Emotional States Of Depression Research Articles

The Effect of Parental Abuse and Negative School Experiences on Female Adolescent’s Substance Use: Focusing on the Mediating Effect of Depression

Consistent with the theoretical propositions of general strain theory (GST), abuse from parents and negative school experiences have been demonstrated as primary strain sources of female adolescents, which make them engage in delinquency to cope with their strains and negative emotions. However, limited research has examined the pathway of these relationships by considering the mediating role of depression as predicted from the GST perspective. Thus, this study attempted to examine the association between parental abuse, negative school experiences, depressive emotional state, and substance use of female adolescents. Using data from the Korea Child and Youth Panel Survey (KCYPS), structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to assess if depression mediates the effect of strain on female adolescents’ substance use. Results indicated a significant influence of parental abuse and negative school experiences on female adolescents’ depression. In terms of mediating role of depression, the effects of parental abuse and negative relationship with teachers on female adolescents’ substance use were mediated by depression, while the effect of learning-relevant strain was partially mediated. The implications not only for the theoretical framework of GST but also for prevention programs were suggested.

Effect of Coccinia grandis (Linn.) Voigt extract on glucose metabolism markers in a prediabetic population: A double-blind randomised clinical trial

BackgroundThere is increasing interest in the use of herbal medicines to prevent and manage the symptoms of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Coccinia grandis has been traditionally used for blood glucose regulation and has shown promise in clinical trials for T2DM although it has not yet been assessed as an anti-glycaemic agent in a prediabetic population. ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the safety as well as the efficacy of a C. grandis extract in reducing blood glucose levels in a non-medicated prediabetic cohort over 12 weeks. MethodsThe study was a single-site, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised clinical trial conducted in 48 medically diagnosed prediabetic adults aged 27 to 73 years. Participants received either 1000 mg of a dried C. grandis hydroalcoholic extract per day (equivalent to 15 g/day of dried herb) or placebo (control) for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure was group change scores in fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels measured at baseline, week 6 and week 12. Secondary outcome measures were 2 h post-prandial blood glucose (PPBG), fasting and 2 h post-prandial insulin (FI and PPI), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), c-peptide, full blood count (FBC), lipids (triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), emotional states of depression, anxiety and stress (DASS-21), adverse reactions and tolerability. ResultsAt 12 weeks there was a significant difference between the C. grandis and control groups in the change between their pre and post treatment measurements of FBG (p = 0.019, CI -1.272 to -0.105), 2 h PPBG (p = 0.039, CI 0.212 to 1.392) and TG (p= 0.046). Additionally, although non-significant, the difference between the change in PPI levels (p = 0.061) is worthy of further exploration to provide an understanding of the mechanisms of action of C. grandis extract in managing glucose dysregulation. There were no changes in HbA1c, lipids or biochemical markers in either group after treatment. The C. grandis extract was well tolerated and no adverse events were reported over the 12 weeks. ConclusionC. grandis may be a suitable candidate for managing blood glucose dysregulation in those with prediabetes and further studies are warranted.

Impact of COVID-19 on Mothers Raising Children with Special Needs: Insights from a Survey Study.

Home confinement during the COVID-19 outbreak had psychological effects that continue to be explored by researchers. This study investigated factors influencing the mental health of mothers caring for special needs children in Italy's first lockdown. Specifically, we investigated the relationships between emotional states of depression, anxiety, stress, perceived distress related to home confinement, coping strategies, and other contextual variables (such as opportunities for distance learning and remote working) in a group of 68 mothers of children with special needs and 68 matched mothers of typically developing children. Data from an online survey showed no significant difference between the two groups. However, the research revealed that being a remote worker was a significant predictor of reduced stress in mothers of children with special needs, while distance learning was a significant predictor of reduced stress in mothers of typically developing children. In addition, the study found that hyperarousal symptoms were predictive of stress in mothers of children with special needs, while intrusive thoughts and avoidance coping were predictive of stress in mothers of typically developing children. In conclusion, further research is needed to develop effective support and intervention strategies for families with children with special needs and to deeply investigate the impact of flexible work arrangements and social aid on the mental health of mothers in non-emergency settings.

