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<td><span style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;">PsyPost – Psychology News Daily Digest (Unofficial)</span></td>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/lsd-reshapes-the-brains-response-to-pain-neuroimaging-study-finds/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">LSD reshapes the brain’s response to pain, neuroimaging study finds</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Aug 20th 2024, 10:00</div>
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<p><p>Lysergic acid diethylamide, more commonly known as LSD, is perhaps most famous for its hallucinogenic effects. However, recent research published in the journal <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34401" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heliyon</a></em> suggests that LSD might also play modulate how the brain processes pain. The study reveals that LSD can alter the brain’s pain neural network, offering potential insights that could influence future research in cognitive science and pharmacology.</p>
<p>LSD is a powerful psychedelic that has intrigued scientists for decades, primarily for its profound effects on human consciousness. Despite its controversial history — especially its role in the counterculture movements of the 1960s and subsequent legal bans — LSD has recently reemerged in scientific research. This resurgence is largely due to growing interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, particularly in treating mental health conditions and chronic pain.</p>
<p>Previous studies have shown that psychedelics like LSD can have therapeutic effects, including pain relief. However, the precise mechanisms by which LSD affects the brain’s pain processing networks were not well understood. The researchers aimed to fill this gap by investigating how LSD influences the brain’s pain neural network. This network comprises brain regions that are crucial in perceiving, processing, and responding to pain.</p>
<p>“Investigating how LSD alters pain perception could provide insights into the drug’s mechanism of action and potential therapeutic applications,” explained study author Hamid Sharini of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. This, in turn, “could lead to the development of new, potentially more effective pain management strategies.”</p>
<p>The study involved 20 adult participants, all of whom were carefully screened for both physical and mental health to ensure they had no history of psychiatric illnesses, substance abuse, or significant medical conditions. The participants were excluded if they had prior experience with psychedelic drugs, ensuring that any effects observed could be attributed to LSD rather than previous drug use.</p>
<p>Each participant underwent two sessions, separated by at least two weeks to allow for any drug effects to dissipate. In one session, they were administered a placebo, and in the other, they received a controlled dose of LSD. Importantly, the participants were unaware of which session involved LSD and which involved the placebo, ensuring their expectations did not influence the results.</p>
<p>During both sessions, participants were scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a technique that measures brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow. The scans were conducted at specific times following drug administration, designed to capture peak effects of the LSD.</p>
<p>The researchers employed several sophisticated data analysis methods, including amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) analysis and independent component analysis (ICA), to examine the brain’s activity and connectivity patterns. These methods allowed the researchers to investigate both regional brain activity and the interactions between different brain regions.</p>
<p>The study’s findings revealed significant differences in how the brain processed pain under the influence of LSD compared to the placebo. The ALFF analysis indicated that brain regions typically associated with pain processing, such as the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the thalamus, showed reduced activity during the LSD session. In contrast, the placebo session exhibited higher engagement of these regions, suggesting that LSD might decrease the brain’s focus on pain, which could help explain reports of reduced pain perception under the influence of psychedelics.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the ICA analysis uncovered changes in the connectivity patterns between different brain areas. Specifically, LSD appeared to disrupt the usual connectivity between regions involved in the emotional and cognitive aspects of pain, while enhancing connectivity in regions associated with attention and decision-making, such as the frontal pole. This shift in connectivity might contribute to LSD’s ability to alter the subjective experience of pain, potentially by redirecting attention away from the unpleasant aspects of pain.</p>
<p>Additionally, the researchers observed increased activity in the insula, a brain region involved in the perception of bodily states and emotions, during the LSD session. This finding suggests that LSD may heighten awareness of internal sensations while simultaneously altering how these sensations are interpreted, possibly making pain feel less severe.</p>
<p>“LSD affects pain-related brain networks in ways that were not anticipated, potentially leading to new insights into pain mechanisms,” Sharini told PsyPost. “More studies are needed to fully understand the potential benefits and risks. Caution is necessary: LSD is a powerful substance, and its use outside of a controlled research setting is not recommended.”</p>
