Those whose circadian rhythm amplitude was languid suffered more from sleepiness and those whose circadian stability was flexible had a better sleep. Variables including circadian rhythm stability (flexible/rigid) and amplitude (languid/vigorous) can act as predictive indices in order to employ people in a shift work system so that sleepiness and a drop in quality of sleep are prevented.

The aim of this study was to compare experimental avoidance, mindfulness and rumination in trauma-exposed individuals with and without PTSD in an Iranian sample. The method of the study was retrospective. The statistical population of the study composed of all people under the auspices of Committee on Relief or Martyr Foundation because of exposure to at least one traumatic event in Gilan-Gharb city (Iran) (N=1708). One hundred people, selected randomly by stratified sampling method, responded to Mississippi PTSD scale and the questionnaires of experimental avoidance, mindfulness and rumination individually. Subjects were divided into two groups of with and without PTSD based on Mississippi PTSD scale and structured clinical interview. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) test was used for analyzing data. Results showed that although the mean scores of the group with PTSD were significantly higher than the group without PTSD in variables of experimental avoidance (P<0/001, F=63/8) and rumination (P<0/001, F=21/34), the mean scores of the group with PTSD were significantly lower than the group without PTSD in the overall score of mindfulness (P<0/05, F=6/64) and variables of observing (P<0/05, F=8/27) and action description (P<0/05, F=9/19). These results show that the experimental avoidance and rumination are as the risk factors and mindfulness as the protective factor PTSD in people faced with trauma.

Objectives: People suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often experience distressing traumatic memories. Therapeutic methods that apply a secondary task while clients recall a trauma memory may further assist in modifying the vividness and emotionality of the trauma memory and in reducing intrusions. In this experiment, we aimed to investigate whether the emotional valence (positive vs. neutral) and sensory modality (visual vs. auditory) of a secondary task reduces the vividness and emotionality of the trauma memory and the proactive interference. Method: Sixty PTSD patients exposed to road traffic accident traumas were randomized to one of four groups in a 2 (emotional valence: positive, neutral) × 2 (modality: visual, auditory) design. Participants were then exposed to a positive or a neutral clip that was visual or auditory and were required to recall the trauma memory during exposure to the clip. Vividness and emotionality of the trauma memory and proactive interference were assessed before and after exposure to the clip and at a 1-week follow-up. Results: Results revealed that participants who recalled the trauma memory while exposed to the positive clip reported their trauma memory as being less distressing (but not less vivid) and indicated less proactive interference than did participants exposed to the neutral clip. Nevertheless, modality had no significant effect in attenuating the proactive interference under conditions of modality congruence. Conclusion: Inducing positive emotion while performing a dual task may be an effective module in therapeutic approaches.

The current study was carried out to investigate the effects of compassion-focused therapy (CFT) on experiential avoidance, meaning-in-life, and sense of coherence (SoC) in women suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to the intimate partner violence (IPV). 42 women suffering from PTSD due to the IPV exposure were randomized to the two groups of experimental and control (21 per group). All participants completed the questionnaires of experiential avoidance, meaning-in-life, and SoC as pre-test measures. The experimental group received eight sessions of CFT, while the controls did not receive any treatment. After that, all subjects responded to the questionnaires of experiential avoidance, meaning-in-life, and SoC as the post-test measures. Data were analyzed using one-way repeated measures MANOVA. Subjects of the experimental group indicated a greater reduction in post-test scores of experiential avoidance, and a significant rise in the level of meaning-in-life and its subscales including the presence of meaning-in-life and search for meaning-in-life when compared to the controls. Nevertheless, there was no change in the level of SoC as a function of CFT. Applying CFT can result in reducing experiential avoidance and raising the meaning of life in women with PTSD due to IPV exposure. CFT is highly recommended to strengthen the well-being of patients with PTSD and reduce the PTSD symptoms.

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