Relationship of depression with empathy, emotional intelligence, and symptoms of a weakened immune system.

Introduction: Previous studies have used different individual scales to examine the relationship of depression with emotional intelligence, empathy, and immune-based diseases. In this study, we used a combination of psychometric scales to examine the relationships of depression with emotional intelligence (intrapersonal and interpersonal), empathy (affective and cognitive), and symptoms of weakened immune system. Methods: This cross-sectional prospective study examined 158 volunteers (39 males and 119 females). A score of 10 or more on the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) was used to define depression. The Cognitive and Affective Empathy Test (TECA) was used to assess empathy, and the Profile of Emotional Competence (PEC) was used to assess the self-perception of intrapersonal and interpersonal competence. The symptoms of a weakened immune system (WIS) were assessed by measurements of permanent tiredness, frequent infections and colds, slow wound healing, persistent and recurrent diarrhea, recurring herpes, insomnia and difficulty sleeping, and dry eyes. Results: The total PEC score and intrapersonal PEC score had negative correlations with depression, and the WIS score had a positive correlation with depression. The TECA score had no significant correlation with depression or the WIS score, but had positive correlations with the total PEC score, intrapersonal PEC score, and interpersonal PEC score. Conclusion: The total PEC score, intrapersonal PEC score, and WIS score were significantly associated with depression. The TECA score was not significantly associated with depression or the WIS score. Our findings suggest that improving intrapersonal emotional skills may improve function of the immune system and reduce the symptoms of depression. We suggest that further studies examine the effect of targeted improvement of interpersonal skills (empathy) on depression.

A cross-sectional and longitudinal investigation of the external correlates of sluggish cognitive tempo and ADHD-inattention symptoms dimensions.

The objective was to determine if the external correlates of sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) and ADHD-inattention (IN) dimensions were the same in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Teachers and aides rated SCT, ADHD-IN, ADHD-hyperactivity/impulsivity (HI), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and depression along with academic impairment in 758 Spanish children (55 % boys) on three occasions (twice at the end of the first grade year [6-week separation] and then again 12-months later at the end of the second grade year). Three of eight SCT symptoms showed substantial loadings on the SCT factor and substantially higher loadings on the SCT factor than the ADHD-IN factor for teachers and aides at each assessment (seems drowsy, thinking is slow, and slow moving). Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses yielded similar results with SCT and ADHD-IN factors having different and unique external correlates (higher scores on SCT predicted lower scores on ADHD-HI and ODD while higher scores on ADHD-IN predicted higher scores on ADHD-HI and ODD with SCT and ADHD-IN both uniquely predicting academic impairment and depression). Developmental and methodological reasons are discussed for the failure to find an inconsistent alertness SCT factor (daydreams, alertness fluctuates, absent-minded, loses train of though, and confused).

Relación entre el humor positivo y la Ansiedad Rasgo y Estado / Relationship between positive humor and State and Trait anxiety

En el presente estudio se evaluó la capacidad del humor positivo para reducir los niveles de Ansiedad-Estado. De igual forma, se exploró la asociación entre Ansiedad-Rasgo y la Ansiedad-Estado con la aparición de pensamientos positivos. Por ello, se registró la Ansiedad-Estado (en situación basal, después de visualizar 25 minutos de una película dramática y al finalizar 25 minutos de vídeos humorísticos) y la Ansiedad-Rasgo en 41 estudiantes universitarios, así como la frecuencia de aparición de pensamientos positivos. Los vídeos humorísticos redujeron significativamente los niveles de Ansiedad-Estado, y se halló una relación significativa entre la ansiedad-Rasgo (pero no la Ansiedad-Estado) y el estilo de pensamiento, puesto que los participantes que presentaban un bajo nivel de Ansiedad-Rasgo mostraron un mayor número de pensamientos positivos, en comparación con los que contaban niveles más altos de Ansiedad-Rasgo. Se sugieren propuestas terapéuticas en relación al uso de las tecnologías como moduladoras de la Ansiedad-Rasgo (AU)

In the study, the capacity of positive humor to reduce State-Anxiety levels was assessed. We also explored the association between Stat-Anxiety negative thoughts. For this purpose both State-Anxiety (during baseline, after watching 25 minutes of a drama film and after another 25 minutes of watching humor videos) and Trait-Anxiety, as well as the presence of positive and negative thoughts, were assessed in a sample of 41 university students. The humor videos were shown to significantly reduce the levels of State Anxiety. We also showed that Trait Anxiety-But not State Anxiety- was significantly associated with the type and frequency of thoughts, since participants with low Trait-Anxiety scores reported more positive thoughts, as compared to those having higher levels of Trait-Anxiety. Therapeutic approaches based on new technologies are proposed in order to modulate Trait Anxiety (AU)