Attention and distraction

وَأَنذِرۡهُمۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡحَسۡرَةِ إِذۡ قُضِيَ ٱلۡأَمۡرُ وَهُمۡ فِي غَفۡلَةࣲ وَهُمۡ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ

for they are heedless and do not believe

ٱقۡتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمۡ وَهُمۡ فِي غَفۡلَةࣲ مُّعۡرِضُونَ

Ever closer to people draws their reckoning, while they turn away, heedless

قُلۡ يَٰٓأَهۡلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ لِمَ تَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ تَبۡغُونَهَا عِوَجࣰ ا وَأَنتُمۡ شُهَدَآءُۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعۡمَلُونَ

Say, ‘People of the Book, why do you turn the believers away from God’s path and try to make it crooked, when you yourselves [should be] witnesses to the [truth]? God is not heedless of anything you do.’

وَإِذَا كُنتَ فِيهِمۡ فَأَقَمۡتَ لَهُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَلۡتَقُمۡ طَآئِفَةࣱ مِّنۡهُم مَّعَكَ وَلۡيَأۡخُذُوٓاْ أَسۡلِحَتَهُمۡۖ فَإِذَا سَجَدُواْ فَلۡيَكُونُواْ مِن وَرَآئِكُمۡ وَلۡتَأۡتِ طَآئِفَةٌ أُخۡرَىٰ لَمۡ يُصَلُّواْ فَلۡيُصَلُّواْ مَعَكَ وَلۡيَأۡخُذُواْ حِذۡرَهُمۡ وَأَسۡلِحَتَهُمۡۗ وَدَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوۡ تَغۡفُلُونَ عَنۡ أَسۡلِحَتِكُمۡ وَأَمۡتِعَتِكُمۡ فَيَمِيلُونَ عَلَيۡكُم مَّيۡلَةࣰ وَٰحِدَةࣰۚ وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِن كَانَ بِكُمۡ أَذࣰ ى مِّن مَّطَرٍ أَوۡ كُنتُم مَّرۡضَىٰٓ أَن تَضَعُوٓاْ أَسۡلِحَتَكُمۡۖ وَخُذُواْ حِذۡرَكُمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابࣰ ا مُّهِينࣰ ا

When you [Prophet] are with the believers, leading them in prayer, let a group of them stand up in prayer with you, taking their weapons with them, and when they have finished their prostration, let them take up their positions at the back. Then let the other group, who have not yet prayed, pray with you, also on their guard and armed with their weapons: the disbelievers would dearly like you to be heedless of your weapons and baggage, in order for them to take you in a single assault. You will not be blamed if you lay aside your arms when you are overtaken by heavy rain or illness, but be on your guard. Indeed, God has prepared a humiliating punishment for the disbelievers

وَلَقَدۡ ذَرَأۡنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيرࣰ ا مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ وَٱلۡإِنسِۖ لَهُمۡ قُلُوبࣱ لَّا يَفۡقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمۡ أَعۡيُنࣱ لَّا يُبۡصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمۡ ءَاذَانࣱ لَّا يَسۡمَعُونَ بِهَآۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ كَٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِ بَلۡ هُمۡ أَضَلُّۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡغَٰفِلُونَ

We have created many jinn and people who are destined for Hell, with hearts they do not use for comprehension, eyes they do not use for sight, ears they do not use for hearing. They are like cattle, no, even further astray: these are the ones who are entirely heedless

وَٱذۡكُر رَّبَّكَ فِي نَفۡسِكَ تَضَرُّعࣰ ا وَخِيفَةࣰ وَدُونَ ٱلۡجَهۡرِ مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡلِ بِٱلۡغُدُوِّ وَٱلۡأٓصَالِ وَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ ٱلۡغَٰفِلِينَ

[Prophet], remember your Lord inwardly, in all humility and awe, without raising your voice, in the mornings and in the evenings- do not be one of the heedless

Warn them of the day of remorse. The Day of Remorse is the Day of Resurrection. Wretchedness preceded for one group without their having committing disobedience, and felicity for another group without their having done beautiful deeds. The Day of Remorse is the first day in the era of the Beginningless, when it was ruled and decreed that everyone would be given what was suited for him: One would be driven away without any offense, and the other caressed but not because of obedience. For one a robe of elevation was woven without bias, and the other was burned in the fire of severance without iniquity. One was full of joy on the carpet of gentleness and heard the address, “So rejoice in your sale!” [9:111]. The other was in the pit of abandonment with the attribute of deprivation and tasted the venom of “Die in your rage!” [3:119]. Yes, He put into effect the precedent as He knew it, and H

And warn them threaten O Muhammad (s) the disbelievers of Mecca of the Day of Regret namely the Day of Resurrection on which the sinner will regret not having been virtuous in the life of this world when the matter will be decided for them thereupon that they be chastised while they in this world are yet heedless of it and do not believe in it the Day of Resurrection.

