ABCT 2018

*Presentations authored/co-authored by student mentees.

Depression and Anxiety (Internalizing)
Disorders

*Agarwal, A., Lee H. N., Bush, A., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2018, November). The interaction of rumination and negative cognitive styles on depression. Poster presented at the 52^nd annual convention of the Association for Behavioral Cognitive Therapies, Washington, DC.

• Introduction. People with negative cognitive styles tend to attribute negative life events to stable and global causes. Numerous studies show that people who have make such attributions experience the adverse effects of stress keenly and are at an increased risk for depression when faced with stressful events. A large body of work suggests that rumination, or the tendency to repetitively think about one's negative emotions in response to negative events, also exacerbates the adverse effects of stress. However, the relative contribution of rumination versus negative cognitive styles to the adverse effects of stress on depression is not known. This study aimed to elucidate this contribution by testing whether the interactions of rumination and negative cognitive styles with perceived stress uniquely account for variance in depression symptoms.
• Methods. Sixty-nine undergraduates (n=49 Caucasians, 58% female, Mage= 19.97, SD=3.71) were given an informed consent and were asked to complete a survey. The survey consisted of measures of negative cognitive style attributes (Cognitive Style Questionnaire), stress (Perceived Stress Scale), rumination (Ruminative Response Scale), and depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale).
• Results. Hierarchical linear regression revealed that independent of sex and age, negative cognitive style significantly moderated the effects of perceived stress on depression symptoms (b= .080, p <.001). Notably, neither the direct effect of rumination, nor its interaction with perceived stress reached a level of significance.
• Conclusion. Consistent with the extant literature, our findings suggest that negative attributional styles exacerbate the effects of stress. Our finding null effects of rumination on depression symptoms in the presence of negative cognitive styles are noteworthy, given the relatively greater focus of the literature on rumination to negative cognitive styles.  Limitations and future research direction will be discussed.

*Bush, A., Basting, E., Goncy, E.A., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2018, November). The mediating role of the negative cognitive styles between childhood maltreatment and depression. Poster presented at the 52nd annual Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies convention, Washington D.C.

• Introduction. One well-documented consequence of experiencing childhood maltreatment is depression with evidence that negative cognitive styles mediate this relationship. Previous research examining this mediation has primarily emphasized parental psychological abuse, with relatively less attention paid to the effects of physical abuse on negative cognitive styles. Further, it is unclear whether the relationship between abuse, negative cognitive styles, and depression differ as a function of perpetrator (i.e., mother, father), nor whether certain cognitive styles (internal, global, stable) are a stronger mediator of the effects abuse on depression. This study aimed to clarify these questions. First, we compared the relative contributions of physical and psychological abuse to negative cognitive styles and depression. Second, we examined whether these effects differed as a function of abuse source. Finally, we tested the mediation effects of negative cognitive style dimensions between abuse and depression. Based on previous research, we hypothesized that psychological abuse would be more predictive of negative cognitive styles than physical abuse, specifically when perpetrated by mothers. Further, we hypothesized that internal, global, and stable cognitive styles would independently mediate the relationship between childhood abuse and depression in adulthood.
• Methods. Participants were 89 undergraduate students (76% female, M age=19.70, SD=3.34) who completed measures of depressive symptoms (CES-D), negative cognitive styles (Cognitive Style Questionnaire), and their history of mother-to-child and father-to-child psychological and physical abuse (Psychological and Physical Maltreatment Scales).
• Results. Surprisingly, maternal physical abuse emerged as the sole predictor of depression symptoms (b=1.13, p<.01) and the internal/external dimension of negative cognitive styles (b=-.068, p<.05). Interestingly, participants who reported experiencing maternal physical abuse were less likely to make internal causal attributions for their negative life events. As expected tendencies to make internal causal attributions were associated with elevated depression levels (b=2.85, p<.05), and the internal/external dimension of negative cognitive styles mediated the effect of maternal physical abuse on depression (indirect effect= -.19, 95% CI= -.51-.02).
• Conclusion. Our finding that individuals who experience maternal physical abuse are less likely to blame themselves for the cause of negative events, and therefore evidence lower depression levels, may be understood in several ways. First, their external attributions may reflect an adaptive, compensatory response that enabled them to survive their adverse early life environment and "steeled" them to the effect of depressogenic stress. Second, the reduced tendencies for those with abuse histories to make internal attributions for negative events may reflect the presence of externalizing disorder symptoms that, while unmeasured in this study, are associated with punitive family environments. These possibilities should be explored in future investigations.

