Anxious Individuals Research Articles

Chinese version of the Death Anxiety Beliefs and Behaviours Scale: Psychometric properties based on CTT and IRT

ObjectivesThe Death Anxiety Beliefs and Behaviour Scale (DABBS) is a unique tool designed to assess the detrimental beliefs and avoidant behaviors linked to death anxiety. This study aimed to adapt the DABBS into Chinese and verify its psychometric characteristics within a community-dwelling older adult population. MethodsThis study used a cross-sectional design and translated the DABBS into Chinese. The psychometric properties of 437 community-dwelling older persons were assessed using the Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT). ResultsThe DABBS consisted of affect, beliefs, and behaviours, with 18 entries in 3 dimensions. The I-CVI of the DABBS ranged from 0.857 to 1.000, and the S-CVI was 0.968; Cronbach's alpha of 0.905. Rasch analysis results showed that the 3 dimensions of the scale possessed good unidimensionality, and the entries were well-fitted to the dimensions in which they were located; each entry Infit MNSQ and Outfit MNSQ were in the range of 0.50 to 1.50; the analysis of the functional differences of items in different characteristic subgroups (gender) showed that the absolute value of DIF Contrast was <0.50. The results of the Wright map showed that the ability of the participants was normally distributed, and the difficulty of the scale's entries was adapted to the average ability level of older adults. ConclusionsThe present data indicate that the revised DABBS is a valid and reliable tool for assessing affect, beliefs, and behaviors associated with death anxiety in community-dwelling older individuals.

Anticipatory processing increases attentional biases to disgust faces in socially anxious individuals: Evidence from the N2pc and CDA

Attentional biases to socially threatening facial expressions (anger, disgust) have been repeatedly observed in socially anxious individuals. These biases are thought to arise, in part, because anticipatory processing of social situations increases the salience of negative social cues. Additionally, self-focused attention on somatic symptoms of anxiety (e.g., heart rate) is thought to interfere with attentional bias. The goal of this study was to examine how anticipatory processing and self-focused attention affect attentional biases as reflected by reliable, temporally precise event-related potentials (ERPs), namely the N2pc and contralateral delay activity (CDA), which index selective attention and working memory maintenance, respectively. One-hundred forty undergraduate students at two collaborating universities completed a mentation task in which they were randomly assigned to engage in prompt-guided anticipatory processing or neutral distraction after being told that they would be evaluated during a social interaction with a researcher at the end of the study. Participants then completed a dot-probe task with disgust/neutral face pairs. To manipulate self-focused attention, the fixation cross was randomly rotated between (+) or (×), and participants were told that one of these indicated an increase in their heart rate. Probes appeared 800 ms after face stimulus offset so that the CDA could be measured. N2pc and CDA amplitude were larger in the anticipatory processing condition compared to distraction for socially anxious individuals, and this effect remained when controlling for depression. There was no effect involving self-focused attention. The results support anticipatory processing as an important process that affects attentional bias in socially anxious individuals.

Negative Affect Following Dating Application Use is Predicted by Social Anxiety Symptoms and Match Rate.

Social rejection is a common and unavoidable experience for users of dating apps. Research suggests that socially anxious individuals may be particularly likely to use dating apps to establish intimate relationships, given their preference for online (vs. face-to-face) communication. However, social anxiety (SA) symptoms are associated with heightened negative affect and decreased prosocial behavior following social rejection, suggesting that exposure to dating app rejection has deleterious consequences in this population. This study examined whether SA symptoms and social rejection (vs. acceptance) feedback interact to predict participants' negative and positive affect and social engagement with dating app matches. Participants (N = 128) evaluated for SA symptoms were randomly assigned to receive high or low match rate feedback on a simulated dating application task. SA symptoms were negatively associated with positive affect following high match rate feedback and positively associated with negative affect following low match rate feedback. SA symptoms were negatively associated with self-reported likelihood of contact initiation with matches. Results suggest that high socially anxious individuals are more susceptible to negative repercussions of social rejection on dating applications.

