Acceptance And Action Questionnaire Research Articles

Relationship between Stigma, Psychological Flexibility, Positive and Negative Affect in Patients with Epilepsy

Background: Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that significantly impacts the daily lives of individuals, leading to psychological, social, and cognitive challenges. Despite advancements in its management, stigma remains a substantial issue for epilepsy patients. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between stigma, psychological flexibility, and positive and negative affect in patients with epilepsy. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 200 participants, with 100 epilepsy patients and 100 healthy individuals, aged 18 to 45 years, from four major cities in Punjab, Pakistan. Data were collected using convenience sampling. The instruments used were the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) inventory (epilepsy version), the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ), the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II), and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics summarized the demographic and clinical characteristics, and independent samples t-tests were used to compare the groups. Results: Epilepsy patients had significantly higher levels of internalized stigma (ISMI total score: 84.05 ± 11.77) compared to healthy individuals (52.79 ± 13.67), t(198) = 17.33, p < 0.01. They also exhibited lower psychological flexibility (AAQ-II score: 39.23 ± 8.92 vs. 26.04 ± 10.07), t(198) = 9.81, p < 0.01, and higher cognitive fusion (CFQ score: 39.62 ± 9.19 vs. 27.56 ± 10.44), t(198) = 8.67, p < 0.01. Positive affect was lower in epilepsy patients (12.58 ± 4.13) compared to healthy individuals (15.30 ± 4.08), t(198) = 4.68, p < 0.01, while negative affect was higher (19.97 ± 4.51 vs. 14.89 ± 4.69), t(198) = -7.81, p < 0.01. Conclusion: The study demonstrated significant relationships between stigma, psychological flexibility, and affect in epilepsy patients. Addressing these factors is crucial for improving the psychological well-being and quality of life for individuals with epilepsy.

A pilot study of the effect of group-administered psilocybin on psychological flexibility and outcomes

AbstractPsychological flexibility has been proposed as a core process of change when psychedelics are used for therapeutic purposes, but to date empirical outcomes have only documented changes on the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II), a very general measure of psychological flexibility. This pilot study measured outcomes from psilocybin administered in a retreat setting across a range of measures assessing aspects of psychological flexibility. Nine participants attended a 7-day psilocybin retreat and completed measures at baseline, 2-, and 6-month follow up. Participants demonstrated significant improvements in cognitive defusion (Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire), valued living (Valuing Questionnaire), and Self-Compassion (Self-Compassion Scale), as well as a trend towards increased overall psychological flexibility (AAQ). Other outcome and process measures included measures related to acute effects of the psilocybin, belief in oneness, social safeness, mental health, burnout and emotion expressivity. These results offer preliminary evidence that therapeutic benefits obtained from psilocybin experiences may be linked to changes in psychological flexibility.

Standardization of the Korean Version of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire for Obsessions and Compulsions in University Students and Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire for Obsessions and Compulsions (AAQ-OC) is a version of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ) that specifically measures unwanted intrusive thoughts and responses (e.g., experiential avoidance) to them. This study aimed to investigate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the AAQ-OC in clinical and nonclinical Korean samples. In this study, 561 university students and 121 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) completed the AAQ-OC and several other psychological scales. Descriptive, correlation, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses as well as group comparisons were conducted. The results of the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated a two-factor structure that best fits the data in the university sample: Factors 1 and 2 matched the original Valued Action and Willingness subscales, respectively. The reliability analyses revealed that the AAQ-OC and its factors had excellent internal consistencies. As regards the concurrent validity, the AAQ-OC and its factors had a positive correlation with the AAQ-II and Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire. Compared with the university students, the OCD patients had higher AAQ-OC scores, and their obsessive-compulsive symptoms, particularly the two symptom dimensions of responsibility for harm and mistakes and unacceptable thoughts, were significantly associated with the AAQ-OC and two subscales. The findings of this study confirm the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the AAQ-OC.

Predictive Model of Anxiety and Depression Perception in Multiple Sclerosis Patients: Possible Implications for Clinical Treatment.

