No abstract

Baseline electroencephalogram (EEG) data were collected from twenty-nine 4-year-old children who also completed batteries of representational theory-of-mind (RTM) tasks and executive functioning (EF) tasks. Neural sources of children's EEG alpha (6-9 Hz) were estimated and analyzed to determine whether individual differences in regional EEG alpha activity predicted children's RTM performance, while statistically controlling for children's age and EF skills. Results showed that individual differences in EEG alpha activity localized to the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dMPFC) and the right temporal-parietal juncture (rTPJ) were positively associated with children's RTM performance. These findings suggest that the maturation of dMPFC and rTPJ is a critical constituent of preschoolers' explicit theory-of-mind development.

This study explored core beliefs associated with excessive reassurance seeking (ERS) in depression. Undergraduate students (n ϭ 303) completed measures of early maladaptive schemas, attachment styles, ERS, and depression, along with a subsequent measure of depressive symptoms 6 weeks later. Anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, and an abandonment/instability schema each added to the prediction of ERS beyond the effects of depression. Moreover, avoidant attachment and the abandonment/instability schema moderated the relationship between ERS and depression over time. These results are consistent with the idea that individuals with early core beliefs reflecting insecurity in relationships seek reassurance. The findings also suggest that it may not be ERS behaviour per se, but rather characteristics of the individual in combination with ERS that are associated with depression.

These results highlight the importance of studying the constructs of depression and anxiety simultaneously, and point to intriguing gender differences.

Two studies examined the associations among attachment styles, excessive reassurance seeking (ErS) and negative feedback seeking (NFS) in depression. in Study 1 (n = 303), undergraduate students completed measures assessing attachment style, depressive symptoms, and ErS following either an imaginary interpersonal (friend and partner) or achievement prime. in Study 2 (n = 202), undergraduates completed the same measures in addition to completing an index of NFS following an imaginary interpersonal (partner) and achievement prime. Controlling for symptoms of depression, anxious attachment was positively related to ErS, and avoidant attachment was negatively related to ErS and positively associated with NFS. These results suggest that ErS and NFS may be a function of non-secure attachment rather than symptoms of depression per se. more specifically, anxiously attached individuals may attempt to reduce fears of abandonment by seeking reassurance from close others, whereas avoidantly attached individuals may strive to confirm negative perceptions of the self and relationships by seeking out unfavorable feedback from close others.Depression is a common and enervating mood disorder with a lifetime prevalence of 5-12% for men and 10-25% for women (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000). Research has also es-