<p>It is also important to note that study only included healthy volunteers who were not experiencing chronic pain. Therefore, it is unclear how LSD might affect individuals with chronic pain conditions, who may have different brain connectivity patterns than healthy individuals. Further research is needed to explore whether LSD could be effective in alleviating chronic pain in patients and how it compares to other pain management strategies.</p>
<p>Additionally, the study focused on the acute effects of LSD, meaning it only measured brain activity and connectivity during the immediate aftermath of drug administration.</p>
<p>“While the short-term effects of LSD have been extensively studied, our understanding of its long-term implications for the brain and pain experience remains limited,” Sharini said. “We intend to research the long-term effects.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://www.cell.com/heliyon/fulltext/S2405-8440(24)10432-X" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Clinical utility of fMRI in evaluating of LSD effect on pain-related brain networks in healthy subjects</a>,” was authored by Ayob Faramarzi, Masoomeh Fooladi, Mitra Yousef Pour, Ehsan Khodamoradi, Ava Chehreh, Sasan Amiri, Mehrdad Shavandi, and Hamid Sharini.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/narcissists-are-prone-to-internet-trolling-but-not-so-much-if-their-self-esteem-is-high/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Narcissists are prone to internet trolling, but not so much if their self-esteem is high</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Aug 20th 2024, 08:00</div>
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<p><p>A recent study conducted in Germany has uncovered a fascinating connection between narcissistic traits and internet trolling behavior. The research found that individuals with higher levels of narcissism are more likely to engage in trolling, but this tendency is diminished in those with high self-esteem. This suggests that self-esteem may act as a protective factor, neutralizing the negative effects of narcissism on trolling behavior. The research was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2024.102122"><em>Telematics and Informatics</em></a>.</p>
<p>Trolling, in the context of online behavior, refers to the deliberate act of provoking or upsetting others by posting inflammatory, disruptive, or off-topic messages within online communities or social media platforms. The primary goal of trolls is to elicit emotional reactions, create chaos, or derail conversations for their amusement. Trolling can vary widely in its intensity, from mild teasing to severe harassment, and it can target both individuals and groups. This behavior often includes spreading misinformation, making offensive comments, or engaging in cyberbullying. While some trolls may do this purely for entertainment, others might have more malicious intentions, seeking to cause real harm.</p>
<p>As the time people spend on social media platforms has increased, so too has the prevalence of trolling. This rise in trolling has prompted researchers to investigate the psychological characteristics that might predispose individuals to derive pleasure from such disruptive activities. Online trolling is generally considered a form of aggressive behavior, but unlike other forms of aggression, it often provides no tangible benefits to the troll, apart from psychological satisfaction. This unique aspect of trolling has led researchers to explore the underlying psychological traits that might explain why certain individuals are drawn to this behavior.</p>
<p>The study, led by Elke Rohmann and her colleagues, aimed to examine the relationships between different forms of narcissism—vulnerable and grandiose—self-esteem, aggression, and trolling behavior. The researchers hypothesized that both forms of narcissism would be linked to higher levels of aggression, and in turn, more aggressive individuals would be more prone to engaging in online trolling. However, they also posited that high self-esteem would mitigate this relationship, making narcissists with high self-esteem less likely to engage in trolling.</p>
<p>Vulnerable narcissism is characterized by hypersensitivity, insecurity, and a strong need for admiration while harboring feelings of inadequacy. Grandiose narcissism, on the other hand, is marked by an inflated sense of self-importance, entitlement, and a lack of empathy, accompanied by arrogance and a desire for dominance. The study authors noted that these characteristics make narcissists more likely to engage in antagonistic behaviors towards other people. However, high self-esteem should make narcissists more agreeable, conscientious, and open to experience, and thus less likely to engage in internet trolling.</p>
<p>The study involved 216 German adults who participated in an online survey hosted on the Qualtrics platform. However, the researchers focused their analysis on the 149 participants who reported that they actively comment on the internet. This distinction was crucial because the researchers wanted to ensure that the data accurately reflected the behavior of individuals who engage in online commenting, as it is impossible to assess trolling tendencies in those who do not participate in such activities.</p>