Explore how Gender Influences the Expression of Aggression in Anxious Individuals Considering Socialization and Cultural Expectation

This study explores how gender influences the expression of aggression among anxious individuals, considering the roles of socialization and cultural expectations. While anxiety and aggression are often studied separately, their co-existence is not uncommon, particularly when analyzed through a gendered lens. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 500 participants of diverse cultural backgrounds to examine these interactions. The results revealed significant gender differences, with men exhibiting more physical aggression and women showing higher relational aggression. Regression analysis confirmed that socialization significantly predicts aggressive behavior, while moderation analysis showed that cultural expectations influence the anxiety-aggression relationship differently for men and women. Test statistics, including t-tests, ANOVA, and correlation analysis, indicated significant associations between gender, anxiety, and aggression levels. For instance, t-tests highlighted significant differences in aggression types across genders (p &lt; 0.05), while ANOVA demonstrated the impact of cultural background on aggression (p &lt; 0.01). These findings align with psychological theories like the Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis and gender frameworks such as Social Role Theory and Gender Schema Theory. The study emphasizes the need for gender-sensitive and culturally competent interventions, offering a comprehensive understanding of anxiety-induced aggression and its implications for tailored mental health strategies across diverse populations.

Silexan in anxiety, depression, and related disorders: pharmacological background and clinical data.

We present a narrative review of clinical trials investigating the anxiolytic and antidepressant effects of silexan, an active substance derived from lavender oil and summarize nonclinical findings from pharmacological studies supporting its therapeutic use. Six studies investigated the efficacy of the lavender oil in patients with subthreshold and generalized anxiety disorders as well as in mixed anxiety and depressive disorder (MADD). Furthermore, we present data indicating that silexan may influence sleep quality as well as anxiety or depressive disorders in individuals with post-COVID-19. Silexan taken orally at a daily dose of 80mg for 10 weeks was significantly superior to placebo in reducing psychic and somatic symptoms of anxiety and was as effective as 0.5mg/d lorazepam and 20mg/d paroxetine. In patients with mild or moderate major depression, silexan was superior to placebo and comparably effective to 50mg/d sertraline. Significant antidepressant effects were also observed in MADD and depression co-morbid with anxiety. The herbal product had a beneficial effect on activities of daily living and health-related quality of life. Adverse events associated with silexan in clinical trials were limited to eructation and mild, transient gastrointestinal complaints. The herbal product was not associated with drug interactions, sedation, sleep disturbance, dependence and abuse potential, sexual dysfunction, weight gain or withdrawal symptoms. Silexan was therefore safe and effective in subthreshold and syndromal anxiety disorders and in major depression.

Improvement in symptoms of anxiety and depression in individuals with type 2 diabetes: retrospective analysis of an intensive lifestyle modification program

BackgroundType 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic metabolic disorder that has a notable influence on mental well-being, contributing to elevated morbidity and mortality rates. Depression and anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concerns among patients with T2D worldwide. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the impact of an online intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) on mental health outcomes (depression and anxiety) in patients with T2D in India.Materials and methodsThis retrospective pre-post analysis included adult patients (aged > 18 years) diagnosed with T2D who were enrolled in a diabetes management program in India between June 2021 and June 2023. The intervention consisted of lifestyle modifications such as a customized plant-based diet, regular physical activity, psychological support through group and individual therapy, and medical management. Data were extracted from the electronic database of the clinic, including anthropometry, medical history, biochemical parameters, symptoms of depression, and anxiety (assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorders-7 (GAD-7) scale) at the start and end of the six-month intervention period.ResultsOf the 1061 eligible patients (177 with prediabetes), 40.3% were female. The mean age, duration of diabetes, and HbA1c levels were 52 ± 10.4 years, 9.8 ± 7.8 years, and 8 ± 1.7%, respectively. The prevalence of symptoms of depression and anxiety (ranging from mild to severe) was 46% and 44.3%, respectively, which reduced to 28.7% and 29.2%, respectively, post-intervention.ConclusionIntegrated ILI successfully improved the symptoms of anxiety and depression, highlighting the importance of a multidisciplinary approach that includes diet, physical activity, psychological support, and medical management in enhancing mental health outcomes among patients with T2D. Future prospective studies are needed to explore the long-term effects of such interventions and develop effective strategies for promoting mental health in diverse populations.Trial registrationThe study was approved by the Freedom from Diabetes Research Foundation Institutional Ethics Committee (approval number FFDRF/IEC/2024/7) and registered in the Clinical Trials Registry of India (CTRI/2024/03/064596, registered on March 21, 2024).

