Adverse Psychological Outcomes Research Articles

Wearable sensors for monitoring caregivers of people with dementia: a scoping review

Abstract Purpose Caregivers of people with dementia often face a demanding care burden that may lead to adverse physical and psychological outcomes. Wearable sensors are becoming a valuable tool for preventive care. We aimed to provide the first systematic map of the published evidence on the use of wearable sensors to monitor caregivers of people with dementia. Methods We developed a scoping review protocol following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The searches were conducted on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycInfo, and IEEE. Results We identified 1394 articles and selected 37 reports. Sleep measures were the outcome most frequently evaluated (28/37). Among these reports, eight assessed the effectiveness of different interventions targeting both caregivers and care-receivers and found no improvement in caregivers’ sleep; three compared the sleep of caregivers of people with dementia with controls, with conflicting results; five focused on depressive symptoms; and four associated these symptoms with shorter sleep duration and greater sleep fragmentation and sleep latency. A single device was used in 33 reports and sensors were most commonly placed at the wrist (33/37). Most studies monitored caregivers for 1 or more weeks (27/37). Conclusion Wearable sensors were mainly used to monitor sleep in informal caregivers of people with dementia based on wrist accelerometry for 1 or more weeks, with conflicting results. There is a need for targeted studies with adequate control groups to identify factors associated with sleep alterations in informal and formal caregivers of people with dementia, leveraging multi-sensor setups with the inclusion of autonomic nervous system metrics.

The Turkish Validation of the Short Form of the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire (AFQ-Y8): Factor Structure, Measurement Invariance, and Incremental Validity

The Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth (AFQ-Y8) was adapted to gauge psychological inflexibility among young people in a Turkish sample. The present study investigated the factorial structure, incremental validity, measurement invariance across age and gender, and test-retest reliability of the AFQ-Y8 with a sample of 968 high school students (boys = 437, girls = 531). The results confirm the factorial structure associated with psychological inflexibility. Furthermore, the AFQ-Y8 demonstrated a positive correlation with adverse psychological health outcomes. The analysis also supported measurement invariance across different age and gender groups. Additionally, psychological inflexibility exhibited incremental validity in relation to anxiety and depression. In summary, the results indicate that the Turkish AFQ-Y8 is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring psychological inflexibility in adolescents. The Turkish AFQ-Y8 may prove useful in cross-cultural research on psychological inflexibility.

Evening cortisol levels are prognostic for progression-free survival in a prospective pilot study of head and neck cancer patients.

Cortisol rhythm disruptions predict early mortality in renal, colorectal, lung, and metastatic breast cancer. In head and neck cancer (HNC), various cortisol indices are known to correlate with adverse psychological and biological (e.g., inflammatory) outcomes, but links to mortality have yet to be demonstrated. We hypothesize that the prognostic value of diurnal cortisol aberrations will hold in HNC. Prior work leads us to predict that flattened or elevated diurnal cortisol profiles will be associated with elevations of serum inflammatory and tumor-promoting cytokines in this population, and that these immune markers would themselves predict poor progression-free survival. We prospectively recruited a pilot sample of HNC patients (N=40) at a multidisciplinary HNC clinic. Most patients presented with late-stage oral/oropharyngeal cancer, were older than 50, male, and subsequently received combined-modality (surgery and/or radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy) treatment with curative intent. Saliva was collected twice daily for six days to assess diurnal slope, mean, waking, and evening cortisol levels. Serum was assayed for an exploratory panel of inflammatory and tumor-promoting cytokines. Two years post study-entry, disease progression and survivorship status were abstracted from medical records. Bivariate correlations, linear regressions, and Cox Proportional Hazards models tested hypotheses. Elevations of evening cortisol and diurnal mean levels were each associated with shorter progression-free survival (evening: Hazard Ratio [HR]=1.848, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]=1.057-3.230, p=.031; diurnal mean: HR=2.662, 95% CI=1.115-6.355, p=.027). Bivariate correlations revealed that higher levels of the serum inflammatory marker interferon (IFN)-γ were linked with elevated evening (r=.405, p=.014) and mean (r=.459, p=.004) cortisol. Higher expression of IFN-γ also predicted poorer progression-free survival (HR=4.671, 95% CI=1.409-15.484, p=.012). Elevated evening and diurnal mean cortisol were both prognostic; suggesting cortisol secretion is both dysregulated and elevated among patients who subsequently experienced accelerated disease progression. These exploratory data from 40 HNC patients mirror relationships between cortisol and survival identified among patients with numerous other tumor types. This pilot study highlights the need for research on effects of cortisol rhythm disruption among HNC patients. Future research in larger samples should also examine the role of inflammatory and tumor-promoting factors-both systemically and within the tumor microenvironment-as potential mediators of cortisol rhythm disruption.