<p>The average age of the participants was 24 years, and the sample included 46 males. Notably, 78% of the participants were students. The survey included several assessments: grandiose narcissism was measured using the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, vulnerable narcissism was assessed with the Narcissism Inventory Revised, self-esteem was evaluated with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, aggression was measured using the Aggression Questionnaire, and trolling behavior was assessed using the Global Assessment of Internet Trolling – Revised. These measures provided a comprehensive view of the participants’ personality traits, self-esteem levels, and tendencies toward aggression and trolling.</p>
<p>The results of the study supported the researchers’ hypotheses. They found that individuals who were more prone to internet trolling also tended to be more aggressive. Both forms of narcissism—grandiose and vulnerable—were linked to higher levels of aggression, and individuals with higher levels of either form of narcissism were more likely to engage in online trolling.</p>
<p>However, self-esteem played a crucial role in moderating these relationships. Among individuals with low self-esteem, the connection between narcissism and trolling was strong; those with high levels of narcissism and low self-esteem were much more likely to engage in trolling.</p>
<p>But when self-esteem was high, the link between narcissism and trolling behavior became minimal. In other words, narcissists with high self-esteem were only slightly more prone to trolling compared to individuals with lower levels of narcissism, indicating that high self-esteem might buffer against the negative tendencies associated with narcissism.</p>
<p>“In summary, this study revealed a positive relationship between grandiose and vulnerable narcissism, respectively, and aggression on the one hand and trolling behavior on the other hand. Furthermore, substantial moderation effects of self-esteem on the relationship between grandiose and vulnerable narcissism, respectively, with trolling behavior occurred. According to the hypotheses, high self-esteem moderated the connection between the two forms of narcissism and trolling behavior. High self-esteem neutralized the unfavorable impact of high narcissism on trolling,” the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study sheds light on the personality structure of internet trolls and psychological mechanisms involved in internet trolling. However, it also has limitations that need to be taken into account. Notably, the design of the study does not allow any definitive cause-and-effect inferences to be made from the data. Additionally, the study was conducted on a group of mostly young people. Results on larger groups, more representative of the general population might not yield identical results.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2024.102122">Are narcissists trolls? A cross-sectional study about aggression, trolling behavior, narcissism, and the moderating role of self-esteem</a>”, was authored by Elke Rohmann, Sarah Marie Winkler, Phillip Ozimek, and Hans-Werner Bierhof.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/do-cats-grieve-new-study-suggests-they-mourn-the-loss-of-fellow-pets/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Do cats grieve? New study suggests they mourn the loss of fellow pets</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Aug 20th 2024, 06:00</div>
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<p><p>When a beloved pet dies, many of us feel the pain of loss deeply, often likening it to the loss of a family member. But what about the surviving pets? Do they grieve the loss of their companions, too? A new study published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2024.106355" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Applied Animal Behaviour Science</a></em> suggests that cats might indeed mourn when another pet in the household passes away.</p>
<p>The idea that animals might experience grief has been around since Charles Darwin’s time. While much of the focus has been on animals like primates, elephants, and dogs, less attention has been given to animals that are generally seen as less social, such as cats. The researchers wanted to explore whether domestic cats, despite their solitary ancestry, might also show signs of grief when they lose a fellow pet.</p>
<p>“I have had the joy of caring for many cats over the past 20 years or so and unfortunately, many of these cats have passed away over the years. My husband and I always hoped that the surviving companions would react in some way that would show us that they cared and missed their companions (I suppose because ultimately, we want to believe that they would be sad if something happened to us as well), but the reactions are extremely subtle,” said study author <a href="https://www.jennifervonk.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jennifer Vonk</a>, a professor of psychology at Oakland University and co-editor of <em><a href="https://amzn.to/3WTK84r" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Personality in Nonhuman Animals</a></em>.</p>
<p>“At the same time, other cat caregivers had told me their cats had responded quite profoundly to the loss of companions – showing signs consistent with depression. So I thought it was worthwhile to collect some objective information from a large sample of cat companion caregivers. Also, from a scientific point of view, it is important to learn whether domestic species that did not evolve from a group-living ancestor form bonds with their companions in this domestic setting where they are housed with other animals and humans. Lastly, I am just fascinated to know what other species understand about death, because it is a very abstract concept.”</p>
