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Background: In the auditory domain, temporal resolution is the ability to respond to rapid changes in the envelope of a sound over time. Silent gap-in-noise detection tests assess temporal resolution. Whether temporal resolution is impaired in tinnitus and whether those tests are useful for identifying the condition is still debated. We have revisited these questions by assessing the silent gap-in-noise detection performance of human participants. Methods: Participants were seventy-one young adults with normal hearing, separated into preliminary, tinnitus and matched-control groups. A preliminary group (n = 18) was used to optimise the silent gap-in-noise detection two-alternative forced-choice paradigm by examining the effect of the position and the salience of the gap. Temporal resolution was tested in case-control observational study of tinnitus (n = 20) and matched-control (n = 33) groups using the previously optimized silent gap-in-noise behavioral paradigm. These two groups were also tested using silent gap prepulse inhibition of the auditory startle reflex (GPIAS) and Auditory Brain Responses (ABRs). Results: In the preliminary group, reducing the predictability and saliency of the silent gap increased detection thresholds and reduced gap detection sensitivity (slope of the psychometric function). In the case-control study, tinnitus participants had higher gap detection thresholds than controls for narrowband noise stimuli centred at 2 and 8 kHz, with no differences in GPIAS or ABRs. In addition, ABR data showed latency differences across the different tinnitus subgroups stratified by subject severity. Conclusions: Operant silent gap-in-noise detection is impaired in tinnitus when the paradigm is optimized to reduce the predictability and saliency of the silent gap and to avoid the ceiling effect. Our behavioral paradigm can distinguish tinnitus and control groups suggesting that temporal resolution is impaired in tinnitus. However, in young adults with normal hearing, the paradigm is unable to objectively identify tinnitus at the individual level. The GPIAS paradigm was unable to differentiate the tinnitus and control groups, suggesting that operant, as opposed to reflexive, silent gap-in-noise detection is a more sensitive measure for objectively identifying tinnitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research is essential for identifying behavior management procedures as evidence-based and employing these procedures in a classroom is vital to create the optimal environment for students. Group contingencies can be easily implemented across classroom settings as they aim to manage the behavior of a group via operant behavior change procedures. While systematic literature reviews have been conducted on group contingencies, one has not been completed with a focus on elementary through high school general education classrooms. Therefore, this paper extends previous systematic literature reviews focused on preschools (Pokorski et al. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 36(4), 230–241, 2017), problematic behavior (Maggin et al. Remedial and Special Education, 38(6), 353–370, 2017), the good behavior game (Bowman-Perrott et al. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 18(3), 180–190, 2016), and school aged children across all academic settings (Little et al. Behavior Modification, 39(2), 322–341, 2015) to concentrate on the use of group contingencies in the general education setting. Because (Little et al. Behavior Modification, 39(2), 322–341, 2015) conducted a comprehensive review through the year 2010, this paper will focus on the literature base between 2011 and 2021. Articles were obtained via electronic databases and included studies with an independent variable of a group contingency, students in kindergarten through 12th grade general education classrooms, and studies set in any school location. Results yielded 53 articles, which were coded across participant demographics, independent variables, dependent variables, limitations, and future research with IOA collected by a graduate student on 35% of the articles. Results indicate the majority of studies included participants in elementary school, implemented an interdependent group contingency, measured disruptive behavior, and assessed the intervention in the classroom. Findings suggest common limitations within the current literature include generalizability, maintenance, applicability of rewards, and assessment of academic performance. Future research should focus on assessing feasibility of implementation, evaluating long-term effects, and obtaining social validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the accurate diagnosis and effective instruction for reading disorders through multi-tiered systems of support is one of the most foundational components of school psychology training and practice, there are significant opportunities for innovation, renewed excitement, and social justice. In this article, we identify reading assessments, interventions, and systems-level policies shown to be effective through rigorous, empirical research. These effective practices are not well known by school psychologists or commonly implemented in schools. We propose four areas to better align school psychology training and practice with the most cutting-edge reading research to improve student outcomes in the future: (a) building knowledge of reading development, (b) increasing the commitment to school-based careers, (c) implementing more instructionally-useful reading screening and special education assessment practices (including using the hybrid model of identification), and (d) promoting evidence-based reading instruction and intervention. Throughout each of these four areas, we highlight the need for multi-disciplinary collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Positive psychology interventions have demonstrated efficacy in treating Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), but the relationship between dispositional optimism and antidepressant treatment response remains unclear. In this study, optimism (Revised Life Orientation Test, LOT-R) and depression severity (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, HDRS) were assessed in healthy unmedicated MDD participants (N = 86) and healthy controls (N = 65). Treatment response (≥50% reduction in HDRS) was measured in 46 of these MDD participants after 8 weeks of open-label selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) treatment. MDD participants reported significantly lower pre-treatment optimism than healthy controls. Higher pre-treatment optimism, as well as greater increase in optimism (pre-treatment to 8 weeks), were associated with greater likelihood of being an SSRI responder versus non-responder (β = 0.21, p = 0.013; β = 0.32, p = 0.01, respectively), even when ratings of optimism/pessimism were excluded from depression severity/response ratings. The findings are consistent with the importance of aspects of positive psychology in treatment response. Possible mechanisms are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significant prevalence of mental health problems among children and adolescents is a major concern worldwide. The current study evaluates the impact of a year‐long, school‐based intervention, Flourishing Students, on adolescents' salivary cortisol levels, depressive symptoms, psychological well‐being, and hope. Utilizing a cluster randomized design with intervention and control classes, 72 students engaged in 32 well‐being lessons during academic year 2016–2017, whereas 68 students followed their standard curriculum. Depressive symptoms and psychological well‐being were assessed at three time points, while the stress hormone cortisol and hope were measured at two. The results showed a slight increase in cortisol levels from baseline to post‐intervention during school hours in the control group, whereas no change occurred in the intervention group. Additionally, total cortisol levels at post‐intervention were slightly lower among intervention‐group students compared with control group students. Questionnaire data revealed significant interaction effects on psychological well‐being and hope from baseline to post‐intervention, and on depression and psychological well‐being from baseline to the 5‐month follow‐up. The intervention group scored lower in depressive symptoms and higher in psychological well‐being and hope compared with the control group. These findings underscore the essential role of comprehensive assessment methods in evaluating intervention efficacy in well‐being programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The benefits of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) have become increasingly popular. While there is an emerging evidence base on the effectiveness of applying positive psychology in curriculum as preventive, early mental health intervention for higher education students, little is known about the content and pedagogy in these promising courses. Objective: This article describes (a) the rationale for and development of a positive psychology course embedded into the curriculum that aims to foster posttraumatic growth, psychological flexibility, and socio-emotional competencies for higher education students; and (b) a mixed-method non-randomised pre-post study to evaluate the effectiveness of the positive psychology course in achieving positive participant outcomes. Methods: Higher education students from different disciplines will be enrolled to a general education course, "Positive Psychology and Personal Growth", where they will learn progressive topics and complete summative assessments related to key areas in positive psychology. In addition to lectures, participants will engage in constructivist-based experiential activities that are guided by research on PPIs, life-design interventions and constructivist learning principles. The primary outcome is posttraumatic growth, and the secondary outcomes are psychological flexibility, and socio-emotional competencies. Expected