MPA 2021

*Presentations authored/co-authored by student mentees.

Depression and Anxiety (Internalizing)
Disorders  & Affectivity 

*Barber, M., Chukwuorji, J., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2021, April). Emotion Regulation Differentially Links Childhood Sexual Abuse to Adulthood Depression. Paper presented at the 93rd annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

• Problem. Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a pernicious risk factor for depression across development. Growing evidence points to the frequent use of maladaptive responses that exacerbate distress and the reduced use of those that attenuate distress (emotion regulation deficits) as potential mechanisms by which CSA confers risk for depression. Emotion regulation (ER) responses, however, span the interpersonal, cognitive, and behavioral domains; it is unclear whether CSA histories show equivalent effects across domains, or given the notable adverse effects that CSA has on early attachment and interpersonal functioning, whether such CSA disproportionately affects the use of interpersonal ER responses.
• Procedure. Three-hundred forty-eight adults (aged M = 28 years, 28% female) completed psychosocial interviews and self-report measures of ER (Feelings and Me) and depression (Center for the Epidemiological Studies of Depression Scale). CSA history is defined as unwelcome sexual contact before the age of 18 years and was reported by 22% of respondents. Path analyses were used to test the relationship between CSA histories and depression levels as differentially mediated by ER response types (adaptive vs. maladaptive) and domains (interpersonal vs. cognitive and behavioral) via the Mplus software.
• Results. As expected, CSA histories robustly predicted maladaptive ER response utilization (bs=.81-1.76, ps ? .012), but were surprisingly unrelated to adaptive ER deployment. In contrast to expectation, CSA was less predictive of maladaptive interpersonal ER utilization (b=.81) than the use of maladaptive behavioral responses (b=1.63), Wald ?2 =5.56, p=.018, and at a trend than cognitive responses (b=1.76), Wald ?2 =2.78, p=.096. As hypothesized, and in line with the extant literature, CSA histories predicted depression symptom severity (b=4.74, p<.001)—as did the use of maladaptive cognitive and behavioral responses (bs= 1.13-1.19, ps<.001), and adaptive cognitive and social responses (bs=-.37-.39, ps=.023-.033). Importantly, maladaptive cognitive and behavioral responses mediated the effect of CSA on depression (indirect effects=1.79–2.06, 95% CIs 0.587–3.69). Surprisingly, maladaptive social responses and adaptive behavioral responses were unrelated to depression symptom severity.
• Conclusions. Results support the role of maladaptive ER in depression risk and as one mechanism by which CSA confers such risk. Our finding weaker ties between CSA and maladaptive interpersonal ER utilization indicates that ER utilization in the cognitive and behavioral domains hint at unmeasured moderation effects. For instance, it is feasible that corrective interpersonal relationships with family and mentor figures may mitigate the adverse effects of CSA on interpersonal relationships and related processes. Clinical implications will be discussed. 

*Brooks, B., Mirhosseini, T., Yaroslavsky, I., (2021, April). Race, gender, and parenting practices: effects of disparate parent-child perceptions. Poster presented at the 92nd annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

• Problem. Negative parenting practices are connected to various offspring emotional outcomes like emotional (internalizing) and behavioral (externalizing) problems, with parental support (positive parenting) linked to emotional well-being, and inconsistent and distant parenting (poor supervision) with internalizing and externalizing problems. Parents and their offspring sometimes conflict in their perceptions of parenting practices, but growing evidence Parents and their offspring sometimes conflict in their perceptions of parenting practices, but growing evidence suggests that more severe discrepancies are connected to negative emotional outcomes. Interestingly, findings present a possibility that effects of such discrepant perception can change when taking into account race and sex, with those of Caucasian background more adversely affected than those of African American backgrounds, and boys differently affected than girls. While not many study examine the racial/gender differences, even fewer studies examine how emotional and behavioral outcomes are shown in the daily home environment. Procedure. Forty-nine adolescents (Age M = 13.57 years, SD = 1.78, 53% girls, 53% African American) and their parents completed measures of perceived parenting (Alabama Parenting Questionnaire), and parents reported on their offspring internalizing and externalizing problems (Child Behavior Check List).
• Results. Discrepant reports of positive parenting significantly predicted internalizing (γ =1.28, p = .01) and externalizing problems (γ =1.52, p = .05). As hypothesized, youths' gender significantly moderated the effects of discrepant reports of inconsistent parenting on internalizing and externalizing problems (γs =-2.35 - -2.95, ps = .02); inconsistent parenting was more strongly predictive of internalizing and externalizing problems for boys (γs =3.75-5.49) relative to girls (γs =1.40-2.54). Race also moderated the effect of discrepant reports of poor parental supervision on externalizing problems at a trend level (γ =-1.07, p = .07), wherein discrepancies were linked to greater externalizing problems for Caucasian youth (γ =.96) and fewer externalizing problems for those of African American backgrounds (γ=-1.39).
• Conclusion. Though disagreement between offspring and their parents concerning positive parenting practices emerged as a general risk factor for internalizing and externalizing problems, the relationship between perceived inconsistent parenting practices was more pernicious for boys relative to girls. These findings align with a literature suggesting that consistent parenting has more robust effects for boys than for girls. Likewise, our finding a trend moderation of race on the effects of parental supervision are in line with existing literature, which suggests that parent-offspring disagreement concerning parenting practices has a greater impact for those of Caucasian backgrounds. This may be due to cultural differences, with discrepancies being more normative in African American dyads.