*Jaworski, K., Bolla, P., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2018, November). Impact of alcohol use on emotional inertia and depression. Poster was presented at the 52nd Annual Convention Association for Behavioral Cognitive Therapies, Washington, DC.

• Introduction. Depression is a mood disorder marked by intense feelings of sadness, hopelessness and a loss of interest in things that were once pleasurable. A growing literature suggests that Emotional Inertia (EI), characterized by consistent chronological invariability in emotional states and mood, is associated with elevated depression symptoms, a protracted depression course, and may predict the onset of depressive disorders. Therefore, EI may be an important marker of depression risk. Problematic alcohol use (AU) is another risk factor for a protracted course of depression. While imbibing alcohol is associated with positive emotional states, there is evidence to suggest that its chronic, problematic use reduces the experience of hedonic emotions and potentiates the presence of stable negative emotional states. Therefore, problematic AU may contribute to EI, although this relationship has yet to be investigated. While depression is a well-known risk factor and outcome of problematic AU, prior studies that examined the relationship between EI and depression did not take AU into account. This study tested whether co-occurring depression symptoms and problematic AU incrementally predict EI than either index alone in a community sample of adults with various depression histories.
• Methods. Twenty-seven adults (33% Male, Mage= 29.59, SDage=13.30) completed measures of depression symptoms () and alcohol use (), and a 7 day experience sampling protocol during which they reported up to 5 times a day on their negative affect (aggregate of "sad", "upset","angry", and "frustrated" items via a 5-point Likert scale) at times of peak distress during the prior hour (peak NA). Emotion Insensitivity reflected high auto-regression parameters between peak NA reported at a given prompt (peak NAt) and prior report of peak NA (peak NAt-1).
• Results. Independent of age and sex, maladaptive IER positively associated with using alcohol and drugs to reduce distress (b = .21, p = .05), while adaptive IER negatively predicted such coping behaviors (b = -.10, p = .03). In contrast to expectation, social support was unrelated to coping, and did not moderate the relationship between either IER.
• Conclusion. Findings suggest that alcohol use reduces emotional variability among those with depression symptoms. This finding may suggest that alcohol problems compound the experience of dysphoria associated with depression, thereby maintaining negative mood states among those with elevated depression symptoms. Though not examined in this study, it is feasible that such dysphoric states may, in turn, contribute to problematic drinking, as alcohol use is a well-known maladaptive coping response to negative emotions. Future works should explore this possibility, and if substantiated, may shed light on how comorbid alcohol problems and depression develop. 

*Jaworski, K., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2018, November). Using substances to cope: Differences in interpersonal emotion regulation strategies. Poster was presented at the 52nd Annual Convention Association for Behavioral Cognitive Therapies, Washington, DC.

• Introduction. Interpersonal emotion regulation (IER) refers to responses that alter the intensity, duration, frequency, and nature of a given emotional state within the interpersonal domain. IER strategies can be both adaptive, such as seeking social support, or maladaptive, as in engaging in interpersonal conflict. The use of adaptive and maladaptive IER responses has been linked to non-interpersonal emotion regulation strategies, such as the use of alcohol and drugs to cope with distress. However, constituencies imparting on the intensity and nature of these relationships are not entirely understood. One of these may be social support, as IER responses rely on access to others. This study tested the unique effects of adaptive and maladaptive IER responses on coping through substance use, as well as the moderating role of perceived social support in these associations.
• Methods. Sixty-four college students (34% Male, M_age= 21.02, SD_age=5.61) completed measures of coping strategies that included alcohol and substance use (Brief-COPE), adaptive and maladaptive IER (Feelings and Me), and perceived social support (Multi-dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support). 
• Results. Independent of age and sex, maladaptive IER positively associated with using alcohol and drugs to reduce distress (b = .21, p = .05), while adaptive IER negatively predicted such coping behaviors (b = -.10, p = .03). In contrast to expectation, social support was unrelated to coping, and did not moderate the relationship between either IER.
• Conclusion. Our results suggest that interpersonal emotion regulation responses are associated with maladaptive coping through alcohol and substance use. Given that maladaptive IER responses exacerbate and prolong dysphoric states, it is feasible that the dispositional use of such responses sets the stage for the responder to turn to fast acting, but fleeting relief from distress that is offered by alcohol and drugs. Conversely, such relief is not necessary in the presence of adaptive IER response that reduce distress in the short- and long-term. As relief from distress is highly negatively reinforcing, future work should investigate the dynamics of IER and substance use as they unfold over time. Though surprising, our finding null effects for social support may in part be due to our measuring perceived social support, rather than the objective access to such resources.   

