Deterioration In Psychological Well-being Research Articles

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients having followed virtual reality therapy or cognitive behavioural therapy: a content analysis

Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic led to exacerbation of mental health symptoms and deterioration in psychological well-being in individuals suffering from schizophrenia. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients suffering from treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) with auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) having undergone virtual reality therapy (VRT) or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) on their symptomatology. The secondary objective is to identify the differences and similarities in relation to the response to the COVID 19 pandemic between these two groups of patients. Methods Qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews was conducted with 42 patients suffering from TRS who had previously followed VRT or CBT. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed. Results Four themes emerged in this study: Psychotherapeutic Interventions, Impact of COVID-19 and Public health and safety policies, Substance use and Psychiatric follow-up. Participants from both groups reported that their therapy was beneficial in controlling AVH. Patients having followed CBT reported more depressive symptoms whereas patients having followed VRT reported more anxious symptoms. Conclusions This study offers a first qualitative insight in patients suffering from TRS and the impacts of COVID-19 on them and opens the door to the protective factors of CBT and VRT for this specific population.

Symptom severity and well-being of patients with mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic: a two-wave survey

Purpose of the article To examine changes in symptom severity and well-being during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic among individuals with pre-existing mental illness. Materials and methods In February 2021, we conducted a follow-up questionnaire-based survey among adults with mental illness, who responded to a similar survey on mental health in June 2020. The participants completed the 18-item Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18), the five-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5), and 14 questions evaluating worsening or improvement in mental health using the pre-pandemic period as reference. The survey data were merged with sociodemographic and clinical data from the medical records of all invitees to the first survey, enabling analysis of attrition and weighting of the results. Results A total of 613 of 992 (62%) invitees participated in the follow-up wave of the survey. The weighted mean WHO-5 and BSI-18 scores were 38 and 27, respectively, and did not differ statistically significantly from the first wave. Multivariate logistic regression showed that having a vocational education (skilled worker/craftsman) was positively associated with reporting deterioration in psychological well-being (OR: 2.95, 95%CI: 1.14–7.81), while being unemployed was negatively associated with reporting deterioration in psychological well-being (OR: 0.20, 95%CI: 0.07–0.56) from the first to the second survey wave. The most common reason for self-reported deterioration in mental health was loneliness (70%). Conclusions Approximately one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the level of symptoms remained high, whereas the level of psychological well-being remained low among patients with mental illness.

The psychological benefits of neuropsychological assessment feedback as a psycho-educational therapeutic intervention: A randomized-controlled trial with cross-over in multiple sclerosis

ABSTRACT Evidence supporting the direct therapeutic benefits of neuropsychological assessment (NPA) feedback relies mostly upon post-feedback consumer surveys. This randomized-controlled trial with cross-over investigated the benefits of NPA feedback in multiple sclerosis (MS). Seventy-one participants were randomly allocated to NPA with feedback or a “delayed-treatment” control group. The primary hypotheses were that NPA feedback would lead to improved knowledge of cognitive functioning and improved coping. Outcome instruments were administered by a research assistant blinded to group allocation. At 1-week post-NPA feedback there were no significant group-by-time interaction effects, indicating no improvement. But nor was there any significant deterioration in psychological wellbeing, despite most participants receiving “bad news” confirming cognitive impairment. At 1-month follow-up, within-subjects’ analyses not only found no evidence of any delayed deterioration, but showed clinically significant improvement (small-medium effects) in perceived everyday cognitive functioning, MS self-efficacy, stress and depression. Despite lack of improvement in the RCT component at 1-week post-NPA feedback, the absence of deterioration at this time, in addition to significant improvements in perceived cognitive functioning, self-efficacy and mood at follow-up, together with high satisfaction ratings, all support NPA feedback as a safe psycho-educational intervention that is followed by improved psychological wellbeing over time. Trial registration: Uniform Trial Number identifier: U1111-1127-1585. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry identifier: ACTRN12612000161820.

Psychological Predictors of Self-reported COVID-19 Outcomes: Results From a Prospective Cohort Study.

BackgroundPrevious research has shown that psychological factors, such as stress and social support, are associated with greater susceptibility to viral respiratory illnesses and more severe symptoms. During the COVID-19 pandemic there has been a well-documented deterioration in psychological well-being and increased social isolation. This raises questions as to whether those experiencing psychological adversity during the pandemic are more at risk of contracting and/or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.PurposeTo examine the relationship between psychological factors and the risk of COVID-19 self-reported infection and the symptomatic experience of SARS-CoV-2 (indicated by the number and severity of symptoms).MethodsAs part of a longitudinal prospective observational cohort study, 1,087 adults completed validated measures of psychological well-being during April 2020 and self-reported incidence of COVID-19 infection and symptom experience across the pandemic through to December 2020. Regression models were used to explore these relationships controlling for demographic and occupational factors.ResultsGreater psychological distress during the early phase of the pandemic was significantly associated with subsequent self-reported SARS-CoV-2 infection as well as the experience of a greater number and more severe symptoms.ConclusionsCOVID-19 infection and symptoms may be more common among those experiencing elevated psychological distress. Further research to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these associations is needed.