*Chukwuorji, J., Hostetler, S., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2021, April). Childhood Sexual Abuse and Depressive Affect: In Search of Mechanisms. Paper presented at the 92nd annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

• Purpose. Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a depression risk factor, and a diathesis for adverse effects of stress. However, mechanisms by which CSA confers a vulnerability to stress are not known. Emotion regulation (ER) deficits in the form of the infrequent use of effective (adaptive) responses and the abundant use of ineffective (maladaptive) responses are robustly linked to CSA and depression risk. Aberrant parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity marked by low resting levels and blunted withdrawal in response to stress is also linked to CSA, ER deficits and depression. Though aberrant PNS activity and ER deficits may mediate the diathetic effects of CSA, no study to our knowledge has tested these relationships. Further, though associated with depression, it remains unclear what affective component of depression (low positive, PA or high negative affect, NA)) is related to CSA, aberrant PNS activity, and ER deficits. This study bridges these gaps in the literature.
• Method. Two-hundred seventy adults (age M = 26.53, SD = 11.97, 70% female, 17% with CSA histories) completed measures of perceived stress, emotion regulation, trait positive and negative affect, and a physiological protocol that included a resting baseline and a negative mood induction via a sad film while ECG was collected. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) indexed PNS activity at rest and in response to mood induction.
• Results. CSA predicted maladaptive ER (ß=.23 p<.001), as did low resting RSA levels (ß=-.18, p=.02); CSA was unrelated to RSA indices or adaptive ER. As expected, stress significantly predicted elevated NA levels (ß=1.06, p<.001), as did maladaptive ER (ß=.28, p<.001), and RSA withdrawal (ß=.09, p=.021). Importantly, adaptive ER reduced the adverse effects of stress on NA (ß=-.62, p = .041). Conversely, adaptive ER evidenced a positive main effect in predicting PA (ß=.41, p< .001), while maladaptive ER reduced PA (ß=-.16, p=.018). As hypothesized, CSA moderated the effect of stress on PA (ß = .39, p=.024); those with CSA histories reported less PA than their peers when stress was low.
• Conclusions. Our results suggest that the effects of CSA on depressive affects are indirect, perhaps aligned with the diathesis-stress model, and differentially tied to PA and NA. Further, our findings support the role of PNS activity in ER and depressive affect. Importantly, results suggest some specificity between ER and NA and PA, which may in part explain mixed findings on the relationship between adaptive ER and depression. Clinical implications will be discussed.

*Church, E., Weaver., C., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2021, April). You say that you're happy, but are you actually happy? Paper presented at the 93rd annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