*Basting, E., Bush, A., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2018, November). Family conflict and self-blaming behavior predicting elevated depressive symptoms. Poster was presented at the the 52nd annual convention of the Association for Behavioral Cognitive Therapies, Washington DC.

• Introduction. Youth exposed to chronic family conflict early in life are susceptible to developing internalizing psychopathology, such as depressive symptoms. When exposed to family conflict, children also have an increased tendency to exhibit self-blaming coping behaviors (Fear et al., 2009). Self-blaming coping behaviors are found more often in depressed individuals than their healthy peers (Kraines, et al., 2017). Considering the relationships between self-blame and depression and family conflict and self-blame, there is reason to believe that self-blame could explain the relationship between family conflict and depressive symptoms, which no studies have fully examined. There is also evidence that access to social support reduces the effects of family conflict on self-blame. (Su, et al., 2005). The present study examines the role self-blame has in the relationship between chronic fighting amongst family members and depressive symptoms, and the moderating role of social support on this relationship.
• Methods. Eighty community-dwelling adults (Mage = 30.35, SD = 12.41; 64% female) completed a General Information Sheet prior to a Structured Clinical Interview that asked participants about their family backgrounds, including whether they experienced chronic family arguing/fighting at home. Participants also completed measures of depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), coping (Brief Cope), and perceived social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support).
• Results. As hypothesized, a history of chronic family conflict predicted elevated levels of self-blaming behavior (β = -1.87, p < .01), which, in turn, predicted high levels of depressive symptoms (β = 3.80, p < .001). Consistent with expectation, self-blame significantly mediated the relationship between histories of chronic familial fighting and depression (β = .58, p < .001). Contrary to expectation, social support did not moderate the relationship between chronic family conflict and self-blame, although social support showed an inverse relationship with self-blame (β = -.06, p < .01).
• Conclusion. These findings reaffirm expectations that self-blaming coping behavior is strongly related to depressive symptomology and that chronic family conflict predicts self-blaming behavior. This study goes further to suggest that self-blaming behavior due to intense family conflict explains the relationship between chronic fighting and depression, independent of perceived access to social support. Clinicians working with depressed patients are advised to address self-blaming behavior in patients that have experienced severe family conflict, while researchers should continue to explore potential moderating variables that decrease the magnitude by which self-blaming behavior increases the likelihood for an individual to develop depressive symptoms.

*Basting, E., Bush, A., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2018, November). The relationship between maternal psychological abuse, depression, and self-blame. Poster was presented at the 52nd annual convention of the Association for Behavioral Cognitive Therapies, Washington DC.

• Introduction. Psychological abuse that is perpetrated by a mother is a unique form of childhood maltreatment that is commonly studied in developmental and clinical research due to its high prevalence and its role in increasing the risk for psychiatric disorders into adulthood. There is evidence that psychological abuse is a risk factor for depression (Bifulco et al., 2002), although the mechanism by which this effect occurs are not entirely understood. Blaming oneself in response to stressful events (self-blame) may be one mechanism that links childhood maltreatment to the development of depressive symptoms. Indeed, there a large literature shows robust associations between abuse and self-blame. Further, recent findings note that blaming oneself is associated with depression levels, although the direction of this relationship is not clear (Kraines et al., 2017). Although the relationship between abuse and self-blame is robust, recent findings suggest that social support may attenuate this (Kalibatseva et al., 2017). However, empirical work has yet to test the moderating role of social support between abuse and self-blame as it pertains to depression. The present study examines the role self-blame plays in the relationship between maternal psychological abuse and depressive symptoms, and the moderating role of social support on this relationship.
• Methods. Five-hundred and fourteen young adults (Mage = 20.12, SD = 4.46; 71% female) completed measures of psychological and physical maltreatment (Psychological and Physical Maltreatment Scales), depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), self-blame (Brief Cope), and perceived social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support).
• Results. As hypothesized, experiencing psychological abuse in childhood that is perpetrated by an individual's mother significantly predicted higher levels of depression (β = .25, p <.01) but did not predict self-blame levels. Self-blame, however, strongly predicted depressive symptoms (β = 2.24, p < .001). Contrary to expectations, social support did not moderate the effects of psychological abuse on levels of self-blame, and the relationship between psychological abuse and depression was not mediated by higher levels of self-blame. Maternal psychological abuse, however, was associated with lower levels of perceived social support.
• Conclusion. These findings suggest that individuals who experience psychological abuse from their mother in childhood are far more susceptible to developing depressive symptoms than their un-abused peers, as are individuals who exhibit more self-blaming behaviors. This risk appears to be present regardless of levels of perceived social support. Future research should explore alternative mediators to better understand the relationship between parent-to-child psychological abuse and the development of depressive symptoms.

