TY  - JOUR
A1  - Friedel, Eva
A1  - Schlagenhauf, Florian
A1  - Beck, Anne
A1  - Dolan, Raymond J.
A1  - Huys, Quentin J. M.
A1  - Rapp, Michael Armin
A1  - Heinz, Andreas
T1  - The effects of life stress and neural learning signals on fluid intelligence
JF  - European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience : official organ of the German Society for Biological Psychiatry
N2  - Fluid intelligence (fluid IQ), defined as the capacity for rapid problem solving and behavioral adaptation, is known to be modulated by learning and experience. Both stressful life events (SLES) and neural correlates of learning [specifically, a key mediator of adaptive learning in the brain, namely the ventral striatal representation of prediction errors (PE)] have been shown to be associated with individual differences in fluid IQ. Here, we examine the interaction between adaptive learning signals (using a well-characterized probabilistic reversal learning task in combination with fMRI) and SLES on fluid IQ measures. We find that the correlation between ventral striatal BOLD PE and fluid IQ, which we have previously reported, is quantitatively modulated by the amount of reported SLES. Thus, after experiencing adversity, basic neuronal learning signatures appear to align more closely with a general measure of flexible learning (fluid IQ), a finding complementing studies on the effects of acute stress on learning. The results suggest that an understanding of the neurobiological correlates of trait variables like fluid IQ needs to take socioemotional influences such as chronic stress into account.
KW  - Reinforcement learning
KW  - Prediction error signal
KW  - Ventral striatum
KW  - Stress
KW  - Intelligence
Y1  - 2015
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-014-0519-3
SN  - 0940-1334
SN  - 1433-8491
VL  - 265
IS  - 1
SP  - 35
EP  - 43
PB  - Springer
CY  - Heidelberg
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Engel, Mareike Carina
A1  - Jacobs, Ingo
A1  - Fydrich, Thomas
A1  - Ziegler, Matthias
T1  - Physical and psychological burden of psychotherapists in training
JF  - Psychotherapeut
N2  - The demanding working and training conditions of psychotherapists in training (PiA) are discussed more and more frequently from social and research perspectives. The complementary focus on job and training pressure and its consequences have received little attention so far.
 The nationwide survey (N = 464) contains information on essential person-related and training-related risk factors and resources. Moreover, the study provides comparisons concerning different professional categories with high psychological and social demands as well as with the training conditions of psychotherapists in 2009.
 The study shows the difficulties and demanding situation of financing the training. The PiAs showed significantly higher stress levels than other groups of persons and comparably low resilience combined with a high working engagement. Only a few PiAs had a healthy behavioral and perceptional work pattern.
 The results underline the necessity for an examination of the training and working conditions of PiAs. Accordingly, options for interventions are presented.
KW  - Training conditions
KW  - Workload
KW  - Stress
KW  - Costs
KW  - Questionnaires
Y1  - 2015
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00278-015-0055-2
SN  - 0935-6185
SN  - 1432-2080
VL  - 60
IS  - 6
SP  - 536
EP  - 545
PB  - Springer
CY  - New York
ER  -