We examined neural correlates of psychological well-being measures in older adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). We report the results of the secondary baseline analysis of Optimizing Outcomes of Treatment-Resistant Depression in Older Adults- Neurocognitive and Neuroimaging Biomarkers study, a trial of augmentation or switch pharmacotherapy strategies for older adults with TRD. Participants completed baseline psychological well-being measures and functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Psychological well-being (PWB) was assessed with the use of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox Emotion Battery subscales for Positive Affect (PA) and General Life Satisfaction (GLS). Additionally, perceived stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Our findings suggest that domains of psychological well-being in late-life TRD have distinct neural correlates related to functional connectivity. In this cohort of older adults with TRD, higher life satisfaction was associated with increased functional connectivity of the DMN, a key network of well-being. Consistently, higher perceived stress led to decreased functional connectivity in that same network. Higher perceived stress was associated with increased functional connectivity between the DMN and visual, salience/ventral attention, and dorsal attention networks, whereas higher life satisfaction was associated with reduced connectivity between the DMN and these task-positive networks.

African Americans are disproportionately susceptible to alcohol misuse given the persistent and pernicious nature of racial oppression in the United States. As such, everyday forms of discrimination may intensify the associations between alcohol use and adverse mental health. The current study examines the moderating role of discrimination on alcohol use as a predictor of anxiety and somatic symptoms in African American sexual minority men. We hypothesized that experiences of discrimination would amplify the association between alcohol use and anxiety and somatic symptoms. A subsample (n = 170) of African American sexual minority men were drawn from a larger study of sexual minority men of color for the current analyses. Moderated regression analyses were conducted. Everyday discrimination did not moderate the association between alcohol use and anxiety and somatic symptoms. Alcohol use had no direct effect on anxiety symptoms but had a significant effect on somatic symptoms (p = .01). Everyday discrimination had significant direct effects on both outcomes (p < .05). Although everyday discrimination did not moderate the association between alcohol use and poor mental health, it was a significant direct predictor of anxiety and somatic symptoms, even when controlling for alcohol use. Implications of these findings will encourage further research into how distinct but co-occurring stressors, including alcohol use and discrimination, contribute to mental health disparities.

Self-regulation, or individual differences in the modulation of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses, is integral to human development (e.g., Bell & Calkins, 2000). The Neuralvisceral Integration Model (Thayer & Lane, 2000) posits that shared neural structures underlie both autonomic and cognitive dimensions of self-regulation. While research on cognitive and resting-state physiological aspects of self-regulation is well developed, less is known about how these systems interact under socially and emotionally challenging circumstances. This study examines associations between children’s fluid reasoning and their physiological emotion regulation during a conflict discussion task, particularly during a critical developmental window of preadolescence, which is witness to dynamic neural and socio-emotional milestones. A diverse sample of 116 girls (ages 6-11; M=8.1, SD=1.5) completed cognitive tasks and a parent-child interaction task where physiological functioning was assessed. We hypothesize that higher fluid reasoning scores will predict higher HRV during a parent-child conflict, consistent with the idea that the prefrontal resources required for abstract logic are similar to those recruited to maintain autonomic stability during emotional challenge. Identifying cognitive traits as potential facilitators of improved physiological regulation is vital for developing early intervention practices for children at risk for dysregulation and the poor outcomes it predicts.

Early diagnosis and treatment for children with ASD are essential; however, Latino children are less likely to receive an ASD diagnosis and early treatment compared to their non-white Latino counterparts. Latino children typically receive an ASD diagnosis after 4 years old, a critical time period where symptoms can intensify and become increasingly severe. These instilled cultural perceptions surrounding ASD, systematic barriers, and lack of culturally attuned interventions fully prevent children with ASD in Latino communities from receiving proper care, and many children go undiagnosed until later years of development, leading to detrimental developmental delays. With this absence of resources, how can we make ASD interventions culturally tailored to Latino families with children with ASD? A mixed-methods research analysis on common experiences of Latino families with children with ASD will be used to examine the intersectionality of culture/race with disability and the underlying ideals of normalcy to uncover stigmas in cultural attitudes and the significance of changing ASD interventions to be culturally competent. Based on the literature, we hope to identify inclusive interventions and maximize the likelihood that children are diagnosed early on. Having these culturally inclusive and informative interventions for Latino parents of children with ASD is significant, as many children can receive the appropriate assistance necessary early on, and Latino parents can at last have their voices heard.