Personality Traits, Media Exposure, and Deterioration of Psychological Wellbeing in Japan During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study examined the associations among personality traits, media exposure regarding COVID-19, and deterioration of mental wellbeing among the public in Japan. We conducted a cross-sectional Web-based questionnaire survey among 8000 Japanese men and women aged 25 to 64 years. Approximately half of participants reported deterioration of mental wellbeing. Nearly 20% of participants reported "constant/excessive" exposure to media information regarding COVID-19. As compared with those with low "extraversion" and "less frequent" exposure to media information about COVID-19, those with high "extraversion" and "more frequent" media exposure reported significantly less deterioration of mental wellbeing. In addition, as compared with those with low "neuroticism" and media exposure, those with high "neuroticism" and "constant/excessive" exposure to COVID-19-related information significantly more frequently reported deterioration of mental wellbeing. Under the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19, measures for the promotion and maintenance of mental wellbeing should be implemented considering the interaction between personality traits and media exposure.

Characterising the patterns of and factors associated with increased alcohol consumption since COVID-19 in a UK sample.

IntroductionTo examine changes in drinking patterns and to assess factors associated with reported increases in frequency of drinking, units consumed and frequency of heavy episodic drinking (HED) during the UK lockdown.MethodsOnline cross‐sectional survey of 2777 self‐selected UK adults.ResultsThirty percent of participants reported drinking more frequently in lockdown, 16% reported drinking more units per drinking occasion and 14% reported more frequent HED. For men and women, increased frequency of drinking was associated with being less likely to believe alcohol drinking would lead to greater chance of catching COVID‐19 (men: OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.98, 1.00; women: OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.99, 1.00) and deterioration in psychological wellbeing (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.54; OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.11, 1.51); increased unit consumption was associated with deterioration in financial situation (OR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.21, 1.86; OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.64) and physical health (OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.03, 1.67; OR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.31, 2.10). Finally, increases in the frequency of HED were associated with deterioration in psychological wellbeing (OR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.25, 2.18; OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.17, 1.82) and being furloughed (OR = 3.25, 95% CI = 1.80, 5.86; OR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.19, 3.56). Other gender differences were detected, for example, living with children was associated with an increase in units consumed (OR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.09, 2.73) and the frequency of HED (OR = 2.40, 95% CI = 1.44, 3.99) for men, but not women.Discussion and ConclusionsIn this self‐selected UK sample, a significant proportion of individuals reported drinking more frequently in lockdown, drinking more units per drinking occasion and more frequent HED. There were consistent predictors of increased consumption across men and women, but other gender differences were detected. This study identifies groups that may require targeted support in future lockdowns.

Psychology of the Subject's Self-Regulatory Activity in the Context of Hybrid Warfare

Objective: The main tasks of this study are as follows: to substantiate the interdependence of perversion as a form of violence and the human ego in the context of hybrid warfare; to prove the existence of perversion as a form of violence against a person in the context of hybrid warfare in Ukraine (personal perversion); to describe the alteration of ego states as conditions for effective human self-regulatory activity in the context of hybrid warfare. Background: Hybrid warfare, including the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, as a phenomenon, has been widely studied both abroad and in Ukraine. However, there are very few works on the psychological impact of such a war. There are currently no works on disorders of human self-regulatory activity in the context of hybrid warfare, which makes the study unique and relevant. Method: The study used a combination of various methods, in particular, structural-clinical interviews, psychological counseling and therapeutic meetings, data analysis. Data were collected for 2014-2020. The total number of participants was 55 people aged 25 to 63 years, with 70% female and 30% male. Results: The latent tension and denial of hybrid warfare result in a gradual increase of neurotization, which is in 95% of cases passes into a neurosis state with concomitant manifestations of symptoms. There is also a deterioration in psychological well-being and phylogenetic disorders (erogenous dysfunction in men, uncontrolled neurotic masturbation in women). Disorders of the mental level of self-regulation determine the manifestation of the mental content of perversion, in which perversion takes on the character of intrapersonal functioning. Conclusion: The combination of disorders of the physical, mental and personal levels of the self-regulatory activity of the psyche increased perverse tendencies in social and political life, which provoked a high rate of psychotization of the entire society and an increase in deficit characterological manifestations of each individual.