To establish a predictive model for the presence of anxiety and depression in MS patients, based on variables such as psychological well-being, functional activity, and prefrontal symptoms. Additionally, this study aimed to propose non-pharmacological therapeutic alternatives based on this model. A descriptive, observational, and cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 64 diagnosed MS patients who underwent functional and cognitive assessments using the following questionnaires and scales: Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II), Experiences Questionnaire (EQ), Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (SCS-SF), Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Prefrontal Symptoms Inventory (PSI). The model showed an excellent fit to the data and indicated that psychological well-being was the most significant predictor of the criteria (β = -0.83), followed by functional activity (β = -0.18) and prefrontal symptoms (β = 0.15). The latter two are negatively related to psychological well-being (β = -0.16 and β = -0.75, respectively). Low psychological well-being is the variable that most significantly predicts the presence of anxiety and depression in MS patients, followed by functional activity and prefrontal alterations. Interventions based on mindfulness and acceptance are recommended, along with nutritional interventions such as antioxidant-enriched ketogenic diets and moderate group physical exercise.

Psychological Inflexibility and Loneliness in Young Adults: The Role of Hope as a Mediator

Young adulthood (18-29 years of age) is the most unstable period of the life span when changes in intimate relationships and work are the common issues. This period is closely related to various mental health problems, such as loneliness. This study aims to determine the role of hope as a mediator between psychological inflexibility and loneliness in young adults. Research participants were 230 participants who were in the young adulthood stage (18-29 years of age). Loneliness was measured using UCLA Loneliness Scale-6 (ULS-6), psychological inflexibility was measured using Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II), and hope was measured using The Adult Dispositional Hope Scale (AHS). Mediation analysis was done using Hayes PROCESS MACRO (Model 4). The results of the analysis show that hope has a mediating role in the relationship between psychological inflexibility and loneliness in young adults. The implication of this research is that it can be used as a consideration for selecting interventions that focus on increasing psychological flexibility and hope when dealing with loneliness in young adults.

A Study of Emotion Regulation Difficulties, Repetitive Negative Thinking, and Experiential Avoidance in Adults with Stuttering: A Comparative Study.

Objective: Stuttering is a type of communication and fluency disorder that hurts mental and emotional health. It is also associated with a significant increase in both trait and social anxiety. Studies on stuttering in adults have indicated the nature and impact of this phenomenon. In addition, some psychological aspects of this phenomenon remain vague and need further investigation. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare emotion regulation difficulties, repetitive negative thinking, and experiential avoidance between people who stutter and healthy individuals. Method : In this study, 101 people who stutter (43 females and 58 males, with a mean age of 29.55 ± 187 years), as well as 110 healthy individuals (74 females and 36 males, with a mean age of 25.57 ± 489 years) as participants were chosen using the convenience sampling method among those who referred to the speech therapy clinics of Tehran, Iran. Research instruments including the repetitive negative thinking inventory, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-I) were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using multivariate ANOVA test and Multiple Regression Analysis. Results: The mean age of the participants was 29.55 years in the people who stutter and 25.57 years in the healthy individuals (P < 0.01). The present results indicated that the mean score of experiential avoidance was higher in the people who stutter (M ± SD: 35.74 ± 9.24) compared to the healthy individuals (M ± SD: 8.89 ± 31.11). Additionally, the mean score of emotion regulation difficulties was higher in the people who stutter (M ± SD: 88.75 ± 20.59) compared to the healthy individuals (M ± SD: 64.14 ± 94.94) (P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in the mean score of repetitive negative thinking between the people who stutter (M ± SD: 98.45 ± 25.85) and healthy individuals (M ± SD: 93.71 ± 25.24) groups (P > 0.05). There was a significant correlation between experiential avoidance and emotion regulation difficulties in people who stutter (P < 0.01). Experiential avoidance and repetitive negative thinking can significantly predict emotion regulation difficulties in people who stutter (R = 0.65, P < 0.01). Conclusion: People who stutter obtained higher emotion regulation difficulties and experiential avoidance scores than those without stuttering and A significant correlation between experiential avoidance and emotion regulation difficulties was found. Future studies should consider the role of emotion regulation difficulties and experiential avoidance in people who stutter.

