches has predominated with limited use of more positive-based approaches such as humorous- or pride-based emotional appeals. The overarching aim of the current research program was to examine the effectiveness (i.e., persuasiveness) of positive and negative emotional appeals and, specifically, the issue- or message-relevant affect that such appeals evoke. An additional aim was to ascertain the relative influence and effectiveness of positive and negative emotional appeals for specific target audiences. Particular attention was given to the effectiveness of such messages for males, a high risk road user group of particular concern. The research program also aimed to examine the relative roles and interplay of emotion and cognition in determining message effectiveness. The research focused upon the cognitive constructs of response efficacy (i.e., the extent to which a message incorporates coping strategies and information as well as the extent that individuals' perceive a message as incorporating such coping strategies and information) and involvement (i.e., the extent to which individuals perceive an issue or message as personally relevant and/or as being at risk of experiencing).----- The research program may be conceptualised as three stages, with each stage comprised of an empirical study and one or more manuscripts. The first stage of the research explored the roles and effectiveness of negative and positive emotional appeals. With a substantial body of literature available on the use of fear as a persuasive strategy, Paper One reviewed the theoretical and empirical evidence relating to the function and effectiveness of such appeals. This paper highlighted the mixed findings that have been reported and the controversy surrounding the nature of the fear-persuasion relationship. This paper also highlighted the importance of cognitive components of a message and, in particular, the need to incorporate high levels of response efficacy and to be cognisant of the issue of threat and message relevance.----- Paper Two was based on qualitative research derived from focus groups of licensed drivers (N = 16). The study investigated the roles and effectiveness of positive and negative emotional appeals in road safety advertisements addressing speeding and drink driving. The results suggested that positive and negative emotional appeals may serve different functions. Positive emotional appeals were regarded as a potentially efficacious means of promoting the message of prevention and to model safe behaviour and the rewards received whereas negative emotional appeals were regarded an important way to remind drivers of the dangers of driving.----- The second stage of the research program endeavoured to extend upon the findings reported in the first stage by providing an empirical comparison of positive, humorous appeals and negative, fear-based appeals on a range of outcome measures and over time. In Paper Three, the type of emotional appeal (positive/humorous, negative/fear), level of response efficacy (low, high), level of involvement (low, high), and gender were manipulated in a 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 mixed group design. Licensed drivers (N = 201) completed either a paper-and-pencil or internet-based version of a questionnaire. Prior to the anti-drink driving television advertisements being shown, pre-exposure were assessed. Attitudes and intentions were then assessed immediately after exposure and attitudes, intentions, and behaviour, 2 to 4 weeks later. The results provided evidence of the greater persuasiveness of negative appeals immediately after exposure and greater improvement of positive appeals over time. Also, the results highlighted the importance of high levels of response efficacy, irrespective of emotional appeal type. Paper Three also supported and extended upon earlier findings by examining third-person perceptions in relation to positive, humorous emotional appeals. The results revealed that males reported significantly greater overall influence both to themselves personally, as well as other drivers in general, than females for the humorous appeals. Further, consistent with the multiple roles of affect posited by Elaboration Likelihood Model, explanations were provided for the differential effectiveness of positive and negative affect.----- An additional aim of the second stage of the research program was to clarify an important methodological issue; the sampling adequacy of traditional university student samples versus internet-based samples for health message persuasion research. Fear appeal empirical literature has been criticised for its over-reliance upon student samples. Paper Four examined the extent that the internet may function as an efficacious means of accessing drivers for road safety advertising research. The sample characteristics and results obtained from student and internet samples of drivers were compared empirically. The results provided support for the greater diversity and representativeness of the internet sample and suggested that the two sampling approaches produce equivalent results. This paper served to inform the validity of prior research and informed the choice of sampling methodologies for the subsequent research stage reported in Paper Five.----- The third stage of the research built upon the preceding stages and, most notably, broadened the scope of emotional appeals examined by comparing a range of negative and positive emotional appeals addressing the issue of speeding. Drawing upon the Rossiter-Percy (1987, 1997) motivational model, Paper Five examined two different negative and two positive emotional appeals designed as audio messages. Specifically, the type of emotional appeal (Problem Avoidance/Fear based; Problem Removal/ Agitation or annoyance-based; Social Approval/ Pride-based; and Intellectual Mastery/ Humour-based), level of response efficacy (low, high), level of involvement (low, high), and gender were manipulated in a 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 fully between groups design. A range of persuasion outcome measures, including attitudes and intentions, were assessed immediately after exposure and 1 month later. Further, the study assessed adaptive (message acceptance) as well as maladaptive (message rejection) intentions. The results provided evidence of the effectiveness of humorous-based appeals for males and highlighted that appeals of the same valence (positive or negative) need not have the same persuasive effects. The results also supported the importance of response efficacy for all appeal types and highlighted that a message's overall effectiveness requires consideration of both message acceptance and rejection rates.----- Overall, the current research program, based upon a sound, multi-disciplinary theoretical framework, provided evidence for the need to broaden the scope of emotional appeals in the road safety advertising context and which may also be relevant within a wider health persuasion context. The results of the three studies have important theoretical and practical implications for future campaign development which are discussed.