results: We hypothesised that after the curriculum-embedded PPI, participants will have significantly higher levels of posttraumatic growth, psychological flexibility, and socio-emotional competencies. Results derived from the questionnaire survey will be supported by corroborating evidence identified from qualitative analysis of participants' summative assessments and follow-up semi-structured interviews on their perceptions of the present course. Discussion: The current study will fill in a gap in existing intervention research and practise in curriculum-embedded PPIs and promote research transparency and pedagogical advancement. The intervention provides guidance and recommendations for educators to consider embedding positive psychology into the formal curriculum as cost-effective, low-intensity, structured, and sustainable educational interventions for higher education students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Engagement with life is central to aging well. There is currently a lack of flexible programs for promoting engagement that tailor to the unique interests, capacities, and life circumstances of individuals. We designed and evaluated a new program for promoting engagement with later life based on principles of behavioral activation. Methods: A total of 135 adults aged 65 years and older who scored at or below the median on the Life Engagement Test were randomly assigned to either a 6-week behavioral activation program (n = 69) or a 6-week well-being program based on brief positive psychology interventions (the active control; n = 66). Participants completed assessments at baseline, 1-week follow-up, and 3-month follow-up. The primary outcome was engagement with life, and secondary outcome measures included social network characteristics, measures of mental health, well-being, and psychological and self-regulatory resources. Results: Participants in both conditions showed improvements in engagement with life post-intervention that were sustained at 3 months. Post-intervention improvements in both conditions were observed across most secondary outcomes; however, for several outcomes, participants with more limited functional and cognitive resources benefitted from participation in the positive psychology (active control) condition, but not the treatment condition. Conclusion: Similar levels of improvement in engagement with life and well-being were evident for participants who completed a behavioral activation-focused intervention, compared with participants who completed a positive psychology-focused intervention. The positive psychology approach may confer greater benefits for emotional well-being among those with poorer functional and cognitive abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and AimMethodsResultsConclusionFear of childbirth is a common problem that affects women’s health and wellbeing. A variety of interventions have been used in research and clinical settings, but it remains unclear how interventions should be designed to be as effective and acceptable as possible. Additionally, the experiences of psychologists working to support women fearing childbirth are sparsely documented and therefore unavailable for researchers and clinicians. This qualitative study aimed to bridge this gap by exploring and describing the experiences of perinatal psychologists working clinically with women suffering from fear of childbirth.Focus group interviews with eleven psychologists, analysed with reflexive thematic analysis with an inductive and semantic approach.We identified four main themes, with three to four subthemes each. It was described as essential to meet the woman where she stands: to listen, validate, explore, and tailor interventions. Depending on the needs of each woman, the psychologists had a smorgasbord of core interventions to offer. They also described how they could help the woman and her partner or support person to prepare for childbirth. Finally, they addressed the importance of multiprofessional engagement and cooperation. A list of recommendations based on the findings is presented.The findings add to the existing literature on how to treat and support women with fear of childbirth and should be considered as one of many sources of information guiding the development of future interventions, care strategies, and clinical pathways for women fearing childbirth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A resurgence in research on response disequilibrium theory has prompted a concise review of the literature from the past 5 years. Response disequilibrium, also known as response deprivation, attributes reinforcement and punishment effects to constraints on free‐operant baseline levels of behavior. By describing clinically relevant behaviors in terms of instrumental and contingent activities, researchers and practitioners can predict intervention outcomes with a disequilibrium model. We summarize the empirical outcomes of disequilibrium‐informed interventions across six articles and discuss areas of future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An increasing number of undergraduate positive psychology courses offer students a holistic view of the broader discipline of psychology. Even short-term participation in positive psychology activities as part of a taught course may improve psychological well-being and lower stress. However, there is a dearth of qualitative evidence on how students experience this learning process. Objective: This study aimed to explore UAE-based undergraduate students' reflections on their experiences of an elective positive psychology course and their participation in various positive psychology interventions (PPIs). Method: This qualitative study explored 21 UAE-based undergraduate students' reflections on taking a semester-long positive psychology course, in which they participated in PPIs. The rich data from semi-structured interviews were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Three main themes emerged, namely rethinking positive psychology, changes in perspective on happiness and search for positivity, and enhanced relationships. Conclusion and Teaching Implications: The study suggests that positive psychology may reach past the time and space of the taught course and have at least a short-term positive impact on students' mental and social lives. Findings from this study imply the potential of positive psychology in higher education and point towards further integration of such courses in undergraduate programs in the UAE and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of a 3-week multicomponent positive psychology self-help application on ability to adapt and mental well-being in the following the Covid-19 pandemic in adults with mild to moderate anxiety and depression levels. Outcomes were assessed online at baseline, posttest (three weeks after baseline), and follow-up (12 weeks after baseline). The intervention group (n = 118) received the application after baseline, whereas the control group (n = 116) received the app after completing posttest. Linear mixed models showed significant effects on ability to adapt, mental well-being, anxiety, depression, spiritual well-being, and self-compassion at post-test compared to the control condition (d = 0.56–0.96). Effects in the intervention group were maintained at follow-up. Results suggest that a multicomponent positive psychology self-help application can support adults with distress to recover after a psychologically disruptive pandemic. Clinical Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05292560). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catherine M Davis,1– 3 Victoria Elizabeth Elliott,1,2 Joan Smith2 1Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA; 2Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA; 3Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USACorrespondence: Catherine M Davis, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA, Email catherine.davis-takacs@usuhs.eduPurpose: Sleep disruption (SD) impairs sustained attention, and impairment is quantified with the psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) in humans. In rats, food restriction attenuates SD’s effects on sustained attention, limiting translation of rodent vigilance tests. The goal of the current study was to determine if a rodent PVT (rPVT) requiring high baseline performance using food restriction and reinforcement is sensitive to the effects of SD.Methods: Male Long-Evans rats (n=4) were trained on the rPVT using food reinforcement. Once baseline acquisition criteria were achieved, rats experienced acute SD using an automated sweep bar that moved across the home cage. Rats were tested in the rPVT the day following SD to assess performance-impairing effects.Results: SD significantly increased lapses, and this effect was specific to shorter response-stimulus intervals. Decreased percent correct responses and increased slow reaction times were also found. These data suggest that many of the performance-impairing effects of SD are not attenuated by food restriction in this procedure.Conclusion: The rPVT is sensitive to the performance impairing effects of SD in food restricted rats, a common methodology used to train and maintain performance on operant behavioral tests. Thus, food restriction does not appear to attenuate the effects of SD in all attention-related behavioral procedures.Keywords: food restriction, vigilance, operant behavior

Studies on elderly individuals tends to focus on the problems of aging and how to deal with them. On the other hand, a limited number of studies have looked at positive emotions of elderly individuals. Positive emotions play an important role in overcoming problems when integrated with prevention, treatment and coping strategies. The positive psychology approach is closely related to positive emotions and works to understand and improve the positive aspects of life. Positive psychology interventions defined as interventions designed to develop positive emotions, cognitions and behaviors and included practices such as gratitude, forgiveness, life review therapy, reminiscence and self-management. The aim of this review is to identify the general characteristics of the interventions used in studies of positive psychology interventions and how they affect elderly people. In this context, the conceptual and methodological characteristics of the studies and their effects on elderly people were discussed by analysing the studies that directly addressed positive interventions for elderly people. In line with the findings of the analysed studies, suggestions for those working in this field are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