<p>To investigate this, the research team surveyed 412 cat caregivers who had recently lost a pet — either another cat or a dog — while still having one or more surviving cats in the household. These participants were primarily women, with an average age of around 32 years old. The majority of respondents reported on a single surviving cat, though a few reported on more than one.</p>
<p>Participants were asked to provide detailed information about their surviving cat and the pet that had passed away. This included questions about the relationship between the two animals, how long they had lived together, and how much time they spent engaged in activities such as sleeping, playing, or grooming each other. Respondents also provided information about their own attachment to the surviving cat and the deceased pet, as well as their personal feelings of grief.</p>
<p>The survey included a series of questions designed to measure changes in the surviving cat’s behavior both immediately following the death of the other pet and in the weeks or months afterward. Participants rated how much their cat’s behavior had changed in areas such as eating, playing, vocalizing, seeking attention, and hiding. The survey also asked about other possible changes in the cat’s behavior that might not have been captured by the predefined categories.</p>
<p>The results of the survey revealed that many cats did show changes in behavior that could be interpreted as signs of grief after the death of a companion animal. The most commonly reported behaviors included decreased eating, decreased playing, and increased attention-seeking from humans.</p>
<p>The study found that these changes were more pronounced in cats that had spent more time with the deceased pet and had a closer relationship with them. For instance, cats that had regularly engaged in activities like playing or sleeping together with the deceased pet were more likely to show these grief-like behaviors.</p>
<p>“I was somewhat surprised that the animals’ relationship predicted their behavioral changes (as reported by the owners) because it suggested a more widespread possibility of something akin to grief than I had experienced in my own cats,” Vonk told PsyPost. “For example, we had lost a pair of sisters and a pair of brothers and expected that the surviving siblings would show the greatest reactions when their siblings died, but we didn’t see a response in either surviving sibling. Perhaps it is because we still had various other cats in the household, but the number of surviving pets did not have a significant impact in this study.”</p>
<p>Interestingly, the study found that these behavioral changes were not limited to cats that had lost another cat. Cats that had lost a dog companion also exhibited similar changes in behavior. This suggests that the bond between the pets, regardless of species, was significant enough to affect the surviving cat’s behavior.</p>
<p>Another key finding was the influence of the cat owner’s attachment to their pets on the perceived behavior of the surviving cat. Owners who reported stronger attachments to the surviving cat or who felt more grief over the loss of the deceased pet were more likely to notice and report changes in their cat’s behavior.</p>
<p>For example, these owners were more likely to report that their surviving cat sought more attention or hid more often following the death. This raises the possibility that some of the reported changes in behavior might reflect the owners’ own emotional state rather than solely the cat’s experience of loss.</p>
<p>“The changes in surviving cats’ behaviors are similar to what others have reported for dogs that have lost companions,” Vonk said. The fact that “stronger reactions are predicted by the strength of the relationship, the amount of time the animals spent together, and other indicators [is] consistent with the idea that cats form bonds with other cats and dogs and may experience sadness when they lose these companions.”</p>
<p>While the findings are intriguing, the study has some limitations. Most notably, it relied on reports from cat owners rather than direct observations of the cats’ behavior. This introduces the possibility of bias, as owners might project their own feelings of grief onto their pets.</p>
<p>“Owners that were more attached to their cats reported more of a reaction, so it is possible that they were projecting their own feelings on to their cats,” Vonk explained. “This is especially possible because owners that experienced greater grief were even more likely to report changes in the surviving cats. Therefore, it is also possible that the owners’ behavior changed and <em>this</em> is what the surviving cats were reacting to.”</p>
<p>“For example, a very sad owner may have directed more attention to a surviving animal because of their own grief. But it could also be that more attached owners are better at picking up on their cats’ behaviors. These are all interesting possibilities in their own right.”</p>
<p>Looking ahead, the researchers suggest that more objective measures of animal behavior are needed to further explore the possibility of grief in cats and other species. Future studies could involve direct observations of animal behavior before and after the loss of a companion, as well as measures of the caregivers’ own behaviors and emotions. Additionally, researchers could investigate whether the social structure of an animal’s species — such as whether they evolved from social ancestors or were raised with siblings — affects their capacity for grief.</p>
<p>“I would like to develop a better understanding of whether other animals understand death and respond to it with something akin to grief,” Vonk said. “We are studying the response of a small group of horses to anticipated death in their herd and plan to collect more data with caregivers of other species. We are interested in whether it matters whether animals evolved from social ancestors or were raised with siblings, etc.”</p>
