State Anxiety Research Articles

A novel analysis of interoceptive underpinnings of anxious psychopathology in COVID-19 survivors

IntroductionSARS-CoV-2 affects brain, body, and their interchange. We investigated interoceptive mechanisms in COVID-19 survivors focusing on their potential link with psychopathology and inflammatory biomarkers. MethodsWe assessed interoceptive accuracy (IAc) and time-perceiving (TA) skills of 57 COVID-19 survivors one month after hospital discharge through, respectively, a heartbeats perception task and a time duration task. Each participant was assessed about his interoceptive awareness (IAw) through Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness questionnaire (MAIA) and then, screened for post-traumatic (Impact of Events Scale – IES-R), anxious (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory – STAI-Y1) and depressive (Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale - ZSDS; Beck Depression Inventory - BDI-13) symptoms.Biomarkers of inflammation (platelet count, PC; mean platelet volume, MPV and systemic immune-inflammation index, SII) were obtained in a subsample of 40 survivors by a blood sampling conducted at admission and discharge time from the hospital. Correlational, GLM, GLMZ, and mediation analyses were performed. ResultsIAc did not correlate with TA confirming the reliability of interoceptive measure. IAc positively predicts MAIA’s Trusting subscale and negatively predicts anxious psychopathology which fully mediates the effect of IAc on Trusting.PC at hospital admission predicts anxiety at one month after recovery. Again, a higher decrease of SII during hospitalization predicts higher IAc skill and lower anxiety state at one month. The link between SII change and anxiety is fully mediated by IAc. ConclusionsOur results unveil a potential key role of interoception and brain-body interchange in the exacerbation and maintenance of anxiety psychopathology in COVID-19 survivors.

Impact of Public Health and Social Measures on Cosmetic Treatments in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Multi-Center Study Combined With a Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Public health and social measures (PHSMs) are considered the most effective approaches for controlling epidemic diseases. This study aimed to explore variations in the time-dependent characteristics of and public preferences for cosmetic treatments during and after the implementation of PHSMs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical records from six medical institutions were extracted retrospectively. Time-series analyses were conducted to reveal the variations in characteristics in volume and proportion of cosmetic treatments according to PHSMs. A cross-sectional study was conducted with online questionnaire designed for the general population during and after the implementation of PHSMs. A total of 141 033 records were included in this retrospective study. The implementation of PHSMs led to extremely low treatment volumes; compared with the increases in private hospitals, the treatment volumes in public hospitals exhibited earlier and more significant increases, even higher than pre-PHSM levels (p < 0.05), which mainly contributed to the increase in plastic surgery volumes during and after the implementation of PHSMs. The differences in the anxiety state, self-perceived appearance, and cosmetic treatment intentions of the participants were illustrated during and after PHSMs. We further demonstrated the participants' decisions on cosmetic treatments after the implementation of PHSMs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The immediate effects and aftereffects of PHSMs on cosmetic treatments were different in public and private hospitals. Furthermore, as PHSMs guided the adjustment of cosmetic treatments in the post-COVID-19 era, the intention to undergo cosmetic treatment during PHSMs was associated with the anxiety states and preferences of the population.

Neural correlates of prospective memory in college students with anxiety.

Prospective memory (PM) is the ability to create and execute future tasks. It is comprised of two components: cue detection and intention retrieval. PM is essential for performing high-level goals, a proficiency extremely important in college populations. Anxiety is a prevalent psychological experience in college populations that may be associated with impairments in PM. The present study examined PM performance and anxiety in college students, using neurophysiology to measure the mechanism of impairment. After self-reporting anxiety levels, 80 participants completed an event-based, focal PM task while two event-related potentials were recorded from an electroencephalogram: the N300 to assess cue detection, and the prospective positivity to assess intention retrieval. The results demonstrated that, when controlling for age and gender, higher state anxiety was significantly associated with lower PM accuracy (β = -0.27, p = 0.020) and lower prospective positivity amplitude (β = -0.04, p = 0.021). Lower prospective positivity amplitude was significantly associated with lower PM accuracy (β = 0.27, p = 0.015). Higher state anxiety was significantly indirectly associated with lower PM accuracy mediated by lower prospective positivity amplitude (ab = -0.11, p = 0.047). These findings suggest intention retrieval could be a key component in supporting PM for college students with high state anxiety.