User susceptibility to phishing messages on social media is a growing information security concern. Contingency factors that can influence this susceptibility and the theoretical mechanisms through which they operate need more scholarly attention. To bridge this gap, we present a temptation and restraint (TR) model (a specific manifestation of the dual–system theory) of social media phishing susceptibility, which explains it as an outcome of a struggle between users' temptation toward engaging with a social media phishing message and their cognitive and behavioral restraint against it. The balance in this struggle is a function of various situational contingencies. First, via a Delphi study, we identify four key situational contingency factors in the context of social media that can influence this balance: (1) poor sleep quality, (2) social media ostracism, (3) source likability, and (4) fear appeals. Next, via five randomized controlled experiments using an ostensible social media paradigm with social media users, we show that the TR model explains (a) why and how users engage with social media phishing messages, and (b) when users are more or less susceptible to it based on key situational contingency factors. Our findings offer a nuanced perspective on social media phishing susceptibility, elucidate the fundamental roles of situational contingencies in the genesis of social media phishing victimization, and delineate important directions for future research in this area [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) is an unavoidable risk to astronauts that may affect mission success. Male rodents exposed to 33‐beam‐GCR (33‐GCR) show short‐term cognitive deficits but reports on female rodents and long‐term assessment are lacking. We asked: What are the longitudinal behavioral effects of 33‐GCR on female mice? Also, can an antioxidant/anti‐inflammatory compound (CDDO‐EA) mitigate the impact of 33‐GCR? Mature (6‐month‐old) C57BL/6J female mice received CDDO‐EA (400 μg/g of food) or a control diet (vehicle, Veh) for 5 days and Sham‐irradiation (IRR) or whole‐body 33‐GCR (0.75Gy) on the 4th day. Three‐months post‐IRR, mice underwent two touchscreen‐platform tests: (1) location discrimination reversal (tests behavior pattern separation and cognitive flexibility, abilities reliant on the dentate gyrus) and (2) stimulus–response learning/extinction. Mice then underwent arena‐based behavior tests (e.g. open field, 3‐chamber social interaction). At the experiment's end (14.25‐month post‐IRR), an index relevant to neurogenesis was quantified (doublecortin‐immunoreactive [DCX+] dentate gyrus immature neurons). Female mice exposed to Veh/Sham vs. Veh/33‐GCR had similar pattern separation (% correct to 1st reversal). There were two effects of diet: CDDO‐EA/Sham and CDDO‐EA/33‐GCR mice had better pattern separation vs. their respective control groups (Veh/Sham, Veh/33‐GCR), and CDDO‐EA/33‐GCR mice had better cognitive flexibility (reversal number) vs. Veh/33‐GCR mice. One radiation effect/CDDO‐EA countereffect also emerged: Veh/33‐GCR mice had slower stimulus–response learning (days to completion) vs. all other groups, including CDDO‐EA/33‐GCR mice. In general, all mice showed normal anxiety‐like behavior, exploration, and habituation to novel environments. There was also a change relevant to neurogenesis: Veh/33‐GCR mice had fewer DCX+ dentate gyrus immature neurons vs. Veh/Sham mice. Our study implies space radiation is a risk to a female crew's longitudinal mission‐relevant cognitive processes and CDDO‐EA is a potential dietary countermeasure for space‐radiation CNS risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractMost therapists do not receive formal graduate training in grief counseling and may rely on outdated knowledge and questionable skills when working with grieving clients (Dodd et al., 2022; Jankauskaite et al., 2021). This study aimed to develop a virtual intervention to educate psychology graduate students about grief counseling and evaluate whether this training can increase knowledge in grief and grief counseling and self-efficacy in working with grieving individuals. This mixed-methods study compared participants in three conditions (full video intervention, partial video intervention, and control). When controlling for prior grief counseling training and experience, those randomized to the full video intervention had higher grief and grief counseling knowledge and self-efficacy in working with bereaved individuals than those in the partial intervention and control groups. Further, qualitative results highlighted the assessment and treatment approaches that therapists-in-training would use with a bereaved client across conditions. Overall, the full intervention is a feasible and efficacious way to teach psychology doctoral students about grief counseling and increase their confidence in working with bereaved clients. Future research considerations and recommendations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the well-being of university students, particularly those in healthcare and medical programs. Psychological interventions rooted in positive psychology have proven effective in enhancing mental health, with online and digital delivery methods proving to be equally viable. This study aims to enhance mental health among Italian university students through digital interventions, including virtual reality, utilizing a stepped care approach. Specific objectives include implementing online positive interventions for students experiencing mild distress (DigiWell_Step 1), evaluating a Virtual-Reality intervention for moderate distress (DigiWell_Step 2), and identifying students experiencing high distress or optimal well-being. Cluster analyses and linear models will assess intervention outcomes. It is anticipated that students undergoing these steps will experience significant improvements in wellbeing and distress reduction, with sustained benefits at a three-month followup. This research contributes to understanding the efficacy of mental health interventions for university students, leveraging digital technologies to enhance accessibility and user engagement. The integration of digital technologies enhances the cost-effectiveness and engagement of interventions delivered through a stepped care approach tailored to the targeted population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractMindfulness interventions continue to be a recommendation for improving student well-being, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise in student-reported mental health challenges. However, in the abundance of research supporting these recommendations, fewer studies have integrated mindfulness into college classrooms. This study reports on a 6-week classroom mindfulness intervention in an introductory psychology course. Students (N = 91) completed pre- and post-intervention measures of mindfulness, metacognitive ability, perceived stress, and academic resilience, as well as open-ended items about their perceptions of the intervention. Mindfulness and metacognitive ability were significantly higher post-intervention, but not perceived stress and academic resilience. More frequent in-class practice predicted greater post-intervention changes in mindfulness, metacognitive ability, and perceived stress. Perceptions of the intervention were mixed, consistent with prior research showing mindfulness interventions are not universally well-received. Implications and recommendations for classroom use are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Premenstrual syndrome affects many women in their reproductive years and often disrupts their social connections and work. This study aimed to compare the effects of positive psychology and physical activity on depression, anxiety, and stress among students with premenstrual syndrome. Methods: In this four-group parallel clinical trial with blinded data analysis, 120 eligible students who experienced premenstrual syndrome were recruited based on inclusion/exclusion criteria and randomly allocated to four groups (n = 30) including three experiment groups as positive psychology, physical activity, and positive psychology, physical activity, and control group, using a simple randomization method. All four groups completed premenstrual syndrome screening and the DASS-21 questionnaire before the intervention. Then, the positive psychology intervention group received eight sessions of 70–90 min weekly intervention, the second group received eight weeks of aerobic physical activity intervention, and the third group received positive psychology and physical activity intervention for eight weeks. The control group did not receive any interventions. The DASS-21 was completed immediately after the intervention and two months later by all four groups. In this study, the participants and investigators were not blinded; however, the analysts were. The recruitment process took place from September 2018 to March 2019. One hundred twenty participants fulfilled the study. The Data were collected and analyzed using SPSS (v18). Results: Before and immediately after the intervention, there was no statistically significant difference in depression, anxiety, and stress mean scores among the positive psychology, physical activity, positive psychology, and physical activity and control groups (p ≥ 0.05). However, two months after the intervention, a significant difference was observed between the four groups so there was a difference between the scores of the three intervention groups and the control group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between positive psychology, and physical activity groups. No significant adverse events or side effects were observed. Conclusion: Our findings supported the use of aerobic physical activity and educational interventions based on positive psychology as non-pharmacologic interventions to reduce anxiety, depression, and stress. This research should be replicated in different settings. Trial registration clinical trials: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials; https://irct.behdasht.gov.ir/trial/32363 (IRCT20130812014333N97), registered (11/08/2018). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to advance our understanding of international crisis mediation by introducing and examining the nested insider-partial mediator (NIPM) concept, a nuanced perspective on IPM behavior. This study challenges the traditional view of effective mediators as external, unbiased entities by delving into the behavior and contribution of mediators who are deeply embedded in the conflict environment, such as South Korea's unique position in navigating the US–DPRK crisis in 2017–2018. By analyzing South Korea's dual role as mediator and negotiator and its employment of both nondirective and directive mediation strategies, the paper demonstrates the potential effectiveness of NIPMs in managing complex biases and contributing to de-escalation in intense crisis scenarios. Design/methodology/approach: This paper uses a focused single-case study approach to analyze South Korea's role as an NIPM. Using a process-tracing methodology, it examines how contextual factors such as relationships, interests and inherent biases influenced South Korea's mediation strategies in this complex geopolitical scenario. Empirical evidence was retrieved from public sources, including official statements and press interviews, providing an empirical foundation for understanding NIPM behavior. This approach facilitates a detailed study of South Korea's unique mediation role within the intricate dynamics of the Korean Peninsula conflict. Findings: The study's findings illustrate the pivotal role NIPMs can play in complex international conflicts, underlining the significant potential of NIPMs in crisis prevention. The findings highlight South Korea's adept navigation through intricate geopolitical dynamics, leveraging its unique insider position and established relationships with both the USA and North Korea. This behavior was instrumental in mitigating a potentially explosive situation, steering the crisis toward negotiation and de-escalation. The research underscores the effectiveness of the NIPM framework in understanding the nuanced behavior of mediators who are deeply integrated into multi-level conflicts, influenced by their connections, interests and inherent biases. Originality/value: This research not only broadens the theoretical framework of insider-partial mediation by introducing the concept of NIPM, but also has practical implications for policymakers and practitioners in leveraging regional mediation strategies for international crisis mitigation. The study underscores the importance of mediators' deep-rooted connections, biases and vested interests in influencing their mediation tactics, thus offering a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted nature of international mediation in complex geopolitical conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratory models of renewal are critical for understanding this form of behavioral relapse and informing clinical practice to reduce the occurrence of relapse and facilitate the maintenance of treatment gains. Nonsequential renewal is a modified procedure developed by (Sullivan et al. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 110(1), 74–86 2018) that provides an arrangement to study operant renewal in a manner more consistent with clients receiving clinical services, which involves exposing subjects to treatment and baseline conditions across two or more contexts. Experiment 1 replicated the procedure of (Craig et al. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 112(2), 210–223 2019) to compare ABA renewal of target responding in rats exposed to the nonsequential or sequential renewal procedure. Experiment 2 investigated the use of an olfactory extinction cue in mitigating renewal. In Experiment 1, the Nonsequential Group displayed a greater magnitude of renewal compared to the Sequential Group, consistent with the findings from (Craig et al. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 110(1), 74–86 2019) but inconsistent with those from (Sullivan et al. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 110(1), 74–86 2018) with human participants. The extinction cue did not mitigate renewal in Experiment 2. The use of a laboratory model of renewal that is more analogous to clinical settings may be valuable in a translational approach to investigating relapse-prevention techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares a gratitude intervention with an Indian yoga intervention to determine its efficacy to raise happiness levels. A randomized control trial was conducted with 48 female participants in each intervention group for eight weeks. The results suggest that happiness levels improved from pre-intervention to mid- and post-intervention and from mid- to post-intervention in the gratitude and yoga intervention groups. Despite similar levels of happiness pre-intervention in both groups, the yoga intervention group outperformed the gratitude intervention group in improving participants' happiness levels at mid-intervention and post-intervention. The findings reveal the significance of customizing interventions to fit specific cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify moderators of treatment effect (i.e. depressive symptoms and well-being) of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Positive Psychology Intervention (PPI) in patients with bipolar disorder. Data were drawn from two multicenter randomized controlled trials investigating effectiveness of MBCT vs treatment as usual (TAU; n = 144) and PPI vs TAU (n = 97) in bipolar disorder. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, posttreatment, and 12 months after baseline. Data were analyzed using separate linear regression models, comparing the pooled MBCT or PPI outcomes to TAU, and comparing MBCT to PPI. The exploratory analyses not corrected for multiple comparisons showed a number of variables that were associated with stronger response to the interventions, including higher baseline anxiety, lower well-being, and lower levels of self-focused positive rumination, well-being, and self-compassion, and variables associated with a stronger response to either MBCT (higher levels of depression and anxiety and being married) or PPI (being male). After correcting for multiple testing, depressive symptoms appeared to be the most robust variable associated with better response to MBCT than PPI. The RCTs handled slightly different enrollment criteria and outcome measures. The most robust finding is that patients with more severe symptomatology seem to benefit more from MBCT than PPI. This is a first step to improve personalized assignment of third-wave CBT interventions for patients with bipolar disorder. However, before definite treatment assignment criteria can be formulated and implemented in clinical practice, these findings should be replicated. • This is a first step to improve personalized assignment of third-wave CBT interventions for patients with bipolar disorder. • Findings show that both MBCT and PPI are more helpful than TAU in improving well-being at 12-months after baseline. • Patients with more severe symptomatology benefit more from MBCT than PPI at posttreatment and 12 months after baseline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study explores the current research trends within the responsible leadership (RL) domain and proposes a future research agenda by conducting an extensive review of past research. The study aims to understand recent developments in theories, constructs and contexts in RL literature. Design/methodology/approach: Scopus database is used for the data collection on RL and patterns from 1998–2022. In total, 138 articles were covered for a systematic literature review (SLR) of RL behaviors. Further, the search was extended, and 109 more articles were included for bibliometric analysis of RL using R software. In total, 247 papers were reviewed. Findings: The results present the consequences and antecedents of RL behaviors with external and internal stakeholders. Literature also indicates that researchers are more attentive to empirical studies with internal stakeholders, such as responsible leaders' impact on employee outcomes. Among theories, stakeholder theory's normative integrative and instrumental perspectives are used with RL. Research limitations/implications: The first limitation of the study is that this study collected data only from the Scopus database and the choice of language was English. Future studies may use other databases, languages and keywords. Instrumental and integrative RL behavioral styles would help balance organizations' financial and social goals. Originality/value: This research enhances the literature on RL by combining content and bibliometric analysis to develop a more systematic and comprehensive understanding of integrative and instrumental leadership behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multicultural scholars suggest that effective Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training must raise awareness of prejudice and racism while also including strategies for changing behavior by developing certain approach goals (e.g. the goal of becoming a more courageous and patient person). This study examines how virtue interventions that cultivate courage and patience may be a useful approach for increasing motivation to respond without prejudice during interracial interactions. Virtue interventions were tested in 292 