Compulsive Checking Research Articles

Neuro-pharmacological Assessment of Coleus forskohlii for Anti-compulsive Activity in Swiss Albino Mice

Background: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a common psychiatric illness characterized by obsessions or compulsions that significantly disrupt or impair daily functioning. Coleus forskohlii, a significant medicinal crop, has forskolin in its roots. It is utilized extensively as food and medicine all over the world. Coleus forskohlii has reputed medicinal uses, which include antidepressant, antiaggregant, cAMP-genic, anticancer, etc. Objective: This study used mice models of marble burying and nestlet shredding to assess the potential efficacy of Coleus forskohlii against obsessive-compulsive disorder. 8-hydroxy-2-(di-npropylamino) tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) induced compulsive checking can demonstrate OCD-like repetitive and obsessive behavior as well as neurotransmitter imbalance (serotonin). Methods: Each group had six mice, and the therapy was administered to the animals for a total of 15 days. On days 1, 7, and 14, the marble burying test was assessed for 30 minutes, and on days 2, 8 and 15, the nestlet shredding test was assessed for 30 minutes. The T-maze paradigm was used to assess anti-OCD activity. The brain histology and morphometry were also performed. Results: When compared to the control group, treatments with Coleus forskohlii (50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly enhanced performance on both behavior tests. The SAB score is dramatically increased following the administration of the 8-OH-DPAT (2 mg/kg, i.p.) group. Coleus forskohlii (50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) and fluoxetine (15 mg/kg, p.o.) groups showed significantly lowered results. Animals treated with 8-OH-DPAT showed a considerable reduction in serotonin levels. Following Coleus forskohlii administration, the histology of the brain tissues showed normal morphological structure with no toxicity or abnormalities. Conclusion: The combination of all these findings points to Coleus forskohlii delivering a possible therapeutic option for the treatment of OCD. The identification and anticompulsive properties of the components from Coleus forskohlii should be the main aim of future studies.

Analysis of the Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Perinatal Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Elderly Parturients.

Aims/Background Perinatal obsessive-compulsive symptoms are significant predictors of increased postpartum anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. These symptoms have persistent adverse effects on both mothers and children. Currently, there are few reports in the literature on obsessive-compulsive disorder in elderly parturient women in China. This study primarily discusses the clinical characteristics of perinatal obsessive-compulsive symptoms in elderly parturient women and analyzes their influencing factors, aiming to provide references for clinical prevention and treatment. Methods This research employed a cross-sectional design, utilizing a convenience sampling method to select elderly parturients who delivered at Panjin Central Hospital from September 2022 to August 2023. The assessment instruments included a general data questionnaire, the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), the self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), the edinburgh postpartum depression scale (EPDS), and the sense of coherence scale (SOC-13). The relationship between the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and negative emotions and psychological burden was examined through Pearson correlation analysis. Additionally, the influencing factors of perinatal obsessive-compulsive symptoms were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. Results In this study, a total of 124 questionnaires were distributed, and 122 valid questionnaires were recovered, yielding an effective recovery rate of 98.39%. Among the 122 elderly parturients, 37 were positive for perinatal obsessive-compulsive disorder, accounting for 30.33% (37/122). Among the 37 elderly parturients with perinatal obsessive-compulsive symptoms, 64.86% had both obsessive-compulsive thoughts and behaviors, 21.62% had obsessive-compulsive thoughts as the main symptom (8/37), and 13.51% had obsessive-compulsive behaviors (5/37). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that pregnancy history, pregnancy complications, fetal health, SOC-13 score, SAS score, and EPDS score were independent risk factors for positive perinatal obsessive-compulsive symptoms (p < 0.05). Conclusion The incidence of perinatal obsessive-compulsive symptoms in elderly parturient women is high. Obsessive-compulsive thoughts primarily involve fears of injury and contamination, while obsessive-compulsive behaviors mainly consist of compulsive checking and cleaning. The occurrence of perinatal obsessive-compulsive disorder is associated with factors such as pregnancy and childbirth history, pregnancy complications, fetal health, negative emotions, and stress resistance.

The Paradoxical Effect of Repeated Body Checking on Subjective Uncertainty.

