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The effect of an 8-week Hatha Yoga intervention on inhibitory control: A randomized controlled trial
Abstracts
Neuroticism and Stressful Life Events Predict Religious and Spiritual Struggles N. Stauner, J.A. Wilt, J.B. Grubbs, K.I. Pargament, J.J. Exline Recent research has demonstrated that religious and spiritual struggle (RSS) plays an important role in the relationship between religion and well-being. To what extent might RSS arise from personality and environmental stress? We hypothesized that neuroticism and stressful life events predict RSS independently and interact as well, such that neuroticism strengthens the link between stress and struggle. Regression analyses of factor scores from 2,719 undergraduates in USA revealed independent effects of neuroticism and stressful past experiences on six kinds of RSS, but no interactions emerged. Thus personality and experience may both affect RSS additively. Neuroticism better predicted most struggles, especially ultimate meaning struggles, but stress predicted demonic and interpersonal struggles slightly more. Mediation analyses also explored indirect effects. Some trait theorists claim that essential traits precede environmental factors causally, suggesting that neuroticism may lead to stress; conversely, stress could increase state neuroticism. Hence we considered both as possible mediators of each other’s effects. All indirect pathways achieved significance, but most had very weak effect sizes. Given weaker direct effects of stress in general, any indirect effects mediated by neuroticism would appear more substantial. Longitudinal work may help resolve this causal ambiguity.
517
The Dark Triad, Reinforcement Sensitivity and Substance Use L. Stenason, P.A. Vernon Substance use is frequently perceived as a problematic behavior that defies social norms and has many social, psychological and physiological costs. Despite this problematic behavior, previous literature on the personality characteristics of substance users is scarce. In addition, the majority of the literature has focused on clinical samples as opposed to normative substance use patterns among non-pathological samples. The current study investigated the relationship between the Dark Triad (consisting of Machiavellianism, psychopathy and narcissism), reinforcement sensitivity (consisting of behavioral approach and inhibition) and substance use. Participants consisted of 242 students (122 males and 120 females) from the University of Western Ontario with an age range of 18 to 37 years (M = 18.85, SD = 2.05). Participants completed an online survey consisting of the Short Dark Triad, the BIS/ BAS scales and a questionnaire assessing participants’ use of legal and illegal drugs. Results revealed that psychopathy fully mediated the relationship between behavioral approach and substance use but Machiavellianism or narcissism did not mediate the relationship between these variables. In addition, all components of the Dark Triad were positively correlated with behavioral approach, psychopathy was negatively correlated with behavioral inhibition, and psychopathy and narcissism were positively correlated with substance use. By identifying personality traits of substance users, researchers can attempt to decrease the costs associated with substance use by developing prevention programs in order to target high-risk individuals.
doi:10.1016/j.paid.2016.05.306 doi:10.1016/j.paid.2016.05.308
The effect of an 8-week Hatha Yoga intervention on inhibitory control: A randomized controlled trial E. Stein, R. Lauwers, A. D’Souza, B.R. Gunthati, M. Wiseheart Yoga, an ancient Indian healing tradition, has been shown to provide a wide range of physical, psychological, and emotional benefits to general and clinical populations. Recent research suggests that yoga may also enhance cognitive health, in particular, sustained attention abilities (Hogasandra & Ganapat, 2013). The effect of yoga on other cognitive functions remains understudied. Attention and inhibition share common theoretical underpinnings; therefore, the benefits of yoga may extend to inhibitory control abilities. In this study, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design was used to investigate the influence of an 8-week Yoga intervention on two different facets of inhibition: effortful and automatic. Participants (n = 45) were randomly assigned to a yoga training group or a waitlist control group. They completed a series of cognitive tests before and after the intervention period, including three effortful inhibition tasks, three automatic inhibition tasks, and three sustained attention tasks. Yoga training consisted of postures, breathing, and meditation techniques targeting inhibitory processes. Classes were scheduled twice weekly, for 1 hour each. Preliminary pre/post analyses indicate no significant differences between yoga and control participants on any of the cognitive tasks assessed; however, a second wave of the study (n = 30 participants), currently underway, should provide greater statistical power. Despite a lack of statistical significance, subjective reports from participants suggest that the intervention may have meaningfully improved the targeted functions in everyday living. Logistical limitations, such as attendance and time of testing, may have interfered with results. Suggestions for future RCTs are discussed.
