EE) in relation to caregivers is predictive of relapse and symptom exacerbation over the course of schizophrenia and other severe mental disorders. Even individuals with milder, subclinical manifestations of the schizophrenia genotype, such as schizotypy, may be adversely affected by high levels of EE. A potential source of resilience in high EE caretaking environments might be the capacity for mentalization or reflective functioning (RF), which is the ability to accurately think about the mental states of others and the self. The main hypothesis of the present study is that when mentalization capacity or RF remains intact or is reestablished following childhood adversity, it can act to mitigate the impact of high EE environments. Participants (N = 252) were recruited from an online crowdsourcing site, Mturk. Participants completed a series of measures, including the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale-Brief (MSS-B), the Level of Expressed Emotion Scale-Past (LEE-P), and one open-ended question from the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). Results were attained through a series of regression analyses that looked at the relations between EE, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE), and schizotypy and general linear models (mediation analyses) that addressed the complex links among EE, ACE, schizotypy, and RF. As predicted by the present study and consistent with the hypothesized protective role of RF, participants with higher levels of overt childhood trauma who recalled higher levels of expressed emotion tended to report fewer schizotypal symptoms if they also maintained high levels of RF. These findings and their implications are discussed.

An abundance of empirical research has established that a robust, positive association exists between feelings of boredom and the illusion of temporal slowing. Although state and trait forms of boredom are distinct constructs, the way these variables interact with one another to impact time perception is unknown. To further explore the association between boredom and time perception, a modified replication of a study that examined the impact of discrepancies between expected and perceived time progression on hedonic appraisals was conducted. The paradigm was extended through the inclusion of validated measures of trait and recent state boredom. Seventy-two participants (N = 72, aged 18-52, M = 23.06, SD = 5.73) were led to believe that they would perform an intrinsically unengaging task for 5 (Time Drags), 10 (Real Time), or 15 minutes (Time Flies). Consistent with previous findings, participants in the Time Drags condition reported time as progressing significantly slower than participants in the other two conditions. Moreover, participants in the Time Drags condition rated the task as significantly more aversive than did participants in the Time Flies condition. This association remained significant even when controlling for levels of trait and recent state boredom. However, the Real Time and Time Flies conditions did not differ from one another in terms of task ratings or perceived time progression. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.