White college students (69.2% female; MAge = 20.9) across four conditions (control, virtue only/no race salience, virtue and race salient, and race salient/no virtue). Results suggest that White college students receiving the virtue/race salient intervention increased internal motivation to respond without prejudice, but those who received the race salient/no virtue condition reported decreased levels of courage and decreased motivation to respond without prejudice. Findings are discussed in light of positive psychology, DEI, anti-racism training and interventions, and virtue development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Participating in research on aversive topics can produce discomfort. However, the affective consequences of taking part in hedonic research are unknown. Positive psychology interventions (PPIs) harness personal strengths, values, beliefs, and emotions to promote optimal functioning. A growing body of evidence suggests they can be effective in addressing a range of mental health conditions and promoting well-being. Savoring is one of the more potent classes of PPIs, and even brief interventions can shift positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) in directions conducive to greater well-being. In a study of 1,804 Australian adults, we found that responding to an online survey asking about pleasure produced a small but significant increase in PA and a substantial reduction in NA. The magnitude of the effects was comparable with other published PPIs. We briefly discuss this finding in the context of emotional sensibility and consider the nexus between intervention and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key challenge in developing treatments for neuropsychiatric illness is the disconnect between preclinical models and the complexity of human social behavior. We integrate voluntary social self-administration into a rodent model of social stress as a platform for the identification of fundamental brain and behavior mechanisms underlying stress-induced individual differences in social motivation. Here, we introduced an operant social stress procedure in male and female mice composed of 3 phases: 1) social self-administration training, 2) social stress exposure concurrent with reinforced self-administration testing, and 3) poststress operant testing under nonreinforced and reinforced conditions. We used social-defeat and witness-defeat stress in male and female mice. Social defeat attenuated social reward seeking in males but not females, whereas witness defeat had no effect in males but promoted seeking behavior in females. We resolved social stress-induced changes to social motivation by aggregating z -scored operant metrics into a cumulative social index score to describe the spectrum of individual differences exhibited during operant social stress. Clustering does not adequately describe the relative distributions of social motivation following stress and is better described as a nonbinary behavioral distribution defined by the social index score, capturing a dynamic range of stress-related alterations in social motivation inclusive of sex as a biological variable. We demonstrated that operant social stress can detect stable individual differences in stress-induced changes to social motivation. The inclusion of volitional behavior in social procedures may enhance the understanding of behavioral adaptations that promote stress resiliency and their mechanisms under more naturalistic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the implementation of Positive Psychology Interventions (PPIs) within the clinical context among clinical psychologists in the Philippines. The previous research has examined the use of PPIs with diverse populations, such as survivors of natural disasters, victims of domestic violence, overseas Filipino workers, and students, linking PPIs to their overall well-being and academic achievements. However, there are still limitations in the context of the clinical setting that need further investigation, such as the effectiveness of interventions for mental illnesses and similar conditions. Thus, this study focuses on the concept and utilization of PPIs, investigating their perceived effectiveness within the clinical psychology profession. This study employed a phenomenological approach with open-ended questions during social media interviews to gather detailed data. However, social media interviews may not fully capture the entirety of the experience. The selection of participants was carried out using a combination of purposive sampling and snowball techniques. Participants were chosen based on specific criteria: 5 years of clinical experience, a background in positive psychology interventions, and a demonstrated utilization of these interventions in their clinical sessions. The study revealed several main themes that shed light on the participants' unique observations and experiences within each domain. These themes include: 1. Integrated practice, where PPIs are seamlessly combined with traditional methods; 2. Adapted method, which explores how PPIs are tailored for use in clinical settings; 3. Applied intervention, highlighting the practical application of PPIs; 4. Personal growth, illustrating the significant contributions of PPIs to both clients and practitioners; 5. Gratitude, reflecting statements of effectiveness; 6. Holistic healing, emphasizing the advantages of integrated practices; and 7. Limitations, acknowledging constraints of PPIs’ utilization. Further research is recommended to address these limitations and to expand and validate experiences within the clinical realm, contributing to the growing body of knowledge and understanding of the efficacy and applicability of PPIs in clinical psychology practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Texture and sensory studies at various temperatures are important in evaluating and improving the functionality of butter. While literature is scarce, we evaluated and compared the effect of temperature (5–25°C) on the texture, rheological and sensory properties of commercial butter samples (salted, unsalted, cultured, and spreadable) from the New Zealand market. In addition, the instrumental analyses were compared with the sensory evaluation, to understand the possibility of using instrumental analysis to evaluate consumer liking for different butters. Butter type, temperature, and their type–temperature interaction exhibited significant differences for all instrumental textural parameters. As expected, higher temperature produced softer butter that was more spreadable, liquid‐like, less adhesive, less cohesive, had lower storage modulus (G′) and lower loss modulus (G″) with the melting of milk fat crystals; however, the rate of change varied for the different butter samples. We have established meltability as the parameter for evaluating butter selection for different applications. The spreadable butter sample exhibited the lowest hardness and G′, and highest spreadability (p <.05) at all temperatures, owing to its low solid fat content and the abundance of low‐melting triglycerides. The cultured butter sample had the highest melting point, owing to compositional differences. The instrumental and sensory texture analyses were highly correlated, indicating the comparative effectiveness of both approaches for studying the effects of different temperatures on butter textural properties. Overall, our findings provide detailed reference to the dairy industry for butter manufacture, considering variation in fatty acid composition, texture analysis, rheology, and sensory analysis, over the range of storage/usage temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the integration of culturo-behavior science and contextual behavior science (CBS2) to address global rights violations and promote social change. It emphasizes the role of culture in behavior and the importance of intentional change within sociocultural contexts. The authors argue for collaboration between these perspectives to advance applied research and practice in behavior science. The text also discusses the impact of language and cognition on culturo-behavior science and highlights the significance of relational responding in the development of cultural practices and the spread of propaganda. It concludes by emphasizing the need for a systemic and contextual approach to studying complex social issues and the role of communication in cultural practices. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Social behaviour plays a key role in mental health and wellbeing, and developing greater understanding of mechanisms underlying social interaction—particularly social motivation—holds substantial transdiagnostic impact. Common rodent behavioural assays used to assess social behaviour are limited in their assessment of social motivation, whereas the social operant conditioning model can provide unique and valuable insights into social motivation. Further characterisation of common experimental parameters that may influence social motivation within the social operant model, as well as complementary methodological and analytical approaches, are warranted. Methods: This study investigated the effects of biological sex, housing condition, and time-of-day, on social motivation using the social operant model. This involved training rats to lever press (FR1) for 60-s access to a social reward (same-sex conspecific stimulus). Subjects were male and female Wistar rats, housed under individual or paired conditions, and sessions were conducted either in the mid-late light phase (ZT6-10) or early-mid dark phase (ZT13-17). A behavioural economics approach was implemented to measure social demand and the influence of stimulus partner sex (same- vs. opposite-sex stimulus) on social operant responding. Additionally, video tracking analyses were conducted to assess the degree of convergence between social appetitive and consummatory behaviours. Results: Biological sex, housing conditions, the interaction between sex and housing, and stimulus partner sex potently influenced social motivation, whereas