Hollandt Maike, Kaiser Tim, Mohrmann Heino, Richter Jan, Wirkner Janine
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute for Psychology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
Department of Experimental Psychopathology, Institute for Psychology, University of Hildesheim, Hildesheim, Germany.
Front Psychiatry. 2023 Mar 30;14:1133760. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1133760. eCollection 2023.
As psychotherapy involves at least two individuals, it is essential to include the interaction perspective research. During interaction, synchrony, i.e., the occurrence of simultaneous responses, can be observed at the physiological, neural, and behavioral level. Physiological responses include heart rate and electrodermal activity; neural markers can be measured using electroencephalogram. Emotionally arousing stimuli are allocated more attentional resources (motivated attention), which is reflected in physiological activation and brain potentials. Here we present a protocol for a pilot study implementing a new research methodology, and replication of the motivated attention to emotion effect in in dyads. There is evidence that higher synchrony is associated with more positive (therapeutic) relationships. Thus, the secondary outcome will be the association between physiological and neural synchrony and subjective ratings.
Individuals (18-30 years) will participate in same-sex pairs in two experiments. In the first experiment (triadic interaction), both participants attentively watch unpleasant, neutral and pleasant pictures, and read/listen to standardized scripts (unpleasant, neutral, and pleasant, respectively) for the imagination task. In the second experiment, participants will read out three scripts (unpleasant, neutral, pleasant) to each other, followed by a joint imagination period. Stimuli will be presented in counterbalanced orders. After each picture and imagination, participants rate their subjective arousal and valence. In the beginning and in the end of the procedure, dyads rate their relationship, sympathy, and bonds (Working Alliance Inventory subscale). Heart rate, electrodermal activity and electroencephalogram will be continuously measured during both experiments using portable devices (EcgMove4 and EdaMove4, nine-channel B-Alert X-Series mobile-wireless EEG). Synchrony analyses will include the dual electroencephalography analysis pipeline, correlational analyses and Actor-Partner Interdependence Models.
The present study protocol provides an experimental approach to investigate interpersonal synchrony during emotion processing, allowing for the establishment of research methods in a pilot study, which can later be translated into real-life psychotherapy research. In the future, fundamental understanding of such mechanisms in dyadic interactions is essential in order to promote therapeutic relationships, and thus, treatment effectiveness and efficiency.
由于心理治疗涉及至少两个人，纳入互动视角的研究至关重要。在互动过程中，可以在生理、神经和行为层面观察到同步性，即同时发生的反应。生理反应包括心率和皮肤电活动；神经标志物可以通过脑电图进行测量。情绪唤起性刺激会分配更多的注意力资源（动机性注意），这反映在生理激活和脑电位上。在此，我们展示了一项初步研究的方案，该研究采用了一种新的研究方法，并在二元组中重复了对情绪的动机性注意效应。有证据表明，更高的同步性与更积极（治疗性）的关系相关。因此，次要结果将是生理和神经同步性与主观评分之间的关联。
18至30岁的个体将以同性配对的形式参与两项实验。在第一个实验（三元互动）中，两名参与者都专注地观看不愉快、中性和愉快的图片，并阅读/聆听标准化脚本（分别为不愉快、中性和愉快）以完成想象任务。在第二个实验中，参与者将互相朗读三个脚本（不愉快、中性、愉快），随后是一个联合想象阶段。刺激将以平衡的顺序呈现。在每幅图片和想象之后，参与者对他们的主观唤起和效价进行评分。在程序开始和结束时，二元组对他们的关系、同情和联系（工作联盟量表子量表）进行评分。在两项实验过程中，将使用便携式设备（EcgMove4和EdaMove4，九通道B - Alert X系列移动无线脑电图）持续测量心率、皮肤电活动和脑电图。同步性分析将包括双脑电图分析流程、相关性分析和 Actor - Partner 相互依赖模型。
本研究方案提供了一种实验方法来研究情绪处理过程中的人际同步性，允许在初步研究中建立研究方法，这些方法随后可转化为现实生活中的心理治疗研究。未来，对二元互动中此类机制的基本理解对于促进治疗关系以及治疗效果和效率至关重要。