Exploring the characteristics changes of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in patients with acute coronary syndrome after PCI before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: To investigate the changes in cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) characteristics before and after the outbreak of COVID-19 in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that included ACS patients who underwent PCI at the General Hospital of the Northern Theater Command from July 2018 to February 2023. Based on the timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic, patients were divided into two groups: the pre-pandemic group and the during-pandemic group, with January 2020 as the dividing line. Clinical data were collected from both groups, and a comparative analysis was performed on their postoperative CPET outcomes, including peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2), peak metabolic equivalents (peak MET), and other indicators. Weber's classification was used to assess cardiac function. In addition, the 7-tiem generalized anxiety disorder scale (GAD-7) and the patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were used to assess the patients' psychological anxiety and depression states, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of CPET after PCI. Results: A total of 4 310 post-PCI ACS patients were included, with an average age of (58.7±9.1) years, and 3 464 (80.37%) were male. There were 1 698 patients in the pre-pandemic group and 2 612 patients in the during-pandemic group. The main indicator of the CPET, peak VO2 (15.04±3.93) ml·min-1·kg-1 in the during-pandemic group, was lower than that in the pre-pandemic group (15.52±3.68) ml·min-1·kg-1, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that advanced age, female gender, high body mass index, elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, smoking history, history of myocardial infarction, more severe ACS classification, and mild to moderate degree of depression were related to poor cardiopulmonary outcomes (P<0.05). Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the cardiopulmonary outcomes of ACS patients after PCI. Reduced physical activity, and increased psychological stress should be given consideration and attention regarding their impact on patients' cardiopulmonary function.

An Intelligent System for Determining Driver Anxiety Level: A Comparison Study of Two Fuzzy-Based Models

While driving, stress and frustration can affect safe driving and pose the risk of causing traffic accidents. Therefore, it is important to control the driver’s anxiety level in order to improve the driving experience. In this paper, we propose and implement an intelligent system based on fuzzy logic (FL) for deciding the driver’s anxiety level (DAL). In order to investigate the effects of the considered parameters and compare the evaluation results, we implement two models: DAL Model 1 (DALM1) and DAL Model 2 (DALM2). The input parameters of DALM1 include driving experience (DE), in-car environment conditions (IECs), and driver age (DA), while for DALM2, we add a new parameter called the accident anxiety state (AAS). For both models, the output parameter is DAL. We carried out many simulations and compared the results of DALM1 and DALM2. The evaluation results show that the DAL is very good for drivers’ ages between 30 to 50 years old. However, when the driver’s age is below 30 or above 50, DAL tends to decline. With an increase in DE and IECs, the DAL value is decreased. But when the AAS is increased, the DAL is increased. DALM2 is more complex because the rule base is larger than DALM1, but it makes a better decision of DAL value.

Comparison of State-Trait Anxiety and Fear of Childbirth According to Attachment Styles of Pregnant Women.

Fear of childbirth (FoC) and its extreme form, tokophobia, is a clinical condition that can lead to many negative consequences, and its importance is increasingly understood. This article aims to assess the severity of FoC and anxiety levels according to different attachment styles and to investigate the relationships between these factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a state hospital in the largest city in Turkey. Three hundred pregnant women attending the Antenatal Outpatient Clinic were included. A sociodemographic questionnaire, Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire-version-A (W-DEQ), Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Adult Attachment Style Scale were administered. 8.1% of participants had tokophobia (W-DEQ sum score ≥85). FoC was significantly higher in pregnant women who had a history of pregnancy loss and past psychiatric history. For multiparous women, adverse birth outcomes were also associated with higher FoC. State and trait anxiety were positively correlated with FoC levels. Regarding the attachment patterns, pregnant women with avoidant attachment styles presented with higher levels of FoC than those with secure attachment styles. In logistic regression analysis, higher anxiety levels, adverse birth outcomes, and insecure attachment styles were found to predict severe and clinical FoC. FoC has a considerable effect on pregnant women, albeit at different clinical levels. Adverse birth outcomes, high anxiety levels, and insecure attachment styles were associated with higher FoC. Therefore, antenatal patients with adverse birth outcomes and higher anxiety levels, which are risk factors for FoC, should be carefully evaluated in terms of tokophobia and referred to mental health professionals when necessary.

