The moderating role of emotion regulation on the relationship between sensitivity to punishment and aggressive behaviour

Introduction The role of sensitivity to punishment on aggression is controversial, both positive and negative relationships have been observed in previous literature. Objectives The aim of this research was to clarify the role of sensitivity to punishment in different types of aggression and provide a better understanding of the influence of emotional regulation on this relationship. Methods Two hundred and twenty-nine participants took part in the study (130 women; average age = 21.52 years). All of them were assessed for levels of verbal aggression, physical aggression, anger, and hostility (by Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire), levels of sensitivity to punishment (by SPSRQ–20), and emotional regulation ability (by MSCEIT). Results A higher reactivity to punishment had a direct negative effect on physical and verbal aggression. However, a higher reactivity to punishment also showed a positive indirect effect on verbal and physical aggression through an increase in anger and hostility. In addition, ability in regulating emotions moderated the indirect effects of sensitivity to punishment on physical aggression. Conclusions Our results suggest that sensitivity to punishment can act both as a protective factor and as a risk factor for aggression. This relationship depended on the type of aggression studied and the emotional regulation abilities. These findings can help to inform the design of programs aimed at reducing aggressive behaviour. This work was funded by Junta de Andalucía (projects: EMERGIA20_00056 and UMA18-FEDERJA-137) to Alberto Megías Robles. Disclosure No significant relationships.

Introduction: Patients with "personality disorder", has history of traumatic life events and are predisposed to develop alexithymia and dissociation, considered as risk factor for severity. Objectives: The aim of the research is to analyze alexithymia relating to dissociative symptoms, and investigate their associations, in 34 patients with personality disorder. Methods: Outpatients with personality disorder relating to Mental Health Centre have been identified and tested with the Dissociative Experiences Scale, the Parma Scale for Personality Functioning and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale.
Results: There was no significant association between age of patients and presence of alexithymia (r=-0.16) and dissociation (r=-0.19); most patients with alexithymia and dissociation were female (67%; 0.67%). 71% of alexithymic subjects had attended lower secondary school, 50% upper secondary school and 43% had a university degree. Substance use is higher in alexithymic patients (73%). 69% of subjects who do not undergo any individual or group psychotherapy are alexithymic; for dissociative symptoms it is significant to undergo both psychotherapies. Alexithymia and dissociation are more frequent in histrionic personality disorder (80%; 60%) and borderline personality disorder (55%; 54%). There is a potential correlation between alexithymia and the presence of dissociative symptoms (r=0.64).
Conclusions: This study found that alexithymia and dissociative symptoms are frequent within personality disorders, particularly in histrionic and borderline personality disorder. We found that the two phenomena were associated. Furthermore we found alexithymia is more influenced by external factors than dissociative symptoms.

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The moderating role of emotion regulation on the relationship between sensitivity to punishment and aggressive behaviour.
Introduction: The role of sensitivity to punishment on aggression is controversial, both positive and negative relationships have been observed in previous literature. Objectives: The aim of this research was to clarify the role of sensitivity to punishment in different types of aggression and provide a better understanding of the influence of emotional regulation on this relationship. Methods: Two hundred and twenty-nine participants took part in the study (130 women; average age = 21.52 years). All of them were assessed for levels of verbal aggression, physical aggression, anger, and hostility (by Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire), levels of sensitivity to punishment (by SPSRQ-20), and emotional regulation ability (by MSCEIT). Results: A higher reactivity to punishment had a direct negative effect on physical and verbal aggression. However, a higher reactivity to punishment also showed a positive indirect effect on verbal and physical aggression through an increase in anger and hostility. In addition, ability in regulating emotions moderated the indirect effects of sensitivity to punishment on physical aggression. Conclusions: Our results suggest that sensitivity to punishment can act both as a protective factor and as a risk factor for aggression. This relationship depended on the type of aggression studied and the emotional regulation abilities. These findings can help to inform the design of programs aimed at reducing aggressive behaviour. This work was funded by Junta de Andalucía (projects: EMERGIA20_00056 and UMA18-FEDERJA-137) to Alberto Megías Robles. Introduction: The uncertainty of COVID-pandemia, vital danger and disruptions in the habitual social contacts can be paralleled to the experiences of severe emotional stress and violence, usually found in the people with Borderline Personality Disorder. Both can be regarded as hampering the ability to categorize and express thoughts, feelings and experiences. The implementation of distant forms of psychological counseling may accentuate the mentalization deficiency. Objectives: To develop a theoretical framework for an empirical typology of impairments of mentalization. Methods: The model of consciousness proposed by L.S. Vygotsky was used for theoretical generalization of the levels of categorical structures of mentalization observed in previous empirical studies. Results: The following structures were identified: (1) the syncretic type of mentalization with low differentiation and complexity of object representations, their negative affective tone, autistic, chaotically mutable motivation and low emotional investment in relationships were described in patients with schizotypal disorders; (2) the "complex" type, with literal, non-generalized, fielddependent and rigid, or unstable, representation of the self, others and relationships as a result of the "fusion" of cognitive representations with the current emotional states. Similar types of mentalization were previously described in people with BPD and selfharming behavior (Sokolova, Laisheva, 2017). Conclusions: The 'syncretic' and 'complex' types of mentalization produce affective-cognitive distortions of the image of a psychotherapist, hamper the understanding of the conditional and metaphorical character of the therapeutic process, render difficult the de-traumatization of the unbearable experiences, and lessen the effectiveness of consultations of people with BPD. Introduction: Perfectionism, as a multiform trait of character, plays an important role in the formation of motivation of achievements in socially significant activity. Adaptive perfectionism, together with the desire to achieve recognition in one's professional community and insure the emotional stability. Maladaptive (neurotic) perfectionism is directed towards the achievement of excessively high (non-relevant) standards of activity, a constant anxiety, internal stress and lack of self-confidence Objectives: To pinpoint the types of perfectionism that graduating medical students at Medical University experience, those who, during all the years of study, showed high academic results Methods: Forty-nine graduating medical students volunteered to take part in the study, their average mark being not lower than 4.75 (maximum was 5). Their average age was 22.41AE0.75. The following scales measured the level of expressiveness of perfectionism: A.A. Zolotareva, Hewitt and Flett, I.I. Gracheva Results: The results of the study undertaken showed two distinct groups. Students of the first group (79.6%) aimed at high internal standards in their study that would make them very well prepared professionally for their future work as doctors. They consciously accepted the common rules and norms of their society. Students of the other group (20.4%), consciously and subconsciously, estimate their high academic results as a good way of overcoming personal disturbances. They have excessive non-realistic demands towards self and others Conclusions: The results of our study make it possible for us to suppose that medical students of the second group will experience quite a lot of difficulties in their future professional activity Introduction: Borderline personality disorder is characterized by a pattern in which instability in interpersonal relationships, selfimage and affections prevails, and intense impulsivity present in the early stages of adulthood and with altered functionality in several contexts.
Objectives: Establish what functions may be altered in crisis situations in borderline personality disorder. Point out what legal tools we have available in situations in which the will is altered in borderline personality disorder. Reflect on borderline personality disorder and its relationship with substance use. Methods: Regarding a clinical case with a 25-year-old patient with a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder and a history of use in a pattern of dependence (opioids, cannabis, cocaine) who is admitted to a hospital for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures secondary to pathology to which it is denied, determining the absence of the capacity to give consent. A systematic review of the existing bibliography on borderline personality disorder, substance use disorder and decision-making capacity has been carried out using as key words: borderline personality disorder decision-making capacity.