Body checking is considered a behavioral expression of the core psychopathology of eating disorders (EDs), namely, overvaluation of body weight and shape. Compulsive checking is motivated by a desire to increase a sense of certainty regarding feared outcomes. Paradoxically, studies showed that repeated checking acts to reduce certainty, forming a vicious cycle. No previous study examined whether the same principle applies for body checking. This study filled this gap by examining the causal effect of repeated body checking on memory certainty regarding checked body parts. In a laboratory-based study, 77 female participants without an ED checked the size and shape of six body parts. Their objective memory regarding which body part was last checked, and subjective certainty about this memory were assessed. Then, one group of participants continued to engage in repeated body checking, and another group repeatedly checked a neutral object. Finally, all participants completed the six body parts checking procedure again, and their objective memory and memory certainty were re-assessed. In both checking groups, objective memory regarding the last body part checked was unaffected by the type of checking performed. Importantly, certainty about memory dropped considerably only among those in the repeated body-checking group. The findings provide the first empirical evidence of a paradoxical effect demonstrating that repeated body checking reduces certainty about checked body parts. The study implies that repeated body checking reduces the quality of information obtained through checking and, as such, could potentially motivate further checking.

Co-rumination and intrapersonal cognitive processes predict distress: Longitudinal evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Perseverative thinking and catastrophizing have well established associations with fear and distress. However, less is known about the impact of interpersonal dynamics, such as co-rumination, on these intrapersonal cognitive processes and subsequent stress. The present study addresses this knowledge gap. A sample of 433 adults from across the United States was recruited online and completed measures of co-rumination, perseverative thinking, catastrophizing, and demographic characteristics early in the COVID-19 pandemic, and the COVID Stress Scales (CSS) at six month follow up. Co-rumination, perseverative thinking, catastrophizing, and CSS scores were correlated in the expected direction. Regression analyses revealed all three independently predicted CSS worry about the dangerousness of COVID-19 subscale. Co-rumination was the strongest predictor of CSS worry about the socioeconomic impact and CSS compulsive checking scales. Perseverative thinking and catastrophizing predicted CSS traumatic stress symptoms subscale. Finally, perseverative thinking was the strongest predictor of CSS xenophobia subscale. Structural equation modelling indicated that co-rumination had a significant indirect effect on CSS scores through perseverative thinking and catastrophizing. Interpersonal dynamics, such as co-rumination, are relevant for understanding stress and are promising targets for intervention research to prevent or attenuate fears and distress, in addition to traditional intrapersonal cognitive processes such as perseverative thinking and catastrophizing.

COVID Stress Factors, Willingness to be Vaccinated, and Reasons for Vaccination Hesitancy Amongst Youth and Ethnic Minorities: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis

COVID-19 has caused psychological trauma. However, it is unclear whether these stresses are comparable across ethnicities, across age groups, and vaccination hesitancy. Moreover, the relationship between the different types of stresses and their relationship to vaccination hesitancy has not been studied. Using rigorous statistical methodology (structural equation modeling), we examined the measurement invariance of five COVID stress factors: danger of contamination, socioeconomic consequences, xenophobia, traumatic stress, compulsive checking, by ethnicity and age, and investigated their relationship to vaccination hesitancy, ethnicity, age, and expectations of contracting COVID using structural equation models on a UK sample. The instrument showed measurement invariance both with respect to ethnicity and vaccination hesitancy. Subjects with more stress and worry about contracting COVID had no more enthusiasm for getting vaccinated than the less stressed. Ethnic minorities were less stressed despite suffering higher morbidity and mortality. As age increases, so does the hesitancy to be vaccinated despite younger subjects reporting more compulsive checking. Vaccination hesitancy was related to fear of side effects and safety concerns. Public health campaigns should target younger populations to address their fears about and stress due to compulsive checking for COVID-19. These campaigns should also be designed to reduce vaccination hesitancy to increase vaccination rates, decrease active and passive carriers of the virus, and ultimately attain herd immunity.