Acceptance and commitment therapy as an add-on treatment for the management of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic and long-lasting illness affecting approximately 2% of the population. Up to 40%-60% of patients with OCD do not have satisfactory outcomes, thereby leading to disability in performing daily routine activities. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) provides a substitute for old-fashioned psychotherapies, as it involves the client directly experiencing the problematic emotion, that is, anxiety and obsessions in the case of OCD. To observe the effect of ACT on patients with OCD and compare its effect on obsessive compulsive symptoms, thought control, thought and action fusion, acceptance and action, and depression. A total of 62 patients diagnosed with OCD as per Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) in the age range between 18 and 60 years, having duration of illness less than two years, both male and female, literate and illiterate, hailing from rural and urban background, were included in the study. For pre- and post-assessment Yale-Brown Obsessive and Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), acceptance and commitment questionnaire, thought control questionnaire, and thought and action fusion questionnaire were used in this study, and ACT was used for management of OCD. There is a significant difference between the groups treated with ACT and those treated as usual, on every domain of thought control questionnaire (TCQ) -- distraction (t = 9.07), social control (t = 11.13), worry (t = 11.93), punishment (t = 16.78), and re-appraisal (t = 16.47). Significance is also seen in the thought and action fusion in the moral domain (t = 16.22), the likelihood domain (t = 16.49), and others (t = 9.23). On Y-BOCS, HDRS, and acceptance and action questionnaire (AAQ) both groups show a significant difference between each other. The findings of the present study indicate that ACT is a productive method for patients with OCD as it encourages the patient to accept and integrate their lived experiences, challenges effective responses, and recognizes and eliminates the controlling dimensions.

Kritik Diri dan Kelenturan Psikologis pada Mahasiswa Indonesia : Implikasi Terhadap Intervensi Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

his study aims to examine the relationship between self-criticism and psychological inflexibility as a basis for ACT interventions in college students. The research method used correlation with a quantitative approach. The sample was 115 students from various universities in Indonesia. The instruments used were the Criticizing/Attacking &amp; Self-Reassuring Scale (FSCRS) and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II). The data analysis technique used Pearson's correlation with SPSS version 20.0. The results of the research showed that there was a strong correlation with sig. 0.00 and a Pearson score of 0.757. Thus, implementing ACT, which promotes psychological flexibility, can be applied to students with a self-criticism habit.

Psychological flexibility, cognitive emotion regulation and mental health outcomes among patients with asthma in Pakistan.

Adults with asthma who experience difficulties in emotion regulation are prone to developing psychopathological symptoms that may affect their self-management activities and symptom control. The current research investigated the role of psychological flexibility and cognitive emotion regulation strategies in relation to mental health outcomes (psychological distress and quality of life) among patients with asthma in Pakistan. A sample of 200 adults, diagnosed with asthma (32% men, 68% women; Mage = 42.32, SDage = 16.99), completed the acceptance and action questionnaire (AAQ-II) cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire (CERQ), depression, anxiety, stress scale-21 (DASS-21), asthma-related quality of life questionnaire (AQLQ) and a self-structured demographic sheet. Results of Pearson product moment correlation showed that most of the adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies (positive refocusing, refocus on planning, and positive reappraisal) were positively correlated with psychological flexibility and quality of life, whereas negatively correlated with psychological distress. All the maladaptive strategies of cognitive emotion regulation had a significant inverse relationship with psychological flexibility and quality of life, while positively correlated with psychological distress. Results of serial mediation analysis through PROCESS MACRO showed that catastrophising and anxiety fully mediated the relationship between psychological flexibility and asthma-related quality of life. Evidence-based interventions should focus on developing psychological flexibility and identifying maladaptive patterns of cognitive emotion regulation strategies for improved mental health and quality of life outcomes for adults with asthma.

