The relationship between interoceptive emotional awareness, neuroticism, and depression, anxiety, and stress.

COVID-19 has caused challenges to daily living globally, with profound implications for negative mood. A variety of state and trait-based factors can influence how a person may respond and adapt to challenges such as a global pandemic. Personality is an area impacting how a person responds to both internal and external situations (trait) and Emotional Awareness (EA) is a facet of interoception (an awareness of the mind-body connection) that determines the way an individual interprets their physiological state of the body, and the associated emotions (state-trait). Both areas have been well researched in isolation, however the body of literature exploring the relationships between both is much smaller. It would therefore be beneficial to explore the interrelationships of both state and trait factors on wellbeing to enable a more comprehensive understanding. It was hypothesised that EA would moderate the relationship between Neuroticism and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress. Participants residing in Australia during periods of imposed lockdown were included within the study (n = 838; Ages = 18-60 years) and completed an online questionnaire battery including a variety of state and trait questionnaires. A moderation analysis was conducted to explore whether Emotional Awareness changed the relationship between neuroticism and depression, anxiety, and stress utilising an alpha of < .05. EA moderated the relationship between Neuroticism and Anxiety (p = .001, 95% CI .03-.17)), and Stress (p = .02 95% CI.01-.13), but not Depression (p = .23, 95% CI .03-.13). As Neuroticism increased, negative mood increased for all levels of EA, however those high in Neuroticism and EA displayed the highest Anxiety and Stress. Interventions to increase EA, such as mindfulness, may have adverse effects for individuals high in Neuroticism, emphasising the importance of tailored interventions and supporting the assumption that high levels of Neuroticism represent increased vulnerability during a pandemic.

Assessment of the mind-body connection: preliminary psychometric evidence for a new self-report questionnaire.

OBJECTIVES: While interoceptive self-report scales provide a foundation for measuring the mind-body connection, they variably consider other important factors that could influence interpretations of internal bodily sensations and perceptions related to mind-body integration. The proposed Body-Mind Connection Questionnaire (BMCQ) aimed to operationalise the notion that this construct involves three major components: (a) Interoceptive Attention, (b) Sensation-Emotion Articulation, and (c) Body-Mind Values. METHODS: Following panel review and piloting with the target population, the developed BMCQ was evaluated in 316 participants (189 identifying as female) aged 18-50 (MAge=30.78), alongside established self-report measures of interoceptive sensibility, body awareness, sensory processing sensitivity, and alexithymia. We examined the BMCQ factor structure through exploratory factor analysis and analysed convergent and discriminant validity. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis supported three scales of the BMCQ, which explained 54.03% of variance. Factor loadings (>0.44) and reliability indices (0.74 to 0.85) were acceptable. Inter-scale correlations suggested that the scales are distinct but related (rs=0.38 to 0.59). BMCQ scales were supported by convergent (r=0.33 to 0.67) and discriminant evidence (rs=0.01 to 0.39, p range n.s. to <.05). CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary psychometric properties indicate that the BMCQ is multidimensional and consists of three constructs that differentially relate to theoretically associated measures. Interoceptive Attention, Sensation-Emotion Articulation, and Body-Mind Values may serve as a basis for efficiently assessing the mind-body connection more holistically, which could be useful for developing interventions aimed at enhancing mind-body integration.

A true reflection of executive functioning or a representation of task-specific variance? Re-evaluating the unity/diversity framework.

The unity/diversity framework, originally published by Miyake et al. (2000) has become the most cited model of executive functioning. Consequently, when researchers operationalise executive function (EF) they often exclusively assess the three "core" EFs: updating, shifting, and inhibition. However, rather than core EFs representing domain general cognitive abilities, these three EFs may instead represent specific procedural skills from the overlapping methodologies of the tasks selected. In this study, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) which showed both the traditional three-factor and nested-factor model from the unity/diversity framework failed to reach satisfactory levels of fit. Subsequently, an exploratory factor analysis supported a three-factor model reflecting: an expanded working memory factor, a combined shifting/inhibition factor representing cognitive flexibility, and a factor comprised solely of the Stroop task. These results demonstrate that working memory remains the most robustly operationalised EF construct, whereas shifting and inhibition may represent task-specific mechanisms of a broader domain-general cognitive flexibility factor. Ultimately, there is little evidence to suggest that updating, shifting, and inhibition encapsulates all core EFs. Further research is needed to develop an ecologically valid model of executive functioning that captures the cognitive abilities associated with real world goal-directed behaviour.

A latent factor approach to the Saving Inventory - Revised: Congeneric evaluation of construct and content validity.