time-of-day did not. Behavioural economics demonstrated that sex, housing, and their interaction influence both the hedonic set-point and elasticity of social demand. Video analysis of social interaction during social operant sessions revealed that social appetitive and consummatory behaviours are not necessarily convergent, and indicate potential social satiety. Lastly, oestrus phase of female experimental and stimulus rats did not impact social motivation within the model. Conclusions: Social isolation-dependent sex differences exist in social motivation for rats, as assessed by social operant conditioning. The social operant model represents an optimal preclinical assay that comprehensively evaluates social motivation and offers a platform for future investigations of neurobiological mechanisms underlying sex differences in social motivation. These findings highlight the importance of continued consideration and inclusion of sex as a biological variable in future social operant conditioning studies. Plain English summary: Humans are social creatures—our everyday interactions with others and the support this provides play a key role in our wellbeing. For those experiencing mental health conditions, people's motivation to engage with others can wane, which can lead them to withdraw from those who support them. Therefore, to develop better treatment strategies for these conditions, we need to gain a deeper understanding of social motivation. Studying social behaviour in animals can facilitate this investigation of social motivation as it allows for a causal understanding of underlying neurobiology that is not possible in human experiments. An optimal way to study social motivation in animals is using the social operant conditioning model, where rats learn to press a lever that opens a door and allows them to interact with another rat for a short time. This study characterised the social operant model by testing whether sex, housing conditions, time-of-day, and the sex of the stimulus partner influence rats' motivation to seek interaction with another rat. We found that female rats were more socially motivated than males, and that rats living alone were more motivated than those living with another rat; interestingly, this effect of housing affected females more than males. Regardless of sex, rats were more motivated to interact with a rat of the opposite sex. These findings provide insights into sex differences in social motivation in rats and new insights into the social operant model which will help guide future research into social motivation and other mental health conditions. Highlights: Female Wistar rats exhibited greater social motivation than male rats in the social operant conditioning model. Isolated housing produced higher social motivation than paired housing, but this isolation-induced increase was either more marked for, or only present in, female rats. Both female and male rats demonstrate higher motivation for opposite-sex than same-sex stimulus conspecifics. Time-of-day and oestrus phase (of female experimental and stimulus rats) did not appear to impact social motivatio. Both between- and within-session behavioural economics in conjunction with video tracking analyses can be applied to better assess social motivation and interaction during social operant conditioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring therapeutic options is crucial in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. Nirmatrelvir, which is a potent inhibitor that targets the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, shows promise as an antiviral treatment. Additionally, Ivermectin, which is a broad-spectrum antiparasitic drug, has demonstrated effectiveness against the virus in laboratory settings. However, its clinical implications are still debated. Using computational methods, such as molecular docking and 100 ns molecular dynamics simulations, we investigated how Nirmatrelvir and Ivermectin interacted with SARS-CoV-2 Mpro(A). Calculations using density functional theory were instrumental in elucidating the behavior of isolated molecules, primarily by analyzing the frontier molecular orbitals. Our analysis revealed distinct binding patterns: Nirmatrelvir formed strong interactions with amino acids, like MET49, MET165, HIS41, HIS163, HIS164, PHE140, CYS145, GLU166, and ASN142, showing stable binding, with a root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) of around 2.0 Å. On the other hand, Ivermectin interacted with THR237, THR239, LEU271, LEU272, and LEU287, displaying an RMSD of 1.87 Å, indicating enduring interactions. Both ligands stabilized Mpro(A), with Ivermectin showing stability and persistent interactions despite forming fewer hydrogen bonds. These findings offer detailed insights into how Nirmatrelvir and Ivermectin bind to the SARS-CoV-2 main protease, providing valuable information for potential therapeutic strategies against COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a new methodology to partition different sources of behavior change within a selectionist framework based on the Price equation—the multilevel model of behavioral selection. The multilevel model of behavioral selection provides a theoretical background to describe behavior change in terms of operant selection. Operant selection is formally captured by the covariance‐based law of effect and accounts for all changes in individual behavior that involve a covariance between behavior and predictors of evolutionary fitness (e.g., food). In this article, we show how the covariance‐based law of effect may be applied to different components of operant behavior (e.g., allocation, speed, and accuracy of responding), thereby providing quantitative estimates for various selection effects affecting behavior change using data from a published learning experiment with pigeons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'Three Good Things' (TGT), a structured journaling exercise, has shown great effect in helping improve mental well-being. However, the exercise could be quite tedious and difficult to carry out daily. To improve the user experience of the exercise, we developed 'Happy Click', a mobile application which makes use of a physically present smart button to enable users to record their daily TGT in a more engaging manner. Two preliminary exploratory studies were carried out to examine the feasibility of our approach where the effects of the TGT intervention designed around the mobile and tangible happy click concepts were examined. The findings suggested that participants had significantly less stress after carrying out the TGT using the tangible interface. Participants also reported better user experience and acceptance when carrying out the exercise using the tangible interface compared to the mobile and higher levels of attractiveness and stimulation with the mobile TGT compared to the traditional approach. While these promising results should be interpreted with caution due to the limited sample size, they also underscore the potential advantages of our 'Happy click' approach and highlight the need for further, larger-scale evaluations to be conducted to validate its efficacy and scalability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2000, Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi published the highly influential "Positive Psychology: An Introduction" in American Psychologist, and with it, they advocated for a strengths-based approach for helping people live a "good life". Building on that work, positive psychology was further conceptualized as consisting of meta-psychological and practical aspects. The meta-psychological constitutes the aims or "grand vision" of what positive psychology stands for, whereas the practical constitutes the "nuts-and-bolts" elements that should be focused on in developing interventions. In the present commentary, we build on this previous work to propose a "positive psychology pragmatic framework" to develop strengths-based interventions (SBIs) for use with special student populations; in this case, students with special needs and P-3 and gifted students. Relatedly, we review the empirical and theoretical/conceptual literature relevant to the use of SBIs within each subpopulation as well as discuss some characteristics that make each subpopulation unique. Consequently, to the highest degree possible, we advocate for integrating intrapersonal, interpersonal, contextual/environmental, systemic, and developmental factors in developing SBIs and we make specific recommendations for future research through the lens of this proposed framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine the impact of an online self-regulation intervention (SI) and mindfulness intervention (MI) in improving exercise-induced-pain (EIP) management, mental performance (i.e., SI and MI), and mental health. A sample of 16 middle-distance runners who participated in an 8-week SI or MI was purposefully selected based on the participants' high, moderate, and low pre–post intervention evolution scores. Findings, which were generated by performing a codebook thematic analysis, suggest that both the SI and MI positively impacted EIP management, mental performance, and mental health. EIP literacy enabled the participants from both interventions to more effectively manage EIP. Furthermore, screening for mental illness symptoms and referring athletes in a timely manner to appropriate mental health practitioners was perceived as essential for them to receive the care and support they needed. Finally, a hybrid delivery format may be the most effective when providing online sport psychology interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the effect of psychological guidance and sandplay therapy in the intervention of adolescent mental health. In this study, adolescents aged 12 to 18 hospitalized for various illnesses, accidents and other reasons were taken as the research objects, and then the application of sandplay to the mental health intervention of hospitalized sick adolescents was proposed. The collected research objects were randomly