The crucial role of positive affect (PA) dysregulations in affective psychopathology is now widely recognized. One clinically significant phenomenon in this context is the dampening of PA, which refers to (attempts to) downregulate or downplay PA states using a variety of mental strategies. Although the transdiagnostic relevance of dampening as a vulnerability and/or maintenance factor for psychopathology is well established, knowledge about motives for individuals to engage in this affect regulation strategy remains underdeveloped and insufficiently integrated. To further the current understanding of dampening, we analyze dampening through the lens of a contemporary goal-directed theory. From this perspective, dampening of PA can be understood as a strategy to reduce discrepancies between current PA and the goal to maintain low PA levels. This homeostasis goal is assumed to be at the service of several superordinate goals. Based on empirical and anecdotal evidence from clinical practice, four types of superordinate goals are identified: a hedonic goal, a self-motivating goal, a social goal, and a self-verification goal. Finally, the goal-directed theory provides guidance to systematically organize existing interventions to diminish PA dampening. The common objective in these interventions is to encourage people to reorient from the homeostasis goal toward an experience goal, which involves allowing oneself to experience PA. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Dampening of positivity is implicated in increased depression risk, yet research traditionally overlooks dampening's and depression's multifaceted natures and differential relations between dampening features and depressive symptoms. In this preregistered study, we pooled data from 13 studies, yielding four cross-sectional (N = 4,015; 13-86 years) and four longitudinal (N = 1,457; 14-86 years) data sets grouped by measures. Random-forest (RF) and network analyses examined the predictive utility of individual dampening features for specific symptoms. Across both analytic approaches, dampening features most strongly predicted core cognitive-affective symptoms, such as negative self-perceptions, pessimism, pervasive negative emotions, and to a lesser extent, fearful feelings. Concurrently, both approaches showed that the features on not deserving positivity, positivity not being long-lasting, and positivity being likely to end soon had consistently high predictive utility. The latter two emerged as longitudinal predictors in the RF analyses. Findings refine the relation of dampening to depressive symptoms and highlight intervention targets.

Dampening of positive affect is a transdiagnostic vulnerability factor for various mental health problems, yet the underlying mechanism driving this process remains unclear. The Contrast Avoidance Model (CAM) offers a potential explanation, proposing that individuals may intentionally downregulate positive emotions to prevent distressing negative emotional contrasts (NECs). The present preregistered experimental study examined the applicability of the CAM to dampening. In a randomized controlled design with an unselected community sample, participants first underwent a happiness induction and were then randomly assigned to either a 2-min dampening induction (n = 50) or a relaxation induction (n = 52) prior to a sadness induction, to test whether the dampening induction reduced the strength of a downward shift from high to low positive affect (i.e., NEC). Positive and negative affect were assessed before and after each induction. Multilevel analyses indicated that the negative emotional contrast from before versus after the sadness induction was less pronounced in the dampening condition compared to the relaxation condition. These findings provide initial experimental support for the applicability of the CAM to dampening as an emotional contrast avoidance strategy. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Despite the growing use of mindfulness meditation in clinical, occupational, and educational settings, the factors influencing its effects on physical and mental health remain poorly understood. This study aimed to replicate and extend prior findings suggesting that pain catastrophizing moderates the effect of mindfulness vs. distraction on affective pain, while also exploring repetitive negative thinking (RNT) as a potential moderator. One hundred ten healthy students without regular meditation practice were randomised to a mindfulness or a distraction induction and subsequently completed self-report questionnaires on pain catastrophizing, RNT, and mindfulness. While they were administered seven mildly painful heat stimuli, participants listened to a brief pre-recorded mindfulness induction emphasising open awareness (mindfulness group) or pre-recorded fairy tales (distraction group). Before and after the pain induction, and 2 weeks later, participants reported their perceived pain and affect. The mindfulness induction did not yield differential effects on perceived pain relative to the distraction condition. Moreover, neither pain catastrophizing nor RNT moderated the effect of the experimental induction on any measure of perceived pain. The present findings suggest that the effects of a brief mindfulness induction on sensory, affective, and attentional aspects of pain are comparable to those of a distraction induction. Moreover, no evidence was found for a disordinal moderation effect, indicating that pain catastrophizing and RNT did not differentially influence the relative impact of mindfulness vs. distraction on perceived pain. This study was preregistered on Open Science Framework ( https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/CZDMG ).

Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is a transdiagnostic cognitive process implicated in a wide range of psychological disorders. The present study evaluated the psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the Dutch Persistent and Intrusive Negative Thoughts Scale (PINTS), a brief, disorder-independent measure of RNT. A total of 905 Dutch-speaking adults completed the PINTS alongside related measures of RNT, emotional distress, well-being, and sleep disturbance. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a unidimensional structure. The PINTS demonstrated good internal consistency and adequate criterion and concurrent validity. Multigroup analyses supported scalar invariance across gender and partial scalar invariance across age groups. Women reported slightly higher levels of RNT than men, whereas adults aged 65 years and older reported lower levels than younger and middle-aged groups. These findings support the Dutch version of the PINTS as a reliable and valid tool for assessing RNT and for conducting group comparisons in research settings.

Increased categoric autobiographical memory is a known vulnerability factor for depression. Prior research suggests that categoric memories retrieved directly (i.e. via automatic associative processes) to negative cues and those retrieved generatively (i.e. through effortful and cue generation processes) to positive cues, are more pronounced in depression, indicating distinct mechanisms underlying negative and positive categoric memories in depression. To clarify this distinction and the broader complexity of categoric memory retrieval, the present study examined the role of cue valence and retrieval process, in conjunction with a third candidate factor: the content features of categoric memories. We conducted a mini meta-analysis across eight datasets (total N = 569) examining the relationship between depression severity and categoric memory. Each categoric memory was coded according to its content, reflecting either schematic features or episodic features. Results showed that higher depressive symptoms were associated with more schematic categoric memories retrieved directly to negative cues and more episodic (temporally nonspecific) categoric memories retrieved generatively to positive cues. Additionally, depressive symptoms were linked to more episodic categoric memories retrieved directly to negative cues. These findings support the idea that negative and positive categoric memories in depression are driven, at least in part, by different mnemonic processes.

Objectives:Infertility and its treatments result in considerable emotional burden. This study aimed to examine the impact of a stand-alone mobile mindfulness application (MoMiFer-app). Methods:A pilot RCT was conducted with participants randomized into an intervention group (n = 34) using the MoMiFer-app, and a wait-list control group (n=38). Outcomes were collected at baseline, 1.5 months, and 3 months post-randomization using experience sampling method (ESM) and self-report questionnaires. Primary outcomes included symptoms of emotional distress (DASS-21+ESM) and fertility-related quality of life (FertiQoL). Secondary outcomes assessed repetitive negative thinking (PTQ), self-compassion (SCS-SF), and mindfulness skills (CHIME-SF+ESM). App usage was evaluated through app-tracking. Results:Multilevel analysis showed no significant improvement in primary outcomes. However, the MoMiFer-app significantly enhanced self-compassion and mindfulness skills, as assessed by self-report questionnaires. A significant condition×time effect was observed for mindfulness skills at 1.5 months (T1; p = .02) and 3 months (T2; p = .02), and for self-compassion at 3 months (T2; p = .006). No effect was observed on repetitive negative thinking. The app was rated as good quality, but nearly half of the participants (47%) practiced mindfulness with the app once a week or less. Conclusions:Online mindfulness-based interventions can be valuable in fertility care providing easily accessible low-intensive mental support, even if they do not directly improve emotional distress or quality of life in the short term. The trial's timing during the COVID-19 pandemic and low app usage may have influenced outcomes. Further research on potential stressors and ways to increase user adherence is needed to better understand the app's impact.

Background: The Affective Control Scale (ACS) is a widely-used instrument for evaluating the fear of losing control over emotions, a key factor implicated in anxiety and depressive disorders. However, despite its widespread use, substantial inconsistencies have raised questions about the scale's reliability and validity. Methods: This study aimed to assess the factor structure of the Affective Control Scale (ACS) using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in two Dutch-speaking samples (n1 = 250, n2 = 325). Various factor structures, as previously proposed in the literature, were examined. Convergent validity was assessed by correlating the resulting factors with concurrent measures of anxiety and depression. Results: In both samples, a bifactor model excluding reverse-scored items demonstrated the best overall fit. However, despite showing high reliabilities, the specific factors exhibited low attributable score variance. Furthermore, the convergent validity assessment revealed poor associations between these specific factors and measures of anxiety and depression. Limitations: The study's generalizability is limited due to the predominantly female samples. Additionally, the complexities of bifactor models may lead to overfitting of the data. Conclusions: We conclude that a bifactor model excluding all reverse-scored items offers the most robust fit. Nevertheless, while the ACS is effective in measuring general fear of emotions, its ability to assess specific emotional fears is limited. Clinically, these findings underscore the importance of focusing on the overall fear of emotions rather than its specific components. Therefore, we recommend the use of a simplified, 30-item version of the ACS that assesses general fear of emotions.