Longitudinal Analyses of Mental Health in Autistic Individuals: A Systematic Review.

Co-occurring mental health conditions affect autistic individuals at high rates, impacting their well-being and quality of life. Mental health conditions are often appropriate treatment targets that can improve the lives of autistic individuals. Because of this, there is growing interest in predictors of mental health and behavioral outcomes. Given the rapidly evolving evidence base and growing literature using longitudinal cohorts, it is unclear which predictors of symptoms of anxiety and depression are consistent, and which are not. Additionally, it is difficult to deduce which predictors of mental health symptoms at a given time also predict change over time. This can be partially due to the different statistical approaches that are implemented, including trajectory vs. non-trajectory methodologies. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate how non-trajectory and trajectory analyses inform our knowledge of how symptoms of anxiety and depression change over time. Additionally, we aimed to identify important predictors of change and later anxiety and depressive symptoms in autistic individuals. There is variability in symptoms of anxiety and depression in autistic individuals. Adaptive skills arose as significant predictors of change and of later symptoms of both anxiety and depression. Peer relationships in school age seem to be particularly important in predicting later symptoms of depression. This review provides evidence that there are different trajectories and different patterns of mental health symptoms over the lifespan, providing further evidence that autism is a developmental condition that changes over time in different ways for different people. Implications and future directions are further discussed.

Efficacy and Safety of a Low-FODMAP Diet in Combination with a Gluten-Free Diet for Adult Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Common gastrointestinal disease irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is marked by symptoms like changed bowel habits, bloating, and stomach ache. A low-FODMAP combined gluten-free diet (LF-GFD) has been suggested as a possible therapy for IBS symptoms management. This study sought to investigate whether a LF-GFD would help patients with IBS. Strict inclusion and exclusion criteria from internet databases helped to identify clinical studies evaluating the intervention of LF-GFD in the treatment of IBS patients. Using measurements including the visual analog scale (VAS) for bloating and pain, the IBS symptom severity scale (IBS-SSS), and IBS quality of life (IBS-QoL), the main results evaluated were the efficacy of LF-GFD in reducing IBS symptoms. Furthermore assessed were the psychological impacts of LF-GFD utilizing the self- rating depression scale (SDS) and self- rating anxiety scale (SAS). A total of 437 patients (221 on LF-GFD diet and 216 on GFD) were involved in 4 randomized controlled trials and 4 cohort studies. The combined results indicated that LF-GFD reduced the VAS bloating ratings (RR = -0.58, 95%CI -0.92-0.23, P = 0.0010, I2 = 83%) and the VAS pain scores (RR = -0.42, 95%CI -0.66-0.19, P = 0.005, I2 = 58%). In addition, LF-GFD indicated a substantial enhancement in IBS-SSS scores (MD = -1.42, 95%CI -2.74-0.10, P = 0.03, I2 = 24%) and IBS-QoL ratings (MD = 3.75, 95%CI 0.98-6.53, P = 0.008, I2 = 33%). Moreover, the LF-GFD group showed a substantial drop in SDS (MD = -2.56, 95%CI -3.38-1.74, P < 0.00001, I2 = 65%) and SAS (MD = -4.30, 95%CI -6.53-2.24, P < 0.0001, I2 = 0%) scores compared to the GFD group. LF-GFD therapy significantly enhances clinical symptoms and reduces anxiety and depression in individuals diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome.

Evaluating Agreement Between Medical Record Diagnoses and Independent Evaluator Diagnoses in a Community-Based Effectiveness Study