The impact of cyberbullying on mental health outcomes amongst university students: A systematic review

Cyberbullying is increasingly prevalent globally, particularly among young individuals. Cybervictims may be at an increased risk of adverse psychological outcomes. This systematic review aims to summarize the mental health effects of cyberbullying among college and university students. A systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases was performed to identify studies reporting mental health effects of cybervictimization among college/university students until April 15, 2023. Risk of bias assessment was conducted using the National Institute of Health (NIH) tool. The review is registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023429187). Thirty-two studies involving 29,593 students were included. Depression showed a significant association with cyber-victimization in 16/20 studies (prevalence: 15–73%). Anxiety was significant in 12/15 studies (27–84.1%), stress in 3/3 studies (32–75.2%), and suicidal behavior in 4/9 studies (2–29.9%). Cybervictimization weakly but significantly correlated with lower self-esteem in 4 out of 6 studies (r = -0.152 to -0.399). Fear of perpetrators was reported in 2 out of 2 studies (12.8–16%), while decreased academic concentration/productivity was found in two studies (9–18%). Cybervictims were more likely to engage in substance abuse (adjusted odds ratio: 2.37 [95% confidence interval: 1.02–5.49]; p = 0.044). The majority of articles were of good quality (22/32). This review demonstrates a high prevalence of adverse mental health outcomes among cybervictims, including depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidal behavior. Based on these findings, we recommend that institutions of higher education worldwide introduce zero tolerance policies against cyberbullying, implement screening processes to identify affected students, and provide psychological therapy within their institutions.

A case study on development of a spiral oral health curriculum for medical students.

Inadequate oral healthcare remains a critical public health issue in children and adults in the US affecting adverse social, psychological, economic, and health outcomes. Medical clinicians have a clear role in addressing oral health issues and improving outcomes. Oral health guidelines for health profession schools were developed by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) oral health core competencies, and the newer Center for Integration of Primary Care and Oral Health's (CIPCOH) Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs). However, the majority of health professional school deans and residency directors in the US report they are not satisfied with the oral health knowledge and skills of their learners at graduation. To address this issue, faculty at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (UMCMS) have worked for the past decade to develop and implement a true spiral curriculum building on lessons of knowledge, skills, and attitudes throughout the 4-year student experience. The current UMCMS curriculum involves most courses at the medical school, has community-based and interprofessional components, and is taught using multimedia. Most of the curriculum is mandatory with selective opportunities for those in specialty tracks or who are seeking more hands-on training. Our study evaluated the UMCMS curriculum using the AAMC and CIPCOH EPA guidelines. Findings show that all students receive training in 42 of 48 AAMC oral health competencies and seven of seven CIPCOH oral health EPAs with the opportunity to explore oral health further through elective courses. Assessments of students show they perform well and evaluation of the oral health curricula by students are positive. Although our oral health curriculum is robust, the next steps include expanding the evaluation of students to ensure they universally meet competencies. We expect that this case study can serve as a map for creating a generalizable, spiral curriculum for other medical schools.