QUALITY OF LIFE RELATED TO HEALTH AND OBESITY IN A PRIMARY CARE CENTER

Background: To evaluate the association between obesity and two aspects of health-related quality of life: self-perception of health and psychological well-being in patients enrolled in a health center.
 Methods. Descriptive cross-sectional study on 167 patients between 20 and 70 years old, with a body mass index ³ 30. A clinical interview was carried out to obtain the socio-demographic and clinical variables of each patient and the administration of 2 questionnaires: 1) Nottingham Health Profile (PSN) and 2) Psychological General Well-Being (PGWB) index.
 Results: Mean PSN scores indicated a moderate overall deterioration in perceived health in obese patients, the affected areas being "pain", "physical mobility" and "emotional reactions". The variables associated with a poorer score were female sex, age over 50 years, low educational level and the presence of psychiatric pathology or osteoarthritis. The mean total score on the PGWB indicates a small deterioration in psychological well-being. Female gender, anxiety, and a low educational level were also associated with worse scores.
 Conclusions: In our population, a profile of obese patients with poor quality of life is identified (women over 50 years of age with a low level of education and the presence of psychiatric pathology or osteoarthritis) on whom the advisability of taking priority action is raised.
 Keywords: Obesity. Quality of life. Health survey. Chronic diseases Perceived health. Psychological well-being.

Longitudinal study of depression and health status in pregnant women: incidence, course and predictive factors

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of isolated psychological intimate partner violence and psychosocial factors (social support and alcohol or drug use by a partner/family member) on psychological well-being (depression or poor self-perceived health status) at 5 and 12months post-partum. A longitudinal cohort study was carried out with a consecutive sample of 1,400 women in their first trimester of pregnancy, who attended the prenatal programme in the Valencia Region (Spain) in 2008 and were followed up at 5months and 12months post-partum. A logistic regression model was fitted using generalized estimating equations, to assess the effect of isolated psychological intimate partner violence, social support, alcohol consumption and illicit drug use problems by a partner or family member on subsequent psychological well-being at follow-up. We observed a decrease in the incidence of poorer psychological well-being (post-partum depression and poor self-perceived health status) at 12months post-partum. The strongest predictor of poor psychological well-being was depression (AOR=6.83, 95% CI: 3.44-13.58) or poor self-perceived health status (AOR=5.34, 95% CI: 2.37-12.02) during pregnancy. Isolated psychological IPV increased the risk of a deterioration in psychological well-being. Having a tangible social network was also a predictor of both post-partum depression and poor self-perceived health status. The effect of functional social support varied according to the type of psychological well-being indicator being used. Problems of alcohol consumption or illicit drug use by a partner or family member were a predictor of post-partum depression only. Psychological well-being during the first year after birth is highly affected by isolated psychological IPV and psychosocial factors.

Causas sociales de la depresión. Una revisión crítica del modelo atributivo de la depresión

Depression is the leading cause of deterioration in psychological well-being in the world. The present research aimed at analyzing depression from a socio-psychological perspective, focusing on the role of causal attributions on the origins of depressive disorders. Therefore, a model of depression is suggested in which the role of social factors such as stressful life events and coping strategies, social support, alienation and self-esteem are considered. The results are consistent with the attributional style hypothesis, as well as with the attribution model of depression. However, the results also point to the fact that the attributional style is not significantly associated to depression when taking into consideration the role of other social variables. These results lead us to the conclusion that a larger, and specifically more sociological, perspective is needed when analyzing depression.

Common risk factors for changes in body weight and psychological well-being in Japanese male middle-aged workers

Overweight and poor psychological well-being are becoming serious health issues in the Japanese workplace. Concurrence of those physical and mental conditions has been pointed out, especially in middle-aged workers. Therefore, we tried to determine common risk factors for body weight gain and the deterioration of psychological well-being in male middle-aged office workers using a five-year follow-up study. We administered General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) as an indicator of psychological well-being to 110 male workers with ages ranging from 40-59 years, and analyzed the influence of several psychological factors, namely sense of coherence (SOC), health locus of control (HLC), and lifestyle variables such as exercise frequency, alcohol intake, smoking status, and dietary intake on changes of body mass index and GHQ-12 score. McNemar's chi-squared test showed significant concurrence of weight gain and deterioration of psychological well-being after five-year follow-up. Low-SOC score, low frequency of exercise, and high-dietary intake at supper were significantly associated with both weight gain and poorer psychological well-being in workers, results which were supported by multiple regression analysis. These results suggest that exercise and calorie restriction seem to prevent weight gain and promote psychological well-being in workers. Low SOC, which implies difficulty in coping with stress, may be an important risk factor not only for deterioration of psychological well-being but also for becoming overweight. These assumptions must be confirmed by conducting future intervention studies on SOC and lifestyle including exercise and eating behavior.