ABSTRACT Background Youth anxiety disorders are prevalent but undertreated. Poor diagnostic agreement between clinicians and researchers may contribute to misdiagnosis and mistreatment. However, few studies of diagnostic agreement focus specifically on anxiety disorders. Objective The current study evaluates diagnostic agreement between community clinicians and independent evaluators (IE) associated with a research study. Method IEs administered the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-5, Child Version, Child and Parent Forms to youth participating in a randomized controlled trial. Diagnostic agreement was assessed using Cohen’s kappas. Youth (N = 103) were about 14.3 years old (SD = 1.6), largely cis-gender female (66%, n = 68), heterosexual (57.3%, n = 59), Hispanic/Latinx (53.4%, n = 55), and White (53.4%, n = 55). Results IEs assigned significantly more diagnoses than community clinicians (t(99)=-12.738, d = 1.66, p < .001). Individual diagnoses were collapsed into diagnostic clusters: anxiety, depression, trauma and stressor, obsessive-compulsive, and behavioral disorders. There was no agreement for anxiety, trauma and stressor, obsessive-compulsive clusters (ks < 0.20). The depression cluster showed minimal agreement (k = 0.28, p < .001), and behavioral disorders showed weak agreement (k = 0.49, p < .001). There was no agreement for four individual anxiety disorder diagnoses (ks < 0.20) except for panic disorder, which had minimal agreement (k = .32, p < .001). Four additional anxiety disorder diagnoses could not be analyzed due to no diagnoses in one or both settings. Discussion This study shows diagnostic agreement is poor between clinicians and researchers, especially for anxiety disorders. Findings suggest that semi-structured interviews can detect diagnoses that are being missed by clinicians. Future work should seek to identify and address barriers to implementation of evidenced-based assessments in community settings.

Perceived healthiness of foods, food avoidance and diet-related anxiety in individuals with self-reported irritable bowel syndrome: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundIrritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder in which the intake of food is known to exacerbate symptoms. Experiencing food related symptoms can lead to avoidance of food, and cause anxiety related to food intake. We aimed to explore perceptions of the healthiness of food, food avoidance, and food-related worry and anxiety among individuals with and without IBS.MethodsThis study was based on a survey conducted in January-February 2017. In total, 2000 participants aged 20–65 were invited by postal letter randomly obtained through the Swedish state personal address register. The questionnaire included aspects of socioeconomic position, different disorders including IBS and food intolerances, food avoidance, and food-related worry or anxiety.ResultsIn total, 538 participants were included in this study, of whom 8.4% (n = 45) reported having IBS. There were few differences regarding the perceived healthiness of foods between individuals with and without IBS. Participants with IBS avoided gluten (OR 3.45, p = 0.002), lactose (OR 5.0, p < 0.001) and alcohol (OR 2.0, p = 0.042) more frequently than individuals without IBS, and avoidance was driven by abdominal pain. Participants with IBS also reported feeling more worried and having anxiety about diet than those without IBS (p = 0.032 and p = 0.002, respectively).ConclusionThis study indicates that individuals with IBS perceive most foods as equally healthy as individuals without IBS. Having IBS increases the odds of avoiding gluten, lactose, and alcohol. Worry and anxiety related to diet were more common among individuals with IBS, and these aspects need to be considered both in clinical practice and in future research.

Depression, Anxiety, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes.

Background: Adults with type 2 diabetes are at a greater probability of suffering from mental health issues, which could result in a substantial effect on their HRQoL (health-related quality of life). Thus, the focus of this research was to investigate the relationship between comorbid anxiety, depression, and HRQoL among individuals with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from 2016 to 2021 were used to identify adult patients with type 2 diabetes diagnoses for this research. The MEPS used the SF-12 to measure HRQoL. The study employed multivariable linear regression to analyze the association between anxiety, depression, and HRQoL in individuals with type 2 diabetes, taking into consideration several confounding variables such as age, gender, and comorbidities. Results: This study included 5259 individuals with type 2 diabetes, of which the mean age was 52.9 years, 50.7% were men, and 49.3% were women. The findings from this sample show a negative relationship between anxiety, depression, and type 2 diabetic patients' HRQoL. It shows that after adjusting for other factors, diabetes patients with depression (MCS: = -6.817), anxiety (MCS: = -4.957), and both (MCS: = -0.344) have a significantly poorer HRQoL than those without these mental health comorbidities (p-value < 0.001). It also demonstrated the adverse effects on HRQoL of having coexisting chronic illnesses like heart disease, hypertension, and other chronic illnesses, along with a low socioeconomic status. Additionally, it revealed the benefits of employment, education, and regular exercise for HRQoL. Conclusions: The study's findings highlight the links between anxiety, depression, and type 2 diabetes patients' poor HRQoL. It also showed the adverse effects of coexisting chronic diseases and low socioeconomic status on HRQoL and the benefit of work and exercise on HRQoL. These findings can help policymakers to reform healthcare and enforce the early detection and treatment of anxiety and depression to enhance the HRQoL of type 2 diabetic patients.