Nigh has drawn for mankind the people of Mecca the deniers of the Resurrection their reckoning on the Day of Resurrection yet they are heedless of it disregardful of the preparation required for it by way of embracing faith.

The Virtues of Surat Al-Anbiya' Al-Bukhari recorded that 'Abdur-Rahman bin Yazid said that 'Abdullah said, "Banu Isra'il, Al-Kahf, Maryam, Ta Ha and Al-Anbiya' - they are among the earliest and most beautiful Surahs and they are my treasure." بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. اقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمْ وَهُمْ فِي غَفْلَةٍ مُّعْرِضُونَ - مَا يَأْتِيهِم مِّن ذِكْرٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِم مُّحْدَثٍ إِلَّا اسْتَمَعُوهُ وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ - لَاهِيَةً قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ وَأَسَرُّوا النَّجْوَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا هَلْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ ۖ أَفَتَأْتُونَ السِّحْرَ وَأَنتُمْ تُبْصِرُونَ - قَالَ رَبِّي يَعْلَمُ الْقَوْلَ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ - بَلْ قَالُوا أَضْغَاثُ أَحْلَامٍ بَلِ افْتَرَاهُ بَلْ هُوَ شَاعِرٌ فَلْيَأْتِنَا بِآيَةٍ كَمَا أُرْسِلَ الْأَوَّلُونَ - مَا آمَنَتْ قَبْلَهُم مِّن ق

(And when thou (O Muhammad) art among them and arrangest (their) worship for them�) [4:102]. The teacher Abu �Uthman al-Za�farani al-Muqri� informed us in the year [4]25> Abu Muhammad �Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn �Ali ibn Ziyad al-Suddi in the year 363> Abu Sa�id al-Fadl ibn Muhammad al-Jazari in the Sacred Mosque, Mecca, in 304> �Ali ibn Ziyad al-Lahji> Abu Qurrah Musa ibn Tariq> Sufyan> Mansur> Mujahid> Abu �Ayyash al-Zurraqi who said: �We performed the prayer of Zuhr with the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, upon which the idolaters exclaimed: �They were in a vulnerable situation, why did we not attack them by surprise?� Then they said: �There shall come another prayer which is more beloved to them than their own fathers, which is the midafternoon (�Asr) prayer�. Gabriel, peace be upon him, then came down with these verses between the Zuhr and the �Asr prayers. (

And remember thy Lord in thyself. The rememberers are three men: One remembers with the tongue while the heart is unaware. Another remembers with both tongue and heart, but his work is in danger, as has been said, " The self-purifiers are in grave danger. " Still another is silent with the tongue but his heart is drowned in Him. The Pir of the Tariqah said, " O God, how can I remember, for I myself am all remembrance? I have given the harvest of my marks to the wind. How can I remember Him whom I have not for- gotten? O remembrance of the spirits, remembered by the hearts, and mentioned by the tongues! Remember me with Your bounty and make me happy with gentle remembrance! "

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ابْنِ بُحَيْنَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّهُ قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَامَ مِنِ اثْنَتَيْنِ مِنَ الظُّهْرِ لَمْ يَجْلِسْ بَيْنَهُمَا، فَلَمَّا قَضَى صَلاَتَهُ سَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ‏.‏

Narrated `Abdullah bin Buhaina:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) got up after the second rak`a of the Zuhr prayer without sitting in between (the second and the third rak`at). When he finished the prayer he performed two prostrations (of Sahu) and then finished the prayer with Taslim

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنِ الْحَكَمِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلَّى الظُّهْرَ خَمْسًا فَقِيلَ لَهُ أَزِيدَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ وَمَا ذَاكَ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ صَلَّيْتَ خَمْسًا‏.‏ فَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ مَا سَلَّمَ‏.‏

Narrated' `Abdullah:Once Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) offered five rak`at in the Zuhr prayer, and somebody asked him whether there was some increase in the prayer. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "What is that?" He said, "You have offered five rak`at." So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) performed two prostrations of Sahu after Taslim

أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عَمَّارٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بَابَيْهِ، عَنْ يَعْلَى بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لِعُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ ‏{‏ لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ تَقْصُرُوا، مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ إِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَنْ يَفْتِنَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ‏}‏ فَقَدْ أَمِنَ النَّاسُ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ رضى الله عنه عَجِبْتُ مِمَّا عَجِبْتَ مِنْهُ فَسَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ صَدَقَةٌ تَصَدَّقَ اللَّهُ بِهَا عَلَيْكُمْ فَاقْبَلُوا صَدَقَتَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

It was narrated that Ya'la bin Umayyah said:"I said to 'Umar bin Al-Khattab: 'There is no sin on you if you shorten salah and if you fear that the disbelievers may put you in trial (attack you). But now the people are safe.' 'Umar said: 'I wondered the same thing, so I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about that and he said: This is a favor from Allah (SWT) to you, so accept His favor

أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أُمَيَّةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ لِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ إِنَّا نَجِدُ صَلاَةَ الْحَضَرِ وَصَلاَةَ الْخَوْفِ فِي الْقُرْآنِ وَلاَ نَجِدُ صَلاَةَ السَّفَرِ فِي الْقُرْآنِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُ عُمَرَ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بَعَثَ إِلَيْنَا مُحَمَّدًا صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلاَ نَعْلَمُ شَيْئًا وَإِنَّمَا نَفْعَلُ كَمَا رَأَيْنَا مُحَمَّدًا صلى الله عليه وسلم يَفْعَلُ ‏.‏

It was narrated from Umayyah bin 'Abdullah bin Khalid that:He said to 'Abdullah bin 'Umar: "We find (mention of) prayer when one is at home (i.e., not traveling) and prayer at times of fear in the Qur'an, but we do not find any mention in the Qur'an of prayer when traveling. Ibn Umar said to him: 'O son of my brother, Allah (SWT) send Muhammad (ﷺ) to us when we did not know anything, and all we should do is to do that which we saw Muhammad (ﷺ) doing

حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ فُضَيْلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَيَرُدُّ عَلَيْنَا، فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِ النَّجَاشِيِّ سَلَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْنَا وَقَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنَّ فِي الصَّلاَةِ شُغْلاً ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated `Abdullah:We used to greet the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was praying and he used to answer our greetings. When we returned from An-Najashi (the ruler of Ethiopia), we greeted him, but he did not answer us (during the prayer) and (after finishing the prayer) he said, "In the prayer one is occupied (with a more serious matter)

حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هُرَيْمُ بْنُ سُفْيَانَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَحْوَهُ‏.‏

Narrated `Abdullah:The same as No. 290. from the Prophet

فدلت هذه الحكايات والأخبار مع ما سبق على أن الأصل في الصلاة الخشوع وحضور القلب وأن مجرد الحركات مع الغفلة قليل الجدوى في المعاد والله أعلم

والحضور مضاد للعزوب والغفلة وإن لم يكن مفصلا

وأما ذكر الرعاية : فمثل قول الذاكر : الله معي والله ناظر إلي الله شاهدي ونحو ذلك مما يستعمل لتقوية الحضور مع الله وفيه رعاية لمصلحة القلب ولحفظ الأدب مع الله والتحرز من الغفلة والاعتصام من الشيطان والنفس

يريد بالخفي ههنا : الذكر بمجرد القلب بما يعرض له من الواردات وهذا ثمرة الذكر الأول ويريد بالخلاض من القيود : التخلص من الغفلة والنسيان والحجب الحائلة بين القلب وبين الرب سبحانه والبقاء مع الشهود : ملازمة الحضور مع المذكور ومشاهدة القلب له حتى كأنه يراه

ثم يتشعب من كل واحدة من هذه الخصال العشر عشر أخرى من الرذائل لم نطول بذكرها وتفصيل آحادها مثل الأنفة والغضب والبغضاء والطمع وحب طلب المال والجاه للتمكن من الغلبة والمباهاة والأشر والبطر وتعظيم الأغنياء والسلاطين والتردد إليهم والأخذ من حرامهم والتجمل بالخيول والمراكب والثياب المحظورة والاستحقار للناس بالفخر والخيلاء والخوض فيما لا يعني وكثرة الكلام وخروج الخشية والخوف والرحمة من القلب واستيلاء الغفلة عليه حتى لا يدري المصلي منهم في صلاته ما صلى وما الذي يقرأ ومن الذي يناجيه ولايحس بالخشوع من قلبه مع استغراق العمر في العلوم التي تعين في المناظرة مع أنها لا تنفع في الآخرة من تحسين العبارة وتسجيع اللفظ وحفظ النوادر إلى غير ذلك من أمور لا تحصى