0394 Effect of electrical vestibular nerve stimulation on sleep quality in young adults with insomnia: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Introduction Insomnia is a common sleep disorder among all age groups which adversely affects physical and mental health. Young adults are considered a high-risk population group due to increased use of electronic media at bedtime, stress associated with balancing educational demands and unhealthy sleep practices. Previous research suggests that electrical vestibular nerve stimulation (VeNS) may improve sleep outcomes by influencing the hypothalamus and brainstem nuclei involved in regulating the circadian rhythm and wakefulness. The present study is a randomised, double blinded, sham-controlled trial with the aim of assessing the efficacy of VeNS on the sleep quality of young adults suffering from insomnia. Methods Eighty adults aged 18-24 years who scored 15 or higher on the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) were recruited. Participants assigned to the intervention group (n=40) received 30 minutes per day of VeNS with 5 sessions per week for 4 weeks, while the control group (n=40) received sham stimulation for the same period. ISI scores were recorded at baseline and repeated weekly. The primary outcome was between-group change in ISI from baseline to day 28. Secondary outcomes included between-group change in the emotional states of depression, anxiety and stress measured by the DASS-21 questionnaire, and quality of life (QoL) measured by the WHOQoL-BREF. Results A group-by-time interaction effect on change in ISI score from day 0 to day 28 (F3, 248 = 295.56; P< 0.001) was observed. The intervention group had a higher reduction in mean ISI score relative to the control group at day 28 (mean change [95% CI]: 7.23 [6.78, 7.67] vs. 0.98 [0.89, 1.06], P< 0.001; respectively). Furthermore, the intervention group showed improvements in depression, anxiety, and stress scores (P< 0.001) and QoL outcomes (P< 0.001) compared with the control group. Conclusion Regular VeNS usage over 4 weeks lead to a clinically meaningful decrease in ISI scores and improved general well-being in young adults with insomnia. VeNS may have potential as a drug-free and non-invasive therapy to improve sleep outcomes. Support (if any)

Contributions of service learning to the development of university students’ spiritual well-being and psychological health: a quasi-experimental study

ABSTRACT In this study, the impacts of service learning (SL) on the spiritual well-being and psychological health of Chinese university students in Hong Kong are determined. The SL programme is a six-month, credit-bearing programme (not less than 80 working hours). The study adopted a pre-test–post-test quasi-experimental design, wherein students enrolled in SL comprised the experimental group (n = 132; 59 male, 73 female), and those who were not enrolled in SL comprised the control group (n = 128; 55 male, 73 female). The students completed the spiritual well-being questionnaire (SWBQ) to evaluate the status of their spiritual well-being (including the personal and communal, environmental, and transcendental domains), and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) was used to assess their emotional states of depression, anxiety and stress before and after the SL programme. At pre-test, no significant differences were observed between the two groups in SWBQ and DASS-21 scores. Findings indicated that students in the experimental group had greater increases in spiritual well-being in personal and communal, environmental and transcendental domains and decreases in stress, anxiety and depression than those in the control group at the end of the SL programme.

COVID-19: role of resilience on the psychological impact of lockdown in liver transplant transitional candidates and recipients

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the necessary spreading control measures implemented by the governments have induced drastic changes in daily life. The reduction in mobility and strict social contact limitations are posing a great challenge, particularly for the adolescents. The purpose of this study is to investigate the psychological and emotional impact of lockdown and their relationship with resilience, on adolescents and young adults listed for liver transplant or liver trans-plant recipient. Social and demographic variables of subjects (n=66) were collected and the analyses were based on the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21), and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC 25), exploring the following areas: emotional states of depression, anxiety and stress; and resilience factors. A correlation between the measured degrees of depression/anxiety and resilience was evaluated by Pearson’s correlation coefficient and linear regression models. The results showed a significant correlation between subscales: DASS depression/anxiety (r2=0.62) depression/stress (r2=0.65) CD-RISC commitment/optimism (r2=0.71). The total score of DAAS depression/anxiety/stress scales significantly diminished at the increasing of CD-RISC total score. The inverse correlation between CD-RISC and DAAS seems to refer to the subscale of the relationship between DAAS depression and CDRISC (β= –0.33, P=0.006). Our findings suggest that resilience can be a protective factor for adolescent liver transplant recipients and liver transplant candidates in mitigating the onset of negative psychological symptoms correlated with the pandemic.

