People with intellectual disabilities (ID) often suffer from psychopathological symptoms and are rarely treated psychotherapeutically. Concurrently, there is a lack of studies summarizing the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for adults with ID and co-morbid psychopathological symptoms. A literature search identified CBT-trials focusing on the outcome domains anxiety, depression, and anger in adults with ID (IQ 20-69). A meta-analysis with subgroup analyses was conducted. Controlled trials showed significant effects for the outcome domains depression (d = 0.65; eight studies; 95% confidence interval, CI [0.24, 1.07]) and anger (d = 0.65; six studies; 95% CI [0.25, 1.06]), and a small and nonsignificant effect for anxiety (d = 0.25; four studies; 95% CI [0.00, 0.49]). Due to only a moderate number of trials and limited methodological quality, larger and more rigorous trials are needed to support the preliminary evidence for the efficacy of CBT for individuals with ID. Public Health Significance StatementThe meta-analysis showed significant effects of controlled trials regarding the efficacy of cognitivebehavioral therapies for people with intellectual disabilities suffering from depressive symptoms and anger. The quality of the included studies was moderate, and heterogeneity was partially high. Indications for different levels of intellectual disabilities should be developed, as most of the available treatment options are focused on mild intellectual disabilities.

Zusammenfassung. Der Affective Style Questionnaire (ASQ) wurde aus dem Englischen übersetzt und an einer studentischen Stichprobe (N = 640) validiert. Der ASQ ist ein Selbstbeurteilungsinstrument bestehend aus 20 Items, in dem drei allgemeine Emotionsregulationsstile erfasst werden: Unterdrücken, Anpassen/Neubewerten und Akzeptieren. Die faktorielle Struktur wurde mithilfe des ESEM-Verfahrens (Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling) überprüft. Die Ergebnisse konnten die Faktorenstruktur der englischen Vorlage bestätigen. Die Testgütekriterien, die Konstruktvalidität und demographische Einflüsse wurden untersucht. Die internen Konsistenzen erwiesen sich als zufriedenstellend (Unterdrücken-Skala: α = .84; Anpassen-Skala: α = .75; Akzeptieren-Skala: α = .72), was ebenfalls sehr nahe an den Werten der Originalstudie liegt. Die Subskalen wiesen hypothesenkonforme Zusammenhänge zu bestehenden Verfahren aus dem Forschungsbereich „Emotionsregulation” auf. Der deutschsprachige ASQ ist ein ökonomisches Instrument in einem Bereich, in dem es erst sehr wenige validierte Verfahren gibt. Kein bestehendes Verfahren erfasst die drei genannten Stile in zufriedenstellender Weise gemeinsam. Mögliche Einsatzbereiche sind in der gesunden Allgemeinbevölkerung und nach weiterer Validierung auch in klinischen Populationen anzusehen.

Further studies are needed to confirm the promising effects of CBIs and LKM. Preliminary evidence suggests that both approaches might be beneficial across various clinical populations. Future studies need to clarify whether these approaches might be options as stand-alone treatments or as adjuncts or augmentation of evidence-based methods in psychotherapy.

In this pilot study, N = 11 patients suffering from chronic depression were treated in a 12-week group program consisting of basic mindfulness exercises from Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and compassion exercises from Compassion Focused Therapy and Loving Kindness Meditation. In a 3-month waiting period prior to treatment, depression symptoms both in self-report and clinician rating did not change significantly. After treatment, depression severity was significantly reduced. After a 3-month follow-up, the symptoms further improved, with almost large effect sizes being observed in primary outcome measures.Changes in emotion regulation styles reflected by a significant increase in acceptance and significant decrease in suppression of emotions were observed at follow-up. Rumination about oneself was also significantly reduced at follow-up. Compassionate love and mindfulness were increased at follow-up, no effects were found on the Self-Compassion Scale and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Given further confirming studies for this approach, it might improve treatment options for patients suffering from chronic depression.