وإذا أردت منهم هذا القدر كما ينبغي فانظر وقت أخذك في القراءة إذا أعرضت عن واجبها وتدبرها وتعقلها وفهم ما أريد بكل آية وحظك من الخطاب بها وتنزيلها على أدواء قلبك والتقيد بها كيف تدرك الختمة أو أكثرها أو ما قرأت منها بسهولة وخفة مستكثرا من القراءة فإذا ألزمت نفسك التدبر ومعرفة المراد والنظر إلى ما يخصك منه والتعبد به وتنزيل دوائه على أدواء قلبك والإستشفاء به لم تكد تجوز السورة أو الآية إلى غيرها وكذلك إذا جمعت قلبك كله على ركعتين أعطيتهما ما تقدر عليه من الحضور والخشوع والمراقبة لم تكد أن تصلي غيرهما إلا بجهد فإذا خلا القلب من ذلك عددت الركعات بلا حساب فالإستكثار من الطاعات دون مراعاة آفاتها وعيوبها ليتوب منها هي توبة العامة

Effects of L-theanine-caffeine combination on sustained attention and inhibitory control among children with ADHD: a proof-of-concept neuroimaging RCT.: We examined the acute effects of L-theanine, caffeine and their combination on sustained attention, inhibitory control and overall cognition in boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). L-Theanine (2.5 mg/kg), caffeine (2.0 mg/kg), their combination and a placebo were administered in a randomized four-way repeated-measures crossover with washout, to five boys (8-15 years) with ADHD. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed during a Go/NoGo task and a Stop-signa

Stimulating meditation: a pre-registered randomised controlled experiment combining a single dose of the cognitive enhancer, modafinil, with brief mindfulness training.: Background: Mindfulness-meditation has a variety of benefits on well-being. However, individuals with primary attentional impairments (e.g. attention deficit disorder) or attentional symptoms secondary to anxiety, depression or addiction, may be less likely to benefit, and require additional mindfulness-augmenting strategies. Aims: To determine whether a single dose of the cognitive enhancer, modafinil, acutely increases subjective and behavioural indices of mindfulness, and augments brief mindf

Mind Wandering (Internal Distractibility) in ADHD: A Literature Review.: Objective: Mind wandering, the unintended shifting of attention from a task, has been previously associated with symptoms of ADHD. To this end, we conducted a literature search to investigate the association between mind wandering and ADHD. Method: We conducted a systematic search of the literature of relevant articles assessing mind wandering and ADHD in PubMed, PsycINFO/OVID, and Medline. Included were original articles in English that had operationalized definitions of ADHD and mind wandering

A novel digital intervention for actively reducing severity of paediatric ADHD (STARS-ADHD): a randomised controlled trial.: Background: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common paediatric neurodevelopmental disorder with substantial effect on families and society. Alternatives to traditional care, including novel digital therapeutics, have shown promise to remediate cognitive deficits associated with this disorder and may address barriers to standard therapies, such as pharmacological interventions and behavioural therapy. AKL-T01 is an investigational digital therapeutic designed to target attenti

Randomised sham-controlled study of high-frequency bilateral deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) to treat adult attention hyperactive disorder (ADHD): Negative results.: Objectives: Recent studies support the possible effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) as a treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and possible efficacy of bilateral prefrontal deep rTMS for the treatment of adult ADHD. Methods: Twenty-six adult ADHD patients were randomised blindly to sham or actual deep TMS (dTMS). Twenty daily sessions were conducted using the bilateral H5 dTMS coil (B

Atomoxetine treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in young adults with assessment of functional outcomes: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.: Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with significant impairment in multiple functional domains. This trial evaluated efficacy in ADHD symptoms and functional outcomes in young adults treated with atomoxetine. Methods: Young adults (18-30 years old) with ADHD were randomized to 12 weeks of double-blind treatment with atomoxetine (n = 220) or placebo (n = 225). The primary efficacy measure of ADHD symptom change was Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS): In

Differential engagement of anterior cingulate cortex subdivisions for cognitive and emotional function.

Functional differentiation of dorsal (dACC) and rostral (rACC) anterior cingulate cortex for cognitive and emotional function has received considerable indirect support. Using fMRI, parallel tasks, and within-subject analysis, the present study directly tested the proposed specialization of ACC subdivisions. A Task x Region interaction confirmed more dACC activation during color-word distractors and more rACC activation during emotion-word distractors. Activity in ACC subdivisions differentially predicted behavioral performance. Connectivity with prefrontal and limbic regions also supported distinct dACC and rACC roles. Findings provide direct evidence for differential engagement of ACC subdivisions in cognitive and emotional processing and for differential functional connectivity in the implementation of cognitive control and emotion regulation. Results point to an anatomical and functi…

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ADHD and achievement: meta-analysis of the child, adolescent, and adult literatures and a concomitant study with college students.