*Basting, E., Bush, A., Yaroslavsky, I. (2018, November). Chronic familial conflict: a predictor of reactive aggression and depressive symptoms. Poster was presented at the 52nd annual convention of the Association for Behavioral Cognitive Therapies, Washington DC

• Introduction. Exposure to chronic familial conflict during childhood is related to the development of internalizing disorders, including depression (Card & Little, 2006). While there are many pathways by which this association develops, two plausible mechanism may include aggressive behaviors. Indeed, family conflict is associated with trait aggressive tendencies in the form of reactive and proactive aggression (Shields et al., 1998). Reactive aggression refers to retaliations in response to real or perceived hostile intent from others, and, while often maladaptive, is often aimed at protecting oneself from harm or emotional distress. Proactive aggression is another form of aggression hallmarked by goal-oriented aggressive behavior without initially perceiving any harm or threats but rather attempting to gain something through aggressive behavior. While reactive aggression has been strongly linked to elevated depression symptoms, it remains unclear whether proactive aggression is tied to internalizing disorders (Fite, et al., 2014). The present study examines the relationship between chronic fighting among family members during childhood and depression, and tests whether reactive and proactive aggression mediate this relationship.
• Methods. Eighty-one young adults (Mage = 20.52, SD = 3.6; 76.54% female) completed a General Information Sheet that was used to ascertain histories of chronic family fighting during childhood. Participants also completed measures of Reactive-Proactive Aggression and Depression.
• Results. Independent of sex and age, a history of chronic fighting amongst family members predicted higher levels of both proactive aggression (β = .50, p < .05) and reactive aggression (β = 2.38, p = .001). Reactive aggression independently predicted depressive symptoms (β = 1.18, p < .05) whereas proactive aggression was not significantly related with depressive symptoms. Although chronic fighting did not independently predict depressive symptoms, reactive aggression was found to mediate the relationship between chronic fighting and depression (indirect effect= 2.26 95% CI= -.279 – 7.30).
• Conclusion. These findings suggest that individuals who experienced chronic fighting amongst family members when they were growing up are more likely to exhibit both reactive and proactive aggressive behaviors. However, only reactive aggressive behavior appear to serve as vulnerability factors for depression. This effect may be brought about by interpersonal stress that is known to be linked to reactive aggression and depression outcomes. Clinicians are advised to assess for and target reactive aggression tendencies among patients with histories of chronic fighting within families.

Depression and Substance Use

*Bolla, P., Scamaldo, K., Oravec, K., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2018, November). Trait Rumination and Substance Use independently predict Depressive Symptoms. Poster was presented at the 52nd annual convention of the Association for Behavioral Cognitive Therapies, Washington, DC.

• Introduction. Substance and Alcohol Use Disorders are associated with Major Depression. However there are gaps in the literature regarding the mechanisms by which problematic substance and alcohol use predict risk for elevated depression symptoms. Rumination, a common maladaptive emotion regulation strategy, may be one pathway by which problematic substance and alcohol use are related to depression risk. Indeed, given that problematic drinking and substance use have been linked to ruminative tendencies, and rumination has been shown to worsen depressed mood, and predict the occurrence of depression episodes and their course, a link regarding rumination with problematic drinking and substance use predicting depression risk may exist. The present study sought to explore this possibility, by examining the effects of substance use and alcohol use on depressive symptoms with trait rumination serving as a possible mediator for these effects.
• Methods. Sixty participants, who reflect n=38 community dwelling and n=22 psychiatric inpatients (60% Female, Mage = 38.69, SDage = 14.26) completed measures of depressive symptomology (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), trait rumination (Rumination Response Scale), and past year measures of substance use (Drug Use Disorders Identification Test) and alcohol use (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test). Problematic alcohol and substance use was dichotomously categorized using published guidelines. Of the sample, 32.7% evidenced past year histories of problematic alcohol use, and 31.9% evidenced problematic substance use.
• Results. Independent of age and sex, problematic substance use predicted elevated depressive symptoms (b = 12.269, p = .004) while alcohol use was not associated with elevated depression levels. However, neither alcohol nor substance use were related to trait rumination. Trait rumination predicted elevated depressive symptoms (b = .643, p < .001) independent of demographics, alcohol use, and substance use, which no longer significantly predicted depression symptoms.
• Conclusion. In accordance with the literature, trait rumination and problematic drug use predicted depressive symptoms. Interestingly, problematic drug use proved to be a stronger predictor of depressive outcomes than alcohol use. One possible explanation for this is while problematic behaviors regarding substance use and alcohol use cause dysfunction in one's life, alcohol use is generally considered to be more acceptable than drug use, which may lead to higher levels of distress. However, it appears that trait rumination proves to be the stronger predictor of depression risk when compared to substance and alcohol use.