Focused Ultrasound Combined With Microbubbles Attenuate Symptoms in Heroin-Addicted Mice

ObjectiveTo explore the efficacy and mechanisms of stimulating the nucleus accumbens (NAc) in heroin-addicted mice using focused ultrasound and microbubbles (MBs). MethodsThe conditioned place preference (CPP) method was employed to establish a heroin-addicted mice model. Mice were randomized into control (C), heroin (H), heroin + ultrasound (H + U) and H + U + MBs. Ultrasound (2 MHz fundamental frequency, 1.34 MPa peak-negative pressure, 1 MHz pulse repetition frequency, 5% duty cycle, 15 min/d, over 2 d) was applied to stimulate the NAc in the latter 2 groups. Whereas H + U + MBs received an injection of sulfur hexafluoride MBs during the stimulation. Subsequently, CPP scores, open-field test (OFT), and elevated plus-maze test (EPMT) were conducted to assess behavioral changes in addiction memory, anxiety and exercise status. HE staining was performed to detect pathological structures. Neurotransmitters such as dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT) and glutamate (Glu) were detected using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to observe ultrastructural changes of synapses in NAc. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was utilized to detect Cleaved Caspase-3 in the NAc region. Western blotting (WB) was used to detect the protein expression of Cleaved Caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2 in NAc. ResultsHE staining showed small patches of erythrocyte exudation were observed in the NAc and adjacent areas in H + U + MBs. The CPP scores of H + U + MBs were lower (p < 0.05) than H. After ultrasound treatment, all indices of the OFT and EPMT in H + U + MBs were significantly higher than H (p < 0.05). UPLC-MS/MS revealed that the levels of DA, 5-HT and Glu in H + U + MBs were lower than H (p < 0.01). TEM showed decrease the number of synapses (p < 0.05), and noticeable swelling of mitochondria, membrane damage, as well as damage to the cristae. Further detection by IHC and WB showed that the pro-apoptotic proteins Cleaved Caspase-3 and Bax increased and Bcl-2 decreased as anti-apoptotic proteins after ultrasound combined with MBs (p < 0.05). ConclusionFocused ultrasound combined with MBs stimulate the NAc can weaken the addictive memory and improve anxiety of heroin-related mice. The mechanical effect of ultrasound combined with the cavitation effect may be a potential treatment for addiction.

The impact of the environment factors on co-evolution process of information-emotions-epidemic dynamics in activity-driven multiplex networks

Abstract During public health emergencies, the diffusion of negative information can exacerbate the transmission of adverse emotions, such as fear and anxiety. These emotions can adversely affect immune function and consequently influence epidemic spreading. In this paper, we establish a coupled model incorporating environmental factors to explore the co-evolution dynamic process of information-emotions-epidemic dynamics in activity-driven multiplex networks. In this model, environmental factors refer to external conditions or pressures that affect the spread of information, emotions, and epidemics. These factors include media coverage, public opinion, and the prevalence of disease in the neighborhood. These layers are dynamically cross-coupled, where the environmental factors in the information layer are influenced by the emotional layer, and the higher levels of anxious states among neighboring individuals, the greater the likelihood of information diffusion. While environmental factors in the emotional layer are influenced by both the information layer and the epidemic layer, it comes from the factors of global information and the proportion of local infections among surrounding neighbors. Subsequently, we utilize the Microscopic Markov Chain Approach (MMCA) to describe the dynamical processes, thereby obtaining the epidemic threshold. Finally, we draw conclusions through numerical modeling and analysis. The conclusions suggest that when negative information heightens the probability of anxious states transmission across the population. The transmission of anxious states increases the final size of the disease and decreases the outbreak threshold. Reducing the impact of environmental factors at both the informational and emotional levels is beneficial in controlling the scale of the spread of the epidemic. Our findings can provide a reference for improving the public’s health awareness and behavioral decision-making, mitigating the adverse impacts of anxious states, and ultimately controlling the spreading of epidemics.