This article presents results from two interrelated studies. The first study conducted a meta-analysis of the published literature since 1990 to determine the magnitude of achievement problems associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Effect sizes were significantly different between participants with and without ADHD (sample weighted r = .32, sample weighted d = . 71; p = .001). Effects were also examined according to the moderators of age, gender, achievement domain (reading, math, spelling), measurement method (standardized tests vs. grades, parent/teacher ratings, etc.), sample type (clinical vs. nonclinical), and system used to identify ADHD (DSM-III-R vs. DSM-IV). Significant differences emerged from the moderator comparisons. The second study, using averaged effect sizes from the first study as a baseline for comparison, investigated achievement levels for a…

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The role of thought suppression in the relationship between mindfulness meditation and alcohol use.

Previous studies have demonstrated that attempts to suppress thoughts about using substances may actually lead to increases in substance use. Vipassana, a mindfulness meditation practice, emphasizes acceptance, rather than suppression, of unwanted thoughts. A study by Bowen and colleagues examining the effects of a Vipassana course on substance use in an incarcerated population showed significant reductions in substance use among the Vipassana group as compared to a treatment - usual control condition [Bowen S., Witkiewitz K., Dillworth T.M., Chawla N., Simpson T.L., Ostafin B.D., et al. (2006). Mindfulness Meditation and Substance Use in an Incarcerated Population. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.]. The current study further examines the mediating effects of thought suppression in the relationship between participation in the course and subsequent alcohol use. Those who participated i…

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Parental and family factors for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in Taiwanese children.

Objective: The present study aimed to examine the association between attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and maternal psychological distress, parenting style and perceived family support, and the child's interaction with parents and behavioural problems at home in Taiwan. Methods: The sample included 375 medicated pediatric patients with DSM-IV ADHD, and 750 school controls selected based on the age and gender structures of the ADHD group. Mothers reported on the Chinese Health Questionnaire, the Chinese versions of the Parental Bonding Instrument, the Family Adaptation, Partnership, Growth, Affection, and Resolve, and the Home Behaviours of the Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents. Results: Mothers of children with ADHD reported greater psychological distress and perceived less support from their families than did mothers of controls. Moreover, mothers o…

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Prevalence, recognition, and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in a national sample of US children.

Objective: To determine the US national prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and whether prevalence, recognition, and treatment vary by socioeconomic group. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Nationally representative sample of the US population from 2001 to 2004. Participants: Eight- to 15-year-old children (N = 3082) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Main outcome measures: The Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (caregiver module) was used to ascertain the presence of ADHD in the past year based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition) (DSM-IV) criteria. Prior diagnosis of ADHD by a health professional and ADHD medication use were assessed by caregiver report. Results: Of the children, 8.7% met DSM-IV criteria for ADHD. The poorest children (lowest quintile) were more likely than the wealthies…

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Attending to the present: mindfulness meditation reveals distinct neural modes of self-reference.

It has long been theorised that there are two temporally distinct forms of self-reference: extended self-reference linking experiences across time, and momentary self-reference centred on the present. To characterise these two aspects of awareness, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine monitoring of enduring traits ('narrative' focus, NF) or momentary experience ('experiential' focus, EF) in both novice participants and those having attended an 8 week course in mindfulness meditation, a program that trains individuals to develop focused attention on the present. In novices, EF yielded focal reductions in self-referential cortical midline regions (medial prefrontal cortex, mPFC) associated with NF. In trained participants, EF resulted in more marked and pervasive reductions in the mPFC, and increased engagement of a right lateralised network, comprising the later…

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Cutting stress off at the pass: reducing vigilance and responsiveness to social threat by manipulating attention.

Personality processes relating to social perception have been shown to play a significant role in the experience of stress. In 5 studies, the authors demonstrate that early stage attentional processes influence the perception of social threat and modify the human stress response. The authors first show that cortisol release in response to a stressful situation correlates with selective attention toward social threat. Second, the authors show in 2 laboratory studies that this attentional pattern, most evident among individuals with low self-esteem, can be modified with a repetitive training task. Next, in a field study, students trained to modify their attentional pattern to reduce vigilance for social threat showed lower self-reported stress related to their final exam. In a final field study with telemarketers, the attentional training task led to increased self-esteem, decreased cortis…

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Failure to regulate: counterproductive recruitment of top-down prefrontal-subcortical circuitry in major depression.