Self-criticism is significantly associated with a variety of mental health difficulties affecting vulnerability, presentation, progress, and recovery. In contrast, self-reassurance is associated with good mental health, psychological well-being, and beneficial physiological processes. The 22-item Forms of Self-Criticizing/Attacking and Self-Reassuring Scale (FSCRS) is an internationally used self-report questionnaire for measuring manifestation and changes in different types of self-criticism and self-reassurance. It has been shown to be a valid and reliable measure in clinical and nonclinical samples. In the present study, a German translation of the FSCRS and its 3 subscales (hated self, inadequate self, reassured self) was provided, and the factor structure and psychometric properties were examined in 415 participants from 4 different population samples: (a) a sample from the general population, (b) a sample of psychiatric residential and outpatients, (c) a clinical sample of residential and outpatients with a primary diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD), and (d) a sample of healthy control participants. Results from confirmatory factor analysis favored a 3-factor solution of the German FSCRS. Furthermore, findings indicate that the German version of the FSCRS and its subscales had good to excellent internal consistencies. Convergent validity was good for all 3 subscales as shown by medium to large correlations with established measures of self-criticism, self-compassion, self-esteem, satisfaction with life, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and secure attachment styles. Additionally, the 3 FSCRS subscales discriminated significantly between the clinical and nonclinical samples, with the BPD sample demonstrating significantly higher levels than the other samples on the hated self subscale.

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The cultivation of compassion is associated with beneficial effects on physical and psychological health, satisfaction with life and social relationships. However, some individuals, especially those high in psychopathological symptoms or those with particular disorders such as borderline personality disorder (BPD) may demonstrate pronounced fears of engagement in compassionate experiences or behaviours. Furthermore, fears of compassion have been found to impede progress in psychotherapy. The 38‐item fears of compassion scales (FCS) is a self‐report questionnaire for measuring trait levels of fears of compassion (a) one receives from others (FCFO), (b) one feels towards others (FCTO) and (c) one feels for oneself (self‐compassion; FSC). The FCS is an internationally used instrument of proven validity and reliability in both clinical and nonclinical samples. In the present study, a German translation of the FCS including its three subscales was provided, and the psychometric properties were examined in 430 participants from four different samples: (a) a sample from the general population; (b) a mixed sample of psychiatric residential and outpatients; (c) a clinical sample of residential and outpatients with a primary diagnosis of BPD and (d) a sample of healthy control participants. Internal consistencies were excellent for the German version of the FSC and acceptable to excellent for its subscales. Correlations with established measures of mental health demonstrate its validity. Additionally, the German FCS discriminates significantly between individuals from the general population and patients, thus supporting its specificity. The German FCS is suitable to detect potential obstacles in cultivating compassion in psychotherapeutic treatments and beyond.

Zusammenfassung. Zur Erfassung der 3 Emotionsregulationsstrategien Unterdrücken, Anpassen / Neubewerten und Akzeptieren wurde der Affective Style Questionnaire für Jugendliche (ASQ-Y) adaptiert und an einer entsprechenden Stichprobe (N = 1 092) validiert. Die Dimensionalität des englischen Originalfragebogens und der deutschen Version für Erwachsene konnte auch für Jugendliche bestätigt werden. Während der Analyse kam das ESEM-Verfahren (Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling) zum Einsatz, die Kennwerte bewegten sich im akzeptablen bis sehr guten Bereich. Der Comparative Fit Index (CFI) erreichte einen akzeptablen Wert von .938, ebenso der Tucker–Lewis Index (TLI) mit einem Wert von .911. Der Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) lag bei einem sehr guten Wert von .050, das Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR) erreichte einen guten Wert von .030. Die internen Konsistenzen der 3 Skalen (Unterdrücken: α = .77; Anpassen / Neubewerten: α = .76; Akzeptieren: α = .76) erreichten (vergleichbar mit dem englischen Original und der deutschen Erwachsenenstichprobe) zufriedenstellende Werte. Die Subskalen zeigten hypothesenkonforme diskriminante und konvergente Zusammenhänge mit etablierten Verfahren des Forschungsbereichs Emotionsregulation, was für die Konstruktvalidität spricht. Insgesamt ist der ASQ-Y als Messinstrument zur Erfassung von verschiedenen Emotionsregulationsstrategien bei Jugendlichen geeignet und ökonomisch in seiner Anwendung. Der ASQ-Y kann in der Allgemeinbevölkerung und in der Prävention eingesetzt werden. Nach entsprechender Validierung ist der Einsatz auch im klinischen Setting möglich.