Testing theoretical processes that maintain paediatric social anxiety: A comparison between children and adolescents with social anxiety disorder, other mental disorders, and non-clinical controls

BackgroundPaediatric social anxiety disorder (SoAD) responds poorly to treatment. Improved understanding of potential psychological maintaining processes may indicate fruitful directions to improve treatment outcomes. The current study compared self-reported psychological processes and state anxiety in response to two social tasks experienced by children and adolescents with SoAD against comparison samples. Methods641 children and adolescents aged 6–17 years (Mage = 9.45 yr; 47.6% girls) engaged in a brief, impromptu speech and a social discussion with a confederate. Participants included 307 with SoAD, 285 with other mental disorders, and 49 non-clinical controls. Participants who completed each task self-reported their anticipated probability and cost of negative evaluation, self-focused attention, personal evaluation of social performance, and engagement in post-event rumination (assessed 1 h later). Independent raters also scored their social performance. Relationships between the variables were tested through path analysis. ResultsParticipants with SoAD were more likely to avoid and reported significantly greater state anxiety than both comparison groups. They also reported higher levels of each of the putative maintaining processes than either comparison group. In contrast, independent observers did not discriminate between groups on their overt social performance. Path analyses demonstrated good fit of a priori models to the data for both social tasks. ConclusionsPaediatric SoAD is associated with strong expectation of the probability and cost of negative evaluation, excess self-focused attention, and more negative evaluation of one's own social performance. In turn, these putative processes are strong predictors of state anxiety and post-event processing in response to both a speech and social interaction.

Understanding internal dynamics of state anxiety during COVID‐19 pandemic: Seven‐wave longitudinal findings via panel network analysis

AbstractResearch on state anxiety has long been dominated by the traditional psychometric approach that assumes anxiety symptoms have a common cause. Yet state anxiety can be conceptualized as a network system. In this study, we utilized data from the COVID‐Dynamic dataset from waves 7 to 13, collected at three‐week intervals from June 6, 2020, to October 13, 2020, and included 1,042 valid participants to characterize the internal dynamics of state anxiety. Using the Gaussian graphical model along with strength centrality, we estimated three network models of state anxiety. The between‐subjects and contemporaneous network showed numerous positive relations between items and some unexpected negative relations. Three communities were identified in the between‐subjects network, and two communities were identified in the contemporaneous network. The temporal network showed the coexistence of positive and negative predictions between items after three weeks. Several items exhibited significant positive autocorrelations after three weeks. These findings have implications for anxiety theory and clinical interventions at between‐subjects and within‐subjects levels.

Chronic stress and functional health in older adults with concerns about falling: a study protocol of a randomized controlled trial with multicomponent exercise intervention (FEARFALL)

BackgroundMaintenance of physical function, mobility, and independent living are important goals for older adults. However, concerns about falling (CaF) play a central role in the vicious cycle of CaF, inflammation, loss of muscle mass, and decreasing physical function ultimately resulting in negative health outcomes. CaF, like other states of chronic stress and anxiety, can be considered as enduring adverse stimuli affecting the stress systems and the inflammatory system. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate whether a reduction of CaF leads to a reduction of stress and therefore possibly reduces chronic low-grade inflammation. Understanding the role and directionality of the effects of inflammation on CaF increases our understanding of age-related loss of mobility and physical function.MethodsIn this study, community-dwelling older adults, aged 70 years and older, will be randomly assigned to either a 4-month, multi-component intervention with exercise training and cognitive-behavioral components or to a sham control group with light stretching exercises, cognitive training, and educational health lectures. For the operationalization of specific CaF, the Falls Efficacy Scale—International will be used. Stress and related psychological symptoms will be monitored using established self-reports and by measuring salivary cortisol. Concentrations of C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, interleukin 10, and tumor-necrosis-factor-alpha, as well as gene expression of selected inflammatory transcripts, will be used as surrogate parameters of the inflammatory status at baseline, after the 4-month intervention and 8-month follow-up.DiscussionThis study will be the first to test whether CaF are related with stress system activity or reactivity or with markers of inflammation in the context of a multi-component intervention with exercise training and cognitive-behavioral components addressing CaF. The reduction of specific CaF or general psychological symptoms should reverse alterations in stress systems, and / or slow down low-grade inflammation. Changes in activity, as well as psychological and biological pathways leading from CaF to muscle loss will be measured, to disentangle the individual contribution to sarcopenia, and to provide an additional pathway to break or slow-down the vicious cycle of CaF and sarcopenia.Trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register (DRKS): DRKS00029171. Registered 22 July 2022.