• Problem. Perceived social support is associated with emotional well-being and high levels of hedonic emotions (Positive Affect), and reduced dysphoria (Negative Affect). Not surprisingly, a wealth of evidence suggests that social support protects against depression and anxiety, disorders marked by high levels of Negative Affect and low levels of Positive Affect. However, much of the literature that connects perceived social support to emotions has relied on self-report methods (e.g., survey and ecological momentary assessment methodologies) that are known to be affected by respondents' limited self-knowledge and response biases. Therefore, it is unclear whether the above-noted associations between perceived social support and affective states hold true when the latter are ascertained via naturalistic observation. This study employed a robust naturalistic sampling methodology (electronically activated recording) to test whether the links between perceived social support and affective states remain across multiple methodologies.
• Procedure. Thirty-four community-dwelling participants (82% female, M=24.38 years, SD = 9.08) completed a measure of perceived social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support) (Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet & Farley, 1988), trait Positive and Negative Affect (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) (Watson, Clark & Tellegen, 1988), and a week-long naturalistic observation period wherein their verbalizations were recorded for thirty-second intervals, every twelve minutes, transcribed, and processed for positive and negative affective content via the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (N=1,541 observations).
• Results. As expected, and independent of demographic characteristics, perceived social support predicted reduced levels of Negative Affect across self-report (b=-.23, p=.044) and naturalistic observations (b=-.04, p = .033). By contrast, perceived social support predicted elevated self-reported Positive Affect (b=.46, p < .001) but was unrelated to its naturalistic counterpart. Of note, self-reported affects were unrelated with their respective naturalistically-measured counterparts.
• Conclusions. Our results support the protective role of perceived social support against distress, but its relationship with positive affect may be nuanced. The objective Positive Affect measure relied on verbal behavior that, independent of positive affect levels, may have been subject to such individual differences as emotion expressivity. This possibility is consistent with the null relationships observed between parallel affect indices and literature that shows a dissociation between survey measures and data ascertained in daily life via experience sampling. Clinical implications will be discussed.

*Demoss, Z., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2021, April). Parasympathetic Effects on Maladaptive Strategies and Self-Injurious Behaviors. Paper presented at the 93rd annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

• Problem. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mental disorder with emotion dysregulation considered to lie at its core (Carpenter & Trull, 2013). There is a great deal of evidence that individuals with BPD engage in maladaptive regulatory strategies in an attempt to reduce their negative affect. Maladaptive emotion regulation (ER) strategies are ineffective attempts to reduce distress and prolong/exacerbate dysphoria, often resulting in negative long-term outcomes (Gross, 1998). Two types of behaviors that are common in individuals with BPD are impulsive and suicidal and self-injurious behaviors. Prior history of self-injury is one of the strongest predictors of suicidal attempts and as such self-injurious behaviors have been recognized as a significant public health concern (Wolff et al., 2019). Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is a common index of the parasympathetic nervous system and has been associated with frequent use of maladaptive ER strategies (Beauchaine, 2015). There is mixed evidence that individuals with BPD profiles experience increased reactivity to mood induction tasks which may reflect ineffective attempts to regulate arousal (Kuo & Linehan, 2009). The current study aimed to further elucidate the parasympathetic link between maladaptive strategies and self-injurious tendencies.
• Procedure. Participants were 240 community dwelling and undergraduate adults (68% female, M=24.99 years old, SD= 10.15 ) who completed PAI-Borderline Subscale, measures of behavioral, cognitive, and social maladaptive ER (Feelings and Me), and a physiological protocol during which PNS activity was collected. PNS activity was estimated via RSA during rest (free breathing task) to serve as a physiological baseline and during three music- and film-based negative mood induction tasks. Structural equation models were employed to test the moderation of latent maladaptive ER effects on the PAI-Borderline Self-Harm subscale by a latent RSA reactivity factor.
• Results. As expected latent RSA reactivity and maladaptive ER variables explained covariance among their indicators well, and evidence a positive relationship whereby increasing RSA to mood induction procedures was linked to greater maladaptive ER use (r= .34, p< .001). Further, the latent maladaptive ER factor significantly predicted the PAI Self-Harm subscale (b= 1.39, p< .001), but this relationship was not moderated by HRV reactivity via mood induction. These effects were not attenuated when controlling for demographic characteristics and psychotropic medication use.
• Conclusions. Results of this study further establish the relationship between frequent utilization of maladaptive strategies and self-harm. The positive relationship between the latent variables supports prior work examining RSA augmentation to distress and maladaptive ER.

*Demoss, Z., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2021, April). Does Reassurance Seeking Mediate Parasympathetic Baseline and Perceived Social Support? Paper presented at the 93rd annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

