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Self-compassion (SC) seems to play an important role in improving Emotion Regulation (ER). Nevertheless, the results of previous studies regarding the links between SC and ER are not consistent, especially facing diverse models of ER (strategy-based vs skill-based). The goal of this prospective study was to evaluate the links between these three concepts, by testing the predictive roles of SC and ER skills on both ER adaptive and maladaptive strategies, using standardised questionnaires and visual analogue scales. Results of regression analysis showed that self-compassion positively predicts cognitive reappraisal, acceptance, problem-solving, relaxation, self-support, tolerance and ER skills and negatively predicts behavioural avoidance, expressive suppression and ruminations. Results also showed that ER skills positively predict cognitive reappraisal, expression, acceptance, relaxation, self-support and tolerance and negatively predicts behavioural avoidance, expressive suppression and ruminations.. Results from a mediation model are also promising regarding both the role of ER skills on the effect of SC on adaptive ER strategy use. Even if this study can be associated with common limits of self-report measures, it highlights the role of SC in a model of ER.

Doctoral students face many challenges that were reinforced by COVID-19-related lockdowns. We assessed this impact over 1 year on doctoral students' depression, anxiety, stress, well-being, and doctoral engagement. We also investigated the potential protective role of self-compassion and savouring on mental health, well-being, and doctoral engagement. A total of 134 PhD students from several French universities responded to the three-time points of this longitudinal study. The results showed a significant increase in depression, anxiety and stress and a significant decrease in well-being and doctoral engagement during the first year of the pandemic. Self-compassion and savouring predicted lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, and higher levels of well-being over time. Savouring alone predicted higher doctoral engagement over time. This study reveals the significant impact of the pandemic year on the mental health of doctoral students, and the relevance of self-compassion and savouring as psychological resources to cope with adversity.

The COVID-19 lockdown increased the day-to-day challenges faced by parents, and thereby may have increased parental burnout risk. Therefore, identifying parental burnout protection factors is essential. This study aimed to assess the protective role of the following factors which can be increased through mindfulness practice: trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and concrete vs. abstract ruminations. A total of 459 parents (Mage = 40, 98.7% female) completed self-reported questionnaires at two-time points to assess the predictive role of mindfulness on parental burnout, self-compassion and rumination type, and the mediating role of self-compassion and rumination type in the relation between mindfulness and parental burnout. Results showed that trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and rumination type at Time 1 predicted levels of parental burnout at Time 2. Self-compassion (indirect effects: b = − 22, 95% CI = [−38, −05], p &lt, 0.01), concrete ruminations (indirect effects: b = −20, 95% CI = [−32, −09], p &lt, 0.001), and abstract ruminations (indirect effects: b = −0.54, 95% CI = [−71, −37], p &lt, 0.001) partially mediated the relation between trait-mindfulness and parental burnout. These findings showed that trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and concrete (vs. abstract) ruminations may help prevent parental burnout in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. These results contribute to the field of research on parental burnout prevention and will allow for the development of effective approaches to mental health promotion in parents.

BACKGROUND Mindfulness-based programs have been shown to be effective in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms, and enhancing well-being. However, it remains unclear whether longer formal mindfulness practices are necessary to obtain such results. We therefore aimed to assess the effectiveness of a program (FOVEA, 8 weeks, 2h/week) which was only based on brief and informal practices. METHODS Using a switching replication design, participants (N = 139) were assigned to a FOVEA or a wait-list group, and completed the following self-report questionnaires online at three time points: perceived stress, anxiety, depression, satisfaction with life (dependent variables), and mindfulness (mediating variable). They also completed a daily practice diary. RESULTS Relative to the wait-list group, FOVEA participants showed significantly reduced perceived stress, anxiety, and depression, and increased satisfaction with life. These changes were completely mediated by increased mindfulness, and were maintained 2.5 months after the end of the program. The effect sizes were moderate to large. CONCLUSIONS These results underline the potential benefits of a mindfulness informal practices program for the general population. This type of program could constitute a first step towards more formal practices once the motivation to practice has been enhanced by the perceived benefits of brief practices.

Unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) are a population at risk of mental health problems and a population with whom the therapeutic alliance can be difficult to set up. The therapeutic alliance's quality can impact the result and effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions. The aim of the present study was to gather URMs' points of view about mental health services and mental health professionals (MHP) in the host country. A summary of interviews conducted with URMs will allow a better understanding of their perception and expectations.Seven databases were searched with English and French keywords. In the end, nine studies were selected.The review of the interviews shows that URMs do not have a clear perception of MHP - it seems difficult for them to trust MHP, but also to understand the value of sharing past painful experiences to reduce current symptoms. They can have a negative perception of mental health and consider that this is not a priority. URMs prefer to focus on day-to-day problems, do activity-based interventions and do group sessions to value social interactions.Clinical and methodological implications are discussed. The development of an instrument to evaluate therapeutic care for URMs could be interesting for future research and for clinicians.

Previous research showed that mental rumination, considered as a form of repetitive and negative inner speech, is associated with increased facial muscular activity. However, the relation between these muscular activations and the underlying mental processes is still unclear. In this study, we tried to separate the facial electromyographic correlates of induced rumination related to either i) mechanisms of (inner) speech production or ii) rumination as a state of pondering on negative affects. To this end, we compared two groups of participants submitted to two types of rumination induction (for a total of 85 female undergraduate students without excessive depressive symptoms). The first type of induction was designed to specifically induce rumination in a verbal modality whereas the second one was designed to induce rumination in a visual modality. Following the *motor simulation view* of inner speech production, we hypothesised that the verbal rumination induction should result in a higher increase of activity in the speech-related muscles as compared to the non-verbal rumination induction. We also hypothesised that relaxation focused on the orofacial area should be more efficient in reducing rumination (when experienced in a verbal modality) than a relaxation focused on a non-orofacial area. Our results do not corroborate these hypotheses, as both rumination inductions resulted in a similar increase of peripheral muscular activity in comparison to baseline levels. Moreover, the two relaxation types were similarly efficient in reducing rumination, whatever the rumination induction. We discuss these results in relation to the inner speech literature and suggest that because rumination is a habitual and automatic form of emotion regulation, it might be a particularly (strongly) internalised and condensed form of inner speech. Pre-registered protocol, preprint, data, as well as reproducible code and figures are available at: https://osf.io/c9pag/.

Introduction Self-discrepancies (the distances between the perceived self and the ideal or the socially prescribed selves) are a hallmark in psychological distress. However, a clinical tool evaluating these discrepancies is lacking. Objective To investigate the validity, the psychometric characteristics and the clinical relevance of the Self-Discrepancy Scale, an instrument designed to assess with multiple indices discrepancies between mental representations of the self: the actual self, on the one hand and ideal or socially-prescribed selves, on the other hand. Method The Self-Discrepancy Scale has been administered to a large community sample, together with measures of depression, anxiety, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. It was also proposed to an additional clinical sample composed of clients with a diagnosis of mood or anxiety disorders seeking psychotherapeutic help. Results A factor analysis evidenced three underlying dimensions to self-discrepancies: the size of the discrepancies, the resulting distress and the presence to unwanted traits. Test-retest consistency is in the acceptable range. Different profiles of self-discrepancies distinguished clinical groups suffering from different disorders. Conclusions The data suggest that the Self-Discrepancy Scale is a valid measure of self-discrepancies and a valuable predictor of emotional vulnerability, especially with regards to abstract global judgments of discrepancies and of discrepancy induced distress. It is concluded that the Self-Discrepancy Scale offers a valuable help in clinical settings.