classified into experimental and control groups through a questionnaire survey. The experimental group used a combination of psychological guidance and sandplay therapy. Lastly, statistical analysis was conducted on four dimensions: emotional state, social function, self-awareness, and psychological adaptation using psychological assessment scales. The results found that after psychological counseling and sandplay therapy intervention, only about 22% of participants in the experimental group showed low mood, nervousness, and anger, and significantly improved scores in social function, self-recognition, and psychological adaptability. In terms of emotional state, the experimental group scored lower, indicating that participants in the experimental group were less likely to experience depression, anxiety, and anger. In contrast, the control group scored higher, suggesting a noticeable intervention effect of psychological guidance and sandplay therapy. These results suggest the comprehensive application of psychological guidance and sandplay therapy positively impacts adolescent mental health intervention's emotional state and psychological adaptation. Integrating the use of psychological guidance and sandplay therapy can provide useful enlightenment for the follow-up exploration and optimization of adolescent mental health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective outcome reporting can result in overestimation of treatment effects, research waste, and reduced openness and transparency. This review aimed to examine selective outcome reporting in trials of behavioural health interventions and determine potential outcome reporting bias. A review of nine health psychology and behavioural medicine journals was conducted to identify randomised controlled trials of behavioural health interventions published since 2019. Discrepancies in outcome reporting were observed in 90% of the 29 trials with corresponding registrations/protocols. Discrepancies included 72% of trials omitting prespecified outcomes; 55% of trials introduced new outcomes. Thirty-eight percent of trials omitted prespecified and introduced new outcomes. Three trials (10%) downgraded primary outcomes in registrations/protocols to secondary outcomes in final reports; downgraded outcomes were not statistically significant in two trials. Five trials (17%) upgraded secondary outcomes to primary outcomes; upgraded outcomes were statistically significant in all trials. In final reports, three trials (7%) omitted outcomes from the methods section; three trials (7%) introduced new outcomes in results that were not in the methods. These findings indicate that selective outcome reporting is a problem in behavioural health intervention trials. Journal- and trialist-level approaches are needed to minimise selective outcome reporting in health psychology and behavioural medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transit-amplifying (TA) cells are progenitors that undergo an amplification phase followed by transition into an extinction phase. A long postulated epidermal TA progenitor with biphasic behavior has not yet been experimentally observed in vivo. Here, we identify such a TA population using clonal analysis of Aspm-CreER genetic cell-marking in mice, which uncovers contribution to both homeostasis and injury repair of adult skin. This TA population is more frequently dividing than a Dlx1-CreER-marked long-term self-renewing (e.g. stem cell) population. Newly developed generalized birth-death modeling of long-term lineage tracing data shows that both TA progenitors and stem cells display neutral competition, but only the stem cells display neutral drift. The quantitative evolution of a nascent TA cell and its direct descendants shows that TA progenitors indeed amplify the basal layer before transition and that the homeostatic TA population is mostly in extinction phase. This model will be broadly useful for analyzing progenitors whose behavior changes with their clone age. This work identifies a long-missing class of non-self-renewing biphasic epidermal TA progenitors and has broad implications for understanding tissue renewal mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Threat-response neural circuits are conserved across species and play roles in normal behavior and psychiatric diseases. Maladaptive changes in these neural circuits contribute to stress, mood, and anxiety disorders. Active coping in response to stressors is a psychosocial factor associated with resilience against stress-induced mood and anxiety disorders. The neural circuitry underlying active coping is poorly understood, but the functioning of these circuits could be key for overcoming anxiety and related disorders. The supramammillary nucleus (SuM) has been suggested to be engaged by threat. SuM has many projections and a poorly understood diversity of neural populations. In studies using mice, we identified a unique population of glutamatergic SuM neurons (SuMVGLUT2+::POA) based on projection to the preoptic area of the hypothalamus (POA) and found SuMVGLUT2+::POA neurons have extensive arborizations. SuMVGLUT2+::POA neurons project to brain areas that mediate features of the stress and threat responses including the paraventricular nucleus thalamus (PVT), periaqueductal gray (PAG), and habenula (Hb). Thus, SuMVGLUT2+::POA neurons are positioned as a hub, connecting to areas implicated in regulating stress responses. Here we report SuMVGLUT2+::POA neurons are recruited by diverse threatening stressors, and recruitment correlated with active coping behaviors. We found that selective photoactivation of the SuMVGLUT2+::POA population drove aversion but not anxiety like behaviors. Activation of SuMVGLUT2+::POA neurons in the absence of acute stressors evoked active coping like behaviors and drove instrumental behavior. Also, activation of SuMVGLUT2+::POA neurons was sufficient to convert passive coping strategies to active behaviors during acute stress. In contrast, we found activation of GABAergic (VGAT+) SuM neurons (SuMVGAT+) neurons did not alter drive aversion or active coping, but termination of photostimulation was followed by increased mobility in the forced swim test. These findings establish a new node in stress response circuitry that has projections to many brain areas and evokes flexible active coping behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuropathic pain causes both sensory and emotional maladaptation. Preclinical animal studies of neuropathic pain-induced negative affect could result in novel insights into the mechanisms of chronic pain. Modeling pain-induced negative affect, however, is variable across research groups and conditions. The same injury may or may not produce robust negative affective behavioral responses across different species, strains, and laboratories. Here, we sought to identify negative affective consequences of the spared nerve injury model on C57BL/6J male and female mice. We found no significant effect of spared nerve injury across a variety of approach-avoidance conflict, hedonic choice, and coping strategy assays. We hypothesized these inconsistencies may stem in part from the short test duration of these assays. To test this hypothesis, we used the homecage-based Feeding Experimentation Device version 3 to conduct 12-hour, overnight progressive ratio testing to determine whether mice with chronic spared nerve injury had decreased motivation to earn palatable food rewards. Our data demonstrate that despite equivalent task learning, spared nerve injury mice are less motivated to work for a sugar pellet than sham controls. Furthermore, when we normalized behavioral responses across all the behavioral assays we tested, we found that a combined normalized behavioral score is predictive of injury state and significantly correlates with mechanical thresholds. Together, these results suggest that homecage-based operant behaviors provide a useful platform for modeling nerve injury-induced negative affect and that valuable pain-related information can arise from agglomerative data analyses across behavioral assays--even when individual inferential statistics do not demonstrate significant mean differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abnormal encoding of somatosensory modalities (ie, mechanical, cold, and heat) are a critical part of pathological pain states. Detailed phenotyping of patients' responses to these modalities have raised hopes that analgesic treatments could one day be tailored to a patient's phenotype. Such precise treatment would require a profound understanding of the underlying mechanisms of specific pain phenotypes at molecular, cellular, and circuitry levels. Although preclinical pain models have helped in that regard, the lack of a unified assay quantifying detailed mechanical, cold, and heat pain responses on the same scale precludes comparing how analgesic compounds act on different sensory phenotypes. The conflict avoidance assay is promising in that regard, but testing conditions require validation for its use with multiple modalities. In this study, we improve upon the conflict avoidance assay to provide a validated and detailed assessment of all 3 modalities within the same animal, in mice. We first optimized testing conditions to minimize the necessary amount of training and to reduce sex differences in performances. We then tested what range of stimuli produce dynamic stimulus-response relationships for different outcome measures in naive mice. We finally used this assay to show that nerve injury produces modality-specific sex differences in pain behavior. Our improved assay opens new avenues to study the basis of modality-specific abnormalities in pain behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimism involves the general expectation good things will occur and greater optimism is associated with a number of positive life outcomes related to better mental and physical health. These outcomes include reduced likelihood of depression, more effective immune functioning and lower mortality. Emotional intelligence, which consists of adaptive emotional