BACKGROUND: Inconsistencies have been identified in the three-factor structure and item loadings of the most commonly used self-report hoarding screening tool, the Saving Inventory - Revised (SI-R), which assesses difficulty discarding, clutter and acquisition. The current study aimed to confirm the factor structure of the SI-R using congeneric modelling, and evaluate the construct and content validity of this measure. METHODS: 139 participants with self-identified hoarding completed the SI-R. Congeneric structural equation modelling was then performed to validate the SI-R factor structure. RESULTS: The three-factor structure of the SI-R was confirmed as a valid, reliable and good fitting model. However, the difficulty discarding and clutter subscales were required to covary. CONCLUSIONS: The SI-R was confirmed as an appropriate screening tool for hoarding severity; however, revision of item wording may improve content validity. Future research could consider exploring the relationships between a range of hoarding-related constructs and the differential endorsement of SI-R subscales. LIMITATIONS: As data were collected during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, panic buying and hoarding-related acquiring behaviours may have been exacerbated. In addition, the diagnostic status of participants was not verified, despite the inclusion of individuals endorsing clinically significant hoarding symptoms.

Associations between self-reported psychological symptom severity and gut microbiota: further support for the microgenderome.

BACKGROUND: Research into the brain-gut-microbiota axis (BGMA) continues to reveal associations between gut microbiota (GM) and psychological symptom expression, inspiring new ways of conceptualising psychological disorders. However, before GM modulation can be touted as a possible auxiliary treatment option, more research is needed as inconsistencies in previous findings regarding these associations are prevalent. Additionally, the concept of the microgenderome, which proposes that GM may interact with sex hormones, has received limited attention in studies using human samples to date. However, such research has demonstrated sex specific associations between GM and psychological symptom expression. METHOD: This cross-sectional retrospective study explores associations between GM species (identified through faecal microbial analysis) and symptom severity across four psychological domains (Depressive, Neurocognitive, Stress and Anxiety, and Sleep and Fatigue) for males (N = 1143) and females (N = 3467) separately. RESULTS: GM species from several genera including Bifidobacterium, Clostridium, Enterococcus, and Leuconostoc were found to be differentially associated with psychological symptom severity for males and females. As such, the findings of the current study provide support for the concept of the microgenderome. CONCLUSION: While further research is needed before their implementation in psychological treatment plans, the current findings suggest that modulation of GM at the species level may hold promise as auxiliary diagnostic or treatment options. These findings may give further insight into a client's presenting problem from a more holistic, multidisciplinary perspective. The clear sex divergence in associations between GM and symptoms give insight into sex discrepancies in susceptibility to psychological disorders.

Distinguishing between trait emotional intelligence and the five-factor model of personality: additive predictive validity of emotional intelligence for negative emotional states.

There is ongoing debate on the utility of trait emotional intelligence and whether it is distinguishable from the five-factor model of personality. In study 1, we investigated the incremental validity of trait emotional intelligence in predicting negative emotional states, after controlling for the five-factor model personality traits. The TEIQue, Mini-IPIP, and DASS-21 were administered to a community based Australian sample. Three significant predictive models emerged: (1) wellbeing, and neuroticism predicting depression; (2) emotionality, and neuroticism predicting anxiety; and (3) self-control, and neuroticism predicting stress. In Study 2, we further explored the relationship between TEIQue domains, neuroticism, and negative emotional states. Three partial mediation models were found: (1) wellbeing mediated the relationship between neuroticism and depression; (2) emotionality mediated the relationship between neuroticism and anxiety; and (3) self-control mediated the relationship between neuroticism and stress. The findings highlight that trait emotional intelligence is related to, and yet distinct from extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, and openness. They also provide support for the incremental validity of the TEIQue domains in predicting depression, anxiety, and stress, beyond the five-factor model personality traits in a community based Australian sample, with the domains of trait emotional intelligence potentially operating as protective factors from pervasive negative moods.

The role of the brain-gut-microbiota axis in psychology: The importance of considering gut microbiota in the development, perpetuation, and treatment of psychological disorders.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of psychological disorders remains stable despite steady increases in pharmacological treatments suggesting the need for auxiliary treatment options. Consideration of the brain-gut-microbiota axis (BGMA) has made inroads into reconceptualizing psychological illness from a more holistic perspective. While our understanding of the precise role of gut microbiota (GM) in psychological illness is in its infancy, it represents an attractive target for novel interventions. METHOD: An extensive review of relevant literature was undertaken. RESULTS: Gut microbiota are proposed to directly and indirectly influence mood, cognition, and behavior which are key components of mental health. This paper outlines how GM may be implicated in psychological disorders from etiology through to treatment and prevention using the Four P model of case formulation. CONCLUSION: Moving forward, integration of GM into the conceptualization and treatment of psychological illness will require the discipline of psychology to undergo a significant paradigm shift. While the importance of the GM in psychological well-being must be respected, it is not proposed to be a panacea, but instead, an additional arm to a multidisciplinary approach to treatment and prevention.