Emotion Processing & Emotion Regulation

*Agarwal, A., Lee H. N., Bush, A., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2018, November). The interaction of sex and acceptance on perceived stress. Poster was presented at the 52nd annual convention of the Association for Behavioral Cognitive Therapies, Washington, DC.

• Introduction. Stress is a normal part of our lives. At times, appropriate amount of stress serves as a useful motivation or purpose in achieving our goals. However, if stress becomes unbearable and starts to interfere with your daily activities, job, or family life, it can become more problematic. Maladaptive emotion regulation, or ineffective responses to distressing emotions that paradoxically exacerbate them, can worsen stress. The adverse effects of maladaptive emotion regulation have been shown to be offset by adaptive coping responses that are aimed at managing stressors. In particular, radical acceptance of the stressful event has been shown to attenuate distress and may reduce the experience of stress. Indeed, in a study of college students, acceptance was associated with lower exposure to stressful events over time, and higher levels of subjective well-being. However, the relative contribution of acceptance to that of maladaptive emotion regulation in the perception of stress is not known. Further, findings suggest that women tend to report higher levels of perceived stress to men, and to report accepting the occurrence of stressful events more readily than their male peers. Given that effective coping responses are self-reinforcing, gender differences in the use of acceptance may reflect greater benefits of the strategy for women relative to men. However, this effect has yet to be examined in the empirical literature. Therefore, this study tested whether acceptance predicts reduced perceptions of stress independent of maladaptive emotion regulation repertoires, and whether the effects of acceptance are moderated by gender.
• Methods. Sixty-nine undergraduates (n=49 Caucasians, 58% female, Mage= 19.97, SD=3.714) were given an informed consent and were asked to complete a survey. The survey consisted of measures of maladaptive emotion regulation (Feelings and Me-FAM), stress (Perceived Stress Scale-PSS-10), and coping mechanism (Brief-COPE).
• Results. Consistent with prior findings, acceptance as a coping strategy was significantly higher among women than men, (ß=.88, p < .05). While maladaptive emotion regulation robustly predicted elevated levels of perceived stress (ß=.51, p < .001), acceptance failed to emerge a significant predictor. However, this null effect was moderated by gender (ß=-2.15, p < .05). Probing the interaction effect revealed that while perceived stress did not vary as a function of acceptance for males, perceived stress declined for females with increasing levels of acceptance. who evidenced levels of acceptance reported low perceived stress.
• Conclusion. Results suggest that acceptance as a coping response is protective against stress for women but may be as less effective for men. This finding may suggest that women tend to accept and adopt this perspective of life stressors and difficulties, while men react to stressors in a more avoidant and egocentric way. As hypothesized, maladaptive emotion regulation results in increased levels of stress. Limitation and future research direction will be discussed.

*Bush, A., Yaroslavsky, I. (2018, November). From childhood abuse to aggression in adulthood: a mechanistic test of depression and ER failure. Poster was presented at the 52^nd annual convention of the Association for Behavioral Cognitive Therapies, Washington, DC.