functioning, may be a foundation for optimism. This meta‐analysis examined the relationship between emotional intelligence and optimism across 6889 participants from 25 independent samples. Across studies, a higher level of emotional intelligence was associated with greater optimism with a weighted effect size of, r =.35, p <.001. Measurement approach and country of participants moderated the effect size. These results have relevance for the design of positive psychology interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on principles from positive psychology and broaden‐and‐build theory, we examined whether conducting a Three Good Job Search Things intervention can increase metacognitive activities among job seekers. We further theorize that positive affect (i.e., activating and deactivating) serves as a mediating mechanism for the effect of the reflection intervention on metacognitive activities. We designed a randomized control group pretest–posttest experimental study with three groups (i.e., Three Good Job Search Things, active control, and passive control) and two measurement times (N = 116). Results show that the Three Good Job Search Things intervention increased job seekers' metacognitive activities as compared with the passive control group, but not as compared to the active control group. However, the active control group results did not differ significantly from the passive control group. The effects of the intervention on job seekers' metacognitive activities were not mediated by enhanced positive affect. This study contributes to the job search literature by expanding our understanding of how metacognition during job search can be improved by reflecting upon one's job search process. Practitioners Points: Positive psychology interventions, including those integrated into job search training, might offer potential benefits for job seekers, influencing job search behavior while considering well‐being.The Three Good Job Search Things intervention, though not significantly differing from an active reflection control group, might encourage job seekers to engage in metacognitive activities.Low‐cost, online reflection interventions seem a promising tool to improve self‐regulation during job search. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluated the use of computerized equivalence-based instruction (EBI) to teach classes representing schedules of reinforcement to staff members. Four, 5-member classes representing fixed ratio, fixed interval, variable ratio, and variable interval schedules of reinforcement were taught. The participants were 16 staff members between the ages of 22 and 30 years of age that were employed at a private school for individuals with autism. Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental or control group. A pretest-training-posttest-maintenance design was used to evaluate the effects of EBI on participants' performance during both a computer-based test and a written multiple-choice test. Participants in the control group were only exposed to pretest and posttests. All participants in the experimental group acquired the baseline trained relations during match-to-sample instruction. Test scores improved from pretest to posttest and derived (untrained) relations emerged across all participants in the experimental group following training but did not change for the participants in the control group. In addition, participants maintained the learned relations one week after EBI was completed. The present study demonstrated that EBI is an effective teaching procedure to teach schedules of reinforcement to staff members in the field of applied behavior analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Schedule-induced drinking (SID) reproduces an excessive and repetitive behavioural pattern that has led to propose this procedure as an animal model to study compulsive behaviours. Although it is known that cannabis can cause several adverse effects, in recent years there has been great interest in the medical application of cannabis derivatives for obsessive-compulsive related disorders. Objectives: The present study investigated the effects of repeated THC administration on rates of previously acquired SID, as well as the possible alteration of its temporal distribution along inter-food intervals. Methods: Male Wistar rats acquired SID under a 30 min fixed-time 30-sec food delivery schedule (from 30 to 43 sessions to reach a stable level). Thereafter, 5 or 10 mg/kg daily i.p. injections of THC or vehicle were repeatedly administered for 7 days to evaluate the effects on SID. Results: Repeated THC administration at a dose of 5 mg/kg resulted in an increase on licking. Surprisingly, no effects on SID were observed with the 10 mg/kg dose. However, magazine entries were reduced with both THC doses. THC also modified the temporal distributions of licking and magazine entries during inter-food intervals. Conclusions: The present results show that repeated THC administration may (i) increase induced licking at moderate doses, (ii) reduce magazine entries, and (iii) affect the temporal pattern of SID. These findings suggest that THC does not appear to be beneficial to reduce compulsive behaviour in this animal model, while another collateral effect of THC —such as a greater habitual-like behaviour— needs to be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The literature suggests that socio-cognitive mindfulness (Langer, 1989) is a suitable theory from which to develop a wellbeing coaching intervention due to its focus on environmental mastery and its links to increased wellbeing outcomes. The purpose of this study is to outline the process and the emerging findings of developing a coaching intervention based on the evidence-based strategies of socio-cognitive mindfulness. Methods: The Medical Research Council's updated framework for developing complex interventions has been used to guide the research methods chosen to design this coaching intervention (Skivington et al., 2021). The accumulated findings from three previous studies were triangulated to refine the programme theory of the intervention. The lead researcher incorporated her practice reflections as a coaching psychologist into the programme theory to operationalise the logic model into a prototype of the intervention. Findings: A logic model was produced to articulate the findings of the method triangulation and the resulting programme theory. The mechanisms of the model include the establishment of a safe and personalised coaching environment where key coaching processes help to facilitate the activation of socio-cognitive mindfulness. By repeatedly stimulating and integrating states of socio-cognitive mindfulness into daily routines over an extended period, participants can potentially develop trait socio-cognitive mindfulness and increase the chances of sustaining meaningful wellbeing outcomes. Conclusion: As the logic model is still hypothetical at this point, the intervention prototype should now be feasibility tested prior to a full study to address some of the outstanding key uncertainties, such as who the intervention appeals to, whether participants adhere to the programme as intended and which wellbeing measures are most likely to improve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ways in which a coach conceptualises the needs of a client is central to the way the coaching journey unfolds. In other forms of applied psychology interventions are designed and delivered through the aid of a formulation which is widely recognised as a core competence for professional psychologists. Formulation can be understood as a unique form of storytelling and is a process through which a coach and client make sense of the client's aims and needs, identify the factors of influence, and use this conceptualisation to design a way forward. Although historically, the relevance of formulation to coaching has been underexplored, it is now gaining recognition as a distinct capability and one which may have particular value in contexts of complexity – the terrain that many coaches increasingly inhabit. Exploring formulation from the perspective of different disciplines, including the performing arts, as well as recent and current work within coaching, this article, based on a keynote presentation for the Division of Coaching Psychology's annual conference in June 2023, considers how embedding formulation in our coaching might enable us to enhance our practice, co-construct more effective stories about our clients' needs and contribute in new and ever more creative ways to meet the needs of our clients in a rapidly changing world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last decade has shown a growing interest in robots as well-being coaches. However, insightful guidelines for the design of robots as coaches to promote mental well-being have not yet been proposed. This article details design and ethical recommendations based on a qualitative analysis drawing on a grounded theory approach, which was conducted with a three-step iterative design process which included user-centered design studies involving robotic well-being coaches, namely: (1) a user-centred design study conducted with 11 participants consisting of both prospective users who had participated in a Brief Solution-Focused Practice study with a human coach, as well as coaches of different disciplines, (2) semi-structured individual interview data gathered from 20 participants attending a Positive Psychology intervention study with the robotic well-being coach Pepper, and (3) a user-centred design study conducted with 3 participants of the Positive Psychology study as well as 2 relevant well-being coaches. After conducting a thematic analysis and a qualitative analysis, we collated the data gathered into convergent and divergent themes, and we distilled from those results a set of design guidelines and ethical considerations. Our findings can inform researchers and roboticists on the key aspects to take into account when designing robotic mental well-being coaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]