Nady Van Broeck

The effects of mindfulness on executive processes and autobiographical memory specificity

Previous studies have found that mindfulness training reduces overgeneral memories and increases autobiographical memory specificity (e.g., [Williams, J. M. G., Teasdale, J. D., Segal, Z. V., & Soulsby, J. (2000). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy reduces overgeneral autobiographical memory in formerly depressed patients. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 109, 150-155]). However, little work has investigated the mechanisms underlying this effect. The present study explored the role of executive processes as a mediator of MBCT effects in an unselected sample. An autobiographical memory task, a cognitive inhibition task, a motor inhibition task, a cognitive flexibility task and a motor flexibility task were administered before and after intervention. Compared to matched controls, MBCT participants showed increased autobiographical memory specificity, decreased overgenerality, and improved cognitive flexibility capacity and capacity to inhibit cognitive prepotent responses. Mediational analyses indicated that changes in cognitive flexibility partially mediate the impact of MBCT on overgeneral memories. Results are discussed in terms of Conways [2005. Memory and the self. Journal of Memory and Language, 53, 594-628] autobiographical memory model.

Psychometric properties of the emotion awareness questionnaire for children in a French-speaking population.

In this study, we investigated the psychometric properties of the French version of the Emotion Awareness Questionnaire (EAQ30; Rieffe et al., 2008). The EAQ30 was administered to 707 French-speaking children aged 8 to 16 years old. The original 6-factor structure was replicated in our data. The internal consistency coefficients of the EAQ30 subscales were satisfactory. We found small significant differences for gender and age. Regarding convergent validity, we found positive correlations between EAQ30 scores and emotional intelligence and negative correlations between EAQ30 scores and alexithymia. There was preliminary evidence of discriminant validity, with EAQ30 scores being weakly related to school performance, and concurrent validity, with EAQ30 scores being negatively related to somatic complaints, depression, and anxiety. Finally, except for 1 dimension, EAQ30 scores were not susceptible to social desirability. Although some weaknesses of the scale remain to be addressed, these findings support the use of the EAQ30 for research and clinical purposes.

Intervening on Persistent Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Rumination-Focused Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy in a Population of Young Survivors of the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda

This study assessed the outcome of a brief rumination-focused cognitive and behavioral intervention in treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among Rwandan adolescent survivors of the 1994 genocide. All participants (54.5% female, N = 22) aged between 15 and 18 years (M = 16.55, SD = 0.96) met criteria for PTSD as assessed by the PTSD self-rating scale (UCLA PTSD index). Measures included questionnaires assessing PTSD, depression, and somatization. Data were obtained at four points: (1) 11 years after the genocide (baseline), (2) 13 years after the genocide (pretreatment), (3) posttreatment (2 weeks after the treatment), and (4) follow-up (2 months after the treatment). PTSD symptoms increased between baseline and pretreatment. The intervention was associated with a reduction in PTSD symptoms, with gains maintained at follow-up.

Psychology and psychotherapy in health care: A review of legal regulations in 17 European countries

During the last 20 years, psychological interventions and Psychotherapy have acquired a modest but significant place in health care. The lack of a uniform legal definition of these professional activities in the domain of health care hampers quality control of training programs and delivered services and complicates coordination of care. Training requirements are not always made explicit, and often there are no mechanisms for quality control or for monitoring compliance with ethical codes of conduct. In this review, the legal regulation of the professional activity of psychologists in health care and of psychotherapists in 17 European countries is examined. Eleven of these have adopted a legal regulation the title and the professional activities of psychologists in health care. Seven have an additional law regulating the title and the professional activities of psychotherapists. In five countries, professionals other than psychologists and medical doctors can obtain a legally protected title and license to practice as a psychotherapist. Conclusions are drawn concerning the available models of regulation of psychotherapy and their respective consequences.

Emotional competence and quality of life of children with asthma: The mediating effect of coping strategies

This study explored the mediating effect of coping strategies on the relationship between emotional competence (EC) and quality of life (QOL) among children with asthma. Participants were 87 children (M age = 11.72, SD = 2.58) with controlled and partially controlled asthma, undergoing everyday treatment. They filled in questionnaires assessing EC, coping strategies and QOL. Results showed that the association between some ECs and the QOL of children with asthma was fully mediated by two maladaptive cognitive coping strategies. Among children with asthma, a greater ability to differentiate their emotions, a reduced attention to bodily signals of emotions and a reduced analysis of their current emotional state were related to decreased engagement in two coping strategies (‘Ignoring Asthma’ and ‘Worrying about Asthma’), which in turn increased their QOL. These findings show that EC has an indirect effect on QOL through very specific coping strategies. They also emphasise the importance of screening EC in children with asthma and the importance of developing and using multidisciplinary interventions for them.

Cross-validation of the Emotion Awareness Questionnaire for Children in Three Populations:

The main aim of the present study was to examine the cross-cultural equivalence of a newly developed questionnaire, the Emotion Awareness Questionnaire (EAQ30) that assesses emotional awareness of children through self-report. Participants were recruited in three countries: the Netherlands (N = 665), Spain (N = 464), and Belgium (N = 707), reflecting three languages: Dutch, Spanish, and French respectively. The results of multigroup confirmatory factor analysis showed that the 6-factor structure of the EAQ30 is similar in all three samples. These results were confirmed by the high coefficients of congruence that indicated factorial invariance across samples. Comparison between the three samples showed minor cultural differences. These findings support the factorial and construct validity of the EAQ30 and suggest that the EAQ30 accurately captures the structure of children’s emotional dispositions, regardless of cultural differences.

Psychological, social and school implications of asthma: A comparison of Belgian French-speaking children having asthma with healthy children

Abstract The present study aimed to explore the psychosocial implications of asthma among Belgian French-speaking children. Ninety-nine parents of children having asthma (Mage = 11.40, SD = 2.35) and 102 parents of children without asthma (Mage = 11.25, SD = .81) participated in the study. Parents filled in the Child Behaviour Checklist and a demographic questionnaire. Results showed that children having asthma were assessed by their parents as having more internalizing, social and attention problems and as having less competence in doing activities (e.g., sports, hobbies, jobs) than their healthy peers. Significant differences also appeared between genders for attention problems, anxiety/depression, activities, social and school competences, indicating that boys were more vulnerable to psychological and social difficulties than girls but they had better school competences than girls. Finally, results showed no difference for psychological, social, and school adjustment between children who controlled and partly controlled their asthma. These findings emphasize the importance of screening children who would be at risk for having psychosocial problems and developing multidisciplinary interventions for children with asthma and for their families.