• Problem. Coyne's (1976) interpersonal theory of depression proposes that initially distressed individuals seek others' reassurance to alleviate doubts regarding whether others truly care about them. Evidence supports the construct validity of reassurance seeking, as well as its potential role as a specific vulnerability factor for depression (Joiner & Metalsky, 2001). Depressed individuals who excessively seek reassurance are repeatedly compelled to request others' feedback often resulting in frustration for the respondent as well increasing their likelihood to reject the individual. Excessive reassurance seeking has been linked to depressed individuals and may be a pernicious risk factor in the maintenance of depression via decreases in the quantity and quality of perceived social support. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is a common index of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) that has been implicated in an individual's ability to deploy context appropriate responses (Appelhans & Luecken, 2006). Evidence indicates individuals with low resting HRV are less able to produce context appropriate responses as compared to those with high resting HRV (Thayer et al., 2012). The current study examined the mediating role of excessive reassurance seeking between resting HRV levels and perceived social support.
• Procedure. Participants were 240 community dwelling and undergraduate adults (68% Female, M=24.99 years old, SD=10.15) who completed self-report measures of excessive reassurance seeking via the Depressive Interpersonal Relationships Inventory and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support as well as a physiological protocol during which resting PNS activity, measured by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), was collected during a free breathing task, a paced breathing task, and an inter-task interval.
• Results. Contrary to expectations, resting RSA did not predict either excessive reassurance seeking or perceived social support. In line with our hypothesis we found that excessive reassurance negatively predicted perceived social support (b= -.47, p< .01). We found that sex females and younger individuals both significantly predicted excessive reassurance seeking (b= 2.58, b= -.14, ps <.01).
• Conclusions. Consistent with expectations, we found a negative relationship between reassurance seeking and perceived social support which aligns with the theory depressed individuals needing continual validation regarding their relationships. Clinical implications will be discussed.

*Liberman, N., Bodenbebder, B., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2021, April). Increased Parasympathetic Nervous System activity to reward predicts impulsive behavior. Poster presented at the 93rd annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

• Problem. Impulsive behavior during times of distress is a transdiagnostic risk factor, and is tied to functional impairment. Growing evidence implicates reward processing deficits, marked by blunted autonomic activity, with impulsive behavior. For example, low resting Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) activity has been linked with aggression, hostility, and attention deficit, problems marked by impulsivity. Yet, much of the literature has focused on resting PNS activity in relation to impulsive behaviors, though a small body of work points to the distinct effects of PNS reactivity on emotion-related outcomes. Therefore, this study examined the effects of PNS indices (respiratory sinus arrhythmia, RSA) at rest and in response to a probalistic reward learning task in predicting impulsivity during times of distress.
• Procedure. Fifty-seven undergraduate students (74% female, M age  = 19.84, SD = 3.15)  completed a self-report measure of impulsive behavioral tendencies while in distress (Impulsivity subscale of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale), and a physiological protocol wherein electrocardiography data were continuously collected while participants rested (free breathing baseline) and engaged in a probalistic reward leaning task. RSA was indexed via high frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV, .15-.40Hz). RSA during the free breathing task reflects baseline levels, while change in RSA from baseline to the probalistic reward learning task reflects RSA reactivity: reduced RSA levels reflect withdrawal while increased levels reflect augmentation.
• Results. Correlational analyses revealed a trend association between RSA augmentation and impulsivity, r = .24, p = .071, which became significant in regression analyses that controlled for demographic characteristics, b=.43, p = .014. Specifically, those whose RSA increased relative to baseline in response to reward opportunities reported greater tendencies to act impulsively when in distress. Importantly, resting RSA levels were unrelated to impulsivity
• Conclusion. Results suggest that measuring RSA reactivity in response to hedonic tasks may incrementally predict individuals' impulsive tendencies than baseline RSA levels. These findings are important, as the preponderance of studies that connect RSA to impulsivity focus on the PNS at rest, thereby providing a limited perspective on the relationship between this physiological process and behavior. If replicated, our results may inform early detection, prevention, and treatment efforts with the long-term goal of reducing impulsivity. Clinical implications will be further discussed.

*Tytler, C., Yaroslavsky, I., & Kovacs., M. (2021, April). Research Domain Criteria: Are the Parts Better than the Whole?  Paper presented at the 93rd annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

