Recent Publications
These are just a few recent publications from the lab. For a complete listing of past and forthcoming publications, take a look at Dr. Harkness’s CV, here.
Anxiety Drives Reductions in Hippocampal Volume in Those With a Childhood Maltreatment History
Childhood maltreatment is a strong transdiagnostic risk factor for depression and anxiety disorders. This risk is driven, at least in part, because of stress hormone-mediated atrophy in the hippocampus, which leaves this area sensitive to further volume loss in adulthood when exposed to future stress and psychopathology. In a sample of 80 adults followed for 6 months, we found that those with higher symptoms of anxious arousal across the follow-up period experienced decreases in hippocampal volume over time, but only if they also had greater severity of childhood maltreatment. These novel results suggest that for individuals with a history of maltreatment, transdiagnostic interventions that target and reduce psychological and physiological arousal may result in the preservation of hippocampal structure and, thus, improvements in cognitive and emotional regulation in the face of stress.
Rowe et al. (2023). Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science. (Special Section)
Childhood Maltreatment Raises Risk for Sexual and Physical Assault in Adulthood
A history of abuse in childhood is widely regarded as the strongest risk factor for sexual and physical assault in adult relationships. In this large sample of adult women, we found evidence of specific associations based on the type of maltreatment and women’s sexual identity. In the full sample, the risk of re-victimization in adulthood was greatest in women with histories of childhood sexual abuse or father-perpetrated emotional and/or physical abuse. However, in the subsample of women identifying as plurisexual (i.e., attracted to more than one gender), the risk was greatest given a history of childhood sexual abuse or mother-perpetrated emotional and/or physical abuse.
How Theory of Mind Leads to Positive First Impressions
How does an abstract and internal skill like theory of mind lead others to form positive impressions of us in interaction? In this study, we brought pairs of strangers into the lab to complete a Lego-building task together. We found that people with greater theory of mind accuracy manifested behaviours during the task that indicated a sensitivity to others’ mental states and conversational skills. These behaviours significantly mediated the relation between theory of mind skill and partners’ ratings of how likeable they found the participant. This research shows that social-cognitive skills can affect others' social impressions through their real-world behavioural manifestations.
Hudson et al. (2024). Journal of Experimental Psychology: General