A Study on How Social Media FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) Impacts the Gen Z Audience

Generation Z, or Gen Z, refers to people born between 1995 and 2010, often known as "zoomers," the first generation to fully embrace the internet. This paper focuses on the impact of socialmedia-induced Fear ofMissing Out (FOMO) on Generation Z, blending with the characteristics of digital nativity and extensive engagement with social media platforms. Fear of Missing Out, or FOMO, was uniquely introduced in 2004 with the rise of social networking sites. It centers on anxiety and how, for Gen Z, this plays a pivotal role in making one feel absent from rewarding experiences. This study delves into the effects on mental health, psychological well-being, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. It explores social media analytics regarding usage, compulsive checking, behavioural consequences, following trends, and real-life social interactions. The findings highlight the need for strategies to mitigate FOMO's adverse effects, promoting healthier social media habits and fostering a more balanced approach to digital consumption.

A narrative review of factors affecting memory confidence in the context of compulsive checking: A search for evidence-based potential therapeutic targets to improve memory confidence.

According to current models of compulsive checking, memory confidence greatly contributes to the development and maintenance of checking behaviours. However, how to intervene in memory confidence in an evidence-based manner has not yet been fully understood. Thus, the purpose of the current paper was to identify the factors influencing memory confidence through the review of experimental evidence. PubMed, Google Scholar, OpenGrey and ProQuest databases were searched by combining two sets of keywords related to memory confidence and checking. Our search yielded 24 experiments. Due to the considerable heterogeneity of the studies regarding questionnaires, tasks and paradigms used, data were synthesized using a narrative review approach. Six factors emerged from a thorough review of the literature, including negative memory belief, higher memory standard, inflated sense of responsibility, familiarization with the checked stimuli, number of checks and anxious valence of the checked stimuli. The findings have important implications for the treatment of compulsive checking. We suggested general guidelines to translate these factors into a novel intervention to increase memory confidence in compulsive checkers.

Does Low Memory Confidence Drive Excessive Reassurance Seeking in Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder? Insights from a Novel In Vivo Study

The factors driving excessive reassurance seeking in obsessive–compulsive disorder are incompletely understood. We investigated whether low memory confidence, which drives compulsive checking, may also lead to excessive reassurance seeking during a novel in vivo contamination-based task. Undergraduates (N = 91) completed a memory test and received sham positive or negative performance feedback. Participants then viewed a complicated cleaning video and completed a corresponding cleaning task whilst their reassurance seeking was covertly coded. Afterwards, participants rated their anxiety, confidence, and experimenter responsibility for task outcomes. The novel laboratory task induced high levels of reassurance seeking from participants (median = 5 reassurance requests). There was no evidence that manipulating memory confidence altered reassurance seeking. Greater reassurance seeking was correlated with decreased performance confidence and increased ratings of experimenter responsibility for negative cleaning task outcomes. Memory beliefs may not initiate reassurance seeking, suggesting a possible dissimilarity between reassurance seeking and compulsive checking.

Is availability pressure always detrimental? From availability pressure to relationship satisfaction through compulsive checking of smartphone and need satisfaction

ABSTRACT The pervasive connectivity created by mobile media technology has resulted in availability pressure, an external pressure that requires individuals to be permanently online and permanently connected. Grounded in the socio-cognitive model of connection (SMC) and the Integrative Model of Mobile Media Use and Need Experiences (IM3UNE) frameworks, this study examines the pathways through which availability pressure influences relationship satisfaction. The findings reveal a dual effect of availability pressure: it can lead to compulsive checking, where the subsequent decline of online communication quality diminishes relationship satisfaction. Simultaneously, availability pressure fulfils three intrinsic needs, among which relatedness and autonomy heighten relationship satisfaction. Furthermore, by bridging these two models, this study demonstrates that need satisfaction can facilitate the process of internalising availability pressure and externalising it as compulsive checking of smartphones.

Examination of COVID stress syndrome facets and relations to substance misuse using profile analysis via multidimensional scaling (PAMS)

The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to significant societal challenges, including increased substance misuse. The COVID stress syndrome is a constellation of interrelated processes that occur in response to pandemics, including danger/contamination fears, fears concerning economic consequences, xenophobia, compulsive checking/reassurance-seeking, and pandemic-related traumatic stress symptoms. In the present study, using a sample of 812 adults collected during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020, we examined the relations between identified profiles of the COVID Stress Scales (CSS) and behavioral and cognitive aspects of substance misuse. Using profile analysis via multidimensional scaling (PAMS), we identified two core profiles of the CSS, which explained 60 % of the variance in participant responding: 1) High compulsive checking & Low xenophobia and 2) High xenophobia & Low danger/contamination. The first profile is consistent with the COVID stress syndrome, while the second profile aligns with the COVID disregard syndrome, which is a constellation of interrelated processes distinguished by a denial or downplaying of the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic and lack of perceived vulnerability to disease. Both profiles demonstrated significant positive correlations with drug and alcohol misuse, respectively. However, only the High xenophobia & Low danger/contamination profile demonstrated relations with cognitive aspects of substance misuse via positive and negative correlations with positive and negative expectancies of alcohol use, respectively. These findings provide further support for the relationship between the COVID stress syndrome and substance misuse and offer insight into how unique profiles of this syndrome may impact pandemic-related mental and public health interventions.

Mapping the Relationship between Health-related Beliefs, Fear, Avoidance, and Depression: Lessons from the Pandemic and Beyond.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a mental health crisis, with depression symptoms increasing nearly three-fold compared to pre-pandemic levels. To explain this surge and to outline related novel treatment targets for post-pandemic psychiatric interventions, the current study examined cognitive, emotional, and behavioral predictors of depression (in the context of the recent pandemic). Participants completed measures assessing perceived danger, perceived infectiousness, and fear of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Participants also reported symptoms of depression and behavioral tendencies: pandemic-related compulsive checking, cleaning, and avoidance (of activities, situations, places, and people). A multiple mediation model revealed that the relationship between perceived infectiousness of the virus and depression was atemporally mediated by fear of the virus and pandemic-related avoidance of activities, situations, places, and people. Furthermore, avoidance played a uniquely important role in the mediation model. First, it directly mediated the relationship between perceived infectiousness and depression, even when omitting fear from the model. Second, avoidance was a discriminant predictor of depression, as neither pandemic-related checking and reassurance-seeking nor cleaning behavior mediated the relationship between cognition and depressive symptoms. Clinical implications are discussed, including how addressing the relationship between anxiety about viral infections and depression can prospectively increase treatment success as we move beyond the pandemic.

The Determinants of COVID-19-Related Stress Among Caregivers of Individuals at High Risk During the Pandemic.

Informal caregivers offer a range of support-physical, emotional, and social-to individuals under their care, thereby exposing themselves to potential mental health risks. During the outbreak of COVID-19, caregivers have emerged as a demographic particularly vulnerable to mental health issues owing to their caregiving roles. The aim of the study is to identify the determinants influencing COVID-19-related stress among caregivers of individuals at elevated risk of coronavirus infection. A cross-sectional study was undertaken, utilizing a sample of 1,556 participants who were enlisted via social media and an online survey questionnaire. Participants provided sociodemographic data and completed both the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the COVID-19 Stress Scale (CSS) to assess their mental health status. The mean age of the participants was 30.76±6.97 years. Of these, 42.35% (n=659) resided with individuals at high risk for COVID-19, and 72.75% were female. Statistically significant differences were observed in DASS-21 subscale scores as well as in CSS scores for contamination, socioeconomic consequences, traumatic stress, perceived danger, compulsive checking, xenophobia, and total scores between those living and not living with COVID-19 high-risk individuals. Factors such as residing with a COVID-19 high-risk individual, education level, and DASS-21 subscale scores were identified as significant predictors of CSS scores. The study reveals those caregivers for individuals at high risk for COVID-19 experience elevated levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and COVID-19-related stress. Factors such as living with a high-risk individual, educational level, and mental health status were significant predictors of COVID-19-related stress. Further research is needed to evaluate the mental well-being of caregivers and to develop effective interventions.

Anxiety Symptoms, COVID-19-Related Stress Reactions in the Italian General Population, and Validation of the Italian COVID Stress Scales (CSS-I).

Background. The COVID Stress Scales (CSS) assess COVID-related stress experienced in the past week related to danger and contamination fears, socioeconomic consequences, xenophobia, compulsive checking, and reassurance seeking, and traumatic stress symptoms. Our objective was to provide a translation into Italian, replication, and psychometric validation of the CSS in the general population. Moreover, we aimed to test the convergent and discriminant validity of the Italian CSS (CSS-I) with respect to anxiety, stress, and depressive symptoms in the general Italian population. Method. Adult participants (n = 935) over the age of 18 years were recruited from the general population in Italy. Psychological status was assessed using multiple validated measures, including the CSS, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21), and the Prejudice Against Immigrants Scale (PAIS). Results. Our confirmatory factor analysis supported a 6-factor model, including danger fears (DAN), socioeconomic consequences (SEC), xenophobia (XEN), compulsive checking and reassurance seeking (CHE), contamination fears (CON), and traumatic stress symptoms (TSS). Strong reliability of the CSS-I (Cronbach's α = 0.863-0.936) and convergent validity with the DASS-21 and PAI were established with positive correlations between total and scale scores across measures. Conclusions. The CSS-I is a valid and reliable instrument to measure COVID-19-related distress in the Italian population.

Excessive Checking in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Neurochemical Correlates Revealed by 7T Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

BackgroundCompulsive checking, a common symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), has been difficult to capture experimentally. Therefore, determination of its neural basis remains challenging despite some evidence suggesting that it is linked to dysfunction of cingulostriatal systems. This study introduces a novel experimental paradigm to measure excessive checking and its neurochemical correlates. MethodsThirty-one patients with OCD and 29 healthy volunteers performed a decision-making task requiring them to decide whether 2 perceptually similar visual representations were the same or different under a high-uncertainty condition without feedback. Both groups underwent 7T magnetic resonance spectroscopy scans on the same day. Correlations between out-of-scanner experimental measures of checking and the glutamate/GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) ratio in the anterior cingulate cortex, supplementary motor area, and occipital cortex were assessed. Their relationship with subjective ratings of doubt, anxiety, and confidence was also investigated. ResultsPatients with OCD exhibited excessive and dysfunctional checking, which was significantly correlated with changes in the glutamate/GABA ratio within the anterior cingulate cortex. No behavioral/neurochemical relationships were evident for either the supplementary motor area or occipital cortex. The excessive checking observed in patients was negatively correlated with their confidence levels and positively related to doubt, anxiety, and compulsivity traits. ConclusionsWe conclude that experimental measures of excessive and dysfunctional checking in OCD, which have been linked to increased doubt, anxiety, and lack of confidence, are related to an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory neural activity within the anterior cingulate cortex. This study adds to our understanding of the role of this region in OCD by providing a laboratory model of the possible development of compulsive checking.

The Psychometric Properties of the COVID Stress Scales in Korean University Students

The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated disruptions have significantly impacted university students’ lives worldwide. The COVID Stress Scale (CSS) is a 36-item self-reporting instrument designed to measure stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study purposed to examine the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the CSS for use with Korean university students.&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;The study sample comprised 402 undergraduate students enrolled in a four-year private university in central South Korea. This cross-sectional investigation employed an anonymous online survey conducted during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The forward-backward translation method was adopted to convert the original English version of the CSS to Korean. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to determine the structure of the CSS. Convergent validity was assessed using correlation analysis with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). McDonald’s omega and Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficients were used to evaluate reliability.&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;The results revealed that a bifactor model specifying general factors&lt;em&gt; &lt;/em&gt;and the six specific factors of danger, contamination, socioeconomic characteristics, xenophobia, traumatic stress symptoms, and compulsive checking and reassurance seeking provided the best fit among all alternatives. Further investigations demonstrated that the general factor of COVID-19-related stress accounted for the majority of CSS variances than the six specific factors. The results highlighted the unidimensionality of the measure. Additionally, the actions displayed excellent internal consistency.&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;Our findings endorse the use of the Korean version of the CSS as a tool for measureing general stress experienced in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic and we support using the instrument’s total score in this context.&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;