The effect of Qigong exercise on state anxiety levels of inpatients in psychiatric wards: A randomized controlled study

BackgroundQigong is a mind-body exercise that originated in China and is often described as a form of meditation or movement therapy. While the existing literature has investigated the impact of Qigong exercises on trait anxiety in outpatients, there is limited research on their influence on state anxiety in inpatients. This study examined the effect of Qigong exercise on state anxiety levels of inpatients in psychiatric wards. MethodsThis study was a single-blind, randomized controlled trial. Patients were randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group. Seventy inpatients participated in the study, with 35 in each group. In the intervention group, the STAI-I form was used to assess state anxiety levels before (Test 1) and after (Test 2) a single 40-minute session of Qigong. ResultsThe mean post-test scores of the intervention group (27.20±5.57) were significantly lower than those of the control group (39.72±10.84). Additionally, a statistically significant difference was observed between the mean test-1 (38.42±9.7) and test-2 scores (27.2 ± 5.57) within the intervention group. ConclusionA single 40-minute Qigong exercise session reduced state anxiety levels in psychiatric inpatients and reduced the risk of potential adverse outcomes associated with state anxiety. Practitioners may consider the use of Qigong exercise in the management of state anxiety in clinical practice, when making clinical decisions.

Adult attachment and dehumanization among Chinese college students: trait attachment and state attachment perspectives.

Current social issues such as bullying, online violence, and local conflicts are all prominent topics in the field of psychology and linked to dehumanization. However, research on dehumanization from a non-Western background has been rare. As a key factor influencing individual behavior, attachment has not been sufficiently integrated into studies on dehumanization. Therefore, this study provides empirical evidence to explore the relationship between adult attachment (both trait and state) and dehumanization. The sample consisted of college students from China. In Study 1 (N = 705) latent profile analysis was employed to exploring the potential categories of trait adult attachment in China, and to investigate how these categories impact dehumanization. Study 2 (N = 281) focused on activating secure attachment and examined the effects of three state attachment types, security, avoidance and anxiety, on dehumanization. Study 1 identified four types of adult attachment: preoccupied, secure, fearful, and dismissing, and revealed that these different attachment types have varying impacts on dehumanization. Study 2 showed that both security and avoidance predict dehumanization. This research established a link between adult attachment and dehumanization, offering new insights into the psychological mechanisms underlying dehumanization and suggesting novel strategies for its prevention and intervention.

Factors associated with loneliness, depression, and anxiety during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic was an unparalleled stressor that enhanced isolation. Loneliness has been identified as an epidemic by the US Surgeon General. This study aimed to: (1) characterize longitudinal trajectories of loneliness during the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) identify longitudinal mediators of the relationship of loneliness with anxiety and depression; and (3) examine how loneliness naturally clusters and identify factors associated with high loneliness. Two hundred and twenty-nine adults (78% female; mean age=39.5±13.8) completed an abbreviated version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, State Anxiety Inventory, and Patient Health Questionnaire-8 longitudinally between April 2020 and 2021. Trajectory analyses demonstrated relatively stable loneliness over time, while anxiety and depression symptoms declined. Longitudinal analyses indicated that loneliness effects on anxiety and depression were both partially mediated by perceived stress, while emotion regulation capacity only mediated effects on anxiety. Three stable clusters of loneliness trajectories emerged (high, moderate, and low). The odds of moderate or high loneliness cluster membership were positively associated with higher perceived stress and negatively associated with greater cognitive reappraisal use. Our results demonstrate the important interconnections between loneliness and facets of mental health throughout the early phases of the pandemic and may inform targeted future interventions for loneliness work.