Although depressed mood is a normal occurrence in response to adversity in all individuals, what distinguishes those who are vulnerable to major depressive disorder (MDD) is their inability to effectively regulate negative mood when it arises. Investigating the neural underpinnings of adaptive emotion regulation and the extent to which such processes are compromised in MDD may be helpful in understanding the pathophysiology of depression. We report results from a functional magnetic resonance imaging study demonstrating left-lateralized activation in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) when downregulating negative affect in nondepressed individuals, whereas depressed individuals showed bilateral PFC activation. Furthermore, during an effortful affective reappraisal task, nondepressed individuals showed an inverse relationship between activation in left ventrolateral PFC and the amygdala that is …

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High rates of psychiatric co-morbidity in PDD-NOS.

Rates of co-morbid psychiatric conditions in children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) are hardly available, although these conditions are often considered as more responsive to treatment than the core symptoms of PDD-NOS. Ninety-four children with PDD-NOS, aged 6-12 years were included. The DISC-IV-P was administered. At least one co-morbid psychiatric disorder was present in 80.9% of the children; 61.7% had a co-morbid disruptive behavior disorder, and 55.3% fulfilled criteria of an anxiety disorder. Compared to those without co-morbid psychiatric disorders, children with a co-morbid disorder had more deficits in social communication. Co-morbid disorders occur very frequently in children with PDD-NOS, and therefore clinical assessment in those children should include assessment of co-morbid DSM-IV disorders.

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Cognitive functioning in the schizophrenia prodrome.

In the last decade, there has been an increasing interest in cognitive alterations during the early course of schizophrenia. From a clinical perspective, a better understanding of cognitive functioning in putative at-risk states for schizophrenia is essential for developing optimal early intervention models. Two approaches have more recently been combined to assess the entire course of the initial schizophrenia prodrome: the predictive "basic symptom at-risk" (BS) and the ultra high-risk (UHR) criteria. Basic symptoms are considered to be present during the entire disease progression, including the initial prodrome, while the onset of symptoms captured by the UHR criteria expresses further disease progression toward frank psychosis. The present study investigated the cognitive functioning in 93 subjects who met either BS or UHR criteria and thus were assumed to be at different points on …

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Neural processing of fearful faces: effects of anxiety are gated by perceptual capacity limitations.

Debate continues as to the automaticity of the amygdala's response to threat. Accounts taking a strong automaticity line suggest that the amygdala's response to threat is both involuntary and independent of attentional resources. Building on these accounts, prominent models have suggested that anxiety modulates the output of an amygdala-based preattentive threat evaluation system. Here, we argue for a modification of these models. Functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected while volunteers performed a letter search task of high or low perceptual load superimposed on fearful or neutral face distractors. Neither high- nor low-anxious volunteers showed an increased amygdala response to threat distractors under high perceptual load, contrary to a strong automaticity account of amygdala function. Under low perceptual load, elevated state anxiety was associated with a heightened…

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Neural characteristics of successful and less successful speech and word learning in adults.

A remarkable characteristic of the human nervous system is its ability to learn to integrate novel (foreign) complex sounds into words. However, the neural changes involved in how adults learn to integrate novel sounds into words and the associated individual differences are largely unknown. Unlike English, most languages of the world use pitch patterns to mark individual word meaning. We report a study assessing the neural correlates of learning to use these pitch patterns in words by English-speaking adults who had no previous exposure to such usage. Before and after training, subjects discriminated pitch patterns of the words they learned while blood oxygenation levels were measured using fMRI. Subjects who mastered the learning program showed increased activation in the left posterior superior temporal region after training, while subjects who plateaued at lower levels showed increas…

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The relationship between impulsivity and Internet addiction in a sample of Chinese adolescents.

Objective: Previous studies regarding Internet addiction have investigated associated psychological variables such as shyness, loneliness, self-consciousness, anxiety, depression and interpersonal relations. Few studies about the relationship between Internet Addiction and impulsivity have been done. This study aimed to assess whether Internet addiction is related to impulsivity among Chinese adolescents. Method: This study was performed in two stages. We screened for the presence of Internet Addiction among 2620 high school students(age ranging from 12years to 18years) from four high schools of Changsha City using Diagnostic Questionnaire for Internet Addiction (YDQ). According to the modified YDQ criteria by Beard, 64 students were diagnosed as Internet addiction. Excluding current psychiatric comorbidity, 50 students who were diagnosed as Internet Addiction (mean age, 14.8+/-1.4years)…

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Inhibition versus switching deficits in different forms of rumination.