An SEM-ANN analysis of the influence of strategic merger on strategic postchange of family businesses

PurposeCompanies seek to increase the percentage of acquisitions in different parts of the world by expanding operations. Many companies are adopting strategic mergers to expand their influence. However, most strategic change programs fail to achieve their objectives. This study aims to investigate employees’ reactions after strategic mergers through the mediating role of the employees’ psychological context. It was necessary to identify the most prominent postmerger employees’ behaviors. The study addressed this gap by investigating the outcomes of strategic mergers.Design/methodology/approachData for this study were collected from 30 family businesses. Accordingly, 341 questionnaires were collected with an overall response rate of 64%. The structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach and the nonlinear relationships approach were adopted by implementing artificial neural network (ANN) analysis.FindingsThe results confirm that there is a clear impact of strategic mergers on employees’ postmerger behavior because of the change at the hierarchical level and the process of distributing roles. Employees’ psychological context (individual incentives, anxiety and individual mobbing) mediates the relationship between strategic mergers and postmerger employees’ behavior. In addition, individual incentives are considered the main contributor to retaining or not retaining employees in family businesses after strategic merger.Research limitations/implicationsPolicymakers in organizations must pay attention to employees’ possible reactions to the internal and external policies of the organization by increasing individual incentives and reducing individual mobbing toward strategic merger. This study has theoretical implications that are critical guidelines for academics in mitigating the negative consequences for employees’ postmerger behavior. This study captured linear and nonlinear relationships to discover the determinants and antecedents of a strategic merger in family businesses. However, future studies should focus on using more robust statistical methods by adopting decision-making methods to determine the best and worst companies in terms of adopting strategic mergers.Originality/valueThe scarcity of literature on the most important determinants of postmerger employees’ behavior is considered an encouragement to conduct the current study. To this end, this study enriches the ongoing and future literature by examining the most important factors influencing the strategic merger of family businesses. Family businesses have changed the economic landscape of many countries. The investigation of the strategic merger of these companies is considered a worthy matter of study to improve the nation’s economy.

Autistic traits linked to anxiety and dichotomous thinking: sensory sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty as mediators in non-clinical population

A recent theoretical cognitive model posits that three cognitive constructs—intolerance of uncertainty, lack of predictive processing, and dichotomous thinking—may interact with anxiety in autistic individuals. However, the interrelationships among these constructs remain unclear. We investigated this relationship in a non-clinical population using five questionnaires (Autism Spectrum Quotient, Glasgow Sensory Questionnaire, Short Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, Penn State Worry Questionnaire, and Dichotomous Thinking Inventory) and conducted a path analysis. Data were collected from 405 adults (aged 20–22 years) in Experiment 1 and 628 (aged 20–49 years) in Experiment 2. In both experiments, autistic traits were significantly associated with both anxiety and dichotomous thinking, mediated by intolerance of uncertainty. Autistic traits were linked to intolerance of uncertainty, mediated by atypical sensory processing. Furthermore, autistic traits were directly associated with anxiety. No direct association was observed between anxiety and dichotomous thinking. Our results confirm the validity of Stark’s cognitive model in a non-clinical population. These findings provide new insights into anxiety and dichotomous thinking and shed light on the cognitive styles of autistic individuals.

The impact of trauma core dimensions on anxiety and depression: a latent regression model through the Post-Traumatic Symptom Questionnaire (PTSQ)

Adverse life events (e.g., severe accidents, violence/abuse, organic disorders) can elicit traumatic responses characterized by intrusive thoughts, hyperarousal, and avoidance—highlighting the need for sound assessment tools. Also, these traumatic components could heighten anxiety and depression symptoms. This study aims included to: (1) assessing the psychometric properties of the Post-Traumatic Symptom Questionnaire (PTSQ) and delineating clinical cut-offs; (2) investigating how distinct trauma components contribute to anxiety and depression symptoms. Involving 761 participants who experienced a traumatic event, Part I tested the PTSQ psychometric properties, defining clinical cut-offs. Part II tested the impact of traumatic components on anxiety and depression symptoms, using a multiple multivariate latent regression model. PTSQ exhibited exemplary fit indices and robust psychometric properties. Clinically relevant cut-offs were identified. The differential contributions of intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal to anxiety and depression symptoms were evaluated, elucidating the strength and nature of these relationships. This study reaffirms the PTSQ as a psychometrically sound and reliable instrument. It underscores the effects of intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal on anxiety and depression symptoms in individuals with traumatic experiences. These insights advocate for evidence-based interventions aimed at alleviating the psychological suffering associated with trauma components, fostering adaptation and supporting psychological health.