Psychological Inflexibility in Depression with Psychotic Features: A Case Report

IntroductionMajor depressive disorder (MDD) is a mood disorder that can last for weeks or even months, in which there is a depressed mood accompanied by anxiety, in addition to negative changes in cognitive functions, psychomotor movement and vegetative functions. Depression with psychotic features is a psychiatric syndrome that progresses with delusions as well as severe symptoms such as psychomotor retardation or agitation, depressive ruminations, deterioration in cognitive functions, and confusion. Compared to the subtypes without psychotic features, the symptoms are more severe, the age of onset is earlier, and the duration of the disease is longer. Feelings of guilt, worthlessness and suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide are more common. The risk of exacerbation is greater. Diagnosis of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia is more common in first-degree relatives of these patients.ObjectivesAn 18-year-old female patient with somatic delusions and psychotic persistence that started after a sexual trauma and persisted for 1 month was consulted after organic exclusions were made. It is understood from the anamnesis that the patient had a manic episode about 6 months ago and that his mother was followed up with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. The patient’s current clinical picture was evaluated as depression with psychotic features, and after hospitalization, the treatment was adjusted as fluoxetine 20 mg/g, olanzapine 5 mg/g, and lithium 900 mg/g. Self as context, cognitive defusion and acceptance interventions were applied to the patient.MethodsWhen the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire(CFQ), Self-as-Context Scale(SACS), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire(AAQ-II) completed by the patient during hospitalization and in remission periods were compared, it was observed that there was a significant regression in the patient’s psychological inflexibility during the period of remission. Written informed consent was obtained from the patient whose clinical picture was presented in order to contribute to the scientific literature.ResultsDepression with psychotic features is another clinical picture in which psychological inflexibility increases, and it has been observed that interviews to increase psychological flexibility during the treatment process contribute positively to the treatment process. For this reason, the contribution to the healing process can be better clarified in further studies on interventions to increase psychological flexibility applied in addition to pharmacological treatments.Image:ConclusionsPsychological inflexibility is an effort to control a person’s emotion, thought, behavior or experience in a dysfunctional way in the face of an undesired experience. It has been seen in studies conducted in recent years that; There is a significant positive correlation between high psychological inflexibility and somatization, depression, anxiety and other psychological disorders.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Negative School Gossip and Youth Adolescents' Mobile Phone Addiction: Mediating Roles of Anxiety and Experiential Avoidance.

Being the target of negative school gossip, a form of relational aggression, has been shown to be associated with psychological and behavioral problems in youth adolescents. Based on the experience avoidance model, this study tested the association between negative school gossip and youth adolescents' mobile phone addiction, and the serial mediation roles of anxiety and experience avoidance in this relationship. Junior high school students (N = 837; ages 12-15; 50% girls) completed the Negative School Gossip Scale, Anxiety Scale, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II), and Mobile Phone Addiction Scale in their classrooms. The results of regression-based analyses showed that after controlling for age and gender, (1) negative school gossip was significantly associated with mobile phone addiction; (2) anxiety and experience avoidance each significantly mediated this association; (3) anxiety and experience avoidance serially mediated this association. The results support the experience avoidance model and highlight emotional factors as an internal mechanism by which negative school gossip is associated with youth adolescents' mobile phone addiction. The results also have implications for preventing and reducing youth adolescents' mobile phone addiction.

Characteristics and predictors of family accommodation in Turkish individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Family accommodation (FA) is associated with disease severity and response to treatment rates in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and is therefore particularly important in this patient group. This study investigated the structure of FA and associated factors in a Turkish society sample. The study was carried out with 92 patients diagnosed with OCD for at least 1 year, who applied to Alanya ALKU Training and Research Hospital psychiatry outpatient clinic between February 2021 and March 2022. Sociodemographic data form, Family Accommodation Scale-Patient Form (FAS-PF), Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II) were applied to all of the cases. Relatives filled out the Sociodemographic Data. The mean age of the patients was 32.11 ± 11.56 years. Sixty-nine (75%) of the patients were women. Fifty (54.3%) patients weremarried. All participants reported FA behavior at least once in the previous week. FA exhibited no significant variation by sex (p = 0.679)or marital status (p = 0.256). Significant positive correlation was determined between DOCS-T (r = 0.370, p < 0.001), AAQ-II (r = 0.261, p = 0.013), BDI (r = 0.235, p = 0.024) and BAI (r = 0.342, p = 0.001) scores and the FAS-PF. In the regression analysis, only OCD disease severity predicted FA [(β = 0.295, p = 0.036, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 0.02 to 0.55)]. Higher FA scores were obtained in this study (23.93 ± 15.28) compared to previous research in Western societies (14.3 ± 15.2). Clinicians should consider FA in the examination of OCD patients. High FA values for both frequency and severity suggestthat interventions directed toward FA may be associated with more positive outcomes in outpatient Turkish patients with OCD.