Depression, Anxiety and Stress among nursing officers in a dedicated hospital for COVID patients in Sri Lanka: A Single Institute Experience.

The main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of stress, anxiety and depression, among nurses working in a tertiary hospital dedicated to the COVID-19 patients in Sri Lanka. A cross-sectional study was carried out among nurses working at Colombo East Base Hospital. The data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire and DASS-21, a set of three self-report scales designed to measure the negative emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress over three months from October 2020. Data were analysed applying descriptive statistics and inferential statistical methods. There was a total of 131 study participants (response rate 83 %), and most of them were working in general wards (56%), while 42% were in critical care units. The proportion of anxiety and stress is associated with nurses working in critical care units were significantly higher than those in general wards (p<0.001). There were no associations between sex, marital status, having children, experience, qualifications, and medical or psychiatric conditions (p>0.05). The system of reporting mental health issues was unfortunately not in place. Staff felt that reporting stress/burnout or anxiety might seem like a negative attribute. Considering the above factors, one would expect more prevalence than we have seen in this study; therefore, we can infer that if mental health is not prioritised in healthcare institutions, then definitely lack of awareness/openness and under-reporting by staff will result in a long-term systemic problem (Suffering in the name of Resilience).

Is it possible that antidepressants protect against COVID-19?

Aim: The neuroinflammatory hypothesis suggests that proinflammatory cytokines or the immune system may play a role in the etiopathogenesis of depression. COVID-19 affects older people the most because their immune systems are weakened. In this study, we aimed to examine the effect of using antidepressant use on mortality in patients infected with COVID-19. Material and Methods: Our study was developed as a retrospective examination of unique central patient records. In our study, the diagnosis of COVID-19 diagnostics (U07.3) was between the ICD-10 classification (U07.3) and the diagnosis of depressive emotional state disorders (F31, F32, F33, F34) and patients with the diagnosis of COVID 19 confirmed by the test result were included. Results: Considering the relationship between the use of antidepressants and mortality in COVID-19 patients, it was seen that the mortality rate was significantly lower in those using antidepressants (p <0.05). The presence of chronic disease was found to be significantly associated with mortality in COVID-19. The mortality rates of patients with chronic diseases were found to be higher (p <0.01). Discussion: In our study, we found that antidepressants did not have any superiority over each other in terms of mortality in COVID-19 patients.However, when all anti depressants were evaluated in our study, we observed that drug use had a positive effect on statistically significant mortality (p <0.05). More enlightening results will emerge in larger case series.

Cancer caregivers unmet needs and emotional states across cancer treatment phases.

Study objectiveTo investigate the association between family cancer caregivers’ unmet daily needs and emotional states of depression, anxiety and stress across their care recipient’s treatment phases.MethodA cross-sectional study design and self-report questionnaires were used. Family caregivers (N = 237) of cancer patients in ambulatory cancer clinics were recruited from May to December 2017, and completed a sociodemographic and medical questionnaire, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale and Needs Assessment of Family Caregivers-Cancer Scale. Hierarchical linear regression was conducted to examine the influence of each predictor (sociodemographic variables, unmet personal care and role management needs, cancer treatment phase) on the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale total score, depression subscale, anxiety subscale, and the stress subscale.ResultsFamily caregivers’ unmet daily activity needs, in particular higher unmet personal care needs, during the intermediate phase (6–9 months), were significantly associated (ps<0.05) with overall distress (b = 4.93) and stress (b = 2.26). In the chronic treatment phase (>9 months), the significant association of unmet personal care needs was with overall distress (b = 5.91), anxiety (b = 1.97) and stress (b = 2.53). After completing treatment, unmet role management needs were only significantly associated with stress (b = -1.59). Caregivers’ higher depression was also associated with greater unmet role management needs, regardless of treatment phases.ConclusionsIntermediate and chronic cancer treatment phases were identified as having greatest effect on caregivers’ unmet daily activity needs and emotions. Unmet personal care needs played the major effect on overall negative emotional states in the intermediate treatment phase and stress in the chronic treatment phase. Close attention to caregivers needs in intermediate and chronic treatment phases, would be highly beneficial in alleviating negative emotional disturbances.