Dampening - the tendency to downplay positive feelings - is linked to various psychopathologies, demonstrating transdiagnostic relevance. Most research to date has relied on the dampening subscale of the Responses to Positive Affect Scale (RPA-d; Feldman et al., 2008). However, concerns about its limited content validity, not reflecting clinical complexity, and potential cross-cultural universality issues prompted the development of the Leuven Exeter Dampening Scale (LEDS). Study 1 details scale development in Dutch-speaking undergraduates (N = 308); Studies 2 and 3 further validate it in a Dutch-speaking (NT1 = 214, NT2 = 148) and English-speaking UK (NT1 = 177, NT2 = 152, NT3 = 102) adult community sample. Across samples, the LEDS showed excellent internal consistency (αs > .90) and good test-retest reliability (ICCs = .77-.89). Confirmatory factor analyses supported a one-factor structure, demonstrating structural validity. LEDS scores positively correlated with RPA-d scores, indicating convergent validity. Multiple regressions showed the LEDS to significantly predict concurrent anhedonic/depressive symptoms, beyond age, gender, and negative rumination, supporting its concurrent predictive validity. Even with the RPA-d included as predictor, the LEDS accounted for unique variance in concurrent outcomes, showing incremental validity. Longitudinal analyses, covarying baseline symptoms, provided mixed evidence with predictive and incremental validity only verified in the UK sample. Crucially, the RPA-d never outperformed the LEDS, and mixed prospective findings align with prior inconsistent prospective relations between dampening and symptomatology. Findings support the LEDS as a valid alternative to the RPA-d, with a more comprehensive assessment of general dampening as key strength.

Neurofeedback training involves real-time monitoring and self-regulation of neural activity. Neurofeedback training paradigms have been widely employed in the context of meditation. Interestingly, prior research revealed focused attention meditation to be associated with desynchronized, non-harmonic, cross-frequency relationships between alpha and theta rhythms, suggesting cross-frequency decoupling. However, the potential of training these brainwave patterns to assist meditative practices remains unexplored. We assessed the trainability of non-harmonic alpha-theta cross-frequency relationships during focused attention meditation through EEG-neurofeedback training. Thirty individuals underwent 25 min of both experimental and sham training. During experimental training, participants received auditory feedback upon detection of non-harmonic alpha-theta brainwaves, whereas during sham training, feedback was unrelated to the measured brainwaves. Neural changes were assessed locally at training site Pz and globally across all scalp electrodes. Mixed model analyses showed a global, but not local, interaction effect between trainings sessions over time, indicating that the incidence of non-harmonic alpha-theta relationships across the scalp increased during experimental training compared to sham training (p < 0.001). This effect persisted in the post-training resting-state recording (p = 0.004). Notably, these training-induced increases were associated with improvements in depressive mood state (p < 0.001). Furthermore, participants with a higher depressive mood state at baseline showed stronger training effects (p < 0.001). Neurofeedback training can be used to upregulate non-harmonic alpha-theta cross-frequency relationships during focused attention meditation with durable post-training effects, particularly for those experiencing depressive mood symptoms. These findings lay the groundwork for investigating the effectiveness of multiple-session neurofeedback-assisted mindfulness training.

Dampening of positive affect (PA) constitutes a transdiagnostic risk and maintenance factor for affective dysregulation in various psychopathologies, including depression. However, the motives underlying this PA downregulation strategy remain unclear, even though they may be highly relevant for improving traditional psychological treatments. This study examined whether avoidance of negative emotional contrasts (NECs) and diminished preference for positive emotions were predictive of dampening. The latter was operationalised as low pro- and high contra-hedonic emotion regulation (ER) goal endorsement. An adult community sample (N = 159) completed an online survey, and multiple linear regressions were conducted to examine the predictive validity of both factors, after controlling for age, gender, and repetitive negative thinking (RNT). Higher levels of NEC avoidance and higher contra-hedonic ER goal endorsement were consistently found to uniquely predict concurrent dampening levels, above and beyond age, gender and RNT. Crucially, inclusion of both factors in the same regression model still yielded evidence for the unique predictive validity of NEC avoidance. Findings support the possibility that dampening is motivated by NEC avoidance rather than solely by emotional preferences. Study limitations are noted, and implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed.

