Stephen H. Chen

Adverse childhood experiences and leukocyte telomere maintenance in depressed and healthy adults

BACKGROUND Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with poor physical and mental health outcomes in adulthood. Adverse childhood experiences are also associated with shortened leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in adults, suggesting accelerated cell aging. No studies have yet assessed the relationship of ACEs to LTL in individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD), despite the high incidence of antecedent ACEs in individuals with MDD. Further, no studies in any population have assessed the relationship of ACEs to the activity of telomerase, the major enzyme responsible for maintaining LTL, or the relationship between telomerase and LTL in individuals with ACEs. METHODS Twenty healthy, unmedicated adults with MDD and 20 healthy age-, sex- and ethnicity-matched controls had ACEs assessed and had blood drawn for LTL and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) resting telomerase activity. RESULTS In healthy controls, greater ACE exposure was associated with shorter LTL (p<.05) but was unassociated with telomerase activity. In MDD, however, the opposite pattern was seen: greater ACE exposure was unrelated to LTL but was associated with increased telomerase activity (p<.05) and with a higher telomerase:LTL ratio (p=.022). LIMITATIONS Study limitations include the small sample size, a single timepoint assessment of telomerase activity, and the use of retrospective self-report to assess ACEs. CONCLUSIONS These results replicate prior findings of shortened LTL in healthy adults with histories of multiple ACEs. However, in MDD, this relationship was substantially altered, raising the possibility that activation of telomerase in ACE-exposed individuals with MDD could represent a compensatory response to endangered telomeres.

Parents’ Expression and Discussion of Emotion in the Multilingual Family: Does Language Matter?

Parents regularly use words to express and discuss emotion with their children, but does it matter which language they use to do so? In this article, we examine this question in the multilingual family context by integrating findings from both psychological and linguistic research. We propose that parents’ use of different languages for emotional expression or discussion holds significant implications for children’s emotional experience, understanding, and regulation. Finally, we suggest that an understanding of the implications of emotion-related language shifts is critical, particularly in adapting interventions within a rapidly diversifying society.

Variations on the bilingual advantage? Links of Chinese and English proficiency to Chinese American children's self-regulation

The present study examined whether bilingualism-related advantages in self-regulation could be observed: (a) among Chinese American immigrant children with varying levels of Chinese and English proficiencies, and (b) across different domains of self-regulation in laboratory, home, and classroom contexts. A socioeconomically diverse sample of first- and second-generation Chinese American immigrant children between ages 7 and 10 (n = 223) was administered assessments of Chinese and English language proficiencies and a multi-method, multi-informant battery of self-regulation measures. Multiple regression analyses suggested that controlling for covariates (child age, gender, and SES), childrens bilingualism-related advantages were limited to higher performance only on computerized tasks of cognitive flexibility, and only among children with higher degrees of fluency in both Chinese and English. By contrast, proficiencies in one language (either Chinese or English) were uniquely and positively associated with other domains of self-regulation, including parent and teacher-reported effortful control. These results suggest that the bilingual advantage for self-regulation may be observed as a continuous variable among immigrant children with varying levels of bilingual fluency; however, this advantage may not extend across all domains and contexts of self-regulation.

The dominance behavioural system: A multidimensional transdiagnostic approach

OBJECTIVES The dominance behavioural system (DBS) is multi-faceted, and various aspects of this system have links with a range of psychopathologies. Different scales have been used across psychopathologies though, and no single measure captures the core dimensions of the DBS. Our goal was to assess the importance of multiple DBS dimensions across psychopathologies. METHODS Undergraduates (N = 612) completed a broad set of dominance items (many from pre-existing measures) and measures of lifetime depression, anxiety, and manic symptoms. RESULTS Factor analysis suggested six distinct DBS factors: Authentic Pride, Hubristic Pride, Cooperation, Power/Influence, Discomfort with Leadership, and Ruthless Ambition. Depressive and anxious symptoms related to notably similar DBS profiles, characterized by lower authentic pride, lower perceived power, and greater willingness to endorse hubris. In contrast, hypomanic tendencies related to heightened pride, and an emphasis on the pursuit of power despite interpersonal costs. CONCLUSIONS With a multi-faceted approach, the DBS appears to be relevant for understanding multiple forms of psychopathology. Although limited by the reliance on self-report questionnaires, this is the first transdiagnostic study to consider these multiple facets of the DBS. PRACTITIONER POINTS The dominance system involves multiple separable dimensions. Manic tendencies appear tied to experiencing a heightened sense of pride and being willing to use more aggressive behavioural strategies to pursue dominance. Anxious and depressive tendencies appear particularly tied to low levels of subjective power, and more willingness to describe oneself as having hubris. Pride, the subjective sense of achieving power, and behavioural approaches to achieving power appear to be important dimensions of the dominance system for understanding psychopathology.

Family Influences on Mania-Relevant Cognitions and Beliefs: A Cognitive Model of Mania and Reward

OBJECTIVE The present study proposed and tested a cognitive model of mania and reward. METHOD Undergraduates (N = 284; 68.4% female; mean age = 20.99 years, standard deviation ± 3.37) completed measures of family goal setting and achievement values, personal reward-related beliefs, cognitive symptoms of mania, and risk for mania. RESULTS Correlational analyses and structural equation modeling supported two distinct, but related facets of mania-relevant cognition: stably present reward-related beliefs and state-dependent cognitive symptoms in response to success and positive emotion. Results also indicated that family emphasis on achievement and highly ambitious extrinsic goals were associated with these mania-relevant cognitions. Finally, controlling for other factors, cognitive symptoms in response to success and positive emotion were uniquely associated with lifetime propensity towards mania symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Results support the merit of distinguishing between facets of mania-relevant cognition and the importance of the family in shaping both aspects of cognition.

Asian American social media use: From cyber dependence and cyber harassment to saving face.

Nationally representative studies have found significant racial differences in social media use; however, most of these investigations do not disaggregate Asian American findings due to the relatively small proportion of Asian Americans in representative samples. Most purposive studies specifically about Asian social media use have been conducted in Asian countries and have used primarily quantitative methods. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-method design, we analyze data from a large (N = 1,872) purposive online survey of adolescents and emerging adults aged 18–25 years old and follow-up interviews with 24 adult Asian American women. This is the first study of its kind to examine the relative prevalence of social media behaviors across racial/ethnic groups with Asian Americans disaggregated as a unique subgroup and as the racial group of reference. It provides more descriptive and detailed accounts of how, when, and why cyber dependence, cyber harassment, and saving face/impression management behaviors occur within Asian American women’s social networking communities. We discuss the overarching themes of maintenance of privacy and limiting loss of face, avoiding stigma related to negative emotional states, and personal conceptualizations of cyber harassment. Finally, we provide practical suggestions for clinical practitioners and future directions for social media use and racial/ethnic disparities.