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June 2017 Newsletter
Last month we highlighted our attention flexibility study (FLEX), based on attention bias modification training (ABMT). This month we're updating FLEX study findings, and sharing a new publication on stress reduction effects of Personal Zen in pregnant mothers.

We're also featuring new media on social connections and technology written by our Director, Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary. In recent posts for The Garrison Institute, Dr. Dennis-Tiwary discusses how we can reclaim our attention online in service of our well-being. She also provides guiding principles when building social connections online. You can read these posts in more detail below.

As always, we hope you find the information in this newsletter useful, and if you would like to participate in any of our research studies, please contact the Emotion Regulation Lab at (212) 650-3878 or via our Website Contact Form for inquiries on participation in our active studies. 

Warmly,
—The Emotion Regulation Lab Team at Hunter College, Department of Psychology
Study Update

 Attention Flexibility Study (FLEX)

Challenge & Background:
Recent research suggests that exaggerated attention to threat, or the threat bias, may be one key cause of anxiety that is not specifically targeted by existing treatments. However, little is known about individual differences and contextual factors that may impact the emergence of threat bias. The FLEX study focuses on improving measurement of threat bias and on targeting factors that will improve the training of attention away from threat through Attention Bias Modification Training (ABMT).

Recent findings: 
We recently presented new data at the annual meeting for the Association of Psychological Science showing that threat bias is sensitive to a lab stress task and that this sensitivity can predict performance gains during attention training. In addition, we presented new methods of measuring attention to threat to better illustrate how threat bias changes moment to moment as stress increases and mood changes. Click here for further details.

These findings highlight how individual differences and methodological innovations can contribute to the long-term goal of developing more personalized approaches to remediating anxiety.
Research update

Poster presentations and findings at the 29th Annual APS Convention

Research findings from the Emotional Regulation Lab was recently presented at the 29th Annual Association for Psychological Science Convention in Boston. For summaries of each poster presentation and link to the respective posters click here.
Recent Publication
Salutary effects of an attention bias modification mobile application on biobehavioral measures of stress and anxiety during pregnancy

Our newest published study examined the effects of the stress-reduction app Personal Zen on the health and well-being of expecting mothers. The study found that participants who used the app for 10 minutes a day, a few days a week for a month showed reductions in the stress hormone cortisol, as well as lower subjective anxiety. Interestingly, those mothers who showed less intense brain responses to threat-related information prior to using the app showed the most benefits.

In future and ongoing research we are focusing on factors that boost the beneficial effects of the app and on identifying "super-responders" or those for whom the app might be most effective.

Read the full publication here.
 
Personal Zen

Coming Soon: Updated Personal Zen App - including Android version

The Personal Zen team are working hard on developing a new and improved version of Personal Zen. The updated app will feature new enhancements to the user experience and will be available in the coming months. Stay tuned!

Click here to receive updates on Personal Zen.
21st Century Kindness

The Power of Human Touch and What It Means for Our Digital Lives

Dr. Dennis-Tiwary recently wrote a blog post for The Garrison Institute, on how social media interactions can leave us yearning for deeper connections. Read the full post here.

Between a Cyborg and a Hard Place

In an earlier post for The Garrison Institute, Dr. Dennis-Tiwary wrote about finding a middle ground when using technology to strengthen our inner lives. You can read the full article, here.
Books and Blogs We're Reading
The Art of Communicating
by Thich Nhat Hanh


In this precise and practical guide, Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh reveals how to listen mindfully and express your fullest and most authentic self. With examples from his work with couples, families, and international conflicts, The Art of Communicating helps us move beyond the perils and frustrations of misrepresentation... Read more here.
Being Human by Maneesh Juneja
May 23, 2017


Maneesh Juneja is a Digital Health Futurist and health data analytics expert. In 2016 he was ranked the 7th most influential person in Digital Health. He speaks and blogs regularly about his experience with technology, combining this with his unique insights and expertise. Yet his most popular blog post to date has little to do with technology. Reflecting on grief and digital health after a devastating personal loss, he writes about the limits of technology and the power of human connection. Read his moving blogpost here.
Our Director
Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary is a Professor of Psychology and the Director of the Emotion Regulation Lab at Hunter College of the City University of New York. She is also Co-Director of the Hunter College Stress, Anxiety, and Resilience Research Center. More recently, Tracy founded Personal Zen, a scientifically-validated mobile app for reducing stress and anxiety.

Tracy’s mission is to understand the fundamental role of emotions in mental health, and to transform breakthrough science into engaging digital tools that elevate mental wellness and that bridge the gap between mental health needs and solutions. More about Tracy here.
Connect with us
Participate in a Study - Online Form
Emotion Regulation Lab
erlab@hunter.cuny.edu
Personal Zen
http://www.personalzen.com
@personalzenapp
Copyright © 2017 Tracy Dennis-Tiwary, All rights reserved.


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