Experiential Avoidance in Primary Care Providers: Psychometric Properties of the Brazilian "Acceptance and Action Questionnaire" (AAQ-II) and Its Criterion Validity on Mood Disorder-Related Psychological Distress.

A sizeable proportion of Brazilian Primary Care (PC) providers suffer from common mental disorders, such as anxiety and depression. In an effort to cope with job-related distress, PC workers are likely to implement maladaptive strategies such as experiential avoidance (EA). The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II) is a widely used instrument that evaluates EA but has shown questionable internal consistency in specific populations. This study assesses the psychometric properties of the AAQ-II among Brazilian PC providers, evaluates its convergence and divergence with self-criticism and mindfulness skills, and explores its criterion validity on anxiety and depressive symptoms. A cross-sectional design was conducted in Brazilian PC services, and the sample included 407 PC workers. The measures evaluated EA, self-criticism, mindfulness, depression, and anxiety. The one-factor model of the AAQ-II replicated the original version structure. The AAQ-II presented good internal consistency among Brazilian PC providers. A multiple regression model demonstrated higher relationships with self-criticism than mindfulness skills. The criterion validity of the AAQ-II on anxiety and depression was stronger in the context of more severe symptoms. The AAQ-II is an appropriate questionnaire to measure the lack of psychological flexibility among Brazilian PC workers in the sense of EA.

Presenting a model of pain outcomes in patients with chronic low back pain based on mood and anxiety symptoms and emotional schemas: The mediating role of experiential avoidance and self-compassion

Introduction: Various psychological factors, such as mood and anxiety symptoms, can affect pain outcomes. Aim: The present research was conducted to identify these factors aiming at providing a conceptual model of pain outcomes based on emotional schemas and symptoms mediated by experiential avoidance, pain acceptance, and self-compassion of patients with chronic pain. Method: In this descriptive correlational research, the statistical population consisted of men and women (aged 30-50) with chronic low back pain referring to pain clinics in Akhtar, Labafinejad, and Imam Hossein hospitals, Tehran, Iran, in 2019-2020. We selected 400 people using a convenience sampling method considering the inclusion criteria. The tools included the Mood and Anxiety Symptoms Questionnaire (MASQ), Emotional Schemas-Short Form, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ), Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ) and the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). Data were analyzed with SPSS-21 and LISREL-8.8 using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Results: The fitted model showed that the direct effect of mood and anxiety symptoms on increasing emotional schemas (p&lt;0.05) was equal to 5, and the direct effect of emotional schemas was significant on increasing experiential avoidance, reducing pain acceptance and self-compassion (p&lt;0.05). Also, the indirect effect of mood and anxiety symptoms through increasing emotional schemas, increasing experiential avoidance, decreasing pain acceptance, and self-compassion on increasing pain outcomes was significant (p&lt;0.05). Conclusion: Experiential avoidance, pain acceptance, and self-compassion could mediate the relationship between emotional symptoms and emotional schemas to pain outcomes. Therefore, developing therapeutic interventions based on emotional schemas to reduce emotional schemas and experiential avoidance and increase pain acceptance and self-compassion could help reduce pain outcomes in patients with chronic pain.

