Robert J. Zwitser

Emotional working memory training as an online intervention for adolescent anxiety and depression: A randomised controlled trial

Objective Anxiety and depression are highly prevalent disorders in adolescence. They are associated with deficits in working memory (WM), which also appears to increase rumination, worry, and negative mood. WM training, especially in an emotional context, might help in reducing or preventing these disorders. The current study investigated the direct effects of online emotional WM training on WM capacity, and short‐ and long‐term effects on symptoms of anxiety and depression, and secondary measures of emotional functioning. Methods Unselected adolescents (n = 168, aged 11–18) were randomised over an active or placebo emotional WM training. WM was assessed before and after 4-weeks of bi‐weekly training. Emotional functioning was assessed pre‐ and post‐training and at 3, 6, and 12-months follow‐up. Results Improvements in WM capacity and both short‐ and long‐term emotional functioning were found in both training groups, with the only group difference being a trend for a larger increase in self‐esteem in the active group compared to the placebo group. Conclusions The general improvements irrespective of training condition suggest non‐specific training or time effects, or some shared active ingredient in both conditions. Future research is necessary to detect potentially effective components of (emotional) WM training and to increase adolescent engagement with online training.

Monitoring Countries in a Changing World: A New Look at DIF in International Surveys

This paper discusses the issue of differential item functioning (DIF) in international surveys. DIF is likely to occur in international surveys. What is needed is a statistical approach that takes DIF into account, while at the same time allowing for meaningful comparisons between countries. Some existing approaches are discussed and an alternative is provided. The core of this alternative approach is to define the construct as a large set of items, and to report in terms of summary statistics. Since the data are incomplete, measurement models are used to complete the incomplete data. For that purpose, different models can be used across countries. The method is illustrated with PISA’s reading literacy data. The results indicate that this approach fits the data better than the current PISA methodology; however, the league tables are nearly identical. The implications for monitoring changes over time are discussed.

Conditional Statistical Inference with Multistage Testing Designs

In this paper it is demonstrated how statistical inference from multistage test designs can be made based on the conditional likelihood. Special attention is given to parameter estimation, as well as the evaluation of model fit. Two reasons are provided why the fit of simple measurement models is expected to be better in adaptive designs, compared to linear designs: more parameters are available for the same number of observations; and undesirable response behavior, like slipping and guessing, might be avoided owing to a better match between item difficulty and examinee proficiency. The results are illustrated with simulated data, as well as with real data.

A randomized controlled trial of multi-session online interpretation bias modification training: Short- and long-term effects on anxiety and depression in unselected adolescents

Introduction Negatively biased interpretations play an important role in anxiety and depression, which are highly prevalent in adolescence, and changing such biases might thus reduce or prevent emotional disorders. We investigated the short- and long-term effects of an online interpretation bias modification training in unselected adolescents to explore its potential in preventing anxiety and depression. Methods Participants (N = 173) were randomly allocated to eight online sessions of interpretation or placebo training. Interpretation bias was assessed pre- and post-training. Primary outcomes of anxiety and depression, and secondary measures of emotional resilience were assessed pre- and post-training and at three, six, and twelve months follow-up. Results Compared to placebo, interpretation training marginally increased positive interpretations. Irrespective of training condition, symptoms of anxiety and depression showed a decline post-training and at follow-up, and indices of resilience showed an increase. Change in interpretation bias, baseline interpretation bias, stressful life events, or number of training sessions completed did not moderate the effects on anxiety or depression. Conclusions Results suggest that interpretation training as implemented in this study has no added value in reducing symptoms or enhancing resilience in unselected adolescents.

First Steps in Using Multi-Voxel Pattern Analysis to Disentangle Neural Processes Underlying Generalization of Spider Fear

A core symptom of anxiety disorders is the tendency to interpret ambiguous information as threatening. Using electroencephalography and blood oxygenation level dependent magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-MRI), several studies have begun to elucidate brain processes involved in fear-related perceptual biases, but thus far mainly found evidence for general hypervigilance in high fearful individuals. Recently, multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) has become popular for decoding cognitive states from distributed patterns of neural activation. Here, we used this technique to assess whether biased fear generalization, characteristic of clinical fear, is already present during the initial perception and categorization of a stimulus, or emerges during the subsequent interpretation of a stimulus. Individuals with low spider fear (n = 20) and high spider fear (n = 18) underwent functional MRI scanning while viewing series of schematic flowers morphing to spiders. In line with previous studies, individuals with high fear of spiders were behaviorally more likely to classify ambiguous morphs as spiders than individuals with low fear of spiders. Univariate analyses of BOLD-MRI data revealed stronger activation toward spider pictures in high fearful individuals compared to low fearful individuals in numerous areas. Yet, neither average activation, nor support vector machine classification (i.e., a form of MVPA) matched the behavioral results – i.e., a biased response toward ambiguous stimuli – in any of the regions of interest. This may point to limitations of the current design, and to challenges associated with classifying emotional and neutral stimuli in groups that differ in their judgment of emotionality. Improvements for future research are suggested.