Adverse childhood experiences and diet quality in the national sample of Poles: The mediating role of emotion regulation

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase the risk of adverse psychological and physical outcomes and chronic disease in adulthood. The mechanism of this relationship is still unclear. ACEs might exert their negative influence on adult health via both dietary and psychological axes. Our study aimed to examine the relationship between ACEs and diet quality in the national sample of Poles. We also aimed to determine whether difficulty in regulating emotions act as a mediator of this relationship. The national Polish sample of adults (n = 3557) took part in this study. ACEs were assessed via the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire. Data on food consumption frequency over the past year, body weight and height were collected using the self-administered version of the Dietary Habits and Nutrition Beliefs Questionnaire (KomPAN®). Two diet quality scores were evaluated: Pro-Healthy-Diet-Index-10 (pHDI) and Non-Healthy-Diet-Index-14 (nHDI). Emotion regulation (ER) was evaluated via the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Path analysis was used to examine the associations between the variables, firstly formulated by theoretical assumptions expressed by directed acyclic graphs (DAGs). A higher number of ACEs was related to higher difficulties in ER in adults (p < 0.001), which in turn was related to lower pHDI (p < 0.001) and higher nHDI (p = 0.027). Our findings strengthen the rationale for ACEs screening as a potential risk factor for diet-related chronic disease in adulthood. They provide a framework for public health prevention strategies via interventions targeting diet quality and emotional regulation in the setting of multidisciplinary practice.

Fortifying Physical and Psychological Wellbeing: Leveraging Capital for Resilience Against Racism and Adversity Across Racial Groups.

This study examines the impact of various adversities-including racism, indirect adversity, loss of a loved one, and adverse police contact-on psychological and physical health outcomes such as sleep quality, depressive symptoms, serious illness, and self-reported health. Additionally, it investigates how economic, educational, social, and spiritual capital moderate these effects, with attention to racial differences. Leveraging a sample of 1139 participants from the 1995 Detroit Area Study, analyses reveal nuanced effects of adversity, with the impact being neutralized, attenuated, or amplified by coping capacities. Economic and educational supports generally provide protectivehealth benefits, while social and religious supports reveal complex, sometimes divergent effects. Subgroup analyses reveal racial differences: for instance, Black individuals face a higher likelihood of developing aserious illness in connection with adverse police encounters, and White individuals benefit from liquid assets in buffering depressive symptoms. These findings underscore the need for multifaceted, context-sensitive health interventions and policies that enhance economic stability, educational opportunities, and mental health services, while strengthening social and spiritual support systems to build resilience and mitigate the adverse health effects of these adversities.

Sources of stress and outcomes in carepartners of persons with chronic heart failure

Abstract Background Serving as a carepartner (CP) for someone with chronic heart failure (HF) can be challenging and difficult and may yield adverse psychological outcomes. Sources of HF CP burden and strain may come from physical, informational, and tangential demands. Yet additional life events and sources of stress may be present and compound experiences of HF CPs. Greater understanding of the factors associated with stress sources is needed to direct CP assessment and interventions. Purposes To explore the contributions of CP perceptions of HF care burden and strain, other sources of stress from occupational type and working status, and financial concerns to CP psychological outcomes and to examine the influence of social support in mitigating these outcomes. Methods CPs of persons with chronic HF, defined as providing care for the person with HF at least 4 hours a week, were enrolled. Baseline variables and measures were demographics (age, marital status, education), sources of stress (CP perceived strain and burden [Oberst, STRAIN], caring for others, occupation type, working status, and financial concerns. Psychological outcomes were overall perceived stress (PSS) and depression (CES-D) with social support measured by the Enriched Social Support Inventory (ESSI). Relationships among stress sources and outcomes were assessed using best model subsets regression analysis (Akaike information criterion) comparing the models with and without adjusting for social support. For each model, age, caring for others, CG strain (mental and physical), CG burden (time and difficulty), financial worry, occupation type and status were considered for the model. Results CPs of persons with HF (n=127; 92% women; 58% Black; primarily spouses and adult children) were included. For stress, the best model included age, caring for others, mental strain, occupation and CP burden of difficulty and time (adjusted r2=0.381). After adjusting for social support, occupation type was not significant, and adjusted r2 increased to 0.462. For depression, caring for others and CP burden (difficulty) were included in the best model subset (adjusted r2=0.208). After adjusting for social support, caring for others was not significant, and the adjusted r2 increased to 0.286. Conclusion Sources of stress from higher perceived CP burden of the person with HF, occupation type, and having other caregiving roles contributed to overall stress with social support mitigating the effects of occupation type and caring for others. These findings support further study of comprehensive assessments of sources of stress and their contributions to adverse psychological outcomes for CPs within the context of social support to tailor CP interventions to the CP’s specific needs. The consistent role of social support in attenuating psychological stress warrants study of ways to clinically incorporate social support into interventions to improve outcomes for CPs.