Cognitive models of psychopathology posit that metacognitive beliefs may figure prominently in the maintenance, and perhaps the etiology, of emotional disorders. Wells and Cartwright-Hatton (2004) developed the 30-item Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ-30) to measure metacognitive beliefs among individuals with anxiety and depression. However, uncertainty still abounds regarding the factorial structure of the French version of the MCQ-30. We designed the present study to overcome this issue. We computed confirmatory factor analyses to examine structural properties of the MCQ-30 in a French-speaking community sample (N = 262). Our results are consistent with previous studies, especially regarding the factorial structure. Moreover, good internal reliability and concurrent validity were observed. The MCQ-30 is a reliable and valid tool for assessing various factors of metacognitions for research and clinical purposes. Read More: https://guilfordjournals.com/doi/abs/10.1521/ijct.2017.10.3.219

International audience; Rumination is predominantly experienced in the form of repetitive verbal thoughts. Verbal rumination is a particular case of inner speech. According to the Motor Simulation view, inner speech is a kind of motor action, recruiting the speech motor system. In this framework, we predicted an increase in speech muscle activity during rumination as compared to rest. We also predicted increased forehead activity, associated with anxiety during rumination. We measured electromyographic activity over the orbicularis oris superior and inferior, frontalis and flexor carpi radialis muscles. Results showed increased lip and forehead activity after rumination induction compared to an initial relaxed state, together with increased self-reported levels of rumination. Moreover, our data suggest that orofacial relaxation is more effective in reducing rumination than non-orofacial relaxation. Altogether, these results support the hypothesis that verbal rumination involves the speech motor system, and provide a promising psychophysiological index to assess the presence of verbal rumination.

International audience; Deux conceptions de la nature de la parole intérieure s'opposent sur le plan théorique. Dans la lignée de la conception incarnée du langage, l'hypothèse de la Simulation Motrice conçoit la parole intérieure comme un acte moteur imaginé, simulé. Dans la conception mentaliste du langage, les tenants de l'hypothèse de l'Abstraction soutiennent que la parole intérieure est abstraite, appauvrie sur le plan articulatoire, voire amodale, et ne nécessite pas l'implication du système moteur. Prenant pour cas d'étude les ruminations mentales verbales, une forme de parole intérieure négative, répétitive, excessive et par conséquent abondante, nous proposons deux tests expérimentaux de ces hypothèses opposées. Le premier test examine si les ruminations mentales provoquées par un paradigme classique d'induction sont associées ou non à une activation motrice labiale, en mesurant l'activité électromyographique des lèvres. Le deuxième test évalue la contraposée de l'hypothèse de la Simulation Motrice, c'est-à-dire examine l'effet de la réduction de l'activité motrice orofaciale sur les ruminations, grâce à un protocole de relaxations ciblées. Nos résultats préliminaires semblent dans l'ensemble en faveur d'une nature incarnée et motrice des ruminations mentales. Le premier test montre en effet l'implication de la musculature labiale durant les ruminations. Le deuxième test suggère que le type de rumination induit par notre paradigme peut être réduit en relaxant spécifiquement les muscles de la parole, tels que les muscles des lèvres. Des études complémentaires sont envisagées pour confirmer ces résultats préliminaires, qui semblent soutenir l'hypothèse de la Simulation Motrice, selon laquelle la parole intérieure correspond à de la parole à voix haute simulée articulatoirement et inhibée avant l'exécution motrice.

International audience; Thought-shape fusion (TSF) is a cognitive distortion that has been linked with eating pathology; however, the specificity of this distortion to eating disorders has not yet been examined. The current study set out to investigate the effects of a TSF induction on susceptibility to TSF in three groups of women: individuals with an eating disorder (n = 33), individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD; n = 24), and control women with no history of either an eating disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder (n = 26). Participants were assigned to receive either a TSF induction or a neutral induction, and their cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses were assessed. As expected, the results demonstrated that individuals with eating disorders were more susceptible to TSF than were women with OCD and control participants, reporting higher state TSF, more negative affect, and more neutralization behavior. The results also supported the specificity of this distortion by demonstrating that individuals with OCD were not particularly susceptible to TSF. In fact, control participants demonstrated an increased susceptibility to TSF relative to women with OCD, as evidenced by their higher levels of trait TSF, and increased self-reported distress/difficulty in imagining a food-related situation.