Cross-sectional study of the relationship between the spiritual wellbeing and psychological health among university Students.

University students' spiritual wellbeing has been shown to be associated with quality, satisfaction, and joy of life. This study tested the relationship between spiritual wellbeing and symptoms of psychological disorders (i.e., depression, anxiety and stress) among Chinese university students in Hong Kong. Cross-sectional data were collected from N = 500 students (aged 17-24; 279 women). The participants were asked to complete the Spiritual Health and Life-Orientation Measure (SHALOM) to evaluate the status of their spiritual wellbeing in the personal and communal, environmental, and transcendental domains, and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) to assess their emotional states of depression, anxiety and stress. All domains of spiritual wellbeing were negatively associated with psychological distress. Hierarchical Multiple Regression showed that together the three domains of spirituality explained 79.9%, 71.3% and 85.5% of the variance in students' depression, anxiety and stress respectively. The personal and communal domain of spiritual wellbeing was the strongest predictor of psychological distress.

Mental Health of Teachers in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemics.

Background:The pandemic of COVID-19 has affected all spheres of life, including education. Teachers at all levels were faced with numerous challenges during the pandemic. These challenges had an impact on their mental health.Objective:The goal of the present study was to examine the depression, anxiety, and stress levels in teachers in Bosnia and Herzegovina.Methods:The sample for this study consisted of 559 teachers (471 female teachers and 88 male teachers). We used the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS 21) to measure teachers’ emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress.Results:The findings of this study clearly indicate the high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress in teachers. We also identified that levels of support provided by family members and school administration served as protective factors in the time of crisis.Conclusion:Teachers in Bosnia and Herzegovina have a high prevalence of elevated depression, anxiety, and stress levels. The article concludes with some recommendations on how to improve the mental health of teachers.

Association between Facebook Use, Depression and Family Satisfaction: A Cross-Sectional Study of Romanian Youth.

Background:In recent years, Facebook has increasingly become an essential part of the lives of people, particularly youths, thus many research efforts have been focused on investigating the potential connection between social networking and mental health issues. This study aimed to examine the relationship between Facebook use, emotional state of depression, and family satisfaction.Methods:This study used the online survey created in Google Docs on the Facebook ‘wall’, as research method. The survey was available during Jun–Jul 2015 in Romania. In our cross-sectional study on a sample of 708 young Facebook users (aged 13–35), we divided the sample into 3 groups: ordinary, middle, and intense Facebook users. Materials and instruments: the survey comprised a series of basic demographic as well as some measures of Facebook addiction, depression, and family satisfaction. We used two methods connected with extensive Facebook usage, the first one measuring only the intensity of use, and the second one measuring not only the intensity but also the consequences of this use.Results:Facebook engagement is negatively related to family satisfaction. Moreover, Facebook engagement is positively related to depression symptoms. The Pearson correlations showed that higher Facebook intensity is positively associated with Facebook addiction.Conclusion:The study confirm previously published findings of other authors in the fields of social networking psychology. The study examined the relationship between Facebook use, depression, and life satisfaction and the hypotheses were supported.