For the archive yet to come

Abstract This article explores the promises and pitfalls of the colonial archives for the study of seeing and knowing contemporary violence. As an ethnographic field and a site of decolonial struggles, the colonial archive is increasingly mobilised in scholarship that seeks to historicise and disrupt conventional, Western-centric knowledge production. While using the colonial archives might reproduce asymmetrical power relations, they also hold the potential to unsettle the ‘toxic imperial debris’ of our time. How can the colonial archives challenge the post-colonial politics of erasing imperial violence and contribute to decolonial futures? Drawing on research in the African Archives in Belgium and fieldwork in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), this paper complicates problematic portrayals of the post-colonial state in the DRC and Congolese women as always already violated or silenced. We argue that the logics of the African Archives reveal a set of destabilising state anxieties that reflect the duality and instability of colonial rule itself and that infuse contemporary (international) politics. This recounting of the violence contained in the archives both narrates the concrete, violent manifestations of our ‘global coloniality’ and works towards its own demise as part of a broader ‘anticolonial archive’.

Electrophysiological detection of exam stress inhealth schools' students.

Anxiety is a common issue among university students, many of them experience anxiety, depression, and stress during their school life. This study aimed to compare the acute physiological stress responses of students divided into two groups according to their perceived anxiety levels (positive test anxiety, PTA+, and negative test anxiety, PTA-). Heart rate variability (HRV) and electrodermal activity (EDA) were used to assess stress.Thirty-one healthy volunteers participated in the study. Participants completed anxiety assessments, including the Westside Test Anxiety Scale (WTAS), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Test State Anxiety Inventory (TSAI). Based on their scores, participants were categorized into PTA+ and PTA- groups. All participants underwent 24-h continuous recordings of pulse and electrodermal activity (EDA) on two separate occasions: one day prior to a written exam and during a designated exam-free day serving as a baseline control.We compared the HRV and EDA data obtained on a regular day and on an exam day between the two groups. Results showed that the PTA+ group had significantly higher heart rate, stress index, low frequency, and short-term detrended fluctuation analysis (DFAα1) on the exam day. The tonic EDA component was also higher in the PTA+ group. Stress-related HRV and EDA parameters were negatively correlated with exam scores.In conclusion, the study found that physiological stress indicators obtained from HRV and EDA are associated with perceived exam anxiety in students.

Fibromyalgia in patients with non-psychotic mental disorders: Prevalence, associated factors and validation of a brief screening instrument.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain syndrome associated with significant distress and numerous unpleasant consequences. Mental health problems in people with FM have been reported in many studies. People with mental disorders are thought to be at higher risk of FM than the general population, but the prevalence has not been established. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of FM in a representative sample of inpatients with non-psychotic mental disorders. Additionally, we aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool (FiRST) in the Russian-speaking population of people with mental disorders. Consecutive inpatients admitted to the Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry for treatment of non-psychotic mental disorders were evaluated for FM by a neurologist and completed the FiRST, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Of the 1168 patients evaluated 9.0% met the diagnostic criteria for FM. FM was associated with being female, having a diagnosis of unipolar depression, and having higher total scores on the BDI and STAI. The psychometric properties of the FiRST were good (McDonald's omega 0.79, corrected item-total correlation greater than 0.45). An optimal cut-off point with the highest Yuden's index (J = 0.75) was >3 (AUC of 0.89). FM is a common comorbidity in people with non-psychotic mental disorders, associated with being female, having a diagnosis of unipolar depression, and having more severe anxiety and depression. The FiRST can be used for the FM screening with its cut-off >3 in people with non-psychotic mental disorders. It is the first study to determine the prevalence of FM in people with non-psychotic spectrum mental disorders. The study design included a consecutive sample in a real-life setting to avoid bias. In addition, we evaluated the psychometric properties of the FM screening instrument in a population of people with mental disorders and established the cut-off. The specificity of this subpopulation is explained by both the high prevalence of pain symptoms and the overlap of some psychiatric and FM symptoms.

Animated video reduces pain and anxiety during pin removal in children with supracondylar humerus fractures: a randomized controlled trial.