• Introduction. It is well known that childhood physical or sexual abuse is linked to increased levels of aggression in adulthood. Indeed, physical and sexual abuse in childhood has been linked to a number of aggression-related outcomes including physical fighting, dating violence, bullying, suicidal behaviors and other delinquent behaviors. While there are several mechanisms by which childhood abuse may exude its negative effects, there has been increasing attention on the roles of ER (ER) deficits and depressed moods as possible explanations for this relationship.  For example, studies have shown that individuals who maladaptively regulate their emotions are be more likely to act out aggressively, perhaps in an effort to reduce their distress.  In a similar vein, depression has been found to be impactful on levels of aggression for those with abuse histories. While the relationship between depression and ER is known, it is unclear how these mechanisms individually impact levels of aggression, especially for those with abuse histories. This study aimed to determine whether depression and maladaptive ER uniquely predict increased aggression in individuals who have been abused in childhood, or if one of these mechanisms is more influential in the development of aggression for these individuals.
• Methods. Participants were 87 community dwelling adults (61% female, M age= 31.23, SD=12.83) who completed a measure of adaptive and maladaptive ER (Feelings and Me), aggressive behaviors (Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire), depression (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale), as well as a psychosocial interview during which physical and sexual abuse histories were ascertained.
• Results. As expected, those with abuse histories reported higher levels of dispositional aggression than their non-abused peers (b=27.47, p<.001). Further, those with abuse histories reported higher levels of depression (b= 10.63, p <.001) and high levels of maladaptive ER (b=3.99 p < .05). In turn, both depression symptoms (b=1.234, 95% CI=2.52-36.76) and maladaptive ER (b=1.95, 95% CI=13.99-67.22) uniquely mediated the effects of abuse on dispositional aggression when the two mediators were examined separately. However, when examined together, only maladaptive ER emerged as a significant mediator of abuse effects on aggression (b=1.24, p<.05), while depression evidenced a trend effect (b=.621, p=.07). This suggests that depression plays a role in developing dispositional aggression, but maladaptive ER is much more predictive of aggression.
• Conclusion. Our findings suggest that those with abuse histories are more likely to experience depression and have difficulties with regulating emotions effectively. While depression and ineffective ER repertoires independently mediate the effect of abuse on aggression, only the dispositional use of maladaptive ER strategies is linked to aggression when both mediators are tested together. This may suggest that aggression is an outcome of failed ER, and may in and of itself serve a regulatory role. An implication of these findings is that decreasing individuals' use of maladaptive ER strategies should be a key target of treatment for those with abuse histories.

*Bush, A. & Yaroslavsky, I. (2018, November). I can do it, but I forget to: childhood abuse is associated reduced adaptive emotion repertoires, but not their effectiveness. Poster was presented at the 52^nd annual convention of the Association for Behavioral Cognitive Therapies, Washington, DC.

• Introduction. Studies show that experiencing childhood physical or sexual abuse predicts a variety of difficulties in adulthood, including emotion dysregulation that is marked by intense emotional reactions that are maintained at a high level, and are slow to return to baseline. As emotion dysregulation is linked to emotion disorders, such dysregulation may be a key factor in the adverse outcomes of abuse. Emotion regulation (ER) deficits may be a mechanism by which abuse predicts emotion dysregulation. Such deficits may come in the form of fewer repertoires that reduce distress (adaptive ER), as well as the attenuated effects of such strategies on emotion outcomes. While the latter has been examined with respect to emotion disorders, the effect of abuse on ER effectiveness is largely unknown. This study aimed to test whether those with abuse histories: (1) less frequently use adaptive ER, and (2) are able to regulate their emotions effectively when instructed to execute an adaptive ER strategy (recalling a Positive Autobiographical Memory, PAM) following the induction of a negative mood through stressful memory recollection (SM). We hypothesized that those with abuse histories will deploy fewer adaptive ER responses, and have more difficulty in repairing their mood through PAM.
• Methods. Participants were 38 community dwelling adults (61% female, M age=34.82, SD=14.83) who completed an experimental protocol during which they recalled a SM followed by a PAM. Negative affect ratings were ascertained prior to recalling the SM (time 1), after SM recall (time 2), and post PAM recall (time 3). Participants also reported their dispositional use of adaptive ER repertoires (Feelings and Me) prior to lab protocol.
• Results. Those with abuse histories dispositionally used fewer adaptive ER strategies when distressed than those without such histories (b=-9.32,p<.05). With respect to hypothesis 2, a repeated measures ANOVA revealed a trend for the within-subjects effect of time (F=2.95, p=.06) and the between subjects effect of abuse status (F=9.50, p<.01) that was qualified by a significant time-by-abuse status interaction (F=7.23,p<.05). Univariate analyses showed that while those with abuse histories evidenced higher levels of NA across baseline and SM time points (F=p.50, p<.01, bs=11.07-13.85, ps<.01), they did not differ in NA levels following PAM (b=2.42, p=.4). Importantly, planned contrasts of the between-within-subjects interaction revealed that while both groups evidenced similar reactivity to the SM (ΔM NA = -3.577.58-,F=.31, p =.58), those with abuse histories displayed greater reduction in NA levels following PAM than their abuse-free peers (F=9.31, p<.01).
• Conclusion. Findings suggest that ER deficits of those with abuse histories arise from infrequent use of adaptive ER strategies, rather than from a fundamental deficit in their capacity to benefit from such strategies. Indeed, while those with abuse histories evidence higher levels of NA at baseline and after SM recall, our results show that these individuals reap greater benefits from deploying adaptive ER strategies than their peers. Our results suggest that increasing adaptive ER repertoires should be a key target for treatment for individuals with abuse histories.