Effects of comorbid gestational diabetes mellitus and depression on glucose metabolism during pregnancy and neonatal morphological outcome

Objective: To estimate the effect of comorbid gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and depression on glucose metabolism and neonatal morphology. Methods: From March 2015 to October 2018, recruited 18 to 28 weeks pregnant women who met the criteria in the Hefei First People's Hospital or First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University or Anhui Maternal and Child Health Hospital, including a total of 4 380 study subjects, of which the birth outcome information of 3 827 newborns were collected. The self-made questionnaire "Maternal Health Questionnaire for Hefei City" and Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale were used to obtain basic demographic characteristics and emotional state of depression. Data from the 75-g oral-glucose-tolerance test were obtained at 24-28 weeks of gestation. After delivery, delivery outcome information were collected from the hospital medical records. Covariance analysis was used to analyze the differences in glucose metabolism indicators and neonatal outcome indicators in pregnant women with different GDM and depression status. Multiple logistic regression model was used to analyze the correlation between GDM and depression, with different groups of GDM and depression status (no GDM and depression, simple depression, simple GDM, comorbid GDM and depression)as independent variables and whether they were large for gestational age as dependent variables. The interaction between GDM and depression was also analyzed. Results: The 4 380 pregnant women were (28.8±4.2) years old. The incidence of GDM was 19.5% (852/4 380), and the detection rates of depression in the second and third trimesters were 12.1% (526/4 380) and 12.3% (536/4 367). PG-1h and AUC in the comorbid GDM and depression group were significantly higher than those in the group with no GDM and depression (P<0.05) and the single GDM group (P<0.05). After adjusting for factors such as the childbirth age, education level, family's main economic income, BMI before pregnancy, parity, number of physical activities, and weight gain during pregnancy, compared with the group with no GDM and depression, the RR(95%CI) of LGA occurred in the single depression group, the single GDM group and the comorbid group were 1.31(0.89-1.91), 1.51(1.14-2.00) and 2.43(1.29-4.57), respectively. Further analysis showed that the association between GDM pregnant women with depression and newborn LGA ［RR (95%CI): 2.12 (1.01-4.49)］ was stronger than that between GDM pregnant women without depression and newborn LGA ［RR (95%CI): 1.50 (1.12-1.99)］, the P interaction value was<0.05. Conclusion: The status of comorbid GDM and depression can impair glucose metabolism and increase the risk of LGA.

Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Symptoms in a Population Sample in The Initial Stage of The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Outbreak

Context: Changes in everyday life have been rapid and drastic, with the virus surge outbreaks, the death rate escalating, and stringent steps to control the disease spread increasing across regions of the world. While significant attention has been paid to efforts to diagnose people with the coronavirus infection, recognizing the mental health needs of people affected by this pandemic has been ignored relatively. The psychological impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and lockdown measures on the Egyptian population are unknown.&#x0D; Aim: This study assesses levels of stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms in a population sample in the initial stage of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) outbreak and explores its related potential risk factors.&#x0D; Methods: A cross-sectional design used to conduct the study on a convenience sample of 1010 subjects residing at Benha City, Qalyubiyah Governorate, Egypt. The tool utilized in this study consists of two parts: Self-administered questionnaire, which was designed to assess people's socio-demographic and family data, and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS) that measure the symptoms of the emotional state of depression, anxiety, and stress.&#x0D; Results: The result reveals a mean of total stress scale as 15.44±3.62, mean of total anxiety scale as 13.56±3.74, and mean of total depression scale as 12.41±3.86. There was a high statistically significant positive correlation between anxiety, stress, and depression at p-value &lt;0.01.&#x0D; Conclusion: This study concluded that more than two-thirds of the studied population suffered from a moderate level of stress, less than two-thirds of the studied population suffered from moderate anxiety, while around one-tenth of them were normal, and more than one-third of the studied population suffered from a moderate level of depression, while one-fifth of them were normal. The current result revealed that age (year), marital status, having children, educational level, income, and occupation were predictors of stress, anxiety, and depression. The study suggested the need for additional research on predictive factors affecting people's stress in the era of COVID-19 outbreak and carried out psychological intervention activities through various mediums to help people become more resilient during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Quality of Life and Emotional States of Depression, Anxiety and Stress in Adolescents with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BackgroundThe chronic condition of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in adolescents can affect different aspects of quality of life in them. This study aimed to determine the correlation between the quality of life with emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress in adolescents with PCOS.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study conducted on 120 adolescents with PCOS in Tehran, Iran in 2019. The sociodemographic checklist, quality of life, depression, anxiety and stress (DASS) were assayed by valid and reliable questionnaires. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient and linear regression were used for data analysis, which was performed by SPSS (V.22).ResultsThe mean (SD) age and menarche age of participants were 16.58 (1.36) and 12.52 (1.19) years, respectively. The most common clinical symptoms of adolescence were irregular menstruation (85%) and acne (61.7%). According to the result of this study, there was a significant reverse correlation between total score of SF-12 with total scores of depression, anxiety and stress (r=−0.395, p=0.001) and a significant reverse correlation was also found between each dimension of DASS scale and 12-Item Short Form Survey (SF-12) (p<0.001). Based on the linear regression model and after controlling the demographic variables, there was a linear regression relationship between total DASS score and SF-12 (Beta= −0.367, p= 0.003).ConclusionThe study results reveal the role of emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress in the quality of life of adolescents with PCOS. Based on our findings, we emphasize the interventional studies and guides for improving all dimensions of quality of life and reducing the psychological burden of PCOS in later life of adolescence.