Individuals who depressively ruminate about their current dysphoria tend to perseverate more than nonruminators. The goal of the current study was to determine whether such perseverative tendencies are associated with an inability to switch attention away from old to new information or with an inability to effectively inhibit the processing of previously relevant information. We used a task-switching paradigm that can distinguish between these two processes. Two experiments showed that depressive rumination is associated with a deficit in inhibiting prior mental sets. The second experiment also demonstrated that, in contrast to depressive rumination, angry and intellectual rumination are associated with difficulties in switching to a new task set, but not with inhibition of a prior task set. This study suggests that different forms of rumination are associated with different cognitive me…

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Hyperactive children as young adults: driving abilities, safe driving behavior, and adverse driving outcomes.

ADHD has been linked to poorer driving abilities and greater adverse outcomes (crashes, citations) in clinic-referred cases of teens and adults with ADHD. No study, however, has focused systematically on ADHD children followed into adulthood. The present paper does so while measuring driving-related cognitive abilities, driving behavior, and history of adverse driving outcomes. A multi-method, multi-source battery of driving measures was collected at the young adult follow-up on hyperactive (H; N=147; mean age=21.1) and community control children (CC; N=71; mean age=20.5) followed for more than 13 years. More of the H than CC groups had been ticketed for reckless driving, driving without a license, hit-and-run crashes, and had their licenses suspended or revoked. Official driving records found more of the H group having received traffic citations and a greater frequency of license suspen…

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Understanding the link between anxiety symptoms and suicidal ideation and behaviors in outpatients with bipolar disorder.

Background: Prior studies suggest an association between anxiety comorbidity and suicidal ideation and behaviors in bipolar disorder. However, the nature of this association remains unclear. Methods: We examined a range of anxiety symptoms, including panic, phobic avoidance, anxiety sensitivity, worry and fear of negative evaluation, in 98 patients with bipolar disorder. We predicted that each anxiety dimension would be linked to greater suicidal ideation and behavior as measured by Linehan's Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire (SBQ), greater depressive rumination, and poorer emotional processing and expression. Results: Each anxiety dimension except fear of negative evaluation was associated with greater SBQ score, greater rumination, and lower levels of emotional processing in univariate analyses. Depressive rumination was a significant predictor of higher SBQ scores in a stepwise multivar…

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Is death really the worm at the core? Converging evidence that worldview threat increases death-thought accessibility.

According to terror management theory, if the cultural worldview protects people from thoughts about death, then weakening this structure should increase death-thought accessibility (DTA). Five studies tested this DTA hypothesis. Study 1 showed that threatening Canadian participants' cultural values (vs. those of another culture) increased DTA on a word-fragment completion task. Study 2 showed that when participants could dismiss the threat, DTA remained low. Study 3 replicated the results of Study 1, but DTA was measured using a lexical decision task. Response latencies to death, negative, and neutral content were measured. Worldview threat increased DTA relative to accessibility for negative and neutral content. Study 4 showed that the DTA effect emerged independently of the arousal of anger or anxiety. Finally, Study 5 demonstrated that participants with a pro-creation (vs. pro-evolut…

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The role of comorbid major depressive disorder in the clinical presentation of adult ADHD.

Most adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are not recognized and remain untreated, although a large fraction of these individuals are diagnosed and treated for other comorbid mental disorders, such as major depressive disorder (MDD). The fact that MDD is one of the most commonly occurring mental disorders with high comorbidity with adult ADHD raises the question whether such comorbidity is associated with differences in the clinical picture of ADHD. Three hundred and twenty adult ADHD outpatients were evaluated. Diagnoses followed DSM-IV criteria. Interviews to evaluate ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) were performed based on the Portuguese version of K-SADS-E. Psychiatric comorbidities were investigated using SCID-IV and MINI. Regression models were applied to test MDD association with clinical and demographic outcomes. Subjects presenting ADHD and MDD…

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What is the social impact of ADHD in girls? A multi-method assessment.

This study explores the social impact of ADHD, with and without opposition-defiant behaviour (ADHD+ODD (n= 22) and ADHD-only (n= 18)), in 9- to 12- year old girls compared to girls without ADHD (n= 40). Girls played a computer game involving simulated players, and mothers and teachers completed rating scales. In general, mothers and teachers saw girls with ADHD+ODD as more overtly and relationally aggressive and less prosocial than girls with ADHD-only, who were seen as more overtly and relationally aggressive and less prosocial than control girls. On the computer game, girls with ADHD+ODD were more overtly aggressive, more directly relationally aggressive, and showed less skilled behaviour than the other groups. Girls with ADHD-only showed less covert, indirect relational aggression and more socially awkward interactions than girls in the control group on the computer game. In all, the …

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Social problem-solving skills following childhood traumatic brain injury and its association with self-regulation and social and behavioural functioning.