<p>“I think it is important not to make assumptions about animal minds. We often assume that only group-living animals would exhibit certain social cognitive abilities but I am interested in whether less social species like cats and bears might have some of these abilities too when placed in group situations under human care.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016815912400203X" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Is companion animal loss cat-astrophic? Responses of domestic cats to the loss of another companion animal</a>,” was authored by Brittany Greene and Jennifer Vonk.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/reactivating-memories-during-sleep-prompts-brain-changes-linked-to-ptsd-symptom-relief/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Reactivating memories during sleep prompts brain changes linked to PTSD symptom relief</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Aug 19th 2024, 14:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study published in <em><a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(24)00922-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Current Biology</a></em> has opened an exciting frontier in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by leveraging the power of sleep. For the first time, researchers have shown that reactivating memories modified by therapy during sleep can lead to more significant brain activity related to memory processing, potentially reducing PTSD symptoms.</p>
<p>Current treatments for PTSD, such as exposure-based therapies, are not always effective. Up to 50% of patients do not respond well to these treatments, and many find the process emotionally draining, leading to high dropout rates. Recognizing the need for new strategies, researchers led by Hein van Marle at Amsterdam University Medical Center sought to explore whether sleep, a natural process essential for memory consolidation, could be harnessed to boost the effectiveness of PTSD therapies.</p>
<p>“Our goal is to unlock sleep as a new treatment window for PTSD,” van Marle explained. “This is the first proof of concept for potentially enhancing daytime treatment effects during sleep.”</p>
<p>The idea stems from the brain’s unique activity during sleep. When we sleep, our brain replays and processes memories, strengthening them for long-term storage. This process, known as memory consolidation, is crucial for integrating new memories into existing networks and reducing their emotional impact.</p>
<p>Previous research has demonstrated that memories associated with specific sensory cues, like sounds or smells, can be enhanced by reintroducing those cues during sleep—a technique called targeted memory reactivation (TMR). This study applied TMR to PTSD patients, aiming to strengthen the therapeutic effects of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), a common PTSD treatment.</p>
<p>The study involved 33 patients diagnosed with PTSD, all of whom were recruited from mental health institutions in the Netherlands. The participants were divided into two groups: a TMR group, which received memory reactivation cues during sleep, and a sham group, which did not receive these cues.</p>
<p>Before the intervention, participants underwent baseline assessments, including evaluations of PTSD symptom severity and functional MRI (fMRI) scans during a script-driven imagery task. This task involved patients listening to personalized scripts describing their traumatic memories while imagining the event in vivid detail.</p>
<p>The evening before the sleep intervention, all participants received a single session of EMDR, during which they were guided through their traumatic memories while making lateral eye movements and listening to auditory clicks. These clicks were then used as memory reactivation cues during the subsequent night’s sleep for the TMR group. The researchers used a neurostimulation method to time the delivery of these cues to coincide with specific phases of slow-wave sleep, a stage of deep sleep crucial for memory consolidation.</p>
<p>During the night, the researchers monitored the participants’ brain activity using high-density electroencephalography (EEG), which allowed them to track the effects of TMR on sleep-related brain activity. The following morning, and again one week later, the participants’ PTSD symptoms were reassessed using the same measures as before the intervention.</p>
<p>The TMR group showed a greater reduction in avoidance — a key symptom of PTSD — during the script-driven imagery task, compared to the sham group. Avoidance behaviors, such as avoiding thoughts, feelings, or conversations about the traumatic event, are significant barriers to recovery in PTSD. Reducing these behaviors is crucial for the success of exposure-based therapies. The TMR group also exhibited enhanced brain activity related to memory consolidation during sleep, particularly in the slow-wave sleep phase.</p>
<p>Interestingly, the study found that the extent of brain activity changes induced by TMR correlated with the degree of PTSD symptom reduction. Specifically, patients who showed greater changes in slow oscillations and sleep spindle activity — a type of brain wave associated with memory consolidation — during sleep also experienced more significant reductions in PTSD symptoms. This finding suggests that the enhancements in sleep-related brain activity were indeed linked to the therapeutic effects of TMR.</p>