BackgroundThe development of widely accessible, effective psychological interventions for depression is a priority. This randomized trial provides the first controlled data on an innovative cognitive bias modification (CBM) training guided self-help intervention for depression.MethodOne hundred and twenty-one consecutively recruited participants meeting criteria for current major depression were randomly allocated to treatment as usual (TAU) or to TAU plus concreteness training (CNT) guided self-help or to TAU plus relaxation training (RT) guided self-help. CNT involved repeated practice at mental exercises designed to switch patients from an unhelpful abstract thinking habit to a helpful concrete thinking habit, thereby targeting depressogenic cognitive processes (rumination, overgeneralization).ResultsThe addition of CNT to TAU significantly improved depressive symptoms at post-treatment [mean difference on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) 4.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29–7.26], 3- and 6-month follow-ups, and for rumination and overgeneralization post-treatment. There was no difference in the reduction of symptoms between CNT and RT (mean difference on the HAMD 1.98, 95% CI −1.14 to 5.11), although CNT significantly reduced rumination and overgeneralization relative to RT post-treatment, suggesting a specific benefit on these cognitive processes.ConclusionsThis study provides preliminary evidence that CNT guided self-help may be a useful addition to TAU in treating major depression in primary care, although the effect was not significantly different from an existing active treatment (RT) matched for structural and common factors. Because of its relative brevity and distinct format, it may have value as an additional innovative approach to increase the accessibility of treatment choices for depression.

A tendency toward abstract and overgeneral processing is a cognitive bias hypothesized to causally contribute to symptoms of depression. This hypothesis predicts that training dysphoric individuals to become more concrete and specific in their thinking would reduce depressive symptoms. To test this prediction, 60 participants with dysphoria were randomly allocated either to (a) concreteness training; (b) bogus concreteness training, matched with concreteness training for treatment rationale, experimenter contact, and treatment duration but without active engagement in concrete thinking; (c) a waiting-list, no training control. Concreteness training resulted in significantly greater decreases in depressive symptoms and significantly greater increases in concrete thinking than the waiting-list and the bogus training control, and significantly greater decreases in rumination than the waiting-list control. These findings suggest that concreteness training has potential as a guided self-help intervention for mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms.

Background Depression is a highly prevalent disorder which is usually considered as differentially experienced depending on gender. Behavioral theories of depression pinpoint the importance of the behavioral avoidance in the maintenance of depression. However, little is known about the specific impact of the behavioral avoidance and activation on each depressive symptom as well as on gender differences on the behavioral features of depression. Methods This study's aim was two-fold: (1) to assess the presence of gender differences on the BDI-II; (2) to investigate the respective predictive value of behavioral avoidance and of behavioral activation on each depressive symptom assessed by the BDI-II depending on gender. Community adults and adults attending mental healthcare composed the sample. Results Results showed differences in symptomatology profiles depending on gender (e.g. higher scores of sadness, self-criticalness in women, higher scores of past failure and loss of pleasure in men). Behavioral avoidance positively predicted almost all depressive symptoms in women and in men while behavioral activation negatively predicted almost all symptoms in both gender. Nevertheless, the strengths of these relationships were different for some symptoms (e.g. pessimism). Limitations The use of self-report instruments; the lack of assessment of causal or precipitating factors of the depressive symptomatology; the higher number of women in the sample. Conclusions Results are discussed with respect to previous findings and present clinical implications: (1) to underline the relevance of the combination of gender-specific assessment tools; (2) to highlight the need of tailored psychological intervention.

Resume Cet article presente l’application a un cas clinique de la procedure d’evaluation des processus pour les troubles anxiodepressifs developpee dans l’article de Philippot et al., 2015 (dans ce numero). Sept classes de processus ont ete identifiees par questionnaire chez Marie, une jeune femme de 28 ans souffrant d’une anxiete importante de ne pas pouvoir aller aux toilettes lorsqu’elle est anxieuse. Les resultats aux questionnaires ainsi que la discussion des resultats avec Marie mettent en evidence plusieurs processus psychologiques : evitements, mode de pensee abstrait-analytique, metacognitions, ecarts entre les sois, et faible sentiment d’efficacite personnel dans la regulation des emotions et la gestion du quotidien. La mise en evidence de ces processus implique plusieurs pistes therapeutiques : exposition ciblant la honte avec debriefing des significations, activation comportementale, identification et detachement par rapport aux pensees critiques, identification de la fonction des ruminations, reengagement attentionnel vers l’ici et maintenant et test comportemental des croyances metacognitives. Au bout de 12 seances, les questionnaires ont ete completes une nouvelle fois afin d’evaluer les changements. Les resultats mettent en evidence des modifications importantes sur certaines des dimensions evaluees et permettent de fixer de nouveaux objectifs pour la suite de la therapie.