The Cosmetic Readiness Questionnaire (CRQ): Validation of a Pre-Operative Psychological Screening Tool for Aesthetic Procedures.

Several psychological risk factors are associated with patient dissatisfaction with aesthetic procedures, such as body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), unmanaged mental health concerns or unrealistic expectations. Identifying these risks via preoperative screening may protect patients from adverse psychological outcomes and provide reputational or legal protection for practitioners. This study aimed to further develop and validate the Cosmetic Readiness Questionnaire (CRQ), a comprehensive psychological screening tool to assess patient suitability for surgical and non-surgical aesthetic procedures. The CRQ was validated across two studies in clinical contexts, examining structural and construct validity in a sample of 8031 individuals who completed the CRQ as part of routine clinical care. In a further sample (n = 574), criterion validity was explored through the relationship between the CRQ and dissatisfaction with past aesthetic treatments. Risk category cut-off scores were developed. Results supported the reliability and validity of a five-factor CRQ which measures Body Dysmorphia, Psychological Distress, Self-Criticism, Unrealistic Expectations and Lack of Openness. High scorers on the CRQ were 78% more likely to report dissatisfaction with a past cosmetic procedure than low scorers. The CRQ is a comprehensive and valid screening measure to identify patients who may require further psychological assessment or additional support prior to aesthetic treatment. Instructions are provided on how to implement the CRQ in clinical practice.

A role for event centrality in prolonged grief disorder.

Having a traumatic or negative event at the centre of one's identity is associated with adverse psychological outcomes including post-traumatic stress, depression, and prolonged grief disorder (PGD). However, direct investigation of the role of centrality of a bereavement-event in the maintenance of PGD symptoms is scarce and has not compared immediate and long-term changes in event centrality nor examined the nature of the loss. Data from bereaved partners and adult children in The Aarhus Bereavement Study at four time points over 26months post-loss were included in this study. Participants completed a PGD symptom measure and the Centrality of Events Scale (CES) on each occasion. Results suggest that bereaved partners had higher PGD and CES scores than bereaved adult children at all four post-bereavement time points. Regardless of relationship type, maintaining higher CES scores over time predicted PGD symptoms, over and above initial symptoms. Our findings suggest a risk factor for maintaining PGD symptoms is the continued centrality of the bereavement to ones' life story and autobiographical memory. This finding links the mechanisms for maintaining PGD symptoms to those involved in other disorders such as post-traumatic stress, with implications for theoretical models of prolonged grief as well as treatment.

Long-term PTSD prevalence and associated adverse psychological, functional, and economic outcomes: a 12–15 year follow-up of adults with suspected serious injury

ABSTRACT Background: An increasing number of longitudinal studies investigates long-term PTSD, related outcomes and potential gender differences herein. However, a knowledge gap exists when it comes to studies following individual civilian trauma beyond a decade post-trauma. Objective: To investigate the long-term PTSD prevalence, associated adverse psychological, functional and economic outcomes related to (suspected) serious injury of 12–15 years ago in Dutch adults, as well as potential gender differences herein. Method: N = 194 trauma-exposed adults (34% women) admitted to an emergency department following suspected serious injury completed a follow-up assessment 12–15 years (M = 14.30, SD = 1.00) post-trauma. Participants completed assessments of clinician-rated PTSD symptom severity, as well as self-report questionnaires on psychological, functional and economic outcomes. Results: Nine participants (4.8%) fulfilled the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for PTSD related to the index trauma of 12–15 years ago. Results showed that PTSD symptom severity (CAPS-5) was significantly associated with more severe symptoms of anxiety (HADS) and depression (QIDS), lower well-being (WHO-5) and (health-related) quality of life (WHOQOL; EQ-5D-5L), but not with alcohol use (AUDIT), productivity loss at work (iPCQ) and health care use (iMCQ). No significant gender differences in the long-term PTSD prevalence nor in its related psychological, functional and economic outcomes were found. Conclusions: Our findings underscore the long-term presence of PTSD and associated adverse psychological and functional outcomes in a proportion of adults who experienced (suspected) serious injury over a decade ago. PTSD is already widely recognized for its substantial impact in the aftermath of a trauma. The current study emphasizes the potential long-term consequences of individual civilian trauma, highlighting the importance of accurate screening and prevention for PTSD.