*Lee, H., Arishna, A., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2018, November). Attention control indexed via eye-tracking predicts effectiveness of instructed emotion regulation. Poster was presented at the 52nd Annual Convention Association for Behavioral Cognitive Therapies, Washington, DC.

• Introduction. Emotion regulation (ER) refers to automatic and volition processes that alter the timing, morphology, and chronicity of a given emotion. While successful ER is associated with well-being, failure to effectively deploy ER to attenuate distress is associated with emotional disorders and functional impairment. Success of ER efforts may in part be influenced by the capacity to flexibly switch attention towards goal-directed behaviors. Such capacity, termed attention control, has been inversely linked to emotional disorders. However, its effects on ER outcomes remain unknown. Further, attentional control has largely has primarily been measured through self-report, which are susceptible to reporting biases and limited self-knowledge. Recent developments in eye-tracking paradigms provide a novel means to measure attentional control. The present study tested the effects of attentional control, measured through self-report and indexed via eye-tracking metrics, on immediate and short-term outcomes of two ER responses (mindful savoring and attention refocusing) following a negative mood induction in a sample of undergraduate students.
• Methods. Participants (N = 89, 76% female, Mage = 19.67 years, SD = 3.34) were completed an attention disengagement task that involved shifting visual attention between a series of face pairs that displayed a neutral expression. The task involved a free viewing period, and was followed by gaze-contingent trials during which participants pressed one of two keyboard keys in response to a frame (either circle or square) that appeared around the face that was opposite of the one on which the participant fixated. Visual attention was measured using Tobii X3-120 eye tracking, and time to first fixation (in milliseconds) on the framed face indexed attentional control. Participants then underwent a negative mood induction by viewing a sad film clip ("The Champ") that was followed by one of two instructed ER procedures (savoring chocolate vs. re-focusing attention), and a two minute interval during which participants were instructed to notice their feelings. Negative affect ("sad", "blue"; NA) and positive affect ("happy", "joyful"; PA) were collected via a 10-point Likert scale before and after each task, and were aggregated into NA and PA indices.
• Results. Multivariate repeated measure analysis suggested that independent of sex and depression symptoms, attention control indexed via visual attention switching significantly predicted immediate ER outcomes (F = 5.68, p < .01), and that this effect varied as a function of ER type (F= 3.31, p <.05). Those who evidenced poor attentional control, indexed by slow visual attention switching, failed to benefit from attention-refocusing to the same degree as those who were able to quickly shift their attention. Conversely, those who were slow to shift attention garnered greater gains from the savoring ER condition. Self-reports of attention control were unrelated to ER outcomes.
• Conclusion. Our findings suggest that attention control supports ER, although the effect of this process on ER efficacy varies as a function of ER type. Importantly, our finding significant effects for an eye-tracking index of attention control, but not for its self-report counterpart, have important psychometric implications for the measurement of this construct. Practical and clinical implications will be discussed.

*Lee, H., Arishna, A., & Yaroslavsky I. (2018, November). Understanding the role of hedonic capacity in emotion regulation. Poster was presented at the 52nd Annual Convention Association Association for Behavioral Cognitive Therapies, Washington, DC.