Resume L’approche processuelle transdiagnostique a ete concue pour pallier les limites des protocoles de traitement empiriquement valides pour un diagnostic et regulierement utilises en therapie comportementale et cognitive. Dans cet article, nous avons presente une nouvelle maniere de concevoir les therapies : une approche modulaire et processuelle. Son idee centrale est que l’evaluation et l’intervention en psychopathologie doivent cibler les processus etiopathologiques, responsables de l’apparition et du maintien du trouble. Le rationnel general est de proposer un modele de conceptualisation de cas individuel centre sur les processus responsables du maintien du trouble chez la personne. Plus precisement, nous avons identifie et presente sept classes de processus (evitement experientiel et desactivation comportementale, strategies de regulation des emotions, croyances metacognitives dysfonctionnelles, sentiment d’inoperance et faible sentiment d’efficacite personnelle, ecarts entre les sois, ruminations mentales, intolerance a l’incertitude), ainsi que les questionnaires permettant de les evaluer. Des modules d’intervention ciblant chacun un processus dysfonctionnel chez un patient donne seront ensuite proposes.

International audience; OBJECTIVE: Thought-shape fusion (TSF) is a cognitive distortion that has been linked to eating pathology. Two studies were conducted to further explore this phenomenon and to establish the psychometric properties of a French short version of the TSF scale. METHOD: In Study 1, students (n = 284) completed questionnaires assessing TSF and related psychopathology. In Study 2, the responses of women with eating disorders (n = 22) and women with no history of an eating disorder (n = 23) were compared. RESULTS: The French short version of the TSF scale has a unifactorial structure, with convergent validity with measures of eating pathology, and good internal consistency. Depression, eating pathology, body dissatisfaction, and thought-action fusion emerged as predictors of TSF. Individuals with eating disorders have higher TSF, and more clinically relevant food-related thoughts than do women with no history of an eating disorder. DISCUSSION: This research suggests that the shortened TSF scale can suitably measure this construct, and provides support for the notion that TSF is associated with eating pathology.

International audience; The degree of specificity at which emotional information is activated might determine evoked emotional intensity. However, the nature of this effect remains unclear. Four studies tested (a) whether people hold the naı¨ve theory that activating specific details of emotional information arouses acute feelings; (b) whether an emotionally distressed population (social phobics) also holds that theory; and (c) whether voluntarily focusing on specific aspects of a distressing situation reduces its emotional impact. Results indicate that control as well as emotionally distressed people hold a naı¨ve theory that specifying emotion increases its intensity. However, Studies 3 and 4 showed that voluntarily elaborating specific aspects of a distressing situation reduces distress. Results are discussed in terms of voluntary versus automatic processing of emotional information.

International audience; Cet article présente un modèle des émotions et ses applications à l'étiologie des troubles émotionnels et aux processus psychothérapeutiques, comme base d'intervention psychothérapeutique dans une perspective cognitive et comportementale. Ce modèle postule que les processus émotionnels sont organisés par deux structures de représentation qui travaillent en parallèle : le système schématique et le système propositionnel. Le système schématique est constitué des associations récurrentes entre stimuli et réponses dans l'ensemble des expériences émotionnelles d'un individu. Ce système est régi par des processus automatiques et implicites. Le système propositionnel est constitué d'un ensemble de connaissances explicites, qui peut être représenté sous forme d'un réseau propositionnel. Cette base de données peut être exploitée volontairement par l'individu. Enfin, certains processus (les processus autonoétiques) permettent de faire le lien entre les deux systèmes. Le modèle bi-mnésique est ensuite appliqué à la pathologie des émotions. Un aspect de cette pathologie, la sur-activation dysfonctionnelle d'un schéma émotionnel, est examiné en détail : quels processus expliquent l'apparition et le maintien de telles sur-activations? Enfin, sur la base des modèles théoriques et étiologiques présentés, différentes pistes d'intervention sont proposées.