Affective Responsivity to Daily Stressors is Amplified in Young Females

Despite mounting evidence that young adults experience greater exposure and affective responsivity to daily stressors than middle-aged and older adults, few studies have examined potential sex differences in these daily stress processes in young adults. We tested the hypotheses that young women would experience (1) a greater percentage of days with at least one daily stressor event and (2) exaggerated negative and positive affective responsivity to daily stressors compared to young men. Young adults ( n = 215) completed a daily web-based interview for eight consecutive days to assess multiple dynamic aspects of daily stress processes. Women experienced a greater frequency of daily stressor days. Further, the magnitude of the difference in both negative and positive affect between stressor-free and stressor days were greater in young women compared to young men. Greater exposure and amplified affective responsivity to daily stressors may potentially contribute to increased susceptibility to adverse psychological outcomes in young women.

"The light after the storm": Psychosocial correlates of adversarial growth among nurses in Hong Kong amid the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Healthcare professionals are highly susceptible to adverse psychological outcomes amid the COVID-19 pandemic due to their job duties. As the largest part of the healthcare workforce, growing attention has been paid to nurses' adjustments to the pandemic. Despite the distress, recent studies found that nurses could still experience positive changes (i.e., adversarial growth, AG) during the pandemic. Research on the general populations has indicated that individuals' stress responses, coping resources, and coping strategies are associated with their AG during the pandemic. This study examined how sociodemographic characteristics, secondary traumatic and posttraumatic stress, coping resources, and coping strategies were associated with AG among nurses in Hong Kong amid the fifth wave (i.e., the most disastrous wave) of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recruited through local nursing associations between May 24 and June 13, 2022, 209 nurses in Hong Kong completed an online questionnaire measuring the abovementioned variables. Hierarchical regression results found that those affiliating with a religion, having participated in mental health-related workshops, higher levels of secondary traumatic stress (STS), social support, job satisfaction, plus more frequent emotional processing were associated with higher AG (βs ranging from 0.15 to 0.31, ps < .01). Nurses did report AG during the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. To promote AG among those nurses, future interventions should enhance nurses' understanding about the potential impact of STS on their well-being, solicit their interpersonal and work-related coping resources, plus facilitate their use of effective coping strategies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Association of Anxiety/Depressive Symptoms with Psychotic-like Experiences: The Moderation Effect of Sex and Resilience.

Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are a part of the continuum of psychosis and are common in the general population. While most of these experiences are transient, they are strongly correlated with an increased risk of various adverse psychological outcomes. Anxiety and depressive symptoms also occur frequently in the adolescent population. Much research has previously demonstrated a correlation between these two symptoms and PLEs. However, few investigations have examined what influences this association, and sex and resilience may be important moderators. This study selected a sample of first-year students from a university in Shanghai. A total of 2970 adolescents completed questionnaires measuring sociodemographic characteristics, anxiety/depressive symptoms by SCL-90, resilience by CD-RISC, and self-reported PLEs by PQ-16. The findings indicated that PLEs were prevalent in the sample, with at least one PQ-16 item present in 42.5% of individuals. Anxiety/depressive symptoms were significantly associated with PLEs, and there was a sex difference in this association (p < 0.001). What is more, this relationship was stronger in males than in females. Additionally, we found a significant interaction (p < 0.001) between resilience and anxiety/depressive symptoms when looking at the correlates of PLEs. Those with stronger resilience showed a considerably weaker connection between PLEs and symptoms of anxiety and depression. These findings can potentially inform the development of targeted new clinical interventions.