Illness experiences of invasive mechanical ventilator-dependent amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients in Japan : A study of trajectories and correlates of psychological well-being

This descriptive retrospective study examines and describes the course of the illness experience over time of invasive mechanical ventilator (IMV)-dependent patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Japan, with attention to the factors related to psychological well being (PWB). Data from 50 subjects was gathered through written surveys and semi-structured interviews.Three distinct PWB trajectory patterns were observed over time periods beginning onset : “fall-rise,” “fall-rise-fall,” and “fall-remain low.” We found that factors predictive of PWB improvement or deterioration could be grouped into two broad categories : “factors related to illness, survival, and coping,” and “lifestyle-related factors.” The first category included “physical symptoms and disabilities,” “treatment,” “acceptance of the disease,” and second included “daily lifestyle,” “plans for the future,” “personal relationships,” “reasons for living.” The most fundamental reasons for deterioration in PWB were “mental and physical suffering caused by decline of physical function” and “internal conflict about IMV use.” The relief of physical pain related to IMV was the most important factor predictive of an initial improvement in PWB, while the two factors most predictive of ongoing improvements in PWB were “sources of joy” and “family support.” We hope an improved understanding of these factors may aid in informing caregivers and healthcare systems.

Obesidade e qualidade de vida.

Obesity is considered one of the most relevant health problems of modern societies, as it constitutes a predominant risk factor in the development of various other diseases. The negative impact of obesity on the quality of life of individuals has been the subject of diverse research. The results of a test carried out at Gothenburg University in Sweden suggest that severe obesity is a debilitating factor both for health and psychosocial functioning. Research carried out in Madrid permitted identification of a profile of obese patients with impaired quality of life, which has enabled prophylactic intervention or early treatment of these cases to be considered. The results of a study carried out in the USA propose that pain would appear to be directly related with quality of life and could be considered a covariant of obesity, and should therefore be taken into account in obesity treatments. A study carried out in Oxford concluded that obese subjects or subjects with another chronic disease presented a deterioration in physical wellbeing, however only subjects with another chronic disease (without associated obesity) presented a deterioration in psychological wellbeing. The majority of studies suggest the negative influence of obesity and overweight on health and psychosocial functioning, however it is not possible to clearly define a linear relation between obesity and diminished quality of life.

Psychological well-being of informal caregivers of elderly people with dementia: Changes over time

Psychological well-being of caregivers of demented elderly people was investigated during two years of follow-up. Three groups of caregivers were distinguished: those providing care for two years after baseline; those whose care-recipient died within the first year after baseline, and those whose care-recipient was institutionalized within the first year. Compared to general population norms, all groups of caregivers showed a great amount of psychological distress, especially those whose elder suffering from dementia deceased within the first year after baseline. The course of psychological well-being of caregivers who continued to provide care during follow-up supported the wear-and-tear model: an overall deterioration of psychological well-being was found (measured by the GHQ-12, SCL-90-R and SWLS) as elders' functioning declined and caregiving at home continued. Specific increases were found on total amount of psychological distress, but also on the SCL-90-R subscales: Depression, Anxiety, Interpersonal Sensitivity and Paranoid Ideation and Difficulty with Cognitive Performance. No overall changes were found for caregivers whose demented care-recipient had died or was institutionalized in the first year after baseline. These data suggest that the high level of psychological distress and the deterioration in psychological well-being among informal caregivers of dementia patients is a reason to reconsider the merits of the current trend to have demented older people live on their own as long as possible. Additional support should be considered.

Hypertension labelling, life events and psychological well-being

Almost all previous studies of the psychological sequelae of hypertension labelling have lacked a prospective, longitudinal design which could allow for causal interpretations. The present study relies on questionnaire data from a hypertension screening carried out on the entire adult population of a medium-sized, Norwegian county (total number of participants = 74977). 'Labelled' individuals, i.e. previously unaware hypertensives (N = 173), false positives (N = 233), and patients in need of continued BP control (N = 474) have been followed up after 1-3 years, and comparisons are made with aware hypertensives (N = 206), patients previously treated for hypertension (N = 118), and a random sample of normotensives (N = 2326). 'Pre-labelling', baseline measures of subjective well-being had been carried out on all comparison groups in connection with the screening. Changes in psychological well-being are not significantly related to labelling or BP-status. However, there is a deterioration in psychological well-being among participants who have been subjected to one or more negative life events/stresses (other than labelling) in the preceding 12 months.