Current research in clinical psychology is focused on the study of psychological processes implicated on the onset and maintenance of many psychological disorders. Two of these processes have been extensively explored: repetitive negative thinking (RNT), which is predominantly verbal, and the visual perspective adopted in mental images (i.e., actor vs. observer). Even if they represent two distinct phenomena, RNT and the observer perspective both seem to serve an avoidance function and be underpinned by a process of abstraction focused on the analysis of the “why” of events (i.e., the adoption of an abstract level of construal). These functional and processual similarities suggest a potential association between RNT and the observer perspective. However, few studies have examined this association. Therefore, this dissertation explored the association between RNT and the visual perspective in mental imagery as well as their underlying process (i.e., abstraction) and function (i.e., avoidance). Results of four correlational studies showed that RNT and the observer perspective were not associated. They also replicated results from previous studies on the role of avoidance and abstraction in RNT but not in visual perspective. Results from three experimental studies also showed that the induction of RNT at an abstract level had no effect on visual perspective or emotional reactivity, and more generally, that the induction of an abstract level of construal did not influence visual perspective, RNT, and emotional response during the anticipation or the post-event processing of an emotional task. Finally, a meta-analysis conducted on published studies as well as on our studies confirmed the absence of association between RNT and the observer perspective. Overall, it seems that RNT and the observer perspective adopted in mental imagery are not associated. These results are discussed in light of theoretical models and methodological implications., Les recherches actuelles en psychologie clinique sont centrées sur l’étude des processus psychologiques impliqués dans le développement et le maintien de nombreux troubles psychologiques. Deux de ces processus ont fait l’objet de nombreuses études : les pensées répétitives négatives (PRN), qui sont majoritairement verbales, et la perspective visuelle adoptée dans les images mentales (i.e., acteur vs. observateur). Bien que représentant des phénomènes distincts, les PRN et la perspective d’observateur semblent toutes deux avoir une fonction d’évitement et dépendre d’un processus d’abstraction centré sur l’analyse du « pourquoi » des événements (i.e., l’adoption d’un mode abstrait de traitement de l’information). Ces similarités fonctionnelles et processuelles amènent à se questionner sur les liens possibles entre les PRN et la perspective d’observateur. Pourtant, très peu d’études se sont intéressées à cette association. Par conséquent, cette thèse portait sur les liens entre les PRN et la perspective d’observateur en imagerie mentale, ainsi qu’à leur processus sous-jacent (i.e., l’abstraction) et leur fonction (i.e., l’évitement). Les résultats de quatre études corrélationnelles indiquent que les PRN et la perspective d’observateur ne sont pas associées. Ils répliquent aussi des résultats d’études passées sur le rôle de l’évitement et de l’abstraction dans les PRN mais pas dans la perspective d’observateur. Les résultats de trois études expérimentales montrent également que l’induction de PRN sur un mode abstrait n’a pas d’effet sur la perspective visuelle adoptée ou la réactivité émotionnelle et, plus globalement, que l’induction d’un mode abstrait de traitement de l’information n’a pas d’effet sur la perspective visuelle adoptée, les PRN, ou la réponse émotionnelle lors de l’anticipation ou le rappel d’une tâche émotionnelle. Finalement, une méta-analyse conduite sur les études publiées et les études menées dans le cadre de cette thèse semble confirmer l’absence de lien entre les PRN et la perspective d’observateur. Dans l’ensemble, il semblerait que les PRN et la perspective d’observateur en imagerie mentale ne soient pas associées. Ces résultats sont discutés au regard des modèles théoriques et des implications méthodologiques.