Trait Mindfulness, Problem-Gambling Severity, Altered State of Awareness and Urge to Gamble in Poker-Machine Gamblers
In Australia, poker-machine gamblers represent a disproportionate number of problem gamblers. To cultivate a greater understanding of the psychological mechanisms involved in poker-machine gambling, a repeated measures cue-reactivity protocol was administered. A community sample of 38 poker-machine gamblers was assessed for problem-gambling severity and trait mindfulness. Participants were also assessed regarding altered state of awareness (ASA) and urge to gamble at baseline, following a neutral cue, and following a gambling cue. Results indicated that: (a) urge to gamble significantly increased from neutral cue to gambling cue, while controlling for baseline urge; (b) cue-reactive ASA did not significantly mediate the relationship between problem-gambling severity and cue-reactive urge (from neutral cue to gambling cue); (c) trait mindfulness was significantly negatively associated with both problem-gambling severity and cue-reactive urge (i.e., from neutral cue to gambling cue, while controlling for baseline urge); and (d) trait mindfulness did not significantly moderate the effect of problem-gambling severity on cue-reactive urge (from neutral cue to gambling cue). This is the first study to demonstrate a negative association between trait mindfulness and cue-reactive urge to gamble in a population of poker-machine gamblers. Thus, this association merits further evaluation both in relation to poker-machine gambling and other gambling modalities.
Adult attachment, worry and reassurance seeking: Investigating the role of intolerance of uncertainty
Background: The adult attachment dimension of attachment anxiety has been demonstrated to be associated with a variety of anxiety symptomology, including worry, intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and reassurance seeking. A variety of research has indicated that IU is associated with level of worry and reassurance seeking. The relationships between attachment anxiety, worry, IU and threat-related reassurance seeking have not been subject to investigation. The present article reports the results of an investigation of these variables within a community sample.
Methods: Three-hundred and twenty-eight participants were recruited to complete an online survey in which participants completed the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale-Revised, the Penn State Worry Questionnaire and the Threat-related Reassurance Seeking Scale.
Results:Attachment anxiety, IU and worry were correlated with threat-related reassurance seeking. Consistent with previous research, IU was found to mediate the relationship between attachment anxiety and worry. IU and worry were found to be serial-multiple mediators in the relationship between attachment anxiety and threat-related reassurance seeking.
Conclusions:The results of the study suggest IU is likely to play a key role in the relationship between attachment anxiety and worry, as well as the relationship between attachment anxiety and threat-related reassurance seeking.
Trait Mindfulness Moderates the Relationship Between Early Maladaptive Schemas and Depressive Symptoms
Previous research has demonstrated that depressive symptoms are positively linked to early maladaptive schemas and negatively linked to trait mindfulness. However, the role trait mindfulness may play in buffering the effect of early maladaptive schemas on depressive symptoms has not yet been studied. Therefore, in the current study, we examined whether trait mindfulness moderates this relationship. Specifically, using a community sample of 207 Australian adults, we administered the Mindful Attention and Awareness Scale, the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form-3rd Edition, and the Depression subscale of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Results revealed that trait mindfulness moderated the relationship between early maladaptive schema endorsement and depressive symptoms. The findings are consistent with the proposition that trait mindfulness acts as a protective mechanism in limiting depressive symptomatology. Theoretical implications are discussed, with a focus on understanding how and why mindfulness-based affect regulation strategies can be used to help buffer the effect of early maladaptive schemas on depression.
The impact of information presentation style on belief change: An experimental investigation of a Socratic Method analogue
Background Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) employs a variety of psychological techniques and procedures with the aim of achieving cognitive change, such as in the strength of belief in dysfunctional cognitions. The present study aimed to investigate whether analogues of two commonly used CBT information presentation styles, Socratic Method, and didactic psychoeducation, differentially impacted upon the strength of a commonly held irrational belief.
Method Sixty‐nine participants were recruited to participate in the online experimental study. Participants were allocated to one of the three conditions and presented with a 15‐min intervention: an analogue of the Socratic Method, didactic psychoeducation, or non‐relevant reading (the control condition). Measures of belief, anxiety, and behaviour relating to the target cognition were analysed pre‐ and post‐intervention.
Results Results indicated significant change occurred in strength of belief from pre‐to‐post intervention across all three conditions. The Socratic analogue condition resulted in significantly greater belief change than the control condition, but did not display significantly greater belief change than the didactic psychoeducation condition. In contrast, the didactic psychoeducation condition did not display significantly different belief change than the control condition.
Conclusions The results of the study do not provide evidence of a clear superiority of an analogue of the Socratic Method relative to didactic psychoeducation, with regards to magnitude of belief change following a brief intervention. Despite a number of methodological limitations, the results of the present study do suggest that the impact of the Socratic Method on belief change warrants further investigation.