COVID Stress Scales: A Cross-sectional Study of its Psychometric Properties among Africans with Chronic, Stable Medical Conditions

Background: The coronavirus 2019 pandemic (COVID-19) elicited in various populations, diverse psycho-behavioral responses. The COVID Stress Scales (CSS) was developed and validated in the general population, among US and Canadian adults, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Expectedly, population-specific variations in response are likely, hence, the need to validate psychometrically sound instruments across cultures and diverse populations.&#x0D; Aim: To determine the factor structure and reliability estimates of the CSS among participants with chronic, stable medical conditions in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital.&#x0D; Methods: The cross-sectional study, involved 1047 consenting adults with chronic, stable medical conditions attending the out-patient specialist clinics of a foremost tertiary hospital in Nigeria. The participants were enrolled consecutively over a four-month period straddling the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CSS was administered to participants who fulfilled the study criteria. Exploratory Factor Analyses (EFA) using Principal Component Analysis and Oblimin rotation with Kaiser Normalization, was used to extract the factors. &#x0D; Results: A six-factor structure emerged: COVID-19-related socio-economic consequences; contamination; xenophobia; traumatic stress; compulsive checking and reassurance seeking; and danger. The internal consistency within items of each domain was acceptable (Cronbach alpha 0.85 and above) and correlation between the domains was moderate to strong.&#x0D; Conclusion: The CSS maintained a six-factor structure, corresponding to the six scales, among Nigerian participants with chronic, stable medical conditions. It has acceptable reliability estimates and can be used to assess COVID-19-related anxiety in this population. The inter-correlation of the various domains is a strong evidence for the existence of COVID stress syndrome.

STRESS AND COPING STRESS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC (A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN PHYSICIANS AND NURSES AT RSUD X IN SOUTHEAST SULAWESI PROVINCE)

In dealing with health problems due to the COVID-19 pandemic, medical personnel and nurses are at the forefront of providing health services. Medical personnel and nurses who work are at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19, experience a heavier workload, and feel more stressed from caring for patients who are confirmed positive for COVID-19. This study aims to determine the difference between stress and coping with stress during the COVID-19 pandemic between medical personnel and nurses at RSUD X Southeast Sulawesi Province. According to Sharma et al [14] there are five factors that are interconnected and in accordance with the stress of COVID-19 syndrome, namely COVID danger and contamination, COVID socioeconomic consequences, COVID xenophobia, COVID traumatic stress, and COVID compulsive checking. This research uses quantitative research methods, with a comparative type. Sampling in this study using purposive sampling technique. This study took 226 participants consisting of 69 physicians and 157 nurses who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic at RSUD X Southeast Sulawesi. The results of this study indicate that there is a difference in stress on physicians and nurses who work during the COVID-19 pandemic with a Significance value of stress (Sig) of p = 0.000 (&lt; 0.05), and Significance value of coping stress (Sig) of p = 0.000 (&lt; 0.05).

The Prevalence and Risk Factors of COVID-Stress Syndrome.

Background COVID-19 is a serious disease causing negative psychological effects such as nervousness, isolation, depression, and suicide ideation. The COVID Stress Scale was developed to better understand and assess COVID-19-related distress. University students are predicted to be negatively impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak due to their lack of psychological skills and high levels of academic stress. This study compares the prevalence of COVID stress syndrome (CSS) among university students in Syria and Jordan during the outbreak. The questionnaire used in the study covers multiple aspects and can be applied to future pandemics or infectious diseases. Methodology This is a cross-sectional study conducted in Syria and Jordan between September 1 and December 1, 2021, to evaluate CSS among university students. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 2525 students using a structured, validated, and published questionnaire. Ethical considerations were taken, and informed consent was obtained from participants. The questionnaire had two parts: participant characteristics and CSS. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, IBM Corp., Armonk, NY), and the chi-square test was used to compare the CSS scale between the two countries. Result The study involved 2525 university students, mostly Syrian (63.6%) and Jordanian (36.4%), aged 18-24 (89.5%), and mostly single (95.6%). Over 50% of students lived in homes with three or more people. More than half reported good to excellent economic status; non-smokers accounted for over 50%. Regarding CSS, 39.8% had a high score, 28% average, 20% severe, and 12.2% low to mild. Jordanian male students and single Syrian students showed a higher probability of experiencing CSS symptoms. The number of people in the household, financial status, and field of study also played a significant role. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic has negative impacts beyond physical health, including the economy, education, and mental health. A stress scale has been developed to measure COVID-19 stress syndrome, which includes Danger and Contamination Fears (DAN), Socioeconomic Consequences Fears (SEC), Xenophobic Fears (XEN), Traumatic Stress Symptoms (TSS), and Compulsive Checking and Reassurance Seeking (CHE). Non-medical faculty students are more likely to acquire CSS symptoms than medical faculty students.