Depression among Islamic School (Madrasah) Students in Marang and Setiu District, Terengganu

DASS stand for the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale. The DASS questionnaire is a set of three self-report scales designed in order to measure the negative emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress. The main objective of this study is to determine the depression's level between male and female students in Madrasahs selected in Marang and Setiu district, Terengganu. The research instrument used to collect data are 448 sets of DASS questionnaire. The participants in this study consist of 448 respondents (177 male, 271 female) regardless of their status either an orphan or non-orphan. The analysis used was Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Chi-Square test. There are 7 questions (items) about depression in DASS. The validity of the items tested by using ANOVA and it shows a high validity and reliable to use in this study. Results from the chi-square test show that gender does affect the level of depression with the value of p = 0.001 which are smaller than the value of α = 0.05. In this research, it shows that gender does affect the level of depression between male and female respondents. Hence, a precaution steps need to be taken in order to avoid any unwanted accidents.

The Effect of Depressive Emotional State on the Efficacy of Physical Therapy in Patients with Low Back Pain

Objective: The aim was to investigate the effect of depressive emotional state on the efficacy of physical therapy in patients with chronic mechanical low back pain (LBP). Methods: Sixty patients with chronic LBP were included in the study. The patients were evaluated by a psychiatrist according to the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and separated into 2 groups regarding the cut off score. Group 1 consisted of 31 patients without depressive emotion while group 2 included 29 patients with depressive emotion. An exercise program consisting of lumbar dynamic stabilization exercises was instructed to all of the patients for 8 weeks. Infrared, ultrasound and TENS were applied to both groups for 15 seans. The pain was evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS), disabilite and quality of life was evaluated by Oswestry disability index and the Short-Form 36(SF-36) at baseline and 3rd and 8th weeks. Results: Improvement at pain severity during ADL, rest and sitting position was found to be significantly higher in group 2 compared to group 1 patients at the 8th week (p 0.05), but improvement of some SF-36 subscale scores (pain, emotional role functioning, mental health) of groups significantly lower in group 2 compared to group 1 at the 8th weeks (p<0.05). Conclusions: Patients with chronic LBP and a depressive emotional state are inclined to have more disability and poorer quality of life, while physical therapy and exercises yield to less improvement in scores of pain and some subscales of the SF-36 in these patients than those without depressive affect.

Depression in patients with chronic hepatitis B and cirrhosis is closely associated with the severity of liver cirrhosis

Depression in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) can affect the quality of life, disease diagnosis and case fatality rate. The aim of this study was to explore depression in patients with CHB and cirrhosis, and the effect of the severity of liver cirrhosis on the depressive emotional state. The depressive emotional state was investigated using the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) in 114 patients with CHB and cirrhosis, comprising 42 cases classified as Child-Pugh grade (CPG)-A, 38 cases classified as CPG-B and 34 cases classified as CPG-C at a single hepatology center. Patients with mood disorders accounted for 33.33% of the 114 cases with CHB and liver cirrhosis and comprised 10 cases of CPG-A, 12 cases of CPG-B and 16 cases of CPG-C classification. The results shows that HAMA and HAMD scores of patients in the CPG-C group were significantly higher than those in the CPG-A group (P<0.01), but not significantly higher than those in the CPG-B group (P>0.05). The incidence rate of mood disorders in the CPG-C group was significantly higher than that in the CPG-B group (P=0.0336), and the incidence rate of mood disorders was higher in the CPG-B group compared with the CPG-A group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.4370). The incidence rate of mood disorders in patients in the CPG-A group was significantly lower than that in the CPG-C group (P=0.0078). The study shows that a considerable proportion of patients with liver cirrhosis have mood disorders, and the depression rates of CHB-infected patients with liver cirrhosis are closely associated with the severity of the cirrhosis.