Emotional contagion on social media and the simulation of intervention strategies after a disaster event: a modeling study

With the advent of climate change and the 5 G era, online communities are increasingly becoming the main medium for information dissemination after emergencies such as natural disasters. The widespread dissemination of negative online information may generate cyber violence or lead to serious adverse psychological outcomes. This study considered a natural disaster event involving avoidable deaths and child casualties as an example to identify emotional contagion and conduct simulation interventions. Data about the aftermath of the 8·13 flash flood in the Longcaogou Scenic Area, Sichuan Province, China, were derived from the Chinese Sina microblog. We analyzed key parameters and modeled them in a dynamic model. We further evaluated the effects of implementing intervention measures (such as transmission path interruption and changing the number of different emotions) on emotional spread. The overall sentiment of posters after this flood was negative, with three epidemic peaks. Negative emotions were more persistent and contagious than positive emotions. Reducing the number of negative blog posts by half could have led to a 14.97% reduction in negative comments and a 7.17% reduction in positive comments. Simultaneously, reducing the number of negative blog posts and increasing the number of positive posts would have helped reduce the relative ratio of negative to positive comments. The findings have theoretical and practical implications for developing an emotional contagion model and formulating intervention strategies to guide public opinion after an emergency that involves extensive online debate.

Sociocultural Implications in the Development of Early Maladaptive Schemas in Adolescents Belonging to Sexual and Gender Minorities.

Culture is a central theme across various theories and disciplines, influencing behavior and self-perception through interactions within social groups, families, and legal systems. This influence extends to the general population and particularly impacts sexual and gender minorities (SGMs), resulting in minority stress that contributes to mental health issues and the development of Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMSs). Adolescents within these groups face typical developmental stressors-such as hormonal changes and societal pressures-compounded by prejudice, increasing their vulnerability to depression, anxiety, stress, substance abuse, and eating disorders. Despite these challenges, Schema Therapy (ST) lacks comprehensive studies on the sociocultural aspects influencing EMS acquisition in SGM adolescents. This theoretical review aims to fill this gap by exploring the impact of society and culture on EMS development within SGM adolescents. We recognize the broad spectrum of cultural influences and emphasize the importance of cultural sensitivity and diversity. This review specifically addresses how societal and cultural dynamics impact SGM individuals, acknowledging that while ethnic or other cultural factors are not the focus of this paper, they merit future research. This manuscript will discuss central topics and their impact on LGBTQIA+ youth, including (1) the background (definition of culture, lack of studies on ST focusing on culture, and studies on adverse psychological outcomes), (2) minority stress theory and prejudice against sexual and gender diversity (distal and proximal stressors and sociocultural aspects), (3) EMSs and unmet emotional needs, (4) ST affirmative strategies (working with schema modes, imagery rescripting, chair work, and photo techniques), and (5) final considerations (limitations and research agenda).

Associations between 25 hydroxyvitamin D concentration and spontaneous abortion

BackgroundSpontaneous abortion is a common complication of pregnancy that can lead to adverse physical and psychological outcomes for women. Vitamin D is reported to be associated with reproductive functions, whereas its casual effects on abortion remains unclear.Materials and methodsIn this study, a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed to systematically assess the causal relationships between serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration and the risk of spontaneous abortion. GWAS summary data of 25(OH)D were used as exposure, and data of spontaneous abortion was considered as outcome. A retrospective study was additionally conducted to verify the MR results.ResultsMR estimates showed that a higher 25(OH)D level was potentially associated with decreased risk of spontaneous abortion (IVW, OR = 0.98, 95%CI = 0.90–1.06; MR Egger, OR = 0.94, 95%CI = 0.84–1.05; Weighted median, OR = 0.93, 95%CI = 0.82–1.06; Weighted mode, OR = 0.93, 95%CI = 0.84–1.03), though the P-value was not statistically significant. The retrospective study also produced consistent result of Vitamin D’s protective role to spontaneous abortion. The P-value was very close to statistical significance (P = 0.053).ConclusionsThis study reports the potential protective role of serum 25(OH)D concentration to spontaneous abortion, suggesting that increased vitamin D levels may decrease the risk of abortion. Further larger prospective studies and/or even randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm causal relationship between vitamin D and abortion.