This study examines social problem-solving skills following childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its association with self-regulation, and social and behavioural functioning. Participants included 65 children with moderate to severe TBI and 65 children without TBI, all between 6 and II years of age. Social problem-solving, self-regulation, and social and behavioural functioning were assessed 2-5 years following injury. Children were administered a newly developed semi-structured task to assess their solutions to hypothetical situations involving social problems or dilemmas. When compared with uninjured children, those with TBI suggested avoidant and aggressive solutions more often and assertive solutions less often in response to the hypothetical situations. Children's self-regulatory skills, as measured by the Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT), Test of Everyday Attention for C…

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Rumination, fear, and cortisol: an in vivo study of interpersonal transgressions.

The authors sought to examine whether rumination about psychologically painful, though nontraumatic, interpersonal transgressions is associated with increased salivary cortisol. They measured salivary cortisol, rumination about a transgression, fear and anger regarding the transgressor, perceived painfulness of the transgression, and positive and negative mood in 115 undergraduates who had experienced an interpersonal transgression during the previous 7 days. They obtained measurements on as many as 5 occasions separated by approximately 14 days each. On occasions when participants reported that they had been ruminating to a degree that was greater than was typical for them, they had higher levels of salivary cortisol than was typical for them. The rumination- cortisol association appeared to be mediated by fear of the transgressor. Rumination about even moderately painful but nontraumat…

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Mindfulness training modifies subsystems of attention.

Mindfulness is defined as paying attention in the present moment. We investigate the hypothesis that mindfulness training may alter or enhance specific aspects of attention. We examined three functionally and neuroanatomically distinct but overlapping attentional subsystems: alerting, orienting, and conflict monitoring. Functioning of each subsystem was indexed by performance on the Attention Network Test. Two types of mindfulness training (MT) programs were examined, and behavioral testing was conducted on participants before (Time 1) and after (Time 2) training. One training group consisted of individuals naive to mindfulness techniques who participated in an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course that emphasized the development of concentrative meditation skills. The other training group consisted of individuals experienced in concentrative meditation techniques who p…

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Self-reported cognitive problems in women receiving adjuvant therapy for breast cancer.

Self-reported cognitive problems are common among women receiving adjuvant therapy for breast cancer but are unrelated to actual cognitive impairment. To date, no studies have objectively measured impairment and asked patients to speak about the type and extent of problems they encounter. We report interview data from 142 breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant therapy. We aimed to identify the types of problems and the extent to which they interfered with everyday life. We investigated the relationship between self-reported and objective cognitive impairment, quality of life and psychological distress. The majority of participants reported problems with their memory (71% overall at 6 months, 60% at 18 months) and concentration (64% and 42%, respectively). This was unrelated to objective cognitive decline; rather, it was associated with psychological distress and quality of life. For t…

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Prevalence of methylphenidate use among Canadian children following parental divorce.

Background: Evidence suggests that children living in single-parent or step-parent households are more likely than children in households with 2 biological parents to be prescribed methylphenidate. I conducted a study of prospective data to investigate parental divorce as a predictor of methylphenidate use. Methods: I used data for children who participated in the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth from 1994 to 2000. The sample was restricted to children who remained in the survey in 2000 and who, at initial interview, lived in a household with 2 biological parents (n = 4784). A generalized estimating equation model was used to compare the odds ratios of methylphenidate use among children whose parents obtained a divorce between 1994 and 2000 relative to children whose parents remained married during this period. Results: Between 1994 and 2000, 633 children (13.2%) experi…

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Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is characterized by a delay in cortical maturation.

There is controversy over the nature of the disturbance in brain development that underpins attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In particular, it is unclear whether the disorder results from a delay in brain maturation or whether it represents a complete deviation from the template of typical development. Using computational neuroanatomic techniques, we estimated cortical thickness at >40,000 cerebral points from 824 magnetic resonance scans acquired prospectively on 223 children with ADHD and 223 typically developing controls. With this sample size, we could define the growth trajectory of each cortical point, delineating a phase of childhood increase followed by adolescent decrease in cortical thickness (a quadratic growth model). From these trajectories, the age of attaining peak cortical thickness was derived and used as an index of cortical maturation. We found maturati…

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