• Introduction. Anhedonia, the loss of pleasure or interest from normally pleasurable experiences, is a hallmark of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Individuals suffering from depression tend to lose interest in hobbies or activities which they otherwise would enjoy. One possibility for this loss of interest is that anhedonia reflects deficits in hedonic capacity, or their ability to experience positive affect (PA) immediately following putative rewarding experiences, as well as their ability to maintain PA. In addition to maintaining low PA, deficits in hedonic capacity also have implications for emotion regulation (ER) outcomes, as some ER responses leverage PA to ameliorate distress. Interestingly, there is a dearth of experimental work that examines the effects of hedonic capacity deficits on immediate and sustained ER outcomes. The present study aimed to bridge this gap by testing whether dispositional hedonic capacity selectively influences the immediate and sustained effects of ER responses that draw upon hedonic experience (mindfully savoring chocolate) or that draws upon attention resources (shifting attention to a kaleidoscope video) in a sample of undergraduate students.
• Methods. Participants (N = 89, 76% female, Mage = 19.67 years, SD = 3.34) completed a series of questionnaires that included those measuring hedonic capacity (Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale, SHPS) and depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, CESD). Participants then underwent a negative mood induction by viewing a sad film clip ("The Champ") that was followed by one of two instructed ER procedures (savoring chocolate vs. re-focusing attention), and a two minute interval during which participants were instructed to notice their feelings. Negative affect ("sad", "blue"; NA) and positive affect ("happy", "joyful"; PA) were collected via a 10-point Likert scale before and after each task, and were aggregated into NA and PA indices. 
• Results. Doubly multivariate repeated measure analysis of NA and PA showed that independent of age and sex, effects of instructed ER varied significantly as a function of ER type (F=2.59, p < .05) and hedonic capacity (F=2.53, p < .05): those in the savor conditioned evidenced increased PA levels during the maintenance period following ER than those in attention refocusing, and with high levels of hedonic capacity evidenced greater immediate ER gains across both ER conditions. These effects were qualified by a significant ER by hedonic capacity interaction (F=3.07, p < .05). Follow-up contrasts revealed that while hedonic capacity did not influence ER maintenance for those in the savor condition, hedonic capacity potentiated PA gains for those in the attention-refocusing condition.
• Conclusion. Results suggest that hedonic capacity has far-reaching ER consequences across the affect spectrum, and that expand beyond those that on the surface draw upon hedonic capacity. Limitation and future research directions will be discussed.

*Bush, A., Basting, E., Goncy, E.A., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2018, November). The mediating role of the negative cognitive styles between childhood maltreatment and depression. Poster was presented at the 52nd annual Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies convention, Washington, D.C.

• Introduction. One well-documented consequence of experiencing childhood maltreatment is depression with evidence that negative cognitive styles mediate this relationship. Previous research examining this mediation has primarily emphasized parental psychological abuse, with relatively less attention paid to the effects of physical abuse on negative cognitive styles. Further, it is unclear whether the relationship between abuse, negative cognitive styles, and depression differ as a function of perpetrator (i.e., mother, father), nor whether certain cognitive styles (internal, global, stable) are a stronger mediator of the effects abuse on depression. This study aimed to clarify these questions. First, we compared the relative contributions of physical and psychological abuse to negative cognitive styles and depression. Second, we examined whether these effects differed as a function of abuse source. Finally, we tested the mediation effects of negative cognitive style dimensions between abuse and depression. Based on previous research, we hypothesized that psychological abuse would be more predictive of negative cognitive styles than physical abuse, specifically when perpetrated by mothers. Further, we hypothesized that internal, global, and stable cognitive styles would independently mediate the relationship between childhood abuse and depression in adulthood.
• Methods. Participants were 89 undergraduate students (76% female, M age=19.70, SD=3.34) who completed measures of depressive symptoms (CES-D), negative cognitive styles (Cognitive Style Questionnaire), and their history of mother-to-child and father-to-child psychological and physical abuse (Psychological and Physical Maltreatment Scales).
• Results. Surprisingly, maternal physical abuse emerged as the sole predictor of depression symptoms (b=1.13, p<.01) and the internal/external dimension of negative cognitive styles (b=-.068, p<.05). Interestingly, participants who reported experiencing maternal physical abuse were less likely to make internal causal attributions for their negative life events. As expected tendencies to make internal causal attributions were associated with elevated depression levels (b=2.85, p<.05), and the internal/external dimension of negative cognitive styles mediated the effect of maternal physical abuse on depression (indirect effect= -.19, 95% CI= -.51-.02).
• Conclusion. Our finding that individuals who experience maternal physical abuse are less likely to blame themselves for the cause of negative events, and therefore evidence lower depression levels, may be understood in several ways. First, their external attributions may reflect an adaptive, compensatory response that enabled them to survive their adverse early life environment and "steeled" them to the effect of depressogenic stress. Second, the reduced tendencies for those with abuse histories to make internal attributions for negative events may reflect the presence of externalizing disorder symptoms that, while unmeasured in this study, are associated with punitive family environments. These possibilities should be explored in future investigations.