Adolescents with chronic conditions are at an increased risk for psychopathology, which may impact their quality of life. Reviews suggest that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are promising to support these adolescents. This pilot study investigated the effects of an MBI on emotional distress and quality of life and examined potential mechanisms in adolescents with chronic conditions using a randomized staggered within-subjects design. Twenty-two adolescents (14–18 years) with a chronic condition were randomized to a baseline phase of 14–28 days, followed by an MBI, consisting of four bi-weekly online group sessions. Outcomes were assessed by repeated measurements at the baseline, intervention, and follow-up phases, and by standardized questionnaires and experience sampling measures before randomisation, at post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. Additionally, interviews were performed. Our main findings showed that stress levels significantly increased (b = 0.35, 95 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ (NCT04359563).

Self-criticism and rumination are critically involved in affective disorders, with network approaches highlighting self-critical processes as central to rumination. The Self-Critical Rumination Scale (SCRS) assesses self-critical rumination, a repetitive negative thinking pattern that devalues the self, and has demonstrated good psychometric properties. This study aimed to validate a Dutch version of the SCRS (SCRS-NL) in a Belgian sample ( N = 466). Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the one-factor structure of the original SCRS, and the SCRS-NL demonstrated internal consistency comparable to the original scale. The SCRS-NL showed moderate to large correlations with scales measuring related constructs (e.g., repetitive negative thinking, self-evaluative attitudes, fear of failure, perfectionism, symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress). Moreover, the SCRS-NL exhibited incremental validity over established rumination measures (ruminative response scale and perseverative thinking questionnaire) in predicting symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Finally, multi-group confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated measurement and scalar invariance between the SCRS-NL and the original English SCRS, confirming the SCRS-NL’s cross-cultural applicability and validity in assessing self-critical rumination.

Depression rates are rising globally, with traditional treatments often failing to address cognitive overgeneralization - a distortion that perpetuates negative thinking and depressive symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Cognitive Specificity Enhancement Training (CoST) in reducing rumination, cognitive avoidance, and depressive symptoms, particularly in patients with childhood maltreatment. Using a quasi-experimental design, 40 depressed patients (Mage = 33.02 ± 10.69) with a history of childhood maltreatment were purposively sampled and randomly assigned to experimental (n = 20) or control (n = 20) groups. The experimental group underwent four CoST sessions, while the control group received no intervention. After dropouts, 35 participants (18 experimental, 17 control) completed the study. Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Ruminative Response Scale (RRS-10), and Cognitive Avoidance Questionnaire (CAQ) were administered pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at a one-month follow-up. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant reductions in BDI-II and RRS-10 scores in the experimental group (p < .05), maintained at follow-up. No significant changes were observed for cognitive avoidance in either group. These findings highlight that the short-term intervention CoST may be effective in improving rumination and depression symptoms amongst depressed patients with history of childhood maltreatment as a vulnerable social group.

The ocean has an important impact on human health. Observational studies suggest that ocean-related stimuli can improve human health, but there is limited research investigating the underlying mechanistic and epidemiological principles. Research on the interactions between the ocean and human health remains fragmented, leading to a patchy understanding of these complex connections. To structure and advance research on interactions between the ocean and human health, a transdisciplinary framework is proposed comprising of four key components: (a) ocean stimuli originating from the hydrosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere and anthroposphere, (b) time, location, and behavior dependent human interaction with these stimuli, (c) individual sensing and processing of ocean stimuli, and (d) health outcomes at individual and population level. In addition to the introduction of this framework that builds on and integrates previous theories, we discuss how its application can promote the protection of marine environments, thereby indirectly safeguarding the mechanisms that underlie ocean-human health connections. The proposed framework makes explicit a transdisciplinary approach of OHH research and contextualizes future studies.

Depressive rumination is characterized by repetitive dwelling on one or more self-relevant, past-oriented topics. However, little empirical evidence links depressive rumination to the perseveration of specific themes in autobiographical memory (AM) retrieval. This study examined whether ruminators are more likely to retrieve semantically overlapping AMs across different times and locations using the experience sampling method (ESM). Participants (N = 58 Japanese-speaking university students) generated AMs in response to negative and positive cues three times daily for seven days. In total, 3063 AMs were collected and analyzed. For each participant, we computed cosine similarity to quantify semantic overlap among the reported AMs. The results indicated that individuals with higher levels of rumination exhibited greater semantic overlap among negative AMs (r = 0.33), suggesting that ruminators' AMs tended to revolve around similar topics and themes across different cues and assessment occasions. These findings suggest that semantic overlap serves as an underlying mechanism of depressive rumination (and vice versa), wherein different cues activate a specific network that encodes similar or identical negative memory representations.