• Purpose. Efforts have been made to articulate transdiagnostic mechanisms for psychopathology across levels of analyses (e.g., neural & behavioral; Research Domain Criteria, RdoC). Substrates supporting emotional processing (Negative & Positive Valence Systems, NVS & PVS) may inform transdiagnostic treatment efforts as affective dysfunction is pervasive in psychopathology. Asymmetric activation in the fronto-temporal neural regions and affected parasympathetic nervous system output have been tied to subjective affectivity within valence systems. However, it remains unclear whether such associations represent co-activation in related independent processes or activity within substrates of unitary constructs. This study tests the construct validity of the NVS and PVS constructs using behavioral, neural, and peripheral nervous system indices (Units of Analyses, UAs) in adults and offspring.
• Procedure. Adults (N=436, 33% male, Mage=25.94) and their offspring (N=158, 54% male, Mage=6.47), completed an experimental protocol during which baseline activity, PVS response to reward and reward expectancy constructs, and NVS loss and frustrative non-reward constructs were ascertained via tasks (Free Breathing; Happy Videos & Gambling Winning; Sad Videos & Gambling Losing for adults & Broken Toy for children). Behavioral indices reflect change in affect ratings from baseline levels to those following each task. Electroencephalography (EEG) and electrocardiography signals were collected at a sampling rate of 512Hz; asymmetric neural activation reflects change in the alpha-band (8-13Hz), while high-frequency heart rate variability (.15-.40Hz) indexed change in PNS activity (respiratory sinus arrhythmia, RSA) across tasks.
• Results. There was little convergence between UAs within constructs among adults and children (|rs|<.25, NS). Associations among UAs within PVS constructs did not differ in magnitude of associations with UAs of NVS constructs. Factorial validity was not supported for lower-order constructs in adults (CFI=.04-.63, RMSEA=.15-.23), nor were valence systems in both samples (CFI=.14-.51, RMSEA=.17-.22). Conversely, RSA and EEG reactivity to positive and negative stimuli were explained by respective latent variables (CFI=.92-.96, RMSEA=.05-.10; RSA reactivity ?=.37-.87, ps<.001, EEG reactivity ?=.37-.92, ps<.001). However, affect reactivity was not unitary, showing small associations between responses to hedonic and sadness inducing stimuli among adults (r=.10, p<.05). Among children, increased right fronto-temporal alpha band asymmetry, indexing negative emotionality, was significantly associated with RSA augmentation (r=-.25, p<.001).
• Conclusions. We failed to support construct validity of the valence systems and their lower-order constructs. Conversely, EEG lateralization and RSA reactivity are unitary constructs, the coherence among which appear to diminish during adulthood. These findings suggest that physiological asymmetry and reactivity may reflect facets of physiological flexibility that differ across age.

*Tytler, C., Horner, C., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2021, April). Familial Sympathetic Nervous System Reactivity Transmission: Parental Emotion Regulation Matters. Paper presented at the 93rd annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

• Purpose. Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) deficits in children are associated with a host of problems (e.g., exacerbating internalizing and externalizing psychopathology symptoms). Research has found that autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning is heritable from parent to offspring, but this transmission is more commonly studied for parasympathetic nervous system functioning. As parental emotion dysregulation has been shown to sensitize their offspring, it is feasible that parental reliance on maladaptive emotion regulation (MMR) strategies may potentiate the transmission of impaired SNS functioning. However, there is a dearth of research investigating the role of MMR in the transmission of SNS reactivity at times of distress. Thus, the current study aimed to investigate the moderation of familial SNS reactivity transmission between parents and their offspring.
• Procedure. Adults (N=27, Mage=43.7, SD=5.53) and their offspring (N=33, Mage=14.5, SD=1.82, 53% female) watched film-based baseline (neutral film) and sad mood ("The Champ") induction procedures while their pupillary dilation measurements were sampled at 120Hz via the Tobii X3-120 eye-tracking system. Range- and light-response-corrected change in mean pupil size from baseline to sad mood induction indexed SNS, with positive values reflecting increased arousal. Parents also completed a measure to assess MMR use (Feelings and Me– Maladaptive subscale).
• Results. In contrast to expectation, neither parents' SNS arousal, or their MMR levels were related to that of their offsprings'. However, as hypothesized, parental maladaptive emotional regulation use significantly moderated the relationship between parent and child sympathetic reactivity, b=0.03, p=0.0056. Simple slopes analysis revealed that there was a stronger link in the transmission of parent SNS reactivity when parental MMR was high (b=1.27), but not low (b=0.22).
• Conclusions. Previous research shows that atypical SNS arousal predicts many problems in younger individuals and understanding familial transmission in this regard could inform early detection and intervention efforts. The present findings elucidate the role of negative parental behaviors, in the form of ineffective and disruptive emotional regulation responses, in familial transmission of SNS reactivity. Our results may suggest youths at risk for SNS hyperarousal, a marker of emotional liability, are sensitized by parental emotion dysregulation that has been linked to a reliance on MMR responses. Clinical implications will be discussed.