<p>However, the study did not find significant differences between the TMR and sham groups in overall PTSD symptom severity or in other measures such as the frequency of traumatic memory intrusions or nightmares. This suggests that while TMR had a measurable impact on specific symptoms like avoidance, its effects on broader PTSD symptoms were more modest.</p>
<p>“During the night of TMR stimulation, we saw that presenting the EMDR clicks effectively enhanced the sleep physiology responsible for memory consolidation, with more enhancement leading to more significant reductions in symptoms. But the stimulation during our experiment wasn’t enough to produce differences in most clinical outcomes, partly because the EMDR session was already quite effective,” Van Marle said.</p>
<p>While the study’s findings are encouraging, they come with some important limitations. First, the sample size was relatively small, which may limit the generalizability of the results. Larger studies are needed to confirm the findings and explore the full potential of TMR in PTSD treatment. Second, the study only assessed the effects of a single EMDR session followed by one night of TMR.</p>
<p>The researchers plan to administer TMR treatment to patients over five consecutive nights in a follow-up experiment slated to begin this fall. They aim to determine whether repeated TMR sessions will lead to a more pronounced reduction in PTSD symptoms.</p>
<p>“The sleep and memory field has been wary to apply TMR in PTSD patients. We are really happy to see that TMR has no negative effects on these patients,” Van Marle said. None of the patients reported more nightmares or worsened sleep after TMR. “This gives us more confidence in applying it more frequently in our future work.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.07.019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Targeted memory reactivation to augment treatment in post-traumatic stress disorder</a>,” was authored by Anna C. van der Heijden, Ysbrand D. van der Werf, Odile A. van den Heuvel, Lucia M. Talamini, and Hein J.F. van Marle.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/do-mentally-tough-athletes-choke-less-new-study-has-answer/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Do mentally tough athletes choke less? New study has answer</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Aug 19th 2024, 12:00</div>
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<p><p>According to a new study published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1414499"><em>Frontiers in Psychology</em></a>, there is no significant link between mental toughness and choking susceptibility in athletes.</p>
<p>The ability of athletes to perform under pressure is crucial in determining their success. Choking, or the failure to perform at an expected level despite the motivation and ability to do so, is a phenomenon that many athletes face. Choking susceptibility, as defined by Mesagno and colleagues (<a href="https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.22.4.439">2008</a>; <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200902795091">2009</a>) is determined by a combination of self-consciousness, anxiety, and coping mechanisms. Mental toughness, another important factor in athletic performance, refers to an athlete’s ability to persevere and maintain high performance under stress.</p>
<p>In this work, Burgandy Thiessen and colleagues examined the relationship between choking susceptibility as per Mesagno et al.’s protocol, and mental toughness in athletes.</p>
<p>The researchers recruited 415 athletes (224 males; ages 18-20) across Canada and the United States. Participants competed in various sports, with the most common being basketball, soccer, and football. The choking susceptibility protocol consisted of three main measures: the 23-item Self-Consciousness Scale (SCS), the 21-item Sport Anxiety Scale (SAS), and the 16-item Coping Style Inventory for Athletes (CSIA).</p>
<p>The SCS measured private and public self-consciousness and social anxiety. The SAS assessed somatic anxiety, worry, and concentration disruption. The CSIA evaluated approach and avoidance coping strategies. Mental toughness was measured using the Mental Toughness Index, an 8-item unidimensional scale that assesses how athletes typically think, feel, and behave in sport contexts. Participants also provided demographic information.</p>
<p>Out of the total sample, 67 athletes (16%) were classified as choking susceptible, while 348 athletes (84%) were classified as non-susceptible. Further analysis showed no significant differences in choking susceptibility based on gender, years of experience, or competitive level. However, competitive athletes were more likely to be choking susceptible compared to recreational athletes. Mental toughness was not associated with self-consciousness but was negatively correlated with sport anxiety and differential coping scores.</p>
<p>Overall, these findings suggest that while mental toughness and choking susceptibility are related constructs, they do not significantly differentiate between athletes who are choking susceptible and those who are not.</p>
<p>The researchers noted that they did not ask participants details such as the hours spent practicing, or number of competitions they participated in, which could have implications for the results.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1414499">Mental toughness and choking susceptibility in athletes</a>”, was authored by Burgandy Thiessen, Mishka Blacker, and Philip Sullivan.</p></p>
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<p><strong>Forwarded by:<br />
Michael Reeder LCPC<br />
Baltimore, MD</strong></p>
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