The association between problematic short video use and suicidal ideation and self-injurious behaviors: the mediating roles of sleep disturbance and depression

BackgroundPrior work suggests that problematic short video use was associated with adverse psychological, physiological, and educational outcomes. With the prevailing of short video platforms, the potential relationships between this problematic behavior and suicidal ideation and self-injurious behaviors have yet to be thoroughly examined. Besides, considering the potential dual nature of problematic short video use, particularly its positive aspects, a potential mechanism may exist linking such problematic behavior to SI and SIBs, ultimately driving individuals towards extreme outcomes. Nevertheless, such mediation paths have not been rigorously examined. Thus, the current study aimed to investigate their relationships and delve into the underlying mechanism, specifically identifying potential mediators between sleep disturbance and depression.MethodsA quantitative cross-sectional study design was employed to model data derived from a large sample of first- and second-year university students residing in mainland China (N = 1,099; Mage = 19.80 years; 51.7% male).ResultsResults showed that problematic short video use has a dual impact on SI and SIBs. On the one hand, problematic short video use was directly related to the decreased risk of suicidal ideation, attempts, and NSSI. On the other hand, such problematic behavior was indirectly associated with the increased risk of NSSI through sleep disturbance, and it indirectly related to the elevated risk of suicidal ideation, attempts, and NSSI through depression. Besides, on the whole, problematic short video use was positively associated with NSSI but not suicidal ideation and attempts.ConclusionsThese findings indicated that problematic short video use had a dual impact on SI and SIBs. Consequently, it is paramount to comprehend the genuine magnitude of the influence that such problematic behavior holds over these intricate psychological conditions.

Risk Perception and Maternal Prenatal Depressive Symptoms in the Early Stage of COVID-19 Pandemic in China: Role of Negative Emotions and Family Sense of Coherence.

Prenatal depression is associated with adverse health outcomes for both mothers and their children. The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has presented new risks and challenges for expectant mothers. The aims of the study were to investigate the underlying mechanism between COVID-19 risk perception of Chinese pregnant women and their prenatal depressive symptoms and potential protective factors such as family sense of coherence (FSOC). A total of 181 Chinese pregnant women (Mage = 31.40 years, SD = 3.67, ranged from 23 to 43) participated in an online survey from April 22 to May 16, 2020. Risk perception and negative emotions (fear and anxiety) related with COVID-19, FSOC, and prenatal depressive symptoms were assessed. The experience of maternal COVID-19 related negative emotion fully mediated the positive relationship between COVID-19 risk perception and prenatal depressive symptoms of pregnant women (β = 0.12, 95% CI [0.06, 0.19]). When confronting COVID-19 related fear and anxiety, expectant mothers from higher coherent families experienced a significantly lower level of prenatal depressive symptoms. Contextual negative emotional experience was demonstrated to explain how risk perception impacts depressive symptoms during severe public health crisis for pregnant women. FSOC may be a psychological resource protecting pregnant women from experiencing adverse psychological outcomes during COVID-19 pandemic.

Educational interventions to reduce depression and anxiety in older adults with cancer in the community: a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of randomised controlled trials.

Older adults make up half of those with cancer and are prone to mood disorders, such as depression and severe anxiety, resulting in negative repercussions on their health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL). Educational interventions have been shown to reduce adverse psychological outcomes. We examined the effect of educational interventions on the severity of psychological outcomes in older adults with cancer (OAC) in the community. This PRISMA-adherent systematic review involved a search of PubMed, MedLine, Embase and PsycINFO for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated educational interventions impacting the severity of depression, anxiety and HRQOL in OAC. Random effects meta-analyses and meta-regressions were used for the primary analysis. Fifteen RCTs were included. Meta-analyses showed a statistically insignificant decrease in the severity of depression (SMD = -0.30, 95%CI: -0.69; 0.09), anxiety (SMD = -0.30, 95%CI: -0.73; 0.13) and improvement in overall HRQOL scores (SMD = 0.44, 95%CI: -0.16; 1.04). However, subgroup analyses revealed that these interventions were particularly effective in reducing the severity of depression and anxiety in specific groups, such as OAC aged 60-65, those with early-stage cancer, those with lung cancer and those treated with chemotherapy. A systematic review found that having attained a higher education and income level increased the efficacy of interventions in decreasing the severity of adverse psychological outcomes. Although overall meta-analyses were statistically insignificant, subgroup meta-analyses highlighted a few specific subgroups that the educational interventions were effective for. Future interventions can be implemented to target these vulnerable groups.