Psychometric Properties of Scales for Assessing Experiential Avoidance

Objective: To study and compare the psychometric properties, reliability, and validity of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II) and the Multidimensional Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire (MEAQ), which were translated into Thai.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: This study used the AAQ-II and MEAQ, which were back translated into Thai. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) were used in conjunction to collect data from 35 graduate students (females 77.1%) and 462 people from the general population of Bangkok (females 74.2%).&#x0D; Result: Item Objective Congruence (IOC) of AAQ-II and MEAQ was 0.79 and 0.87, respectively. Both had high correlation coefficients with DASS-21 and SWLS, indicating criteria-related validity. Moreover, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was also carried out. The correlation coefficient to the original was high (0.96 for AAQ-II and MEAQ, and subscales ranging from 0.83-0.94). They also had high internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha being 0.89 in AAQ-II and 0.92 in MEAQ, with high construct reliability (0.88 and 0.79-0.86).&#x0D; Conclusion: The translated versions of AAQ-II and MEAQ have good psychometric properties. When comparing AAQ-II with MEAQ, it was noted that the correlation between AAQ and other scales was higher than MEAQ, which only had a moderate correlation. AAQ-II also tends to have a high association with distress variables. However, it is still possible to assess experiential avoidance. Thus, the use of each questionnaire will be depended on certain objectives.

Efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Psychological Health and Inflexibility among Mothers of Children with Cerebral Palsy

Caregiving may be a burden to the Psychological Health (PH) of mothers of children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). However, little attention is given to psychotherapeutic intervention in managing mothers caring for such children in Nigeria. This study, therefore, investigated the efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) among mothers of children with CP accessing therapeutic outpatient services at Federal Psychiatric Hospital (FPH) Lagos, Nigeria. This research follows a quasi-experimental type with pre-test, post-test plans, and control group. Accordingly, 30 people were selected through volunteered sampling among mothers of children with CP accessing therapeutic outpatient services at child/adolescent unit of Federal Psychiatric Hospital. Then, they were randomly placed into two groups of 20 (experimental and control) each and evaluated using research tools. Research tools consisted of Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II) and Cerebral Palsy Psychological Health Scale (CPPHS) whose reliability and validity have been confirmed in previous studies. Research data were analysed using the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The statistical analysis confirmed the difference in the components of psychological health and acceptance level/psychological flexibility in the experimental group, which had received acceptance and commitment therapy compared to the group that had not received any therapy in this regard (control group) (p&lt;.05). The ACT had significant effect on Psychological Health {F (1.36) =7.94} after controlling for severity of illness and parental knowledge. Participants in experimental group improved in their Psychological Health when compared with those in control group {t(38) = 3.20}. Acceptance level/ psychological flexibility of the mothers improved after intervention with a decrease in pretest mean score (= 31.60) to posttest mean score (= 24.10). Acceptance and commitment therapy improves psychological health

Accompagner l’orthorexie dans les troubles des conduites alimentaires : création et évaluation d’un programme psychothérapeutique

ObjectiveOrthorexia, defined as an obsession with healthy eating, is an emerging phenomenon. More and more researchers are interested in the topic but to date no therapeutic program exists to help those who suffer from this disorder. The aim of this study is to test an intervention program for patients suffering from eating disorders who present orthorexic symptoms: the ORTO-ED program. MethodThis program includes five collective psychotherapeutic sessions. Inspired by brief therapies, it is based on an integrative approach. Self-reported questionnaires were used to evaluate the program. Participants (n=5) completed in test-retest the French Orthorexia Scale (FOS-12), the Body Esteem Scale (BES), the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II), and the Clinical Scale of Mediated Therapies (CSMT-16) at the final session. ResultsQuantitative analyses did not objectify significant differences for the level of orthorexia, body esteem, and psychological flexibility. However, the qualitative analyses showed that the participants expressed positive feedback about their experience of the program. They felt an improvement; they appropriated the tools properly; and they found the program pleasant and useful. DiscussionThis experimental research can be considered more as a feasibility and acceptability study in an open context than as an evaluation of a psychotherapeutic program in terms of impact. It also raises some methodological limitations (such as the absence of a control group). Furthermore, the content of the program could be improved by other methods (mediatised therapies, cognitive approach, etc.). ConclusionThis experimental therapeutic program represents a major clinical progress for the treatment of orthorexic symptoms in eating disorders. The ORTO-ED program has produced interesting results and can be considered a serious treatment approach for orthorexia.