doi:10.1016/j.paid.2016.05.307
Transitioning from autoethnography D. Stephenson
professional
sports
to
academia:
An
This autoethnography follows my transition from playing professional football in the Canadian Football League, to starting a PhD. Retiring from sport has come with many complications, and I will discuss the set of complications that I experienced during my transition out of sport. I aim to describe the reality I lived in, the transitioning through professional sport to school, as being influenced by historical, structural, social, cultural, economic, educational, and ethnic factors. As I discuss the roller coaster that is the life of a professional athlete, I will focus on my perceptions of a CFL career, an athletic identity and identity loss, doubts and fears during transition, perception of bodily injury and concussions, job security, and how I perceived my identity within each culture. The information presented comes from memory, personal narratives, conversations with other athletes and coaches, journals of my thoughts after my last football season, and journals of my thoughts and reflections during school. As a CFL player for six seasons, I have insight into this culture of professional football players in Canada, and this autoethnography provides a critical analysis of potential transition problems, and how some of my experiences may be leveraged to help athletes in transition. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2016.05.309
The interRAI 0-3: Assessing individual differences in temperament, early childhood mental health and development S. Stewart, J.A. Iantosca Early intervention in early childhood can reduce the likelihood of future social and emotional impairment, poor academic achievement
Neuroticism and Stressful Life Events Predict Religious and Spiritual Struggles N. Stauner, J.A. Wilt, J.B. Grubbs, K.I. Pargament, J.J. Exline Recent research has demonstrated that religious and spiritual struggle (RSS) plays an important role in the relationship between religion and well-being. To what extent might RSS arise from personality and environmental stress? We hypothesized that neuroticism and stressful life events predict RSS independently and interact as well, such that neuroticism strengthens the link between stress and struggle. Regression analyses of factor scores from 2,719 undergraduates in USA revealed independent effects of neuroticism and stressful past experiences on six kinds of RSS, but no interactions emerged. Thus personality and experience may both affect RSS additively. Neuroticism better predicted most struggles, especially ultimate meaning struggles, but stress predicted demonic and interpersonal struggles slightly more. Mediation analyses also explored indirect effects. Some trait theorists claim that essential traits precede environmental factors causally, suggesting that neuroticism may lead to stress; conversely, stress could increase state neuroticism. Hence we considered both as possible mediators of each other’s effects. All indirect pathways achieved significance, but most had very weak effect sizes. Given weaker direct effects of stress in general, any indirect effects mediated by neuroticism would appear more substantial. Longitudinal work may help resolve this causal ambiguity.
517
The Dark Triad, Reinforcement Sensitivity and Substance Use L. Stenason, P.A. Vernon Substance use is frequently perceived as a problematic behavior that defies social norms and has many social, psychological and physiological costs. Despite this problematic behavior, previous literature on the personality characteristics of substance users is scarce. In addition, the majority of the literature has focused on clinical samples as opposed to normative substance use patterns among non-pathological samples. The current study investigated the relationship between the Dark Triad (consisting of Machiavellianism, psychopathy and narcissism), reinforcement sensitivity (consisting of behavioral approach and inhibition) and substance use. Participants consisted of 242 students (122 males and 120 females) from the University of Western Ontario with an age range of 18 to 37 years (M = 18.85, SD = 2.05). Participants completed an online survey consisting of the Short Dark Triad, the BIS/ BAS scales and a questionnaire assessing participants’ use of legal and illegal drugs. Results revealed that psychopathy fully mediated the relationship between behavioral approach and substance use but Machiavellianism or narcissism did not mediate the relationship between these variables. In addition, all components of the Dark Triad were positively correlated with behavioral approach, psychopathy was negatively correlated with behavioral inhibition, and psychopathy and narcissism were positively correlated with substance use. By identifying personality traits of substance users, researchers can attempt to decrease the costs associated with substance use by developing prevention programs in order to target high-risk individuals.
doi:10.1016/j.paid.2016.05.306 doi:10.1016/j.paid.2016.05.308
The effect of an 8-week Hatha Yoga intervention on inhibitory control: A randomized controlled trial E. Stein, R. Lauwers, A. D’Souza, B.R. Gunthati, M. Wiseheart Yoga, an ancient Indian healing tradition, has been shown to provide a wide range of physical, psychological, and emotional benefits to general and clinical populations. Recent research suggests that yoga may also enhance cognitive health, in particular, sustained attention abilities (Hogasandra & Ganapat, 2013). The effect of yoga on other cognitive functions remains understudied. Attention and inhibition share common theoretical underpinnings; therefore, the benefits of yoga may extend to inhibitory control abilities. In this study, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design was used to investigate the influence of an 8-week Yoga intervention on two different facets of inhibition: effortful and automatic. Participants (n = 45) were randomly assigned to a yoga training group or a waitlist control group. They completed a series of cognitive tests before and after the intervention period, including three effortful inhibition tasks, three automatic inhibition tasks, and three sustained attention tasks. Yoga training consisted of postures, breathing, and meditation techniques targeting inhibitory processes. Classes were scheduled twice weekly, for 1 hour each. Preliminary pre/post analyses indicate no significant differences between yoga and control participants on any of the cognitive tasks assessed; however, a second wave of the study (n = 30 participants), currently underway, should provide greater statistical power. Despite a lack of statistical significance, subjective reports from participants suggest that the intervention may have meaningfully improved the targeted functions in everyday living. Logistical limitations, such as attendance and time of testing, may have interfered with results. Suggestions for future RCTs are discussed.
doi:10.1016/j.paid.2016.05.307
Transitioning from autoethnography D. Stephenson
professional
sports
to
academia:
An
This autoethnography follows my transition from playing professional football in the Canadian Football League, to starting a PhD. Retiring from sport has come with many complications, and I will discuss the set of complications that I experienced during my transition out of sport. I aim to describe the reality I lived in, the transitioning through professional sport to school, as being influenced by historical, structural, social, cultural, economic, educational, and ethnic factors. As I discuss the roller coaster that is the life of a professional athlete, I will focus on my perceptions of a CFL career, an athletic identity and identity loss, doubts and fears during transition, perception of bodily injury and concussions, job security, and how I perceived my identity within each culture. The information presented comes from memory, personal narratives, conversations with other athletes and coaches, journals of my thoughts after my last football season, and journals of my thoughts and reflections during school. As a CFL player for six seasons, I have insight into this culture of professional football players in Canada, and this autoethnography provides a critical analysis of potential transition problems, and how some of my experiences may be leveraged to help athletes in transition. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2016.05.309
The interRAI 0-3: Assessing individual differences in temperament, early childhood mental health and development S. Stewart, J.A. Iantosca Early intervention in early childhood can reduce the likelihood of future social and emotional impairment, poor academic achievement