Exposure therapy consists of exposing patients to their fears and thereby diminishing their harm expectancies (i.e., extinction or expectancy learning). Although effective for many anxiety patients, its long-term success depends on the generalization of these harm expectancies to other stimuli. However, research shows that this generalization of extinction is limited. Besides decreasing harm expectancies, fear reduction may also be achieved by changing the meaning of an aversive memory representation (US revaluation). Imagery rescripting (ImRs) may be more successful in generalizing fear reduction because it allegedly works through US revaluation. The current experiment aimed to test working mechanisms for ImRs and extinction (revaluation and expectancy learning, respectively), and to examine generalization of fear reduction. In a fear conditioning paradigm, 113 healthy participants watched an aversive film clip that was used as the US. The manipulation consisted of imagining a script with a positive ending to the film clip (ImRs-only), extinction (extinction-only), or both (ImRs + extinction). Results showed enhanced US revaluation in ImRs + extinction. US expectancy decreased more strongly in the extinction conditions. Generalization of fear reduction was found in all conditions. Our results suggest different working mechanisms for ImRs and exposure. Future research should replicate this in (sub)clinical samples.

Cognitive models of depression posit that persistent negative self-referent thinking (PNSRT) is an important vulnerability factor for depressive symptoms. The mechanisms involved are still understudied, especially in adolescence. PNSRT has been assessed by a behavioural decision-making task, namely the emotional reversal learning task (ERLT). Within the ERLT, PNSRT is operationalised as the learning rate for negative self-reference. The first aim of the current study is to examine the association between PNSRT and depressive symptoms at baseline and follow-up. Second, the current study investigated associations of PNSRT with temperamental and emotion regulation variables. We found no significant effect between PNSRT and baseline depressive symptoms, although the small effect size pointed in the expected direction. No significant prospective effect was found. Additionally, adolescents with greater capacity for response inhibition and better attentional control exhibited less PNSRT. No other significant associations were found with other temperamental dimensions or emotion regulation variables. In conclusion, while the small effect size of the cross-sectional association between PNSRT and depressive symptoms points in the expected direction, no significant evidence was found that PNSRT acts as either a concomitant or precursor to depressive symptomatology. However, the current study did find a relation between low effortful control and PNSRT.

Event centrality is defined by the extent to which a memory of an event has become central to an individual's identity and life story. Previous research predominantly focused on the link between event centrality and trauma-related symptomatology. Nevertheless, it can be argued that the perception of (adverse) events as central to one's self is not exclusive to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Other disorders where adverse events are linked to the onset of symptoms might also be related to event centrality. This study examined the relevance of event centrality for Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) and for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) separately. Moreover, we examined which cognitive and emotion regulation variables (i.e., trait anxiety, rumination, worry, intrusions and avoidance, and posttraumatic cognitions) mediated these relationships. No significant correlation was found between event centrality and social anxiety. However, a significant positive correlation was found between event centrality and depression. In a combined group, this relation was mediated by all cognitive and emotion regulation variables except for worry.

Objective: Extending on previous findings that computerized Memory Specificity Training (c-MeST) improves memory specificity and depressive symptoms in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in adults, this study aimed to assess the effects of c-MeST in youth with MDD on memory specificity and depression in addition to other treatment. Methods: Participants aged 15-25 (N = 359, 76 % female; M age = 19.2, SD = 3.1), receiving predominantly psychological therapy or counseling (85 %) and/or antidepressants (52 %) were randomized to usual care and cMeST or usual care. Cognitive and clinical outcomes were assessed at baseline and at one, three, and six-month follow-ups. Results: The usual care and c-MeST group reported higher memory specificity at one-month (d = 0.42, p = .022), but not at three or six months (d's < 0.15, p's > 0.05). The rate of MDE was numerically lower in the c-MeST group at each follow-up time-point, but group was not a statistically significant predictor at one month (64 % usual care and c-MeST vs. 68 % usual care, OR = 0.81, p = .606), three months (67 % usual care and c-MeST vs. 72 % usual care, OR = 0.64, p = .327) or six months (55 % usual care and c-MeST vs. 68 % usual care, OR = 0.56, p = .266). The usual care and c-MeST group did report lower depressive symptoms at one month (d = 0.42, p = .023) and six-months (d = 0.84, p = .001), but not three-months (d = 0.13, p > .05). Conclusions: c-MeST may reduce symptoms in youth with MDD when provided alongside other treatments. However, there are significant limitations to this inference, including high attrition in the study and a need for more data on the acceptability of the intervention.