Substance Use

*Lancaster, J., Jaworski, K., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2021, April). Avoidant Coping May Help Explain Why Perceived Stress Predicts Craving. Paper presented at the 93rd annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

• Problem. Relapse rates for substance use disorders are estimated to be as high as 40-60%. Craving, a markedly strong predictor of relapse, therefore, is an important construct to explore. Perceived stress, which reflects perceptions that stressors are overwhelming and unmanageable, is a risk factor often antecedent to spikes in craving levels. Mitigating the risk associated with perceived stress may prevent cravings, therefore the way in which stress is managed becomes of interest. As avoidant coping styles are associated with problematic substance use in the literature, this construct was hypothesized as the possible bridge between perceived stress and the onset of craving. Identifying factors that help explain the relationship between feelings of distress and subsequent drug craving may provide targets for intervention. This study addresses a paucity in drug craving research by offering the use of experience sampling to assess craving, a dynamic risk factor, at the most critical moments, during peak distress.
• Procedure. Fifty-eight adult participants (Mage = 38.16, SD = 10.54, 51% female) receiving treatment through mutual help groups with less than 90 days of sobriety completed online self-report measures indexing perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale) and coping strategies (Brief-COPE), and a week-long experience sampling protocol (EMA) measuring craving levels at times of peak distress up to five times per day.
• Results. A 2-2-1 multilevel mediation model was employed to test the indirect effect of avoidant coping (AC) on perceived stress (PS) predicting drug craving. Path ‘a' regressed AC onto PS using simple OLS regression. PS significantly predicted AC at a trait-level, b = .59, t(56) = 5.26, p < .001. In the remainder of analyses, intercepts were allowed to vary while regression coefficients were fixed. PS and AC were entered in as predictors in a mixed model with craving as a level 1 outcome. AC fell short of significantly predict craving (path ‘b') when controlling for PS (b = .90, t(65.46) = 1.99,  p = .051). In tests of indirect effects, AC significantly mediated the relationship between PS and craving, Bootstrapped 95% CI [.0087-1.151].
• Conclusions. These findings suggest that avoidant coping styles may help explain why perceived stress leads to increased craving in recently abstaining individuals seeking treatment. As stress is predictive of craving, which is predictive of relapse, intervening at the point of stress management could ultimately reduce the risk of relapse. Therefore, therapies targeted at replacing avoidant coping styles could be of value to this population.

*Lancaster, J., Jaworski, K., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2021, April). Sobriety Commitment as a Buffer Against Stress-related Substance Use. Paper presented at the 93rd annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

• Problem. Substance abuse problems impose a substantial toll on society, emotionally and financially, with relapse rates estimated to be 40-60%, suggesting low treatment efficacy. Exploring protective factors may reduce relapse rates, thus alleviating these societal burdens. Perceived stress is a known risk factor for drug use. Among substance abuse populations, motivation for sobriety may be a key factor in reducing the risk that is associated with elevated stress levels. It is hypothesized that high commitment to sobriety may serve as a protective factor against substance use in the face of stress. With a dearth of literature regarding the buffering effects of commitment to sobriety, this study seeks to test its moderating role in the relationship between perceived stress and problematic substance use.
• Procedure. Forty-seven adult participants (Mage = 37.32, SD = 10.31, 40% female) receiving treatment through mutual help groups with less than 90 days of sobriety completed online self-report measures indexing perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale), commitment to remain sober (Commitment to Sobriety Scale), and severity of substance use (Drug Use Disorders Identification Test).
• Results. Hierarchical multiple regression was employed to test the hypothesized relationships. The first step of the regression with both perceived stress (PS) and commitment to sobriety (CSS) entered together did not account for a significant amount of the variance in substance use severity, R2 = .017, F(2,44) = .381, p = .686. In the next step, the interaction term for PS and CSS was entered, accounting for an additional 7% of the variance in substance use, R2 change= .07, F change (1,43) = 3.30, p = .076, b = -.166, t(43) = -1.82, p = .076. Examination of the interaction plot showed that CSS buffered against the effects of PS on substance use severity. Specifically, at low levels of commitment (-1 SD), substance use severity significantly increased as PS increased, b = 1.36, t(43) = 2.0, p = .05. However at high levels of commitment to abstinence (+ 1SD), substance use was unrelated to PS, b = -.03, t(43) = -.09, p = .93.
• Conclusions. Commitment to sobriety appears to buffer against the adverse effects of stress on substance use severity, despite low-powered analyses. As motivation for sobriety is modifiable through well-validated means, incorporating motivational interviewing elements may improve treatment outcomes. Studies that test the potential buffering effects of a commitment towards abstinence may shed further light on the protective value of this construct.