Associations between neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognition in Chinese patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Our objective was to explore features of the neuropsychiatric symptoms in Chinese patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and the associations between these neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognition. A total of 91 ALS patients were evaluated using three recommended scales including the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination Revised (ACE-R), and Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) tests. The mean age of onset was 52.5 ± 10.8 years. The median NPI score of all patients was 2.0. The most common neuropsychiatric symptom was dysphoria/depression (59.3%), followed by anxiety (41.8%) and irritability/lability (26.4%). There were no significant differences in the frequency of neuropsychiatric symptoms in terms of gender, age of onset, onset form and disease duration. There were no significant differences in NPI total score, ACE-R total score and FAB total score in terms of gender, age of onset, onset form and disease duration, except for a higher ACE-R score observed in patients with a shorter disease duration. The NPI score had a strong correlation with the ACE-R score but not with the FAB score. In conclusion, neuropsychiatric symptoms appear to be quite common in Chinese ALS patients, who were likely to present with the emotional states of depression or anxiety. The neuropsychiatric symptoms in ALS are closely related to global cognition dysfunction.

Mindfulness Meditation and Aromatherapy to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

Coping with symptoms of stress and anxiety is a challenging experience and continues to tax the resources and limits of modern conventional health care. In the past 25–30 years, western medical science has turned increasing attention to the psychological and physical correlates of meditation, with mindfulness becoming quite popular in recent years. An extensive literature review was performed; the majority of articles were rated at level ll evidence based on a scale of l–Vll (l being the best evidence). Findings of the literature review support the evidence-based practice project of using mindfulness meditation as an intervention to reduce both stress and anxiety levels ( Lee et al., 2007 Lee S.H. Ahn S.C. Lee Y.J. Choi T.K. Yook K.H. Suh S.Y. Effectiveness of a meditation-based management program as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy in patients with anxiety disorder. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2007; 62: 189-195 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (73) Google Scholar , Leite et al., 2010 Leite J.R. De Moraes Ornellas F.L. Amemiya T.M. De Almeida A.A. Dias A.A. Afonso R. et al. Effect of progressive self-focus meditation on attention, anxiety, and depression scores. Perceptual and Motor Skills. 2010; 110: 840-848 Crossref PubMed Scopus (19) Google Scholar , Malini et al., 2011 Malini Srivastava Uddip Talukdar Vivek Lahan Meditation for the management of adjustment disorder, anxiety and depression. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2011; 17: 241-250 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (19) Google Scholar , Piet and Esben, 2011 Piet Jacob Esben Hougaard The effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for prevention of relapse in recurrent major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review. 2011; 31: 1032-1040 Crossref PubMed Scopus (526) Google Scholar , Ramel et al., 2004 Ramel et al. The effect of mindfulness meditation on cognitive processes and affect in patients with past depression. Cognitive Therapy and Research. 2004; 28: 433-455 Crossref Scopus (362) Google Scholar , Schreiner and Malcolm James, 2008 Schreiner Istvan Malcolm James P. The benefits of mindfulness meditation: Changes in emotional states of depression, anxiety and stress. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2008; 25: 158-168 Google Scholar , Toneatto and Nguyen, 2007 Toneatto T. Nguyen L. Does mindfulness improve anxiety and mood symptoms? A review of the controlled research. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 2007; : 260-266 PubMed Google Scholar ). There was no prior research using a mindfulness intervention combined with aromatherapy to reduce stress and anxiety for hospitalized psychiatric patients.