The aim of this study; is to determine the level of pain and anxiety experienced by pediatric patients with operated humeral supracondylar fractures during pin removal, and to investigate the effectiveness of animated video impressions. This randomized controlled study included 180 patients aged between 4 and 12years. The patients were divided into four groups: Group 1-control; Group 2-watched the introductory animation video before the procedure; Group 3-using analgesic before the procedure (ibuprofen 10mg/kg); Group 4-watched the introductory animation video and used analgesic before the procedure. To assess pain before randomization, before-during-after procedure, and at outpatient clinic controls; the Wong-Baker Pain Scale (WBS), modified CHEOPS (Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale), and the child's heart rate were used. To assess anxiety; the Children's Anxiety Meter (CAM), The Short State Anxiety Inventory Scale (SAIS), and The Children's Emotion Management Scales (CEMS) were used. While a significant difference was detected between the groups in the tests performed at certain intervals (p < 0.001), no significant difference was detected between Groups 1-3 and Groups 2-4. The Modified CHEOPS and CEMS values obtained during the procedure showed significant variability between the groups (p < 0.001). Similarly, While a significant difference was detected between the groups in the WBS scores measured during the procedure (p < 0.001), it was observed that there was no significant relationship between Groups 1-3 and Groups 2-4 (p = 0.892, p = 0.820). Watching an introductory animated video before pin removal is an effective method to relieve the anxiety and pain felt in children with supracondylar fractures.

A network analysis of eating disorder, PTSD, major depression, state-trait anxiety, and quality of life measures in eating disorder patients treated in residential care.

The network approach in the eating disorder (ED) field has confirmed important links between EDs and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. However, studies including comorbid symptoms are scarce, which limits our understanding of potentially important connections. We hypothesised that anxiety, depression and poor quality of life (QOL) would provide a more complete picture of central, maintaining factors. Network analysis using R was performed in 2178 adult ED patients (91% female) admitted to residential treatment. Assessments included the ED Examination Questionnaire (EDEQ), the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI-2), the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PTSD clusters (PCL-5)), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Scale (STAI), and the ED QOL Scale (EDQOL), which measure symptoms of EDs, PTSD, major depression, state-trait anxiety, and QOL, respectively. EDI-2 ineffectiveness showed the highest centrality (expected influence) followed by EDI-2 interoceptive awareness, STAI state anxiety, EDEQ shape concern, EDQOL psychological subscale, and PTSD cluster D (hyperarousal) symptoms. Eating Disorder Quality of Life psychological and physical-cognitive subscales and PHQ-9 major depressive, STAI state anxiety and PCL-5 PTSD cluster E (negative alterations in mood and cognition) symptoms showed the highest bridge expected influence, suggesting their interactive role in maintaining ED-PTSD comorbidity. This is the first network analysis of the interaction between ED and PTSD symptoms to include the comorbid measures of depression, anxiety, and QOL in a large clinical sample of ED patients. Our results indicate that several symptom clusters are likely to maintain ED-PTSD comorbidity and may be important targets of integrated treatment.

Identifying precondition configurations of mathematics anxiety among middle school students in China: using NCA and QCA approaches.

Addressing mathematics anxiety is important to ensure that students achieve good academic performance and maintain their mental health during the critical middle school period. However, previous studies have focused on the separate effects of the preconditions for mathematics anxiety, ignoring the interaction of factors. Therefore, this study aims to identify the determinants of mathematics anxiety from the perspective of complex systems via necessary condition analysis (NCA) and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to identify configurations of preconditions of mathematics anxiety among middle school students. A total of 183 middle school students aged 16 to 19 years (M age = 17.47, SD = 0.89) in China participated in this cross-sectional study. The outcome variable of the study is mathematics anxiety, and the condition variables include mathematics grade, parental support, learning motivation, learning planning, and learning interest. The necessity condition analysis shows that not all the condition variables constitute the necessity condition of mathematics anxiety alone. Four paths for the influence of multiple condition variables on mathematics anxiety are identified via the configuration analysis. Notably, even students with high mathematics scores and learning interest still experience mathematics anxiety due to a lack of practical parental support and learning motivation. High levels of parental support can exacerbate the mathematics anxiety of students under two conditions: 1) a lack of learning motivation and learning plans, and 2) interest in learning but low mathematics scores and unclear learning plans. This study highlights the need to consider the comprehensive impact of mathematics anxiety, and the findings will help educators and researchers identify the different characteristics of mathematics anxiety in student populations.