Borderline Personality Disorder

*Horner, C., Allard., E., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2021, April). Attention Disengagement Moderates the Relationship Between BPD and Rumination. Paper presented at the 93rd annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

• Problem. Persistent use of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies is common in those with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The use of maladaptive strategies may, in part, be related to a desire to decrease the intense, dysregulated negative emotions those with BPD face, when confronted with distressing stimuli. Specifically, the usage of rumination, a self-focused, maladaptive tactic, increases in the presence of sad affect and has been linked to a difficulty with disengagement from negative stimuli. However, the role that this disengagement plays in the relationship between BPD and rumination is not yet clear. Thus, the current study aimed to elucidate the role of disengagement in the relationship between BPD and rumination.
• Procedure. A mixed sample of undergraduates and community dwelling adults (N=127, 80% female, Mage =22.04, SD=7.80), completed a measure of BPD features (Personality Assessment Inventory – Borderline Subscale), a measure of rumination (Ruminative Response Scale), and an eye-tracking paradigm measuring attentional disengagement from happy- and sad-valence facial images during a laboratory visit, and the RRS at a 4-month follow-up. Attention disengagement (AD) is defined as the average delay (in ms) it takes for a participant to disengage their attention away from an affective facial image to the neutral facial image, after a trigger appeared around the neutral facial image. Shorter disengagement times indicate faster transference of gaze from the affective image to the neutral image.
• Results. In order to test the proposed relationships, moderation models were fit. Consistent with previous literature, BPD features predicted greater rumination at a 4-month follow up (b=0.12, p<.0001). AD to sad faces was a significant moderator of this (b=-0.00097, p=0.01). Simples slopes analyses revealed a stronger link between BPD symptomatology and ruminative behavior, when AD from sad faces were shorter (b=.24), relative to when the AD was longer (b=-.27). Additionally, AD to happy faces was also a significant moderator, (b=0.00093, p=0.009). Simples slopes analyses revealed a stronger link between BPD symptomatology and ruminative behavior, when AD from happy faces were longer (b=.45), relative to when the AD was shorter (b=.02).
• Conclusions. The present results suggest that individuals with increased BPD symptoms are more likely to engage in ruminative behavior when they slowly disengage their attention away from happy stimuli and when they quickly disengage from the sad stimuli. This may relate to the desire to quickly disengage from negative emotions and active seeking of hedonic emotions commonly found in BPD. Clinical implications will be discussed.

Culture & Diversity

*Velez, A., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2021, April). Race moderates the effect of childhood adversity on socioeconomic status. Paper to be presented at the 93rd annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

• Problem. A large body of work suggests notable educational and economic gaps between those of African American and Caucasian backgrounds. Indeed, African Americans show higher levels of unemployment, attain lower-paying occupations, and lower education levels than their Caucasian counterparts that are transmitted across generations. Though arising from a confluence of systemic and situational sources, higher rates of exposure to childhood adversities in the form of chronic exposure to verbal conflict, physical violence, and sexual abuse among African Americans may contribute to such socioeconomic disparities. In particular, the cumulative exposure to such adversities may disproportionately impact those of African American backgrounds given potential obstacles experienced by African Americans to behavioral health treatment. The present study tests whether childhood adversities' accumulation differentially impacts African Americans' compared to Caucasians' socioeconomic status (SES).  
• Procedure. Ninety-three community-dwelling adults (n=24 African American) completed semi-structured interviews wherein their childhood adversity histories were ascertained. Thirty-nine percent (39%) denied childhood adversity exposure, while 30% reported exposure to one, 17% to two, and 14% to three forms of adversity, of whom 48% reported chronic exposure to verbal conflict, 28% to physical violence, and 30% to sexual abuse. SES reflects the Hollingshead Index that incorporates participants' education and occupational attainment in its calculation.  
• Results. Contrary to expectation, both racial groups reported similar proportions of cumulative adversity exposure and exposure to specific adversity types. As expected, those of African American backgrounds evidenced lower SES than Caucasians (b=-6.25, p=.05), as did those who had two or more adversity exposures (b=-7.35, p=.03). Importantly, participants' racial backgrounds moderated the effect of adversity on SES (b=18.66, p=.03). Surprisingly, our results showed that Caucasians were disproportionately affected when exposed to all three forms of adversity (b=-10.48) relative to African Americans (b=8.21). Follow-up analyses revealed that this interaction was driven by sexual abuse exposure (b=11.92, p =.06), which markedly reduced SES for Caucasians (b=-9.50) but not African Americans (b= 2.42).   
• Conclusions. Results from the study indicate that while African Americans experience lower socioeconomic gains than Caucasians, they may also be more resilient than their peers in weathering the most severe forms of abuse. Conversely, our results may suggest that given the above noted socioeconomic vulnerabilities of African Americans related to systemic racism, healthcare access, and racial stereotypes, those of Caucasian backgrounds have more to lose socioeconomically than their peers.       