Unravelling brain connectivity patterns in body dysmorphic disorder during decision-making on visual illusions: A graph theoretical approach

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is characterized by an excessive preoccupation with perceived defects in physical appearance, and is associated with compulsive checking. Visual illusions are illusory or distorted subjective perceptions of visual stimuli, which are induced by specific visual cues or contexts. While previous research has investigated visual processing in BDD, the decision-making processes involved in visual illusion processing remain unknown. The current study addressed this gap by investigating the brain connectivity patterns of BDD patients during decision-making about visual illusions. Thirty-six adults - 18 BDD (9 female) and 18 healthy controls (10 female) - viewed 39 visual illusions while their EEG was recorded. For each image, participants were asked to indicate (1) whether they perceived the illusory features of the images; and (2) their degree of confidence in their response. Our results did not uncover group-level differences in susceptibility to visual illusions, supporting the idea that higher-order differences, as opposed to lower-level visual impairments, can account for the visual processing differences that have previously been reported in BDD. However, the BDD group had lower confidence ratings when they reported illusory percepts, reflecting increased feelings of doubt. At the neural level, individuals with BDD showed greater theta band connectivity while making decisions about the visual illusions, likely reflecting higher intolerance to uncertainty and thus increased performance monitoring. Finally, control participants showed increased left-to-right and front-to-back directed connectivity in the alpha band, which may suggest more efficient top-down modulation of sensory areas in control participants compared to individuals with BDD. Overall, our findings are consistent with the idea that higher-order disruptions in BDD are associated with increased performance monitoring during decision-making, which may be related to constant mental rechecking of responses.

The impact of the pandemic on the perception of stress and danger, and the adjustment of psychiatric and general medical staff of German military hospitals.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed not only the working conditions but also the private conditions we live in. Health care professionals especially were confronted with multiple stressors, e.g., the risk of infection, lack of staff, and high workloads. To estimate some of the pandemic-related impacts this anonymous personnel survey was conducted in two German military hospitals (Hamburg and Berlin). This study presents a comparative analysis of the hospital staff in general vs. the psychiatric personnel (N = 685) at two measurement time points (MTPs) in April 2021 (n = 399) and December 2021 (n = 286). The survey contains the German version of the Covid Stress Scale (CSS) to assess the perceived level of pandemic-related stress, the Patient Health Questionnaire (German Version: PHQ-D) to screen for three major mental disorders, and the adjustment disorder-New Module (ADNM) to estimate the problems of adaptation to change. The results showed a process of adaptation over the two MTPs with significant stress reduction at MTP2 in the general staff. The psychiatric staff did not report significantly higher pandemic-related symptoms. Quite the contrary, not only did the CSS show significantly lower xenophobia, traumatic stress, and compulsive checking, but the PHQ also showed lower stress symptoms and somatic symptoms at both MTPs. Also, the ADNM scores delivered evidence for a more effective adaptation process in psychiatric personnel (e.g., depressive mood, avoidance, anxiety). The presented results must be interpreted while taking the unique situations of German military clinics into account. The supply of protective material was sufficient and there was no dramatic shortage of psychiatric staff during the pandemic. The inpatients were quite often (40%) elective treatments for trauma-related disorders, which could be discontinued in the case of a COVID-19 infection. The results of this study showed good adaptative skills among the psychiatric staff in military hospitals, which could be interpreted as a sign of good resilience. This might have led to lower stress-related symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.