Psychological inflexibility mediates the relationship between conformity to masculine norms and depression: Preliminary support for a transdiagnostic approach to working therapeutically with men

BackgroundResearch suggests that rigid adherence to masculine norms is associated with negative mental health outcomes in men. However, contributing pathways between masculine norms and men's mental health are not yet well understood. It has been proposed that psychological inflexibility may function as a mediator in the relationship between masculine norms and depression in men. AimsThis study investigated whether psychological inflexibility mediated the relationship between conformity to masculine norms and depression. MethodA community-based sample of 326 men (M age = 62.33, SD age = 15.33 years) completed an online questionnaire using a range of validated scales, including the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory (CMNI-22), the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II), the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ-7), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and the Male Depression Risk Scale (MDRS-22). Mediation analyses and two-way ANOVAs were used to explore relationships between variables. ResultsResults indicated that psychological inflexibility significantly mediated the relationship between conformity to masculine norms and depression (both prototypic and externalising symptomology). Findings also revealed that psychological inflexibility is more strongly linked with poor mental health than conformity to masculine norms. ConclusionsThe results suggest that psychological inflexibility may be a possible pathway through which conformity to masculine norms is associated with depressive symptoms in men, providing important insights into possible therapeutic targets for psychological intervention.

Going beyond the DSM in predicting, diagnosing, and treating autism spectrum disorder with covarying alexithymia and OCD: A structural equation model and process-based predictive coding account.

BackgroundThere is much overlap among the symptomology of autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs), obsessive compulsive disorders (OCDs), and alexithymia, which all typically involve impaired social interactions, repetitive impulsive behaviors, problems with communication, and mental health.AimThis study aimed to identify direct and indirect associations among alexithymia, OCD, cardiac interoception, psychological inflexibility, and self-as-context, with the DV ASD and depression, while controlling for vagal related aging.MethodologyThe data involved electrocardiogram (ECG) heart rate variability (HRV) and questionnaire data. In total, 1,089 participant's data of ECG recordings of healthy resting state HRV were recorded and grouped into age categories. In addition to this, another 224 participants completed an online survey that included the following questionnaires: Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS); Toronto Alexithymia Scale 20 (TAS-20); Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQII); Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale 21 (DAS21); Multi-dimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness Scale (MAIA); and the Self-as-Context Scale (SAC).ResultsHeart rate variability was shown to decrease with age when controlling for BMI and gender. In the two SEMs produced, it was found that OCD and alexithymia were causally associated with autism and depression indirectly through psychological inflexibility, SAC, and ISen interoception.ConclusionThe results are discussed in relation to the limitations of the DSM with its categorical focus of protocols for syndromes and provide support for more flexible ideographic approaches in diagnosing and treating mental health and autism within the Extended Evolutionary Meta-Model (EEMM). Graph theory approaches are discussed in their capacity to depict the processes of change potentially even at the level of the relational frame.

Seroprevalence of COVID-19 and Psychological Distress among Front Liners at the Universiti Malaysia Sabah Campus during the Third Wave of COVID-19.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic struck the globe and disrupted various aspects of psychological wellbeing, more so in frontline workers. Research on assessing the seroprevalence of COVID-19 has been scarce; in addition, there are limited studies assessing the association between the seroprevalence of COVID-19 and psychological distress. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of COVID-19 and the prevalence of psychological distress and to determine whether sociodemographic variables, occupational information variables, coping styles, and psychological processes might contribute to the development of psychological distress. A cross-sectional study involving 168 Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) front liners was carried out to assess these issues. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was employed to assess psychological distress, together with the COVID-19 Rapid Test Kit Antibody (RTK Ab) and a series of questionnaires, including a sociodemographic and occupational information questionnaire, the Balanced Index of Psychological Mindedness (BIPM) questionnaire, the Mindfulness Attention and Awareness Scale (MAAS), the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II), and the Brief COPE questionnaire. The results demonstrated a seroprevalence of COVID-19 at 8.3% (95% CI = 5.0–14.0). Non-healthcare workers (HCWs) had a higher COVID-19 prevalence. Meanwhile, the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among front liners was low (3.0%, 3.6%, and 1.2%, respectively). Younger people (aged 30 years old or less) and HCWs had a higher prevalence of psychological distress; being a HCW was significantly associated with a higher level of anxiety. Dysfunctional coping and psychological inflexibility were consistently found to be predictors for higher levels of the three psychological distress variables. This study suggested some alternatives that could be explored by mental health providers to address mental health issues among front liners at universities.