Search results

(1 - 2 of 2)
AN EXPERIENCE SAMPLING STUDY OF COGNITIVE PREDICTORS OF SEASONAL DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS
Title
AN EXPERIENCE SAMPLING STUDY OF COGNITIVE PREDICTORS OF SEASONAL DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS
Creator
Meyers, Katherine
Date
2015, 2015-07
Description
According to the Dual Vulnerability Model of Seasonal Depression, the combination of a physiological vulnerability toward vegetative symptoms...
Show moreAccording to the Dual Vulnerability Model of Seasonal Depression, the combination of a physiological vulnerability toward vegetative symptoms in the winter and a psychological vulnerability toward responding negatively to the vegetative symptoms results in seasonal depressive episodes. In particular, coping and response mechanisms such as rumination, acceptance, and distraction in reaction to vegetative symptoms may act as risk or protective factors in the development of seasonal depressive symptoms. By increasing our understanding of the relationship between coping strategies and the development of mood symptoms we can enhance our understanding of the psychological mechanisms of Seasonal Affective Disorder and inform psychological interventions. Using experience sampling methodology, which has been shown to reduce reliance on memory and increase ecological validity, we prospectively examined the effect of different coping mechanisms (rumination, acceptance, and distraction) in response to vegetative symptoms (hunger and fatigue) on subsequent mood. This is the first study to use experiencing sampling method to investigate how psychological symptoms develop in Seasonal Affective Disorder. Results suggest that rumination in response to hunger is a risk factor for mood deterioration. In contrast, acceptance of both fatigue and hunger appeared to protect against lower mood. The relationship between hunger and mood depended on distraction focused on reducing negative experiences (“negative distraction”), with higher levels of distraction strengthening that relationship. However, distraction focused on increasing positive experiences (“positive distraction”) did not appear to affect subsequent mood. We also examined the relationships between acceptance and other coping responses, with rumination and both forms of distraction showing a negative relationship with acceptance. The implications of these findings for understanding the development of Seasonal Affective Disorder, as well as future directions for research, are discussed.
Ph.D. in Psychology, July 2015
Show less
THE ASSOCIATIONS AMONG EMOTIONAL EATING, GENDER, BMI, AND RUMINATION
Title
THE ASSOCIATIONS AMONG EMOTIONAL EATING, GENDER, BMI, AND RUMINATION
Creator
Gabelman, Rachel Beth
Date
2017, 2017-07
Description
The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the roles of gender, body mass index (BMI), and rumination in the relation of...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the roles of gender, body mass index (BMI), and rumination in the relation of negative affect (NA) and emotional eating (EE). The following associations were proposed: (1) NA is positively associated with EE, (2) rumination both moderates and (3) mediates the association between NA and EE, (4) gender moderates the association between NA and emotional eating, and (5) EE mediates the association between NA and BMI. Participants consisted of average, overweight, and obese, males (n = 140) and females (n = 152) from both community and university settings. Participants completed self-report questionnaires, including the Binge Eating Questionnaire, Positive and Negative Affect Scale, Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, and Ruminative Response Questionnaire. Results agreed with previous findings that NA positively correlated NA was positively associated with EE. Results indicated that rumination moderated the association between NA and EE; however rather than greater rumination strengthening this association, it led to a weaker association between NA and EE. Rumination mediated the association between NA and EE, and EE mediated the association between NA and BMI. Lastly, gender did not moderate the association between NA and EE. Results indicate the importance of rumination in those with a tendency to emotionally eat. They also point to the impact of EE on BMI, and suggest further studies should examine whether an association exists between EE and weight gain. In addition, results indicate similarities between men and women in regard to emotionally eating in response to NA.
Ph.D. in Psychology, July 2017
Show less