The Benefit-Cost Balance of Chinese Adults’ Social Interaction Behaviors on Social Media: Social Capital, Privacy Concerns and Attachment Anxiety

Social media, whose core element is interactivity, has become an important tool for people to establish and maintain relationships. According to social exchange theory (SET), weighing costs and benefits in the context of online interpersonal interactions can also guide people to decide whether to make a connection with others. While there have been studies of social interaction, few have looked at specific behaviors, including sharing and responding, within the same framework. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the benefit-cost balance of social interaction behaviors on social media that involve self-disclosures and proactive interactions such as commenting, forwarding, and liking. Via an online survey of Chinese adults ( n = 2,767) and structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques, we found that social media users were at once motivated by bridging social capital and restrained by privacy concerns when making decisions regarding self-disclosure. However, users were not swayed by privacy concerns when engaging in proactive interactions; instead, they were encouraged by both bonding and bridging social capital. Moreover, the benefit-cost model was extended by investigating the moderating effect of attachment anxiety and found that the more anxious individuals were about attachment, the weaker the effects of bridging social capital and the stronger the effects of privacy concerns on their social interaction behaviors, which complemented the existing literature at the level of individual differences.

Child Abuse: The Psychological and Societal Effects of Virtual Networks

Information and communication technologies now play a crucial role in the lives and development of children. But kids also need to learn how to manage the risks that come with using technology. Online social networks have many effects and dangers on individual mental health, so excessive use causes depression, anxiety, violence, addiction, and body image distortions in individuals. Although researchers focus on the negative effects of social networks, they still have several benefits for individual health. To understand how exposure to child abuse information on social media platforms affects social relationships and psychological well-being. Inclusion-Exclusion methodology used in this research. Social connections and psychological health are seriously impacted by watching child abuse content on social media. It speaks that to lessen these effects and safeguard those at risk, strong support networks, as well as successful internet safety measures, are needed. This study establishes the degree to which the Internet’s security measures and support networks are currently adequate to lessen these consequences.

Theta Burst Stimulation Protocols for Schizophrenia

To date, several theta burst stimulation (TBS) protocols, such as intermittent TBS (iTBS), have been proposed; however, previous systematic reviews have revealed inconsistent efficacy findings in individual TBS studies for schizophrenia. To examine which TBS protocols are associated with the most favorable and acceptable outcomes in adults with schizophrenia. The Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Embase databases were searched for studies published before May 22, 2024. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) published and unpublished randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of any TBS treatment and (2) RCTs including individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, other psychotic disorders, or both. This study followed the Cochrane standards for data extraction and data quality assessment and used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline for reporting. The risk of bias of individual studies was assessed using the second version of the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and the Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis application was used to rate the certainty of evidence for meta-analysis results. At least 2 authors double-checked the literature search, data transfer accuracy, and calculations. The primary outcome of this study was improvement in scores related to negative symptoms. Our frequentist network meta-analysis used a random-effects model. The standardized mean difference (SMD) or odds ratio for continuous or dichotomous variables, respectively, was calculated with 95% CIs. A total of 30 RCTs of 9 TBS protocols, with 1424 participants, were included. Only iTBS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L-DLPFC) was associated with reduced negative symptom scores (SMD, -0.89; 95% CI, -1.24 to -0.55), overall symptom scores (SMD, -0.81; 95% CI, -1.15 to -0.48), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale general subscale scores (SMD, -0.57; 95% CI, -0.89 to -0.25), depressive symptom scores (SMD, -0.70; 95% CI, -1.04 to -0.37), and anxiety symptom scores (SMD, -0.58; 95% CI, -0.92 to -0.24) and improved overall cognitive impairment scores (SMD, -0.52; 95% CI, -0.89 to -0.15) compared with a sham. However, positive symptom score changes, all-cause discontinuation rate, discontinuation rate due to adverse events, headache incidence, and dizziness incidence did not significantly differ between any TBS protocols and sham. In this network meta-analysis, iTBS over the L-DLPFC was associated with improved scores for negative, depressive, anxiety, and cognitive symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia and was well tolerated by the participants. Other forms of TBS were not associated with benefit. Further research is needed to assess the potential role of TBS in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Examining the influence of social anxiety biases on emotion recognition for masked versus unmasked facial expressions

