Current findings suggest that greater integration of the default mode network, involving processing of internal narrative, with neural representations of sensory perception and salience detection may be a mechanism underlying individual differences in aesthetic engagement. Thus, these individual differences may reflect general integration of environmental perception with internal emotional experience, which in turn may facilitate comfort with novelty, self-regulation, and positive adaptation to potentially stressful experiences.

There is growing evidence that appreciation for and engagement with art, nature, and beauty are associated with positive mental and physical health outcomes, yet the emotional and physiological correlates of these individual differences have not been fully characterized. The associations among individual differences in aesthetic engagement, proneness to aesthetic chill, and the experience of awe were examined in two studies (total N = 1,340). In Study 1, psychometric properties and convergent/discriminant validity of a brief measure of proneness to aesthetic chill experiences across an expanded set of stimulus domains were examined in two samples. The association between reported proneness to aesthetic chill and the Openness to Aesthetics facet was confirmed in both studies. Factor analysis and item-total correlations provide preliminary evidence that proneness to aesthetic chill is not domain specific (i.e., individuals prone to aesthetic chill in one domain [e.g., music] are also prone in other domains [e.g., nature]). In a laboratory study, individual differences in awe response to an aesthetic film clip (vs. other emotion-inducing film clips) were examined. Results indicated that the Aesthetics facet and ratings of proneness to aesthetic chill were related to higher awe ratings and reported chill/goosebumps to the film clip, as well as dispositional awe. Agreeableness was also associated with experimentally induced awe, and extraversion had a modest association with dispositional awe ratings. Across both dispositional and experimental induction, however, individual differences in aesthetic engagement and reported proneness to aesthetic chill demonstrated the strongest, most consistent, and most specific associations with awe.

Objective: Stress associated with global health threats such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and related containment efforts may be associated with significant sleep disruption. Stress-related sleep disturbance is an established transdiagnostic risk factor; thus, identifying associations with coping strategies may inform future intervention efforts. The current study examined secondary control-oriented coping strategies, including positive reappraisal, which may be particularly effective in the context of stressors characterized by high uncertainty and low controllability such as a pandemic. Method: The current study (total N = 227 undergraduate students, predominantly female) examined the associations among primary and secondary control-oriented coping strategies, positive and negative affect (PA, NA), and the development of acute sleep disturbance in the month after the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic. Control of prepandemic reported sleep disturbance allowed for prospective analyses of pandemic-related change. Results: Participants reported high levels of stress due to the pandemic onset, including difficulties with time management, difficulties with work or school, and worry about the future. Reappraisal and acceptance were both associated with higher concurrent PA, lower NA, and less increase in sleep disturbance; however, positive reappraisal was the only coping strategy that predicted unique variance in increased sleep disturbance. Conclusions: Current findings add to our understanding of stress adaptation in response to stressors characterized by high severity, high uncertainty, and low controllability, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and suggest that positive reappraisal and PA may foster resilience to stress-related sleep disturbance.

Prior research suggests that individual differences in aesthetic engagement-the propensity to be moved by art, nature, and beauty and a facet of the personality factor Openness to Experience-are associated with adaptive stress regulation. One hypothesis is that such individuals are more likely to view stressful circumstances as an opportunity for growth. The association between aesthetic engagement and stressrelated growth orientation (SRGO) was investigated in two studies (total N = 463) using both behavioral coding and survey methods. Study 1 examined the association between aesthetic engagement and growth-oriented striving (self-improvement) in the context of an ecologically valid laboratory stressor. Results indicated that aesthetic engagement was significantly associated with observational behavior ratings of self-improvement across structured interviews regarding two recent stressors. Study 2 was a cross-sectional study that employed structural equation modeling to examine the hypothesized relationships between aesthetic engagement, including an expanded assessment of proneness to aesthetic chill, and measures assessing aspects of SRGO (COPE Positive Reinterpretation and Growth Subscale, Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale). Results demonstrated that individual differences in propensity to aesthetic chill experiences were associated with a SRGO latent construct. Taken together, converging evidence from these studies suggest that the tendency to view stressors as an opportunity for growth may be a characteristic adaptation of individuals high in aesthetic engagement and, in particular, proneness to aesthetic chill.

Background: Birth-related pelvic floor trauma and its sequelae (PFTS) are associated with higher rates of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders in the fourth trimester. The fourth trimester is a critical window for long-term health outcomes, and identifying factors that buffer the impact of PFTS is an important research priority. Objectives: We hypothesized that lack of prenatal pelvic floor-focused education may be associated with greater distress following PFTS. Study Design: Hypotheses were investigated using a repeated-measures (study 1; n = 36) and cross-sectional (study 2; n = 226) design among participants reporting PFTS. Questionnaires were completed online, and included qualitative and quantitative responses. Methods: Study 1 participants completed a questionnaire within the first 8 weeks and approximately 3 months postpartum. Study 2 participants (≤5 years postpartum) completed a 1-time questionnaire. We examined associations among pelvic floor education, pelvic floor symptoms, and indices of mental health. Moderation analyses were conducted (study 2) to test whether the association between pelvic floor and mental health symptoms varied depending on level of discrepancy between postpartum expectation and experience. Results: In both studies, a high percentage of participants reported a lack of pelvic floor education, and significant

Study Objectives Bedtime procrastination, or delays in bedtime not attributable to external obligations, is a behavioral tendency that undermines sleep and is conceptualized as a consequence of poor self-regulation. Prior studies investigating the mechanistic role of self-regulation in bedtime procrastination relied on cross-sectional methods and self-reported self-regulation. The present study examined the association between bedtime procrastination and both objective and self-reported executive functioning (EF) as indices of self-regulation, as well as the moderating role of chronotype, using methods that examined these associations at the daily level. Methods 273 young adult participants (78% female; Mage = 24.4) completed daily measures of objective EF (i.e., Stroop Task), self-reported EF (i.e., self-reported cognitive, behavioral, and emotional regulation difficulties), and bedtime procrastination over 14 days, in addition to measures of chronotype. Multilevel models were constructed to examine the associations between bedtime procrastination and EF, as well as EF-chronotype interactions. Results Poorer daily objective EF and self-reported behavioral regulation were associated with greater same-night bedtime procrastination. Additionally, poorer subjective cognitive and emotional regulation were associated with greater average bedtime procrastination across 14-days. Later chronotypes reported greater bedtime procrastination than early chronotypes. Conclusions The present study provides support for the association between EF and bedtime procrastination, but finds no evidence for the moderating role of chronotype in this association. Results suggest that some EF processes may be more relevant to bedtime procrastination than others. Current findings have implications for assessment and intervention for this consequential sleep-relevant behavioral tendency.