Forensic Psychology

*Brooks, B., Fellows, K., Yaroslavsky, I., (2021, April). Social support and incarceration history predict depression among formerly incarcerated persons. Poster presented at the 92nd annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

• Problem. Depression among formerly incarcerated persons is a risk factor for recidivism. Social support plays an instrumental part in an individual's emotional and behavioral outcomes and may be a protective factor against depression among formerly incarcerated persons (Wittenborn et al, 2020). However, emerging evidence suggests that familial and peer social support may be more protective than support from romantic partners among younger that familial and peer social support may be more protective than support from romantic partners among younger incarcerated persons (Johnson et al, 2011), though it is not clear whether such findings generalize to adult populations. Further, it is not known whether social support buffers against incarceration history variables that predict depression and recidivism risk (e.g., number of prior incarcerations). The present study tests whether social support source differentially predicts depression and buffers against adverse effects of incarceration history parameters among previously incarcerated persons.
• Procedure. 46 adults (Age M=32.54 years, SD=9.22, 41% female) completed measures of perceived familial, peer, and romantic partner social support (Multidimensional of Perceived Social Support), depression (Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale - 21) and reported on their incarceration histories (number of lifetime incarcerations, length of the most recent incarceration, and time since their last incarceration).
• Results. As expected, depression was positively correlated with the number of lifetime incarcerations (r=.47, p=.001) and inversely with the time since their most recent incarceration (r=-.36, p=.019) and the three social support sources (rs=-.53 - -.67, ps < .001), which were strongly inter-correlated (rs=.82-.84, ps<.001). Further, time since last incarceration was positively correlated with social support across sources (rs=.33-.38, ps<.05). As expected, more abundant incarceration histories predicted greater levels of depression (b=1.74, p=.005), while each source of social support was linked with reduced depression levels (bs=-.47--.57, ps<.001). No other incarceration history parameter reached a level of significance. In contrast to expectation, social support did not moderate the effects of incarceration history characteristics on depression levels.
• Conclusion. As predicted higher social support, irrespective of source, was associated with lower depression intensity. Interestingly, the longer it had been since an individual was incarcerated the higher they rated on social support and lower on depression. This may be linked to social support's relation to tangible resources (housing, employment, etc) (Kras, 2019), which have a positive effect on recidivism risk. Incarceration histories were inversely related with social support and with higher depression intensity. It's effect on depression did not change as a result of social support. This suggests that early action is vital, as more incarcerations increases risks for recidivism. 

*Eyman, K., Walker., D. J., & Yaroslavsky, I. (2021, April). Sexual offence, victim, and offender characteristics in recidivism risk perceptions. Paper presented at the 93rd annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

• Problem. Sex offenders and sex crimes produce strong feelings amongst the general public. Research suggests that public perceptions of sex offenders are largely negative (Edwards & Hensley, 2001). To address this, lawmakers pass policies such as registries and residential restrictions. Furthermore, research shows that the general public looks at sex offenders as a relatively homogeneous group with a high risk of recidivism (Levenson, et al. 2007). The purpose of this study was to assess whether participants' perceived risk of recidivism of a hypothetical sex offense was influenced by an interplay between offense characteristics and the ages of the victim and offender. We hypothesized that juvenile offenders, particularly those who committed non-contact offenses, would be seen as significantly less likely to re-offend when compared to their adult counterparts.
• Procedure. In a 2 x 4 mixed design, N=171 undergraduate students anonymously read vignettes that varied in offense type (contact vs. non-contact), along with victim and offender ages (adult vs. juvenile, respectively) and rated their perceived risk for re-offense on a 100-point Likert scale.
• Results. Controlling for respondents' demographic characteristics, our results showed significant between-subjects effects for participants' age, F(1,166) = 9.11, p = .02, wherein older participants perceived less risk than their junior peers, and a within-subjects contrast for victim type, F(1,166)=12.12, p = .001, whereby those who offended against a minor were viewed as more likely to re-offend. Our expected interaction between offender, victim, and offense characteristics did not reach a level of significance.
• Conclusions. Our hypothesis was partially supported, as the victim's age significantly influenced participants' recidivism risk perceptions. If the victim was a child, the risk of re-offending was rated as much higher. Further works should investigate the mechanisms for such disparate risk perceptions. Our results could help policymakers create more effective policies at reintegrating sex offenders into the general public.