Objective: To analyze gait patterns associated with sadness and depression. Embodiment theories suggest a reciprocal relationship between bodily expression and the way in which emotions are processed. Methods: In Study 1, the gait patterns of 14 inpatients suffering from major depression were compared with those of matched never-depressed participants. In Study 2, we employed musical mood induction to induce sad and positive mood in a sample of 23 undergraduates. A Fourier-based description of walking data served as the basis for the computation of linear classifiers and for the analysis of gait parameters. Results: Gait patterns associated with sadness and depression are characterized by reduced walking speed, arm swing, and vertical head movements. Moreover, depressed and sad walkers displayed larger lateral swaying movements of the upper body and a more slumped posture. Conclusion:The results of the present study indicate that a specific gait pattern characterizes individuals in dysphoric mood.

BackgroundThe present study investigated associations between vegetarian diet and mental disorders.MethodsParticipants were drawn from the representative sample of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey and its Mental Health Supplement (GHS-MHS). Completely vegetarian (N = 54) and predominantly vegetarian (N = 190) participants were compared with non-vegetarian participants (N = 3872) and with a non-vegetarian socio-demographically matched subsample (N = 242).ResultsVegetarians displayed elevated prevalence rates for depressive disorders, anxiety disorders and somatoform disorders. Due to the matching procedure, the findings cannot be explained by socio-demographic characteristics of vegetarians (e.g. higher rates of females, predominant residency in urban areas, high proportion of singles). The analysis of the respective ages at adoption of a vegetarian diet and onset of a mental disorder showed that the adoption of the vegetarian diet tends to follow the onset of mental disorders.ConclusionsIn Western cultures vegetarian diet is associated with an elevated risk of mental disorders. However, there was no evidence for a causal role of vegetarian diet in the etiology of mental disorders.

The results provide preliminary evidence that rumination is important in the process of depressive relapse.

Zusammenfassung. Theoretischer Hintergrund: Achtsamkeit ist eine bestimmte Form der Aufmerksamkeitslenkung, die durch drei Merkmale gekennzeichnet ist: (1) absichtsvoll (2), im gegenwärtigen Moment und (3) nicht wertend. Therapieansätze, in denen die Förderung von Achtsamkeit eine zentrale Rolle einnimmt, werden in letzter Zeit zunehmend eingesetzt. Fragestellung: Wie gut sind die Gütekriterien der deutschen Übersetzung der „Mindful Attention Awareness Scale” (MAAS)? Methode: Die 15 Items der MAAS wurden übersetzt. An einer Stichprobe von 469 studentischen Versuchspersonen wurden die dimensionale Struktur, Reliabilität und Validität der Skala überprüft. Ergebnisse: In Übereinstimmung mit den Ergebnissen zur amerikanischen Originalfassung zeigte die deutschsprachige Version der MAAS eine eindimensionale Struktur, eine interne Konsistenz von α = .83 und Zusammenhänge mit psychopathologischer Belastung und subjektivem Wohlbefinden. Schlussfolgerungen: Mit der deutschen Übersetzung der MAAS liegt ein Fragebogen vor, mit dem Achtsamkeit ökonomisch, reliabel und valide erfasst werden kann.

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