Cue-Reactive Imagery Mediates the Relationships of Reward Responsiveness with Both Cue-Reactive Urge to Gamble and Positive Affect in Poker-Machine Gamblers
Previous research has demonstrated that gambling cues (e.g., flashing lights on poker-machines) can trigger an urge to gamble in poker-machine gamblers. However, the psychological mechanisms that promote the urge to gamble remain poorly understood. The present study explored whether reward responsiveness predicted urge to gamble and positive affect, and whether cue-reactive rationality, volitional control and imagery mediated these relationships. Ninety-three (45% male and 55% female) Australian regular poker-machine gamblers aged between 18 and 77 participated in an online cue-reactivity experiment. Participants initially completed the Problem Gambling Severity Index and Reward Responsiveness scale. Subsequently, at three time points (i.e., baseline, directly after a neutral cue and directly after a gambling cue) participants completed the rationality, volitional control and imagery subscales of the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory and two visual analogue scales that measured urge to gamble and positive affect. Analyses indicated that gambling cues triggered statistically significant increases in both urge to gamble and positive affect and these variables were statistically significantly positively correlated with reward responsiveness. Furthermore, only cue-reactive imagery mediated the relationships between reward responsiveness and the two outcome variables (i.e., cue-reactive urge to gamble and positive affect). These findings highlight the potential importance of targeting reward responsiveness and cue-reactive mental imagery in the context of exposure therapies for poker-machine problem gamblers.
Cue-Reactive Altered State of Consciousness Mediates the Relationship Between Problem-Gambling Severity and Cue-Reactive Urge in Poker-Machine Gamblers
In order to enhance our understanding of the nature of poker-machine problem-gambling, a community sample of 37 poker-machine gamblers (M age = 32 years, M PGSI = 5; PGSI = Problem Gambling Severity Index) were assessed for urge to gamble (responses on a visual analogue scale) and altered state of consciousness (assessed by the Altered State of Awareness dimension of the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory) at baseline, after a neutral cue, and after a gambling cue. It was found that (a) problem-gambling severity (PGSI score) predicted increase in urge (from neutral cue to gambling cue, controlling for baseline; sr² = .19, p = .006) and increase in altered state of consciousness (from neutral cue to gambling cue, controlling for baseline; sr² = .57, p < .001), and (b) increase in altered state of consciousness (from neutral cue to gambling cue) mediated the relationship between problem-gambling severity and increase in urge (from neutral cue to gambling cue; K² = .40, 99 % CI [.08, .71]). These findings suggest that cue-reactive altered state of consciousness is an important component of cue-reactive urge in poker-machine problem-gamblers.
The utility of the health belief model variables in predicting help-seeking intention for depressive symptoms
Objective:Depressive disorders are prevalent and associated with significant burden. Although effective treatments exist, many individuals do not seek help. The current study aims to examine the barriers to help-seeking for depressive symptoms in an Australian sample, and to examine the utility of Health Belief Model (HBM) factors in predicting the likelihood of future help-seeking in relation to depressive disorders.
Method:The study used a cross-sectional design. One hundred and eighty Australians aged over 18 completed the current study (Mage = 35.85; SD = 13.43; 76.1% female).
Results:The most influential treatment barriers in this sample related to direct costs, indirect costs, and a belief that treatment from a psychologist was not needed. Regression analysis indicated that 49% of the variance in intention to seek help from a psychologist was associated with HBM variables. Level of perceived treatment benefit was the strongest predictor of help-seeking intention.
Conclusion:In order to increase help-seeking for depressive disorders, public health campaigns must enhance perceptions about the benefits of psychological treatment and government policy and/or treatment providers must work to reduce the direct and indirect costs of psychological treatments within Australia.
Trait mindfulness mediates the relationship between early maladaptive schema and interpersonal problems
Objective:This study investigated whether early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) are associated with interpersonal problems and whether this relationship is mediated by trait mindfulness.
Method:One hundred and seventeen participants (M = 34.66, SD = 17.14) were recruited and completed measures of EMSs (Young Schema Questionnaire, Short Form, Version 3; YSQ-SF-3), trait mindfulness (Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills; KIMS) and interpersonal problems (Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-32; IIP-32).
Results:The number of EMSs endorsed by an individual at a clinically significant level was negatively associated with trait mindfulness and positively associated with interpersonal problems. Trait mindfulness was negatively associated with interpersonal problems. Only the describing and accepting without judgement facets of trait mindfulness were found to mediate the relationship between EMS endorsement and interpersonal problems.
Conclusions:The relationship between EMSs and interpersonal problems may partially operate through some facets of trait mindfulness. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed.