Decrease In Depressive Symptoms Research Articles

Examining Factors That Contribute to Poststroke Depression Within the Family Caregiver and Care Recipient Dyadic Experience

Purpose: Stroke survivors often experience biochemical changes in the brain. This decreases the ability to experience positive emotions. Stroke survivors contend with the loss of their former self and are often left with residual physical, cognitive, communicative, and psychological changes leading to a depressive state. With an increasing number of stroke survivors returning to the community, informal care provided by family members will continue to rise. Many of the challenges faced by stroke survivors with poststroke depression (PSD) and by family caregivers (FCGs) have a significant impact on the relationship itself. With the goal to obtain insight into potential contributing factors to poststroke depressive features in stroke survivors, this qualitative research study aimed to investigate the experiences, behaviors, and perceptions of participants with PSD living in the dyadic relationship between FCG and stroke survivors. Method: Six FCG–stroke survivor care recipient dyads served as the participants. All stroke survivor care recipients were diagnosed with or had signs and symptoms of depression poststroke. Semistructured interviews were conducted with stroke survivors within each dyadic relationship. All participants were within this dyadic relationship for at least 3 months. Results: Six themes emerged from the stroke survivors. The findings indicated that grieving of the former self, lack of self-efficacy, isolation, difficulty with communication, perceived stress of the FCG, and lack of depressive coping skills are factors that contribute to PSD. Conclusions: There were multiple factors experienced by stroke survivors within the dyad affecting their emotional state and leading to or exacerbating depressive symptoms. Additionally, stroke survivors have limited coping strategies for depressive symptoms. Stroke survivor informational counseling, training, and education may improve coping strategies and decrease symptoms of depression and therefore lead to strengthened rehabilitative outcomes. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.27156381

The association between depressive trajectories and disability-free survival among middle-aged and older adults in China: a prospective cohort study.

This study aims to examine the association of depressive trajectories with disability-free-survival (DFS). This prospective cohort study used data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, 2011-2015. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Centre for Epidemiology Studies Depression Scale-10. Disability was assessed using activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental ADLs. Trajectories of depressive symptoms were identified and classified by latent mixture modelling. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between depressive trajectories and DFS. A total of 8373 participants aged 45 years and older were included. We identified four distinct trajectories of depressive symptoms: 'no depressive symptoms', 'decreasing depressive symptoms', 'increasing depressive symptoms', and 'persistent depressive symptoms'. Compared to participants in the no depressive symptom trajectory, those in the decreasing depressive symptoms, increasing depressive symptoms and persistent depressive symptoms trajectories had an increased risk of disability or mortality, with multiple-adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) of 1.75 (1.45-2.12), 2.05 (1.77-2.38) and 3.50 (2.77-4.42). Our study shows that among middle-aged and older Chinese adults, individuals with a trajectory of depressive symptoms are at increased risk of disability or mortality. Our findings underscore the importance of early prevention, identification and intervention of depression in clinical care to promote healthy ageing.

Promoting mental wellbeing in pregnant women living in Pakistan with the Safe Motherhood—Accessible Resilience Training (SM-ART) intervention: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThe negative impact of adverse perinatal mental health extends beyond the mother and child; therefore, it is essential to make an early intervention for the management of mental illness during pregnancy. Resilience-building interventions are demonstrated to reduce depression and anxiety among expectant mothers, yet research in this field is limited. This study aims to examine the effect of the ‘Safe Motherhood—Accessible Resilience Training (SM-ART)’ on resilience, marital adjustment, depression, and pregnancy-related anxiety in a sample of pregnant women in Karachi, Pakistan.MethodIn this single-blinded block randomized controlled study, 200 pregnant women were recruited and randomly assigned to either an intervention or a control group using computer-generated randomization and opaque sealed envelopes. The intervention group received the SM-ART intervention consisting of six, weekly sessions ranging from 60 to 90 min. Outcomes (Resilience, depression, pregnancy-related anxiety and marital harmony) were assessed through validated instruments at baseline and after six weeks of both intervention and control groups.ResultsThe results revealed a significant increase in mean resilience scores (Difference:6.91, Effect size: 0.48, p-value < 0.05) and a decrease in depressive symptoms (Difference: -2.12, Effect size: 0.21, p-value < 0.05) in the intervention group compared to the control group. However, no significant change was observed in anxiety and marital adjustment scores.ConclusionThe SM-ART intervention has the potential to boost resilience scores and decrease depressive symptoms in pregnant women and offers a promising intervention to improve maternal psychological health.Trial registrationNCT04694261, Date of first trial registration: 05/01/2021.

Delaying high school start times impacts depressed mood among students: evidence from a natural experiment.

Delaying high school start times prolongs weekday sleep. However, it is not clear if longer sleep reduces depression symptoms and if the impact of such policy change is the same across groups of adolescents. We examined how gains in weekday sleep impact depression symptoms in 2,134 high school students (mean age 15.16 ± 0.35 years) from the Minneapolis metropolitan area. Leveraging a natural experiment design, we used the policy change to delay school start times as an instrument to estimate the effect of a sustained gain in weekday sleep on repeatedly measured Kandel-Davies depression symptoms. We also evaluated whether allocating the policy change to subgroups with expected benefit could improve the impact of the policy. Over 2 years, a sustained half-hour gain in weekday sleep expected as a result of the policy change to delay start times decreased depression symptoms by 0.78 points, 95%CI (-1.32,-0.28), or 15.6% of a standard deviation. The benefit was driven by a decrease in fatigue and sleep-related symptoms. While symptoms of low mood, hopelessness, and worry were not affected by the policy on average, older students with greater daily screen use and higher BMI experienced greater improvements in mood symptoms than would be expected on average, signaling heterogeneity. Nevertheless, universal implementation outperformed prescriptive strategies. High school start time delays are likely to universally decrease fatigue and overall depression symptoms in adolescents. Students who benefit most with respect to mood are older, spend more time on screens and have higher BMI.

Cognitive trajectories in older adults and the role of depressive symptoms: A 7-year follow-up study

ObjectivesTo examine different trajectories of cognitive changes in elderly adults and explore the mediating role of depressive symptoms. DesignA 7-year, community-based, prospective cohort study. SettingThe downtown neighborhood of Shanghai, China. ParticipantsA cohort of 394 older adults, with an average age of 71.8 years, was recruited in 2015 and has been reassessed every two years until 2021. MethodsLatent Class Growth Analysis was used to model aging trajectories and Linear Mixed-Effect Models for Repeated Measures were used to estimate the least squares mean changes of cognition between subjects with depression (DEP+) and without (DEP-) across all visits. ResultsThree cognitive trajectories were identified: the "successful aging" (SA) trajectory had the best and most consistent performance (n=229, 55.9%); the "normal aging" (NA) trajectory showed lower but stable cognition (n=141, 37.3%); while the "cognitive decline" (CD) trajectory displayed poor and declining cognition (n=24, 6.8%). Depressive symptoms were found to be influential across all trajectories. In the CD trajectory, the MoCA scores of the DEP+ group increased in within-group comparisons and were significantly higher than those of the DEP- group at visits 1 and 3 in between-group comparisons. A similar trend was observed in the NA trajectory, though it did not reach statistical significance. ConclusionsOur research suggests that mild and decreasing depressive symptoms can be a reversible factor that might slow down the irreversible cognitive decline in the elderly. Therefore, we suggest that even mild depressive symptoms in the elderly should be monitored and detected.

The impact of interpersonal traumas in Portuguese women’s psychological wellbeing: predictors of depression and post traumatic stress symptoms

ABSTRACT The impact of child abuse history and adult rape on 302 Portuguese women’s emotional wellbeing was examined as well as the role of emotional regulation and social support in women’s resiliency. A cross-sectional study design was used with retrospective self-report of interpersonal traumas. Women who reported a history of interpersonal trauma also reported more depression and post-traumatic stress (PTSD) symptoms, and more difficulties in emotional regulation than those who reported no abuse history. Hierarchical linear regression showed that reporting a history of child abuse and lower perceived social support predicted depression symptoms. Having lower yearly income, reporting a history of child abuse, cumulative trauma, and lower perceived social support predicted PTSD symptoms. Social support and specific emotional regulation strategies such as cognitive reappraisal may be important constructs to be included in intervention programmes to promote resilience, decrease depression and PTSD symptoms and to buffer the cumulative impact of interpersonal traumas. PRACTICE IMPACT STATEMENT Our results underline the need for long-term support, screening, and evidence-based follow-up care among women who were abused during childhood and that have cumulative trauma instances. A second implication addresses the role of perceived social support as a resiliency factor. Social support interventions that are effective at reducing psychological distress should be implemented in women who have been exposed to abuse. We can also speculate that addressing emotion regulation difficulties (e.g. teaching distress tolerance, awareness of emotions, emotional labelling, acceptance of strong emotions, strategies to manage strong emotions, among others) may be important for treatment purposes.

The association between statin use and depression in diabetes

BackgroundDepression is a common mental disorder. Some studies have demonstrated that people with diabetes are more likely to suffer from depression. Statins are an everyday use for diabetes. Trials of statin therapy have had conflicting findings on the potential risk of depression. MethodsThe National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2018 was used to collect a representative sample. Weighted multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % CIs for having depression symptoms. We performed stratified analyses to compare the effects of statins in subsamples with and without diabetes on depression symptoms. ResultsStatin use showed a significant and strong decreasing effect on having depression symptoms in participants with diabetes (aOR (adjusted OR) 0.59, p = 0.014) compared with that in non-diabetics (aOR 0.78, p = 0.128). Diabetic individuals with statin use for >5 years had a lower risk of having depression symptoms (aOR 0.42, p = 0.002) than those with shorter-term statin use (1–5 years, aOR 0.69, p = 0.111; <1 year: aOR 0.83, p = 0.646). Atorvastatin was more effective in decreasing depression symptoms either in diabetes (aOR 0.49, p = 0.018) or in non-diabetes (aOR 0.58, p = 0.033). LimitationsFirst, the dosage of statins cannot be obtained from NHANES datasets. Second, after being stratified, the number of participants for several statins was insufficient. Third, recall bias may exist in the survey. ConclusionsDiabetics with depression symptoms may benefit from long-term statin therapy. Atorvastatin and pravastatin should be recommended for diabetic patients with depression.

How Animal-Assisted Therapy Cures Adolescents under Psychological Pressure

Adolescents and others with mental health issues have a new and exciting option in animal- assisted therapy. It offers numerous benefits, such as reduced stress, more social support, better mood, increased physical activity, and a sense of purpose. In addition, animal therapy has been proven to help decrease depression symptoms in patients living in institutions. It boosts mood, relieves feelings of isolation and loneliness, develops empathic abilities, and boosts self-esteem and self-confidence. At the same time, engaging in tasks with animals encourages patients to be active and undertake routine self-care practices, fostering a therapeutic environment that is supportive and motivating. We want to learn how animal-assisted therapy helps de-stressed teenagers in this research. Anxieties, autism, and depression are some of the conditions that animal-assisted therapy may help alleviate. We are hoping that it may help with research in this area and provide some references for further study.

Individualized Virtual Reality for Increasing Self-Compassion: Evaluation Study.

Depression and anxiety are common and debilitating mental disorders with severe negative repercussions at both individual and societal levels. Although virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a safe and effective tool for the treatment of anxiety disorders, studies of the therapeutic application of VR to treat depression are more limited. The purpose of this study was to test whether a novel type of individualized VR (iVR) can be used to improve self-compassion and decrease depressive symptoms and to evaluate the usability and acceptability of this approach, as rated by participants. The iVR system was designed and developed based on the feedback obtained from a previous study, with improved appearance and feel of the avatar and enhanced graphical quality. A total of 36 young adult participants were recruited from a university community social media site. Participants were aware that the study was investigating a treatment for depression but were not recruited based on depression diagnosis. Participants were asked to complete 2 iVR sessions, spaced 2 weeks apart. At baseline and upon completion of each iVR session, participants were asked to complete validated measures of self-compassion and depression. Upon completion of both iVR sessions, additional measures were administered to assess participants' perceptions about the perceived usability and system acceptability of the iVR approach. Self-compassion was assessed at the beginning of session 1 (preintervention baseline) and at the end of session 1 (postintervention assessment). Owing to COVID-19 constraints, 36% (13/36) of the participants were unable to complete the follow-up iVR session. Self-compassion was assessed again for the remaining 64% (23/36) of the participants at the end of session 2 (postintervention assessment). Within-group analyses revealed that self-compassion was significantly increased at the end of both session 1 (P=.01) and session 2 (P=.03) relative to baseline. There was also a nonsignificant trend for depressive symptoms to be low at the end of session 2 relative to baseline. Both quantitative and qualitative participant data supported the iVR approach as being acceptable and usable. Although these data must be treated as preliminary owing to the small sample size and potential selection bias, the data provide encouraging initial evidence that iVR might be a useful tool to enhance self-compassion and reduce depressive symptoms, highlighting the need for randomized controlled trials in the future.

Mother-Father Relationship and Depressive Symptoms Among Pregnant Black Women.

Black women report higher levels of depressive symptoms during pregnancy than white women. A supportive relationship with the father of the baby may be protective and decrease depressive symptoms. We sought to examine the association between mother-father relationship and depressive symptoms among pregnant black women. Using a cross-sectional design, we conducted a secondary data analysis from a subsample of 405 pregnant black women who participated in the Biosocial Impact on Black Births study, a prospective cohort study. Participants completed questionnaires at 19- to 29-week gestation, including 6 measures of their relationship with the father of the baby: (1) contact, (2) involvement, (3) overall relationship, (4) change in relationship from prior to pregnancy to during pregnancy, (5) support, and (6) conflict. Latent class analysis was used to identify and classify the relationship construct. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale was used, with scores ≥23 considered high levels of depressive symptoms. Data were analyzed with logistic regression. Following adjustment for maternal sociodemographic characteristics, comorbid conditions, and health behaviors, women in a conflictual relationship had higher odds of having depressive symptom scores ≥23 (adjusted odds ratio: 3.50, 95% confidence interval: 2.00, 6.12) than those having no relationship (adjusted odds ratio: 2.81, 95% confidence interval: 1.43, 5.52), when compared with those with a good relationship. These findings suggest that having either a conflictual or no relationship with the father of the baby during pregnancy increases the odds for higher maternal depressive symptoms (CES-D scores ≥ 23) among pregnant black women.

Role models, aspirations and desire to migrate

This paper investigates the impact of role models on aspirations and the desire to migrate in rural Mali, implementing an RCT. Three documentaries are shown, depicting two successful life stories of non-migrants and migrants, and one unsuccessful migrant’s life story. We find that an identification process takes place, and that positive migrant and non-migrant role models increase aspirations and the feeling of control over one’s future, and decrease depression symptoms. None has a significant average impact on the desire to migrate. Heterogeneity analysis on the desire to migrate using Machine Learning suggests that belonging to migrant-prone households increases responses to positive and negative migrant role models. It also suggests working in agriculture, bad health conditions, low aspirations and living with migrants induce a stronger response to the film about local opportunities.

Yoga-based interventions may reduce anxiety symptoms in anxiety disorders and depression symptoms in depressive disorders: a systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression

ObjectiveTo summarise the effect of mind–body exercises on anxiety and depression symptoms in adults with anxiety or depressive disorders.DesignSystematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression.Data sourcesFive electronic databases were searched from...

Positive Psychological Intervention Delivered Using Virtual Reality in Patients on Hemodialysis With Comorbid Depression: Protocol and Design for the Joviality Randomized Controlled Trial.

Depression is highly prevalent in individuals on hemodialysis, but it is infrequently identified and remains undertreated. In this paper, we present details of the methodology of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed at testing the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a 5-week positive psychological intervention in individuals on hemodialysis with comorbid depression delivered using immersive virtual reality (VR) technology. We aim to describe the protocol and design of the Joviality trial whose main objectives are 2-fold: determine the feasibility of the Joviality VR software through metrics capturing rates of recruitment, refusal, retention, noncompliance, and adherence, as well as end-user feedback; and assess preliminary efficacy for outcomes measures of depressive symptoms, psychological well-being and distress, quality of life, treatment adherence, clinical biomarkers, and all-cause hospitalizations. This 2-arm RCT is scheduled to enroll 84 individuals on hemodialysis with comorbid depression from multiple outpatient centers in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Enrollees will be randomized to the following groups: VR-based Joviality positive psychological intervention or sham VR (2D wildlife footage and nature-based settings with inert music presented using a head-mounted display). To be eligible, individuals must be on hemodialysis for at least 3 months, have Beck Depression Inventory-II scores of ≥11 (ie, indicative of mild-to-severe depressive symptoms), be aged ≥21 years, and be fluent in English or Spanish. The Joviality VR software was built using agile design principles and incorporates fully immersive content, digital avatars, and multiplex features of interactability. Targeted skills of the intervention include noticing positive events, positive reappraisal, gratitude, acts of kindness, and mindful or nonjudgmental awareness. The primary outcomes include metrics of feasibility and acceptability, along with preliminary efficacy focused on decreasing symptoms of depression. The secondary and tertiary outcomes include quality of life, treatment adherence, clinical biomarkers, and all-cause hospitalization rates. There are 4 assessment time points: baseline, immediately after the intervention, 3 months after the intervention, and 6 months after the intervention. We hypothesize that depressive symptoms and hemodialysis-related markers of disease will substantially improve in participants randomized to the VR-based Joviality positive psychology treatment arm compared with those in the attention control condition. This RCT is funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and is scheduled to commence participant recruitment in June 2023. This trial will be the first to test custom-built VR software to deliver a positive psychological intervention, chairside, in individuals on hemodialysis to reduce symptoms of depression. Within the context of an RCT using an active control arm, if proven effective, VR technology may become a potent tool to deliver mental health programming in clinical populations during their outpatient treatment sessions. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05642364; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05642364. PRR1-10.2196/45100.

A study protocol on teaching english to people with mild cognitive impairment with the use of songs

AbstractBackgroundPeople with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) need to improve their cognitive functions in order to avoid the deterioration of their condition. Cognitive abilities can be improved by learning a foreign language. Due to the cognitive deficits of MCI people, conventional methods that teaching English cannot have significant results. The use of songs in teaching English is proved to be a promising method for more effective acquisition of the language while also improving cognitive functions and symptoms of depression and anxiety.MethodThis learning method had been designed by combining elements from four methodologies in language learning “Communicative Language Teaching”, “Natural Approach”, “(De) suggestopedia” and “Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP)”. The intervention of this study involves a randomized controlled trial design with two arms (an intervention arm and a control group) over a nine‐month period and will be provided twice a week. Participants will be people with MCI aged 60‐85 years, of both genders. A sample size of 90 participants is targeted based on expected neuropsychological test performance, and drop‐out rates. Interventions will be provided by trained staff with a control group not receiving any intervention but continuing life as usual. Assessments will be done at baseline, and nine months, and include neuropsychological tests to measure for changes in cognition. Secondary outcome measures will include mood changes in anxiety, depression and quality of life. All efficacy statistical analysis will be carried out on an intention to treat basis. Primary and secondary outcomes will be modeled using the linear mixed model for repeated measurements and further analysis will be undertaken.ResultThis study protocol is implementing by Greek Association of ALzheimer Disease and Related Disorders and the final results will be announced soon.ConclusionThis will be the first study to implement and assess this intervention in a randomized controlled trial. We expect that this study protocol could prevent cognitive decline, decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety and significantly impact quality of life and the wellbeing of people with MCI.

Between-person and within-person effects in the temporal relationship between depressive symptoms and cognitive function

BackgroundWe aimed to disentangle within-person and between-person effects in the temporal relationship between depressive symptoms and cognitive function. MethodsWe performed a prospective population-based cohort study on participants of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. Cognitive function was assessed by tests on verbal fluency, immediate recall and delayed recall. Depressive symptoms were measured with EURO-D scale. To determine the temporal order of the association between cognitive function and depressive symptoms, we employed the fully saturated cross-lagged panel model (between-person effects), and random intercept cross-lagged panel model (within-person effects). ResultsIn 59,311 participants (mean age 65, ranging 46–100), between-person effects showed a bi-directional relationship that could be seen in three stages: First, the effect of cognitive function on depressive symptoms was initially slightly stronger than vice versa. Second, the effect of depressive symptoms on cognitive function became stronger during the follow-up. Third, all effects were small and no direction dominated. Within-person effects, however, revealed a dominant effect from depressive symptoms on cognitive function. Some effects from cognitive function on depressive symptoms were apparent only in older adults, in particular men. All effects were small and strongest for individuals aged 65 years and above. LimitationsThe sample is healthier than general population and thus not fully representative. A comprehensive cognitive battery was not available. ConclusionsLong-term relationship between depressive symptoms and cognitive function is bi-directional. However, to achieve improvement in an individual in the short-term, the focus should be on decreasing depressive symptoms to improve cognitive function.

Treatment Response Following Adaptive PASAT Training for Depression Vulnerability: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

In recent years, cognitive control training (CCT) has gained momentum as an intervention to remediate cognitive impairments and decrease depressive symptoms. One promising operationalization to train cognitive control is the adaptive Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (aPASAT). In this systematic review and meta-analysis of aPASAT training, the efficacy of the intervention and potential moderators were examined. The PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library electronic databases were searched for studies examining aPASAT training for depressive symptomatology or rumination. Nineteen studies (n = 1255) were included, comprising of depressed patients, remitted depressed patients, at-risk, and healthy participants. We found small significant effects directly after training for both depressive symptomatology and rumination, with similar effect sizes at follow-up. Subgroup analyses suggest a significantly higher mean effect of aPASAT training in non-healthy populations for rumination immediately following training, but not for depressive symptomatology. The amount of training sessions did not moderate effects of CCT. aPASAT has a small but significant effect on depressive symptoms, with direct effects immediately after training, as well as sustained long-term effects. It is currently unclear how many sessions are required for sustained effects due to heterogeneity in training dosage and absence of sufficient trials. Our results suggest that aPASAT training may be most effective for at-risk, remitted- and clinically depressed populations. The effect sizes resulting from this meta-analysis could be used to adequately power future research, which could investigate a dose-response relationship and examine potential treatment gains when combining CCT with other antidepressant interventions.

Association Between Dietary Habits and Depression: A Systematic Review.

Depression being the psychiatric condition with the highest societal costs in industrialized nations, it is necessary to collect research information on the role of nutrition in depression in order to provide recommendations and guide future health treatment.Observance of healthy dietary practices has been linked to decreased depression symptoms; however, it is unknown whether this is attributable to some or all of the components. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review ofobservational and systematic studies analyzing the association betweendietary habits and depression in adolescents,adults,and olderpeople. A varietyof noncommunicable chronic illnesses anddeathshave been linked to dietary and other lifestyle factors such as physical inactivity, cigarette use, and alcohol use. Several studies have found that older people are more likely to be malnourished and depressed, which can hurt their overall health and well-being.Early in life, proper nutrition is suggested as a factor that may have a significant impact on one's mental health. It is critical to identify changes in primary carepracticesin order to improve the quality of life and preventcomplications. The systematic review included papers presenting human studies and published in English until January 2021, analyzing the association between dietary habits and mental health, while we studied a group of people of mixed ages. We included three systematic reviews, three cross-sectional studies, two cohorts, and one meta-analysis. According to the findings of our systematic review of observational studies,observational evidence suggests that both following a healthy diet, in particular incorporating vegetables and fruits, and avoiding a pro-inflammatory diet like junk foods, fastfoods, andhigh meat intake may lower the risk of developing depressive symptoms or clinical depression. As a result, we recommend that the relationship between diet and depression should be investigated in prospective cohorts and randomized controlled studies that are well-designed and havemore conclusive evidence regarding dietary involvement and depression.

A mixed-methods study on psychodrama treatment for PTSD and depression in inpatient substance use treatment: A comparison of outcomes pre-pandemic and during Covid-19

This mixed-methods research study (n = 68) examines the effectiveness of psychodrama as a treatment for depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) at an inpatient drug and alcohol treatment center. The primary goal of this study was to examine treatment effectiveness, however the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic occurred during data collection which provided us with an opportunity to compare psychodrama’s effectiveness pre-pandemic and during-pandemic with masks and social distancing. Results suggest psychodrama psychotherapy effectively decreases depression symptoms and PTSD symptoms while supporting participants recovery from addiction. Treatment effects were similar between the pre-pandemic cohort and the cohort during the pandemic. Participants in the psychodrama groups experienced more significant decreases in depression than patients in the inpatient program who did not participate in the psychodrama group. Findings also demonstrate clinically meaningful changes in PTSD which is also supported by qualitative survey responses. Furthermore, this study appears to be the first supporting the effectiveness of psychodrama implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic with masks, social distancing, and other limitations. The overall findings of this study contribute to the growing psychodrama literature base while supporting evidence of psychodrama’s effectiveness in reducing depression and PTSD.

Madde Kullanım Bozukluğu olan Hastalarda Diyalektik Davranış Terapisi Grup Becerileri Eğitimi Pilot Çalışması: Madde Kullanım Şiddeti, Duygudurum ve İlişki Becerilerindeki Değişiklikler

Objective: This pilot study aimed to investigate effects of Dialectical Behavior Therapy Group Skills Training (DBT-ST) on patients’ severity of substance use status, mood and other psychological symptoms, difficulties in emotion regulation, interpersonal problem solving skills, and social competence. Method: Nine outpatient males with substance use disorders were administered the DBT-ST for 20 weeks. Age ranged between 17 and 34. Average years of substance use was 1.61 (SD=.29). DBT-ST modules (mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal skills, and distress tolerance) were administered for 20 weeks. Urine toxicology screenings, the Addiction Profile Index (API), the Symptom Check List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), the Interpersonal Problem Solving Inventory, and the Perceived Social Competence Scale were administered at pre and post-treatment. Results: There were significant decreases in the severity of substance use with decreased number of positive drug screening test results and an increase in emotion regulation; decreases in the API total score, dependency diagnosis, and the effects of substance use on the user sub-scale scores; depression, hostility, and phobic anxiety sub-scale scores on the SCL-90-R; the BDI total score; and nonacceptance, strategies, clarity and impulsivity sub-scale scores of the DERS. Conclusion: The findings indicated a 20 week DBT-ST helped participants increase their days of abstinence, regulate emotional regulation, decrease depressive and anxiety symptoms, and substance related difficulties.

The Effects of Tai Chi on the Executive Functions and Physical Fitness in Middle-Aged Adults with Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective The present study examined the effects of Tai Chi exercise on the executive functions (EFs) and physical fitness of middle-aged adults with depression. Methods A total of 39 middle-aged adults with depression (Mage = 50.59, SD = 7.38) were randomly assigned to the Tai Chi group (n = 20) or the waiting-list control group (n = 19). The Tai Chi group engaged in two 90 min sessions of Tai Chi exercise per week for 12 weeks; the waiting-list control group was asked to maintain their usual daily routines for 12 weeks. Depression symptoms, EFs (i.e., inhibitory control, planning, working memory, and cognitive flexibility), and physical fitness (i.e., cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, muscular endurance, power, and flexibility) were evaluated at the baseline (pretest), 6-week (mid-test), and 12-week (post-test) marks. Results Both groups showed decreased depression symptoms over time. Compared with the control group, the Tai Chi group showed decreased reaction times for incongruent conditions in the Stroop test from pretest to mid- and post-test, and shorter reaction time for incongruent conditions in the Stroop test than the control group at post-test; the Tai Chi group performed significantly better than the control group in overall total move score of Tower of London (TOL). The Tai Chi group also showed increased total correct scores of TOL from pretest to mid- and post-test, and greater total correct scores of TOL than the control group at post-test. Additionally, results indicated that Tai Chi exercise comprehensively improved physical fitness from pretest to mid- and post-test. Greater performance in terms of cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, and power was also found in the Tai Chi group at post-test than in the control group. Conclusions These findings suggest that the 12-week Tai Chi exercise improved inhibitory control, planning and working memory aspects of executive functions, and physical fitness in middle-aged adults with depression.