Preliminary evidence suggests reductions in emotion recognition accuracy to mask-wearing faces compared to no-mask-wearing faces in healthy volunteers. In socially anxious individuals, who tend to interpret positive or neutral facial expressions as more negative, emotional decoding biases might be even more compromised. This study aimed to replicate and extend previous findings on the impact of mask-wearing on emotion recognition in a Western sample while also examining the impact of social anxiety symptom severity. One hundred eleven university students completed a computerized emotion recognition task depicting gender and race-balanced faces, each modeling one of the six basic emotions and a neutral expression, with and without a medical mask. Using repeated measures ANOVAs and ANCOVAs, we investigated the effect of facemask condition and social anxiety severity on emotion recognition performance. Consistent with earlier research, the results of this study replicated the finding that wearing face masks led to decreased accuracy in emotion recognition across all emotions tested. Contrary to expectations, social anxiety symptoms did not moderate this effect. Despite the observed reduction in emotion recognition accuracy associated with mask-wearing, socially anxious individuals did not appear to be at a higher risk of experiencing impaired emotion recognition compared to their less anxious counterparts.

AnxietyNet: social media trends with fuzzy logic trees

In the digital age, social media platforms have become integral parts of daily life, facilitating communication, information sharing, and community building on a global scale. However, alongside the benefits of connectivity, concerns regarding public anxiety within these virtual communities have emerged. This research paper delves into the phenomenon of public anxiety on social media and proposes a novel approach utilizing fuzzy tree logic to analyze and address this issue. Through a comprehensive review of literature, theoretical frameworks, and practical applications, this paper aims to provide insights into the complex dynamics of public anxiety and offer potential solutions leveraging machine learning techniques. The proposed methodology involves the development of a cascading model to dynamically compute individual anxiety scores within social media networks. By analyzing structural influences and user interactions, this model aims to provide a nuanced understanding of anxiety dynamics within online communities. Additionally, a probabilistic model is designed to measure anxiety scores of social network messages, utilizing a generalized user profile. The integration of fuzzy tree logic enables the construction of a tree structure to effectively compute anxiety scores, offering a more flexible and human-like decision-making process. Preliminary experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in capturing and analyzing public anxiety on social media platforms. The fuzzy tree model shows promise in accurately assessing anxiety levels and identifying key factors contributing to social anxiety within online communities. Moreover, the integration of machine learning techniques enhances the scalability and adaptability of the model, allowing for real-time analysis and proactive intervention strategies. This research underscores the importance of addressing public anxiety on social media through innovative analytical frameworks. By leveraging fuzzy tree logic and machine learning techniques, we can gain deeper insights into the dynamics of anxiety within online communities and develop targeted interventions to support individuals experiencing distress. Collaborative efforts in this endeavor hold the potential to foster societal well-being and resilience in the digital age.

Lack of optimistic bias during social evaluation learning reflects reduced positive self-beliefs in depression and social anxiety, but via distinct mechanisms

Processing social feedback optimistically may maintain positive self-beliefs and stable social relationships. Conversely, a lack of this optimistic bias in depression and social anxiety may perpetuate negative self-beliefs and maintain symptoms. Research investigating this mechanism is scarce, however, and the mechanisms by which depressed and socially anxious individuals respond to social evaluation may also differ. Using a range of computational approaches in two large datasets (mega-analysis of previous studies, n = 450; pre-registered replication study, n = 807), we investigated how depression (PHQ-9) and social anxiety (BFNE) symptoms related to social evaluation learning in a computerized task. Optimistic bias (better learning of positive relative to negative evaluations) was found to be negatively associated with depression and social anxiety. Structural equation models suggested this reflected a heightened sensitivity to negative social feedback in social anxiety, whereas in depression it co-existed with a blunted response to positive social feedback. Computational belief-based learning models further suggested that reduced optimism was driven by less positive trait-like self-beliefs in both depression and social anxiety, with some evidence for a general blunting in belief updating in depression. Recognizing such transdiagnostic similarities and differences in social evaluation learning across disorders may inform approaches to personalizing treatment.